Page 19 of The Mating Quest

For minutes after he left she wandered around his bedroom, trying to gauge Ethan Powers. He liked to read, everything from the classics to novels. His bedroom was comfortable and yet not intimidating and formal, despite thespace.

She wandered over to a window, opened it to let in the warm breeze and the sounds of the night. Forget the air conditioning that kept the compound cooler during the hot summer months. This wasbetter.

He returned earlier than expected, and she startled from her seat on the window where she stared out at the darkness. Ethan cleared his throat as she started to shut thewindow.

“Leave it open. I like fresh air when I sleep aswell.”

Something they had in common. Not that she wanted that. Ilana watched Ethan shrug off his shirt. Her breath hitched. His bare chest was gorgeous, with a sprinkling of dark hair stretching from one brown nipple to the other, and a ridged abdomen that boasted not an inch offat.

He sat on the bed, kicked off his boots and stripped off the socks. Then he stood, his hand on the jeanszipper.

“I sleep nude,” he told her, mischief in his voice. “I don’t like it any otherway.”

She turned her head, only to feel a tingle of power as the Silver Wizard popped into thebedroom.

“Did I interrupt anything?” Tristan’s voice wassly.

“Only my peace of mind,” Ethan snapped. “Now what? Don’t you everknock?”

“Never.”

The wizard held up a small vial filled with purple liquid. “I brought a sleeping draught for Ilana. She has a tendency for insomnia in strange places and I need her rested and ready to work first thingtomorrow.”

Sniffing the vial he handed her, she grimaced. “Yuck. It smells like your socks,” shemuttered.

The wizard gave her an odd look and then smiled. “I’ve heard that insult before. Drinkit.”

“No thanks.” She tried to hand itback.

“Drink.It.”

Never had she heard his deep voice issue such a stern command. Ilana swallowed a bite of fear and shrugged. “Bottoms up. But if you mean to turn me into a wolf, I warn you, I won’t behousebroken.”

The wizard watched intently as she drained it. It tasted sweet, with a faintaftertaste.

Lethargy overcame her quickly, and she nearly dropped the vial. Tristan retrieved it. He waved a hand and she floated in a dream-like state over to the pull-out bed. She felt her usual clothing vanish, replaced by soft cotton fabric. Soon as her head hit the pillow, she fell fastasleep.

Ten dozen wizards, and the eventual rasp of Ethan sliding the zipper down on his jeans to shuck them aside, couldn’t wakeher.

Chapter 6

Ethan couldn’t sleep.He wished Tristan had given him the potion, for it knocked Ilana out cold, and he neededrest.

Too much on his mind. From worrying about leaving his pack, the mission ahead of him, the danger his sisters faced, and the stubborn, prickly Mage who would accompanythem.

Flat on his back, staring at the stars overhead, he laced his hands behind his head. The thin cotton sheet covered his body as the warm night air flowed into the room. He was hotter than usual, thanks to the presence of the pretty Mage snoozing away on his pull-out sofabed.

Raising himself up on his elbows, he regarded her, his night vision enabling him to see her perfectly in the darkness. Tristan had outfitted her in black long-sleeved pajama tops and bottoms with moons and stars upon them. She looked adorable in sleep, losing that scowl often seen on herface.

Why did the wizards insist Ilana join them? Her powers wouldn’t suffice. His sisters had to find the talismans themselves, even if they had help. True, Ilana was a fierce fighter, but so were many males in hispack.

Males he worked alongside for years, trusteddeeply.

Even from here he could smell her, an intriguing scent of lilacs and fresh rain water. Ethan drew in a deep breath, enjoying her fragrance. No matter if she smelled like expensive perfume. She was still his nemesis and he couldn’t trust her. Not with his sisters’ lives atstake.

Still, she intrigued him even as much as she vexed him. Ilana made him feel alive. He hadn’t had this much interest in a female in years, not since Cassandra, that bitch, left his bed and nearly tore apart hispack.

Since then Ethan bedded women only to ease his sexual needs, and never more than once. Never did he bring them home to his people. Couldn’t chanceit.