Leopard's Prey

cracks racing up it. Another wall, over by the bed, had furrows dug deep as if a large tiger or a bear had raked it with two claws. The bed sagged from the broken board. The sheets were in bloodstained strips and a lamp was knocked over and broken on the floor.
    “Oh, my God.” She covered her red face with her hands. “What am I goin’ to tell Saria? We’ve ruined her beautiful room.”
    Not only was she going to have to face Remy in the daylight, but there was no way to keep Saria from finding out what had taken place in this room. Or just how crazy she’d acted with Remy.
    “I’m puttin’ you in the water,
chere
. Don’ be thinking about the room. We can fix the room up. This is going to sting a little. I put some salts in there as well.”
    He didn’t lower her feet as she expected, but stepped into the tub with her and just sank down. Frankly, she was too exhausted to care how she got in the water, but the moment the extreme heat hit her sex she tried to scramble out of his arms. Remy tightened his hold on her and forced her down into the water.
    “Your body needs this whether you think so or not.”
    She blew out her breath, but already, the hot water was beginning to soothe her sore, raw body. “I guess I’ll let you live a little longer,” she said grudgingly. “But you really do have to stop bossin’ me around.”
    He laughed softly, shifting her off his lap and over to one side of the large claw-foot tub. “That’s not likely to ever happen, woman, so don’ hold your breath.”
    She leaned her head against the high back and allowed her lashes to drift down again. “My arms feel like noodles. I don’ think I’ll ever be able to walk again either.”
    “Give yourself a few minutes, Blue. The water will revive you in no time.” Remy cleared his throat. Waited until she looked at him from under her long lashes. Guilt rode him hard. “Listen, honey, I knew you were a virgin and I should have taken more care with you. I didn’t hold back or take that into consideration at all and I apologize.”
    Her lashes fluttered and she closed her eyes again. A small smile curved her lower lip. That fantasy lower lip he wanted to lean forward and bite.
    “Seriously? Remy, I think it’s a little too late for either of us to think about that now. I know you want your apology to be sincere, but how could it be after the way we were together?” She frowned. “Or is that the way it always is when one has sex, because if so, I’ve been missing out.”
    She had a point. Still, he wished he could have been just a little gentler initially. He winced a little at that, “when one has sex.” She didn’t say “make love” like every other woman he knew would have. He had definitely had savage, brutal leopard sex with her, but still . . .
    He didn’t understand why her female hadn’t emerged and it worried him just a little bit. He was certain he was right about Bijou and her cat, he’d even felt his male reacting to what he thought was her female, yet Bijou hadn’t been forced to shift.
    He pushed both hands through his hair and studied her face. There were shadows there and around her neck little smudges and love bites. The back of her neck had been marked by his cat, claiming her. She was sore, bruised and feeling guilty as sin. How did he explain her leopard to her?
    “Sex will never be like that with anyone else,” Remy said honestly, “so you’re better off sticking with me.”
    That faint smile appeared again. “Or I could be dead in a week after spending time with you.” A blush crept up her chest and neck. She still wouldn’t look at him.
    He couldn’t imagine how she felt. She’d shed every inhibition and had absolutely no idea why. If he blurted out, “Hon, you’re a leopard, just like me,”’ she’d run for the hills and he couldn’t blame her. He should have tried to explain before they’d ever gotten started, but he was too far gone, too far into the frenzied thrall of mating.
    “It would be a hell of a way to go,” Remy said, injecting humor into his voice. He could still lose her. She was out of her depth and fighting not to be ashamed of herself when there was nothing to be ashamed of.
    “Wouldn’t it?” She tilted her chin. “Why haven’t you ever married?”
    That was a loaded question if he ever heard one. He turned her around and picked up the spray nozzle so he could wash her hair. “I never found the right person. For me it was far better to be alone