Drake put his arm around her and drew her beneath his shoulder, holding her close for a moment. “I should have known they’d come after us as fast as they could. They don’t want the other members of their lair to know what they’re up to. Will Charisse tell on her brother?”
“You saw her. No way. He covers for her all the time.”
He nodded. “I’m armed, honey. I’ll stay here. You take the boat and head . . .”
She shook her head. “It’s not goin’ to happen, so stop right there. We’re not splittin’ up, although I appreciate the gesture. No sense in arguin’ with me, Drake. I won’t change my mind.”
He took her at her word. “They’re going to use bullets. We need a place to defend. I’m not willing to risk the open water with me in the boat with you.”
“Neither am I.” She sent him a rueful smile as she immediately signaled him to follow her. She moved with confidence through the tangled vegetation. “I’m guessin’ they’re goin’ to shoot you on sight and hope I’m not in the way, unless they don’ want a witness.”
He’d thought of that. He also was a little worried about what three leopard-driven, lust-filled, out-of-control men would do to Saria if they caught her alone. He was certain Armande had attacked her once. Where the hell was the leadership?
“I might have to kill them.” He said it straight, with no apologies. “They’re hunting us and I can’t take any chances with your life.”
“I’m well aware of the position they’re puttin’ us in.” She shot him an emotion-laden look over her shoulder. She kept moving, winding her way through the heavier reeds and tangles of brush. “Don’ step there, not even on the edge. The crust is thin here and you’ll fall through.”
He didn’t bother attempting to hide their tracks. These men had grown up in the swamp and were hunters. They were also leopards with all the instincts and advantages of their cats. He stepped exactly in Saria’s footsteps as she made her way through a narrow strip of land that was barely thick enough to support them. The reeds began to thin and brush took its place. Rather than cypress trees with the knobby-kneed root systems, evergreen and pine appeared, the grove growing thicker as they went deeper into it.
“You’ve been here—a lot. I thought no one came here.”
She sent him a small grin, not breaking stride. “It was the one place no one thought to look for me. I’ve been comin’ here since I was a child. It’s my private refuge. No one else comes here, so I found a place around the other side to pull my boat onto shore and hide it.”
“You’re taking us through every pitfall you know of, aren’t you?” The terrain had gone wet and soft again. He skirted around the areas she did. His leopard shifted inside him, stepping far from the spots that looked as if they might be quicksand. The Spanish-moss-covered cypress trees were back, growing in the thin soil. Around them palmettos, irises and marsh grass vied for space with tangled vines.
Turtles rested on logs and one sat on the bank. Birds were everywhere. Saria didn’t worry about disturbing them. The buzz of insects was constant, becoming a kind of music in his ears. He found he was becoming accustomed to the sounds of the swamp. He knew the rain forest in the way she did her environment and he followed her without question.
She suddenly tugged at his arm to avoid stepping near a tree concealing a water moccasin.
“Should have seen that,” he admitted.
“You were looking at my butt,” she accused.
“So true.” And damn it all, it was true. He figured he had a little time off while he followed her. “The view is spectacular.”
She shook her head with a little snicker and picked up speed, rushing through a cypress grove that gave way to reeds. He stopped in his tracks. As far as he could see were blue heron and snowy-white egrets. They walked gracefully in the shallow water, dipping beaks into the waters, fishing.
“I’ve never seen anything like that.”
She looked pleased. “I knew you’d think it was cool. You should see them when they take to the air.”
“Have you photographed this?”
“Yes. But the money shot is as they’re actually risin’ to fly, with their wings outstretched, barely skimmin’ the water.”
“You’re really very good, aren’t you?”
“Yep. And I’m goin’ to make a name for myself with National Geographic. I want my own book someday.” She began walking rapidly again.
“How would you feel about photographing the rain forests of the world?”
The ground went solid again and the cypress trees gave way to another tangled grove. Saria ducked her head to go underneath a low-hanging branch. Something spit splinters at them both and the sound of a shot reverberated through the swamp. The air groaned under the sudden migration of birds as they rose in fright. An alligator slid into the water with an ominous plop. Drake took Saria down, his body covering hers.
They lay very still for a moment, hearts racing, Drake swearing silently.
“They shouldn’t have been able to follow so fast,” she whispered.
“They’re using both animal and human form, which is against every law we have.” His voice was grim. “Slide out from under me, Saria. Reach for your leopard. She’ll rise to the surface to protect you. Don’t be afraid of her. Her senses will be sharper than yours.”