"Hmm, so you're a coydog?" Meg nuzzled her Maze's neck. He took that as an invitation to climb into her lap.

"Ooph! You're way too big to sit in my lap, nut ball!" Meg teased pushing him back onto the ground. "Ah well, you'll always be my wily coyote." Meg rubbed his ears just the way he liked and smiled at the content squeaks and moans her friend couldn't help but make at the sheer joy he felt worked his ears just so.

"Sloan, little help!" Cole's voice echoed down the corridor.

"Did I say tomorrow I stop coddling? I'm thinking now; now's a good time," she flopped her hands down on either side of her and yelled: "Whatever it is, you get out of that bed and do it yourself, Cole!"

Meg laughed at the groan she heard in response.

The garage door rumbled to life, and moments later Evan and Creed walked in laughing about something.

"Hey guys. How'd it go?"

"Great," Creed grinned at Evan, his co-conspirator.

One glance at her little brother told her everything she needed to know. "Evan Winter! Why are you covered in black grease?"

"You already know, so why bother asking?" Evan smiled charmingly at his sister's scowling face.

"Meg, do you need me to help with anything before your mom gets home?" Creed asked thoughtfully as he headed to the kitchen for a drink.

"No, I think we're as ready as we're going to be tonight, but thanks for the offer." Meg grinned at Creed's wide back.

"Then I'm going out to the barn for a while before everyone gets back," He called over his shoulder with a wave.

"Oh yeah? Wait up, big man." Meg quickly crossed off "modify Mom's car" from her to-do list before tossing the pen down and leaping after Creed.

Chapter 36 M&C.

"What are you doing?" Creed smirked over his shoulder at his dark-eyed beauty bouncing after him.

"What can I say? I'm a sucker for your company, Creed Young."

Blushing, he held the back door open for her. She smiled widely as she walked past him, careful to only lightly brush her fingertips across his chest as she did.

"Oh come on, Meg," Creed ran his huge hand through his straight hair, his face adorably pink.

"Don't you want to be with me?" Meg feigned hurt feelings as she turned to stand inches away from the love of her life. She was having a hard time keeping her hands to herself, so she shoved them deep inside the pockets of her jeans.

"You know I love your company." His voice was scratchy with the immediate emotions she brought out in him.

Meg nodded smugly, knowing full well how she made Creed's heart pound like a racehorse. "Good, because I was kind of hoping you'd give me another lesson." She started walking determinedly toward the barn.

Three of Creed's long strides had him caught up with her. "Another lesson in what?"

"Hmm, how about archery this time?"

"Sure," Creed's husky voice was replaced with his normal, handsome bass. "Have you ever tried it?"

"Yeah, but the compound bow is tricky for me. The boys were trying to teach me; Alik was trying to be all bossy and Evan went on and on about the aerodynamics involved." Meg rolled her eyes, remembering that day clearly. "I lost my patience and stormed out of the barn, choosing to go for a run instead. That was back when, um..." she hesitated. "Back when you were in Germany."

"Mmm," Creed grunted a hint of a smile on his lips. "And what makes you think I'll be able to teach you?"

They stepped into the fresh hay-scented barn, sunlight dancing between the sparkling dust particles like God's glitter.

Meg watched the way Creed's shoulders rolled, big catlike as he walked toward the bows and arrows stored neatly against the far wall.

"Because I'll hold still for you." Meg's voice quivered as the truth blurt from her freshly licked lips.

Creed looked over his shoulder at the raven-haired beauty. Her lids were heavy over shining dark pools of chocolate. He tore his eyes away from her sultry gaze only to land on her full mouth. She kept chewing on her bottom lip causing it to swell pink and perfect. It was all he could do to keep from sweeping her up into his arms and covering those delicious Cupid's bow lips with passionate kisses.

Bow.

Bow.

Oh, right, Creed shook his head trying to clear it as he stood holding a bow and a quiver of arrows.

He cleared his throat, trying to loosen its grip so he could take more than a shallow breath.

"You'll hold still for me?" He replayed her words aloud, peering at the girl with one brow raised out of curiosity.

Now it was Meg's turn to blush. She felt the heat crawl up her throat and land at the tips of her ears. Self-consciously, she reached to her wrist to find the pony holder she kept there like a bracelet. She bowed her head while gathering all her dark ringlets low at the back of her head so her reddened ears would stay hidden.

Regaining her composure she clarified, "I mean I won't run off all mad like I did when my brothers were trying to teach me."

Creed sensed her struggle to maintain her poise and smiled inwardly at it. I may not be an empath, but I can almost hear her heart pounding and her breath quickening. I'm actually making her feel flustered! He wanted to whoop with joy, knowing the effect he was having on the girl of his dreams. There is nothing more amazing than knowing the rosy hue in her cheeks as she smiles up at me is only there because she loves me as completely as I love her.

"I would have thought you already knew how to shoot a bow," Creed offered, trying to stay on subject.

"Oh, I do. I'm excellent at the traditional bow. It's purely instinctive to use and you know me," she shrugged innocently, "I'm ruled by my instincts."

"Right," Creed looked down at the weapon in his hands so he wouldn't stare at the beautiful blush lingering in the apples of her cheeks. "So, you need help with the Hoyt Seven 37, cam and a half compound bow."

"Um, yeah. You really know your weapons."

"It's what I do."

"It's not all you do."

"Weapons and fighting techniques-that's pretty much it."

"You're more than that, Creed."

He shrugged, feeling distinctly uncomfortable with the turn in conversation.

"This has been measured and fit for you, hasn't it?" Creed asked, changing the subject by holding the weapon up to Meg.

"Yes, the boys took care of that." She reached out to take the bow in her left hand.

"Maybe I should use Alik's bow to teach you. It would be a better fit for me."

"Sure." Meg shrugged. As he walked back toward the wall with all the archery equipment, Meg kicked herself, hard.

What the heck are you doing, Meg? You know how he feels about you, and you're ga-ga about him. Stop acting like an awkward dork! She scolded herself. She set the bow aside and started pacing and flapping her hands nervously.

"Well, I agree it's a good idea to learn the compound bow. You may be able to instinctively control the accuracy with a traditional bow, but when it comes to sheer power and velocity, it's pretty hard to compete with a cam and a half compound bow. The Holts are dependable-good for both target shooting and hunting." Creed had laid Alik's bow on the side table so he could free up his hands to help Meg with the trigger release. He unlatched it from its holder and reached out to take her right hand so he could start securing the Velcro in place around her wrist, but the moment his fingertips touched her warm skin, he completely froze, losing his train of thought.

As his warm hand still held hers, he found himself searching her face, tongue-tied and dizzy with her tantalizing strawberry scent.

Meg watched the blue of Creed's eyes and felt herself diving even deeper into love with every passing breath. She never questioned the profound absolution she felt toward the man holding her hand. Instead, she slowly rose on tiptoe, watching him, watching her. When his breath, warm and delicious, tickled the sensitive skin of her lips, she completely gave in to the instincts that rule her.

He released her hand only to reach up and hold her face as if she were the most fragile, precious thing he'd ever had the honor of touching. His hungry lips tasted hers as though she were the only drink that could ever quench his thirst.

Creed pulled back just enough to sweep Meg up into his arms. His massive strength allowed him to hold her with one arm, cradled safely while the other hand slipped up her arm and until his calloused fingertips found the curve of her collarbone and lingered for a moment before continuing up to her jaw line. Meg watched his eyes as he caressed her and read him as clearly as if he were saying the words, "you're so beautiful" aloud.

Their eyes locked as he tipped her chin just enough to gently ask for more kisses. Meg wrapped her arms around his thick neck and brushed her lips against his tenderly before suckling his bottom lip.

As they kissed, Creed walked them back toward the folding chairs by the barn's entrance where he sat slowly, lowering Meg into his lap. Knowing he needed to calm down, he pulled back just enough to rest his forehead against hers, her sweet breath brushing against his clean-shaven face.

"When this is over," He whispered to her in the rustic beauty of the old barn. "When we're able to stop fighting and running, will you still want me around?"

Meg pulled back and looked the soldier directly in the eyes. She sensed immediately the wave of insecurity crashing around his heart, leaving foam-wrapped self-doubt. "I want to be with you always, Creed."

"I know we're both young, but we've lived through so much already." Meg snuggled even closer against Creed's rock-hard abs and chest, her long legs draped across his lap as she watched him speak.

"Meg, I wasn't planning to have this conversation right now, but I never know when we're going to have time alone. Our relationship has always had to happen during the calm between storms-or even when the gale is right on top of us."

Meg was nodding, "I know. I pray it won't always be this way, but for now, this is life. What did you want to tell me?"

"Can't you tell? I mean, use your gift to read me?"

"I could, but I try not to out of respect. You have a right to your own thoughts without me constantly intruding. I've gotten better at being able to control the gift, thanks to you, I think."

"Me?"

"My connection with you refuels me, but it also seems to allow me to focus my gift. However it works, it's such a relief not to have to feel everything everyone else feels constantly. I finally feel moments of emotional peace; the world is just quiet. It's beautiful." Meg smiled adoringly up at Creed's handsome face. "So, you're just going to have to tell me what's on your mind Creed, because I have no idea."

Creed's eyes lowered shyly, a smile playing happily at the corners of his lips.

"When the fighting is over, I want to take care of you. I want to protect you and stand by your side always. I love you, Meg. I love your family, too. Would you," he stopped and cleared the emotion from his throat, "would you do me the honor of allowing me to give you this promise ring?" From his back pocket he pulled out a tiny platinum ring.

"It's engraved." He held it so Meg could see inside the ring.

Meg read: "My dream came true. M&C "

"I thought we should make the infinite symbol ours since we are both marked with it. It should mean strength and unity among metahumans."

Meg's eyes turned instantly red with tears. She blinked, awestruck at the man who went from assassin, to friend, to more than friends in a year. Her wet lips were open just enough to make a beautiful gasping, "Oh!"

Creed sat holding the dark-eyed beauty of his dreams with one hand and holding up the simple band between two thick fingers with the other. "Meg?" he continued to wait. "Meggie, please say something?" Worry lines started to form between his handsome brows.

"What? Oh, Creed! Of course, yes!"

"You will?" he breathed almost as a sigh of relief.

Meg was nodding emphatically, tears slipping down her cheeks. "Of course, I'll wear your promise ring!" she coughed and laughed as Creed reached out to slip the modest band around her ring finger.

Creed was grinning as much as he was blushing. "I talked to your brothers first. I wanted to ask you to marry me, but they thought you were too young for that, so they suggested I give you a promise ring. I'd never heard of it before, but they assured me you knew what it was."

"Wait, what?"

"What part?"

"You were going to ask me to marry you?"

Creed realized he may have divulged too much so he just shrugged, and held her hand now prominently displaying his ring.

"Creed Young?"

"Would you have said 'yes'?" he asked sheepishly.

Meg's jaw dropped further.

He glanced up from her hand to see her shocked expression. "I'll take that as a no."

"No! Not no, just...wow. Marriage?"

"That was pretty much Alik's reaction."

"How would we even support ourselves? Where would we live? What about health insurance?"

"And that was exactly what Evan said." Creed's wide shoulders hunched, defeated.

Meg felt a wave of embarrassment sweep over her. It was Creed.

"No, my wonderful, sweet man." She held his strong jaw in her hands so he would look up at her. "I'm just surprised."

"I know what I want, and I want you. We may not have long to live. I just wanted to spend every moment I could-" She leaned in to kiss softly around his lips, interrupting him perfectly.

"I would have said 'yes'," Meg whispered as she stared directly into his ocean-blue eyes.

Creed blinked twice, struck silent by her admission.