Ecstasy Untamed (Feral Warriors #6)(72)

"Amazing that they still exist, isn't it?" Fox asked quietly. "She's a fine thing, the blonde."

Hawke glanced at the fox shifter, seeing a predatory look in his eyes that had him shaking his head. "That's Melisande. Apparently, she tried to kill Lyon a couple of weeks ago."

"And he let her live?"

"That was my reaction the first time I heard. It was something of a misunderstanding, and they've called a truce. Of sorts. But the woman apparently has a chip on her shoulder the size of the South Pole when it comes to Ferals. That one's trouble with a capital T."

"Chips can be knocked off."

Faith snorted beside him. "So can heads."

Fox chuckled low. "She hasn't met the right Feral yet, is all."

Hawke shook his head, but he smiled. "You'd have more luck taming a tornado."

Kougar pulled away from his mate and turned to them. "Fox, Faith, I'd like you to meet Ariana, Queen of the Ilinas and my mate. And her second, Melisande."

As expected, Melisande scowled, but Ariana strode forward dressed in jeans and low boots, looking and acting entirely too human for a queen whose castle sat, literally, in the clouds. Then again, she'd spent the last millennium unable to turn to mist, living as a human. When Kougar had found her again, she'd been working as a maternity nurse in a hospital in downtown Baltimore.

"Hi, Hawke. How are you doing?"

Other than the fact that my bird has turned against me and the woman I'm in love with has just been marked to be one of the guardians of the race without a single skill to keep her alive in battle?

"I'm fine, thank you, Ariana. And you?"

She smiled radiantly and glanced at Kougar. "I've never been better. I'm glad you're back with the living. And the conscious."

"I have you to thank for that."

"I'm glad I was able to help."

Hawke put his hand on Faith's shoulder. "This is Faith."

Ariana shook Faith's hand, then turned to Fox. "You're one of the new Ferals?"

Fox nodded. "I am. Faith and I both are."

Ariana's brows shot up, the smile she turned on Faith delighted and genuine. "About time. If you'll excuse me?" She turned back to Kougar. "Where's the Shaman? I understand we have work to do."

As she strode back to where she'd left her mate and her second, Fox fell into step beside her, stopping before the blonde. "Melisande, is it?" he asked, the Irish lilt in his voice suddenly more pronounced. "A beautiful name for a beautiful woman."

Melisande stared at him as if he'd lost his mind, but a hint of color rose in her cheeks. Interesting.

Fox held out his hand to her. "I'm Fox, Melisande. It's a pleasure to meet you."

Melisande's eyes narrowed, her mouth tilting up in a mockery of a smile. "That's what you think."

"Mel," Ariana said, her tone part plea, part warning. But from what little he'd seen of Melisande, and what he'd been told, the blond Ilina was a law unto herself.

To prove the point, she appeared to fling something at Fox, probably the bolt of energy that he'd heard could drive even a Feral to his knees in pain. But the sound that escaped Fox's throat wasn't a sound of pain. More like pure, unadulterated rapture, like a man in the throes of orgasm. His back arched, his head falling back, his mouth opening wide. And when he recovered enough to close his mouth and stare at Melisande, the grin on his face was that of a hunter who'd just sighted the prey he'd been searching for, for a long, long time.

Melisande's jaw dropped in horror. In an instant, she turned to mist and disappeared.

Ariana and Kougar both stared at Fox, who started laughing like a man who'd just discovered the secrets of the universe.

"What did you do to her?" Kougar asked, genuine amazement creeping into his tone.

Fox shook his head, golden hair brushing his shoulders. "I've no bloody idea."

"Watch your step," Ariana warned kindly. "Melisande is a good person, but she has a violent and justified hatred of Therians. While she's obligated to honor my alliance with the Ferals, she's unpredictable. She won't try to kill you. But that's about all I can guarantee. And if you hurt her, even that's off the table."

"Point taken." But the roguish look on Fox's smiling face made Hawke suspect Melisande was the one who'd better watch her back. And maybe even her heart.

"Hi, Ariana." Kara descended the stairs, looking tired.

Hawke took Faith's hand, thinking this was a good time to make a hasty exit. He'd been avoiding Kara for days now, not wanting Lyon to realize just how bad things were getting. But as he turned to go, Lyon stopped him.

"Hawke, you haven't had radiance in a couple of days."

"I'm fine, Roar."

"Radiance, Wings. Now."

Hell. Though maybe it would be okay this time. Maybe he really was getting better. There was one way to find out. He gave Faith a quick kiss, then released her and joined Kara and Lyon. Fox and Kougar stepped forward, and each of them grabbed one of Kara's arms or ankles. Hawke curled his hand around Kara's wrist, holding his breath. It'll be fine. He prayed it was true.

As Kara went radiant, lighting up like the sun, radiance zapped him, and he arched back, contorting like a man electrocuted. Faith and Kara cried out in unison, Kara's light going out as someone yanked his hand away from her.