Her gaze shifted away from his. “I tried to mail the letter through our local post office. It’s very small and everyone meets there to chat and catch up. Jake Bannaconni’s name is rather notable. He’s written up in all those tatty little gossip rags, as well as making headlines in newspapers. It’s possible someone saw his name on the envelope. In any case, the next day, I found my letter taped to the bottom of my pirogue. I’m the only one who uses that boat, not any of my brothers. Whoever put it there clearly was warnin’ me to back off. If it wasn’t one of my brothers, I was afraid for them.”

Drake pushed his hand through his hair, needing something to relieve the sudden buildup of rage. She’d been threatened. He studied her face. And that wasn’t all. She hadn’t given him the entire story. He took a breath to ease the tension building in the room. “Tell me the rest, Saria. Everything. I need to know everything.”

She bit her lip, her gaze jumping to his face and then sliding away. “He attacked me. The night I gave Father Gallagher the letter, on my way back to my pirogue, in the trees, he attacked me.”

Drake’s heart nearly stopped beating and then began a wild hammering. He heard a roar in his head and for a moment his vision banded with yellow and red stripes. “How?” He could barely get the word out. His leopard was so close his voice was more a growl than human.

Her eyes searched his face. Very slowly she turned until her back was to him and she lifted the T-shirt.

Drake stared in absolute horror at the four long furrows down Saria’s back. For a moment he was paralyzed, unable to move or speak. His leopard went mad, roaring so loud he drowned out every other sound. For a leopard to abuse a female that way was unconscionable. For such an atrocity to be committed against Saria was not to be borne.

He stalked across the floor, looming over her. His fingers ached, knuckles curling. Sweat broke out as he fought off the change. Fur slithered over his skin in a wave and retreated. His leopard growled and hissed, storming at him, raging at the injustice. The need for violence was sharp and powerful.

Chapter 5

5

SARIA sensed danger immediately. On the wall, she saw the shadow of a man loom over her, although she didn’t hear him. His shadow was large and frightening, a tall, broad-shouldered masculine frame that seemed to dwarf her. He smelled wild, feral, leopard. She had smelled that particular scent before. Every cell in her body froze. Panic welled up. Her fingers tightened around the hilt of her knife.