Timur came up to stand beside his cousin. “How did your leopards feel the approach so quickly? Or scent them? I’m just now getting a faint warning, and it comes and goes. They’re very far away and staying downwind as best they can.”
Standing beside his cousin, another powerful male, increased the difficulty for Gorya. Disapproval of Maya came off Timur in subtle waves, but it was there. Both Rogue and he reacted despite every effort not to. Maya had to be aware of it. She was even more empathic than he was. Gedeon and even Meiling would know what Timur thought of Gorya’s chosen mate. It was one thing not to care what his cousin thought of him—that he was weaker and needed looking after—but he didn’t like that Timur had a poor opinion of Maya.
We are deceiving him. How is that his fault?
Maya’s gentle calm flowed into him, pouring serenity into his mind over the heat-influenced male rage building against his cousin. Gorya took a deep breath and hung on to his discipline and years of developing who he was.
“You’ve always known I could find other leopards fast, Timur, unless they were masking their scent. These leopards aren’t. Gedeon and Meiling have the same ability.”
Timur glanced over at Maya. “Your woman seemed to be the one to catch them first, yet her female appears to be sleeping at the moment. None of the males are reacting to her.”
Gorya inhaled Maya’s unique fragrance. “She’s much more sensitive to her surroundings than the rest of us.”
Timur looked as if he was pleased with that news. “At least she’ll be a help to you with your warning system.”
The wind shifted, bringing the offending scent of the approaching male leopard. It mattered little to Rogue how far away he was. The leopard fought to emerge, to meet the challenge of the other daring to enter his exclusive territory.
Wait,Gorya whispered, stripping away his shirt altogether.He will issue his challenge for leadership. He’ll issue his challenge for Wraith. We will be on him before he is prepared.
He crouched low, leapt over the wall, kicked off his shoes and stripped away his trousers. Shifting, he allowed Rogue the freedom to hunt, but in absolute silence.
9
Roguestreaked through the swamp toward the intruder. The leopard had familiarized himself with the entire area and knew every shortcut, every trail, every branch that took him through the trees above their heads to make the route faster. Even Gedeon found it difficult to keep up with the leopard, and he’d run these trails hundreds of times in preparation.
Timur, Rodion and Kyanite refused to be left behind. Timur was a stranger to the local swamp. He knew his cousin’s scent well and could follow it easily, but he allowed Kyanite to lead the way.
Rogue was always cognizant of the small figure slipping fast and silent through the arboreal highway above him, nearly as fast in human form as he was in leopard form. Maya was so swift in the trees, her size allowing her to move rapidly without disturbing the leaves as she raced from branch to branch. Gorya found his heart pounding infear for her, afraid she might make one misstep and plunge to the swamp floor, but it never happened.
The wind shifted and the scent of the male leopard once again filled Rogue’s lungs, inflaming him further. Rage turned red and he flung caution aside, racing to the attack.
Slow down,Gedeon cautioned.Meiling hasn’t indicated she is in position to take out the sniper.
Gorya barely heard him over the roar of thunder rolling in his ears. He was wholly focused on defeating his enemy. The animal had taken over, gaining ground, digging claws into the rotting vegetation to get traction so he could sprint faster toward his enemy.
He was a silent apparition weaving in and out of the trees, the gray fog concealing him. His thick coat blended with the mist threading through the thick trunks, masking his presence.
The sawing roar of challenge filled the swamp, startling birds and bats into flight. Insects suddenly ceased their steady drone. An owl called a warning. Lizards and mice scuttled for cover in the leafy vegetation on the swamp floor.
Rogue rounded the last tree, burst through the veil of fog and hit the intruder in his side, driving him from his feet, sending him sprawling. Only then did he let out his answering roar, shaking the swamp with the sound of his lethal snarl.
The challenging leopard was large, a brute of a male, a good two hundred pounds of dense muscle. The fur was dark, with gold dusting beneath and darker rosettes scattered throughout the thick coat. Gorya recognized the leopard immediately. The animal was called Punisher.
The shifter was Ivan Kovalchuk, a great bear of a man. His former job had been to oversee the women and children sent out to other countries on freighters and planes. It was rumored he delighted in sampling the wares beforesending them to their final destinations. He’d sworn fidelity immediately and without hesitation, although Gorya hadn’t believed him for a moment. He had a ready smile that was as false as his word.
His leopard was vicious and enjoyed inflicting punishment on other leopards, especially those smaller than him and females. The formerpakhanhad used him to enforce his laws, and the others feared him. Gorya had been surprised that Ivan hadn’t challenged him for leadership the moment thepakhanhad died.
Rogue ordinarily would have been all over the leopard, killing him then and there, but he needed the fight, partly to show his female his expertise and abilities. He wanted his female to know he could always take care of her in any situation. He alsoneededto indulge in the violence. He had to pit himself against the other leopard and feel the tearing of muscle and bone under his teeth and claws. It seemed as necessary as breathing.
Do you see, Maya?There was despair in his voice, in his mind. He doubted he would ever be able to overcome the need for violence.
At once her soothing peace stole inside him, filling him with feminine amusement.You are a shifter. A leopard. What do you expect of yourself? It is natural for you to need combat. Rogue is a fierce fighter. Accomplished. You are as well. Have at it; just don’t get so complacent you make a mistake.
Bog, but he had fallen hard for her. Just that easily she made him seem as if he were almost normal, whatever that was.
Normal is whatever we make it,she reminded him.This is our relationship. No one else is invited.
Punisher was on his feet, head low, snarling, showing teeth, eyes filled with malice. The leopard circled cautiously, his powerful muscles rippling beneath the loose fur. He wanted to intimidate his opponent.
