“There’s no time,” Timur said. He yanked her to him, relieved that she was alive and no one—human or cat—had touched her. “Get moving, baby.” He turned his attention to his men. “There’s more of them in this house. Find them. Be careful. They have a plan.”
“They can’t know the layout of the house,” Kyanite said. “We barely know it.”
“Timur.” Ashe was firm. “It isn’t going to do you any good if that blood gets into your eyes and obscures your vision. There’s a bathroom right here, let me look under the sink.”
He gripped her upper arm hard but detoured with her into the bathroom. “Evangeline had her brother visit not too long ago. What the hell was his name? It was Cajun. Ambroise. He was here. She took him on the tour of the house. Wasn’t her father here as well? I wasn’t here that day.”
Ashe pulled a first aid kit from under the sink, opened it and pressed a cold cloth to the long rake mark. She closed it with several butterfly bandages and then nodded. “You’re good. Where to?”
She was all business in a war zone. Timur loved her all the more for that. “Kye, they’re in the house. They’re concealing themselves. I feel them here. Tell all the men to be watchful and ready to shift instantly. No shoes. Get them off.” His shoes had slowed him down and if his attacker had had more actual fighting experience, then he could have been in trouble. “Stay right behind me, Ashe. We’re heading to the safe room.”
“That’s what they want you to do,” Ashe said as she fell into step behind him.
“What?” Timur whipped around to face her. “What did you say?”
“She showed her brother around the house, but she wouldn’t have told him about the safe room. Even if she had, she wouldn’t have shown it to him. Evangeline was very leery when she talked to me about her family. Even if they reconciled, I don’t think she’d trust them all that much. She’s sweet, Timur, but she remembers and she’s careful.”
Timur knew those things about his sister-in-law, about her being careful, but he hadn’t taken the time to find out about her family. What did he know? She had two older brothers—Ambroise and Christophe. Her grandfather, Buford Tregre, had been a monster, and her father had taken her out to the swamp to hide her existence from the man. She’d grown up mostly alone, certainly not close to her family.
Her father and uncle had been involved in the sale of opium, although both denied they knew much about the business. As far as he knew, Ambroise and Christophe weren’t involved at all. But someone was, and that someone had access to a scent-blocker that tied back to Evangeline’s family.
Timur stood in the center of the room, away from the walls and any place a leopard might conceal itself before an attack. He stared down into Ashe’s upturned face. She was right. Their enemy might know the layout of the house, but they wouldn’t know about the safe room. They wouldn’t know where Fyodor and Evangeline were hidden. He’d been about to lead their enemy straight to his brother’s hideout.
“I need somewhere safe to stash you.”
“I need to stay with you,” Ashe denied. “I’m not going to play the crazy heroine, Timur. I’m quite fine leaving all fighting up to you.”
He thought it over. He would much rather have her under his wing then somewhere in the house where he couldn’t see if she was safe or not. The leopards could smell them. Worse, her female was throwing off some strong pheromones. Every male leopard for miles would know she was in heat and he’d …
“I can’t believe I’m about to say this, but is there any chance you can get your female to react in some way to what is going on?”
Her long lashes fluttered and then comprehension dawned. He half expected her to be angry that he might use her that way, but she grinned at him, the mischievous one that turned his insides to mush.
“Bring your male close to the surface.”
He cupped the side of her face, needing to touch her. Right there, in the middle of a potential war zone, he found himself falling deeper under her spell. He reached for his big male. Come close and call to your mate.
At once Temnyy climbed toward the surface, pushing at his muscles and skin. The familiar itch moved over him like a wave. Then Temnyy was there, staring out of his eyes to look at the woman who carried his mate.
Ashe smiled at him. “There you are. I see you.” Deliberately she stepped closer and laid her hand on Timur’s chest, right over his heart.
At once the leopard scented the potent female as she rose in Ashe toward her mate. She was coquettish, rubbing along the walls of her prison, but Timur could see her, those darker rings spreading through the amber of Ashe’s eyes. Her scent permeated the room. All those pheromones telling every male leopard she was in heat. Ready. Or close to ready. His big male was fighting him for control, and Timur remained steadfast in his authority. The last thing he needed was for his leopard to be in command.