Her clothes hurt her skin and her skin was too tight, stretched over her bones until it was thin and threatening to tear. A low sob escaped. She glanced at the window, her only escape. Her vision blurred, strange bands of color streaking across her vision. The scent of male leopards inundated her and she groaned in despair.

“Drake.” She whispered his name again, aloud, to give her strength. She’d promised him she’d stay in the protection of her family and his men, but like this, she was a danger to everyone.

She staggered to her feet, her hands cupping her aching breasts. They felt too heavy for her frame. Inflamed. In need. She could barely breathe with such desperate need. Somehow she made it to the window. Her hands fumbled at the windowsill, nearly useless, her fingers bent and curved, so painful that anything she came into contact with only added to her misery. She wouldn’t leave—not yet. She’d hold out to the last possible second, waiting for Drake to come back, but she had to have fresh air.

It was late afternoon. He must have waited to talk with Pauline and help arrange for cleaners to come in. That would be like him. He would take responsibility for everyone around him. She clenched her teeth and pain exploded in her mouth. Drake needed to get to her fast and help her figure out what to do, where to go, and how to get her leopard out.

She shoved the window open and stuck her head out, gulping in the fresh air. Her beloved swamp was only a few feet away. She could just crawl out the window and find her favorite tree and wait outside for Drake. If anything happened, she wouldn’t be stripping in front of her brothers and trying to seduce one of Drake’s friends.

The heavy fohifted. She inhaled again and her leopard went wild. A male leopard stood only a few feet from her, waiting silently in the trees. Joshua. Her leopard clawed at her, edgy, in a dangerously amorous mood. Her hands went to her shirt, opening the first button before she could stop herself.

“Are you all right, Saria?”

She’d never noticed what a sexy voice he had, what a hot male scent. Saria swallowed hard and closed her eyes, trying to understand when she was so consumed with Drake how another man might suddenly be so appealing to her. She’d never looked twice at Joshua. It had always been Drake from the moment she set eyes on him. She wanted him, wanted to live her life with him. She craved being in his arms. His kisses. Those mind-numbing, hot, sexy kisses that went on forever. She lost herself in those kisses.

“I need Drake right now. Can you get him for me?”

Her voice didn’t sound like her own. Tears burned behind her eyes. She had no escape. She didn’t dare go outside where Joshua stood guard. She didn’t trust herself to be alone with another man, not while her leopard was in such a sexual frenzy. Concentrating on Drake, the taste of him, the way he looked at her with his golden stare, helped to steady her.

“He’s on his way. Elijah called the inn and Miss Pauline said he left,” Joshua said. He didn’t come out of the trees, but stayed a good distance from her. It was clear he was trying to keep her scent away from his leopard, but he didn’t abandon her. “Are you afraid?”

“A little. I don’t know what to expect.”

“The first time you shift is scary,” Joshua admitted, his voice matter-of-fact.

Saria knew what it had to cost him to stay with her and keep talking as if nothing was wrong when his leopard had to be close to a thrall. His calm voice steadied her. Drake trusted Joshua to keep her safe. She would have to do the same.

“You feel like you might be losing yourself, because you have to let go to let your leopard emerge, but you’re still there. It’s hard to explain until you experience it, but once you’re fully a shifter, you’re both leopard and human. You draw on each other’s strength. It’s just that first letting go that is frightening.”

“She feels out of control.”

He laughed softly. “So does my leopard. Your leopard’s chosen Drake’s leopard. She wouldn’t allow another one to come too close, that’s why it’s so dangerous. Once she’s actually made up her mind, she’ll entice every male in sight, but if they get out of hand, she’ll tear them up.”

“That’s horrible.” Saria hissed at her leopard. I knew you were a hussy. She pushed her forehead against the windowsill, wanting to weep. Her body wouldn’t stay still and even the night breeze couldn’t cool her rising temperature. “What if he doesn’t come and I can’t hold her back? She’ll have to go into the swamp and I promised him . . .”

“Elijah and I will look after you. We’re strong enough to control our leopards.”

She didn’t want Drake’s men to witness her behavior. She didn’t want anyone to see her like this. She had no idea what her leopard would do, how far she would go to entice a male to her, but the way her body felt, she was afraid. She needed Dake desperately.

THE scent of a female leopard in heat was strong, permeating the dock and trail leading up to the Boudreaux home as Drake, Remy, Jerico, Evan and Jeremiah stepped off the boat. Drake’s leopard leapt and roared, so that blood thundered in his ears and pulsed madly through his temples. Almost instantly his muscles began to contort, his mouth filling with teeth. He forced himself to breathe deeply, holding back the change.

Jeremiah stopped dead right there on the dock. Jerico and Evan walked only a few more feet toward the house before stopping. Remy swore under his breath. Drake ignored him and broke into a run.