Leopard Moon

Chapter Five

Sek sat by the pool, gazing at nothing. Some of his clan lounged beside the pool or swam in it, clad in swimwear that showed off the lean lines of their bodies. Some wore nothing at all. It wasn’t like anyone was terribly body shy in this part of the world. He took a sip of vodka, leaning back to stare at the stars. He was almost glad the moon was still present in the sky; he had no interest in changing tonight, no interest in the hunt. When the moon was dark, it would mean he had to lead his brethren out as an example. Tonight he could just laze by the water and think.

She was always in his head these days. It was becoming difficult to focus on even the simplest tasks without thoughts of her intruding. All of his plans for the future hinged on her. He hated the idea of her being out there alone, without him, with no one to watch over her. No one to love her as he had tried to do.

His eyes roved over those sharing the pool with him. Their numbers were not what they should be. He knew all of the clan was not present--this was an informal gathering, not one of the clan's required amusements--but it was still less populated than he liked. They were dwindling.

His stomach clenched. Dwindling wasn’t the word. They were dying. At his father's orders, he had put Miami in a stranglehold to keep out intruders, to keep anyone from knowing how small the clan had become. They weren’t vulnerable--not yet--but it wasn’t going to be long before the barbarians would storm the gates. He refused to have his people swept away and lost to time. Not while he could do something about it.

If Kess returned all of this would change. He could revitalize the clan, they could be powerful once again. He talked to his father about the results of his research, but Darius dismissed most of it as ancient history, and would not even listen to what was required. He'd even ordered Sek to stop the research and stop searching for Kess. It was not the first time Sek had ignored his father's orders, but he had to be careful not to overplay his hand. He passed a hand over his eyes, head aching. When he removed his hand, Bomani stood before him, huge and silent as a sphinx.

"What is it?" Weariness made his voice rough. He cleared his throat and looked at the clan counsel.

"Another incursion," the older were said, voice neutral. "Hyenas. It has been dealt with and the parties involved have been removed from the area. I've already informed your father."

Sek got up. His father still handled their dealings with the clan of jaguars from South America. Darius allowed them to move their merchandise through Miami--and it was a good idea to not get too curious about what was being moved--but it was Sek who was in charge of protecting the clan's borders. This incursion was not the first, nor would it be the last. Miami was a jewel that many coveted, but the hyenas had been growing bolder lately. His methods when dealing with interlopers had always been harsh. It appeared the deterrent was no longer effective, or perhaps they were testing him. He had expected it.

He went inside. Bomani followed him without a word. Sek stalked through the halls, headed to the front of the house. He had discussed his plans for the future with Bomani before, but wasn't sure if the clan advisor really believed everything he had told him. He, with the help of genealogists, had traced their particular clan lineage to the Egyptian pharaohs, and he believed that until they returned to the purity of their ancestors, they would never be as strong as they once were. Their line had become diluted, sullied, polluted by lesser creatures. His plan was to restore their line and ensure their prosperity for generations to come.

But to do that he needed his sister.

He opened the front door and stepped outside, walking through the lush grass to face the ocean. He remembered how he and Kess used to take turns burying each other in the sand, the hot sun baking their bones until they thought they'd liquefy. He remembered the humid nights, the black canvas of sky pressing close on them as they raced side by side through the Everglades. He remembered and he missed her. He missed the scent of her, the sound of her voice as she talked about some ridiculous incident at school, her presence in the sprawling house they had shared. Everything felt so empty without her.

How could he explain the lack of her to anyone so they would understand? It had been the two of them for so long. Father had never gotten over the loss of their mother and had left them to their own devices. But he'd seen to it that Kess never wanted for anything, that she never felt the lack of their father.

And she'd left him.

"Any word?" he asked, as he always did.

Bomani's silence was his answer. "Hire more men. Find her."

"Your father..."

Sek cut him off. "FIND. HER." He didn't care what his father might say about it.

Perhaps Darius had led the clan astray; maybe they were being punished. That could be why the clan dwindled, why no new werecats had been born into the clan since Kess. Sek tapped his cheek absently. It bore more thought certainly. 

He felt Bomani leave. Then he stood alone for a long time staring out at the blackened ocean.