Leopard 04 - Wild Fire

Unexpected tears welled up and she had to blink them away rapidly.
    “An unmated leopard has trouble resisting a female in the throes of the Han Vol Dan. I think the instinct to mate overcomes all good sense. You introduced a chemical into his bloodstream. It will be like a building fever in his body. He’ll have to come for you,” Rio said.
    Her breath caught in her lungs. Her gaze jumped to Conner for confirmation. “Is that what I did to you?”
    She reached up and brushed the pad of her finger along the groove in his cheek. “When I did this?”
    Conner caught her fingers and brought them to his heart. “Yes. But that has nothing to do with my falling in love with you. I was already far gone before you took a swipe at me.”
    “Do claws always release the chemical?” A wave of heat rushed over her, leaving her sweating. Maybe she was running a fever from the claw marks on her arm in spite of the shot.
    He shook his head. “It’s usually deliberate. Your cat probably marked me because of a combination of things. Your anger, which was righteous by the way, we’re mates, and we had fallen in love.”
    “And Ottila?” She couldn’t keep humiliation and pain from her voice.
    “She’s in heat, emerging. She’s not in control of herself any more than you’re in control of her. It’s a learning process. Most of our women have the advantage of parents teaching them how to deal with their cat instincts from the time they’re little. You didn’t even know you were cat.” He brought her fingers to his mouth and scraped back and forth with his teeth, his gaze locked with hers. “Don’t worry about it, Isabeau. I can handle Ottila.”
    She wasn’t sure. Conner seemed invincible. Confident. Experienced. But there was something very frightening about Ottila. Her heart pounded at that thought of him hunting Conner—and her. She couldn’t seem to stand still, her legs restless, her nerves jumpy.
    She touched her tongue to her bottom lip and then nodded, changing the subject. “Mary is going to help me with the wedding preparations. She’s making calls to some friends of hers right now and before you protest—and she knew you would—she said to remind you, she’s known these people for over twenty years.”
    Conner bit back his protest, seeing the happiness in Isabeau’s eyes. He glanced at Rio over her head.
    Rio smiled at him and shrugged. It was her wedding day and they were just going to have to be vigilant.
    “You know the doc and his wife,” Rio pointed out. “We’re already trusting them with Jeremiah.”
    “Doc wants to make certain you have all the necessary vaccinations and medical tests required. In our society it’s much easier to get married, but we want to be legal in all countries. I filled out the license for us. It just so happens the doc has a friend who is a judge here. They know they have to hold the paperwork before filing until this is over. He was willing to juggle dates a bit for us, knowing Imelda’s reputation, but he assures me it will be legal and binding. It was easy enough to get my birth certificate, and we’re searching for yours. The judge has been very helpful. You need to sign a certificate stating you’ve never been married in front of the judge.”
    She scowled at him. “Have you already done all that?” For some reason she was angry at him. Her out-of-control emotions made no sense at all.
    “I’m not letting you escape.”
    She forced a smile when she really wanted to swipe at him again. She hated the way she was feeling and no longer trusted herself, so she touched Jeremiah’s shoulder and left the room.
    “I don’t know what’s wrong with me, Mary,” she said, entering the kitchen and rubbing at her arm. “I’m all over the place today. Conner just told me about the various things he’s been doing, certificates, making it legal, and I suddenly had this mad desire to cry.” She sighed and went to the window, ashamed of herself. “My skin feels too tight and itches uncontrollably. My emotions are completely out of control. I either want to cry or I’m angry and then I’m wildly happy. Does every bride feel this way on their wedding day?”
    Mary turned around from where she was mixing cake batter in a bowl, her gaze speculative. “If the bride’s cat is close to the emerging, then yes, I’d have to say those emotions all make sense. Those are all classic signs, Isabeau. Has anyone talked to you about what to expect?”
    “A little.