Chapter 1
Adara raced into the tribe village, her heart pounding with excitement. She went straight to her father, who perched on his usual spot at the central gathering circle.
Paying no attention to the others, she skidded to a stop in front of him. “Pai! Pai! I found an orphaned cub near the eastern river. He is…”
The rest of Adara’s words died in her throat when her father looked up at her. She saw the irritation in his pale blue eyes. “Do you not see we have guests?”
His stern tone gave her pause, but she didn’t feel embarrassed by his reprimand. Instead, she shifted her focus to the two males sitting to her father’s left.
Montrelle, the Naymati King, watched her with curiosity. So did the younger male beside him.
Adara gave a polite bow. “I apologize.”
Montrelle offered a warm smile. “No worries, sweet female. Please continue.”
Adara looked back to her father for permission to speak.
Dante sighed. “Very well. Continue.”
“I found an abandoned jaguar cub huddled in the ferns near the eastern river. He was scared and hungry, so I took him to a safer place until I can return with more food.”
His expression hardened. “How many times must I tell you not to interfere with the wild animals?”
“But Father, he would have starved had I done nothing.”
“Tis nature, Adara. You cannot disturb the balance. Leave the cub be.”
She disliked his answer but didn’t argue further. Instead, she settled beside him and grabbed a sliver of meat from the dish on his lap.
Her father cleared his throat. “You remember Montrelle’s son, Reyes?”
Adara shifted her gaze to the tall, lean male next to the Naymati king. She studied his strong, angular features. He looked much the same as she recalled, but the years had given him a harder, more masculine appearance.
“It has been many years, but I remember.”
Reyes considered her, his curious gaze raking over her before he spoke. “You have grown into an exquisite female.”
“And you have become quite virile.”
Adara regretted the words the second she spoke them. Not that they weren’t true, but as always, she didn’t think before speaking.
The slight flare of Reyes’s dark eyes suggested her reply surprised him as well. When he smiled, Adara felt her face flush with embarrassment. And as their fathers exchanged a curious glance, she wished the earth would open beneath her and swallow her whole.
***
Conversation flowed around her, but Adara’s mind was elsewhere. All she could think about was the small cub she’d left in her secret hideaway. She wanted to go back and make sure he was okay. Perhaps take him more food.
Though she knew her father was right, and she should let nature take its course, her heart wouldn’t allow her to abandon the helpless cub.
With her father so engaged with his guests, Adara knew he wouldn’t notice her absence. So, she took advantage of his distraction and slipped into the thick foliage surrounding their village.
She made a quick run down to the nearest river to flush out a meal for the cub. Pacas lived in burrows near the water, and though they sometimes grew to be as much as thirty pounds, the ones in this region only reached half that size. Perfect for a lone cub.
Adara got lucky. She found a small group of them foraging for insects and fallen fruit. After years of practice, she knew just how to hunt them.
She unsheathed her blade and waited for just the right moment before she pounced, swiftly dispatching the chosen rodent.
Adara made her way to the entrance of the abandoned cave and crept inside, finding the cub nestled into the small niche where she’d left him.
His wide eyes followed her as she dropped the limp paca on the cave floor and backed away.
Once she settled into a relaxed crouch on the far side of the cave, the little one inched forward. He watched her with caution as he approached his meal. After a quick sniff of the carcass, he attacked the fresh meat as if starved.
Adara watched until he ate his fill. When he was done, he wiggled back into the little niche to lick himself clean.
When he finally closed his eyes, Adara crept to the cave entrance and scanned the area before slipping out into the humid jungle air once more.
Still not ready to return to the festivities, she decided a good run would rid her of some excess energy.
Sometimes she felt so trapped waiting for her jaguar to emerge. But running gave her that feeling of freedom she craved.
A myriad of sensations filled her as she raced through the jungle. She felt sheer joy knowing the dense vegetation surrounded her. It acted as a buffer between her and the rest of the world. The massive ferns brushed her legs as she tore down the narrow trails and leapt gnarled buttress roots.
She ran until her legs ached, then circled back to head for her favorite swimming hole.
Lush grass lined the wide stream and the jungle’s ancient trees stood like sentries alongside the dark waters. The sheer beauty of this place soothed her. This was her sanctuary.
Adara shed her clothes and dropped them on the bank. She dove into the wide stream, comforted as the warm water embraced her like a long-lost friend.
She surfaced near the opposite bank. As she swiped the excess water from her face, she caught a scent in the air that didn’t belong.
Spinning around, she searched the area for the interloper. Movement near the trail drew her attention and Reyes—of all people—stepped into the clearing.
Relieved to see a familiar face but aggravated by his intrusion, Adara demanded, “What are you doing here?”
Her harsh tone didn’t deter him. He relaxed against the nearest tree and crossed his arms over his chest. “I was bored with our fathers. I care nothing for their politics.”
That, she understood. The monthly meetings between their two leaders were dull, to say the least. Still, that did not tell her what she really wanted to know.
Adara heaved herself from the water, ignoring the way Reyes’s eyes drifted over her naked form with appreciation.
“Why did you follow me?”
A faint smile curved his pale lips. “I saw you sneak away, and I had to see what drew you from the festivities.”
“And is your curiosity satisfied?”
Reyes laughed. “You are unexpected. You have changed much since you were a girl.”
Adara’s irritation flared, but he was right. With her Awakening quickly approaching, she could feel the differences in herself. In recent weeks, her restlessness intensified. Soon, she would be a woman in the eyes of her people.
Adara wasn’t the only one who’d changed. Reyes looked much more masculine than the last time he visited her village. Still, he had that strange ethereal aura his people always radiated.
Adara hadn’t seen him in years, but as much as his sudden appearance unnerved her, she couldn’t help but wonder. “After all these years away, why come with your father this night?”
“A change of scenery, I suppose. Life in the colony can be quite mundane.”
Adara knew the feeling. For her, every day blurred into the next. If not for her nightly excursions, she might have lost her sanity long ago.
“Do you spend much time here?”
Though reluctant to answer, she found herself nodding. “I often grow restless with tribe life and need to get away.”
Reyes pushed away from the tree, his gaze straying to her bare chest again before he met her stare. “Perhaps we are kindred spirits.”
Despite her initial unease, Adara found herself relaxing. The oddly gentle tone of his voice calmed her nerves. And he smelled incredible.
Adara knew the draw she felt was part of his nature. Something in his body chemistry called to her, and he could no more control it than she could control her coming Awakening.
She should walk away, but something told her to stay. Whether instinct or the mysterious draw, she couldn’t turn her back on him.
“Would you mind if I join you for a swim? I do not often get the chance for such things.”
In truth, she felt torn. She didn’t want to share her little sanctuary with him. She would rather he leave, but she didn’t want to be rude. Plus, she hadn’t finished her swim, and she needed it.
Adara motioned toward the river. “After you.”
Reyes slipped off his thin robes and strode to the water’s edge with confidence.
Never had Adara seen a Naymati male in his full glory, but the sight of his lean muscles and translucent skin intrigued her.
She didn’t feel so uncomfortable now that she understood why he’d studied her naked form so openly. The physical differences between the Jagara and Naymati people were vast.
Though Reyes held nowhere near the bulk a Jagara did, Adara could see the power in his cut frame as he moved.
Drawing a controlled breath, she watched him dive into the wide stream with unfathomable grace. His chiseled body sliced through the dark water with barely a ripple. When he resurfaced, Adara couldn’t look away. The tiny droplets on his pale skin seemed to glow in the moonlight. Both eerie and beautiful at the same time.
Reyes smiled up at her. “Are you coming?”
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