The Jaguar Prince

Chapter 9

“I need to get ready for work,” Callie said when Rogar closed the door.

“You’re really going to work? I thought you were lying to your landlady.”

Now he’d confused her. “Why would you think I was lying? I may be half Symtarian, but the Earthling side of me still has to pay the bills.”

“I have money.”

She threw her arms in the air. “Counterfeit! It’s illegal to make your own money. Which I’ve been meaning to talk to you about. You have to stop making money illegally. I’d rather not spend the rest of my life in jail as an accomplice, if you don’t mind.”

“Don’t you want to know about your ancestors?” He conveniently changed the subject.

Now he’d hit a sore spot. “Of course I do. Everyone wants to know where they came from, what their relatives were like. I won’t deny I’ve had questions over the years.”

“Then stay with me.”

“Ten years ago I might have jumped at the chance.” She shook her head. “I’ve been on my own for a long time now and I’ve learned to make my way without any help. My job probably doesn’t seem like much to you, but my dream has always been to work with the big cats. There’s an animal keeper job opening up soon and I’m next in line. I’ve worked hard for that position, and I won’t let anything jeopardize it.”

“You’re from another world.”

“Only part of me, the rest is from right here on Earth.” She tilted her head and studied him. “I’ve never shifted until last night, and I had to think about it before I could. Can I control it? Keep from shifting again?”

He took a step back and Callie knew she’d shocked him.

“You would give up that part of who you are?”

“Then it can be done?”

“You would be killing a part of yourself.”

“Just like my parents killed off a part of themselves when they dumped me at the orphanage?”

“You don’t know their reasons.”

“And the next verse is, I don’t want to know.” She looked at her hands, gathering her thoughts. “What if the truth is worse than I could imagine?”

“What if it isn’t?”

“Maybe I don’t want to take that chance.” A long time ago, she’d created a fairy tale in her mind that her mother and father had to leave her because they were dying of some horrible disease. The lies she told herself were so much better than facing what the truth might actually be—that she was dumped because she’d become a burden. She just wasn’t sure she wanted to face the truth.

Rogar raked his fingers through his hair, clearly frustrated. “Let me explain what a guide means. At least, give me that.”

Didn’t he realize it wouldn’t make any difference? She still wouldn’t go back to his planet with him. She’d finally adjusted to this one, and she’d been born here! No, Callie didn’t want to walk into the unknown and take a chance it was worse than Earth.

She sighed. But Rogar had traveled a great distance, and he was starting to grow on her.

“We’ll talk after I get off work,” she conceded.

He finally nodded.

She hurried from the room, more to get away from Rogar. She wanted to tell him that he could be waiting for her every night, but it wouldn’t do him any good. It was as though all her life she’d been working toward this one job. The dream was as much a part of her as breathing, and she wouldn’t let anyone or anything stand in her way.

Sometimes new dreams can become just as important.

She stumbled as she went inside her bedroom. Dizziness washed over her. It hadn’t been her thoughts. It couldn’t have been. She’d been dreaming of working with the big cats since going to the zoo on a field trip when she was nine. It was the first time she’d felt whole.

Damn it, Rogar was making her think things she didn’t want to think. She brought her hands to her face. And feel things she didn’t want to feel.

She grabbed a uniform out of the closet, and undergarments out of the drawer, then marched to the bathroom. She refused to think about anything to do with him, or shifting into another form. That was his world, and she wanted no part of it.

She showered, then dressed, before going to the other room. “I’ll need a ride to work,” she said. He’d changed clothes. He must have gone on his own little shopping spree with his counterfeit money.

He didn’t say anything. Just walked to the door.

The silent treatment?

“I’m…I’m sorry that I’m not what you were wanting,” she told him as guilt flooded her.

He turned around, his expression puzzled. “Not what I wanted?”

He ambled over to where she stood. She swallowed hard, looking everywhere but at him. He raised her chin and forced her to meet his gaze.

“Not what I wanted? How can you say that? You’ve been everything I could imagine. I love watching the changes happening in you. I love when you laugh. I love mating with you.” He lowered his head, his lips brushing against hers before he deepened the kiss.

Heat flared inside her. He slid his hand down her back, cupping her butt, pulling her closer to his need. His tongue stroked hers, then sucking. Her pleasure centers exploded. She wanted him, she needed him. He pulled away, looking as shaken as she felt.

“That…that won’t change my mind. I still won’t go with you,” she said.

“Then I’ll stay just long enough to tell you the story of our beginning.”

Would he really do that? Tell her the Symtarian history, then leave, letting her live her life as if nothing had happened? She studied his face, not quite trusting him.

“And you won’t speak again about me leaving with you?”

“If that is what you want.”

“It is.”

He opened the door and she walked outside, feeling as though she was entering into another phase of her life.

“But it doesn’t mean that we won’t mate again,” he said.

Oh, she was counting on that, but she chose to keep her thoughts to herself. This was all too new.

Rogar dropped her off in front of the employee entrance, and promised he would have her car back by the time she got off work, then he ground the gears as he shifted, and pulled away.

She felt torn about going inside. For a moment, she wanted to chase after him. That was crazy, of course. She might be part alien, but as she’d already told him, the other half was Earthling, and she planned on sticking with what she knew.

She clocked in and went straight to Sheba’s cage. She just wanted to stop by for a few minutes. Sort of anchor herself to where she really belonged, but she would need to hurry.

“Hiya, Pete,” she said. Pete was just closing the gate to Sheba’s empty cage.

“Hey, Callie. You just missed Sheba. I’ve already turned her out into the pit.”

“I was hoping I would get here before you did.”

“Running late this morning?”

“Car trouble,” she said without going into detail.

“Bummer.”

“Yeah.”

He strolled over to where she stood. “I heard you were around when the guy jumped down into the pit to save that kid. Man, I would’ve given my left…” He cleared his throat. “I mean, I would’ve given just about anything to have seen that. They say he was a hero, and he had Sheba acting like a spoiled housecat.”

“That pretty much sums it up.” Even though she was a little irked that Sheba had taken to Rogar so quickly, Callie couldn’t stop the warm fuzzies from tickling her belly. Not that she had a right to feel pride in what Rogar had done. It wasn’t as though she and Rogar were an item or anything. They’d mated—she frowned—they’d made love once. Yes, she liked him well enough, but that was as far as their relationship went. When he returned to his own planet…

Wow, it was really hard getting used to the fact he was indeed an alien, but she knew it was true.

“That’s what we need,” Pete said, and she realized she’d been lost in thought.

“What do we need?”

He brushed his hand through his unkempt hair. “Someone like him working with the cats. Maybe he could even do something with Sheba. Like walking around in the pit while she’s in there, and maybe talking about the big cats. It would be a great draw, don’t you think? More money for programs and all.”

She stiffened. “Excuse me?”

“Huh?” Confusion knit his brow.

He really didn’t get it, did he? “The next animal keeper opening is supposed to be mine.”

“Oh, now I understand.” He nodded. “But you could have the one after that.”

“I don’t think so.” She said between gritted teeth, then turned on her heel. “I have to get to work.”

“But I thought you liked working with the baby animals, and the kids who come through the petting zoo.”

She didn’t even bother to answer. Not that it mattered because Rogar wouldn’t be staying. He wasn’t a threat. The job had her name written all over it. Besides the fact, Mr. Campbell promised it to her.

Well, he hadn’t actually come out and said the words, but his implication had been pretty strong.

She walked inside the building beside the petting zoo and grabbed the keys just as Gail hurried in.

“Sorry, I’m running late.”

“Don’t worry. I just got here myself.”

“So, everyone’s all buzzing about what happened yesterday.”

“I’ve heard,” she spoke dryly.

“Does he really have a sexy black Jaguar?”

Callie stilled. How could Gail know about Rogar’s ability to shift?”

“I mean the car, not the cat.” Gail laughed.

Callie relaxed as she walked toward the baby animal pens. “How would I know?”

“Didn’t he take you home when your car wouldn’t start?”

How the hell did she know about that? Did she also know they’d had wild passionate sex?

“Ben saw you leave with him,” Gail explained. “It’s so romantic. Like Prince Charming.”

What would Gail think if she knew Rogar was a prince? Not that Callie would be the one telling. “There’s nothing going on between us. My car wouldn’t start. He was just leaving and offered me a ride home. End of story.”

“Really?”

Gail looked so disappointed that Callie almost laughed. “Yes, really.”

“Well, since you apparently don’t want him, mind tossing him my way?”

Callie chuckled, but at the same time, a little flare of jealousy sparked inside her. Which was so totally ridiculous. She and Rogar were only friends—who’d made wild passionate love last night. No biggie. Of course she wasn’t jealous. A touch of indigestion from all the rich food she’d downed last night was more plausible.

Gail and Callie didn’t have a chance to speak again as they opened the gates and led the baby animals out to the big open pen. The little ones were more than eager to stretch their legs and greet the new day. Callie wished she could feel the same way. Her day was going downhill in a hurry.

She was leading the lamb out when the phone rang in the office. She glanced up, but Gail was already hurrying to answer it.

“Okay, Lamb Chop, off you go.” She patted the animal on the back and it joined the others in a half-hop, half-walk gait that had her smiling. The young animals were cute. Kind of like being around puppies all day. But it wasn’t what made her truly happy.

“Mr. Campbell wants you at the main office as soon as you can get there.” Gail wiggled her eyebrows. “Maybe your prince has returned.”

Only if he wanted to be a dead prince.