as twelve leopards were spotted in various places at one time in South Africa and it was on the world news. We’re trying to get the females with babies out of there to safety, but it isn’t easy. There are less than thirty of us left alive in the world that I am aware of. If we can’t save the ones exposed in South Africa, we’ll lose a third of that number.”
“I presume that your father sponsored both male and female leopards of all different species here in the United States.”
“Yes, of course he did. He tried to get as many as he could regardless of age or sex. They became citizens and owners of their own businesses. That way they can continue to help other shifters find safety. It wasn’t only strawberry leopards he brought in—most weren’t.”
“Are there any other strawberry females here?”
She hesitated just for a moment, but he caught it. “Yes.”
“Have the females gone into the Han Vol Dan?”
She frowned. “I don’t know exactly what that is.”
“The emerging of their leopard?”
“I believe my father said one or two have married. I don’t know if they have a leopard or not. I would hope so.” She rubbed her hand up and down her left thigh restlessly.
“When did you become aware of your leopard?”
Her gaze jumped to his face. She moistened her lips. “About two weeks ago. She told me her name was Flamme. I can feel how restless she is.” Again, she hesitated. “I’ve been restless as well. I wake up in the middle of the night and have to go running. I’ve been afraid ever since . . .” She trailed off.
“Who is he?” Sevastyan demanded.
“Sevastyan. It isn’t a good idea to get mixed up in my problems. He comes with some big resources, which is why I think the cops don’t want to do anything about him. They won’t even talk to him.”
“That is not what I asked you.”
Silence stretched between them. She lifted her chin stubbornly. That little gesture got him right in the gut. To a man like Sevastyan, that was the same as issuing a challenge. She wasn’t going to tell him for whatever reasons— or at least she didn’t think she was. He wasn’t going to allow her to get away with it.
“I actually came out here to discuss landscaping and what you wanted or needed on your property,” Flambé said, looking very determined. “You said the project would be quite extensive.” She rubbed her temple and winced. Swayed. She wasn’t in any condition to work.
Lulling her into a sense of security was always a good thing. He could mesmerize with just his voice. Control with it. Sound very gentle or equally as harsh. Any dominant worth his while could do so, and Sevastyan was particularly good with his voice. “That is very true. This property belonged to my sister-in-law’s family, the Dover family. I own it now and need the trees planted all the way from the woods in back to Mitya’s woods with the arboreal highway extended from my home to his. I want a clear path both on the ground and in the trees for me to get to him if he’s in trouble. A good portion of the acreage was planted in grapes. I had a third of that pulled up. More will eventually be taken out as well.”
She nodded and looked around her, looking a little helpless. Again, she lifted her hand to the lump on her head as if it hurt. “I usually have my notebook but I left my car out on the road some distance from here.”
He rose at once and retrieved a pen and paper from a rolltop desk in the wide hallway. “We’ll have to make do with this.” He gave it to her and paced across the gleaming hardwood floor to the wide expanse of window. “I like to see what’s coming at me at all times. The house is sitting lower than I’d like. The road is just a little above it so any plants added for looks could take away from security. I had the gardener pull out the ornamental bushes that were planted up close to the house. He wasn’t happy, but he did it.”
“I noticed that there weren’t any plants at all around the front of the house and it seemed very stark to me. I can come up with something pleasing that wouldn’t take away from your need for security.”