Savage Hunger by Terry Spear Page B

unemotional. I think she’d fit right in with a couple of Aries like us.”
    He grunted.
    “Sure. You and I are both adventurous and impulsive, courageous and confident—she can’t help but be swept up in our enthusiasm for life.”
    “Maya,” he warned, not wanting her to think they were taking the woman home with them like she was some kind of pet they could nurture and make their own.
    “She was born in Merritt Island, Florida,” she said, ignoring him. “So she’s a Florida girl.”
    The dark side of being an Aries, if any of it was true, was that Maya was definitely impulsive. A lot more so than he was, and he knew she was trying to get him to accept taking Kat into their family.
    “The injuries she suffered on her Army mission here don’t seem to have caused any serious permanent damage,” he said, changing the subject to one that was more important.
    “You said she was the only one who was still living when her people came to rescue her. You saved her life, Connor. She’s grateful.” Maya rummaged around some more in the pack. “There’s nothing else in here except survival stuff and more clothes and a credit card.” She zipped up the bag, then joined Connor at the bed where Kat was still tossing and turning.
    Maya put her hand on his shoulder. “Why don’t you hunt supper for us? I’ll spell you for a while.”
    He didn’t want to leave Kat for a minute, worried she might slip into a coma and die. But another worry consumed him. What if his sister bit Kat, trying to turn her?
    But he didn’t think she would. Not as sick as Kat was. Unless she thought that by turning her, Kat would get well more quickly.
    He cast his sister a warning look. She regarded him as if she didn’t know what he was inferring, all innocence. Maybe she was totally innocent at the moment. Maybe deep down, he wanted Kat turned so she could be his.
    He shook his head at the notion and left the hut, climbed down the stairs, removed his clothes, and tucked them on a shelf below the floor of the house on stilts, and then shifted. He ran as a jaguar, smelling the air, searching for dinner, and wishing he had some way to get Kat to a hospital and well again.
    ***
    Had she caused Kat to be so sick? Maya had been beside herself with worry. And so had her brother. Connor had only left to catch fish for them or take down a tapir, or one time a caiman, and then she had prepared their meals. Otherwise, he had stayed by Kat’s side, trying to cool her down and keep her hydrated. He had barely let Maya take care of her.
    Maya studied Kat’s bullet wounds, tracing the scarred tissue. She wondered if the jaguar healing genetics would heal the tissue, making it like new again, when she was able to turn Kat. Did the injuries ever trouble Kat? Maya hoped she could cure her of anything that might cause her difficulty. When Kat was better, Maya intended to ask her subtly about her injuries and what had happened when Connor had taken care of her.
    Connor had tired of questioning Kat about her family, so Maya took up where he had left off. Maya’s questions were more important, though. “Where’s your family? Do you have a husband? Boyfriend? Fiancé?”
    Kat shook her head no, moaned as if moving her head like that made it hurt, and then closed her eyes. Was that a no? No what? No husband, boyfriend, fiancé, or family?
    Maya had been in such a panic to try and turn Kat quickly before Connor caught her that she hadn’t thought of the repercussions. Kat would have to dump a husband, boyfriend, or fiancé if she had any of those.
    Maya drew nearer to the bed shrouded in mesh netting, poked her hand inside, and then held Kat’s hot hand. She stroked Kat’s hand with her thumb. “I always wanted a sister,” Maya said quietly.
    Kat’s eyes opened, and despite their bleariness, Maya swore that Kat seemed to focus more on her eyes this time.
    “Kat,” Maya quickly said, still in the same hushed voice, “do you have family?”
    Kat shook