Leopard's Prey

of the lair, but he claimed he got old and tired. Miss Pauline’s leopard never emerged and he didn’t marry her when they were young because he thought it would be best for the lair if only leopards mated. I think the real reason he gave up leadership was so he felt he was free to marry Miss Pauline.”
    Bijou leaned against Saria’s car. Hers was going to need a lot of work before she could drive it—if she could make herself get into it after the things Carson had done to it. “If my leopard hadn’t emerged, do you think Remy would have walked away?”
    Saria frowned at her. “I always forget you lack self-confidence, which is insane when it comes to my brother. He’s head over heels for you. Believe me, I’ve never seen him act like such a goofball.”
    “Remy is never a goofball,” Bijou said. She looked up at the sky again, at the stars. “I’d forgotten how to be happy until I came back here. Which is rather awful to say when all these murders are going on. I don’ know how Remy does it every day.”
    “He’s good at his job and he’s passionate about it. Remy lives life to the fullest. Now that he has you, I won’t worry so much about him,” Saria said. “He can be so serious, and that leopard of his is so difficult.”
    “Are you afraid of your leopard?” Bijou asked, crossing her arms across her chest. “Because I’ll admit, I find the entire idea of being a shifter very scary. What if I can’t control her when she’s out?”
    “I felt that way at first as well,” Saria admitted. “You have Remy, and he’ll guide you through it. There are seven main families that live in the swamps and bayous that date back to the first settlers. They did intermarry with others who weren’t leopard, but if they have one of the seven last names, you can pretty much bet, they’re one of us. The thing is, Bijou, we’re a small community so we’re intensely loyal to one another. We have to be.”
    “Like Robert?”
    “I don’ know what happened to Robert. He was such a sweet boy when he was younger. Drake is goin’ to send him to Borneo to some friends of his. It’s that, or he has to follow up with his challenge for leadership and he won’t survive. Drake is givin’ him a chance, but if Robert refuses to take it, our world can be quite violent, but it has to be.” Saria studied Bijou’s face.
    “I know you all grew up with Robert, but the things he did, the people who were hurt and he could have stopped it, don’ you think he should at least spend time in jail?”
    “A leopard can’t be locked up for long, Bijou,” Saria explained.
    “Still, it feels like everyone else gets punished, but he’s goin’ to be vacationing in Borneo. How is that teaching him a lesson?”
    “Drake is from Borneo,” Saria said. “The men there rescue victims of kidnappers. It’s dangerous and hard work. We live in civilization here. They live in the rain forest. They won’t tolerate mistakes. Punishments there are brutal and fast. Robert isn’t going on any picnic. He’ll either grow up and become a decent man, or won’t survive.”
    Bijou shook her head. “I don’ know how you accepted all this so easily, Saria. It’s a real struggle for me. Sometimes I think it’s all a dream, or maybe I’ve gone a little insane.”
    “But you are a shifter, Bijou and you belong in our world. Do you understand? Because you can’t run from who you are.”
    “Your brothers think I’m goin’ to get bored or scared and leave here, don’t they?” Bijou asked.
    “I don’t know what they think. I know better,” Saria said. “We’re your family. You never had one, and you always wanted one. I think you’ll be more loyal and more protective than anyone else.” She laughed softly. “With the exception of Remy. No one can be more protective than my big brother.”
    Bijou glanced at her watch. “Speaking of, if I don’ leave soon, I’ll be late for our dinner. He had something important he wanted to talk to me about.”
    “I should have known you were goin’ somewhere with him. You look . . . radiant.”
    Bijou flashed a smile at Saria. “I do rather like that man.”
    “I would never have guessed. I suppose Remy’s locked up just about everyone he can that he thinks might be a threat to you, so it must be safe enough.”
    “That’s what he said. I’m meetin’ him at the station house. We’ll probably be home early though. He needs to get to bed.” Bijou found herself blushing when