The Jaguar Prince (11 page)

D
eeDee jumped from the sofa, went back to where she left her drink, and gulped it down as though she was suffering from a bad case of dehydration.

Callie had been afraid DeeDee wouldn’t take the news well. Maybe she shouldn’t have told her friend quite so bluntly. Lead up to it. Something like, hey, seen any flashing lights in the sky lately? Speaking of aliens.

DeeDee began to pace.

Now her friend was starting to scare her. She’d pace for a while, then she would turn and stare at her. Callie didn’t think she had grown a second head or anything.

“My father has a friend who’s a psychiatrist,” DeeDee finally said. She hurried back to the sofa and took Callie’s hands. “I won’t let them lock you in a nut house. You’ve been under a lot of pressure at work. I know this animal keeper job is important to you, and you’re always talking about Sheba as though she’s your baby, but…”

“I’m not going crazy,” Callie spoke slowly and distinctly.

DeeDee sucked in her bottom lip and was thoughtful for a moment. “Then Rogar has filled your head with a lot of nonsense. He’s probably using this as a line to get laid. Guys are like that.” She patted Callie’s hand. “You’re such an innocent.”

“I’m not that innocent, DeeDee.” Sheesh, did her friend think she was that gullible? “At first, I thought Rogar was pulling a fast one.”

She nodded. “See, that’s all it is then.”

“Until I saw him change form. Symtarians are a race of aliens who shapeshift. They take on the animal form of their guides.” She frowned. “Or another animal until they truly meet their guide.”

DeeDee leaned a little away from Callie. “Wow, and you believed all that crap? You are naïve.”

“But it’s true. He really did change into a jaguar, and he’s a prince on his planet.”

DeeDee fell back against the cushions laughing. “Okay, where’s the camera?” She glanced around the room. “This is a great Halloween prank, and I have to admit, you had me going there for a bit. Great makeup on Rogar’s leg.”

She shook her head. “This isn’t a prank. It’s the truth. I’m part Symtarian. And Rogar was really attacked. There are Symtarians who think the mixed bloods should be destroyed, that we taint the race. Zerod murdered my father, and now he wants to kill me as well, and any other mixed blood Symtarians.”

DeeDee looked skeptical. “Okay, maybe I do buy that he was attacked because I don’t think you would make that up, but come on, tell me how he really got hurt? You don’t have to lie and say it was aliens. If Rogar was goofing off around your precious Sheba, and she hurt him, I won’t tell anyone.”

This was going to take longer than Callie had expected. “I am telling you the truth.”

DeeDee was thoughtful. “Let me get this straight. You’re part alien?”

Finally! “Yes.”

“So that means you can shift into an animal.”

“Yes, well, I’ve only done it once, and I wasn’t very good at it. Rogar said the bunny rabbit wasn’t my true guide. We have to sort of find each other.”

“A bunny rabbit?” She cocked an eyebrow in disbelief.

Callie nodded, knowing how lame everything sounded.

“So change form, then I’ll believe you.”

“But…”

“Like I said, this is a good prank.”

“I’ll do it already! But remember, I don’t know what form I’ll take because I haven’t found my guide.”

“Fine with me.” She leaned back against the cushions and crossed her arms.

Was that a smirk on her face? Callie really hated when she wasn’t taken at face value, and DeeDee should know she would never lie. If she wanted proof, Callie would give it to her.

She closed her eyes and concentrated. Nothing happened. Maybe she should chant or something. No, Rogar said she only needed to concentrate.

“You still look the same to me,” DeeDee commented.

Callie opened her eyes and glared at her friend. “I need complete silence.”

DeeDee zipped her fingers across her lips, then pretended to turn a key and throw it away. Smart ass. Well, she would soon make a believer out of her.

Callie closed her eyes again, suddenly feeling very self-conscious. She had to relax, being tense would only make things harder. She inhaled, then exhaled as she let her mind go blank. A familiar swirling began to churn inside her.

Breathe in, breathe out.

A familiar fog began to close around her. Her arms and legs began to ache. She gasped and curled into a ball, then stretched her limbs. Vaguely, she heard DeeDee cry out, telling her to stop whatever the hell she was doing, that she was scaring her, but it was too late for that now.

The world around her went dark. Every bone in her body ached. This was worse than when she’d changed into a bunny. Her skin and bones were being stretched beyond what she could stand.

She couldn’t breath. Was she dying? She was too young to die.

Everything suddenly stilled. The pain went away.

Callie blinked rapidly. As before, it was as though she was looking through someone else’s eyes. DeeDee was sprawled across the sofa in a dead faint.

It was DeeDee’s own fault. She had certainly done everything she could to convince her friend that she was part alien, but had she believed her? Nooo…

Callie frowned. She didn’t think she had shifted into another rabbit. She came to her feet, or whatever they had changed to. The sofa creaked and groaned, then crunched. Two pillows that had been right beside her flew across the room.

Not a good sign.

She lumbered over to the mirror on the wall, accidentally bumping a side table on the way and sending the lamp crashing to the floor. Good grief, she felt as though she’d put on a ton of weight. She felt more bloated than when she PMSed.

She stopped in front of the mirror.

Well, hell.

Life was so not fair. A rhinoceros? This was no longer fun anymore. She didn’t want to be a big hulking beast. She wanted to be something sleek and exotic.

She glanced behind her. Wow, talk about having a big ass. No diet would help this one. Nope, she wanted her own body back. She was pretty sure this wasn’t her guide.

Now to change back. If poor DeeDee roused, she’d probably have a heart attack this time.

Callie closed her eyes and let her mind go blank. She began to ache, to burn as though someone had set her on fire. The damp fog did nothing to cool her. This wasn’t good. Why did it hurt so much this time? Rogar would have some explaining to do. He’d said it would get easier, but this was a lot harder than last time. Maybe because she was so big.

Oh, Lord, what if she didn’t change back to herself. Would DeeDee still be her friend? Would she take care of her, feed her? Ohh, don’t drop any pellets or she wouldn’t.

Pellets? Yeah, right!

Her pulse suddenly quickened and she found it was all she could do to take a deep breath. The world spun around her as she sank to the floor. She stretched her limbs, then drew them back close to her, curling into a ball.

She blinked, everything was fuzzy. She closed her eyes and just concentrated on breathing. Letting the change happen.

Things began to calm. When she ran her hands over her arms, she knew she had shifted back. Oh, thank God. Not that she had anything against the rhinoceros. It was a lovely animal, she just didn’t want to
be
one.

“Callie?”

She opened her eyes and saw DeeDee. Good, she was afraid there for a minute she had gone blind. “I’m okay. Just give me a moment.” She closed her eyes.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” DeeDee asked after a few more seconds passed.

“That one took a little more out of me than changing into a bunny.” She didn’t want to scare her friend more than she already had, and attempted to sit up.

DeeDee grabbed Callie’s arm when she started to stand and stumbled, then helped her to the sofa. Callie frowned when she saw it was broken down on one side. “Sorry about that.”

“It can be replaced.” She grabbed a throw, draping it over Callie’s shoulders.

Callie pulled it closer, then watched as DeeDee drained her drink. “I know, I felt the same way when Rogar told me everything.”

“You really are an alien, aren’t you?”

“It would seem that way.”

“And this Zerod creep is trying to kill you.”

She nodded.

DeeDee went behind the bar and made herself another drink. Callie shook her head when DeeDee raised her glass, silently asking Callie if she wanted a refill. She needed to stay sober so she could take care of Rogar through the night. She wanted to make sure his condition didn’t worsen.

DeeDee returned, plopping down on the sofa, then wrinkled her nose. “It smells like rhinoceros in here.”

“Sorry about that, too.”

DeeDee nervously began to light scented candles. Was she avoiding talking about everything that had happened? DeeDee was obsessive about her scented candles so it could be anything.

Callie suspected it was more that DeeDee was trying to decide how to act around her, now that she knew Callie was part alien. “It’s okay. I’m still the same person.”

DeeDee laid the lighter down, then looked at Callie. “Except for the fact you can change into…into an animal.”

“But none of that matters. Not really. I’m still the same person you met ten years ago.” She had to grit her teeth to keep from crying out. She didn’t want to lose the only friend she’d ever had. She would give up knowing anything about her parents, who she was, and where she came from, if it meant she would keep DeeDee in her life.

DeeDee suddenly smiled. “I remember the first time we met. Your date had taken you to the Blue Bayou. I used to love that bar. They had the best jazz band on Saturday nights.”

“Ugh, Mark Lemons. I remember him. He
was
a lemon!” She still had no idea why she’d agreed to go out with him. He’d been a groper.

“You pushed him away, but he grabbed you and dragged you right back, then he tried to kiss you,” DeeDee said. “My friends told me not to get involved, but I took one look at your face and knew I couldn’t stand by and watch while you tried to fight him off.”

“I’m so glad you didn’t.” By herself, she hadn’t been able to get away. “But you waltzed over with your drink and tossed it in his face. He was furious. I thought he was going to hurt you.”

DeeDee laughed. “I think he would have if I hadn’t showed him the lighter I held.”

Callie grinned. “And told him if he didn’t want to become a human torch, he’d better leave now.”

“Good thing he didn’t push his luck. As far as I know, water with lemon is not flammable.”

“It did work, and you were very brave to come to the aid of a stranger. We need more people in the world like you.” DeeDee had given her a ride home, and they’d been friends ever since. The princess and the…alien.

“And I’ll be there with you through this, too.”

“I know.”

“Get dressed, then we’ll form a plan of action.” She stood, then left the room to give Callie some privacy.

Callie was just buttoning the last button on her shirt when DeeDee tapped on the door.

“I’m decent,” Callie called out.

DeeDee walked back inside the room. “By the way, does that always happen?”

“What?”

“You change back and find you’re naked.”

“Yes.”

“I bet they have a lot of sex on New Symtaria.” She stopped. “Wait, didn’t you say you changed into a rabbit.”

Callie could see the wheels turning. “Yes,” she said slowly.

“I’m assuming Rogar was there.”

Oh no. She had a feeling she knew what was coming. “Yes.”

“Not going to tell me, are you?”

“No.”

DeeDee grinned. “It’s about time you got laid.”

“DeeDee!” She glanced around as though Rogar would appear any second and she would be even more embarrassed.

“It’s okay, I won’t push for details.”

“Thanks.”

“Not right now, but later, look out.”

“DeeDee!”

She shrugged. “Well, he is an alien. Of course I’m curious.”

“Can we get back to the matter at hand? After all, I am being chased by a crazed Symtarian who thinks it’s his destiny to destroy all the impures.”

“You’ll need a place to hide out, and I have the perfect one, the camp. You remember,
Camp in the Pines
.”

Callie fell against the cushions with a groan.

“It’s the perfect place. My parents have a nice cabin. You remember.”

“And the camp is crawling with bluebloods.”

DeeDee stiffened. “Excuse me? I just happen to be one of those bluebloods you’re referring to.”

“You know what I mean. I went there with you once and it was quite enough. They were so snobbish.”

“But you have to admit, the cabin is great, the view is spectacular, and you had a fabulous vacation.”

She and DeeDee did have fun when they didn’t need to play the social card. There were all sorts of activities. It wasn’t like she had a long list of choices, either. “Okay, we’ll go, and thanks so much for helping. You didn’t have to, and I really appreciate it.”

“Yes I did. You’re my best friend.” Her smile embraced Callie. “You can take my Hummer, but don’t scratch it.”

“We can’t leave the Jag here. If Zerod comes snooping, I don’t want him to find anything connected with us.”

“No problem. I have vacation coming up. Mom and Dad have been after me to join them. Now would be a good time. I love Colorado in the fall. I’ll have someone pick the Jag up, though.”

“Then it’s settled.” She hoped.

“Looks that way. Want to tell me how it was with Rogar now?”

Callie surreptitiously glanced around. He’d probably kill her for gossiping, but, well…

“Oh, Lord, it was the best sex I’d ever had, DeeDee. I mean, unbelievable.” She hugged her middle. “I never thought it could be like that. Rogar was fantastic. He was…” She laughed. “Out of this world.”

DeeDee didn’t say anything. Callie thought her friend would be more excited for her. Damn, she was kind of disappointed.

DeeDee crossed her legs. “You’ve fallen in love with him.”

“Pffttt, of course I haven’t.”

“He’s the guy in black leather.”

“I think you’ve had a little too much tequila.”

DeeDee shook her head. “Think about it, Rogar is the guy who swaggers into your college classroom wearing a black leather jacket. The bad boy. Except Rogar is even more dangerous now.”