"He's my brother-in-law."

"What in the h.e.l.l have they done to you?" she nearly yelled. "They must have tortured you pretty bad because you're speaking loony."

"There's a lot of things I need to explain to you and I promise I will when we see each other face-to-face. Right now, I'm asking that you believe me when I tell you that you can trust Markus. I would have called you a long time ago, but I was worried your phones were tapped and couldn't risk it."

"Risk it? I think I have the right to know that you got married," she nearly shrieked now. "You didn't even invite me and you know how much I love weddings. Who's your wife anyway?"

"It's Markus's sister, Onyx."

That took the wind right of her sails. "Oh, I guess that would explain why I didn't get an engraved invite in the mail."

"Are you going to have a problem with us being together?" Garrett's voice was hard with anger.

Was she? She honestly didn't know how to answer that one. The shifters had been their enemies for so long the thought of her cousin being with one should have been repulsive. Until she realized she was still sprawled on top of one herself. If she was going to be truly honest with herself, it was far from unpleasant.

She wondered what it would be like to have s.e.x with Markus. She'd had lovers in the past, but not one of them had truly rocked her world. Somehow, she was certain this shifter would leave her more than satisfied. "I'm happy as long as you're happy," she replied. "It's not going to be easy for you two."

"It hasn't been. We're in hiding right now because Onyx's father put a bounty on both of us. Look, I need you to do something for me."

"If you're looking for a late wedding gift, you can forget it. I didn't get any cake so you don't get any pressie."

"Word in the underground is your father knows you've been working with the freedom fighters. I sent Markus to protect you."

She pulled the phone away long enough to give it a disbelieving look. "Since when do I need any male to protect me? I've handled myself in countless battles."

"d.a.m.n it," Garrett snapped. "This isn't some game. Tritons attacked Markus tonight and they are stronger than anything that any of us encountered before. I happen to think our king is working with them."

"My father would never hurt me. He cares about me too much."

"Oh really? When was the last time you talked to him?" Garrett asked coldly.

She felt as if he just b.i.t.c.hed slapped her. A lump built up in the back of her throat and her eyes stung a bit. "Low blow, Garrett."

"I'm sorry, Brie," Garrett replied in a softer tone. "I didn't mean to hurt you. I'm just worried about you. I'm afraid you're going to let your love for your father make you blind to the truth until it's too late."

"I've got to go finish healing Markus now," she said dully. The hurt disappeared under a blessed numbness. If she could just focus on making the shifter better, then she wouldn't have to think about it being possible everything Garrett said might be true.

"Please," Garrett urged. "Just think about what I said."

She didn't reply. Instead, she snapped the phone closed and muttered to the comatose Markus. "So my cousin finds true love and now I'm supposed to throw everything away?"

He doesn't want to see you hurt. Neither of us do.

"You would take his side," she growled and slid off him. She sat on the edge of the bed. An ache built up in her body as she left his comforting warmth and she had to resist the ridiculous urge to go back to him.

If you come back and snuggle with me, I'll side with you, kitten.

Her heart galloped at his purring tone. "You wish." She stood and headed for her bathroom. "I'm going to go wash this slime off me. When I get back you better be in cat form."

Oh, kinky.

A giggle slipped past her lips. "Be good and shift, or I'll put a leash and collar on you."

That's even kinkier. I think you're a bad witch.

She paused. If she didn't know better, she would have sworn he was ashamed or afraid of letting her see him in his animal form. But she needed him to. Shifters healed at a much faster rate when they were in their feline state and, if half of what Garrett had said was true, she needed to get Markus in fighting form fast.

"How about I show you how bad I can be," she teased, hoping to goad him into complying. "You shift so your body heals and I'll let you join me in the shower next time. I might even let you wash my back."

She left the room before she could see if he took her up on her offer, but when she got done with her shower and came back, there was a black panther on the bed where Markus had been. She tightened the sash of her white silk robe while she took in the magnificent animal. "Oh my G.o.ddess," she breathed out. "I never knew a cat could be so beautiful. Now why would you be ashamed to show me this side of you?"

He didn't answer and she realized he'd put his body into a healing trance. She crawled up on the bed and raised a shaky hand to touch his fur. It was silky soft and she ran her splayed her fingers through it. A soft purr came from the cat and she smiled in return. Even though being this close to a shifter in cat form should have revolted her, it didn't. If anything, it made her feel even closer to Markus because he had allowed her to see him like this even though he was at his most vulnerable.

She placed her crystals in a protective circle around him, then went into the kitchen, mixed the herbs and potions into a poultice and returned to Markus. She gently applied it to the worst of his wounds. Even in his feline state, the cuts still looked vicious and she hoped to h.e.l.l she didn't hurt him too badly when she smeared on the thick green substance. The scent of seaweed and algae wafted through the room.

Once she was done, she set the bowl of poultice on her nightstand, washed her hands and stretched out on her side as she continued to stroke her...mate? The thought of Markus being hers didn't scare her like it should have. No, it actually made her happy to have someone. She'd been lonely for so long. Her parents never had time for her and the only one she'd ever really had was Garrett. The thought of having someone to share her life with was rather nice. She gave a slight shake of her head. Who was she kidding? There was no way Markus was her lifemate. He was just delirious from blood loss. No doubt he would wake up in the morning and want to take every word back.

Still, it wouldn't hurt to pretend he really meant it, if only for tonight. She stoked him in slow lazy paths as her eyelids grew heavier and heavier. Before she drifted off to sleep, her last thought was of him.

Brianna opened her eyes and blinked against the bright sunlight that streamed through her window. She sat up and rubbed them before looking around for Markus. He wasn't in sight, but the sound of the running shower told her he hadn't wondered off too far. The thought of him naked and just feet away from her, made her bite her bottom lip in desire as a hot flush burned her cheeks.

She wondered how Mr. Puddy Tat would react if she joined him in the shower. She moistened her mouth with her tongue and imagined herself lapping the water off his spine, right before he turned around, pinned her to the shower stall wall and made love to her.

She hadn't even realized she'd gotten up and walked toward the bathroom until she faced the closed door. She pressed her palm to it as she tried to overcome the crazy feeling of fear that ripped through her body. What if she went in there and he rebuked her?

She almost jumped a mile when his voice called out, "Are you going to stand out there all day or are you going come in and join me?"

She fisted the lapels of her robe tightly as she became wet at the thought of being with him. "I don't want to disturb you."

A chuckle drifted to her. It was so warm and sensual sounding, her knees buckled a bit. "Trust me. You being in here with me would be the least disturbing thing in my life."

She took in a deep, steadying breath and pushed open the door. The room was hot and full of steam, mirroring the emotions coursing through her body. All she could see of him through her milky gla.s.s shower doors was a silhouette, but even that was d.a.m.n fine. Trim, lean, muscular and not an ounce of fat.

He slid open the door and poked his head out. His dark hair was wet and slicked back. Now that he was healthy, his face was more tan and that accentuated his high cheekbones and chiseled jaw.

He grinned, showing off white teeth and, too-cute-to-be-true, dimples. "Are you coming in or not? I specifically recall you promising me a shower last night." When she still hesitated, he c.o.c.ked a brow. "Scared?"

She let out an outraged yelp. "Scared? Of one little shifter? You wish."

He held out his hand toward her.

She looked at it as doubt went through her. Somehow, she knew if she took it, she would be agreeing to more than a shower. Her whole life hinged on these next few seconds. Steeling herself, she opened the ties of her robe and let it slide from her shoulders. The silky garment slipped to the ground and pooled around her feet as shivers danced across her naked body.

He sucked in a breath as his gaze traveled over her delightful figure.

She waited with baited breath for his reaction. How did she rate compared to the female shifters he'd been with? What if he found her lacking or weak looking? His lips parted slightly and his eyes darkened with desire.

"You're the most beautiful thing I've ever seen," he declared in a hoa.r.s.e voice.

She smiled and put her hand in his. His fingers curled around hers and he gave a gentle tug. With a surrender of control, she let him pull her into the shower, all the while putting on a brave face despite the fact her heart fluttered nervously.

He was so much better looking on this side of the shower door and there were no signs of the wounds he suffered from the night before. A droplet of water traveled down his body and she followed its path, almost as if hypnotized by it. The droplet traveled down his perfectly formed chest, to his stomach that was so tight that it looked like she could bounce a quarter off it, until it ended at his erection. Her eyes almost popped out of their sockets at the size of him. "Oh my G.o.ddess, you're huge," she blurted out. "I don't think you're going to fit."

He took her hand and placed it on his c.o.c.k. "We'll fit," he rea.s.sured. "We were made for each other."

She wrapped her fingers around him and gave a slight squeeze. He closed his eyes and a low groan rumbled from deep within his chest. She took that to mean she'd done a good thing. He braced his hands on either side of her and leaned forward. Water cascaded over both of them and, even though it was hot, it in no way compared to the heat building inside her. The smell of her floral soap mixed with his spicy scent, made for an exotic mix.

"I think you promised I could wash your back," he murmured in her ear. He spun her around and placed her hands, palms down, on the wall above her head so she was stretched out and her b.r.e.a.s.t.s thrust forward. "Whatever happens, don't move," he commanded, before he ran his tongue over the side of her neck. Taking her bottle of liquid soap, he drizzled it down her spine.

She arched her back and hissed in pleasure as the coldness. .h.i.t her, but obeyed and kept her hands in place.

He ran his hands in slow sensuous circles from the nape of her neck to the small of her back, working up a generous lather. Sliding his hands to her front, he cupped her b.r.e.a.s.t.s, before tweaking the nipples slightly.

"That's not my back," she moaned.

"If you don't like it, I could wash something else." He rolled her nipples in his fingers before pinching them again.

"No...what I mean is, yes I like it...oh, what else would you wash?"

A rumble of laughter came from him as he nipped her lightly on the ear. "You do lose focus sometimes, don't you?"

"Are you going to f.u.c.k me or not?" The question came out more as a plea. She tried to pull away from the wall, but he took her hands and put them firmly back into place before giving her a.s.s a firm slap. She whimpered as pleasure mixed with pain coursed through her body.

"You forget I'm a shifter, little witch, and cats like to play with their prey before they eat it." He gave her another slap. "And I do plan on eating every inch of you before I'm done with you today." He trailed one hand in between her thighs.

She spread her legs to give him better access, all the while withering under his touch. When his fingers feathered over her c.l.i.t, she screamed in ecstasy. Her hands slid from the wall and he gave her another warning slap. The contact of his hand on her a.s.s danced a humming pleasure through her entire body.

"I was right," he teased in a light tone. "You are a very bad witch."

"Only with you," she panted and tilted her backside to give him better access.

He took the hint and slipped a finger inside her core. "And that's the way it's going to be for now on." He withdrew his finger and slammed it into her again. "You're mine and n.o.body else will ever touch you."

"Yours, only yours," she chanted as her hips undulated against his hand. She was so close to the edge she feared she might shatter into a million pieces. When he took his hand away from her, she groaned her protest. Her disappointment was short lived because she soon felt the head of his c.o.c.k against her. She spread her legs even further and whispered small pleas. At first, she feared she had been right earlier and he was too big. However, he took his time, slowly inching inside her, all the while playing with her c.l.i.t. Before she knew it, he was buried to the hilt inside her.

He pulled back and thrust into her again and again. She pushed her a.s.s back to meet him, and when that wasn't enough, she stood on tiptoe so her body could take even more of him inside her.

He continued to work her c.l.i.t with his free hand, while the other kept a firm hold on her hip. Just as she was about to come, he leaned down and licked her neck once, twice, then sank his fangs into her.

Even though it should have hurt like h.e.l.l, it gave her the most intense o.r.g.a.s.m of her life. She screamed out his name in a climax and felt his s.e.m.e.n shoot inside her.

He wrapped an arm around her chest and held her tightly while waves of pleasure rocked through her body, his mouth still at her neck.

"You bit me," she accused, once she regained her breath.

"Sorry, I've never lost control like that." He lapped at her wound with his tongue and she shivered in response. "I've heard of the overwhelming urge shifters get to claim their mates."

She pulled away and turned around to look at him. "Do you honestly believe in all this lifemate stuff?"

A piece of wet hair lay across her cheek and he brushed it away tenderly. "I never did believe in it until a certain blonde witch stumbled up on me and healed more than just my wounds."

She looked into his eyes to see if he was kidding only to be floored by the seriousness in the most intense blue eyes she ever encountered. "Are you crazy? There is no way that our fathers would ever allow us to be together. They'd kill us first."

He grabbed her hand and held it close to his chest. "Then run away with me. We can go live with Garrett, Onyx and the other freedom fighters. I'm willing to give up everything to be with you. Are you willing to do the same for me?"

She gave a slight shake of her head, overwhelmed with everything he'd just dumped on her. "I...I don't know. I love my family, friends and the life I have here. I can't leave it behind to be with someone that I met just hours ago."

He gave her a small smile, but she saw the hurt in his eyes and the way his jaw ticked a bit. "You're right. I was wrong to even ask you." He got out of the shower, leaving her behind.

Brianna held her hand to her mouth to hold back the sobs threatening to escape. She'd just stomped on his heart and it killed her to know that. A tear slipped down her cheek. She realized she really did care for Markus and that put both of them in danger. But then, he didn't seem to care about that, he'd been willing to forsake everything for her.

She waited in the bathroom until she heard him leave the bedroom. She quickly dressed in a pair of worn jeans and faded black tee, then went into the kitchen to join him. He was wearing some of Garrett's clothes, a pair of black jeans and tight fitting blue t-shirt. He was bent over staring into the salt-water fish tank. There was a look of longing on his face as he watched the fish swim. They both pointedly refused to meet each other's gazes.

"It's funny we miss something we never saw," she said as she went to the fridge to get out fruit. "Atlantis, I mean."

"I dream of it." He reached out and lovingly caressed the tank. "Even though it's long crumbled into the ocean thanks to this d.a.m.n war, I see it in my mind as if it were still alive and thriving."

She started to slice the fruit. "Is that why you decided to become a freedom fighter?"

"No, I did it for the same reason as you. I lost a close friend to senseless violence." He straightened up and grinned wryly. "You shouldn't look so surprised that I know that about you. Garrett talks about you all the time."

She shook her head as she bent down to pick up a strawberry that had rolled off the counter. A bullet crashed through the window and hit the mirror right behind where her head had been a second ago. At the same time, another bullet shattered the fish tank.

Markus cursed and dove for cover.

Brianna hunkered down behind the counter as more shots ricocheted around her house. The air soon reeked of gunpowder. Smoke and debris filled the room. She shifted her feet and noticed the floor was covered in gla.s.s and water. Those b.a.s.t.a.r.ds just killed my fish!

She looked around frantically for Markus and saw he'd taken cover behind her couch. She sighed with relief when she saw he didn't have any fresh wounds. The bite wound at her neck tingled. An overwhelming urge to throw her body over his and protect him from harm stirred. She could tell by the desperate look on his face he experienced the same thing. Well, not the bite mark tingling since she hadn't bitten him, but she sure as h.e.l.l was going to return the favor the next time they made love.

The next time they made love?

Yes, the next time and all the other times after because she decided in that instant, he was worth sacrificing everything for. In truth, she had never started living until she found him in that alley. She smiled at him, despite the dangerous situation they were in and he gave her an incredulous look in return. "I get the right side of the bed," she yelled. With the ruckus their attackers were causing, it was hard to have a normal conversation.

He c.o.c.ked a dark brow in a quizzical manner. "Ooookay, I don't quite get what you're getting at."

"If you expect me to run off with you and be your better half, then I have to insist on the right side of the bed. I can't sleep any other way."

His gaze became guarded. "Are you sure? If I left now, you might be able to convince your father I was keeping you hostage. n.o.body has to know what happened between us."

"I've never been more sure of anything." He gave her a look filled with so much love and promise, her heart melted on the spot.

He scrambled across the floor, despite the fact bullets still flew, and came to her side. He cupped her face in his hands and looked into her eyes.

"Are you crazy?" She giggled. "You almost got shot."

"Like I said last night, some things are worth bleeding for." He swooped down and gave her a tender kiss.

Once they had pulled away, she tilted her head in confusion. "They stopped shooting. Why?"