Sea Panther (Crimson Storm) (14 page)

Robert assured her protection. But how could he? She’d never
before known this kind of all-consuming fear. To make matters worse, she
worried about their new relationship. They’d declared their love to each other.
Sure. But what effect would that have on their future? At his compound, there
would be many other people. Would he treat her the same way in front of them as
when they’d been alone these past few days?

Kimberly chewed on her lower lip—a bad habit she wished she
could break.

She glanced at Robert. The now familiar pinch in her chest
made her inhale deeply. Could their budding love withstand the uncertainty of
her situation?

“You are thinking again?” He released her hand and dropped a
palm to her knee.

She tried to ignore the fiery sensation his touch produced.
“I have a tendency to think.”

“Are you afraid the hit man will find you in Florida?”

“Partly.” She couldn’t tell him she feared for their future
together. “Mostly, I worry about how I’ll clear my name.”

“Nae worries.” He gave her knee a gentle squeeze. “I have
influential friends. I will obtain a good lawyer for you.”

“I can’t afford—”

“I thought we were beyond that. I will pay for your
defense.”

“But—”

“Nae argument.” He leaned forward to speak to Colin.

The loss of his touch stripped Kimberly of all warmth, and
she shivered. She couldn’t accept the offer. She didn’t want to take his money.
Although, if she didn’t, she wouldn’t stand a chance of getting the charges
dropped.

Robert settled back against the black leather and crossed
his arms.

“I’ll accept your help and any money you spend as a loan,”
she said. “I expect to pay you back after I’ve returned to New Jersey, gotten
the charges dropped, and found a new position.”

“There is no need for you to return north. You will be safer
at my compound with me. Besides, the lawyers will need time to hire an investigator
to collect information. Time to plan a defense.”

Kimberly sighed. She must make him understand how important
this was to her. “Robert, you have to understand, I’ve lost everything that
defines who I am. If I don’t go back and clear my name, I don’t exist.”

He grasped both her hands. “The hit man is still lurking out
there. I will not lose you.” He lowered his head and gave her a blistering kiss
that burned her beguiled soul.

She poured more passion into the kiss. Robert took the cue,
slanted his lips, penetrated deep. She moaned into his mouth. When he pulled
away, he left her breathless. She allowed a soft laugh to escape and
self-consciously glanced forward at the rearview mirror. Colin’s eyes stared
straight ahead at the road.

She couldn’t believe she was making out in the backseat of a
car like a sex-crazed teenager. With Colin as a witness, no less. Her cheeks
burned.

Robert put on his sunglasses, wrapped an arm around her, and
dozed. Kimberly envied his ability to fall asleep. She stared out the side
window at the blistering sun.

Farther south, they passed citrus groves that gave way to
cattle ranches. She smiled at two sandhill cranes strutting their stuff in a
roadside ditch. After passing Lake Okeechobee, she caught the reflection of
Colin’s hazel eyes in the rearview mirror.

“It won’t be long now,” he said.

She nodded, and his gaze returned to the road.

After passing fields where the pungent odor from burning
cane leaves permeated the car, Colin turned into a gravel road sided by
cypress. The tree’s knobby knees poked out of stagnant water. In another mile,
the car passed a clearing with a rusted old mobile home. Indoor furniture
decorated the deck. In the front yard, a brand new airboat sat on a pristine
aluminum trailer. And atop the largest tires she’d ever seen on a vehicle, sat
an older model jeep.

Robert stirred beside her. Noticing the direction of her
gaze, he chuckled. “That is what the locals call a swamp buggy.”

“What’s it used for?”

“For driving into the swamp,” he said as if she should have
known.

“Why would anyone want to do that?”

He gave her one of those you’ve-got-to-be-kidding looks.
“Because ’tis a beautiful place with many wonders to find.”

The terrain they drove through was swampy. All she could
imagine finding in the twisted snarl of vegetation was alligators and snakes
and big bugs. Not a pleasant thought.

They drove several miles farther before Colin turned the car
onto a new cement drive at odds with the native wilderness. After a quarter of
a mile, they cleared the trees. The driveway circled in front of a large
Spanish-styled mansion. In the distance, an amber glow surrounded the setting
sun on the horizon.

“Home,” Robert said, tone heavy with sarcasm.

Inside the front door, they entered an impressive foyer.
Kimberly’s heels clicked across Italian painted ceramic tile. She scanned the
oversized room. Shades of autumn prevailed. Her gaze touched on the massive
chandelier, before landing on Raven who waited at the bottom step of a grand
circular staircase to greet her brother.

Unease crawled up Kimberly’s spine. She still couldn’t
believe she imagined hearing Raven’s voice while climbing the mast after
Robert. In her fear, she’d also conjured her father’s voice.
Ridiculous
.

Raven’s curious gaze shifted from Robert to Kimberly and
then back to her brother with intensity. “I sense a lot has changed since last
I saw you.”

He placed an arm around Kimberly’s shoulders. “It has.”

“Shall I show her to the master suite then?” Raven’s eyes
didn’t express the sincerity of her smile. Her pleasant voice sounded fake too.

Robert’s hold tightened. “I will see Kimberly to the guest
suite next to mine.”

“Then, I will leave you to it. I am off to Miami for a
meal.” She sashayed by, brushed a long crimson-painted nail across her
brother’s cheek in passing, and disappeared out the front door.

Kimberly released her breath in relief. There was something
almost frightening about Raven. “Isn’t Miami too far to go for dinner?”

Robert chuckled. “Not for Raven.”

“Good eve’n to you both. I’m off to check in with the lads.”
Colin said, reminding her of his presence. “I want to make sure Davey is
comfortable.”

“Good night.” Kimberly smiled at the burly man, wondering
what he thought of her having
a thing
with Robert.

Colin placed a hand on Robert’s free arm. “Call if you need
me.”

“Thank you,” Robert said. “Enjoy your e’ven. Tell the lads I
will speak with them on the morrow.”

Inclining his head, Colin left.

“Hungry?” Robert asked.

“Famished.”

“I will ask the chef to send something up after I show you
to your rooms. One of the lads will bring our bags.” He slid his arm along her
spine, placing his hand at the small of her back.

As always, his touch thrilled her.

“Shall we?” He guided her up the stairs.

Disappointment assaulted Kimberly when Robert left her alone
in the luxurious suite with nothing more than a kiss. Admittedly, it was a
toe-curling kiss. She wanted more.

She’d assumed he’d stay the night and they’d make love on a
real bed. She glanced out the French door of the balcony at the jungle of tropical
foliage surrounding the grounds. Robert strode across the clipped lawn into the
tangle of growth and disappeared.

R
elief pooled
in Robert’s belly as he slipped away from the compound. No explanation
required. No guilt. He jogged along the trails for over a mile, reveling in the
solitude of the night.

Hoohoo-hoo-hoo, hoohoo-hoo-hoo-aw
. A barred owl
called. Night insects hummed. Robert seized the freedom to release the bonds on
the panther.

He discarded his garments and fell to hands and knees. Bone
and sinew stretched and reshaped to allow for the big cat. Coarse fur covered a
lithe body. He yawned, raised haunches from the ground and pushed forward with
forepaws. Needle-sharp, curved claws burst from their protective covering then
retracted.

He sniffed the air. The fragrance of honeysuckle tickled his
nostrils. He silently padded forward on big cushioned toes. The trail crossed a
prairie. He sprinted along the worn path, racing away from himself and the
strictures of civilization before slowing to a lope.

Near the edge of a slash pine forest, he stopped, attention
fixated. He raised his head slightly, the tips of his ears prickled. An
armadillo snuffled through rotting leaves for grubs. The panther proceeded into
the tangle of palmetto. He sought larger prey.

Robert shifted the big cat’s head from side to side,
surprised at the newfound ability to maintain his own thoughts while within the
panther’s form. He inhaled deeply, sampling the breeze with a feline nose. He
entered the swamp by way of a game trail. Deeper in the quagmire, the scent of
a rival male drifted to him on a puff of sultry air. His nostrils flared, and
he snarled.

Farther along the trail, he found a scrape left on the path
by the interloper. The mound of soil, leaves, and pine needles reeked of the
other cat’s urine. Yowling, Robert’s panther-self scraped with hind legs,
creating another pile with more leaves and dirt, and then to it added his own
urine.

He sniffed the mound before moving on. He made steady
progress through the swamp. Where he left the wet terrain, the trail meandered
through wiregrass beneath slash pines. He hunted while traveling. Finally, he
caught the scent of a deer.

Staying downwind, he stalked the prey, moving slowly without
sound. At the right moment, he sprang. Teeth penetrated flesh, snapped bone.
The small deer lay dead at his paws. He dragged the carcass several yards along
a game trail and into the protective covering of a small thicket.

The feast began with relish. He gorged on flesh and blood.
As the hunger waned, he slowed and nibbled on small pieces of raw meat. When
full, he napped.

Several hours later, Robert emerged from the fog of slumber.
The panther’s facial muscles jerked, whiskers twitched, he opened his eyes a
slit. He stretched his jaw with a wide yawn. Using a forepaw, he reached behind
an ear to scratch away a biting tick. He licked at his fur, removing remains
from the consumed meal.

The stale taste of blood had grown old during the cruise
south. Satisfying his appetite in the form of the cat was a messy business, but
preferable to the dishonor of feeding as a vampire.

Hunger fully sated, body well rested, the panther craved his
mate.

Since he’d fed, Kimberly would be safer. Robert’s
vampire-self would be less tempted by her blood. He returned to the manse by a
quicker route, constantly on alert for the interloper male panther.

He splashed into the deep end of the pool and swam to the
shallow side, allowing the clean water to cleanse his fur of what remained of
the meal. He padded up the steps onto the cement and shook off clinging water.

After entering through a private doorway, Robert pawed
across the tile floor and skulked up the stairs. Silence met him in the
hallway. Reaching her suite, he stood on hind legs and pulled down on the door
latch handle with his forepaws. The fastener released. Silently, he dropped to
all fours and used his muzzle to push open the door.

Kimberly slept fitfully.

He padded across the deep pile carpet and hunkered down at
the side of the bed, watching, watching her breasts rise and fall with each
breath. The panther curled his upper lip in a snarl at the thought of another
male cat stalking his territory so close to his mate. He wanted to leap upon
the bed and prove dominance.

Fear shot through Robert’s mind. He couldn’t allow the
animal to take Kimberly in panther form, although the image in his mind had
blood rushing to his cock. If the beast had her, she’d never recover from the
shock. There was a good chance she might be physically hurt.

From within the beast, Robert did his best to maintain
control, trying to keep the big cat from jumping onto the bed. The panther
fought him and raised a large paw onto the edge of the mattress, ready to
overpower Kimberly and take her as his own.

Robert forced his heavy-handed will, insisting the cat
recede. He suffered grueling discomfort. Bones snapped and stretched. He
emerged as a man. Ashamed of his naked state, and of what he imagined doing to
the woman before him, he turned away slowly and padded from the room.

* * *

Perspiration coated Kimberly’s skin when she woke in the
morning. A mockingbird’s stolen song sounded outside the window. She sat and
ran a shaky hand through tangled hair. Sun streamed in through the screens of
the open French doors. Even in the warm daylight, the nightmare seemed too
real, too frightening.

The dream remained the same. A stranger chased her to the
edge of a cliff before turning into a big tawny cat that attacked.

Inhaling a couple of deep breaths, she pushed away her
unease. A shower and then breakfast would be just the thing to set her
straight. Even though Robert had deserted her last night, she had no desire to
remain hidden within these rooms. The mansion was huge, but surely, she could
find the kitchen.

An hour later, she strolled down the stairs and into the
foyer with a bounce in her step. She planned to enjoy the day.

From the back of the house came the rambunctious sounds of
John, Davey, and Timothy. Glad to hear their voices, she headed in the
direction of the laughter and found the boys in a casual dining room with floor
to ceiling windows looking out on a tropical garden.

“Yo, ho. Look who’s here.” John jumped up and pulled out a
chair, winking at her before sitting back down.

She suppressed a grin and sat across from Davey. She tried
not to stare at the fading bruises covering his face and arms or at the cast.

“I’m doing much better,” he said.

Heat flashed her chest. “I’m sorry you were hurt because of
me.”

He sported a crooked smile. “Wasn’t your fault.”

“Of course not,” Robert said as he entered the room. He sat
in the chair next to Kimberly and pressed a thigh against hers. Heat radiated
through his slacks, heating the skin exposed below the hem of her shorts. Her
breasts tingled and her sex clenched.

Damn the man
.

All three boys quickly finished breakfast and made a beeline
for the door. As they disappeared a handsome sandy-haired young male server
dressed in black slacks entered the dining room. Kimberly made an effort not to
stare at the taut muscles and thick arms covered by a charcoal gray polo. He
served her a cup of coffee and placed a plate of bacon and eggs and grits in
front of her. Then he inclined his head and left.

There had been a time when all the pumped-up testosterone
from Robert’s staff would have made her uneasy. Now, she felt protected.

She glanced at Robert. It was hard to remain aggravated with
the man when he smiled as if she meant everything to him. He would keep her
safe.

“Aren’t you eating?” she asked.

“Nae. I have been awake for hours. I have already broken my
fast.”

Kimberly barely managed to keep a straight face. Sometimes
Robert said the oddest things. “Then you’re feeling well?”

“Aye,” he answered. “When you have eaten your meal, we will
take a tour of the research facility.”

“Super,” she said between delicious bites. “I’m really
curious.”

Robert grinned. “You? Curious? Never would have thought it.”

Kimberly ignored the sarcasm and continued eating. After
finishing the bacon and eggs, she pushed the plate away. She didn’t care much
for grits. “Ready when you are.”

“Great, let us be on our way.” Robert stood and pulled out
her chair.

They departed the house by way of a plant-filled sunroom.
With clasped hands, they strolled along a walkway weaving through the tranquil
garden. Koi jumped in a small pond. The orange-red blooms of trumpet vine
dangled overhead. The cement walk gave way to woodchips as they left the tended
garden and entered a woodland. The scent of pine resin tickled her nose, and
she stifled a sneeze. After a short stroll, they came to a large square
building that matched the Spanish style of the mansion. A covered veranda
wrapped around the three sides visible from their approach.

Robert dropped her hand and reached for the door handle.
“This building contains offices, labs, and containment cells for sick animals.
Two fifteen-acre enclosures are located elsewhere on the property for our
resident panthers.”

“I didn’t realize you kept panthers here all the time.”

“We have a couple of males that have become too comfortable
with humans to be released back into the wild. We hope to mate them with cats
from Texas.”

“That’s cool.”

Robert smiled. “I think so.”

He opened the door. A blast of frigid air struck Kimberly,
forming goose bumps on her bare arms as she stepped into the air-conditioned building
from the muggy outdoors.

“Are you cold? Maybe you should go back to the house for a
sweater.”

“I’ll be fine once I get use to the temperature change.” She
gave him a smile and shivered.

“You’re sure?” He looked doubtful.

“Sure.”

“If you say so.”

She nodded and followed Robert along a corridor of closed
doors until he stopped in front of a plate glass window. Inside, a young woman
fed a small cat with black spots from a baby bottle. Two other young cats sat
in an animal carrier on a stainless steel lab table.

“I was told these kittens were rescued from the side of the
road after a car killed their mother on a highway south of here,” Robert said
with a frown.

The kittens were beyond cute. It was hard to believe they
would grow into full-sized panthers. Her nightmare from the evening before
replayed in her mind, and she shivered again.

“You are cold.”

“I’m fine.”

He stared at her for a moment then turned. “Come on.”

She followed him along the hall, past window after window
where men and women, dressed in white lab coats, worked with test tubes and
microscopes.

“All of this in an attempt to save an endangered species?”
Kimberly asked when they stopped in front of a closed door. “You must be
proud.”

“Aye.” Robert’s cinnamon eyes glistened. “We have field biologists,
veterinarians, geneticists, along with other specialists working on a
solution.”

“What about
your
blood disease?”

His hand froze on the doorknob. She took a step back when
his hard stare locked on her, his emotions masked. “Doctors and scientists are
working on a cure as we speak,” he said softly.

“Sorry.” Kimberly hadn’t meant to remind him of his helpless
situation.

He looked away and opened the door. “There is someone I want
you to meet.”

She followed him into a well-appointed office suite. Several
nerdy types stood around a whiteboard, while others sat at a small round
conference table. Absorbed by what they were doing, they didn’t notice Robert
and Kimberly standing inside the doorway.

Robert stepped farther into the room. “Doctor?”

Heads snapped up. Jaws dropped. Faces paled as if they
looked at an apparition.

“Robert? This is a surprise.” A very composed, platinum
blond bombshell, dressed in a short black skirt, red silk blouse, and opened
lab coat, rose from one of the chairs and walked toward them.

“Dr. Knight, I would introduce you to Kimberly Scot, one of
my crewmembers.”

Crewmember?
Is that all she was to him? Kimberly
tilted her head to look at Robert. His features were impassive. She returned
her gaze to the other woman.

The doctor shook Kimberly’s hand without making eye contact.
The woman’s green peepers had locked onto Robert and hadn’t strayed.

“It’s good to see you,” she said rather breathlessly. “I
didn’t expect you…this early in the day.”

“I will explain later,” Robert said.

“What kind of doctor are you?” Kimberly blurted. She was
probably rude to inquire, but the green-eyed monster had stung.

Someone coughed. Everyone in the office stared at Robert.

He cleared his throat. “Is there nae work to do?”

All the geeks scattered, and one by one left the office.

“I’m an ethnologist.” Dr. Knight’s heavily tinted, red lips
curved into a caricature of a smile.

“Patrice is sort of a psychoanalyst who interprets dreams,”
Robert interjected.

“Really? I’ve been having strange recurring nightmares
myself. Maybe you could tell me what they mean?” Kimberly challenged.

“I’ll certainly try. Tell us about them.”

Idiot!
Kimberly wanted to kick herself. What had she
been thinking to travel down this path? “I didn’t mean—”

“If you’d rather Robert not listen…”

“Are you keeping secrets from me, Kimberly?” he teased.

“No, of course not. I don’t care if you hear.”

“Wonderful.” Dr. Knight waved toward the brown velour sofa
in the sitting area of the office. “Please, take a seat on the couch and tell
us about your dreams.”

Kimberly chewed on the inside of her lip. Why had she
impulsively asked the doctor to analyze the dream? Robert would think her crazy
when he heard the details.