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pants on. We’re going to talk. That is what you came here for.” The words squeezed out before she could rein them back in, but maybe it was for the better.
    She wasn’t sure she could take him turning her down because of her gifts. Maybe she was too eager to use the best-defense-is-a-good-offense tactic, but it was easier—and safer—for both of them. He stood there for a moment defiantly. She crossed her arms over her chest and waited. Having a naked stare down didn’t make her feel very comfortable, but on this, she stood her ground. She couldn’t have him finding out about her familiar.
    Growling, he threw up his arms before turning his back, and sexy ass, on her. He padded across the living room toward the kitchen.
    She found herself having a hard time looking away, but she did. Walking toward her bedroom, she heard faint movement behind the closed door. She’d locked Kira into the bathroom. What the hell? She slowly turned the doorknob.
    “Here are your clothes,” Connor said from the living room.
    A heavy black blur knocked into her, tossing her to the ground, and hurtling toward Connor. Angelique rolled to her stomach to see Kira with her paws on Connor’s chest. Her lips pulled back from long, sharp fangs.
    “Ki—”
    Connor tossed the black panther aside as if she weighed nothing. He jumped to his feet. An animalistic intensity radiated from his half-naked body, and he growled. Instead of green like usual, Connor’s eyes were amber. That couldn’t be possible. “Go to your bedroom and shut the door, Angel. I’ll take care of this.” Connor’s deep voice had a gravelly pitch unlike anything she’d heard from him before.
    Angelique’s attention turned to Kira. She didn’t have time to argue with Connor. He wouldn’t be able to fend off the familiar. She was a freaking black panther! She sent a wave of energy warning Kira not to do anything, but Kira tossed her head to the side and huffed.
    She leapt toward Connor again. With a glance back at him, Angelique watched his hands transform into deadly claws.
    “No!” she shouted, but it was too late. Pain lanced her side, and she stumbled as Kira released a chilling howl of pain.
     

Chapter Four
     
     
    Connor hovered over the large black panther. He gripped the cat’s head with one hand, and his other was poised and ready to slash elongated claws across its exposed throat. At Angelique’s scream, his attention jerked to her. Angelique lay on the floor holding her side, which had dark bruising spread across it. His eyebrows knit together in concern.
    “Don’t do it. Please.” Pain etched into her face, and he looked at the panther. Something didn’t fit. He’d wounded the cat in exactly that area. “What’s going on, Angel?”
    He carefully eased himself off the big cat. He wasn’t stupid. He wouldn’t leave himself open to another attack. Yet something was off. The beast had come from Angelique’s bedroom. Since when did she keep exotic animals in her home? He took a deep breath, and while the black panther smelled like a melanistic leopard, Angelique’s scent mingled with the big cat’s. They had some kind of a connection.
    Connor crossed the room to her, forcing his hand to shift back to normal. He propped her head in his lap and brushed her hair away from her face. His attention shifted to the panther as it slowly got to its feet, and he frowned. “Talk to me.”
    “I…I don’t know what to say,” she said, reaching out her hand to the big cat. Beneath her breath, she murmured, “Kira, what the hell?”
    The big cat sauntered over to them stiffly.
    Connor opened his mouth to say something, but he froze. His heart slammed against the wall of his chest. He’d rip the beast to pieces if it tried to hurt her. His jaw dropped as the panther leaned into Angelique’s hand.
    She ran her fingers over its head and sleek, black body, stopping near where he’d slashed the beast. Blood trickled over Angelique’s fingers, and she