Talon managed to stagger up the stairs with a limp Isi in his arms, his knees still weak from the intense pleasure that had exploded through his body.

A part of him had wanted to linger in the kitchen. To lay her across the table and eat his dinner off the satin magnolia of her skin before sliding his aching cock back into her body and stroking them both to paradise.

But a more logical part of him understood they needed to talk before he indulged his ravenous hunger.

Not the least of which, he had to somehow explain that in the heat of their passion he'd marked her as his mate.

Yeah. That was going to go over well.

He grimaced, hoping she didn't slice off his balls in his sleep.

Oddly, he didn't question how he'd gone from considering her the enemy to accepting her as his mate with such ease.

His cat had known she belonged to him the second it'd caught her scent. It just took the male side of him a bit longer to figure it out.

Now both were in agreement.

Isi was his mate.

And somehow he had to convince her to accept him.

A task he'd made a hell of a lot more difficult when he'd accused her of being an enemy to the Pantera.

Entering his bedroom, Talon crossed to the wide bed and gently placed her in the middle of the mattress, crawling to lie beside her. Gently he pulled her into his arms, her weary head snuggled on his shoulder.

It felt...right.

Not only having Isi in his arms, but being in this cottage that had been empty for so many years.

It was almost as if he could sense his parents' approval.

Heaving a soft sigh, Isi tilted back her head, her exotic beauty shrouded in shadows.

"That shouldn't have happened," she muttered.

He smiled wryly. Those were the words he'd been waiting to hear since she'd collapsed in utter completion.

"Why?"

She struggled to reconstruct the brittle barriers that she kept between herself and the world.

"Obviously because I don't have sex with people who think I'm evil."

He slid a finger beneath her chin, easily becoming lost in the dark beauty of her eyes. "I don't think you're evil."

A hint of vulnerability touched her pale face. "Then what do you think?"

His thumb brushed her lower lip, his gaze lightly moving over the fragile features to the diamond piercings that shimmered on her nose. They only added to her unique beauty. As did her tattoos and even her birthmark.

They were the proof that this woman was as much a warrior as he was.

"I think that you were given a shitty start to life, but you've not only managed to survive, but to become an intelligent, competent woman able to create her own business," he murmured in soft tones. "And one who is courageous and loyal enough to be willing to suffer just to help a sister who was a complete stranger to you."

Her expression remained stubbornly defiant. "Nice, but we both know I'm staying because the elders want me dead."

He leaned down to snatch a brief, utterly carnal kiss. "Lie to yourself if you want, but you can't lie to me," he murmured. Over the past hours he'd started to understand the gentle female beneath the hard façade. "If it weren't for Ashe you would have disappeared the night you were brought to the Wildlands."

She sucked in a sharp breath. "Don't say that."

He frowned, easily sensing her distress. "Why are you so scared to admit your feelings?"

"Because feelings are for suckers."

He arched a brow. "Suckers?"

"They're anchors that weigh you down," she said, a sudden tension humming through her slender body. "To survive you have to keep moving."

Talon's heart squeezed, easily able to picture Isi as a little girl, lost and terrified in an institutional setting that taught her emotions were a weakness.

"Or you can depend on those who love you to keep you safe," he assured her, his hand running down her bare back to linger on the healing scratches that were proof of their mating.

She shivered, reacting to the tenderness of the mark. "I don't depend on anyone but myself."

"You can depend on me."

She pressed her hands to his chest. "No."

"Yes." He held her gaze, his expression fierce. "You feel it, Isi. Don't deny it."

The truth flared through her eyes...the knowledge that they were fated to be together.

Not that she was going to accept her destiny.

Not without a fight.

"And what about the elders?" she demanded, doing her best to throw fences up between them. "They believe I'm destined to destroy you."

He clenched his jaw. He didn't have an answer.

Not yet.

But he was damned certain that she wasn't any harbinger of doom.

The problem was how to prove it.

"How did you learn about the Pantera?" he abruptly demanded.

She shrugged. "Everyone's heard the rumors of the savage half-men half-beasts that live in the swamps."

"Most assume we're a myth," he pointed out. "But you specifically cater to my people."

The rigid tension began to ease from her muscles, her fingers drawing absent patterns on his chest. Talon trembled beneath her soft caress, his cat purring in contentment.

Christ, he would walk through fire just for her touch.

"I was always fascinated with mixing my tattoo inks with different materials," she murmured, seemingly unaware she'd completely domesticated him. "And the voodoo priestess who helped train me in creating my spells and potions encouraged me to use malachite. She was the one who introduced me to my first Pantera. Others followed."

Talon latched onto the obvious connection. "Was the voodoo priestess called Lady Cerise?"

"No." She stared at him, genuine fear flashing through her eyes. "How do you know that name?"

His hand lifted to cup her nape, gently rubbing his thumb along the side of her neck. "Your friend Derek was approached by her," he said. "That's how he ended up in your shop."

Her breath tangled in her throat, her eyes wide. "Shit."

Concern clenched his heart. Isi clearly felt threatened by the woman.

"Who is she?"

Isi shivered. "She first approached me in Baton Rouge. I was already a student of Esme, but Lady Cerise continued to come into the voodoo shop where I was working, claiming that she could teach me magic that would be far more powerful than my potions."

"You weren't interested?"

"There was something...evil about her." She narrowed her gaze, determinedly remembering his stupid reaction to her birthmark. "Truly evil."

With a deliberate motion he dipped his head down to stroke his lips over the dark mark on her collarbone, silently apologizing for having hurt her.

"So you declined her offer?" he murmured, his lips brushing her skin.

She heaved a rueful sigh, accepting that he wasn't going to let her keep him at a distance. Instead, she threaded her fingers through his hair as his lips moved to the fascinating spot where her shoulder met her neck.

"More than that," she said, her tone growing distracted. "I fled Baton Rouge when she took an apartment in the same building where I was living, and moved to New Orleans. She was seriously creeping me out."

"She followed you?" Talon demanded, grabbing her hand and lowering it toward the aching length of his cock.

Without further urging she wrapped her fingers around his hard length, stroking down to his heavy sack.

A smug smile touched her lips at his tortured groan.

"Yes, but she kept her distance so I did my best to ignore her."

"There must be something that she wants from you," Talon said, trying to put together the pieces of the dangerous puzzle.

He now knew that the enemy had been keeping track of Isi, and that they were searching for someone who was obviously important to their cause. He'd also made certain that the Suits had eyes on Derek who would eventually lead them to the warehouse where Lon and his crew were hopefully hidden.

Later he would send someone to New Orleans to search for the mysterious Lady Cerise.

Those were all steps in the right direction.

For now, he intended to concentrate on his new mate.

Her fingers began to pump up and down his erection with a steady pace, and he made a raw sound of approval.

"Lady Cerise isn't the only one to want something from me," she muttered.

With a strangled groan, Talon rolled so he was perched on top of her slender body, framing her face in his hands.

"All I want is your happiness," he swore, holding her wary gaze so she couldn't mistake his sincerity. "And I promise, no matter what it takes, that's what I'll give you."

Her lips parted, her expression a mix between wariness and a grudging hope.

"Talon."

"You know you're mine. You feel it here." He lowered his head to press his lips directly over her thundering heart. "And here." He moved to lick the tip of one tightly clenched nipple before spreading his kisses down the flat plane of her stomach. "And here."

"Oh god," she moaned, her legs instinctively spreading as he licked through the warm, delectable sweetness.

"And most definitely here," he rasped, thrusting his tongue deep into her body. She gasped, her body arching as she clenched the sheet beneath her. "Admit it, Isi," he urged, continuing to torment her as she remained stubbornly silent. "Tell me that you belong to me."

"I..." Her words broke off in a blissful sigh, her hands reaching to grasp his hair as he expertly tongued her to a swift climax. "Yes."

"Yes, what?"

"I belong to you."

He lifted his head, meeting her dazed eyes. "Forever."

***

Isi understood on a basic level that she'd lost her mind.

There could be no other explanation for the joy that bubbled through her as she lay entangled on the bed with her annoying cat.

Hers.

Talon was right.

She'd felt a connection to him before they'd ever met.

The scent of his musk had not only eased her illness, but it'd stirred a longing deep inside her that she hadn't fully appreciated until Talon had appeared.

It was as if her heart and soul had already realized that she'd found the man destined to break through her barriers to claim the lonely woman beneath.

Just the sort of corny, fairy-tale ending that used to make her gag.

As far as she was concerned, Disney was selling a load of crap to young girls.

And then Talon had crashed into her life.

The prickly, impossibly arrogant cat had done his best to piss her off from their first meeting.

So was it any wonder she was struggling to admit to her growing bond?

Not that Talon was going to allow her the time or space to come to terms with their intense, rapidly changing relationship.

He was leaning on his elbow, glaring down at her with a narrowed gaze.

"You said it," he accused. "You agreed you belonged to me."

She tried to be annoyed by his insistence. Unfortunately, she could barely form a coherent thought as she studied the spectacular beauty of his face. Christ. No man should have such stunning eyes. It was completely unfair.

"You can't hold a person responsible for anything they say in bed." She said, her voice pathetically weak. "That's the rule."

"Whose rule?" he demanded.

"Mine."

He leaned down until they were nose to nose, the light picking up the copper highlights in his hair.

"This is my bed and my rules. You said you belong to me, so you do."

She shook her head. She might have shoved him away if her body hadn't been too lethargic from her last explosive orgasm.

"You can't just make the decision."

Talon abruptly stiffened. Almost as if her words had struck a nerve.

"Actually, I should probably admit that..."

Isi arched a brow as he hesitated. Since when did arrogant, "I'm always right" Talon pause to consider his words?

"What?" she prompted.

"That I marked you."

She stared at him, waiting to hear the punch line. Surely he couldn't actually be saying what she thought he was saying.

"You mean...you marked me, marked me?" she demanded. "As in mating mark?"

His expression was somber as he ensnared her gaze, forcing her to accept that this was no joke.

"Yes."

She licked her dry lips. "What does that mean?"

"You know what it means." His hand slid down her spine, lingering at the sensitive spot on her lower back where he'd marked her. "You're mine."

Isi struggled to be pissed at his outrageous proclamation.

What right did he have to mark her?

She wasn't a piece of property he could just claim.

She was a thoroughly independent woman who had no intention of tying herself to another human being, let alone a Pantera.

But she wasn't pissed.

In fact, she had a disturbing suspicion that if she'd just let down her guard she would discover that his mark was the inevitable conclusion to their heated mating dance.

"Don't you think you should have asked me if I wanted to be yours?" she forced herself to demand.

His eyes were more jade than gold as he studied her face with a tenderness that made her heart pound in her chest.

"It's not a question of choice." His fingers lightly feathered over his marks of possession, the caress sending erotic jolts of pleasure through her. "At least not for me."

A surge of satisfaction burst through her before she could tilt her chin to a defiant angle. "And me?"

He held her gaze, his musk teasing at her senses like the finest aphrodisiac. "I would never hold you against your will, Isi," he swore. "Whether you decide to accept the mating is in your hands."

"And if I don't?" she challenged. "What happens to you?"

A raw, starkly painful emotion darkened his eyes. "I will continue to try and earn your love for the rest of my life."

Isi bit her bottom lip.

It was, of course, the absolutely perfect thing to say.

The bastard.

"Oh," she whispered.

His head dipped down to kiss her. Then he gave a sudden hiss, jumping off the bed and rushing to the window. "Shit."

Alarm blasted through Isi as she shoved herself off the bed. "What?

"Put this on," he commanded, tossing her one of his T-shirts before reaching to pull on a pair of faded jeans.

Isi didn't argue, tugging the T-shirt over her head. It fell to mid-thigh, covering the basics.

Not that she really gave a shit what she was or wasn't exposing. It was obvious something bad was happening.

"Talon, what is it?" she rasped.

His face was grim. "Intruders."

Oh, hell. Her heart squeezed with fear.

"Human?"

"No." He headed toward the door of the bedroom.

"Where are you going?"

"To get rid of the trespassers."

Panic thundered through her as she chased after him, down the stairs and into the kitchen. She didn't have to ask who was out there. Talon wouldn't be so on edge if it was anyone but the elders.

"Not alone," she pleaded. "We have to call Raphael."

Never slowing his determined stride, Talon snatched his cellphone off the table and tossed it in her direction.

"You call," he said, sending her a warning glare. "And don't come out of this house."

"But..." She muttered a curse as Talon stepped out of the cottage, firmly closing the door behind him. "Dammit."

With shaky hands she pressed on the phone and scrolled to find Raphael's number. Within seconds she heard a familiar voice.

"What?"

"It's Isi," she said, her voice a raspy croak. "Come to the cottage. And hurry."

She placed the phone on the counter and headed to pull open the door.

Talon could toss out as many orders as he wanted, but she'd be damned if she was going to allow him to fight her battles.

She stepped onto the porch, her gaze moving to the two large, male Pantera in human form who bracketed a strange mist just inside the front gate. She felt a terrifying chill spear through her heart as the mist parted to reveal three female puma.

The three ranged in shades from brown to a pristine white, with different colored eyes. But they all shared the same aura of ancient power.

The sort of power she couldn't hope to battle.

The elders.

She gave a startled jump as they suddenly spoke. Not just because they combined their voices to speak as one, but because they didn't speak aloud. Instead she heard them in her mind.

"Step aside, Talon," they commanded of the man who blocked the pathway to the house.

The stubborn cat folded his arms over his chest. "No."

The mist trembled around the elders, as if astonished by Talon's refusal to obey. Odd. Isi had known him only a few days and she could have informed them that he had an allergy to being told what to do.

"The female must be sacrificed if we are to rescue our lands from destruction," they said in unison.

Isi wrapped her arms around her waist, glaring at the pumas. Bitches.

Talon growled low in his throat. "You don't know that her sacrifice will do anything to save the Wildlands."

"It was foretold."

"Prophecies can be interpreted to mean anything," Talon argued.

The elders regarded him with flat gazes, a sudden heat prickling in the air.

"Will you risk the future of your people to protect the female?"

His answer came without hesitation. "Yes."

Isi forgot to breathe, her gaze locked on Talon's broad back as he stood between her and the powerful females who wanted her dead.

Never had anyone stood up for her. Let alone risked their life to protect her.

God...Talon was willing to sacrifice his people.

The last layer of her protective barriers shattered as the bond between them settled into place, irrevocably binding them together.

There was the sensation of surprise before the voices of the elders echoed through her brain.

"You've mated her."

"Fate mated us," Talon countered.

Mated. Yes. The word was perfect for the bond she felt for Talon.

But even as she adjusted to the knowledge that her future was forever bound to the cat, a fierce fury was racing through her.

She'd been alone for as long as she could remember, and now, just when she had the opportunity to share her world with a man who she loved and a sister who needed her, the damned elders were threatening to snatch it all away.

"It changes nothing," they were saying, their gazes studying her with a grim determination.

"Fuck that," Talon snarled. "It changes everything."

"You will give us the female or you will die," the elders warned.

Talon shrugged. "Then I die."

"No."

The horrified denial was jerked from Isi's lips as she rushed down the steps to stand beside her mate.

Talon turned to glare at her with a smoldering frustration. "I told you to stay in the house."

She lifted a hand to brush her fingers through his silky hair, her heart twisting with a fear that had nothing to do with her own danger, and everything to do with this man who'd somehow become a vital part of her existence.

"I won't let them hurt you."

His expression tightened with a savage need to protect her. "Not your choice."

"Yes," she said softly. "It is."

"Dammit, Isi," he growled. "You're not alone anymore. We're in this together."

Together. A wistful smile touched her lips.

It was ironic. She spent her whole life avoiding relationships, certain they would demand a price she wasn't willing to pay. Now, when she was facing certain death, she realized that there was no price to love.

It didn't take.

It gave.

Everything.

"Not if it means watching you die," she said in husky tones. "Anything but that."

His cat glowed in his eyes, his emotions scalding the air with heat as the two male Pantera rapidly approached.

"Isi...no."

Her finger brushed his lips before she was turning to haul ass toward the side gate, glancing over her shoulder as she flipped off the elders.

"You want me? Then catch me, you bitches."