The leopard melted into the shadows and disappeared.
“Who’s there?Show yourself, or I’ll shoot,” the gruff voice repeated.
With adrenaline still coursing through his veins, Mikhail cleared his throat.“It’s Mikhail.I couldn’t sleep, so I came outside for fresh air.”
“Hold your hands up where I can see them.I want to view your face.”
Edwina spat out a curse as a dull ache reverberated through her side.Mikhail hadn’t recognized her.She was sure he hadn’t been pretending.He hadn’t inflicted a severe wound, but the acrid sweat of his anxiety had blanketed him.He’d thought she intended him harm.
The shriek of a bird wheeling overhead yanked her from her troubled recollections, and she picked up the pace.The signal to abort.An unexpected whoosh of body odor had her stiffening before she stepped onto the forest path.She crouched, heart thudding while a guard stopped to pull out a cigarette.He lit it before meandering onward.
Edwina didn’t move, trying to ignore the smarting on her side.The metallic scent of blood filled each of her breaths, but she hated to shift and survey the damage now, especially with guards wandering the forest.There hadn’t been this many earlier, and she wondered if something had happened or if one of them had alerted the guards to intruders.
Once the guard left earshot, she slipped onto the path and headed to the meeting point.At least she’d confirmed Mikhail’s presence, but his lack of recognition worried her.
He hadn’t seen her in her feline form but knew what she was.He should’ve recognized her scent.She had no idea what this might mean.Perhaps Roscoe had seen more from his aerial position.
It took Edwina longer than she’d expected to reach the rendezvous point.Her side stung relentlessly, and her breaths came in hoarse pants.She crawled under the fence with difficulty and staggered, almost toppling, before she reached the sanctuary of the trees.
“What took you so long?”one of Roscoe’s team said with a trace of impatience.
Edwina gazed at him with bleary eyes.His words registered, but her brain refused to compile a reply.It was all she could do to focus on her shift.Her transformation was sluggish, and her legs refused to hold her once she became human.They folded, and her butt hit the ground.Gasping, she remained where she was, unable to summon the energy to rise.
A huge hawk landed on the ground and shifted.Roscoe scanned the group, his dark hair ruffled.“Who’s bleeding?”
“Me,” Edwina said tiredly.“Mikhail got me with his knife.I didn’t think my injuries were too bad, but my legs have the strength of spaghetti noodles.”She struggled to stand and failed.“You’ll need to help me.”
Roscoe reached her in two giant steps.“Let me see.”
She lifted her arm, uncaring she was naked.Roscoe’s calm and competent manner went a long way to ease any embarrassment she might’ve experienced.
The knife slash ran across her ribs and down to her left hip.Roscoe’s probing fingers had her choking back a pained gasp.
“Did the knife or Mikhail smell wrong?”Roscoe asked.
“No.I mean, I didn’t notice anything unusual.I was more surprised Mikhail didn’t recognize me,” she said.“He backed up and pulled his knife.I didn’t think I was too close and underestimated his reaction.It was stupid, but his behavior shocked me.I don’t know if he was pretending not to recognize me because a guard appeared or if he has lost his memory.”
“Hmm,” Roscoe said, rocking back on his heels.“You’d better help Edwina dress, and we’ll take her to a medic.The injury smells peculiar, a sign the knife blade carried poison.”
“Poison?”Gregory parroted.
Ivan helped her to pull on her clothes, and she appreciated his circumspect manner.
“The wound isn’t deep, but Edwina’s blood has an odd odor, and the flesh is red and swollen.She’s healthy and, given her shifter abilities, should heal rapidly.The wound isn’t healing at all,” Roscoe said.“Let’s move out.”
“He didn’t recognize you?”Ivan murmured, keeping his voice low.
“No.It was strange.They’re all humans here on the estate, so do you think whatever drugs they gave him have affected his feline?”
“I don’t know,” Ivan said.“You’re his mate.He should’ve instinctively reacted to you or understood you’re a shifter.We’ll have to try again or intercept him when he leaves the estate.”
Edwina shuffled between the two men, the throbbing from the cut on her ribs echoing through her body.She hadn’t wanted a mate, but now the man acted as if she didn’t exist, not even sparing her a glance.She should’ve been happy about this situation, but it hurt like hell.
Go figure.
21
Thefollowingday,Mikhailspent most of the afternoon with Konstantine running through their figures and the nuts and bolts of their business operation.Konstantine hadn’t mentioned Mikhail’s nighttime walk, so he figured the guard hadn’t blabbed and had accepted his explanation.Some deeply held instinct told him he needed to learn about the security protecting the outside area.He had no clue why but trusted his impulse and intended to walk again tonight.
