Karen Kelley: The Jaguar Prince

“Do you have someplace to go?” she asked. “Someone I can call?”

“I’ve finally found you, why would I leave when I just arrived?”

She closed her eyes and he wondered if she might be going through some kind of ritual. She closed her eyes quite often, losing herself in what appeared to be a trance of some kind. But then, she opened her eyes again.

“I really don’t want to have to call the police to come take you away because this isn’t where you belong.”

“You have a mark on you. It looks like a rose.” When she didn’t say anything, he continued, realizing it might be harder to convince her than he’d first imagined. “On your right cheek.” When her face flamed, he knew she was aware what cheek he spoke about.

She pulled the cover closer around her. “You looked at my butt!”

“No, I just know it’s there.”

“That doesn’t prove anything.” She jutted her chin forward.

Rogar had an incredible urge to cup her chin, pull her closer and taste her, inhale her scent. It hadn’t been enough to hold her in his arms last night, to feel her naked body pressed close to his. But he didn’t touch her. Instead, he untied the towel.

“What are you doing?” she asked, panic lacing her words.

“I have the same mark. All Symtarians have it.” He turned around.

“That doesn’t prove…uh…” Her words stammered to a stop. “So what if you have the same mark.”

He picked up the towel, retied it around his waist, watching her facial expressions. They ranged from denial, to maybe there was truth in his words, then back to denial.

She shook her head. “This is crazy. It’s absurd. You are not an alien, and you need to…to…leave. Right now.”

“Did the people who raised you say nothing about your ancestors?”

She squared her shoulders. “My parents died when I was very young. I grew up in an orphanage.”

Now he understood. Of course, she would deny her heritage. Earthlings weren’t as advanced as other worlds.

There was a knock on her door.

She froze.

“Miss Jordon, are you awake yet?”

“Mrs. Winkle, my landlady.” Her gaze flew to him. “I don’t know what she’ll do if she sees you. Hide!”

She seemed quite flustered by this person she called a landlady. It was interesting to watch Callie.

“I need my robe,” she muttered, dropping the cover.

Very nice.

Before he could study her form, she made a little gurgling noise, then grabbed the cover, and hurried back to the other room, emerging a few moments later wearing a white robe of sorts.

“Stay here,” she said, holding up one hand as if he wouldn’t understand her words. Did she think he was feebleminded?

“Stay!” she said once more, this time gritting her teeth.

She would make a fierce hunter the way she bared her teeth. It didn’t last long, though. Her expression quickly turned to one of pleading.

“Please?”

He nodded once in acquiescence.

“Coming,” she called out as she hurried to the other room, shutting the door to this one.

He casually strolled over and reopened it. He couldn’t see Callie or the landlady, but he would at least hear them talking. He was curious to listen in on their conversation.

Another door opened.

“I was sleeping in this morning,” Callie breathlessly told the landlady.

“I didn’t mean to wake you, but the rent is due, you know.”

“Yes, it’s the first of the month. I’ve been living here for almost a year and it’s always been due the first.”

Rogar heard the sarcasm in her voice. Apparently, Callie didn’t like this other woman.

“And I haven’t raised your rent, either. At least, not yet, even though everyone else has been raising theirs. I pride myself in taking care of my tenants. I’ve always been known as a fair woman.”

“I’ve been very pleased living here, too. I’ll get your money.”

Rogar frowned. He could tell Callie had just lied. Why had she felt the need?

“Huh-choo! Oh, excuse me.”

The woman’s voice sounded closer this time. He eased the door closed a little.

“Here’s the rent,” Callie quickly spoke.

“Huh-choo!”

“Bless you.”

“Odd, I usually don’t sneeze unless I’m around cats.”

There was a distinct pause.

“Do you have a cat, Miss Jordon? You do realize pets are not allowed, don’t you?”

“Of course I remember the no pet rule. I don’t have a cat. It’s just that I was so tired last night I went straight to bed without showering. I was around the cats yesterday. I’m sure that’s all it is.”

“Umm, I suppose that could be it.”

“It is.” Callie’s words were firm. “Now, if you don’t mind, I have a lot to do today.”

A few minutes later the front door closed and Callie returned. She planted her hands on her hips, and again, he wanted to scoop her into his arms and carry her to bed. He was pretty sure she wasn’t ready for that.

“You have to leave. Right now.”

He sighed. He had hoped she wouldn’t be difficult. “I will leave then.” He unknotted his towel, then handed it to her, before starting toward the front door.

“No, you can’t leave!” she frantically whispered.

“But I was only doing what you asked.”

“Not without clothes.”

“Then what would you have me wear?”

She nibbled her bottom lip. He had an incredible urge to nibble it, too.

“I’m not this Symtarian you’re looking for, I promise. I’ll go to town and buy you some clothes, but then you really do need to leave.”

“If you insist.”

“I do.”

“Then I will leave.”

“Good.” She nodded her head. “I need to get dressed.” She grabbed some things out of the drawers of a chipped and scarred chest, then went into the room where she’d gotten the towel. She started to close the door, but stopped to look back at him. “Don’t touch anything.”

“Of course not.”

She nodded again, then closed the door.

Very strange female. It must be the fact she was part Earthling. He tied the towel around his hips, glancing at a board with pictures all over it. It appeared to be modes of transportation, another dwelling, jewels, and an assortment of small animals. An odd picture to hang on one’s wall.

He wandered to the other room, looking around as he went. He hadn’t taken the time to inspect the dwelling last night. He’d only sensed it was a safe place. He could see that it was sparsely furnished with few personal items.

He wandered down a short hall to another room where there were lots of cabinets. He opened the first one. It seemed to hold containers in various sizes with names like garlic, salt, and pepper. Behind the next door there was a box, and a jar labeled peanut butter behind it. He pulled the box out.

“Cereal,” he read. “Tastes great and good for you.”

He knew the language. In fact his people spoke many dialects. He’d also studied Earth and their customs before he’d left New Symtaria. He knew they believed in free love. He frowned. Except he hadn’t sensed that Callie wanted to mate with him. Then again, that had been during a different time period. Maybe they had changed their minds. A shame if that were the case.

He tore the top off the box and grabbed a handful of the cereal. After putting some in his mouth, he began to chew. Not bad. Not as good as a juicy steak, but it would appease his hunger.

As he continued to eat, he wandered through the rest of Callie’s dwelling. There was a tall shelf that stood in one corner. He walked over to it. Cats of all shapes and sizes were arranged in a circle. Sitting in the middle of the little statues was a black jaguar. He smiled.

A bag sitting on a short table began to ring. He stepped closer, discovered how to open it, then brought out the object that was ringing.