{"product_id":"leopards-blood-isbn-9780399583971","title":"Leopard's Blood","description":"\u003cb\u003e#1 \u003ci\u003eNew York Times \u003c\/i\u003ebestselling author Christine Feehan cuts straight to the heart of a man who stalks the shadows in an intoxicating Leopard novel.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003e \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThough he was born into a leopard’s lair in the bayou, Joshua Tregre’s fighting skills were honed in the rain forests of Borneo. Sleek and deadly, he’s the perfect man to take over a crime syndicate back home in Louisiana’s lush swamplands. His razor-sharp instincts give him an edge in the violent underworld he knows so well, but even the watchful leopard inside him isn’t prepared for the threat that comes from the girl next door...\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e She is a woman who can create beauty out of thin air—and out of the ruins of her own life. The games that dangerous men play have taken their toll on her, but she is bent, not broken. And it’s her fierce spirit that’s like a lure to Joshua, a temptation he can’t resist—even if it means bringing his true nature into the light...\u003cb\u003ePraise for #1 \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e bestselling author Christine Feehan and her Leopard novels\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e “The queen of paranormal romance…I love everything she does.”—J. R. Ward\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e “[A] dark and seductive paranormal romance series.”—HeroesandHeartbreakers.com\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e “Heart-stopping action. Crazy sexy-time scenes. Tender emotions.”—Harlequin Junkie\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e “Hot-blooded…intense and thrilling…You don’t want to miss it!”—Joyfully Reviewed\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e “With a Feehan novel you know you will get well-developed characters and...a dose of sizzling sexuality...an unbeatable mix.”—\u003ci\u003eRT Book Reviews\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cb\u003eChristine Feehan\u003c\/b\u003e is the #1 \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e bestselling author of the Carpathian series (\u003ci\u003eDark Legacy\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eDark Carousel\u003c\/i\u003e), the GhostWalker series (\u003ci\u003ePower Game\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eSpider Game\u003c\/i\u003e), the Leopard series (\u003ci\u003eLeopard’s Fury\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eWild Cat\u003c\/i\u003e), the Shadow Riders series (\u003ci\u003eShadow Reaper\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eShadow Rider\u003c\/i\u003e), and the Sea Haven novels, including the Drake Sisters series (\u003ci\u003eHidden Currents\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eTurbulent Sea\u003c\/i\u003e), and the Sisters of the Heart series (\u003ci\u003eBound Together\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eFire Bound\u003c\/i\u003e).1\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Nights in the swamp were often sultry. Heat and moisture drifted      through the cypress groves and clung to the long shawls of lacy      Spanish moss hanging from crooked branches. The long-fringed      drapes swayed in the slight breeze, adding a macabre feel to the      already eerie night. Frogs chorused loudly, hundreds of them,      calling out joyously while raccoons slipped noiselessly down to      the duckweed-filled water to wash their paws. Two bull alligators      challenged for territory, their bellows reverberating through the      air.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Sonia Lopez followed the narrow game trail, the one she'd widened      over the last few weeks that led deeper into the swamp. Insects      droned all around her, a loud cacophony of sound. None stopped      when she stepped lightly along the ground, a tribute to the fact      that she'd spent every night for the last two months learning      every inch of the piece of swamp that belonged to her. She owned      forty acres and wanted to become acquainted with all of it. For      this. She'd known it was coming, and she was very, very glad she'd      prepared.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"We're almost there,\" she whispered softly. \"Hold on. I know it's      hard.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Something moved beneath her skin, a wave that pushed outward and      then slid away, leaving behind a horrible itch that made her want      to scratch until she bled. Her joints ached. She burned in her      most feminine core, a savage, brutal need driving her deeper and      deeper into the swamp. She was on fire. Every part of her, her      body so sensitive, clothing hurt. Every movement brushed streaks      of fire from her breasts to her sex. She ached. She needed. The      only safe place she had was the swamp.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e The grunt of a wild boar had her quickening her step. She had to      get to the very heart of the swamp where she'd constructed a small      blind, just big enough so she could have a thin mattress, strip,      leave her clothing in relative safety and shift. Hurry. Hurry.      Hurry. The words thundered in her ears accompanied by the drumming      of her heart.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Sonia had allowed her leopard to run free when there was      opportunity, ever since that first, shocking, terrifying      appearance when the cat had saved her life. It had never been like      this. This . . . this . . . necessity. She breathed deep as her      joints began to pop. Her knuckles were on fire, the ache becoming      a terrible pain that wouldn't let up. \"Wait. Just try for me,      Gatita. Just try to hang on. We're close.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e She didn't dare let her cat loose anywhere near civilization. Not      now. Not ever, but now was the most important. Gatita was      definitely in heat. That meant Sonia was in heat and couldn't be      any place a man might be. She didn't trust herself. She had had no      idea the heat would be so intense, such a terrible force driving      her beyond all endurance.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Her leopard was in need, and if the way her body was burning was      any indication, her cat was going up in flames. She tried running,      but stumbled when her toes began to curl down. The blind was just      ahead and she threw herself forward those last few feet, tugging      her shirt over her head and pulling off her shoes. Her jeans were      next. She was usually good about folding clothes and being neat,      but there was no time. Her female was in trouble, and Sonia was      driven to help her.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Nothing had prepared her for the brutal hunger, the need filling      her mind and body until she wanted to scream. Nothing helped.      She'd tried. Toys. Fingers. She'd given up, sobbing, standing      under the cold of the shower until she realized that wouldn't      help. Nothing would help. And it was far worse for Gatita.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e She found herself on her hands and knees, breathing as deeply as      possible to ease the pain of the shifting. Her skull hurt, feeling      too tight. Her jaw, her toes and fingers. Every muscle and joint.      Still, the pain helped her forget, for that one terrible moment,      the relentless hunger swamping her.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Shifting only took seconds now that she'd practiced, but those      seconds were excruciating. Then her leopard was there, sleek,      agile and beautiful. She was on the smaller side, her fur thick      with so many black rosettes that one appeared to touch another      from her head to the top of her tail. Her coat looked black with      traces of thin, gleaming golden rings appearing to streak around      the black. All leopard patterns were unique, but Sonia was a      little vain about her cat's fur. She thought Gatita was beautiful      and her fur different and rare. Of course, that meant she had to      be more protective than ever.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e There had been no time to gather clothes and shove them into the      pack to put around Gatita's neck, so she knew she would have to      get the leopard to return to the blind where she'd set up the      small mattress for the cat to rest on after her run. She urged the      leopard back into the swamp, whispering encouragement.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Run it off, peque–o Gatita, for both of us, run it off.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Gatita had never been in heat before. Sonia knew it could last a      week or even a few days longer than that. It was going to be hell      for both of them. She'd known she'd have to face the female's heat      sometime, but she hadn't thought about the possibility that what      her leopard felt she would feel.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Letting Gatita run free was a little on the dangerous side. As a      rule, Sonia knew she had no trouble controlling her, but right      now, she could barely control herself. Every cell in her body      demanded she find a man. Any man would do at this point. She had      taken time off work, avoided town and wished she'd thought to      board up her home with steel plates on the windows and doors so      neither of them could escape. Letting the leopard run in the swamp      was better than both suffering and tearing up the house she was      working so hard to restore.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Gatita ran through the swamp, leaping over rotting tree trunks      covered with moss. The fog had begun to drift in, fingers of mist      creeping through the trees, adding to the mystery and beauty of      the land. An owl screeched as it missed its prey. The two      alligators continued to bellow and posture.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Sonia, hidden deep in the leopard, cautioned her to stay away from      the water's edge. The big bull alligator would defend his      territory. He was nearly thirteen feet long and up to any      challenge from an upstart coming into his world. The male had      twelve females in his three-mile range, and he wasn't going to      give even one of them up. Her leopard didn't need to be food for      any of them, especially when the male was so aggressive.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e The little female placed her paws delicately on the damp leaves      and vegetation making up the swamp floor. Leaping effortlessly      over the termites eating the rotting trunks, she landed in      absolute silence. Sonia admired the way Gatita could be so utterly      quiet as she moved through brush and trees so fast. She'd      constructed the blind as close to the middle of the swamp that she      called her own as possible, giving the leopard as much of a      territory as she could.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Her property included a good forty acres of land, mostly swamp no      one wanted, and was ideal for her. She had the road to the front      of her property, swamp to the back of her property, fanning out to      meet the edges of two other properties, one just swamp land and      one her neighbor, a huge piece of property that seemingly had      endless acres of swamp. That gave her leopard a good-sized      territory to roam.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Gatita rubbed her head and body everywhere, all over the trees and      bushes. She scent-marked and called loudly for a mate. There was      nothing Sonia could do about that. She knew the sound would travel      for miles, but she couldn't force the heat-driven cat to stop      vocalizing her need.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Abruptly, Gatita halted and then lifted her muzzle into the air.      Every whisker reported back to her, a radar telling her everything      about the neighborhood, who was in it and where. The whiskers      could even extend over her mouth to give her the exact location      and distance of her prey or enemy so she could deliver a killing      bite.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Without warning, Gatita let out a distinctly different call, one      that sent chills down Sonia's spine. It wasn't the fact that the      noise was like a rusty saw going through a block of wood, it was      the fact that the little female leopard was calling out to      something . . . or someone.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e What are you doing? Sonia hissed, but she knew. The female had      come across the scent of a male in his prime. He had marked the      territory for his own. What were the odds? Louisiana didn't have      leopards, did it? Granted, she didn't know that much about the      state, or the swamp she had just moved to, but she'd been certain      there were no leopards. There might be a mountain lion or two, but      certainly not a leopard.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e She found herself tense, worried for her female. The last thing      she wanted was a fight between her leopard and a male cougar. She      should have checked the area much more carefully. She'd fallen in      love with the house. She'd needed a place for her leopard. The      house and land were perfect for them both, and, most importantly,      the seller had wanted out. She'd fallen into the best job possible      for her. Everything had seemed so right, but her female couldn't      fight a male and win.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Let's go back, she whispered. Turn around.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Gatita ignored her and rubbed and sprayed all along the trees,      leaving her alluring scent for males to find her. Every six or so      minutes she called out as she moved through the swamp. The third      time Gatita called, a sawing roar filled the swamp in answer,      nearly stopping Sonia's heart. There was no mistaking that sound.      It was a leopard. The call was very distinctive. By the sound of      it, the animal wasn't small.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Heart pounding, she tried to exert some control over the little      female, but the cat was too far gone, too in need from her heat.      In all her wildest imaginings, Sonia had never once considered      this scenario. She'd been afraid the female might get loose around      people, that a hunter might discover her. She'd feared that she      might react to the cat's heat and attack some innocent man at a      bar, which was the reason she'd holed up at her house. But the      last thing she'd thought of was that a male leopard might be close      by-close enough to hear Gatita calling out in need and readiness.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e The little hussy continued her call as she rubbed her scent over      every tree and bush in the vicinity. Sonia knew the moment the big      male parted the brush to discover her little female. Gatita swung      around to face him, hissing a warning, but then rubbing      seductively along a tree trunk to entice him.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e He was big. Roped muscles moved beneath the thick coat of fur.      There were a few scars on him, declaring him a veteran fighter.      Sonia took a breath as she studied him from behind the eyes of her      female. He was definitely in his prime. Gatita was pleased,      practically vibrating with excitement.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e A mate worthy of us. Her purring was more felt than heard. Her      words, not words but images and the feeling of intense      satisfaction.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Sonia knew there was no point in protesting. Gatita deserved a      mate. More, the heat was intense, burning the two of them until      they both thought they might go insane. Sonia hadn't known a drive      could be so powerful. She tried not to think about the problems      that could arise from this pairing.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e She knew it was too late to stop the two leopards from mating. The      male had the scent of the ready female, and he wouldn't give her      up. That was evident in the way he took charge, close, but not too      close. He patiently followed her when she moved away from him. She      played like a seductive kitten, and the large cat watched, moving      closer to her, rubbing his fur along hers and shouldering her.      Rather than rebuff him, Gatita nuzzled him back.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Her female moaned softly and rolled onto her back, legs in the      air. She came to her feet, her rump raised, her long tail lashing      as she presenting her alluring body to the male. She brushed her      head and body on everything she could, providing him with      temptation. She approached him, signaling he was her choice. She      rubbed her face along his, nuzzling him repeatedly. He responded,      rubbing his scent all over her. They moved off together again,      going deeper into the swamp, the male allowing the female to lead      him.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e He chuffed. She answered. She moved a few steps from him and      crouched. The male was on her before Gatita could rebuff him, a      common practice with females. As the male extended his back,      leaning over the female, Sonia retreated to give them privacy. The      male took the female without hesitation, moving in her over and      over. Eventually he let out a long growl just before sinking his      teeth into the female's shoulder, holding her in place.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e The male held her still for several long moments, and then he      released her from his teeth and simultaneously leapt away. She      growled and swiped at him with her paw, ran a few feet and      collapsed, her sides heaving. The male approached her cautiously.      When she showed no signs of attacking him, he rubbed his face over      hers and then, while she slept, paced around her, scent-marking      the trees, making certain that any other male leopard knew this      was his territory and his female.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e The big male rubbed his face over Gatita's, nuzzling her several      times. She rose, and the two of them started all over again. They      found a small stream that trickled through the swamp and both      drank and rested between their rough sex. As the night began to      wane, the female led the male back toward the blind Sonia had set      up so they could rest after the female's run.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Gatita collapsed on the mattress, shifting as she did so. Sonia      found herself completely naked, the terrible burning hunger not in      the least assuaged. Every cell in her body was on fire. She needed      a man more than she needed air to breathe.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e It was still dark. All around her the cacophony of insects was so      loud it drowned out everything, until she heard the exhale. Her      body stiffened. She felt the focused stare. Her heart nearly      stopped beating and then began to pound. Her mouth went dry. Very      slowly she turned her head and found herself staring into the eyes      of the huge male.","brand":"Berkley","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46302282711269,"sku":"NP9780399583971","price":9.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1842\/7735\/files\/9780399583971.jpg?v=1767731314","url":"https:\/\/k12savings.com\/products\/leopards-blood-isbn-9780399583971","provider":"K12savings","version":"1.0","type":"link"}