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“I, too, will assist you in your search,” Bastien added. “Until such time as my prince releases me from these political negotiations to join the search for Justice.”
The fury that burned in Bastien’s eyes at the mention of his friend and fellow warrior reminded Ethan that he was glad to have the Atlanteans on his side. “I understand what you mean about politics. But we have to lock in support among all the Florida shape-shifter coalitions so that they ally with us against the growing vampire threat. Organos proved that the vampire master plan to enthrall the shape-shifters has advanced far beyond what we’d suspected.”
Bastien’s eyes gleamed. “Organos died for his temerity, and so will any others that oppose us.”
Ethan started to agree, but Kat cut him off with a loud hissing noise. “Is that…is that it? Is that her?” she whispered, pointing to a spinning sphere of light that had suddenly appeared in front of them.
Bastien put an arm around her shoulders and pulled her to him. “So it is. Finally you will meet my sister.”
The sphere stretched and lengthened into a tall, oval shape, and a fractured kaleidoscope of light shimmered like a starburst in the center of it. Suddenly, near the bottom, one delicately shod foot stepped through the portal and onto the grass, followed closely by the rest of the tall woman in her white dress. Ethan barely got a glimpse of the side of her head, her glossy dark hair bound up in some kind of intricate braid thing, before she hurled herself at her brother. Bastien whooped and yanked her off her feet and swung her around, shouting with joy. But Ethan’s attention snapped back to the portal when a second figure stepped through, this one ominously familiar: Alaric.
As Ethan nodded his head briefly to the Atlantean god’s high priest, the portal’s light winked out of existence. “Alaric. Be welcome among the pride,” he said in the formal words of greeting.
“I come as an ally and friend,” Alaric said, nodding in return. Ethan supposed after he’d seen the priest a few more times, he might get used to the man’s bizarre glowing green eyes.
Maybe.
Alaric suddenly froze, his entire body stiffening as his eyes focused on some faraway sight. Nearly a full minute passed before Bastien, caught up in greeting his sister, noticed.
“Alaric?”
Bastien finally allowed his sister’s feet to touch the ground again and hugged her, then looked at Alaric over her head. “What news?”
“We may have a lead, Bastien,” Alaric said. “Conlan just contacted me. We need you now in the hunt for Justice.”
“Of course,” Bastien said, all but baring his teeth, his stance going to full-on alert. Ethan thought, not for the first time, that the warrior would have made a good panther.
“Marie, you must return to Atlantis and take Kat with you, so you’ll be safe while I’m gone,” Bastien continued.
Kat and Marie, whose face Ethan still hadn’t seen, both spoke at once.
“I’m not going anywhere,” Kat said.
“I only just arrived,” Marie pointed out.
Ethan raised one eyebrow. “Certainly my protection extends to your sister while you search for your pride-brother, Bastien.”
“Pride-brother? What a fascinating term,” Marie said, stepping out from behind Bastien. “It appears our societies have much in common, as the warriors in the Seven are as close as brothers, as well.”
Ethan had mere seconds to think that her voice sounded like crystal infused with laughter, and then he saw her face.
Enormous dark blue eyes gazed up at him out of the most beautiful face he’d ever seen. Her creamy pale skin begged to be caressed, and her mouth was wide and generous, with full, sensuous lips that sent a shiver of dark desire spiraling down his spine.
Marie was ethereal, almost otherworldly in her beauty. Equal parts of awe and craving shot through his nerve endings, and he struggled to put a tight leash on his inner cat, who wanted nothing more than to haul her off to a dark lair somewhere far from any others. But he was alpha, and he’d won fiercer battles against more desperate opponents than his own hungers. Convinced he’d tamed his beast, he held out his hand in greeting.
Marie smiled up at him, and the bottom dropped out of his world.
THREE
Marie’s senses sharpened to painful clarity as she locked gazes with the shape-shifter, and her breath caught, trapped in her throat and somehow entangled with the rapid beating of her heart. Her vision telescoped until Ethan and only Ethan was framed within it, the others having vanished into the perimeter of the sparkling haze swamping her whirling thoughts. Ethan stood before her, holding out his hand, and courtesy dictated that she take it in greeting.
But fear drowned out all thoughts of courtesy. Somehow, instinctively, she knew that by touching him, some hidden stillness inside her soul would be disturbed. Raucously awakened, perhaps never again to find quiet. An inner voice mocked her girlish tremors, and sheer pride and force of will combined to overcome her hesitation.
Bastien’s voice rumbled out from somewhere to her left. “Is there a problem?”
Marie lifted her chin, ignoring the concern in her brother’s voice. “I am Marie, First Maiden of the Temple of the Nereids,” she said to Ethan, proud that only the faintest tremor lay within the syllables of her speech. “I am honored that you welcome me to your lands.” She briefly touched her hand to his but pulled it away before she could react to his touch.
Ethan’s sensual lips had tightened at the sound of her voice, and he stared down at her with golden eyes darkened by some unknown emotion. The tawny hair, so similar to Kat’s, framed his face in thick waves that might have looked feminine on any lesser man, but only highlighted his stark masculinity. His sharp cheekbones, strong chin, and proud, straight nose all stated without words that this man—this shape-shifter—was a warrior, born and bred.
