Page 85 of The Mating Quest

A man with such powerful grace would be magnificent inbed.

A tingle rushed down her spine. Awareness of him sleeping upstairs teased her senses. She could imagine him stretched out, one long arm above his head, his muscled body relaxed. Did he sleepnaked?

As the sun set and night descended, she went upstairs to check on him. Bare-chested, Ethan lay on the huge bed, far from relaxed. He moaned and tossed, as if in the throes of a terrible nightmare. Worried, she ran over, felt his forehead. Icecold.

Ilana turned up the air conditioning, found another blanket and tossed it over him. Yet he trembledstill.

Her heart broke for him, knowing the terrors of night dreams. Ilana stripped down her to her sports bra and panties, then climbed into bed with him. As he turned to her, as if seeking her warmth, she wrapped her arms aroundhim.

Ilana tensed a moment realizing she got her answer. Yep. He sleptnaked.

Still asleep, he moved closer, gave a contented sigh and finally relaxed. Ilana stroked his damp hair, feeling his skin finally warm. No longer dolphin gray, he was becoming Ethanagain.

Well aware of his hard body, the muscle and sinew molded against her, arousal hit her. He was one sexy wolf, and the sexiest part was he’d gone out of his way to pleaseher.

Make herhappy.

She couldn’t remember a time when a man pushed aside his own needs for her. Ilana smoothed back his hair and placed a brief kiss on hisforehead.

A smile curved his lips. One arm slid around her waist, then his hand came up, cupped her left breast. Biting back a moan, she forced herself to lie still. He was fastasleep.

What would it be like to finally have sex again, only with Ethan? Her lady parts rejoiced, while her heartbalked.

What the hell are you getting yourself into,girl?

Deepin the Gulf of Mexico he swam, doing reconnaissance in the area. Few finfolk lived in this area, but one could never be carefulenough.

Sensing a disturbance above, the merman swam upward and surfaced. As he’d thought. Tristan, the Silver Wizard, floated on the waves. Moonlight mirrored the water and picked out the silver tips of his darkhair.

“Well?” Tristan sat up. “Anything?”

Zach shook his head. “All’s well here. No signs of darkness or the Dark Lord’s manipulation.Yet.”

Tristan stretched out his hands. “You may return to your home. Thankyou.”

Zach sighed. “Look Tristan, doing recon for evil beings is one thing. But why did you ask me to try to seduce that Mage? She is lovely,but…”

“I have my reasons. Let’s just say I needed to expedite the inevitable, due to concerns about the future events themselves speeding up.” Tristan glanced at him. “Nothing like arousing a male Lupine’s protective and territorialinstincts.”

Zach thought of his home, of Sebastian and Jessica, the sea dragons who were his best friends, and his people. Strong, butvulnerable.

He dared to ask the question worrying him since the Silver Wizard requested him on this assignment. “Tristan, what happens if the Dark Lord gains power and resurrects an army of deadOthers?”

Tristan’s face tightened. “I do not know. I hope it never happens, but if itdoes…”

“We’re screwed?” Zach’s heartdropped.

The wizard glanced at him. “Not if we have enough to fight evil and be a force for good. But a war is coming, young Zach. A war that will involve Others and even Skins and it will befierce.”

Tristan stared at the horizon. “If we do not have enough Others fighting this evil, many will die. The world as you know it now will bedestroyed.”

Chapter 24

Ilana woke before dawn,still curled up in Ethan’s embrace. Warm and solid, his color looked normal again, his facerelaxed.

Her sleepy gaze took in the light brown bristles of his day beard, the chiseled planes of his handsome face. Such a masculine face and big, strongbody…

Something else quite masculine as well. Color suffused her own face as she felt the hardness poking her in the belly. Oh yeah, nothing like a morning erection, and judging from the feel of it, he was big down there aswell.