Leopard's Key

by Marci Baun

  Leopard’s Key

  A Single Title from

  Dreams & Desires, vol. 4

  by

  Teresa D’Amario

  Freya’s Bower.com ©2011

  Culver City, CA

  * * *

  Leopard’s Key: a single title from Dreams & Desires, v.4 Copyright © 2011 by Teresa D’Amario

  For information on the cover illustration and design, contact Tricia Schmit.

  Cover art Freya’s Bower © 2011

  Editor: Marci Baun

  ISBN: 978-1-936222-69-8

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form without written permission from the publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages for review purposes. If you are reading this and did not purchase and/or win this copy from either the author or publisher, you have an illegal copy and are hurting the author. Delete this immediately from your computer/ereader and purchase it from either Wild Child Publishing.com or one of our certified distributors.

  This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to any person, living or dead, any place, events or occurrences, is purely coincidental. The characters and story lines are created from the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

  Warning:

  This book may contain graphic sexual material and/or profanity and is not meant to be read by any person under the age of 18.

  If you are interested in purchasing more works of this nature, please stop by www.freyasbower.com.

  Freya’s Bower.com

  P.O. Box 4897

  Culver City, CA 90231-4897

  Printed in the United States of America

  * * *

  Chapter One

  Thank God for city apartments—though being a leopard shifter, that wasn't something Dmitri Petrov normally thanked anyone for. He personally preferred the wilds, and the warmer the climate, the better. The one good thing about cities: most buildings were just far enough apart he could run across the rooftops, silent and undetectable. Especially apartment buildings. They gave him plenty of leg room, allowing him the freedom to use his natural skills, leaping from one rooftop to the next, feeling the cool night air against his face.

  The cat inside him liked the stillness of the night, when the breeze whispered through the trees or city streets. He didn't storm around wearing shit kicking motorcycle or cowboy boots. He wasn’t Wolven. He was Leopard. And cats didn’t like making noise. He wore shoes he designed himself: soft, quiet, and comfortable. Like a leopard’s paws. So soft he could charge across a roof at a full run without a sound.

  A satisfied smile curved on his lips. He enjoyed the challenge of teasing the leopard side of himself, the beast which always struggled to push away the human part of him. He rarely shifted. A leopard running free in the city brought way too much attention. Instead, he kept in tune with his beast by teasing his instincts, keeping them sharp and precise.

  His brother didn’t understand, believing Dmitri tried to be more human than shifter. Kel was wrong. Dmitri didn’t dislike his leopard side. In fact, he was considering a trip to Africa, so he could spend time in the wilds. Camping. Hunting. Shifting.

  Dmitri crouched, studying the cars in the parking lot beneath him.

  A soft breeze fluttered past, and he brushed an errant strand of dark hair from his face. His only nod to vanity: his hair. He’d spent the three years in his military hitch rubbing his head, looking for the long, dark hair he’d worn all his life. It was nice to have it growing back.

  Another breeze brushed against him, and he sniffed the air, searching.

  Nothing.

  A car pulled into the parking lot. Instincts buzzed in his head. Flattening against the roof of the building, his muscles tensed. The female stepped out of the car, oblivious to his watchful eyes. This time when he sniffed the air, he recognized the subtle scent of honeysuckle. The cat inside him reared its head and rumbled approval. Shoving back the animal instinct, he crept to the edge of the building.

  With a soft whoosh, Dmitri dropped to the pavement, the surface still warm from the day’s sun. He righted himself from the crouch and prowled toward the woman.

  She strode across the parking lot, unaware of his stalking.

  “Excuse me?” He kept his voice soft, not wishing to frighten her, but still she whirled around, blue eyes round.

  “Yes?” She cocked her head to one side, a question in her eyes. “Did you lock yourself out?”

  “Are you Hailey Sanford?”

  Her eyes widened, and she glanced around, and he knew she realized they were alone. But she didn’t bolt. Instead, she widened her step, transferring her grocery bags to her left hand. Her non-dominant hand.

  In her right hand, she held her keys, sharp edges out. He fought the urge to smile. Good girl.

  “Who’s asking?”

  A ghost of a smile tracked across his lips. “My name is Dmitri Petrov. I believe you know my brother, Kel.”

  Hailey frowned. “I remember a Kel.” She peered at him, as though measuring him against his brother. “But you could be anyone.”

  “I need to ask you about this,” he said, digging his hand in his pocket. She frowned. He’d piqued her curiosity. He drew out the small velvet bag and lifted the necklace out by its chain, careful to avoid the touch of silver to his flesh.

  He dangled the necklace and charm before her.

  “What are you doing with that? I sent that to Kel’s mother.” She reached to grab the charm, but he snatched it back, tucking it back into the pouch.

  “And I’m her second son. I want to know why you sent this to her.”

  She frowned. A strand of soft brown hair fluttered in the breeze, and Dmitri fought the unexpected urge to tuck the stray hairs behind her ear.

  She shrugged. “I thought she might like it.”

  He didn’t buy it. The shrug was too forced. There was no spark to her scent to tell him she was lying, though she wasn’t telling him straight. This woman had secrets.

  “Why silver?”

  “Of all the—Because silver is beautiful. It’s fun to work with, and I thought she’d like it.”

  Dmitri frowned. Could it be that innocent? “She’s allergic to silver. It’s a hereditary thing. All of us are.” They were more than allergic to it. If the metal got into their blood stream, it meant death. An open wound created by silver never clotted. They would bleed to death.

  “I’m sorry,” her voice was soft, filled with regret. “I’ll just take it back.”

  He shook his head. He wasn’t ready to let it go just yet. He tucked the small blue velvet jewelry bag into his pocket. “I’ll keep it for now.”

  The squeal of tires in the parking lot caught her attention. The vehicle backfired, and she jumped in surprise. This time he did smile. A she-cat would have sensed the vibrations of the car even before the sound occurred. Unlike the she-cat’s of his pride, she was small, delicate, and her hips whispered to him of sensual promise. Her blue eyes looked so innocent and human. Yet in their depths he could almost see her as a leopard. And for the first time he could remember, he wanted to protect someone besides family.

  “Look, I need to put these groceries away.” She turned and headed to the door. Dmitri followed. Her skirt swished with every step, advertising the sway of perfect hips. The beast inside him sniffed, just as pleased with her scent as he had been the first time he’d opened the box he’d found in the mail. Inside was a note in his brother’s own hand. Something special for both of you.

  Only the gift didn’t please. It made his mother cry, and that pissed him off. His mother never cried. A gift of silver from her eldest son was as devastating to a shifter as a human mother receiving emancipation papers from her child. It hurt. When they’d tri
ed to reach Kel, he was nowhere to be found.

  The human female reached the door and juggled her bags, readjusting to slide the key into the door. Dmitri placed his hand over hers. Her hand yanked back. Her gaze jerked to meet his eyes, and he wondered what it would be like, if he had more time, to lose himself in those eyes. The very color was exotic in his world. The softness hidden in their depths was so very different from the cold, calculating eyes of the females in his clan. Beneath his fingers, her skin was soft and warm, and he fought the desire to caress her with his thumb.

  “Allow me,” he said, taking the keys. He needed to get a grip. He was here for information about his brother, not flirting with a female.

  “I can do this.”

  Dmitri shrugged. “I don’t mind. Besides, I have a few questions I wanted to ask you.”

  “About Kel?”

  “Yes. About Kel.”

  She nodded and stepped inside. “You have until I reach the third floor. Then you have to leave.”

  “All right. I’ll get straight to it, then. When was the last time you saw Kel?”

  She tossed him a glance over her shoulder and started up the steps. The skirt swished with each step, teasing his already heightened senses. His palms itched with the desire to touch her ass before she was out of reach. His body tightened. Not now.

  Human females were usually not to his liking. They were delicate and fragile, making it too easy to hurt one in the throes of passion. As he tried to remind himself how much he didn’t want her, he imagined the softness of the skin along her thighs.

  Leopard women came in two flavors: All business and the tease. Both wore tight skirts or pants. The business female covered her sensuality with a layer of civilization. The tease, on the other hand, wore the shortest skirts and tightest clothes she could, showing as much skin as was legal under human laws. Dmitri had always liked the latter. But this woman, this tiny, delicate human, enticed him with her layers of clothes. His imagination shifted into hyperdrive, creating an image of her dressed only in panties and her bra. White. She would wear no other color.

  “Why do you ask?”

  Jolted from his thoughts, he struggled to remember his question. Shit. “We haven’t been able to reach him. He’s missing.” His voice sounded rough even to his ears.

  “Missing? Since when?”

  “Two weeks. When did you see him last?”

  She hesitated, before continuing up the stairs. “Two weeks ago.”

  “The day he disappeared? Where?”

  “He came to my shop. We talked. He wanted to buy something special for his mother.”

  “And he chose a silver necklace?”

  “No,” she shook her head. “Look, why don’t you wait here and let me put away the groceries, and then I’ll explain the necklace.”

  “I’m not leaving, Hailey, not until I know the rest of the story.”

  * * * *

  Hailey studied the man, searching for something, anything, which told her if he could be trusted. Her instincts were usually good, but he was different. He radiated sexuality the way the sun radiated heat, and if she got too close, she just might get burned. She reached inside for that part of her she kept hidden from the world. Nothing. That could mean anything. Good, or bad. It looked like it was all up to her.

  Making her decision, she pushed past him through the door. “Come in. Let me put these away, and we’ll talk. Can I get you anything to drink?”

  “Ice water.”

  She nodded. “I’ll be right back.” She motioned toward the couch. “Have a seat.”

  Once in the kitchen, Hailey rested her hands flat on the kitchen table, her mind miles from her task. Kel had mentioned his brother the day he’d been in the store. Twins, he’d said. He hadn’t mentioned they were fraternal. There was a resemblance. Both men were tall and had dark hair. Both men were muscular and handsome. Dmitri held something inside of him his brother lacked. An aura of power and primal strength.

  If he asked her again about the key necklace, she’d probably tell him. And then he’d think she was a freak. Her mother called her psychic. Maybe. It didn’t matter. Since her ideas came only for jewelry, her skills were useless for anything other than creativity. Once they’d been more, but now, all she could do was create. She could picture a person’s face, and the image of the perfect jewelry popped into her mind. Sometimes the image came first, and the person would later come in to buy. Those pieces usually sat in the store until their perspective buyers happened by to see them. Some remained in her shop for only a few days, while others took longer, though always she knew who they were made for. With only a few exceptions, one of which was the silver key she’d made for Kel’s mother.

  At first, when Dmitri had called to her, he was difficult to make out in the darkness, until he’d stepped into the light of the street lamp. Even then, he’d appeared as a dark shadow, a hole designed for absorbing light. Except his eyes. They stood out. Keen green eyes had watched her, more wild predator than a man. He took her in with one look, his gaze having swept over her, as though she was naked. A look that stole her every conscious thought for precious seconds.

  And now he was in her small apartment, his presence taking up the air until she could barely breathe. And with every second he remained, her blood poured through her, burning with liquid fire, waking her body with its heat. She inhaled again.

  “Are you all right?”

  Hailey jerked upright, her hands smoothing her skirt. She took one last breath before turning around to face him. His presence filled her kitchen, as if it wasn’t small enough. She swallowed. “I’m fine. Just had a long day is all.” She grabbed the last of her groceries and put them away.

  “I’m not so sure,” he said, his head cocked, a sardonic grin on his face.

  He moved toward her. Hailey stepped backward. You fool. Never give an inch. Why that was important she didn’t know. It was too late now. He opened the cupboard she’d just closed and pulled out the half gallon of milk. Oh, God! Heat suffused her cheeks. Talk about embarrassing. She did that sometimes when she was distracted, putting things in the wrong place. Since she lived alone, it was no big deal. Usually.

  Humiliation burned deep, and she snatched it from him. “Thanks,” she muttered. “Guess I wasn’t paying attention.” She opened the fridge and placed the milk inside. Without a word, she grabbed the ice cream from the top shelf of the refrigerator and put it in the freezer where it belonged. Before she closed the door, she considered sticking her head inside. At least then maybe she could cool off and think straight, something which appeared impossible with this hot, sexy man taking up most of her kitchen.

  “Like I said, Kel wanted to buy your mother something special. I design jewelry. So, I offered to make her something. When it was finished, I boxed it up, and he mailed it. That was two weeks ago.” Hailey washed her hands, drying them on the towel she then laid beside the sink. She grabbed a glass and dropped in it a few cubes of ice, and then filled it with tap water.

  Those emerald eyes studied her, though he didn’t speak. She held the glass out to him, and he took it, turning it in his hand, his eyes still watching.

  For a moment, she understood what a bug in a jar must feel like.

  “And he just accepted a silver key without question?”

  “Let’s go in the living room.” Anything to get out of this tiny kitchen. She walked in front of him, ignoring the surge of self-consciousness, knowing he was watching her every move. From the corner of her eye, she saw him down the glass of water and set it on the table before following her out.

  “He didn’t know it was silver. When we discussed me making something for your mother, I drew out a quick diagram.” She bent to the coffee table and opened the portfolio she kept on the coffee table, turning it to one of the last pages. “Look, here’s what I showed him.” She always kept diagrams of her special order jewelry for insurance purposes in case the client lost it. The key was drawn in charcoal. “We never discussed the me
tal I would use. He saw the design, liked it, and so I made it, wrapped it up. The last time I saw him, I gave him the box you received and asked him to mail it to your mom.”

  “Just like that?” Dmitri’s eyes narrowed. “He didn’t even ask you to see it?”

  “Nope. He didn’t seem to understand much about jewelry itself and was lost when we first discussed the drawing, so I figured since he’d seen the design, he didn’t care, so long as I was satisfied.”

  “And that’s the last time you saw him?”

  “Yep.” She frowned. “But that’s not unusual. He was a client, not a best friend.”

  He grunted. “Why silver?”

  While she spoke, he flipped through the pages of her portfolio.

  “Again, nothing unusual. Silver is a common metal used in jewelry making. Most people like it. Had I known she was allergic, I certainly wouldn’t have used it.” Had she known his mother was allergic, she would have wondered why she’d made it in the first place. It wasn’t like her gift to let her down like that.

  He stared at her as though trying to figure her out.

  “Look, Dmitri, I haven’t seen your brother in weeks. I wish I could help you, but I can’t. Kel seems like a nice guy, and I hope he’s okay, but I can’t help you find him.”

  He nodded slowly and deposited her book on the coffee table. He didn’t leave. Instead, he stepped closer.

  He smelled of cotton and pure masculine musk. Natural. Tart and wild. Arousing.

  Only inches separated them, and she had to tip her head back to look in his eyes. He lowered his head and whispered in her ear.

  “You make beautiful art, pussycat.”

  Hailey struggled to stand still. Torn between wanting to turn and run and the desire to lean toward him or to close her eyes and relish the feel of his breath. What the hell is wrong with me?

  “Thanks,” she managed. Was he going to kiss her? He stepped back. She swallowed. She did not want his kiss. Yet she felt a flicker of disappointment.

  “Nothing like this one.” He patted his breast pocket. “And you’ll eventually tell me why.”