Gorya turned and began to jog along a narrow path that led into the interior of the swamp. Long veils of moss hung in silvery drapes from branches, fluttering in the breeze. Ropes of woody vines spilled from the highest canopies to swing gently. Various varieties of flowers wound around tree trunks, climbing toward the sky and infusing the air with fragrances, adding to the smells of the swamp.
He ran along a thin track of land, leapt over a fallen log, avoided a termite mound that was nearly as tall as Maya and maneuvered through tangled brush that held sharp thorns. There wasn’t a sound behind him. He didn’t look over his shoulder to see if she was there. He felt her and knew she instinctively stepped in his footprints.
She kept up even when he quickened his pace. If afallen log was higher than her head and he leapt over it, she cleared it without breaking stride. She had amazing springing capability. He was pleased to discover she had nerves of steel. Swerving close to the embankment where a bull alligator guarded his territory didn’t deter her in the least. She didn’t hesitate or try to swerve from the course. She always found foliage to cover her presence from above and around her. She had the advantage in that she was small enough to disappear into the vegetation.
He indicated they were going up into the trees as they approached the river, and she immediately leapt into the higher branches of a cypress tree and ran along the curving limb that stretched toward the next one. He chose a larger cypress growing beside the one she was in, racing her, using longer strides; the arboreal highway was one he knew intimately. The tree branches extended across a narrow spot in the river, and he ran lightly. Even with his weight, he didn’t disturb the leaves.
Maya was in the tree across from his, but he would never have known. She could have been a ghost, the wraith she called her leopard. There was no sound, no movement; he knew she was there, yet he couldn’t spot her. He had no doubt he wouldn’t have been able to see her leopard either. She was just behind him as he leapt from one tree to the next, clearing the large gap between branches to the opposite shore.
She laughed softly, the sound of joy filling the space between them. Gorya found his entire mind and body reacting to the sound. He hadn’t known happiness until Maya.
Do you see now?Rogue’s smug images mixed with the new emotions.Wraith and I made the decision for the two of you because you wouldn’t have chosen the right path.
Gorya had to admit the leopard was right. Maya would never have accepted him, and he wouldn’t have pushed fora relationship, not even for Rogue. He considered himself too far gone.The verdict isn’t in on whether or not this will work.
The leopard curled his lip.Shifters must overthink everything. I do not understand why. You belong together. Wraith is my mate. Maya is yours. There is no doubt. It is meant to be, therefore it is. Why make it complicated with all the—The leopard broke off, searching for an image that conveyed what he was thinking.Drama.
You think my concerns don’t have merit?If Gorya could have strangled the cat, he would have.
Rogue gave the idea consideration.Maya is very afraid. You believe things about yourself that are not all true. Both can be overcome.
Not during a leopard’s heat.Gorya knew he was right about that. A leopard’s heat was intense, out of control. Hormones raged and, in most cases, ruled. Maya would never be able to accept him during such a time. She’d be terrified of him.
But you will have a plan in place.Rogue had absolute faith in him.Whatever you decide to do, I will follow the plan and help you carry it out.
If Gorya could be shocked by anything Rogue said or did, this was the time. It had never occurred to him that the animal would have such faith in him that even during the most important time for all four, shifters and animals, he would put his trust in Gorya and believe the shifter would guide them through a very dangerous path.
It would be a very difficult one for us both.His mind was already racing with possibilities.
We are used to difficult situations.Rogue sounded placid, almost bored.
Gorya turned back toward the house. He didn’t want Maya too exhausted. She needed to eat something before she went to bed. He had to plan out carefully what to do when her leopard showed herself each time. The sexualneeds between the shifters would grow more intense, much more brutal, until the leopard finally emerged. He would have to find a way for them to cope with those out-of-control hormones.
Once they crossed the river again and were back on land, he motioned for Maya to take the lead, needing to assure himself that she could find her way back to the house through the maze of swamp. He should have known she would have no problem at all. She ran a faster pace on the way back than he had set and never once hit a spot where the ground was too thin to support his weight. She knew when they were coming up on wildlife and instinctively avoided disturbing any creatures that would give their position away.
“I’m impressed,” he praised as he held the door open for her.
He had to admit she looked good, her body gleaming with a light sheen of sweat. She shot him a quick grin.
“That was fun, but I’m hitting the shower. Then soaking in the bathtub. Give me an hour before dinner. We are going to eat, right?”
He nodded. “We’ll eat.” If they didn’t eat, all he was going to be thinking about was her in the shower or bathtub, and that wasn’t safe.
He watched her disappear into the primary bath and he gathered up a few clean clothes and headed for the largest guest bathroom, texting Gedeon as he went down the hall. It had been impossible not to smell the barbecue when they’d come up on the side courtyard. If Gedeon was at the grill, chances were, he’d put on enough for the two of them.
After being assured there was plenty of food for Maya and himself, Gorya checked on Theo Pappas to see if he had known more than he admitted. Matvei confirmed the man was aware there was someone else behind the three men he knew were stealing money, but he didn’t knowwho any of them were. Matvei was certain he had gotten everything out of the man they could possibly get.
Gorya trusted Matvei to know when the prisoner was done. He gave the order to terminate the man. If he was of no more use, there was no sense in keeping him alive. He had already proven himself to be a drug addict, a thief and a man willing to sell a female leopard who had come to do him a favor. He needed to be put out of his misery.
After showering, he went back to the bedroom just as Maya came out of the primary bathroom, leaving a trail smelling oddly enough of fresh snow and a flower Gorya identified as Tashkent, a marigold he remembered from when he’d traveled to Uzbekistan. The fragrance had managed to sweeten the hot summer night air. He had never forgotten that scent. No other marigold had smelled the same no matter where he went. He was a leopard shifter with an acute sense of smell, and even though she seemed to be able to mask her smell from leopards when she wanted, she didn’t bother hiding it from him, and he found himself elated. In the short time they’d been together, they were finding a balance. A rhythm. And they were doing so quickly.
“Would you mind if I used that little room for an office? The one you showed me that is just sitting there with nothing in it?”
He barely heard her. She was wearing nothing but the shirt he’d given her earlier. He knew she didn’t really have much in the way of clothing. They’d discussed it once already. She’d told him she was going to order clothes, but knowing she wore nothing under that shirt was instantly distracting.
“The room?” he echoed, trying to remember the location of the room. There were a lot of rooms in the house. Which room was she talking about?
“I need an office for my work. It’s best if no one knows about it. If all your men here think others are doing yourcomputer research for you, it’s best if everyone continues to believe that.”
