Dark Tarot (Dark Carpathians)

Jubal shrugged. “They’ll understand. We’ll go visit them when we have the chance. Joie’s back in the Carpathian Mountains, but I doubt if Gabrielle will be coming back any time soon. We might have to make a trip to Washington.”

Jasmine didn’t seem to object. She did grip his arm again. “Since you all seem to have a plan that you think is so much better than mine, would someone like to tell me what it is?”

Dominic smiled at her. “Sisarke, we are going to find the enemy, and we will exterminate them once and for all.”

“How many of them are there?”

“Jasmine,” Solange cautioned.

“No, I want to know what all of you are facing on my behalf.”

“Remember, they would be after Juliette and Solange, as well,” Dominic pointed out. “You are not the only one with royal blood running in your veins. There is no guilt here. Whatever these men do, it is on them, not on you or anyone else.”

Jasmine nodded. “I do know that, Dominic, it’s just so hard after hiding away for the past few years and being so afraid to finally have them be here. I’m actually terrified but glad in a way that it’s finally happening.”

“Why, exactly, are they after you?” Adalasia asked. “I’m not certain I understand why these men would be so persistent after all these years. It has been years, hasn’t it?”

She needs to find a way to talk this out. She really is afraid for everyone. Especially Solange and Jubal. I can see it in her eyes, Sandu. I can feel the fear pouring off her in waves. Look at the way she looks at her cousin.

Sandu couldn’t help following Jasmine’s gaze. Solange stood very close to Dominic now, a little behind him, so that his imposing figure nearly covered hers, although he was seated and she was standing.

Jasmine moistened her lips. “Yes.” Her voice wavered for a moment. Then her head went up as she met her cousin’s eyes. “Solange, my sister Juliette and I, and now Sandrine are the last of our bloodline. Even though Solange has been converted, the Jaguar line still runs in her. She is royalty. I can shift, but for a long time, I couldn’t maintain my Jaguar side for long. With practice, I’ve gotten better. Sandrine is very good at shifting. Her jaguar is strong. We don’t allow anyone to see her shifting, and these men, those hunting us, if they knew, they would take her, and the moment she was able, they would use her for breeding purposes. That’s all they care about. They were part of the downfall of our species, and yet they continue to do the exact same things they did before.” There was contempt in her voice. “They don’t care about the females of their species. They hunt them, capture them, rape and impregnate them over and over until the woman dies. They don’t seem to see that they are responsible for the extinction of the Jaguar people.”

“Apparently, the mages had a hand in helping to wipe out our people,” Solange said. “From what Dominic and I gathered, Xavier, the high mage, was to rid the world of all Carpathians. He had two brothers. One was to get rid of the Jaguar people and the other the Lycans. They nearly succeeded in all counts. The Lycans and Carpathians nearly went to war. The Jaguar species are all but extinct. The Carpathians are still on the brink. Mikhail, the prince, is slowly turning things around, but it is a slow process, and the tiniest thing might shift the balance against him.”

“These men want you, Jasmine, because they think you can provide royal babies?” Adalasia asked.

Jasmine nodded. “I’m the easiest target. Solange would be nearly impossible to capture, let alone hold. I doubt they know she’s Dominic’s lifemate. She has a certain reputation and most jaguars fear her. It is known that Juliette is with Riordan De La Cruz. If you take on one De La Cruz, you are taking all of them on. No one in their right mind wants to do that. I’m not a fighter, although I’ve tried to learn how to be one. I’m not the same girl I was when they got their hands on me the first time.”

A little shudder went through her body. Her voice trembled slightly at the end of her declaration. Jubal moved his arm around her and pulled her under his shoulder, sliding right into her chair, lifting her onto his lap as if he did it all the time. He nuzzled her neck.

“You’re strong, Jasmine. You were then and you are now. You have Sandrine and you’ve made her strong.”

Jubal Sanders looked extremely fit. An outdoorsman. There was nothing soft about him. Nothing. He had the body of a natural athlete, a fighter, a man who could handle himself in any situation. If the rumors were true, he had Jaguar blood in his veins. Judging by the ropes of muscle on his body, Sandu could believe it. There was no doubt that he had psychic abilities and he was telepathic. He’d already proven that. He was well respected and was treated as if he belonged in the Carpathian community.