She shook her head. "I don' know if you've been readin' about the ghost cats people think they've been spottin' in the swamps, but sometimes those things are more real than we want them to be. I'd just feel safer if we stayed in town."
"Look at me." He kept his voice low, and she swore it was almost a purr it was so soft and alluring, but it was definitely an order.
Beneath her skin, she felt an itch. If she'd been a cat she would have sworn he'd ruffled her fur the wrong way, but before she could stop herself, her gaze jumped to his. Instantly she was caught by that commanding, focused stare. His eyes were gorgeous, frightening and sexy all at once.
"You're safe with me."
His tone was just too intimate, too certain--so certain that when she stared into his eyes, in spite of her brain telling her to be logical, she believed him. And how dumb was that when she knew there was a leopard stalking and killing people? Drake Donovan might be a powerful man in his world, and clearly everything about him shouted he could handle himself--but not with a killing machine like a shifter. Cunning and intelligent, the shifter used both man and beast to bring down prey.
She swallowed hard, unable to escape those piercing eyes. He'd locked in on her and there was no fleeing. It occurred to her suddenly that he was telling her something altogether different than she'd imagined. She frowned, but he was already turning her very gently but firmly back in the direction of the grove. Reluctantly, she took a few steps, confused by Drake, confused by her reaction to him.
She scowled. Drake Donovan threw her off balance. She glanced deeper into the shadows. Nothing moved. No eyes stared back. Whoever had been there had changed position. Still, she was uneasy and that wasn't a good sign. She dropped her hand very casually to the knife at her waist, unsnapping the safety flap with one thumb.
"We're fine," Drake said softly. "A man at ten o'clock and two more trailing after us."
Her scowl deepened. She was the guide. It was up to her to protect him in the swamp. This was her home turf and she should have spotted the others long before Drake became aware of them. He was messing up her warning system. She had the uncomfortable feeling he was setting off the alarms and she couldn't see beyond him. So why would she feel safe with him?
She flicked her gaze to the position he'd given her. Walking along the path merging with theirs was Amo Jeanmard, a man she'd known for some years. She glanced behind her and identified the Lanoux brothers, Robert and Dion. Twins, one was rarely seen without the other. They'd gone to school with Mahieu, but often dropped by the bar late at night to say hello. She liked both of them. She suspected
Robert flirted with her for fun, but that Dion was quite serious. From the look on his face, he wasn't happy to see her with Drake.
She came from a society of people who were friendly but very private. The men had long ago tried to point out to her father that she was a wild child, but when he hadn't responded, they all seemed to think they needed to keep an eye on her, from a distance of course.
"They're neighbors," she announced, relaxing a little. If a killer lurked in the grove, he wouldn't show himself with so many grouped together. Once she got her charge settled into the bed-and-breakfast, she'd go back to the house and add to her supply of weapons. She wasn't going to endanger anyone, but she had to make a living. Donovan was paying too much money and she needed it. She refused to be dependent on her brothers for income. That would give them some semblance of control over her and, at this late date, now that she was grown, she wasn't about to let them have any say in her life. She flashed a smile at the Lanoux brothers. They had obviously quickened their pace to catch up.
Beside her, Drake reacted so subtly she couldn't put her finger on what he did, but the air charged with tension and he seemed all at once dangerous, not at all the easygoing man he had appeared. His gaze settled on the two men and didn't waver. She felt the difference, felt him coiling in readiness, and suddenly she wasn't so certain anyone was safe with Donovan. His eyes glittered with menace and he very gently but firmly lifted her by the waist and put her behind him, leaving him to face the two brothers alone.
Dion and Robert were nearly as bad, splitting apart to come at Drake from either side, looking like professional fighters instead of the easygoing men she knew them to be. She was fast losing control of the situation, the tension in the air stretching so thin it could be cut with a knife. She should have been afraid for Drake, but something, some coiling tension in Drake, made her afraid for the brothers.
"These are my neighbors," she reiterated. "My friends." She curled her fingers around Drake's biceps as if that might hold him back. His body was warm; no, hot. She felt the ripple of muscle beneath his skin and an answering heat pulsed between her legs.
Drake hesitated and then, to her relief, she saw him flash a brief smile. His eyes were still as focused and she noticed that his body still shielded hers, but some of the tension in him eased. Not tension, she corrected herself--that was coming from the Lanoux brothers. But certainly Drake was coiled and ready should an attack come.
"Dion." Saria projected more friendliness than usual into her voice. "How are you? What are you doin' here?"
"I could ask the same question of you, chere," Dion greeted, stopping just a short distance from them, his gaze running over Donovan, sizing him up. Apparently whatever he saw he didn't like, because there was no friendliness whatsoever.
"I've got a guide gig." She willed Dion to understand it was lucrative and he'd better not blow it for her. "Drake, this is Dion Lanoux and his brother Robert. They're close neighbors. Dion, Robert, this is Drake Donovan. I'm going to show him around the swamp and bayou."
"Really?" Robert's eyebrow shot up. "Why?"
"Robert." Saria was appalled. "Mind your own business."
"You don' mind, Donovan, but I need to speak with Saria a moment," Dion said smoothly, and held out his hand to Saria.
She felt a sudden surge of power running beneath Drake's skin. Her eyes jumped to his face. He was looking at Dion, not Robert, and there was something very deadly in his expression. "Saria." His voice was very soft. "If you're afraid of them, you don't have to go with them."
He knew. She had
thought she'd been so clever and careful. She'd hidden terror from her own brothers, from her neighbors, and yet this total stranger, within minutes of meeting her, knew. She forced a smile, a little impressed that he was obviously willing to fight off both brothers on her behalf. "No, even though they have clearly forgotten their manners, they're friends." Maybe if she said it enough times, both sides would stop posturing and play nice.
Ignoring Dion's hand, she stepped around Drake, or nearly did. He shifted his weight slightly, cutting her off. His fingers just barely trailed down her arm to her wrist, settling with infinite gentleness. "You're absolutely certain, Saria? I assure you, there's no need to protect me." He gave her a faint grin.
Her heart nearly stopped and then began pounding. He was so gorgeous. And the way he touched her, featherlight--she felt it all the way to her bones. Heat rushed through her veins and she swallowed hard, trying not to give in to sheer physical attraction.
"You're wrong about that," Dion said, glaring at the sight of Drake's fingers loosely forming a bracelet around Saria's wrist.
She followed his annoyed gaze and had to fight from blushing as she pulled away and very firmly stepped around Drake. "You could use the phone, Dion," she said, "if it is so necessary to get in touch with me." She walked ahead of him, but stopped where she could keep an eye on Drake and Robert. If the twins had planned some underhanded sneak attack on her customer, she was going to let them know once and for all that she could take care of her own.
"Do your brothers know what you're doin'?" Dion hissed between clenched teeth. "That man is dangerous, Saria. You're in over your head."
She tapped her fingers on her thigh, wholly aware of Drake's interest. She was careful not to look at him. "This isn't any of your business, Dion, nor is it my brothers' business. I'm a licensed guide. In case you haven't noticed in the last few years, it's how I make my livin'."
Dion shook his head, stepping closer to her and lowering his voice another octave. "Not with this man. If he wants a guide, I'll do it for you. You have no idea what you're dealin' with."