Page 34 (1/2)

The leopard ood reason"

Squeezing her eyes shut, she took a deep breath The iron-rich scent of blood was overpowering to her senses Her eyes snapped open "Because I scented my family on Judd before the rain washed the markers away"

"Shit"

Judd returned to consciousness two hours after they’d arrived, his eyes looking a touch feverish but otherwise clear Too clear, given the extent of his injuries

"What, you gave yourself a psychic blood transfusion?" Tamsyn asked in a tart tone at odds with the concern on her face

Judd flexed the hand of his bandaged ar deceptively weak "I need soy I lost" Not an answer

Tamsyn scowled, but Brenna felt only warmth from her Like Lara and Sascha, the DarkRiver healer was inherently gentle "Why does everyone think they can get fed inthe curve of her neck in open affection "Because even Psy know you’re a soft touch"

The other woman’s scowl disappeared and she turned to steal a proper kiss from her mate "Why do I put up with you?"

Nateso low that Brenna couldn’t hear Looking away from their easy intimacy, an intimacy which held hints of the deepest sensuality and love, she found Judd watching the pair He glanced at her only after Tamsyn broke from Nate to walk toward the cooler Dark chocolate eyes met hers "That’s what you should have"

His candor shook herbecause itbetween the "Yeah? Well, maybe I want you instead" She didn’t care that their relationship didn’t fit into any established box, didn’t care that her wolf didn’t recognize hina for dinner," Tamsyn called out "That work for you?"

He continued to look at her, as if he’d drink her up with his eyes "Anything is fine"

"Maybe I shouldn’t waste rabbed a container fro unit "How about some cardboard instead?"

Brenna found herself amused in spite of the blood that continued to scent the air and the taut expectation that stretched between her and Judd Lips twitching, she waited for his response

"Cardboard has no nutritional value" Utterly toneless "Lasagna would be a better choice"

Taotten how bad you lot could be Then again, Sascha was never as bad as you"

So crashed upstairs

Tamsyn didn’t seeo up and see if Kit’s surviving our little darlings? Sounds like they’re both up"

"He’s fine" Nate didn’t budge

"I won’t attack your mate," Judd said to the leopard "I have no reason to"

Nate’s response was a grunt Brenna scowled It was true that predatory males tended to be extraordinarily protective where their mates were concerned, but surely Judd had earned the cats’ respect by now

Fur ruffled, she was about to voice her feelings when Judd glanced at her and gave a slight shake of his head "It is his home" His voice was pitched to reach her ears alone "He has a mate and children to protect and I aet Sascha and Faith out of the Net You’ve been their friend," she hissed, raging at the unfairness of it

"No" Judd pulled his hand from hers "I’ve always acted in my own best interest"

"That’s not who you are" She refused to let him try to convince her otherwise

His eyes fixed on hers, the gold flecks darkening to amber "An assassin who looks after his own skin? That’s exactly what I am, Brenna I would rather die than har It’s what I was born to do"

Brenna knew she should be happy that Judd had ads toward her, but she was still fu else when she walked into the living roo to button a vivid blue shirt over his bandaged chest Even injured, he was so beautifully built that her , seducing her intoforward

"Let in to think about the wounds on his chest If they had gone a little deeper

"Brenna" He didn’t halt her, but his tone held a dorown up with men who suffered from the same chauvinistic streak

"I’ve never seen you in any color but black Blue looks good on you" She buttoned the shirt over his bandages with tender care The garhtly muscular than Nate’s Her Psy was built for stealth and speed, his body a well-honed weaponone she ached to stroke The idea of running her hands over the sers tremble

One male hand closed over her wrist "We have to discuss this before your brothers arrive"