The Jaguar Star (Tales of the Were: Jaguar Island Book 4) by Bianca D'Arc (e book reader android .TXT) 📗

“Be careful of that bald guy,” Kat said in a worried tone that immediately captured his attention. “He offered me money if I’d tell him where you were the other day. There’s something really creepy about him.” She shivered, and her distaste for the man showed on her face.

“He mentioned Ren by name?” Greg asked from behind Kat’s seat.

She nodded. “He offered me fifty dollars then raised it to a hundred when I refused. He wanted to know where Ren was. Nobody else. Just him.”

“Well, he is the biggest name on the picture,” Franny opined.

“Just to be on the safe side, I’m going with you, Ren. Maybe they’ll get a few shots of you and then buzz off,” Greg said. “But, if it turns ugly, I’ll back you up.”

“Thanks,” Ren said, his eyes narrowing on the big bald man with the camera who had positioned himself a little apart from the rest of the camera people.

“Liatha, Franny, you go with Kat and get yourselves into the hotel, the rest of us will back up Ren, if necessary,” Greg orchestrated the rest of the group.

“I want one of the Hilliards to go with the women,” Ren told Greg, altering the plan just a bit.

The Hilliards were jaguar brothers who often accompanied Ren on film shoots, ostensibly as bodyguards, but in this production, they were doubling as part of Robin Hood’s band of Merry Men. They didn’t have speaking parts, but they were both highly accomplished martial artists who were lending their unique acrobatic abilities to some of the fight scenes. Ren wanted at least one of those experienced fighting men with the women.

Not so much to help Franny and Liatha—both of whom were jaguars and just as lethal as their male counterparts—but to protect Kat. Gentle, fragile, human Kat.

Greg nodded agreement then motioned to the Hilliard brothers. “Dave, you go with the ladies and make sure nobody hassles them.”

Dave nodded, his face set in grim lines.

All of them were feeling the fire of their jaguars, Ren knew. With the prospect of confrontation in the air, their inner cats were ready for anything.

Greg got up from his seat while the van was still in motion and crouched next to the driver, instructing him exactly where to let them off. Ren had seen the flash of Greg’s jaguar in his eyes, but they were all adept at hiding their inner nature. The sun was on its descent, so hopefully, nobody else would see anything amiss.

Ren would be the diversion. He would pose for photos and draw every eye while the women got themselves to safety. If there was a confrontation, he’d be right in the middle of it, taking the focus away from his mate and settling matters himself—with backup from his Clan. As it should be.

Jaguars were independent, like most cats, but they’d learned to lean on each other a bit more these days, hoping to rebuild what they’d lost of their population and culture. They would not go quietly into the night. No, they were regrouping and regaining their numbers every day, by working together.

Ren put on his sunglasses and adopted his movie star persona, coming down the steps of the bus and deliberately leading the waiting paparazzi off to the left, away from the path to the hotel doorway. Greg had asked the driver to angle the van so that it was a little past the doorway for just this reason. As the van had moved past the straight path to the door, the photographers had scrambled to meet it, leaving the pathway open.

Ren answered shouted questions with apparent humility, all the while watching from behind his mirrored shades as the women exited the van and made a beeline for the door. They were almost there when the bald-headed man stepped out from behind a bush and flashed his camera in Kat’s face. She stumbled a bit, blinded by the flash of light too intense for the setting. Franny and Liatha, bless them, closed in around her as Dave Hilliard stepped in front, blocking the man from approaching any closer.

“You should have played ball with me, sweetheart,” the man called after Kat as the other women whisked her away, into the hotel.

Dave stepped close to the man and warned him off in no uncertain terms. The guy scoffed at Dave and turned away, looking in Ren’s direction for a moment before stalking off into the parking lot.

Ren continued to pose for photos as this all took place behind the gaggle of paparazzi. None of them seemed to notice what had occurred, for which he was grateful. It also made the incident even more worrisome. Why had that man been asking Kat where Ren was if he wasn’t going to stick around and at least take a photo? This definitely was a puzzle…and cats loved puzzles.

Chapter Twelve

Ren was firm but polite with the photographers, and after a few more minutes, they let him pass in peace. He caught up with the women just inside the entry to the hotel’s restaurant. The hotel had deployed security at all entrances to be certain that only people who were supposed to be in the building got in.

It was unacceptable to Ren and his inner jaguar that anyone hassle his mate. In that, they were both, blessedly, unified. That remarkable thought made him wonder if his Alpha had been right all along, and Ren might finally come into sync with his inner jaguar when he found his mate. Only time would tell, but he looked forward to finding out.

First, though, they had to work together to convince her to stay with them. Everything depended on her reaction to learning about his dual nature. She was the only woman for him. If she rebuked him, there would never be another. He knew that, and it scared him down to his toes. He had to be so very careful with Kat, or he’d blow his chance at happiness…forever.

Ren walked right up to Kat, tearing off