“Whatever it is, Saria,” he said softly, leaning down to brush a gentle kiss over her mouth, “I’m grateful. I didn’t want to hurt you.”

“I felt her. She leapt toward you.” There was wonder in her voice.

Drake brushed the silky tendrils of hair falling over her forehead back from her face. “You’re really beautiful, do you know that?”

“No, I’m not. My mouth is too wide and my eyes are too big for my face. But thanks, you actually make me feel beautiful and I’ve never felt that before.”

His heart did that strange stuttering. She was so candid with him. The leopard in him appreciated that she didn’t lie about her feelings. She might be struggling to understand, but she wasn’t hiding from the intense, almost violent attraction between them. He’d seen intense physical attraction between other leopards and he’d certainly felt his leopard’s reaction to women in the throes of the Han Vol Dan, but even he hadn’t been prepared for the brutal needs that seemed to consume them both.

“You’re amazing in that you’re not running as fast as you can from me. I couldn’t blame you if you did.”

She flashed a smile and sat up. “I think whatever this is that’s happenin’ to me, I’d be takin’ with me. I can’t exactly run from myself, now can I? In a way, I feel a little sorry for you. You’re sort of stuck with me, aren’t you?”

He linked his fingers behind his head. She had no idea—yet—what or who she’d tied herself to, but he was going to make certain she didn’t regret her decision. He smiled at her. “I don’t think you need to worry about me, honey. I’m a big boy.”

“Will the other male leopards be able to scent you on me?”

“Yes. Including your brothers.”

She made a face. “Ouch. They’ll have a few choice words to say to me—or you.” She sent him a tentative smile.

“They can say whatever they want to me, but they’d better be very careful what they say to you.” His leopard growled low and mean. He knew his eyes had gone all cat. Possession edged his tone.

She leaned down and brushed a kiss across his forehead. “I’ll see you in the morning. I need to give all this a bit of thought.” She smiled, shook her head and left his room without another word.

6

DRAKE knew he should have handled Saria differently. He had no ida exactly what he could have done under the circumstances when he was barely in control, but as he showered, he mentally kicked himself. She was probably crying in her room, terrified to come out and face him. He’d traveled the world; she lived in the swamps of Louisiana. He was older by a good ten years; she was young and inexperienced. He had grown up knowing the way of the leopard; she had no idea of the intense drives or the strict laws of their world.

He swore and threw back his head, allowing the water to wash away his sins. What the hell had gotten into him? He’d taken advantage of her. He couldn’t resist her and he’d known she was the one he belonged to. She hadn’t known he was her mate though; she thought him the lesser of all the evils. She’d grown up with the men in her neighborhood, the other leopard families, and she thought those men were her only choices. He hadn’t told her of all the lairs in the various rain forests. Clearly, even though he’d warned her, she hadn’t known she was making a lifetime commitment, yet he’d marked her as his anyway.

He had to get himself in hand. She was too young, innocent and inexperienced for a man like him, yet he knew with every single cell in his body that she was his mate. He turned off the water and toweled off. He told himself he was prepared for tears and recriminating looks. Maybe she’d try to walk off the job. He paused. Suppose she already had? What if she’d run in the early morning hours? If she’d gone home to her five brothers there was going to be hell to pay. They’d smell his scent all over her and they would come looking for a rogue leopard, and they’d be out for blood.

He dressed quickly and hurried down the hall to the room he knew Saria had slept in. He could hear the shower running. Some of the tension in his belly eased and he stood for a moment breathing deeply in the large circular library at the top of the stairs before he made his way down to the main sitting room. If Saria hadn’t run from him, he had the chance to court her, to make her see she hadn’t made a mistake in choosing him.

In the meantime, he was going to have to conduct a dance with the innkeeper. She had heard the leopard fight the night before, there was no question about that. She’d also removed all evidence. Did she suspect him? He would have scented her had she been close enough to identify him before or after he shifted. Her perfume was distinctive, a blend of several fragrances, predominantly lavender. He found it unusual and pleasing, not sweet and cloying like so many others.

Right now, the aroma of coffee and breakfast drifted through the house, guiding him straight to the formal dining room. Several silver warming trays were centered in the middle of the ornate table and three places were set.

Pauline Lafont looked up from pouring freshly squeezed orange juice into wine glasses. She looked up with a smile when he entered.

“Good morning, Miss Lafont,” Drake greeted. “Quite the commotion last night. I have to admit, it felt a little like being in Africa.”

The innkeeper frowned. “I should have warned you the alligators get quite loud some nights. I didn’t notice they were worse than usual, but I take a sleepin’ aid.”