Leopard's Key

by Marci Baun

  Key? Oh, God, the key! Ignoring the hissing, growling, grunts, and screams coming from behind her, Hailey nodded. Dmitri had the key she’d made for their mother in his pocket. He’d carried it with him every day.

  Ignoring the terrified pounding of her heart, Hailey took a deep breath and nodded.

  She edged her way around the room, her back against the wall, dodging broken furniture. Dmitri’s torn shirt lay in the doorway to the next room. She crawled forward, grabbing the tattered cloth. Patting down the material she found nothing.

  Her gaze skittered across the now littered floor. The glitter of silver caught her eye. The key. She scrambled closer to the overturned sofa and reached beneath. Her fingers wrapped around the cool feel of the metal. Metal crafted by her own hand. She scrambled back to the cage and opened it, stepping inside. Before she could close the door shut behind her, Kel rushed out, leaving her alone inside. Hailey slammed the door between them, finding security in the harsh metallic clang.

  If she hadn’t seen the transformation with her own eyes, she’d believe she’d lost her mind. But she had seen it. And no matter what she thought, Dmitri was both man and beast.

  Kel charged across the room, placing himself between the two animals. The female staggered and dropped to the floor. Blood marred what would otherwise be a beautiful, satiny coat. “Touch her again, brother, and I’ll forget we’re twins.”

  The black leopard growled, his fangs flashing bright white beneath the artificial light. He crouched, ready to leap.

  “She’s my mate.” Kel knelt beside the panting female and soothed her soft coat. Hailey couldn’t believe what she was seeing. Dmitri’s brother stroked the yellow cat’s coat, soothing the beast. He whispered in her ear, and a blaze of bright light lit the room. Seconds later, Drea lay on the floor, her breath coming in heaves. Naked.

  The remaining animal snarled.

  Dmitri.

  Even in animal form, her soul recognized him and wanted to reach out to him. Blood dripped from gashes along his shoulders and belly.

  Kel continued with his one-sided conversation. “She didn’t hurt me. Hell, all she wanted was for me to stay here, with her. So back off.”

  With one last hiss, the great black leopard turned and stalked toward the cage.

  Hailey swallowed and stepped back.

  Drea now sat up in the shambles of what once had been her living room. “You’re scaring her,” she said.

  Hailey frowned. Was she afraid? Maybe. She checked her emotions. She’d always been a little different, easily distracted and scatterbrained, but right now, all she could think of was touching all that awesome black fur. That had to mean she’d lost the last of her self-preservation. Would he still be himself, even in animal form? Or was he dangerous, and all leopard? Stepping back seemed the prudent thing to do, despite how much she wanted to step forward.

  “Back off, Dmitri,” Kel orderd.

  The cat whipped his head around, glaring at the couple and hissing again.

  “I swear to God, Dmitri, you do that again, and I’ll kill you myself,” growled Kel.

  White fangs flashed in response.

  Another brilliant flash of light burst across the room, like lightning on a hot summer’s day. This time, she refused to cover her eyes. She had to see for herself. Ignoring the pain, she watched the transformation. It took a mere second, like a magical flash from animal to man. Only the man was naked. His only decoration was the hair glove she’d given him the day before.

  “Asshole. We’ve been searching for you for weeks, and all you can say is to stop growling at the woman holding you hostage?”

  “What happens between Drea and I stays between us. I’m whole, and unhurt. Angry maybe, but unhurt.” He growled the last of the words, eyeing the woman he held at his side.

  “Get out of here, Kel, and take your woman, or she won’t last though the day.”

  Kel snarled, fangs flashing. Oh, God, he had fangs even as a human.

  “So be it.”

  That meant Dmitri had teeth like that too, though she had never felt them in all the times he’d kissed her.

  Kel wrapped his arm around the naked woman and escorted her to the bedroom. “Watch yourself with Hailey.”

  “You take care of your mate, and I’ll take care of mine.”

  Hailey took another step back.

  “Hailey.”

  The whispered word moved inside her. She closed her eyes, willing her body to stop shaking.

  “It’s me, Hailey. I won’t hurt you.”

  “I know that.”

  “Let me in.”

  She shook her head. If only his voice didn’t sound so normal. So damned sexy. The memory of the kisses they had shared burned against her lips. The image of the leopard shoved its way to the forefront of her memories. Sleek and powerful. Just like the cat on the hair glove she’d given him. She shivered.

  “Give me the key, pussy cat. I promise not to hurt you.”

  At last she understood all the images she’d seen when she created the hair glove. With every stitch, she’d seen more and more of a dark leopard, his bright green eyes piercing her imagination. And now he was here. Only he was real. And there was nothing normal about him.

  “Then I guess I’ll have to come to you.”

  The sound of bending metal caught her attention, and her eyes opened. Dmitri stood on the other side of the cage, both hands gripping the silver bars, pulling them apart, his bare muscles flexing from the exertion. The smell of burned flesh pulled her out of her reverie. He had said his entire family was allergic to silver. The image of Kel yanking his hand away and the red burn flashed in her mind.

  “Dmitri! Stop!” She rushed forward. “I’ll unlock the door.”

  He dropped his hands and studied her, his eyes almost a caress over her skin. He stepped back.

  Using the key she’d made two weeks before, she unlocked the door and rushed out, grabbing his wrists and flipping his hands palm up. “You’re hurt!”

  “Why aren’t you afraid?”

  “I was,” she said. “A leopard came at me with death in her eyes. A leopard who turns out to be the same woman who works for me. The man who’s been hanging out with me, kissing me, isn’t human either. What was I supposed to think? Right now, none of that matters. We need to get some clothes on you and some first aid.”

  “I’ll be fine.” Despite his words, his voice sounded strained.

  She whirled. “Fine? Your hands are blistered. For that matter,” she glanced around, remembering Kel. “Where’s your brother? He touched the bars too and was burned. You both need help.” She snatched his shirt from where she’d dropped it and moved to his jeans.

  “Leave Kel out of this.”

  The rumble in his chest was low, and she stopped, turning toward him, his jeans in her hands. A shudder ran through her. She should be afraid when a man rumbled more like a beast, yet the sound sent a shiver of arousal through her body.

  “But if he’s hurt….” She swallowed.

  “He’s fine, besides, he left, while you were busy with your eyes closed.”

  She fought the urge to stick out her tongue like a little girl. Damn it, she could be freaked if she wanted to be. And she would be, if he didn’t smell so damned good.

  He stalked forward, primal male in every step. Pure leopard. She’d always been fascinated with the cats, loving how quiet they were. How agile. One quick leap, and long sharp fangs closed in on the throat, suffocating their prey. She could see him, out on the tundra, stalking his prey. Her hand trailed to her own neck.

  His eyes darkened, and his nostrils flared. Damn. He was part cat. Did that mean his senses were stronger than a man’s?

  “You want me,” he murmured.

  Her breathing halted, catching in her lungs before rushing out in one solid whoosh. Her muscles quivered. Her lips parted. She longed to reach up, to bridge the last few inches separating them and to touch his naked flesh to ease his pain. She remembered the cuts o
n his shoulder and belly from the fight. Her gaze darted toward his arm. The flesh was smooth. Healed. She glanced toward his hands. Red blisters dotted his palms.

  “It doesn’t matter,” she finally muttered. “Your hands, you need a doctor.”

  “Hailey, I can’t go to a human doctor.”

  She stopped. She’d ignored the implications his race produced. “Right. So a leopard doctor. Please tell me you don’t need a vet.”

  He chuckled. “No. If I shift again, it will ease some of the burn. We shifters heal fast, and when we shift, it speeds the healing process. It can correct most damage, but silver is our weakness, so while I’ll feel better, I won’t be a hundred percent.”

  Her heart pounded, and she wondered if he could hear that too. “So if you shift, you’ll feel better?’

  He nodded and breathed in her scent, his head lowering to her neck. The image of a gazelle caught tight in a leopard’s jaws set a rush of fear through her.

  “I won’t hurt you,” he murmured, “but I need to taste you.”

  His lips teased the edges of her neck. Fear and arousal mixed until she didn’t know which was strongest. In contrast to the soft lips caressing her throat, his rough tongue rasped across her flesh. She trembled.

  “Damn, you smell good. And your skin is like sweet milk.”

  Her hands rose to his chest. “Stop,” she shoved the word past her lips before desire overwhelmed her. “You’re hurt.”

  * * * *

  Dmitri fisted his hands. His pulse echoed in his ears. His mate. And she wanted him. And she worried for him. He pulled back, struggling to control the need rising in his body. “I can shift, Hailey. Once you leave the room.”

  She shook her head. “No. I want to see it. I’ve seen it before, and now I want to really watch it. Study it. To see what it’s like when I’m expecting it.”

  “Hailey—”

  “I mean it. Shift for me.” Her chin rose. “I can handle it.”

  Pride rose inside Dmitri. He’d never thought to see the day he’d have a human mate. In the last several days, he’d seen many sides to this beautiful woman. None more erotic than this. Her bravery and strength pleased him. He would give her what she wanted. Anything she wanted.

  He stepped back. “Watch then, Hailey. This shift is for you.” With a deep breath, he began. Instead of letting go, releasing the magic all at once, he let it eke out of his soul, one step at a time. His fingers curled into paws. Hair sprouted over his arms. Muscles twisted. He ignored the pain, instead watching his mate’s eyes. If she showed fear, he’d finish this in an instant. What he saw was curiosity. Her eyes narrowed, as though taking in every change. He dropped to his knees, letting the magic run down his legs, shaping them, twisting them. He ground his teeth and at last let loose. Magical heat swept over him, covering his body in dark fur, his eyes changing. From where he stood, panting from the painful shift, he could see her every pore.

  A tiny hint of fear crept toward him, mixed in with the scent of excitement and curiosity. Her arousal beat at him like tiny fists. He chuffed.

  “Come here,” she whispered, dropping to her knees.

  He eased toward her. Her hand reached out. Her fingers trembled. When they touched him, she smiled.

  “You’re so soft.”

  Heat caressed him in the wake of her touch, and he rumbled his approval.

  “You’re so beautiful,” she murmured. Awed. He wanted to smile, to take her in his arms, but instead, he stepped toward her, wrapping his body around hers, rubbing against her like he’d wanted to do for days. She moaned her appreciation.

  “This is so strange. I want to touch you as cat. Yet, I want more.”

  That was all he needed to know.

  * * *

  Chapter Five

  Hailey jumped back when the man re-appeared. He leaned forward, crowding her. The musk of the cat was replaced with his special scent. Fear washed away beneath the need to touch his body. As a cat, the power inside him coiled, hiding within the compact body. As a man, she could almost see it, swirling around him like a blanket of color.

  “Your hands….”

  He smiled, showing her a palm. The skin was still red, though the blisters were gone. Her fingers traced what once were burns, only to feel the hot flesh beneath.

  “You’re not afraid,” he murmured.

  And before she could respond, his lips were on hers. Sparks ignited the instant their tongues met. She welcomed his kiss, not caring they were in her employee’s living room. Before, his touch had been gentle. Now he devoured her like a man starved. She gave just as much, tangling her tongue with his, twisting and tasting. Hungry for more.

  She didn’t realize he’d moved her until her back hit the floor. For a moment, she froze. “Your brother—”

  “Is gone.” His hands slid up her bare leg, beneath her loose skirt. Calluses on his hands rubbed against the already sensitive flesh. She relaxed into him, moaning in pleasure when his mouth closed over the pulse along her throat.

  “I’ve wanted this for so long, mate. I didn’t understand why at first.”

  “And now?” she gasped.

  “And now I know. You are my True Mate.” His hands moved over her body, teasing her with soft, light brushes.

  “I know.”

  This time he froze. “You knew?”

  She nodded. “When I make jewelry, I see the person who will buy it. The only thing I never saw was who would buy the white hair glove. Only that he would be my husband.” Her heart thudded. Would he believe her?

  He cupped her cheek, meeting her eyes. “You can see the future?”

  “In a way. Only through my art.”

  He grinned. “I knew there was something special about you.” His hands swept over her while his mouth covered her with kisses. “I need to be inside you.”

  “Oh, God,” she muttered. Relief mixed with need. He kissed her again, his mouth trailing downward.

  He pulled off her blouse and bra, grinning. “Now this is what I’ve been waiting for.”

  His mouth and hands covered her breasts, caressing, tugging, licking, and nipping. She arched her back, wanting more. Needing more. When his hand stroked between her thighs, she jerked toward him.

  “Yes,” she murmured. She burned; hunger surged. She slid her hands over his hard muscular shoulders and murmured nonsensical words. A dull empty ache built inside her, and when he slid a finger into her center, she whimpered with desire.

  “Are you ready for me, baby?”

  “Yes.”

  He growled in response, pulling back from her. She tried to ignore the sudden stab of disappointment at the loss of his heat. But he didn’t go far. He grabbed hold of her skirt and yanked downward, dragging it from her body, and with it, her panties. She lay before him, dressed only in what God had given her, and for a moment, felt a bit self-conscious.

  But then she looked at his eyes.

  Dark and hungry, they roamed over her. His face was hard, filled with lust and something she’d never seen before. Dark possession. She shivered.

  “Dmitri.”

  “You are so beautiful.” His hands swept over her, chasing away the last edges of discomfort. He leaned toward her. “And so strong. So brave.” He peppered small kisses along her face and throat, lowering until he reached her nipples.

  She ignored the sting of tears in her eyes, unable to believe this. At last she’d found him. A man who wanted her for what she was, and he’d looked so pleased when he learned of her gift. He leaned over her, his knees between hers, and she curved her body upward, searching for his heat. She didn’t have long to wait. He slid between her thighs, touching her most intimate parts.

  “Mine,” he murmured in her ear. Strands of his dark hair fell from the hair glove and trailed across her face. His presence so purely male, powerful and strong, his face taut with need. It was heady to have that much concentration focused on her. He entered her in one sweep, shoving full to the hilt.

  She cried
out. He filled her completely, almost to the point of pain.

  “Mine,” she repeated.

  He stilled, his eyes flashing. “Always,” he growled.

  He moved inside her, building the pleasure, his strokes slow and deliberate. Like torture, he kept her on the edge of arousal.

  “Say you’ll be my mate, Hailey.”

  She tried to still beneath him, but couldn’t. Her body moved, hungry for more. Her mind tried to reason through what he’d said.

  “Say it.” He continued to stroke, slow and easy.

  “More,” she murmured.

  His teeth closed momentarily over her throat. He rose above her, his eyes meeting hers. “Say it,” he hissed.

  Instinct told her exactly what he was asking. To be with him forever. She wanted to. God, how she wanted to. Her visions couldn’t make this decision for her. That’s not what they were for. For this, she was all on her own.

  He made her feel beautiful, loved, and sensual. She could feel him even when she had her back to him, knowing when he was in the room, and every time she looked into his eyes, she wanted to melt into a heap of feminine goo. Did that mean she loved him?

  He stilled inside her. “Look at me, Hailey.”

  She met his gaze. Those green eyes filled with something new. Tears stung her eyes.

  “Love me, Hailey.”

  Heat swept through her body, her heart swelled with emotion. She nodded. “I do.”

  “Yes?”

  “Yes.”

  He grinned and moved inside her again. His thrusts grew stronger, faster. Emotion swept over her, blending with the pleasure filling her body. Her fingers tightened on his arms, her legs wrapped around his waist.

  Each stroke sent her higher, and she neared that sharp-edged precipice. She wanted to stop, to make it last, but she couldn’t. Her body trembled as pleasure ripped through her. Dmitri stilled above her, and he joined her in orgasm.

  His teeth closed over her shoulder.

  Sharp pain joined the heat in her already trembling body, and she screamed, arching. Her body slowed, her mind whirled. Flashes of images of Dmitri’s past swept through her. Images of his mother always choosing his brother over him. A way of life, he reasoned, yet still it hurt. She could feel his pain in the images. Feel the need for something all his own. Someone all his own. Where the images came from, she didn’t know, and didn’t care. Her heart melted, sweeping away the last of her doubts. She would be there for him.