Shape Shifter Saturday

Source: telegraph.co.uk via Elaine on Pinterest

I really like that one can see the rosettes on the black cat.

Well, once again we have shape shifter Saturday. Catching Meara is my WIP. The heroine is a technical analyst with FBI and the hero is profiler.  I'm having a little trouble melding the story line of the profilers with the romance.

What moves the story forward and what doesn't. What is fluff and what is not. Or are these just plotting bunnies that are getting in my way?

Short excerpt:

Meara had been seconds from revelation, mere seconds. Now quivering with terror, she huddled in the corner of her electronified office while lights flashed and popped all around her, knowing there was no where to run. Monitors flashed and burst, exploding and sending shards of liquid fire into the air. A cop entered the small room, his arms stretched forward, gun in both hands and a flashlight on top of his gun.

Three more cops followed behind. No, they were government agents. The logo printed in white across their chest announced their profession.

Bright lights swept the room in a slow steady arc, searching for her. Finally resting on her face, she shielded her eyes. Smoke from the crucified computers filled the cubicle making the agents choke. Sweat from fear beaded on her forehead and her heart lurched to her throat. She closed her hands over her heart as if she could slow the furious beating.

The heroine, Meara, was a self-taught hacker. But she messed up and hacked into a top secret government file. The FBI comes after not to put her in jail but to bring her over to there side. 


The hero, Morgan James, is the shape shifter. He shifts in a jaguar.


Facts about Jaguars.

Family: Felidae, Cats view all from this family

Description The largest cat in the New World, Jaguars are unmistakable, powerfully built, spotted cats. Coat is tawny-colored with large black rosettes. Rosettes are also visible in the rare black morph.

Dimensions 1.7-2.4m, 52-67cm, 79-158kg; / 1.6-2.2m, 43-60cm, 31-85kg

Endangered Status The Jaguar is on the U.S. Endangered Species List. It is classified as endangered in Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas. This cat was once a regular inhabitant of the U.S., but now apparently only wanders north of Mexico. The settlement of the West contributed to its decline, as development modified the Jaguar's historical habitat and proximity with humans caused other problems. Jaguars were often killed for fear that they preyed on livestock, as well as for their fur, which was quite coveted. Although no Jaguars are currently known to be breeding in the U.S., individuals are still seen north of Mexico, mainly in Arizona.

Habitat Forests & woodlands, Scrub, shrub & brushlands, Swamps, marshes & bogs

Range Southwest, Texas

Discussion Active any time of day. The US population was hunted to extinction in the 1800s, but recent sightings in Arizona suggest the possibility of reestablishment. They are active both day and night. Solitary hunters of large and medium-sized prey in warm forests and desert scrub, they prefer streamside and wetter habitats.