That’s when Kat roared from a different direction. They couldn’t have been shooting at her. Maybe at the other jag.
His heart beating as fast as possible, he turned. She was close by, and he roared to let her know he was on his way, just before he bounded to intercept her.
Maya had to be running parallel to him through the foliage nearby, although he couldn’t see her.
Another cat raced through the jungle toward them, and Connor was sure it had to be Kat.
Eyes wide and looking grateful, Kat broke through the foliage that had hidden her. Relief washed through him as soon as he saw her, a vision in rosette-covered fur. The two quickly bonded, rubbing their bodies against each other with affection and as a sign of belonging. Maya joined them, caressing her cheek against Kat’s in greeting, their tails twitching, before they headed back to camp.
The relief he felt at Kat’s safe return was so pronounced that he could barely think straight. When they arrived back at the campsite, he again nuzzled Kat’s face, wanting to hold her tight and never let go. But they had to leave soon.
He grunted to Maya to let her know he was going on a hunt, and she bowed her head slightly to let him know she understood.
When Connor again took off into the jungle, Kat was afraid he was going after the men with the guns. But once she had shifted and dressed, and Maya had done the same as quickly as possible, Maya explained what her brother was up to as she gathered firewood.
“It’s still dark out and will be some hours before dawn, but Connor wants us to eat, then get on our way.”
“But what about the men?”
“They’re shooting at something else.”
Kat took a deep breath. “We’re leaving because I ran off as a jaguar.” Kat gathered kindling.
She still couldn’t get over having heard something in the brush near where she had been, but not seeing any sign of it. She didn’t care to admit how scared that had made her.
“Yes, in part. He’s afraid of losing you in the jungle. But in part, it’s because we can travel under the cover of darkness, and when we reach the city, it’ll be time to get a room. He doesn’t like it that men are firing guns out here. They could be from the drug cartel. Even biologists who study jaguars in the area often take an armed escort. It’s better if we go soon.” Maya lit the fire.
“You made a mistake in turning someone like me,” Kat said.
Maya looked up from the fire, the flames dancing off her irises. She barely breathed, then finally said, “What do you mean?”
Kat sat down before the fire. “I haven’t done so since I first joined the Army, but while I was at one of the officers’ summer training camps, I tried to climb into another woman’s bunk. Everyone was shook up because they called my name and tried to find out what was wrong, but I didn’t respond. I just kept trying to climb into the other bunk. Mine was on the bottom across from the one I was trying to crawl into. I was sleepwalking.”
Maya’s lips parted, but she didn’t say a word. Then she cleared her throat. “Sleepwalking?”
Kat nodded, staring at the fire, hating to have to tell anyone her secret. “I read about it once. Experts say that often family members have the same predisposition. But since I never knew my real family, I don’t have any clue. Most times, the condition doesn’t persist into adulthood. But I still experience problems with it from time to time.”
“You were sleepwalking?” Maya asked, sounding incredulous.
Kat squirmed to get more comfortable on the rough ground. “Yeah. At least I figure that’s what happened. I didn’t remember anything until I heard the gunshots fired, and I leaped into a tree to get away from the danger. That’s when I realized I had shifted and wasn’t back at the campsite. I had no idea how I had gotten there or where I was.”
“Wow,” Maya said, sounding more than worried.
Kat let out her breath hard. “I don’t do it all the time. Only when I’m extremely tired. I remember one of my foster mothers calling out for me to come in and see something. Except she wasn’t calling for me but my foster dad to see something on the television. I watched it without really seeing anything until the program was over, and then she put me back to bed.”
Maya just stared at her with wide eyes.
“Wow,” Maya said again.
“One time, I spent what seemed like an eternity trying to make a bed in another room. I was staying with another foster teen, and she and I didn’t get along at all. I barely remember struggling to make a bed on the floor of the unfurnished spare bedroom. I woke up to find myself in there the next morning, sleeping on all the bedding on the floor. That’s when I began to have a hazy recollection of it. Even this time, I kind of remember struggling to get out of my clothes before I shifted. Then the gunshots must have wakened me from my sleepwalking state.”
Maya chewed on her bottom lip. “I’m sorry, Kat. I didn’t mean to put you in any danger.”
Kat didn’t look at her. She didn’t resent Maya for turning her. She wasn’t sure why, but she really liked Maya. Maybe because she had never had a friend who would risk all to be there for her. Maya never put her down, never judged her. If anything, she seemed in awe of Kat.
Maya reached over and patted Kat’s shoulder. “Are you okay?”
This time Kat looked over at her, heard the tears in her words, and saw the tears shimmering in her eyes. She knew then Maya was worried she might have put Kat in real danger, and she feared she would lose her new friend through her own folly.
“I don’t know how I’d feel if I’d been in your jaguar skin, Maya, as to whether I’d ever turn someone to have another sister or to try to ensure my brother had a mate. I’ve never had a sibling, never thought I’d ever experience such a thing. I’ve done enough stupid things in my life, so I don’t mean to judge you. Regrets would eat at me forever, and the best any of us can do is forge forward, learn from our mistakes, and make the most of them.”
Maya nodded, but she didn’t seem any more appeased.
“I don’t know what’s ahead for me, Maya. All we can do is take it one step at a time.” Grand words, Kat thought, when deep inside she was scared to death of traveling on a plane. She was sure she would never make it to their destination before she shifted. A jaguar on a plane would definitely not be conducive to a safe and pleasant flight.
But she was not going to stew about the changes in her life because she was stuck with them, one way or another.
They heard movement in the brush, and both turned to see Connor with breakfast. Relieved to see him, she peered at the offering clenched between his teeth. Another caiman. She couldn’t wait to get back to civilization and eat something normal like a juicy slab of steak or a lemon-pepper-seasoned piece of baked chicken, a lettuce salad with tomatoes and olives and lots of blue cheese dressing, a baked potato with butter and sour cream and chives, and of course something chocolate to finish off the meal. Nothing exotic.
Her stomach rumbled.
She didn’t say anything about the sleepwalking, but she knew Maya would mention it before long. The issue was too important not to discuss.
Connor cooked the meal as Maya and Kat packed up their belongings.
After eating, they hiked along a dirt road headed toward civilization.
From what Connor had said before they had stopped for the night, the trek to the city would take hours still, but she couldn’t wait to get a room. She wanted to clean up and sleep in a bed, make love to Connor, and never get up.
Maya interrupted Kat’s thoughts of a soft bed and a hard-bodied Connor as she said, “Kat was sleepwalking.” She spoke matter-of-factly, not spitefully, nor did she sound worried.
Kat closed her eyes briefly and waited for Connor to say something as he trudged down the road behind her. She took a deep breath of the humid air. At least at this time of morning, it was still cooler and the air was easier to breathe.