Leopard's Prey

by Christine Feehan

  "That's it. You're about to go the hospital and have a bullet dug out of your ass."

  Gage burst out laughing. "You're plannin' on shooting me in the butt?"

  "Well, it's the only safe place, and it might be a bit embarrassin' if you get a cute nurse, which, for the record, would be an added bonus."

  "I did say you were about the meanest man alive," Gage pointed out.

  Remy tried a blacker scowl to intimidate his younger brother. Ever since Bijou had come back home, Gage had been having way too much fun tweaking him.

  "Just get the boys to the Inn fast," Remy said. Otherwise, there would be no keeping his mind on interrogating the Rousseau brothers or Bijou's manager and his assistant. He had to put her out of his mind and tell himself she was perfectly safe with Saria and his brothers.

  She seemed so fragile to him. Saria was small, but she could take care of herself in any situation. Bijou needed . . . care. He just had to convince her that she did.

  He drove back to the station house, refusing to give in to the temptation to call Bijou just to hear her voice and know she was all right. And he absolutely refused to believe he needed to hear her voice. It was just that with Robert going to the Inn, she might be scared and needing to hear his voice. He should probably call her to reassure her that his brothers were on the way. She'd feel much safer and calmer knowing he was thinking of her and making certain his brothers would protect her while he had to be away from her.

  Satisfied that it was Bijou who needed to hear from him, and not the other way around, Remy parked in front of the station and whipped out his cell phone. She was under Blue and he found himself smiling for no reason at all. His thumb traced over her name before he could stop the automatic reaction. He looked around to make certain no one had seen that involuntary, silly reaction, more of a caress than anything else. If Gage or one of his other brothers had witnessed that incredibly ridiculous moment, he'd never live it down.

  There was no response on Bijou's cell. He left three voice mails and texted her three times, still to no avail. Swearing under his breath, he strode into the station house, straight to his office. Apparently everyone saw his face and quickly looked away, not greeting him. He picked up the phone and called the Inn.

  Saria answered.

  "Where the hell is Bijou? And why isn't she takin' my calls?" He demanded, furious, worried, and more than a little inclined to drive straight out to the Inn and the hell with interrogating anyone but his stubborn woman. "What the hell is wrong with women, anyway? How difficult is it to pick up the damn phone?" His voice went low, mean and gravelly, a sign his leopard's temper was turning into a rage.

  "She's sittin' right here, Remy." Saria's voice became soothing. "Her phone must be upstairs. What's wrong?"

  Okay, now he really looked like an idiot. He hadn't considered she didn't have her phone on her. And why didn't she? "What the hell use is a cell phone if you don' have it on you? That woman is so damned difficult."

  "Is she?" There was laughter in Saria's voice that only served to make him angrier.

  "I was worried about her, Saria. I knew Robert went there, and last night he challenged me for her. Then he challenged Drake. He's a complete idiot and can't be trusted. She's such a fragile little thing and I knew she'd be really frightened." He forced himself to sound reasonable when he still wanted to drive out to the Inn and see for himself Bijou was alive and well.

  "Fragile?" Saria snorted. "You should have seen her reachin' for the butcher knife when Dion refused to leave and we knew Robert was in the house but he refused to come out where we could see him. She even jumped up and put herself between Dion and me to protect me."

  His belly knotted up. "Is she crazy?" His voice dropped low. His scary voice. He even scared himself a little when he used that tone. He never knew exactly what he'd do. Robert and Dion Lanoux were going to get a visit from him in the dead of night and both would learn manners. No one threatened his mate or his sister. And certainly not in the home of the leader of the lair, or on Boudreaux property. They'd be lucky if they lived through the next night.

  "I'd just told her I was pregnant, Remy. You would have been proud of her. I know you're probably really upset with Dion and Robert but . . ."

  "Don' defend them," he snapped, cutting her off. Saria had always had a soft spot for the two brothers. "They have to live by lair rules just like the rest of us. They don' get to go into your home scarin' you or threaten' you and not leavin' when you tell them to."

  "I know," Saria said, all reasonable, which only pissed him off more, "But there were extenuating circumstances."

  "They're men, Saria. I know Robert was at the crime scene. He stupidly left a partial paw print and even some fur. Forensics will find it, and what do you think is goin' to happen to all of us? We'll be hunted. No one will be safe lettin' their leopards run and if we can' shift and they're caged up, you know what will happen. Robert's a man. He needs to take responsibility instead of whinin' to his brother and then whinin' to you."

  He truly wanted to beat Robert Lanoux within an inch of his life. There would be chaos in the lair and Drake had worked hard to get everyone under control. Everyone who lived or worked in or around the swamp and bayou would be under scrutiny by their neighbor.

  "They're waitin' here for Drake. Robert knows he screwed up and to be honest, I think Dion's had it with him. I put them in the sittin' room."

  "Are the boys there?"

  "They arrived just a few minutes ago."

  He could tell by her voice that she was somewhere between annoyance and laughter. "I do believe Robert is properly intimidated, which I hope, for your sake, was your motivation. I can take care of myself and so can Bijou."

  He wasn't touching that one. Anything he said could get him in trouble with his independent and touchy sister. Of course his brothers were there to protect both women. Saria was pregnant, wasn't she? He admitted silently to himself that he would have sent the boys pregnancy or not. "Put Bijou on, please." At least he remembered his manners. Saria could turn stubborn fast and he wasn't taking any chances.

  There was a moment of silence and then Bijou answered. "Hello."

  His heart did some strange nonsensical bullshit that alarmed him. Maybe it was time for a checkup. Worse, that sultry, bluesy tone got under his skin and sent an electrical charge snaking through his bloodstream.

  "Are you all right?"

  "I was until your brothers showed up. They're all starin' at me and grinnin' like idiots."

  The laughter in her voice sent a shaft of relief spiraling through him. "Don' feel alone, they've taken to doin' the very same thing to me," he admitted. "Robert didn't hurt you, did he?"

  "No, of course not."

  "I'm sorry I can't be there to get him the hell out of there."

  "I think what you're doin' is far more important than bein' here at the moment. I'm sure your brothers will insist he go if he makes any threats." There was a small silence and then she made a small sound. "Um, Remy . . ." She broke off, hesitant, and her voice had dropped nearly to a whisper.

  He liked that she was connecting them intimately whether she knew it or not. "What is it, Blue?" he prompted.

  "When Robert came in, I felt her. You know. Her. It was a little disconcertin'."

  He stopped himself from grinding his teeth. "Did your leopard act happy to see him? Did you get that feelin'?" He was killing Robert Lanoux if her leopard dared to even entertain the notion of accepting the idiot. He couldn't imagine it. She'd mated with his leopard, but Bijou was so confused, maybe her leopard was as well.

  "No, she was definitely not happy. And I found myself fightin' to maintain. Is that normal? Quite frankly, I felt a little scared that I might not be able to control her. I don' think anyone noticed."

  "That's good, chere, and very normal." He tried to keep the relief out of his voice and stay neutral and informative, as matter-of-fact as possible. Deep inside he was rejoicing. "Your leopard is mated to mine and she won' tol
erate any other male interested in her. I know I've got a lot more to explain to you, but just so this makes sense, we find our mates over and over from one life to the next. At least, that's the way it's supposed to work. Our leopards recognize one another, even if it's the first cycle of life. I promise we'll discuss more when I get there."

  He glanced at his watch. "Unfortunately, I don' know how long this will take, but when Drake gets close, he'll give me a call. I'll have to come there to talk with Robert and Dion."

  "Remy," she whispered. "You wouldn't really kill him, would you? He keeps actin' like you want to kill him."

  He sighed. He'd told himself he wouldn't lie to her. Not ever. Not about anything. But why the hell did she have to ask the complicated questions? "My leopard would definitely kill his if he persisted in tryin' to get to you. So, yes, he'd be dead." He had skirted the issue, blaming his cat, but he'd told the truth. His leopard would kill Robert's in a heartbeat if it found the golden leopard anywhere near Bijou's female.

  "That's just a little scary."

  "I know, Blue. I know this all must not only be shockin' but very frightenin' as well. I've got to go after this murderer, but I swore to you I'd get you through this and I will. Just please stay put for me. Don' go off anywhere alone. I need to ask you a few questions though, about some things pertainin' to the murders, just because the victim was at your club and harassin' you."

  "Would it help if I come there?" Bijou asked. "I wouldn't mind gettin' away from here. If you don' want me to come alone, I can ask one of your brothers to drive me there. My car's a wreck anyway."

  "That might be a good idea," Remy said. He knew it wasn't, not with all the suspects there, and all the work he had to do, but he wanted to see her. It was definitely want, not need. He'd never admit to needing to see her. His leopard was all growly because he was worried, that was all. "Have Mahieu drive you. He's got a brain and isn't crazy in a car."

  "I'll be there as soon as I can," Bijou said.

  There was relief in her voice. Was she glad to get away from Robert and Dion, or did she want to see him?

  "Just wait for me in my office. I'll come out when I'm able."

  "Sounds good to me. I've gotten a couple of text messages from my manager. He wants to meet with me and discuss some business. I've been puttin' him off for a couple of weeks now and I've got to do it."

  "Not yet, no way." He nearly snapped it. As it was it came out as an order.

  There was a small silence. "Remy, if you know somethin' about my manager, and you must to have a reaction like that, please tell me."

  He cursed again under his breath. This time, blistering, hot Cajun French, directed at himself. "Listen, chere, I'm still investigatin' him, but I've discovered a few things that worry me. I was waitin' until I had all the information before I said anythin' to you one way or the other." He paused. "The thing is, Bijou, I know you care about Rob Butterfield. I didn't want you hurt again."

  "I sort of grew up around him. He's the nephew of Bodrie's manager. I've known him most of my life."

  For some reason, that piece of information just irritated him more--that and the dejected note in her voice. Everyone who had anything at all to do with her father was out for themselves and using Bijou as a means to pad their bank accounts. Were they all so used to easy money that they'd put out a hit on her to get insurance money? Or arrange an accident? With a serial killer in town, what better way to get rid of her?

  Maybe he was paranoid--his chosen job certainly made him think everyone was a potential killer--but he didn't trust a single friend she had. With a killer on the loose, he didn't want to let her out of his sight.

  "I'm glad you're comin' down, Blue. I'll get the information on your manager as fast as I can. I know you must feel like everyone you've ever known has betrayed you."

  There was a silence. "I have trust issues for a reason, Remy."

  He heard her. Heard what she was trying to tell him. The thing was, he'd known it all along, he just thought he'd be exempt.

  "I know you do, chere. We'll work around them."

  14

  BIJOU had no idea what to do about her strange relationship with Remy. She didn't like the fact that she felt excited and happy at the prospect of seeing him. She wanted to remain aloof. Who wanted a man who only wanted her because his leopard did? She felt a little like she was in a fantasy film or a sci-fi movie. Leopard woman? She stared down at her hands. They looked so perfectly normal.

  "Are you all right?" Mahieu asked. "You're awfully quiet." He glanced over at her as they made their way toward town.

  Bijou nodded. "Yes, I'm just thinkin' about things. I thought I'd come back home and find peace here."

  "The swamps and bayous are peaceful," Mahieu assured. "Especially for our kind. You're not alone, Bijou. You have us now. And the lair. Drake will introduce you to everyone in a formal ceremony and you'll find you're part of a much larger and tight-knit community."

  She raised an eyebrow. "I met Robert and Dion Lanoux today."

  "I won't say our lair doesn't have big problems. Until Drake came along, we were cut off from other lairs and had no idea of their existence. We didn't even know much about our history or the rules of our society and Drake taught us. We're comin' together, though.

  "Remy will catch this killer. He's very good at his job. I know things are a bit difficult right now, but hang in there. The public will get used to your singing in your club and eventually you won't get so hounded. Everyone will protect you."

  She gave him a faint smile. "I'm Bodrie Breaux's daughter. I made a career singin' rock and roll, just like him. Now I've turned my back on that and I sing what I've always wanted. I don' do tours and I've let the world down, not followin' my daddy's legacy. You should see the hate mail. Most people come into that club because they want to see a piece of Bodrie."

  Mahieu whistled softly. "You really don' know how good you are, do you?"

  Bijou shrugged and sent him a small smile. "That's the nicest thing anyone's said to me in a long time." She twisted her fingers together in her lap. "I spent so much time tryin' to be what I thought everyone wanted me to be instead of bein' myself. I was a rocker, like Bodrie, and everyone accepted me that way. I made a lot of money, but the life wasn't anythin' like what I wanted--or even needed."

  "It takes courage to turn your back on success," Mahieu observed.

  A small grin escaped. "I was terrified. Everyone was angry with me and told me it was a terrible mistake. I knew I couldn't live that life. I just couldn't do it. The drugs and drinkin' reminded me too much of the way I grew up."

  She stared out the window as they drove along the bayou. She loved being close to the bayou, the bay, the swamp, all of it. She loved the French Quarter and New Orleans. She felt as if finally, she could carve out a place for herself, not Bodrie's daughter, but Bijou Breaux. She wanted to live a quiet life, own her club and sing when she wanted.

  She glanced at Mahieu. "I'm actually quite good at finding young, up-and-coming jazz and blues singers and bands. I know some great chefs and bartenders. I think I can make a success of the club. I love the idea of livin' in the apartment above the club. It has great views and really nice balconies."

  Mahieu smiled. "Your leopard won' like it much. She'll need to run in the swamp. Remy keeps a house there, so no worries."

  "Does everyone expect me to live with Remy? Because I don' see that happenin'."

  Mahieu's brief smile turned into a grin. "You don'? Well now. That's downright interestin'. Have you mentioned that to Remy yet?"

  "I didn't think I had to."

  There was laughter in Mahieu's eyes. "Please tell him when I'm around. Even if you do it when I'm across the room. The fireworks will be a thing of beauty."

  "You and your brothers seem to be misguided about Remy's feelin's toward me," Bijou informed him, using her haughtiest voice and sticking out her chin.

  Mahieu didn't seem to be the least bit affected by her tone. His grin didn't dimin
ish in the least. She was beginning to believe the Boudreaux brothers lived to tease one another. She couldn't help herself, she wanted to laugh. Mahieu was enjoying himself far too much at her expense.

  "I don' think you have a clue what you're talkin' about, Miss Breaux, but that's perfectly all right. We do love the way you've got our big brother dancin' like a marionette on a string. Please keep it up."

  She gave a little sniff. His laughter was infectious and she wasn't going to give him the satisfaction. "I have no idea what you're talkin' about. Remy doesn't dance to anyone's beat but his own. You know that."

  "We all thought that," Mahieu said. "But times have changed. And her name is Bijou Breaux."

  Bijou tried not to feel elated. Mahieu was giving her hope where Remy hadn't given her any. She was not going to be wanted for her leopard. She'd come home to New Orleans to live her life her way. She wanted to be loved for herself. Not for being Bodrie's daughter. Not for her money. Certainly not for her leopard. Maybe what she was asking was impossible, but she'd rather not be with anyone at all than to be with someone for the wrong reasons. Remy wanted her for all the wrong reasons, but his family didn't seem to understand that.

  She shook her head. Drake appeared to be madly in love with Saria, and she knew without a shadow of a doubt that Saria loved Drake. They weren't together because of their leopards.

  She stayed silent until they pulled up to the curb and Mahieu parked. She sat for a moment, trying to calm her suddenly rapidly beating heart. She detested that she was so excited at the prospect of seeing Remy. She could admit to herself that he was the man she dreamt of, the one she considered a hero, the man no other man could measure up to, but she absolutely refused to believe she might be falling in love with him. Not now. Not when she knew there was nothing between them but leopards and sex. Everyone had choices. Her choice was not to be in love with a man who didn't love her.

  Mahieu came around and opened the door for her. "I texted Remy to let him know you're here. He's in interrogation, but he'll come out as soon as he's done." He walked with her up to the door of the station house and reached to open that door for her.

  "I'll be fine. You don' have to wait with me," Bijou assured.