Page 109 of The Mating Quest

Hell, even before that, when they’d fought and he’d clawed hercheek.

“Am Iforgiven?”

A shy smile curved her mouth, swollen from his possessive, hungry kisses. “Yes. Am Iforgiven?”

He considered. “Yeah, I guess so. Only if you promise not to break my noseagain.”

Ilana laughed. “Where’s your sister? Not that I want her interruptingus.”

He told her about Dakota and her decision to remainbehind.

Sighing, Ilana tunneled her fingers through his damp hair. “I’m glad Tristan allowed her to do as she wished. It’s challenging enough, trying to find these damnthings.”

“Challenging enough working with you because you keep distracting me with sex,” heteased.

Ilana laughed again and threw him a mock punch on his arm. She pointed to the leather belt and sheath. “Glad you came armed at least. You’ve ever fought zombiesbefore?”

He removed the blade from the leather belt sheath. Her eyes widened. It was at least twenty inches long and three inches thick. The handle had a comfortablegrip.

Ethan twirled it. “Think this can take down a zombie ortwo?”

“It will cut off heads with the right force. Nicely done, wolf. What happened, your chef’s knife toodull?”

He laughed. “I know something about knives, Mage. I haven’t fought only as awolf.”

Ethan set the knife down atop his discarded clothing. His gaze grew tender. “Sweetheart, you don’t need glamour around me. Be yourself. All of you, scars andall.”

Flushing, she dropped the glamor. The pads of his fingers were gentle as he caressed the whip marks on her back, the burns Cormac left on her shoulders and arms. “Pain because I love you,” he’d whispered. “Oh Ilana, you know I do. You will learn there’s no thrill like sexual pain. Together we will soar to the heights ofpleasure.”

What a fool she’d been, desperate to believe him, pining for someone to love her so she wouldn’t be aloneanymore.

Ilana pulled away, lost in bitter memories. “We may die today, Ethan. The enemy we face will stop at nothing to kill usboth.”

His gaze turned solemn. “I’m going to do everything in my power as wolf to protect you, Ilana. If we’re going to die, we’ll go down fighting to the last drop of ourblood.”

Ethan crooked a finger at her. “Come here,” hegrowled.

Ilana gave a seductive smile and crawled to him. Then she began kissing her way down his abdomen, skimming past his groin to his thigh, licking her way upward. He groaned. “Ilana...”

“You’re talking too much, wolf.” Her voice was muffled against his skin. Suddenly she lifted her head. Frowned. “What isthat?”

He glanced downward to his inner left thigh. “Oh that. Birthmark. I know, it’s weird. Must be a male Changelingthing.”

She rubbed it lightly. “It looks like a five-pointed star. I’ve never seen anything likeit.”

Ethan sat up and rolled her onto her back. “You’ve never seen anything like me before, either,Mage.”

Ilana smiled and cupped his cheek. “Okay wolf, I admit it…” Her voice trailed off. “What isthat?”

Wolf senses on high alert, every hair standing on edge, Ethan bolted off her and rolled to his feet. “Damn. Smoke. Is that normal for thisplace?”

Face tight, she stood, her worried gaze studying the thick black ribbon wending above the tall trees. “Fire? No. There’s only one thing that would set a forest fire in this place. It’s a sacred sanctuary toOthers.”

Ethan nodded grimly. “Cormac. We foundhim.”

Chapter 29

Lying helpless in bed,waiting to turn into Shadow, Gideon stared at theceiling.