Tomas shared the information with the other Carpathians. None of them reacted, but she felt the measure of protective surveillance go up a level.
Riordan De La Cruz walked his wife over to the table, gave the briefest of smiles to the women without really looking at them and seemingly melted away, leaving the women looking after him.
“Good grief, he’s good-looking,” Lucy said. “Juliette, it’s been too long since we’ve seen you. Where have you been hiding?”
Solange made the introductions. Juliette was her cousin. Right away, Sarika recognized the jaguar in her.
“Having a baby isexhausting,” Juliette announced and flung herselfin the chair that Dominic provided. “Solange, I love you, but you should have waited until Hunter was a full year before you decided to follow in my footsteps. And all of you”—she swirled her finger encompassing the women seated at the table—“lied your asses off telling me it would be a walk in the park. Hunter can’t be still for a single minute.”
The women burst out laughing as Juliette slumped in her chair dramatically. Sarika found herself smiling with the others. Juliette was being somewhat honest about the exhaustion she felt, but she clearly wouldn’t change a thing.
“Thank the universe for Sandrine and Bianca. They’re watching over Hunter so I can get some much-needed female time,” Juliette continued. “Riordan was looking forward to seeing Zacarias today. He’s bringing Marguarita.”
There was a long silence, and the women looked at one another with concern. Juliette immediately sat up. “Please remember that Marguarita is alone for long periods of time. Zacarias is an exceptional hunter and he leaves her to chase after the worst of the vampires. Her throat was torn out by a vampire, and she’s never been able to speak, even after the conversion. She needs friends.”
“Of course, she’s always welcome here,” Solange said. “She’s family.”
“It’s just that Zacarias can be…disturbing,” Jasmine said. “More so even than Luiz. Forgive me, Sarika, but your cousin can be all kinds of intimidating.”
She felt Tomas’ amusement. These women were in the room with several ancient hunters, all of whom were apex predators, yet they were relaxed around them.
“One just needs to take a firm hand with Luiz,” Sarika said deliberately, sharing her amusement with her cousin. “By any chance, is Marguarita pregnant?” Sarika asked, suddenly suspicious. Juliette was ensuring these women would accept her sister-in-law when it was doubtful Marguarita had asked to be championed.
Juliette glanced at Solange. “If she is, Zacarias would not want anyone to speak of it. He is the most hunted of our ancients. He ishated by every vampire, and often they conspire to kill him. If they knew of Marguarita, which is doubtful, they would move heaven and earth to take her from him. Knowing she was bringing his child into the world would create a frenzy of hatred and conspiracy to kill her and the child. We shouldn’t speculate.”
That meant, without a doubt, that Juliette knew Marguarita had a baby on the way. It didn’t take long to confirm it. The atmosphere in the house went from easy, joyful fun to high alert and uneasiness, as if a prowling, very hungry tiger had entered. There were no soft edges to Zacarias De La Cruz. None. His sweeping gaze took in everything and everyone, leaving them feeling as if he’d stripped them bare and uncovered every secret they had. His burning gaze settled on Sarika.
He halted in the center of the room, halfway to the women’s table, Marguarita behind him. Ordinarily, that would have annoyed Sarika. She never liked when a woman trailed behind a man as if she weren’t equal to him. As much as Zacarias’ attention was centered on her, she knew his every instinct was to shield his lifemate, not lessen her importance.
Sarika smiled at the terrifying Carpathian. “I had hoped to meet with you and your lifemate. Luiz is my cousin and speaks very highly of you.”
“Luiz didn’t tell me you have many powerful gifts. He focused on your courage and your inability to stay out of harm’s way.”
The tone was the casual arrogance that ordinarily could set her teeth on edge. Absolutely in command. Implying he could and would remedy what might be perceived as failings. Because she had a thread to him through her jaguar, she felt his humor. More, he shared that humor with his lifemate. He hadn’t let go of the woman’s mind for even a small moment. It was as if Marguarita anchored him into the world of civilization.
“Luiz does seem to have a teeny problem with modern-day independent women. He told me you were head of the family. You might want to have a little discussion with him about it and clue him in.”
Dominic burst out laughing. Tomas did as well. Marguarita came out from behind Zacarias and offered her hand.
“Do you prefer to speak telepathically, with notes or sign?” Sarika asked. She was willing to use any of Marguarita’s preferences. Just the fact that she could be lifemate to a man as dark and shadowed as Zacarias elevated her to star status. The moment their hands came together, she knew it was a fact that Marguarita was pregnant and much further along than she appeared. There was no evidence in her feminine form.
Dominic put another chair up to the table. “Sit, Marguarita, before Zacarias loses what little civility he has left.”
That little taunt told Sarika that Dominic and Zacarias were very old friends, and if Zacarias trusted anyone with his lifemate, it was Dominic.
She was beginning to get a feel for those in the room. They might be very powerful individuals, but they were good people, and all of them seemed willing to bring her into the family circle. Even Zacarias, who found it amusing that her cousin was having a difficult time reining her in.
As Marguarita sank into the very comfortable chair Dominic had added to the women’s table, Zacarias, like the other men, seemed to fade into the background. There was the briefest of pauses as a little girl raced into the room.
Her hair was in fiery curls, her eyes a deep velvety gold ringed with reddish-gold lashes. She was dressed like a little dragon rider, but the little black jacket had ruffles down the back, trimmed in rose and gold sparkles. The jodhpurs were cuffed with the same rose and gold sparkles. Under the jacket was a little tank top of rose and gold.
“Auntie Solange! I’m here. I’m here.” She skidded to a halt to look around the room, her gaze taking in Sarika, and then her face lit up when she looked past her. “Luiz! You came. I hoped you’d come. I’m looking for Sandrine and Bianca, but I’ll give you a hug, too.”
The child couldn’t have been more than three, but she wasextremely intelligent for her age and spoke very articulately. There wasn’t even a hint of baby talk.
“Maureen.” A male voice came from the doorway to the room. “What have I told you about security?”
“I scanned carefully, Daddy, while I was running,” the child said. She smiled winningly. “Andeveryoneis here. I was late.”
