Donovan Castle Chronicles: Volume 1

Chapter 40: Nadia & Jake

CHAPTER 40

NADIA FELIDAE

In this: Nadia, Jake,

*Day 3

*Spring (April 30)

*Night

He walks in the cubby room and sits down on the reddish-brown couch next to me and wraps an arm round my shoulders. I lay my head on his shoulder as he strokes my hair with his hand. I lay the still-wrapped box on my lap, closing my eyes. I focus on the soft touch of his hand and begin to make a cat's purr. My eyes pop open when he abruptly lifts his arm and leans away from me, looking at me strangely. I'm getting too comfortable around him and letting my guard down. "What?" I ask coyly, pretending I don't know what he is referring to.

"You were just purring, as in like a cat."

"Oh, um...sorry." I pull away, fearing he will reject me. Maybe bringing him here was a bad idea.

"No, no, don't apologize," he quickly responds. "I think it's cute, I like it." He looks at me admiringly.

Maybe it was a good idea after all. His statement and the way he's looking at me erases doubt. I let out a breath of relief as a smile spread across my face, "Really?!"

"Yeah! Here...," he takes the box from me and lays it on the coffee table. He pulls me onto his lap and stares at me with a bright smile.

I look at him and try to gauge what he is thinking based on his facial features. "What?"

He brushes a lose strand of hair behind my ear, "I'm just admiring you."

"Thanks. I admire you too." I lean in and give him a chaste kiss.

As I pull away, he reaches one hand up and gives me another kiss like from Cherished Memories. My heart rate speeds up and I can feel it in my chest. Although, this time, he accidentally lets out a purr of his own. I pull away as my eyes fly open in shock. I must have a confused look on my face because embarrassment takes the place of admiration on his features.

He just laughs.

I ignore that as a smile spreads across my face yet again. Staring into his eyes, I feel my eyes go to slits and glow blue. 

He smiles back at me and his eyes do the same thing, but glow yellow, "You're a were-cat," he says in awe.

"And you're a were-jaguar," I say back.

He nods in acknowledgement with a smirk across his beautiful lips.

"But jaguars can't purr," I point out.

He nods and explains, "Actually, I'm half jaguar and half cheetah. Jaguars can't purr, nor any other cat in the Panthera group of large cats, which I'm sure you know include lions, tigers, leopards, and jaguars. Cheetahs can purr though."

Nodding, I smile up at him. "So, which one of your parents is the cheetah?"

"My mother is the cheetah and my father is the jaguar." He runs a thumb pad over my cheek.

I nod, "that would make since, and considering your last name is Panthera Onca and oftentimes the women take the men's last names."

"Yep, so I got both abilities. Pretty cool huh?" he smirks.

"Very," I turn more toward him and wrap one arm around his neck.

"So, you can roar and purr?" I wonder.

"I can do both." He lets out a beautiful roar.

I let one out too; mine not as deep as his. It's a given that his would be deeper since he is a male and I'm a female.