L06 Leopard's Prey

by Christine Feehan

  Remy spotted the older couple, Mr. and Mrs. Chambridge, from the café in the crowd seated at one of the tables in the middle of the room. Emile and Thereze were there as well, Emile looking mesmerized.

  Cooper’s table was growing louder and more obnoxious by the moment. He knew if Bijou was singing, the bouncers would likely throw the men out, but she was on a break and they were getting away with their noise. He ground his teeth together and held on to his foul temper with every bit of discipline he had, commanding his leopard to back off and let him handle things.

  His jaw ached permanently now. He could feel the roped muscles coiled and ready. Fur itched beneath his skin and the tips of his fingers and toes burned. He tried breathing away the fire, but the more he tried not to look at Bijou, the more his gaze was pulled in her direction and his body hardened beyond his comprehension. He didn’t have that kind of gut-wrenching reaction to a woman, ever, not until now.

  He was the kind of man who could walk away any time he needed to—fully intact. Until Bijou. That was how he knew the leopard mating ritual was real. He had become fixated on her, his body reacting almost before he scented her or saw her. Having other men around her was torture, but knowing other male leopards were close to her was worse. Yeah, Gage had it right when he said Remy had it bad.

  His phone vibrated and he pulled it out to check it. There was nothing like an ongoing investigation running through the night, but his sense of urgency kept increasing and he always trusted his gut instincts. Angelina had sent him information on both Rob Butterfield and Jason Durang. She hadn’t found out yet if there was an insurance policy on Bijou taken out by her manager or his company, but even in that short period of time, she’d uncovered quite a bit on both men.

  Ron Butterfield had a gambling habit that over the years had caused him grief. Twice his home had been broken into and everything destroyed because he’d failed to pay back a loan he’d taken out from the wrong person. Once he’d been beaten senseless, and several times over the years he’d been accused of embezzling from his own company.

  Butterfield’s friend Jason Durang had a long record of assault. He’d come in contact with Butterfield when Butterfield briefly served time in prison for embezzlement. Butterfield hired Durang the moment Durang was out of prison, but no one seemed to know what the man actually did for him. He had a reputation for being an enforcer, and he’d been hanging around Butterfield for the past four years.

  Remy handed his phone to his brother and let him read the data Angelina had provided. “She’s still diggin’, but I don’ think there’s much doubt that Butterfield has an insurance policy on Bijou.”

  Remy took a deep breath. He didn’t want to say it aloud and breathe life into the idea, but it was a perfect time for a copycat killer to dispose of someone who was in their way. If Bijou was considering firing Butterfield, and if he continued to push her to do something she didn’t want to do, she had to be considering it, then his money train was over and she was of no more use to him alive.

  Gage’s eyes met his. Remy read the same thought. He shook his head. Things were getting worse by the minute. Bijou’s life hadn’t improved much even after her father had died. He tried not to snarl as he turned his head to look at her. She lifted her head. The impact of her amazing eyes on him was frightening. He could fall into her eyes and stay there forever. She smiled at him and nodded, and just like that his breath slammed out of his lungs and his blood surged hot and wild through his veins. She stood up with her fluid grace, looking more sensual than ever and began her rounds through the club before she took the stage again. She spoke briefly to the people at each table, smiling and listening to the various comments and greetings. She was gracious, royal even, occasionally signing autographs before moving on.

  “I have to hand it to you, brother,” Gage said, “the woman is gorgeous. A handful, but gorgeous. I can see why none of the girls in school liked her. Saria said that to me once, but I put it down to her daddy’s money and how privileged she was.”

  “Yeah, she was privileged all right,” Remy said, anger welling up out of nowhere, remembering that little eight-year-old girl with the solemn eyes telling him she didn’t expect to make it through the night. Bringing her home and finding naked men and women scattered throughout her house, so causally doing drugs and in alcohol stupors. “No doubt about it, Gage, Bijou had a very privileged childhood.”

  “I can do without the sarcasm, bro,” Gage said, handing back Remy’s phone. “I’m not as dense as you think I am. Clearly her childhood wasn’t great, and she isn’t the stuck-up bitch I always thought she was.” He turned and looked at the woman who, if Remy had his way, would be his sister-in-law. “She does look . . . unreachable. A dream or fantasy, but definitely untouchable. And a little haughty. She has an attitude, Remy, distant and beautiful and so very far above us.”

  “She damn well better be unreachable or untouchable,” Remy snapped.

  Gage laughed at him. “I’ve never seen you so messed up in my life. Wait until the boys get here and see you like this.”

  “I’ve got a gun, Gage, and I’m not afraid to use it,” Remy warned his brother.

  The smile faded from Gage’s face. “You already stuck me with a knife. And I’ve got about a million scars from your leopard beatin’ the crap out of me for some silly indiscretion when our leopards were just playin’ around. There’s no shootin’ me. I’d be damned mad if you did.”

  “Quit bein’ such a baby. It was just a little slice and you should have been payin’ more attention. I told you a million times you weren’t judgin’ the distance correctly and don’ be gettin’ into a knife fight until you practice a whole hell of a lot more. You didn’t believe me so I made my point.” Remy deliberately sounded self-righteous. He was the older brother just helping his younger brother out and making certain he stayed alive. “That leopard of yours doesn’t take anythin’ seriously, not even trainin’. I’m savin’ your life whether you like it or not.”

  “I don’ have to like your methods. Your leopard is a tyrant and must be obeyed in all things.” Gage made a face. “Oh, wait. That would be his human counterpart.”

  Bijou had reached the tables at the rear of the club and moved around them laughing softly at something someone said before approaching the two of them. “Are you all right, Remy? You look . . . upset.”

  It was her voice, that sensual, sexy, voice of hers, there was no blaming his leopard—or even himself. Later he would swear it had to have been her voice that turned him into a complete idiot. Remy circled the nape of her neck with his palm, his fingers nearly wrapping around her throat. He pulled her to him, savoring the feel of her body so close to his—savoring the fire burning hot in his veins. The moment he touched her, the moment her breasts brushed his chest and the scent of lavender surrounded him, sinking into his lungs, the world faded until there was only Bijou.

  His eyes met hers. He felt her body melt into his as her breasts rose and fell, her breathing ragged. Those amazing eyes, that deep cornflower blue, began to take on a glow. He bent his head to hers, holding her gaze as his head slowly descended toward hers. Her long lashes fluttered.

  “Remy,” she whispered his name.

  A protest? Consent? She didn’t pull away. Her eyes closed and his mouth found hers. Flames raced over his skin, through his body and lodged like a roaring fire in his groin. His cock lengthened and hardened until he was so thick he was afraid he might burst the material of his jeans. His leopard roared and raked his belly in an effort to call to his mate.

  Bijou gasped and pushed at him, her eyes glittering, her face flushed. She made a small sound of distress and stepped back, shaking her head. He could see her leopard had risen and was close to the surface. She didn’t understand what was happening and she was afraid, probably equating the unfamiliar feelings and body pains with their intense and rather brutal sexual encounter.

  “Come with me,” he whispered, trying to entice her. Seduce her. Hell, whatever it to
ok. He just needed her to stop looking at him with fear. “Chere, let me explain what’s happenin’.”

  She took another step back, shaking her head, one hand going defensively to her throat. “I’m workin’, Remy. This isn’t the time.”

  “It might be too late in another half hour or so,” he pleaded. Her eyes definitely had turned cat.

  She was afraid of him—or herself. Either way, she was retreating, and he couldn’t blame her. She had every reason to be frightened. Her body no longer belonged to her. She ached. She hurt. She had no one to turn to. Remy knew he threatened her on an elemental level. He should have stayed, not taken the chance, and explained everything to her.

  He swore under his breath as she retreated farther from him. Every male leopard in the room would scent the rise of the female. They would know she was close to the emerging and their leopards would be ready to fight for her. She had no way of knowing the havoc she would cause, or the danger she was in—because he hadn’t told her. He hadn’t explained.

  “It’s too late,” Gage whispered as Bijou turned and made her way through the crowded club back toward the stage. “We’ll just have to trust that if any of the others get near her, they’ll catch your scent and it will be sufficient to warn them off.”

  “At least every leopard in here will protect her if anyone tries to harm her,” Remy consoled himself.

  Remy didn’t take his eyes off of Bijou as she moved closer to the front of the room. He knew the exact moment both bodyguards realized she was a female leopard. Joshua swung around abruptly, shock on his face. Elijah was expressionless, only a small tick in his jaw giving his surprise away. The two men exchanged a long look.

  Remy’s vision went cat. He was aware of every rustle, murmur and clink of ice in the room. The smells were difficult to sort out, but he breathed in lavender, fear and the intoxicating scent of a female close to her time.

  “What’s up?” Lojos Boudreaux, the youngest of his brothers entered, followed closely by Mahieu and Dash.

  The three brothers inhaled and swung around, shocked, staring at Bijou. She had reached Ryan Cooper’s table and was moving past it when Cooper reached out and caught her wrist, stopping her.

  “If you’re giving out kisses, you little whore, I’ll be happy to oblige.” He jerked her down, trying to put her across his lap.

  Bob Carson leapt up, camera in hand.

  Jean and Juste Rousseau both laughed uproariously, snapping pictures with their cell phones. Robert Lanoux and Brent Underwood moved back in their chairs as if distancing themselves, while Tom Berlander grinned like an ape.

  “Plant one on her, Ryan,” Juste yelled. “We’ll have the proof.”

  “We can sell it to a magazine,” Jean encouraged. “Make thousands.”

  Both laughed again as Bijou fought Ryan’s hold on her wrist.

  Remy leapt over a table and sprinted toward the front of the club. Joshua and Elijah got there first. Elijah caught Ryan’s head and slammed it down on the tabletop as Joshua pulled Bijou to safety, thrusting her to the other side of him to keep his body between her and trouble.

  The male leopards in the room came to their feet, rushing to the front of the club to form a loose, protective circle around one of their females. Lojos and Dash hit Bob Carson from the back, driving him to the ground, Lojos holding him still with one knee planted in his back. Remy made it to the circle and snarled. Instantly the two male leopards facing him opened a path for him. Remy noted the only leopard from his lair not to stand for Bijou was Robert.

  Remy caught Bijou’s wrists. “You’re comin’ with me, now. No arguin’. You can see it isn’t safe.”

  Bijou pressed her lips together. He could feel her trembling, her eyes searching his. She nodded slowly, and relief poured through him. At least she wasn’t going to fight him on this issue. The club was a powder keg ready to blow at any moment and the human counterparts of the male leopards were holding on to their human forms by a thread. He couldn’t imagine what it would be like if even one leopard succeeded in shifting.

  He knew to those in the club it would simply look like her protection stepped in and removed her. “We’re goin’ out the back way, behind the stage. I’m not takin’ you through the club. The boys will hold everyone while we make our escape.”

  Her teeth chewed on her lower lip. “I think Joshua and Elijah took care of the real threat.”

  He wasn’t convinced that Ryan Cooper was the real threat to Bijou but he wasn’t going to argue the point. He swung her around, drawing her beneath the protection of his shoulder, his arm circling her waist, the other hand on his gun. He moved fast, relying on his leopard’s radar to tell him what was ahead, behind or to either side of them.

  Bijou hurried to keep up with his fast pace. “Remy, no one’s after us, there was a wall between us and anyone else. No one would ever be so stupid as to challenge all those men. What’s goin’ on? This isn’t about those drunken idiots is it? Somethin’ else is goin’ on.”

  “Yes, but I need somewhere far away from here to tell you. Somewhere safe where we can be alone.”

  Bijou shook her head. “Nowhere is safe if we’re alone.” She looked up at him, her eyes meeting his. “Is it?”

  If she was seeking reassurance, he couldn’t give it to her. His body was already on fire, his leopard almost mad with the need for hers. He knew her body was reacting to his, and her leopard was so close he doubted if they would make it too far before she began to insist on emerging. He didn’t have a lot of time to get Bijou back to the privacy of the swamp.

  “My car’s straight ahead. Keep movin’.”

  “I feel sick, Remy,” she admitted, pressing a hand to her stomach. “And hot.” She pushed at her hair, her hand coming away damp. “I’m so hot. I feel like I’m runnin’ a high fever.”

  “I know. Just get in the car.” He yanked open the passenger door for her.

  She slipped inside and he rushed around to the driver’s side. He jumped inside and kicked off his shoes. She didn’t notice. She was too uncomfortable, squirming, her female leopard in a frenzy after the close proximity of all the male leopards.

  Bijou continually rubbed her hands and knuckles. He knew how bad it hurt that first time, the terrible, brutal, yet wonderful gift of shifting. Every joint, her jaw and mouth would be painful, while the tips of her fingers and toes burned as if she was touching flames. Worse than all of it was the ferocious drive to have sex.

  “Remy.” Bijou cleared her throat repeatedly in an effort to talk. “Why does this happen to me every time I’m with you?”

  “I’ll explain everythin’ to you, chere, but you have to trust me. It’s all goin’ to sound like somethin’ out of a movie. Right now, the only thing that matters is to strip. And do it fast.”

  She frowned at him. “I’m not havin’ sex with you in the car, Remy.” She breathed deep, put her head down as if to keep from fainting and then sat back up, glaring at him as she touched her breasts through the material of her dress as if they were hurting. “I’m not.” But she didn’t sound as certain as she wanted.

  Remy put his foot on the gas pedal and floored it, racing for the swamp. “Take off your clothes. Right now, Bijou.” He used his most commanding voice. “Hurry. Kick off your shoes and get out of that gown. Now.”

  11

  BIJOU kicked her heels off and looked through the window out into the night. No other cars were on the narrow road leading to the Inn.

  “Do it now,” Remy snapped. “Get undressed.”

  Bijou winced at the gravely sound of his voice, but she slipped her gown from one shoulder and then the other, holding it over her breasts with her hands.

  “Bijou,” Remy said between his teeth. His hands shook and he felt the claws so close to bursting through his fingertips. “We don’ have much time. Listen to me while you’re undressing. I’m goin’ to sound crazy, but just listen, don’ interrupt. And damn it,” he added, “get out of those clothes now. Even your underwear. Keep bre
athin’ deep.”

  Bijou allowed the gown to slip down over her bare breasts down to her waist. Remy tried not to look. He was in as much trouble as she was. It didn’t help that her breasts were perfect, just exactly what he liked. She was flushed, breathing hard, her nipples taut, drawing his attention when he needed to be in total control. She wiggled the formfitting gown down to her waist so that her narrow rib cage was exposed.

  She was beautiful. Her skin gleamed at him even in the darkness of the car. The scent of lavender intoxicated him. He gritted his teeth, trying to hold on to his control. His jaw ached, and already it was becoming difficult to grip the steering wheel properly.

  “Do you know what a shape-shifter is?”

  Her eyebrow shot up and she stopped wiggling the gown down past her waist to look at him. “The Rougarou?” She rolled her eyes. “Of course I’ve heard of it. Every child growin’ up near the swamp and bayous has heard of the Rougarou.” She had to clear her voice several times as if her throat was swollen.

  Bijou lifted her buttocks and shimmied the tight-fitting gown down her hips and thighs.

  “Leopards, Blue, not the Rougarou. There’s an entire lair of leopards here in the swamp. Bodrie wasn’t leopard, but he met your mother on tour. I believe your mother was leopard, and she passed her gift on to you.”

  Bijou chuffed out a breath. “You’ve lost your mind, Remy.”

  But she was still slipping the gown down her thighs and legs. She began to peel her sheer stockings from her legs.

  “Maybe, but if I’m right, and I’m certain I am, your leopard is close to emergin’. Your joints hurt. Your jaw. Your body feels like it’s on fire, burning from the inside out. And you have to have sex. Right now. Even in the car with me on the edge of the road. Would you ever really do somethin’ like that if you weren’t under extraordinary circumstances?”

  He wasn’t explaining things very well and she didn’t have much time.

  “I want sex every time I’m anywhere near you, Remy,” she admitted, tossing the stockings into the backseat. The only thing she had left on was a lace panty that didn’t cover much but enhanced and intrigued. “That doesn’t make me a leopard, it makes me like my father, with no self-control and clearly some kind of sex addiction.”