aWhat should I do?a he asked.

aLie down beside her. Hold her. Youare the only one who can bring her back.a Not her. Him.

He felt a spurt of hope, until she added, aIf the bond between you is strong enough.a Was it? It had to be!

He might have been embarra.s.sed. But he knew he was past that as he lay down and gathered Kennaas limp body in his arms, folding her close and squeezing his eyes shut.

The women closed in around them, each of them with a hand on him and a hand on Kenna, and he could feel them sending energy into him, energy that he then sent to Kenna. It was a strange sensation. He didnat know how he was doing it.

aSpeak to her,a Renata whispered. aTell her how much you love her. How much you need her.a Could he do that? In front of these women?

Yes, because it was the only way to bring Kenna back, and he would die without her.

VANDAR reached out a hand and touched Kennaas shoulder. Digging in one nail, he sc.r.a.ped his way down her chest, across her breast, and down to the thatch of hair at the juncture of her legs. After admiring his handiwork, he leaned toward her and pressed his mouth to her breast, sucking the blood that had welled up there.

She clenched her teeth, determined not to scream, because she knew he wanted to feel her fear, and denying him that was the only thing she had left.

When she heard footsteps in back of her, she stiffened. Someone else was here in this chamber.

As Vandar looked over her shoulder, his face contorted in anger.

aGet out of here.a aNo.a It was Talon. He was here! But how could that be?

aKenna is mine,a Vandar shouted. aGo back to your own world.a aMake me.a She couldnat see Talon, and when she tried to twist around, Vandar reached out a clawed hand and held her fast.

aGet the h.e.l.l off of her,a Talon shouted.

aMake me,a the beast snarled, repeating what Talon had said.

Behind her, Talon reached up and worked at the ropes holding her hands. As they loosened, the monster shot out a stream of fire from his mouth, and she heard Talon groan in pain, but he kept working.

aGet away. Before he kills you,a she gasped.

aNot a chance.a He freed her hands, and she found that she could take a step back.

aStop!a Vandar commanded, and she went rigid again.

Then Talon began to speak in her ear. aKenna, I love you. So much. I should have told you, but I was afraid to say the words. I need you. Iam nothing without you beside me. Please, you have to come back.a aI canat,a she said, hearing her voice crack.

aYou have to.a aIam his slave.a aNot anymore. Youare in a different world. He isnat here.a aYes, he is!a aHe put these images in your head to control you. Theyare not real, and theyare not as strong as our love.a Was he right? When he said it, she felt a bubble of hope.

aHelp me,a Talon pleaded. aI canat do it alone. We have to fight him together.a FAR away, Ramsay Gallagher was in his garage, working on the 1933 Pierce Arrow that he had restored, when he caught a series of confusing images.

He knew they were coming from the womana"the woman he had first sensed in the smoke ceremony.

Days ago, he had thought she was gone. Dead. Or in some place that he couldnat penetrate. Then, from one moment to the next, head sensed the link with her again, as though she had stepped through a door from another place to this universe.

Was that possible? He didnat know.

Yet it fit the circ.u.mstances in some way that he couldnat articulate.

Now he went rigid, caught by the scene in his mind. The woman. And two men. But he knew as he looked at one of them that the guy wasnat human.

He sucked in a sharp breath.

Where the h.e.l.l was all that coming from?

The scene was disturbing. The nonhuman creature was the most disturbing of all, because it brought back too many memories from his own past.

It was like the monster he had fought long agoa"and won. At the time, he had been sure that there wasnat another like it on Earth. Could he have been wrong?

If he was, where had the d.a.m.n thing come from? And where was it lurking now?

TEARS streamed down Kennaas face as she thought of what she longed for with Talon. And what she could havea"if she fought for it.

Perhaps he felt the change in her. aSweetheart, we can do it! Together.a Feeling her own resolve strengthen, she took a step away from her fearsome master.

aThatas it! You can do it. We can do it.a Talonas voice filled with hope as he guided her back, out of the rock-bound cave where Vandar had brought her.

As they reached an opening at the back of the cave, the monster shot out his fiery breath again, but it barely reached them. He was too far away, and the fire diminished as he receded into the background.

He was screaming at her, af.u.c.k you! Youare mine. f.u.c.k both of you. Come back.a But she could hardly hear him now.

Then, all at once, she stepped backwards through a barrier that was something like a portal, only it felt more solid as her body jolted from a shadow world into reality.

Her eyes snapped open, and she dragged in a breath of sweet-smelling air. Blinking her eyes, she realized she was lying on the bed again, with Talonas face hovering over hers. It was wet with tears, and she realized she was crying, too.

aYou brought me back,a she said, hearing the wonder in her own voice. aYou went into that horrible place and pulled me free.a aYou had the courage to come with me,a he answered.

aYou did it together,a a woman said, and Kennaas gaze snapped to Renata, then the other two women who had come to help her.

Suddenly, she realized that she and Talon werenat alone. The adepts were still in her bedroom, where theyad come to break the hold of . . .

aVandar had me tied to a . . . cross,a she said, bracing for pain as she said the forbidden name. To her amazement, nothing happened.

aGreat Mother,a she marveled, looking down at her body. In the dream, she had been naked. Now she was wearing the clothing shead had on when the women had come in.

aHow long was I . . . away?a she asked.

aOnly a few minutes.a aIt seemed like hours.a aHe wanted it to. Do you understand that it was just his illusion?a She nodded, trying to absorb what had happened.

Talon tightened his hold on her arm. aYouare free of him. Forever.a aVandar planted those images in your head before you left home,a Renata said. aThey were his last hope, if you tried to crack his hold on you. But your will was strong enough to break the compulsion he placed on your mind.a She marveled at thata"at the difference in how she felt. The burden she had carried around was suddenly gone. She wanted to simply enjoy her wonderful freedom.

Yet as she absorbed the new truth, a jolt of panic zinged through her. aI . . . I have to tell you about him. About what he has planned.a aYes. But not now. Youave been through an ordeal, and you need to rest. Weall be here when youare ready.a The three women withdrew from the room.

When they had closed the door, she ducked her head away from Talon, but he tipped her chin up so that she had to meet his eyes.

aIam so ashamed,a she whispered.

aAbout what?a aI was a spy. And a liar.a aNot because you wanted to be.a aBut I feel awful. I felt awful the whole time I was doing it. I . . . I tried to tell you the truth, but I couldnat.a aI understand that now. It wasnat your fault. I saw how horrible he was.a She sucked in a sharp breath. aYou saw him?a aYes. In your vision.a She ached to cover her face. Instead, she found Talonas hand and held on tight.

aHeas surrounded by slaves who are all terrified of hima"and all under his power.a aWe can talk about that later.a aBut . . . I have to tell you all of it.a aLater.a Before she could protest, he brought his lips to hers for a long, hungry kiss, and the heat that came from him enveloped her. Not like Vandaras fire. A healing heat that sealed the two of them together.

He tightened his hold on her, and they rocked together on the bed. When he eased away and cupped his hand around her breast, she gave him a startled look.

aThere are people in the house, and . . . and . . .a aYeah. But they can wait.a He stood up and opened the window. aWeare going outside. To a place where weall be alone. Too bad weare not in my room. I have a sliding gla.s.s door, but itas only a four-foot drop from this window. Not too far.a From the top shelf of the closet, he took down what looked like a rolled-up quilt. aSleeping bag,a he explained as he threw it outside on the ground, then climbed down and held out his arms. She slung one leg over the sash before letting herself down, landing in his arms, where she had to press her mouth against his shoulder to hold back a giggle.

He grinned at her, then picked up the sleeping bag and wedged it under one arm before slinging the other arm around her shoulder as he led her away from the house, to a circle of pine trees that shead pa.s.sed on her walks. Directing her to one side of the circle, he showed her a place where they could slip through the branches.

aThis is where I change.a She studied the sheltered place in appreciation. It was a private spot, the ground soft and fragrant with fallen pine needles.

After unrolling the sleeping bag, he unzipped it and laid it on the needles, making a double-wide bed. Then he reached for her, and she came into his arms again.

His mouth found hers, and he began to kiss her as he worked the b.u.t.tons on the front of her shirt before pulling it off her shoulders and dropping it on the ground. After dragging his own shirt over his head and sending it to join hers, he pulled her close.

The feel of his chest hair against her b.r.e.a.s.t.s made her draw in a quick breath, and she pressed her cheek to his shoulder.

aThis time is different,a she whispered.

aYes. Because there are no barriers between us.a It was true and so much more. The first time she hadnat known what making love would be like. The second time shead felt frantic with the compulsion Vandar had placed on her to use their s.e.xual connection to control Talon. But this time, it was just the two of them, knowing where they were going together.

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE.

TALON SWAYED HER against his body, entranced by the way her hardened nipples dragged across his chest.

He had known all along that she was his life mate. At first he had fought it. Today he embraced it.

Even though he knew they still had problems to work out, he wanted this time together.

And he wanted her to know what he felt. aI couldnat make a commitment, not really. Now I want you to know how much I love you. How much I need you.a He kissed her hungrily as he worked the snap at the top of her jeans, then the zipper. When he had slid her jeans and panties down her legs, she kicked them away, then helped him off with his clothing.

Together, they came down to the surface of the sleeping bag and lay facing each other, the blue of the sky above them and the pine trees walling them off from the rest of the world as they touched and kissed.

When her hand slid down to his c.o.c.k, circling and squeezing him, he let himself enjoy her touch for a few moments before lifting her hand away.

aYouall make me come.a aI want to learn what pleases you. Everything that pleases you.a aYou will. Weave got plenty of time.a He saw a shadow cross her face. aWhat?a aWe still have to . . . to deal with Vandar.a aWe will,a he answered, but he couldnat stand the uncertainty on her face, so he kissed his way to one of her tight nipples, biting gently, then swirling his tongue over her while he slid one hand down her body and into the warm wet folds of her s.e.x, finding her slick and swollen for him. When he brushed his finger against the side of her c.l.i.t, she sucked in a ragged breath.

aWhat do you call that place that you just touched?a she asked.

aYour c.l.i.t. A very sweet place.a As he spoke, he bent over her, parting the folds of her s.e.x and lowering his mouth to her.

She gasped. aWhat are you doing?a He lifted his head far enough to say, aWhat I wanted to do before. Getting a taste of you.a He used his lips and his tongue on her, trying to drive every thought from her mind except the heat flaming between them.

He knew he had succeeded when she begged him, aPlease. No more!a Lifting his head, he stared at her stunned face.

He surprised her again, lying down on his back and lifting her so that she was straddling him.

From his p.r.o.ne position, he looked up at her and grinned.

When she tried to cover her b.r.e.a.s.t.s, he reached for her hands.

aIt would please me to look at you when we make love,a he said in a thick voice.

She swallowed. aOkay.a Her face turned serious as she raised her hips and came down on his c.o.c.k, seating him firmly inside her. Once they were joined, she grinned and surprised him by contracting her inner muscles around him.

aAh . . thatas good.a She grinned again and arched her back, thrusting her b.r.e.a.s.t.s boldly toward him, and he could see that she had discovered she was enjoying this variation on a basic human activity.

As she looked down at him with new confidence, she began to move, and he was stunned by the intensity he saw on her face, and by what he felt.

aOh, Talon. Oh . . .a She gasped as her movements became more frantic.

aLean forward,a he told her. aPress your c.l.i.t against me.a She did, working herself against him, and he struggled to hold himself back, waiting for her to reach the peak of pleasure. When he felt her inner muscles contract in small spasms, he let himself go, joining her in a thundering climax that seemed to shake the ground around them.

When he came back to Earth, he gathered her close, holding her sweat-slick body to his.

aI love you so much,a she murmured.

aI love you,a he answered. aIt feels wonderful to say that.a aYes.a She snuggled against him, and he held her and stroked her, wishing they could stay where they were for a long time. But she had told him a threat still hung over them, and he wanted to wipe it out so the two of them could be truly free.

aWe should go back.a She ducked her head. aRenata and the others, theyall all know what weave been doing.a aYeah. Because itas the same thing they do when they want to show their life mate what theyare feeling.a She nodded, and he held her for a while longer, then sat up.

aI think we have to face the music.a aThe music?a aItas an idiom. And Iam d.a.m.ned if I know where it came from. Maybe the musical theater. A performer who was nervous would have to face the orchestra pit when the curtain opened.a She laughed. aThat doesnat help much. Whatas a musical theater? Or an orchestra pit?a He was glad to explain the terms while they got dressed because it was a good way to distract her.

When she looked up from pulling on her clothes, there was a tentative expression on her face.

aWhat?a aItas a relief to be able to ask you questions without . . . being afraid.a aOh, sweetheart. It must have been so hard for you.a He pulled her into his arms and held on tight for long moments.

When he plucked a couple of pine needles out of her hair, her expression turned shy.

aDonat worry about my family. If theyare thinking anything, itas about me. They know I didnat want to bond with anyone. And now Iam well and truly snared.a aIam not sure that helps.a As they approached the front door of the lodge, he saw a couple more cars in the driveway and knew more Marshalls had arrived.

That reality was unnerving, but he stopped worrying about his own reactions when he felt Kennaas hand tighten on his.

aWeall get through this together,a he said.

aBut thereas a lot you donat know.a aI want to hear it.a aMaybe you wonat think so when you do.a Talon squeezed her hand. aGet used to understanding that Iall be beside you. Always.a She squeezed back. aI hope Iam worthy of that.a aYou are. So come save me from facing the family alone.a She made a clucking sound as he led her through the front door, then down the hall toward the living room, aware that all eyes were on them.

aYouave been outside,a Rinna said.

aYeah,a he answered with no further explanation, trying to act like it wasnat unnerving to find so many of his relatives and their life mates making themselves at home in his living room.

He and Kenna sat together on one of the sofas.