With shaking hands, Isabeau dressed, putting on her clothes like armor. Layers of them. Underwear, jeans, heavy socks, a T-shirt, before wrapping herself in Conner’s sweater. She sat down to wait, her heart beating fast and hard and the taste of fear in her mouth. She had no idea how long she actually sat there, but she realized tears blurred her vision. She couldn’t just sit still. She paced for a while and finally opened the shutters overlooking the front porch and stood staring out, trying to see what was happening in the rain forest. She could hear the sounds of the insects and night creatures—the forest had its own music at night, but there was no disruption, no fight between leopards and no warning from the animals that leopards were in the vicinity.

By now, she consoled herself, Rio would have joined Conner in the search. And maybe he was wrong. Maybe he hadn’t really caught the scent of a male leopard—although she didn’t really believe that.

After a time she realized how hopeless that task was of looking into the rain forest, straining her eyes when there was nothing to see, so she carefully closed and locked the shutters again before she put the kettle on. Tea might combat the shocky way she was feeling. At least the ritual of making tea kept her busy. Once the water had boiled, she poured it into the small pot over the tea leaves and placed a towel over it to steep. She needed something to revive her. There was no way to relax, not with Conner in danger.

She turned to go back to the window. Her heart jumped. Began to pound. Fear made her mouth go dry. Ottila Zorba stood not ten feet from her, his eyes glowing in the darkness, his stare fixed on her as if she was his prey. He’d obviously just shifted. She had no idea how long he’d been there, but his stark naked body, all roped muscle and obvious strength, was very aroused.

18

OTTILA Zorba cocked his head to one side and inhaled, drawing Isabeau’s fragrance deep into his lungs. “He made certain to leave his scent all over you,” he greeted.

Isabeau wrapped Conner’s sweater closer around her body for protection. “What do you want?”

His green-yellow eyes drifted over her from head to toe. “You left your mark on me.”

She bit her lip hard. “I wasn’t raised with the leopard people. I didn’t know what was happening to me.”

“Your cat knew and she wanted me.”

Isabeau gasped. That couldn’t be true. Conner was her mate. She knew he was. She shook her head in denial. “I made a mistake and I’m sorry for that, but you deliberately provoked me. You knew I didn’t know what it meant.”

He shrugged and took a step toward her.

“Don’t.” Isabeau retreated, moving toward the table where the gun waited. “I don’t want to hurt you, but I will if you give me no other choice.”

He smiled, baring his leopard’s canines, and held a weapon up. “Are you looking for this? You stared out into the night and all the while I prowled the room, removing your weapons under your nose.”

Her heart jumped painfully. Who could do that? She’d heard of leopards dragging victims out of their homes before even those sitting beside them knew what had happened, but she couldn’t conceive of anyone being that stealthy. She glanced toward the door, trying to judge the distance. To make it easier, she took another step toward the table, to keep it between them. As she figured, he stepped around toward the other side, giving her that extra step or two.

Isabeau ran for the door. She ran like a human, he leapt like a leopard, clearing the table and landing right beside her as her fingers twisted the lock. She tried to yank open the door, but he slammed it shut with a vicious slap of his palm, trapping her body between his and the wood. She cried out, shaking, feeling small and lost against his enormous strength.

“Ssh, don’t scream. Just stay calm,” he said. “I’m not going to hurt you.”

His arms went around her and Isabeau shuddered, keeping her head down, afraid of what he might do.

“Please,” she said softly. “What I did was an accident.”

“Ssh.” He kept her upright with his strength, when she was trembling, her legs rubbery. “Get yourself a cup of tea and sit across the room, away from the table.” He indicated a chair. “Put sugar in your tea. It will help.”

His voice was steady. Pleasant even. And that somehow made it worse, but when he removed his hands, she could at least breathe again. She forced herself to walk to the counter where the tea was steeping.

Isabeau glanced over her shoulder, trying to pretend he was a guest. “Would you like a cup as well?”

His smile was all male amusement. “I don’t think it’s a good idea to put temptation in your path. You would try to throw boiling water at me and then I’d have to retaliate and you’d get hurt. I don’t want that and I don’t think you do either.”

Isabeau concentrated on keeping her hands from shaking as she fixed herself a cup of tea. She waited until she sipped at it before walking to the chair he’d indicated and sitting in it rather gingerly. Had Conner put a knife beneath the cushions? He told her not to panic and she was definitely on the verge of panicking. She made herself take another swallow of the hot liquid and breathe.

“Why are you here?” Her voice was back under control and she let herself feel triumphant. One small victory at a time.

“To give you a chance to come with me. Right now. Before anyone dies. Come away with me. You don’t need anything but the clothes on your back. I’ve got money. Everything Imelda paid me was in cash.” He smirked. “Between what Suma and I took from both Sobre and Cortez, we’ll be able to go anywhere.”