do exist.”
“When I see one, I’ll believe. Until then, call me a skeptic.” His eyes held a challenge, and she knew if she pressed him, she’d end up immersed in an evolutionary argument about shifters. And she didn’t have time for that.
She threw up her hands, giving up. “Fine. You’re just as stubborn as you’ve always been.”
He threw his head back, laughing. “Why would I change? You know me, Addison. I need proof.”
His laugh trailed off and he grew serious. “But I can’t let you go to the jungles of Peru alone, shifters or not. It’s too dangerous…”
“Why? Because I’m a woman?” She glared at him, sudden anger prickling up her spine. Daniel had a chivalrous streak that been the main reason they’d ended their romantic relationship. Addison didn’t mind having a man open a door or occasionally pay for dinner. But she’d bristled at his overbearing and chauvinistic attitude. She wasn’t sure if it was his French upbringing, or just the way he was.
“No. I know better than to say that, even if it is what I’m thinking. Hear me out…” He held up his hand against her imminent protest.
“Anyone going alone is stepping into a dangerous situation. You need someone to watch your back, help when you need it. It’s just common sense. You’d come with me, if I were going, wouldn’t you?”
She frowned, knowing he was right. But it would be a cold day in hell before she told him that.
“Alright. I’m leaving as soon as I can. According to Merriam’s research, the orchid should be blooming now, and that’s when it needs to be picked. I’ve asked for a leave of absence.” She bit her lip. “Can you get the time off? Webster has approved my leave, but I told him it was to spend time with Grace.”
“Don’t worry about me. I’ll take care of it. Webster’s a reasonable boss. Have you checked flights? Sometimes they’re…” He stopped as she held out a sheet of paper.
“Here’s a list of flights, and they’re not too expensive.” She saw his eyes widen. They were outrageous, especially with this short notice, but she’d sell everything if she needed to. She’d do anything for Grace.
“Then let’s get this show on the road.” He looked up, meeting her gaze. And in that she saw the strength and confidence she needed—wanted—to do this. She smiled, knowing her smile held the gratitude she couldn’t express in words. And she knew Daniel saw it as well.
Chapter Two
The plane touched down in Peru, in the small town of Cusco, just after dawn. It was rainy and dark. Addison had managed to sleep on a couple of legs of the flights, but she’d been awake since Lima, enduring the four hour layover there, pacing the deserted terminal while Daniel slept on a row of seats. He’d never been able to sleep on planes, and as much as she had wanted someone to talk to, she left him to sleep.
She’d given him a sheaf of papers, photocopies of articles on shifters. He’d taken them with a lift of an eyebrow, stuffing them into his backpack. But she’d seen him reading them on the plane, working his way through the documents.
“So, according to this monograph by this anthropologist…” He flipped back to the beginning “….this Gregory Dukeshire, jaguar shifters were linked to the jaguar worship by the Inca.” He looked at her over his glasses. “They didn’t just worship the jaguar, but it was actually jaguar-shifters they worshiped?”
“It’s more than just worshiping the animal, yes. Dukeshire believes that some of the Inca were able to transform…to shift, either through ritual or by some genetic mutation. It’s those individuals the Inca worshiped, in their shifted jaguar form.”
Daniel removed his glasses, tapping them against the paper. “His research is pretty subjective…”
“But there are others who’ve built on that research, who have come to the same conclusion.” She wasn’t sure how he could refute all the information she’d
“When I see one, I’ll believe. Until then, call me a skeptic.” His eyes held a challenge, and she knew if she pressed him, she’d end up immersed in an evolutionary argument about shifters. And she didn’t have time for that.
She threw up her hands, giving up. “Fine. You’re just as stubborn as you’ve always been.”
He threw his head back, laughing. “Why would I change? You know me, Addison. I need proof.”
His laugh trailed off and he grew serious. “But I can’t let you go to the jungles of Peru alone, shifters or not. It’s too dangerous…”
“Why? Because I’m a woman?” She glared at him, sudden anger prickling up her spine. Daniel had a chivalrous streak that been the main reason they’d ended their romantic relationship. Addison didn’t mind having a man open a door or occasionally pay for dinner. But she’d bristled at his overbearing and chauvinistic attitude. She wasn’t sure if it was his French upbringing, or just the way he was.
“No. I know better than to say that, even if it is what I’m thinking. Hear me out…” He held up his hand against her imminent protest.
“Anyone going alone is stepping into a dangerous situation. You need someone to watch your back, help when you need it. It’s just common sense. You’d come with me, if I were going, wouldn’t you?”
She frowned, knowing he was right. But it would be a cold day in hell before she told him that.
“Alright. I’m leaving as soon as I can. According to Merriam’s research, the orchid should be blooming now, and that’s when it needs to be picked. I’ve asked for a leave of absence.” She bit her lip. “Can you get the time off? Webster has approved my leave, but I told him it was to spend time with Grace.”
“Don’t worry about me. I’ll take care of it. Webster’s a reasonable boss. Have you checked flights? Sometimes they’re…” He stopped as she held out a sheet of paper.
“Here’s a list of flights, and they’re not too expensive.” She saw his eyes widen. They were outrageous, especially with this short notice, but she’d sell everything if she needed to. She’d do anything for Grace.
“Then let’s get this show on the road.” He looked up, meeting her gaze. And in that she saw the strength and confidence she needed—wanted—to do this. She smiled, knowing her smile held the gratitude she couldn’t express in words. And she knew Daniel saw it as well.
Chapter Two
The plane touched down in Peru, in the small town of Cusco, just after dawn. It was rainy and dark. Addison had managed to sleep on a couple of legs of the flights, but she’d been awake since Lima, enduring the four hour layover there, pacing the deserted terminal while Daniel slept on a row of seats. He’d never been able to sleep on planes, and as much as she had wanted someone to talk to, she left him to sleep.
She’d given him a sheaf of papers, photocopies of articles on shifters. He’d taken them with a lift of an eyebrow, stuffing them into his backpack. But she’d seen him reading them on the plane, working his way through the documents.
“So, according to this monograph by this anthropologist…” He flipped back to the beginning “….this Gregory Dukeshire, jaguar shifters were linked to the jaguar worship by the Inca.” He looked at her over his glasses. “They didn’t just worship the jaguar, but it was actually jaguar-shifters they worshiped?”
“It’s more than just worshiping the animal, yes. Dukeshire believes that some of the Inca were able to transform…to shift, either through ritual or by some genetic mutation. It’s those individuals the Inca worshiped, in their shifted jaguar form.”
Daniel removed his glasses, tapping them against the paper. “His research is pretty subjective…”
“But there are others who’ve built on that research, who have come to the same conclusion.” She wasn’t sure how he could refute all the information she’d
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