Loving Katrina

Nineteen

Relief washed over Felix. He relaxed and lowered his machete. It wasn't a jaguar after all. Although, the jungle cat was still out there somewhere, so he should still be on guard. Why else would they have heard it?

Katrina whimpered as she buried her face in the middle of his back. The Turri Indians appeared fearsome, but these two warriors who had shown themselves from out of the bushes, were his friends. Felix couldn't pronounce their real names, so he called them—Bruno and Dado. Bruno was the bigger man. Not only was he taller, but he also had more muscles. Dado was Bruno's frail father.

"Greetings, my friends," Felix called out in their language. He took a step toward them, but Katrina held on to his shirt to keep him from moving. He glanced over his shoulder at her. Tremors shook her body. "Miss Landon, what is wrong?"

"Don't go with them," she answered with a tight voice. "They will blow a poisonous dart at you and eat you."

Although he tried not to laugh, his mouth twitched in a grin. He shouldn't make light of her terror. After all, the Turri Indians were known for their cannibalism. Yet that was years and years ago. Felix doubted the newer generation feasted on humans. But why did she think they'd shoot a poisonous dart at him? How odd...

"Not to worry, my dear. These men are my friends."

She lifted her head and looked at him. Her face was pale and her eyes were wide. "Your friends?"

"Yes."

"But—but they tried to eat Alexio. He has the scars on his arm to prove it."

This time, Felix couldn't hold back the chuckle bubbling up from his throat. "No, my dear. A crocodile took a bite out of his arm. Why did you think..." He swung his gaze to Alexio who stood with a few other men. All of them covered their mouths as they tried to hide their laughs. Felix threw them a glare before quickly looking back at her. "My dear Miss Landon, Alexio was not honest with you. The Turri Indians are our friends. They will certainly not eat us, I assure you."

Katrina straightened and took deep breaths. Felix could literally see anger rising inside of her because it showed on her face as the color seeped back into her skin. She turned her scowl onto Alexio, marched right up to him, and slugged him hard in the arm.

"Do not lie to me again. Is that clear?" she snapped.

Alexio's laughter stopped as he rubbed his arm. "Uh, yes, Miss Landon."

For a brief moment, Felix was taken aback with her actions. A well-bred lady wouldn't have struck a man in such a way, whether she was spitting mad or not. And to think she struck Alexio hard enough that the man was still rubbing the sore spot. How very interesting...

Felix turned his focus back to his Indian friends. They didn't understand English very well, so Felix was certain they wouldn't have known what Katrina was worried about.

Smiling once again, he walked forward and greeted Bruno and Dado. The tribe had a different way of greeting their friends other than a handshake, and although Felix didn't like putting his arms around other men, he allowed Bruno and Dado to give him a hug. To refuse would have been an insult to them.

"What brings you out this way so far from your home?" Felix asked in their native tongue.

"We hear things that are not good," Bruno said. "Come sit with us. We will explain. Too dangerous here for you and your people."

Felix stiffened. He didn't like the sound of that. Perhaps Mr. Faro back at the tavern had been speaking the truth. Was the jungle really cursed with an evil magic?

He glanced at Carlos. "We'll stop here for a little while. This is a clear spot, let us make camp for the night."

Giving a nod to Bruno and Dado, Felix led them away from the group so they could talk in private. Whatever was going on in the jungle, he didn't want to frighten his men, or Katrina, if he could help it.