Page 10 of The Mating Quest

“Where were you?” Curiosity filled Ethan’svoice.

“Taking a bath,” she retorted. “About 200 feet below sealevel.”

To her surprise, he grinned. “With the goddess, one never knows where she’ll elect to have a meeting. She transported me to a mountain to tell me about mysisters.”

It seemed they had something in common. Then she realized they did not. Ethan hadfamily.

She was alone. Lived alone, walked alone for more centuries than she cared tocount.

And if she was lucky, would die alone aswell.

Chapter 4

The good thingabout having a powerful wizard to mentor them was that they needed no transportation. Caderyn waved his hands and delivered them to Ethan’s farm. Ilana put her hands to her head, dizzy from dematerializing and then materializing again. She found herself gripping Ethan’s arm forsupport.

Something flickered in his gaze as he steadied her. “Youokay?”

“A minute.” She closed her eyes, willing the spinning to stop, then she shrugged off histouch.

A touch she did notneed.

A touch she feared might lead tomore.

Slowly she opened her eyes and looked around. Their little group stood in the inside of Ethan’s office. She smirked. “Looks like I gained access to your turf after all,wolf.”

Not replying, Ethan busied himself snapping orders at Lupines who came running from all directions. No doubt they were also alarmed at their alpha suddenly appearing, and not only with a wizard and Ethan’s sister, but with theenemy.

Several muscled male Lupines silently ringed her. Only her. Managing to look bored, she studied a nail. Must get a manicuresoon.

Caderyn stepped forward, his eyes glowing. “Ethan, call off your wolves. Ilana is under my protectionhere.”

Ethan snapped his fingers and the Lupines retreated, but did not leave the room. They kept eyeing her warily, as if expecting snakes to spring from her hair. Ella sat in one of the chairs in front of thedesk.

Giving an appreciative look around, she noticed the warm tones and black leather chairs set before a massive, hand-carved mahogany desk. Bookcases lined the wall, filled with leather-bound volumes as well as paperbacks. A wolf who enjoyed reading. She could understand that. Reading often kept at bay isolation she alwaysfelt.

A green banker’s lamp, laptop, two gold pens and neatly stacked papers were the only items upon it. She’d lived hundreds of years and had seen many desks, but never one as sparse ororganized.

An oval conference table sat off to one side, with comfortable leather chairs. He must hold his meetings here with his lieutenants. Maybe even issued orders here. The only sign of poor taste was the large oil painting of Ethan in blue chambray work shirt and jeans, hanging on the wall by the conference table, his blue eyes serious, his arms folded over his chest. Next to him stood a proud wolf with blue eyes, his shifter animal, mostlikely.

Ilana smirked.It should be titled portrait of a wolf who wants to lookdangerous.

Caderyn strolled over to the conference table as if he owned it, and rested a hip against it. “Ethan, you are running point on this mission. This is what I brought you here. There will be no wasting time in arguments. You are a leader.Lead.”

“Ella?” Ethan turned to hissister.

She threw out her hands. “I can aid you, Ethan, but this is your quest.” She stood, headed for the door. “I’m going to visit our sisters, inform them what is goingon.”

The alpha sat behind his desk, brought out a clean yellow tablet from a drawer and reached for a goldpen.

“First, we have to questions the wizards to find out where the goddess may have hidden the talismans.” Ethan sat at his desk, writing on a papertablet.

“I don’t know why Danu couldn’t just zap them up and destroy them herself.” Ilana took out her dagger and began playing with it. The Lupine lieutenants in the roomgrowled.

Flicking a finger, Caderyn made the blade float over to him. He set it down on the table. “No weapons, Ilana. You make the Lupines nervous. As for Danu, the goddess always has a purpose for what she does. Perhaps it is your destiny to join this quest, for in doing so, you may learn your truecalling.”

Ilana rolled her eyes at Caderyn. “You sound like one of those pompous psychics on an 800 telephoneline.”

The Shadow Wizard scowled. “Watch your tongue, little Mage. I am fond of your spirit, but stop vexing me or I shall turn you into arat.”