Although veterinary technician Carlton is violently allergic to cats, he loves them with an undying passion, enough to tolerate miserable symptoms to keep working with the felines in the San Maribal Zoo. The cheetahs especially fascinate him. Then he meets a mysterious stranger who is evasive about why he’s in the zoo -- nude and after hours! This man tells Carl there’s a cat inside him wanting to get out. That sounds really crazy, and the suggested way to make it happen even crazier ... but exciting.<br><br>Zyl is a member of the ancient shifter tribe, or Were-Kind. His people are working to enforce humane treatment of animals and save endangered species. Hearing of a planned raid by an extreme animal rights group to free the denizens of zoos, they realize this will a real catastrophe. Joining forces with regular humans to avert the problem will mean “coming out” as the powerful beings they are. Again, a potential disaster.<br><br>Attracted to Carlton against his better judgment, Zyl teams up with the vet tech he meets under awkward circumstances only to discover a valuable ally and a soul mate.

Catastrophe

“You mentioned exchange of bodily fluids as a possible trigger. Does that imply what I think it does? I mean do you think we should…” The other man stumbled to a halt, a wash of color sweeping over his face.


Restraining a laugh because he knew Carl did not find anything about this situation humorous, Zyl nodded. “That’s not the only way, we could. I mean a blood transfusion is one method…things like that, as well as sex. I won’t insist and certainly not force anything on you that doesn’t feel good to you, seem right or…well, you know. I mean no rape or anything! I’d never do that. Yes, I find you attractive and have from the first. Maybe you didn’t know.”


Carl still blushed. “I—Well, I thought maybe and I was definitely attracted to you. The cheetah part. You are that mysterious male, aren’t you? And you as a human are beautiful, unique, magnetic.”


Chapter 10