Ecstasy Untamed (Feral Warriors #6)(5)

Had she misjudged him? He wasn't human, after all, but Therian.

Her mate.

Was it possible? The thought tantalized. As a child, she'd heard stories of the rare and wonderful mates that few Therians could hope to find. The mate of one's heart, one's soul. What if she'd found hers? A man who would love her without question, who would understand her as no one else ever had or ever would. The idea bloomed inside her, a burst of warm excitement and longing.

"I leave for America tomorrow. You'll accompany me." His tone was certain. Arrogant.

Faith's jaw dropped. "America? Tomorrow? No. I can't possibly . . ."

But he continued as if she hadn't spoken. "I've been marked to be the next Feral Warrior."

She stared at him, surprise turning to awe. A real honest-to-goodness shape-shifter. Goose bumps lifted on her arms.

"Feral House is in America, now, near Washington, D.C. The Ferals await me. We'll travel together and be mated there."

She continued to stare at him, thoughts and emotions careening into one another, catching and tangling. It was too soon, too fast. Her mate. She didn't know him. A Feral Warrior. She wasn't even sure she liked him. The animal only ever marked the best, the finest. And the certainty remained that she belonged to him.

What if he was the one? The one? Soul mates came along so rarely and only ever once. If she let him walk away now, she might never see him again. She might never know . . .

"Where do you live?" he demanded. "I'll bring a car around for you tomorrow morning."

With a shake of her head, she stared at him helplessly. "I have . . . people . . . here." Paulina and Maria. Girls she wanted to help, but she could hardly call them her people. It was all too likely she'd fail with both of them. Paulina might already be lost to her.

This is your chance, a small voice inside her whispered. You've spent your whole life seeking a better life for the girls you meet. Now it's your turn.

Feral House. The home of the Feral Warriors. Her mate. Every girl's dream.

The man's jaw - she didn't even know his name - tightened in frustration, then slowly relaxed, his tone turning almost cajoling.

"Come with me, Faith. We'll not seal the mating bond until we're both certain. But how will we know if we are meant for one another if we remain apart? And I cannot delay my flight. The Feral Warriors need me."

The longer she remained in his company, the stronger the tug inside her grew - waves of emotions that lacked all logic, a need to please him. Loyalty. Devotion. The utter certainty that she belonged at his side.

"Yes, of course I'll come with you." The words were out of her mouth before her mind even made a decision. She didn't know the man! Then again, she never would unless she went with him. And she'd wind up spending thousands, perhaps tens of thousands of nights alone, wondering if she'd lost her one chance at love. "But I have to come back, at least for a little while." She refused to disappear from Maria's and Paulina's lives without one more concerted effort to get them off the streets and into a safe environment.

He frowned. For a minute, she feared he'd refuse her, forcing her to choose between him and the girls. Instead, he gave a curt nod and glanced at the building behind her with ill-concealed distaste.

"Is this where you live?"

"Yes."

"I'll meet you here at eight tomorrow morning." Without a backward glance, he turned and started walking.

"Wait!" she called. "What's your name?"

"Maxim." He didn't even bother to turn around.

"Who's Maxim?" Paulina asked at her elbow, surprising her. Thank heavens she'd come back.

"I'm not sure," Faith answered truthfully. My future husband?

"I don't like him."

Faith looked at the girl. "Do you know him?"

"No. I've never seen him before." Paulina scowled, but her expression lacked its usual belligerence. And when she spoke, her voice was low. "There's something wrong about him."

Faith turned and stared after the man until he disappeared from sight. Wrong, yes, but not in the way Paulina thought. Maxim wasn't human. He was immortal and soon to be a shape-shifter. A Feral Warrior. One of the finest men the race had to offer. No matter his arrogance, she knew he must be a good man deep inside.

And the fates, the goddess, had chosen her for his mate. How could she possibly turn her back on that?

Faith took Paulina's hand, relieved when the teen didn't pull away. "I'm leaving for a little while, Paulina. I'm . . . going with him. To America."

Paulina jerked her hand out of Faith's hold, her mouth dropping open. "When?"

"Tomorrow."

The look of betrayal in the girl's eyes was there and gone so fast, Faith nearly missed it, but it cut her to the quick.

"I'll be back, Paulina. In a few weeks, at the latest. At least for a little while."

The girl whirled away. "Don't bother!" She took off at a run.

As she stared after the girl's retreating form, Faith's shoulders sagged beneath the weight of guilt and the certain knowledge that she'd made a lot more progress with Paulina than she'd realized. And had now almost certainly destroyed it.

She should stay here. Find her. Try to make it right. Try to rebuild that trust and finish the job she'd begun.