He shook his head. "No." It was absolute and final.

He simply wasn't going to tell me.

*182 *35*.

warrior 183.

"For heaven's sake, Rafe! What could possibly be so bad?"

I waited for his reply, but he remained silent.

"You know very well that I'll probably find out before this is all over," I grumbled, "but you always were a stubborn man."

Leo brought me a bowl of soup and as I sat sipping it, huddled in my blankets against the cold, I decided I'd better press my advantage before Rafe had the chance to conveniently forget he'd said anything of the kind.

"Very well, then, Rafe," I said briskly. "I'm taking you up on that offer. Leo is mine now, and I won't insist that you tell me the whole story-though it would help to have some idea of what we're up against."

"Someone has taken my sons," he said slowly, as though he'd never spoken those words before. "And I intend to get them back."

"No joke," I muttered into my soup. "You're a regular master of the obvious, aren't you?" I looked up at him from where I sat beneath my little tent. He looked so solitary, standing there silhouetted against the fire with the snow falling all around him, and for the first time, I almost pitied him. Whatever this dilemma of his was, it was weighing heavily on him-but if he wouldn't share it, it remained his problem, not mine. "I have your word, then. This slave belongs to me now."

"Yes," Rafe replied. "It means little enough to me now whether I own him or not, Tisana, but I do need your help. I cannot do this alone."

"Good," I said shortly. "Then if you want our help, you can stop treating him like a slave, because from this moment on, Leo is a free man." Just saying those *183 *35*.

184.

Cheryl Brooks words aloud filled me with a happiness that even now, I find difficult to describe. I turned to Leo, who had gone over to retrieve Rafe's cup from the snow and was now returning to refill it, and though the wind had begun to howl, I had no doubt that he had taken in every word of my conversation with Rafe. "Did you hear that, Leo?"

I shouted joyously into the wind. "He doesn't own you anymore, and neither do I! You are free to do as you wish-and to say what you feel. I'd like to hear what you have to say about all of this. You've been much too quiet on this journey."

If I'd expected him to do a little dance or jump for joy, I would have been disappointed, for Leo merely filled Rafe's cup with the steaming stew and gave it to him.

"We need to plan our attack," he said. "And to do that, we must know what is ahead of us." He fixed his tawny eyes on me, adding, "We need a bird-one would do, but several of them would be best."

If only he'd asked for anything else-you know, like my undying love and devotion, a child, a new shirt, or something reasonable-I would have given it to him readily, but birds? "I don't do well with birds," I said ruefully. "Royillis was one of the few I've ever dealt with successfully. Birds are, well, a bit flighty."

"Now who's master of the obvious?" Rafe remarked snidely.

"Oh, shut up, Rafe," I snapped grumpily. "I'm too cold and tired and-"

"Happy? Pregnant?" he suggested.

"Well, all of those things, actually," I admitted. "It's just that I can't promise anything when it comes to birds."

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warrior 185.

"Well then, what about an otterell?" he suggested helpfully. "They can fly, but they aren't truly birds."

"Oh, no!" I groaned. "Not otterells! They're even worse! They're...well, they're...just plain weird! They talk in riddles and getting them to report on anything would be a waste of time because it might take days to decipher whatever they tell you-if I could talk one into doing it at all."

"Okay, then," said Rafe. "No otterells. But what about the smaller birds? There are plenty of them around."

"You don't understand, Rafe!" I said desperately.

"When someone calls you a birdbrain, it isn't exactly a compliment! I might be able to hear their thoughts, but they don't even know that I'm the one trying to talk to them, and they don't seem to care, either. No, to tell us what's up ahead, we're going to have to rely on Max and Gerald-unless Royillis ever does come back, and like I said, he's about the only bird I've ever tried to talk to that had any sense at all. He seemed to think he might be able to help, but, you know how birds are."

"Yes," Leo said with a grin. "They are...flighty." He hesitated a long moment before saying anything more, as though he were thinking something over very carefully before saying it aloud. "I thank you for setting me free, but I do not wish to have my freedom, if it means that I will be parted from you. Forgive me for not saying this before, but I do love you, Tisana," he said, his voice gentle and sincere. "Very much." Giving me a one-armed hug, he added, "You are..." I waited as he paused once more to consider his words. "You are mine," he said finally. "And I am yours."

*185 *36*.

186.

Cheryl Brooks It sounded like a vow to me, so I kissed him to seal that vow-right there in full view of his most recent master.

"Oh, please!" Rafe begged. "No more of that!"

I couldn't help but smile. "What's the matter, Rafe?"

I taunted him. "Can't stand a little romance? Or is it that you miss your wife and wish she were with us?"

"No."

He said it so quickly and abruptly that it seemed best not to say anything more on the subject-so I ignored him, focusing my attention on Leo, instead. "I love you, too, Leo," I said firmly. "You're the one."

Rafe groaned and stalked several paces away from our tent. If he didn't miss Carnita, it was probably because he was angry with her for some reason and that he wasn't in the mood for anyone else's brand of wedded bliss was equally apparent. It did occur to me that Rafe might have been feeling irked by the knowledge that his so-called slave wound up being the one to father my child, something at which he himself had failed, but it was still odd that Rafe would be angry with Carnita-and at such a time, too. After all, she was the boy's mother! What could he possibly have to hold against her for their disappearance? Or was it something else? Trust Rafe not to elucidate, I thought.

He was about as forthcoming as the otterells he'd spoken of.

"Hey, Rafe," I called after him. "We'll stop kissing if you'll answer one little question. Are your sons truly in danger? Could we possibly wait until spring to go and get them?"

"I cannot promise to stop kissing you," Leo put in.

"Whether he answers your question or not."

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warrior 187.

"Well, me either, actually," I admitted. "But I'd still like to know." Actually, the more I thought about it, the more I realized that I couldn't have even begun to keep my promise, for Leo's lips were begging to be kissed.

"Never mind, Rafe," I murmured, leaning toward those beckoning lips. "Forget I asked."

Leo met me halfway, and our lips melted together.

The warmth emanating from that point of our fusion grew and spread, clear down to my toes. He was the one, all right. There could be no doubt about it, and I should have known it from the very beginning. It was so obvious to me now. My mind drifted, my senses becoming as fogged with love as they had with the cold-but it was a much nicer feeling...

I was rudely interrupted by Rafe, who was still snarling as he slammed the lid on the stew pot with a loud clang.

"Look, why don't you pitch your tent and go to sleep?" I suggested, breaking off the kiss. "With any luck, the snow will stop sometime tonight, and we'll have better traveling conditions tomorrow."

"If we aren't buried under two more feet of snow by morning," Rafe muttered, looking up at the sky. "You don't know anything about making weather predictions, do you?"

"Are you asking me, or Leo?" I inquired. My brain warned me that Leo would probably have to be the one to answer that, since most of my mind was rapidly turning to mush.

"Doesn't matter," he said absently. "Leo?"

"The snow will stop," Leo said firmly, still gazing into my eyes, the fire within them seeming to burn even *187 *36*.

188.

Cheryl Brooks brighter than the one I'd started with my own. "And it will be much warmer tomorrow."

Rafe stood there gaping at him for a long moment before he spoke. It was apparent that he hadn't really been expecting an answer. "Is that wishful thinking, or do you know?"

"I know," Leo replied, his gaze never wavering.

"Just like that?" Rafe said skeptically. "No visions or hocus-pocus?"

"Just like that," said Leo. "And Rafe?"

It was the first time Leo had ever called Rafe by name. He was obviously getting the hang of this being a free man pretty quickly.

"Yes?"

"You should go to bed," Leo urged him. "We will need to rest well, for tomorrow may be...tiring."

"Yes, and we need to be alone for a while, too," I added hastily. "Wedding night and all that, you know."

"That was a wedding?" Rafe exclaimed incredulously.

"Well, what else would you call it?" I argued. "I believe we exchanged some vows there, in case you missed them."

"What?" he demanded. "No expensive gown? No long-winded ceremony? No feast?" Judging from Rafe's dry tone, he was obviously skeptical that it could happen so quickly and easily. I'd heard about his wedding to Carnita, though I hadn't been in attendance-wasn't invited, in fact-and it was an impressive event if the reports were accurate. As I recall, the celebration that followed the ceremony went on for at least a week and must have cost him a small fortune.

*188 *36*.

warrior 189.

"Rafe, no woman in my family has ever been married in the traditional manner," I reminded him. "Why should I be the one to change that?"

"I don't know," Rafe muttered. "I guess I don't know anything at all. Maybe I should go to bed." I think Rafe was still slightly dumbfounded by the recent turn of events. Things were moving too fast for him.

"Yes, get some sleep," Leo said firmly. "We will try not to disturb you."

"Speak for yourself," I said. "I might be making a little noise myself."

Leo began purring then-a sound I hadn't heard much of since we left my cottage. Hearing it then reminded me just how much I enjoyed it.

"I love the way you purr," I sighed. "Don't stop."

Rafe growled. "Oh, don't tell me he purrs?"

"Yeah," I said, my frank admiration evident. "Ain't he cool?"

Rafe growled again, reminding me of some other animals I should consider.

"Gerald?" I said silently. "You'd better move out of the way. The big cat is about to squash you."

"Yikes!" he chirped. "Dogs, cats! Where's a poor little squirrel going to sleep on a night like this?"

"You could curl up with Rafe," I suggested. "He might be in need of some company."

"He'll probably squash me, too," Gerald grumbled, climbing out of my cloak. "But don't worry, I'm moving!"

"Max," I added. "You should go sleep with Rafe, too."

"I know," Max answered reluctantly. "I'm going."

"Rafe," I called out. "Gerald and Max are going *189 *36*.

190.

Cheryl Brooks to sleep with you, okay? And remember, they're our scouting party, so be nice to them. No growling."

Rafe muttered something in reply while Leo continued to purr seductively in my ear. Gerald was chattering on about how cold it was, and Max let out a whine when his nice, warm feet sank into the snow. I believe I moaned a bit when Leo finally found his way past all the blankets I was bundled up in and slid his hot, dripping cock into me. As my orgasms began, my moans became sighs of pleasure and contentment.

Leo was mine now...I could keep him forever. It was still so hard to believe it was true, but he was there, rocking gently, filling me with his heat while I floated on a cloud of ecstasy, just waiting for the loud, satisfied purr that would signal his own climax. When it came, I felt it again; that euphoric sense of complete oneness with him-a joining of the mind and spirit, as well as the body. I knew I could face anything now, as long as he was there beside me.

Gerald later reported that he'd slept tucked up underneath Rafe's beard while Max had burrowed under the blankets to sleep curled up on his feet. I was sure they kept him nice and warm, just as Leo had done for me-though I was clearly the luckier of the two. After all, Rafe had lost a slave, and I had acquired one, only to become his wife.

All in all, it was quite a night.

*190 *36*.

Chapter 9.

I don't know if it was one of those sudden flashes of insight, or just a good guess, but Leo was right about the weather, for it did change-overnight, in fact.