The leopard had one huge paw on the stair, his eyes gleaming in the dark at her. He pulled back, startled as she went to all fours. She flung her head back, her long hair falling around her like a cloak.

The man’s face contorted, his chest and hands shifted, so that he was standing on cat legs, facing her, half man, half leopard. Rory, the man who had been paid to impregnate her, to rape and use her against her will, stared at her with vicious, calculating eyes. “You belong to me. You were promised to me.”

The heat was nearly unbearable, her body temperature soaring. She should have been embarrassed to be naked in front of him, but the cat in her had already merged so deeply she didn’t care. “Get out of my house.”

Lightning flashed across the sky, lighting up the landing where she crouched. Tiny beads of sweat clung to her flushed skin. She knew her sex was swollen and moist, her scent calling to him. Her breasts ached, her nipples hard, her breath coming in ragged gasps.

“Look at you. You’re in heat. You need me.” There was satisfaction in his voice. “Soon your cat will take over and you’ll crouch in front of me and I’ll have you, both the leopard and the woman. You’ll be mine and none of them will be able to do a damn thing about it.” His voice was hoarse with sexual tension.

“I won’t accept you.”

He smirked at her. “You don’t have a choice. In case you haven’t noticed, I’m quite a bit larger than you.”

“Drake will come.”

“Drake can’t even shift,” Rory sneered. “He’s useless to you.”

“He’ll come and he’ll bring the other men with him.”

“The men are down at the stables where a wild leopard has wreaked havoc with the horses. They’ll be a while trying to save Bannaconni’s precious horses.”

“Your partner.”

“That’s right. And he can’t get in here. You locked the place down, only I was already inside. Your precious Drake didn’t scent me.”

“You cover yourself with other scents.”

“Like skunk.” He sounded pleased with himself for outsmarting the other leopards.

“Jake will hunt you down and kill you.”

“He’ll never find us. I’m from the forest, and once we’re back there, he’ll be on my turf.”

Emma’s hands curved, knotted, her muscles extending. She reached for her leopard, called it to her, unafraid. Accepting. They were intelligent together. They were strong. She had need of her other half.

The Han Vol Don was upon her and she embraced it rather than fought it. It didn’t matter that her skull felt too big for her head and pain pounded through her temples. She reached for the change—wanted it.

Another flash of lightning illuminated the room and he saw her muscles contort. As soon as he saw her body shifting, he took his other form, prepared to fight for her, fully prepared to make his claim on the female leopard. He was fascinated by her aquamarine eyes and held her stare, refusing to look away, showing her he was the male who would conquer her.

Emma ran her tongue over sharpening teeth, all the while holding the male’s gaze. She knew she was alluring to him and she used her sensual state to mesmerize him, as the rippling under her skin ran from her belly to her arms. Adrenaline flooded her body, and with it strength—the strength she would need to defeat the much larger, heavier male. A wave of reddish golden fur broke through her skin, decorated with dark rosettes. Rather than finding the change repulsive, she found the half-transformed state sensuous, deliberately stretching her body again, allowing him to scent her readiness.

Her senses heightened even more and the wildness burst through her. She turned her head as her muzzle formed and fur rippled over the rest of her body. The female leopard came to her four feet, fluid, graceful, sleek. Emma had expected to find herself in the background, but she was there, only now her intelligence was twofold, now her determination and will were backed by the aggressive animal that was her other half.

In the throes of her sexual heat, the female leopard rubbed the length of her body along the banister, spreading her tantalizing scent everywhere, broadcasting to her mate. The male stared with his yellow-green eyes, fixed and focused. His nose wrinkled and he curled his upper lip, grimacing with an open mouth and wide yawn in the response of male leopard claiming a female.

Emma displayed her teeth and snapped at him, warning him to stay away from her, even as she slid her body low to the ground, enticing him by bringing up her bottom. She crouched low, but the moment he took a step toward her, she hissed and curled her lip at him, driving him back away from her as if she were too skittish to accept him.

If she could buy time, lure him away from the stairs and the chamber where the children were hidden, Drake would come to check on them. He wouldn’t like that the generator wasn’t running as it should be. Even if the horses were in a terrible state, the fact that they’d been attacked by a leopard would send Drake running back to her and he would bring the others. She needed time. If nothing else, she could pull the leopard into the great room where the huge windows were. And if all else failed, she could leap, break the glass and set off the alarm. That would draw all the men to the house.

Her wary gaze focused on the male, she took a step down, continuing to rub her body along the spokes in the banister. The male locked eyes with her, watching her just as warily. She extended her claws and hissed, clearly telling him to back off, that she wasn’t ready. The male took a step away from the stairs, cautiously, as expected. No self-respecting male leopard would attempt to force a female until she was receptive to him, not unless he had a death wish.