“I understand you follow Brodrick’s ways, believing it is your right to take a female without her consent. To impregnate her and force her to have children you may or may not accept. If you don’t accept them, you slay them.”
Luiz said it so casually, without malice, his tone so matter-of-fact, it took a moment to sink in. Sarika couldn’t stop her audible gasp of horror.
They kill babies?
They wait until the child is old enough to shift. Unfortunately, not alljaguars reveal themselves early. Brodrick made many mistakes and killed young girls who might potentially have shifted had he not been so eager to kill.
Percy looked outraged. “I’ve never killed a child. Never.”
He’s telling the truth,Luiz informed her.
“But you were with Brodrick when he committed such crimes.” Luiz made it a statement.
“I was a teen,” Percy defended. “I couldn’t stop him; no one could.”
“A lot of good men tried,” Luiz pointed out.
“Yeah, and they’re all dead,” Percy snarled. “You should know—he killed everyone in your family.”
“I do have my cousin left,” Luiz said, his tone even softer.
“You were torn to shreds. No one knows how you survived.” Percy’s expression turned sly. “What did you do, Luiz? Lay under the dead and dying?”
“Stop,” Sarika whispered. “Don’t say any more.”
Luiz didn’t appear affected, but she saw the images in his mind. Just for the briefest of moments, a terrible battle, his friends and family dead and dying, just as Percy said. Then another battle, this one horrendous, Luiz trying to save a woman. The memory was a flash and then gone. He dismissed them as if they didn’t matter, as if he couldn’t feel, but she felt that terrible grief for him.
“You took the name De La Cruz,” Percy declared with contempt, ignoring Sarika as if she hadn’t spoken. “You traded your life for servitude. Knowing you bow down to the De La Cruz brothers turns my stomach. You turned on your own kind just so you could live.”
“Is that what you believe? So I could live? Do you believe the De La Cruz brothers are alive? Do you think I am?” There was a trace of amusement in Luiz’s voice, but Sarika was in his mind. He didn’t feel amused. He didn’t feel anything at all. But she sensed he was even more deadly than he had been.
“I want to leave this place, Luiz,” she said. “There is no need to remain. I don’t wish to continue this ugly conversation.” She turned acool gaze on the shifter. “We are not in the least compatible. In fact, the way you treat my cousin disgusts me.”
Percy’s eyes went a malevolent yellow. A dark flush rose beneath his skin as he took an aggressive step toward her. “You don’t know your cousin, but I do.”
Step back, Sarika, give me some fighting room. If I have to do this, look away.
Don’t. Please. Let’s just go. Get me out of here. He’s…slimy.
He’s more than slimy. He’s a vile man who believes it is his right to have you or any other woman if he desires her.
“Step back, Percy,” Luiz said.
“Or what?” Percy challenged. “Look at him. Ask him what his intentions are. Killing comes easy to him. He has quite the reputation. That’s what he’s threatening. His answer is always to kill.” He leveled his malevolent gaze at Luiz. “Do you have any idea how many of his own kind he’s murdered?” His penetrating stare swung to Sarika. “You don’t know him at all.”
What he is saying is the truth, and yet not,Luiz whispered into her mind.There was no murder. I tracked any man who took a woman. Sometimes three or four shifters would be together. They didn’t give her up quietly, and yes, I took their lives, but they had their chance at killing me.
Again, she caught glimpses of brutal, vicious fights and massive wounds on Luiz before the memories disappeared, as if he weren’t aware of or affected by them. She had no idea why he didn’t acknowledge his past, but his mind appeared totally calm. Even knowing he could be in a fight to the death with Percy didn’t change his tranquility in the least.
“I am not going to get into a debate with you,” she said aloud. “I’m leaving with my cousin. I can’t say it’s been enjoyable meeting you. I am fiercely loyal to family, and hearing you deliberately try to turn me against him is upsetting.”
Percy’s demeanor changed instantly. “You misunderstand. I amdoing my best to protect you. I’ve lived here my entire life and am dedicated to the welfare of all shifters despite what your cousin says about me. Yes, as a teenager, I did follow Brodrick, but out of fear, not admiration. If you intend to make your home here, there will be others attempting to make your acquaintance. I believe if you give yourself a chance to know me, you’ll find I’ve made mistakes I readily admit to, but I’ve done my best to make up for them.” He poured absolute sincerity into his voice.
“I traveled a long way to spend time with Luiz, and right now, I’m extremely tired from the journey. Luiz, I would like to go home, please.”
“Of course,” Luiz said.
“I will see you again,” Percy said firmly.
