For the first time in weeks, Isi felt warm. Not just 'wrapped in heavy blankets until she was nearly smothered' warm. But warm from the inside out.

And even better, the constant sense of nausea was gone.

Completely, utterly gone.

With a sigh she snuggled closer to the source of the warmth, breathing deeply of the intoxicating musk that was driving away the hideous illness that plagued her at varying levels of hell since she arrived in the Wildlands.

She didn't know what was creating the delicious scent, and she didn't really care.

She just wanted to wrap herself in the soothing sensations.

As if answering her prayer, a warm hand slid down her back, cupping her ass.

"Oh, thank god," she groaned as the touch sent heat rushing through her veins. "Don't stop. That feels so good."

"I haven't even started, darling," a rough male voice whispered in her ear.

Isi was jerked out of her lovely dream, belatedly realizing she was no longer alone. What the hell? She forced open her heavy lids, her breath squeezed from her lungs as she encountered a pair of glowing golden eyes rimmed in jade.

They were spectacular eyes.

Clear, cunning and lethally male.

And they were set in a face that was drop-dead, do-me-now gorgeous.

Wide brow, a narrow blade of a nose, high cheekbones and sensually carved lips.

A true masterpiece of DNA.

Still foggy from sleep, Isi felt a surge of female appreciation tingle down her spine.

That was the kind of face that made smart women do stupid things.

And enjoy every second of it.

A dark, enticing arousal stirred deep inside her, shocking Isi with the intensity of her response.

She might enjoy the sight of a handsome man in a purely artistic way, but she didn't immediately consider how quickly she could rip off his clothes and wrap herself around him.

It was at last the inhuman glow in his eyes that snapped her out of her growing obsession.

Oh, shit.

This wasn't a man.

He was Pantera.

And he was currently rolling until he was perched on top of her.

"Hello, darling," he drawled, his lips curling as he watched her expression tighten with a surge of angry suspicion. "If I'd known you were waiting in my bed I would have returned sooner."

She shoved her hands against his chest, not surprised when he refused to budge. Even through the thin blanket she could feel his lean body honed to sleek, chiseled muscles. The shove was just a distraction so she could knee him in the nuts.

It didn't matter how tough a man was, he had one glaring vulnerability.

With a well-practiced jerk of her leg, she aimed directly between his legs. "Get off me, you pervert."

There was a low snarl as the cat managed to block her debilitating strike, using his longer legs to pin her to the mattress.

"No need to play rough, darling." His tongue traced the shell of her ear, sending unwelcome jolts of bliss straight to her pussy. "Unless that's the way you like it."

She hissed in frustration, trying to deny the fact that her entire body was humming with a treacherous awareness.

God dammit. When a man held her against her will it was a reason for homicide.

Not melting into a shivering mess of aching hunger.

"If I was playing rough I'd already have kicked the hair off your balls," she muttered.

"My balls aren't hairy." He nipped the lobe of her ear, grabbing her hand to lower it toward the hardening length of his cock. "Do you need proof?"

"Hell no." She wrenched her hand free, punching him in the chest with a force that would have broken the rib of a human. "Who are you?"

"Your reluctant host."

"Host?" Isi scowled. Raphael had told her that the pretty cottage hadn't been used for years. Of course, he'd also told her she wasn't a prisoner, but every time she tried to leave he warned her that the mysterious elders were just waiting for an opportunity to kill her. After a month of being stuck in the bayou with a bunch of angry cats who considered her the enemy, she was reaching her limit. In fact, tonight might very well have tipped her over the edge. "This is your house?"

"It's my parents' home, but this is my bed," the male Pantera said. "Why did you choose it?"

"What?"

"There are four bedrooms." He studied her with an unnerving intensity. Even in the darkness she knew what he was seeing. Short, jet black hair with blue streaks, mussed from sleep. A pale face with delicate features that were dominated by a pair of eyes so dark they looked black. His gaze lowered to the tattoo of a rose wrapped around a candle that ran from below her right ear down to her shoulder, before lingering on the diamond piercing in each nostril. His expression remained unreadable, but there was no missing the thickening of the intoxicating musk that filled the air. "Why did you choose mine?"

Isi hesitated. There was no way in hell she was going to admit she'd been drawn to the room because it'd eased the sickness that was a constant companion.

Not when an awful, unbearable suspicion was beginning to form in the back of her mind.

"It had the best view," she at last muttered.

His lips brushed a searing path of temptation down her throat. "Liar."

Her heart slammed against her ribs and her pussy clenched in brutal need as his lips teased the pulse at the base of her neck.

Oh...hell.

Without warning, she was suddenly slamming her fists against his chest, desperately trying to wriggle from beneath his hard body. There was no way to disguise her stupid arousal from the man's freakishly sensitive senses, but she'd be damned if she'd lie there like an obedient doll.

"Get. Off."

Lifting his head, the man frowned in confusion as he tried to halt her attack without hurting her. "Settle down, female."

"Not until you release me."

He hissed as she raked her nails down his face, rolling to the side so she could scramble off the bed.

"Damn wildcat," he muttered, his gaze running a brooding path down her slender body covered by a pair of silk shorts and camisole top.

Instinctively she folded her arms over her breasts, more to hide the hardened points of her nipples than out of any sort of modesty.

Young girls raised in orphanages didn't have the privilege of being bashful.

"Tell me your name," she commanded.

He continued to sprawl across the heavy four-poster bed that matched the hand-carved furniture that filled the second story room. He should have looked ridiculous in the cozy setting with handwoven rugs, walls lined with stuffed bookcases, and the echoes of a loving childhood, but he didn't.

He looked...at home.

A familiar pang of envy sliced through her heart before she was squashing the worthless regret.

Homes were places you kept your shit until you moved on to the next place. End of story.

"Talon," he said, his voice rubbing over her skin like rough silk.

Isi frowned. She had a vague memory of Ashe mentioning the Hunter who had been tracking down Pantera traitors.

"No one told me you lived here." She edged her way toward the door. She needed to be away from the disturbing cat. Far, far away. "I'll go somewhere else."

"Where?"

"Home." She didn't know what she was going to say until the word left her lips, but suddenly she knew that's exactly where she was going. She'd had enough of freaking Pantera and their soggy Wildlands. She belonged in New Orleans, running her shop. "Where I should have gone weeks ago."

"What about your sister?"

She shrugged, continuing to inch toward the door. "I can come back."

With a blur of motion, Talon was off the bed and blocking her path. "No."

Her jaw clenched as she was forced to come to a halt. "No?"

He planted his fists on his hips, the T-shirt stretched tight over the sculpted muscles of his chest.

"Raphael sent me here to protect you." He didn't bother to hide his anger at being stuck on babysitting duty. "I can't do that if you leave the Wildlands."

Her chin tilted. "Thanks, fur ball, but I've been taking care of myself a long time."

The golden eyes narrowed. "What is it with you and my fur?"

"I want it staying the hell away from me."

He prowled forward, his heat wrapping around her with sensuous pleasure. "You weren't so averse to me and my fur when you were clinging to me and telling me how good it felt."

She meant to hold her ground. She really did. But as he continued his ruthless path forward, she discovered herself retreating until her back was pressed against a tall bookcase.

Annoying ass.

"That was-"

He halted inches away, his hands lifting to grip the shelf on each side of her head. "What?"

"I was suddenly feeling better, that's all."

"Raphael mentioned it has something to do with the house," he said, his gaze lowering to the pulse that thundered at the base of her throat.

Isi grimaced. Yeah. She'd thought it was the house.

Until Talon appeared and the illness went from manageable to completely gone.

"Whatever," she muttered. "I'll feel even better at my own house."

He leaned down, his breath searing over her lips like a kiss. "Ain't. Gonna. Happen."

"It's not your decision."

"Do you think you would last one second without Raphael's protection?"

"So he keeps telling me." Her lips flattened with a stubborn determination. She'd allowed herself to be bullied into staying for weeks. Or at least she told herself she'd been bullied. Otherwise she would have to admit that she stayed for Ashe. An unacceptable explanation. "How do I know that's not just bullshit to keep me here?"

"Raphael doesn't have to use empty threats," Talon warned. "If he decides to keep you here, I guarantee you that you'll stay. One way or another."

She glared into the savagely beautiful face. "So when you said you're here to guard me, you meant I'm your prisoner."

"Raphael asked me to make sure you continued to help to his mate."

Oh, yes. Raphael had made it clear that he would move heaven and earth to protect his mate and child.

Which didn't make her jealous at all. Nope. Not at all.

"And what I want doesn't matter?" she snapped.

"No."

She gave a humorless laugh at his complete lack of apology. "Nice."

"It's the way it is."

"Fine." She dipped down to slip under his arm, heading toward the door. "I'm too tired to argue."

"Where are you going?" he demanded, once again moving to stand in her way.

"To another room."

"Why?" He had the balls to reach out and lightly grasp her chin, turning her head toward the bed dominating the room. "This bed is all toasty warm."

"You said this was your room."

His thumb brushed her lower lips, his touch sending a rush of arousal through her. "I'll share."

Her mouth went dry as the vivid image of being spread naked across the mattress as this man kissed a path from the top of her blue-streaked hair to the tips of her fuchsia-painted toes blazed through her mind.

Desire streaked through her, white hot and so fierce it made her knees week.

God, she had to get out of there.

"In your dreams," she said, the words sounding lame even to her.

His gaze followed his thumb as it traced the stubborn line of her jaw.

"We're stuck here together," he murmured, his voice husky with invitation. "We might as well enjoy our time."

She slapped away his hand before stepping around his body and heading toward the door with a grim determination.

Dammit.

She didn't know what was wrong with her.

The man was a damned cat. And worse, he considered her nothing more than an unwelcome duty.

"I'd rather sleep with a snake," she informed him, her head held high.

He waited until she was at the door before he called out to her. "Isi."

Reluctantly she glanced over her shoulder, refusing to acknowledge the impact of his golden beauty as he stood in a pool of moonlight.

"What?"

His eyes narrowed. "Raphael might need you for now, but I don't trust you an inch." His soft words sliced through her like a dagger. "Don't give me a reason to kill you."

She stormed from the room and down the hall, choosing the bedroom furthest away before slamming the door behind her.

The arrogant son of a bitch.

How dare he threaten to kill her after...

After what?

She gave a choked laugh, pressing a hand to her lips as the faint queasiness began to return.

After he'd offered to have sex with her?

No. It wasn't even sex.

It was a quick fuck with a stranger.

It was clearly time she returned to her own life.

Far away from the bayous and Pantera males who would be greatly improved by having their bloated heads stuffed and mounted over the nearest fireplace.

***

A thrill of excitement raced through Talon as he slid silently through the underbrush. In his cat form he moved with a silent grace that made certain his prey was unaware she was being hunted.

Isi.

His excitement turned to a darker, more enticing emotion as he caught the scent of magnolia.

The female wasn't at all what he'd been expecting.

Harbingers of doom shouldn't look like exotic butterflies, with raven black hair highlighted with brilliant blue, and black eyes that contrasted with pale, milky skin. Even the tattoo and piercings that should have made her look hard only emphasized her striking beauty.

A rare, exquisite creature that had made lust explode through him from the second he'd caught sight of her curled in his bed.

Of course, she did have the attitude, he wryly acknowledged.

But even the sharp tongue and don't-screw-with-me insolence fascinated him.

It made him want to break through the brittle facade to find the warm, passionate woman beneath.

And she would be passionate.

He'd caught the scent of her arousal. An arousal that matched his own.

She wanted him. Just like he wanted her.

Beneath him.

Now.

Realizing they were nearing the border of the Wildlands, Talon began to close the distance.

He'd heard her the second Isi had left her room to creep downstairs. She'd taken time to slip into the laundry room and grab one of the sweat suits that every Pantera kept in his home. Even though their clothing usually transformed during the shift, there were times when they were stressed, or injured, or too weary to maintain full control of their transformation. The sweats were bought in bulk to be disposable.

Then, she'd slipped from his house like a thief in the night.

Talon had allowed her escape.

He wanted to know where the hell she was going and who she was meeting.

Now it was clear that she'd been serious when she'd said she intended to go home.

With a silent burst of speed, Talon was circling around her, hidden by the thick vegetation. He felt a brief flare of confusion when he caught sight of her pale face and the hand pressed to her lips as if she was struggling against the urge to vomit.

She was far sicker than she had been at his house.

And for some stupid reason the realization sent a stab of fury through his heart. As if the thought of her in distress was painful to him.

With a low growl he crushed the unwelcome suspicion, instead pouncing forward, concentrating on his shift from cat to human as he carefully knocked Isi to the mossy ground.

An explosion of magic burst through his body, making him shudder as his bones and muscle realigned.

An exhilarating sensation.

But not nearly so exhilarating as the feel of her slender curves pressed beneath him.

"Going somewhere, darling?" he drawled, running a searching gaze down her body to make certain she hadn't been hurt in the fall.

Not that he should care, he fiercely told himself.

He'd warned her what would happen if she tried to flee.

Still, he couldn't entirely shake his aggravating aversion to seeing her in pain.

Isi's eyes widened in fear before she realized exactly who was pinning her to the ground. Immediately her fear altered to pure fury.

"Shit." She wriggled beneath him, her face losing its pasty shade of green as his musk began to fill the air. "Stop leaping on top of me."

Sweet sparks of arousal tingled through his blood as she writhed against his swelling cock, the intensity of his pleasure wrenching a low growl from his throat.

Lowering his head, he pressed his nose to the curve of her throat, breathing deep of her magnolia scent.

"I wouldn't twitch a single muscle if I were you," he warned.

Her muscles tensed, her heart pounding so loud he could hear the frantic beats. "Why?"

"Because chasing you has turned me on." Unable to resist temptation, Talon sank his teeth into her silken flesh, not hard enough to draw blood, but enough to satisfy the cat inside him who abruptly wanted a taste of this female. Lust thundered through him. "Do you want to run some more?"

She slammed her fist against his back, her entire body trembling. But not with fear. Or anger.

"I just want you to leave me alone," she rasped.

"Liar." His voice thickened as the intoxicating scent of her cream teased at his senses. Her pussy was already wet and ready for him to penetrate. His cock twitched, anxious to fulfill her need. "I excite you."

Another blow to his back. "You're pissing me off, fur boy."

He licked a path down her throat, his cat prowling just below the surface, as if unnerved by the intoxicating flavor of her skin.

"Then why do you smell like sex?" he demanded.

"Because you're delusional," she muttered, making another bid for freedom.

"Dammit," he snarled, lifting his head to glare into her wide eyes. It was one thing to taunt her with his awareness of her arousal. It was another to realize that he was perilously close to ripping off her clothes and fucking her right there. He might be a Pantera, but he wasn't an animal. "I told you to stay still."

"I don't take orders from you..." Her words trailed away as he pressed a hand to her forehead, his gaze searching her pale face. "What are you doing?"

"You were sick," he said in abrupt tones, temporarily distracted from his potent lust.

She frowned. "This whole place makes me sick."

"Now you're better."

Something flickered in her eyes. Something she was trying to hide from him.

"We're close to border."

"No." He gave a slow shake of his head. "You were better in my home. And now you're better because I'm holding you," he reasoned out loud. Then the truth struck him. "It's me," he said, watching as the flush of color stained her cheeks. "I make you better."

She glared at him in frustration. "God, could your ego get any bigger?"

He leaned down to nip the tip of her nose. "Admit it."

"No."

"Why not?" His lips twisted as his lust returned in full, painful force. Christ, his cock was pressing so hard against the zipper of his jeans he was afraid it might bust through. "I'll admit your scent is driving me out of my fucking mind."

"Talon."

He hissed, heat exploding through him as he allowed his lips to trail over her cheek to the edge of her mouth.

"Say it again," he urged.

She trembled, her hands spread against his back as she forgot to fight him. "What?"

"My name." He used his tongue to trace the lush temptation of her lower lip. "Say it again."

"Talon."

"I like to hear it on your lips," he said, kissing the line of her jaw before heading down the silken skin of her throat.

Her nails bit into his shoulders as she arched in pleasure beneath him. "What are you doing to me?"

"Darling, I'll do anything you want," he muttered, forgetting where they were and, more importantly, who she was.

Nothing mattered but the sharp-edged hunger that clawed at him whenever he was close to this female.

He reached the neckline of her sweatshirt, impatiently using his chin to push it aside so he could trace her collarbone with his lips.

"Oh," she breathed, rubbing against the thick thrust of his erection.

He growled, about to reach down and yank off the loose bottom of her sweats when his gaze caught sight of a tiny mark at the bottom of her collarbone.

It was like being doused in icy-cold water.

One second all he could think about was the savage need that was pounding through his body, and the next he was pushing himself upright and shoving shaking hands through his tousled hair.

"Shit," he rasped.

She raised herself onto her elbows. "What?"

His gaze remained glued to the birthmark that marred the perfect ivory of her skin. "A raven."

She flinched. As if he'd physically struck her.

"It's not a raven, it's a birthmark."

"The symbol of evil." The words left his lips before he could consider their impact on Isi.

Hell, he was a Hunter, not a Suit.

"Evil?" Isi surged to her feet, grabbing a hefty stick off the ground to swing toward his head with a magnificent fury. "Get out of here, you son of a bitch."

Angry with himself for having forgotten he intended to treat this female as the enemy, and potentially putting his people in danger, he turned to walk away.

He needed some distance to pull his head out of his ass and start thinking clearly.

Or at least try to ease his raging hard-on.

"Gladly," he snarled, headed back to his parents' cottage.

The branch went whizzing past his head, grazing his ear. "And stay the hell away," she shouted.

Turning his head, he sent her a last glare. "You leave the Wildlands and the elders will kill you. Make no mistake about it," he growled.

She flipped him off. "Bastard."

Talon stormed away.

For the first time he felt like a bastard.