“I feel guilty and ashamed that I couldn’t help him. He needed me, Eli. He really did. I don’t care what anyone says. He needed me and I let him down. All those people died because I couldn’t help him.”

Okay. That was enough. He caught her chin firmly in his hand and tipped her face up to his even as he bent his head. He captured her mouth, effectively silencing her. He kissed her over and over. Long, hot kisses, demanding her response. He didn’t let her breathe. Instead he breathed for both of them, exchanging air, exchanging breath. Making love to her with his mouth. Telling her what she meant to him in one of the few ways he was good at expressing his love to her.

When he lifted his head, both of their faces were wet and he put it down to the rain, although he suspected it was something altogether different.

“I love you, Catarina, because of the kind, generous soul and heart you have. Cordeau loves you in his own way, but you and I both know he’s beyond saving. A child couldn’t possibly have saved him anymore than an adult could now. He allowed his leopard to get the upper hand, probably when he was very young and things were happening around him he couldn’t control. Abuse isn’t an excuse for any of us. We can feel sad for the person, but there are many abused people who choose not to go down that path. You can’t sacrifice yourself, Kitten, it would be useless. He won’t change and he wouldn’t, maybe couldn’t, when you were a child.”

“How do you know?”

“Because he knew you are leopard. A shifter. A female. He had a treasure, a rare, precious treasure and if he was going to stop himself from that kind of behavior, he would have done it then. He knew, deep down, he couldn’t have both. You aren’t corrupt. You don’t have a hint of madness in you. You’re sweet and loving and generous. You’re too compassionate for your own good and that meant your leopard was the same way. He knew that. He saw that and he still didn’t stop. He never will, and his behavior, his choices, have nothing to do with you.”

Eli brushed her upturned mouth gently. “You don’t have to help us bring him down, Cat. That’s my job, not yours.”

She moved even closer to the heat of his body. “He feels invincible. Terrifying. I don’t want you anywhere near him.” She shuddered against him.