Evangeline’s hand crept to her throat. She remembered that. She thought she had some kind of infection. She was hot all the time. She burned between her legs and her skin hurt. Her breasts ached. She was certain she was ill. At her female’s urging she had sought the little mini-camp secreted in the middle of the swamp where few ever traveled. Saw grass around the island kept most people out. The ground of the island was boggy, unstable for anyone very heavy.

“You protected me.” She made it a statement. “But at what cost to you? I’m supposed to take care of you. You should have told me.”

You were fourteen. Her female was pragmatic about it. Casual, even.

“This is terrible. I’ve been neglectful of you.” Evangeline wanted to cry. Her leopard had been fiercely protective of her. Always there for her. Always. In the worst moments of her life she’d been able to count on her female, when she’d never been able to count on a single human being. “It must have been awful for you. You should have told me.” She kept pacing, because she desperately needed movement. Her leopard was close to the surface. She felt the familiar itch under her skin. A burning, as if her internal temperature was soaring. Her mind felt chaotic and no matter how she tried, she couldn’t rein it in.

You were too young. The leopard sent in images rather than actual words. They’d perfected their communication skills over the years until they were both adept at it.

“What about the second time. You said twice.” But she already knew. She couldn’t help but remember that time. It was right after she’d left the swamp. She’d gone into the mountains, searching the high country for something, but she hadn’t known what it was and she never found it. She’d been driven though. Again, her body felt hot beyond all compare. Worse than before when she’d been a teenager.

“It was your idea to leave.” She remembered that as well. Vividly. Her female had pushed and pushed to get her to leave the swamp.

No decent males. I didn’t know if I had enough control. Wasn’t strong enough to protect you from a male leopard during the heat cycle.

Evangeline couldn’t help but wince when her leopard reminded her of the way they would be when both females became fertile at the same time. “Why did you accept this male? He’s far worse than the ones back home in the swamp. You’ve seen his human. That man is dangerous to both of us.”

Her female gave the mental equivalent of a shrug. He is your choice. His male is strong and that pleases me. He can help me protect you.

Does he scare you?