Read Leopard 01 - The Awakening for Free Online

first time she noticed how incredibly large her green eyes were. Her pupils were tiny pinpricks in the light of day, protecting her eyes from the bright glare of daylight, although there was little sun. She stared, wondering at the illumination of her vivid green eyes as she spread toothpaste onto her brush. Her heart stopped, slamming hard in her chest, as she exposed her small white teeth. Sharpened canines gleamed at her, a wicked addition to her delicate looks.
    Maggie covered her mouth, frightened, of the strange illusion. It had to be an illusion. Very slowly she took her hand away and stared at her exposed teeth. They were perfectly straight. Perfectly normal. She was losing her mind. Maybe Jayne had been right and she didn’t belong in such a primitive setting. She had loved the thought of it for so long, maybe she was just too susceptible. On the other hand, it was the only time in her life she would be able to learn about her parents. She had never been a timid woman, or a nervous one. She had no fear of traveling on her own. She was well versed in martial arts and had confidence in herself in a tight situation, although here, in the wild forest, she felt so different, so unlike Maggie Odessa. Yet it wasn’t in her to run.

    She dressed with care, as lightly as possible. The humidity was oppressive. Her hair was twisted into a neat French braid and pinned to the top of her head like a crown. It left her neck bare. She found her lace bra and matching panties, scraps of material she hoped wouldn’t rub against her skin in the heavy cloying air. She was not making the same mistake twice, being caught without her bra in the middle of a tropical rainstorm.
    She had very little time to research her parents’ history. She was determined to make every moment count. As she ran down the stairs, she prepared a mental list of questions for Brandt Talbot.
    Brandt stood up as she entered the kitchen, and every single word in her head melted away. Scattered.
    Dissipated so that she just stood in the doorway staring at him. He made her weak. Actually weak when she looked at him. Maggie feared if she tried to speak she might stammer. His effect was overpowering.
    He smiled at her, and a thousand butterfly wings brushed at the pit of her stomach. As he came toward her, he moved in absolute silence, not even his clothing daring to rustle. He took her breath away.
    Maggie had never been so susceptible to anyone before and it was exceedingly uncomfortable.
    She forced an answering smile. “Thank you for spending the night in the house with me. I really wouldn’t have been so foolish as to try to take a walk around the grounds but it’s nice to know someone was worried.” Self-consciously, she seated herself in the high-backed chair he held out for her. “I suppose you have the keys to the house?”
    “Yes, of course. I reside here most of the time. The forest has a way of reclaiming what belongs to it very quickly. The creeper vines wind beneath the eaves if I don’t stay alert.” He sat facing her at the end of the table.
    Maggie watched his strong fingers find a mango wedge and bring it to his mouth. Strong teeth bit down. Her entire body clenched in response. She forced herself to look away from him. “Can you tell me anything about my parents? I was adopted at the age of three and really don’t remember anything at all.”
    Brandt watched her expressive face, the conflicting emotions chasing across it. Maggie was fighting her attraction to him, determined to ignore it. She was much more potent up close. The chemistry between them sizzled and arced so that the very air around them was electric. “All of us in the forest know of your parents, Maggie,” he said softly, watching her closely. The mango tasted sweet, the juice trickling down his throat like the finest wine, but it couldn’t take her place. She would taste sweeter, more intoxicating.
    “Tell me then.” She took a cautious sip of the juice and was