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She nodded A soldier in limbo for forty years If he woke up, the world he kneould be coed "Do you think we can save him?"
"The only way to save him is to turn him into a vampire"
Chapter Twenty-three
Carlos halted when he heard the snap of a twig in the distance "We’re not alone"
Caitlyn pivoted, looking about "I don’t see anything Are the tigers back?"
"I believe so We’re in their territory now"
They’d started back to the Akha village shortly after sunrise Carlos had left an electronic tracking device just inside the cave He hoped the Vaht to it It would save a lot of ti across the jungle with them in the dark
He and Caitlyn had crossed the streao, and he’d been expecting the cats to show up They were in a s now on the hillside, about ten yards wide Thesun shone down on them, but in the distance, under the thick trees and underbrush, it looked dark An easy place for a tiger to hide
"They seemed to be truly concerned about us" She unscrewed a bottle of water and took a sip "I thought they ht be shifters"
"I wondered the sa" He borrowed her bottle and drank "Usually I can tell a shifter by their scent, but the tigers always stayed doind"
A bush in the distance shook He passed the water back and rested a hand on his automatic
"I don’t think they le parted and a large golden-striped tiger e sound and swished his tail
"Well, excuse me," Caitlynup their territory"
"Great" Carlos glanced over his shoulder as a second large tiger ele behind theh to eat"
Caitlyn paused, her head tilted "They understand a little English They say they’re notthereed as he turned his head back and forth to keep an eye on both cats
"The one in front of us is Raghu, which means swift," Caitlyn explained
Carlos watched him with narrowed eyes "I’m sure he is swift"
"Rajiv is behind us His name means striped They would like for you to take your hand off the gun"
Carlos dropped his hand "I would like not to be surrounded and outnuainst two," she murmured
"You’re not a cat, Catalina"
She snorted "Yeah, but I’hu wants us to follow hilanced back "I believe they can be very persuasive"
"Ask them why," Carlos whispered "What do they want from us?"
She hesitated, then answered "They believe you’re a shifter They want to talk to you"
"Then they’re shifters, too?"
Raghu le Rajiv advanced on theuess we’ll find out later," Caitlyn hu Once they broke through a barrier of bushes, there was a narrow path It sloped gently downhill for about fifteen minutes
Carlos walked behind Caitlyn so his back would be to Rajiv He kept his ears tuned to Rajiv behind theers decided to attack, he’d be better off using his auto "I think we’re headed back to the valley where the streaed into a clearing in the valley
Caitlyn gasped "It’s beautiful"
It was ireen field stretched before them, dotted ildflowers On the other side of the valley a strea a small waterfall that fell into a clear blue pond Another stream broke off from the pond and meandered down the valley to the point where they had crossed it earlier
The tigers led them toward the pond
Caitlyn s it to us" Her smile faded and she stiffened
"What?" Carlos asked, his nerves tensing
"They want us to strip"
"Strip?"
She nodded "Strip and get in the water"
"Why? Do they like their food clean?"
She winced "Don’t say that" Raghu growled, and she gave Carlos an exasperated look "Howcalled man-eaters"
"I can see that" He dropped his backpack onto the ground "Fro they spend part of their time as men"
Rajiv snarled
Caitlyn lifted her hands "Okay We’re stripping"
"We are?" Carlos turned to watch her "In that case, ladies first"
She snorted, then looked at the tigers They inclined their heads and turned their backs
Carlos chuckled "You asked them to turn around?"
"Of course They’re men, aren’t they?"
"And what am I?" He ejected the clip from his auto to Raghu, you’re an old htened with a jerk "Excuse me?"