Picking up the little note under the bear’s paw, he saw Indigo’s scrawl: I think he looks rather dashing, don’t you? Come sleep with me when you get back.
That was exactly what he did. “When are you going to mate with me?” he asked her in the midnight hours, as he slid into the melting heat of her body.
Her eyes, gone wolf-gold, gleamed in the darkness at him. “We’re considering it.”
His own wolf bit back a grin of triumph, even as his heart expanded. “I’m going to sleep with you every night.”
“You sound very certain.” An edge of dominance.
“Oh, I am.” Instead of snarling at her, he kissed her slow and easy. “You’d miss me if I wasn’t here.”
Her body arched up as he stopped his strokes. “Drew.” It was a warning.
But he was bigger and heavier, so he pinned her to the sheets. “Admit it.” Kisses on her lips, nibbles on her jaw, licks on the line of her throat. “Say it.”
She twisted her body and almost managed to put him on his back. Laughing, he pinned her again. “Hey, you nearly broke a very important part of my anatomy in half.” Unable to resist the slick heat of her, he began to move again, deep and hard.
Indigo fractured under him moments later, and he wasn’t far behind. He realized she hadn’t said what he’d asked her to, hadn’t admitted that vulnerability, and that worried him, because for the mating bond to snap into place, she had to open her soul to him.
No shields, no walls, no protections.
Still, he thought, cuddling her close, she was without a doubt taking an active part in the mating dance, and that was a very good sign. Patience, he counseled his wolf, just a little more patience.
CHAPTER 42
Councilor Henry Scott looked at the man he’d put in charge of the SnowDancer operation. “You assured me they wouldn’t uncover the surveillance.”
“They shouldn’t have, but at the current pace, they’ll have the entire area cleared within a week, two at most.”
Henry shook his head. “We can’t rely on having that length of time. We need to act now.” While they still maintained something of an element of surprise.
“I have a team ready to go. When would you like us to mobilize?”
“Tomorrow. Focus on the primary target.”
“It’ll be done.”
“Wait.” Henry flicked up a second image. “Send a couple of your men to remove him, too.” There was no point in waiting, not when a dual assassination would have a much stronger impact.
CHAPTER 43
Early the next morning, her heart smiling at the way she’d woken to find Drew sprawled all over her—and the bed—Indigo sat beside Joshua on the pebbled shore of the lake nearest the den.
The search for the cameras was ongoing in the mountains, with different men and women being rotated in each day, but she and Hawke had both agreed she needed to continue to work with their young. They didn’t want to lose all the progress they’d made to date.
“So?” she asked the boy beside her, examining his expression, his posture, for any hint that he continued to have problems with his wolf.
A quick smile. “I’m doing better. Hawke’s been keeping an eye on me, too.”
“Good.” Indigo’s wolf looked out at the boy, made a judgment. “Your wolf is still very near the surface.”
“Yeah, but Hawke said it’s like that for some of us.”
“He should know.” Hawke’s own wolf was difficult to spot, because his eyes never changed color—which, of course, was an answer in itself. “But he can control it. Has he been teaching you to handle your wolf when it gets pushy?”
Joshua nodded. “The things you’ve been teaching me—about focus and discipline—that’s helping as well. I think I’m coming to an understanding with my wolf.”
That made Indigo relax, because the boy was talking of his wolf as a partner, not a combatant. “I hear you’re seeing Molly,” she said, having made a few discreet inquiries after Drew hinted at it this morning.
Joshua’s eyes went wide right before a hot flush burned across his cheekbones. “Jesus, Indigo, do you have spies everywhere?”
“Yep.” Laughing at his embarrassment, she reached out to ruffle his hair. “She’s good for you, puppy. And too good for you.”
He bore the affection in silence but shot her a pleased look. “I know, but I’m keeping her anyway.” Such a smug expression, she couldn’t decide whether to laugh or growl. “She’s much more mature than I am,” he said bluntly, “so calm and easy with her wolf.”
Surprised at his insight, she looked at him. “That doesn’t bother you?”
“No.” His shoulders were relaxed, his lips curved. “My wolf wants to please hers so much, it behaves … and I think we’re both learning and becoming better from it.”
It was such an astute comment that Indigo was silent for a while. Because she, too, understood about learning from another wolf.
“So,” Joshua said into the silence, “are you and Drew going to mate?”
PLAY OF PASSION
Nalini Singh's books
- Play with Fire
- Ascendancy of the Last
- Blood of Aenarion
- Broods Of Fenrir
- Burden of the Soul
- Caradoc of the North Wind
- Cause of Death: Unnatural
- City of Ruins
- Dark of the Moon
- Demons of Bourbon Street
- Edge of Dawn
- Eye of the Oracle
- Freak of Nature
- Heart of the Demon
- Lady of Devices
- Lance of Earth and Sky
- Last of the Wilds
- Legacy of Blood
- Legend of Witchtrot Road
- Lord of the Wolfyn
- Of Gods and Elves
- Of Wings and Wolves
- Prince of Spies
- Professor Gargoyle
- Promise of Blood
- Secrets of the Fire Sea
- Shadows of the Redwood
- Sin of Fury
- Sins of the Father
- Smugglers of Gor
- Sword of Caledor
- Sword of Darkness
- Talisman of El
- Threads of Desire (Spellcraft)
- Tricks of the Trade
- Visions of Magic
- Visions of Skyfire
- Well of the Damned
- Wings of Tavea
- Wings of the Wicked
- A Bridge of Years
- Chronicles of Raan
- Dawn of Swords(The Breaking World)
- A Draw of Kings
- Hunt the Darkness (Guardians of Eternity)
- Lord of the Hunt
- Master of War
- Mistfall(Book One of the Mistfall Series)
- The Gates of Byzantium
- The House of Yeel
- The Oath of the Vayuputras: Shiva Trilogy 3
- The Republic of Thieves #1
- The Republic of Thieves #2
- Edge of Dawn
- A Quest of Heroes
- Mistress of the Empire
- Servant of the Empire
- Gates of Rapture
- Reaper (End of Days)
- This Side of the Grave
- Magician's Gambit (Book Three of The Belgariad)
- Skin Game: A Novel of the Dresden Files
- Murder of Crows
- The Queen of the Tearling
- A Tale of Two Castles
- Mark of the Demon
- Sins of the Demon
- Blood of the Demon
- The Other Side of Midnight
- Vengeance of the Demon: Demon Novels, Book Seven (Kara Gillian 7)
- Cold Burn of Magic
- Of Noble Family
- Wrath of a Mad God ( The Darkwar, Book 3)
- King of Foxes
- Daughter of the Empire
- Mistress of the Empire
- Krondor : Tear of the Gods (Riftwar Legacy Book 3)
- Shards of a Broken Crown (Serpentwar Book 4)
- Rise of a Merchant Prince
- End of Days (Penryn and the End of Day #3)
- Servant of the Empire
- Talon of the Silver Hawk
- Shadow of a Dark Queen
- The Cost of All Things
- The Wicked (A Novella of the Elder Races)
- Night's Honor (A Novel of the Elder Races Book 7)
- Born of Silence
- Born of Shadows
- Sins of the Night
- Kiss of the Night (Dark Hunter Series – Book 7)
- Born Of The Night (The League Series Book 1)
- The Council of Mirrors
- Born of Ice
- Born of Fire
- Born of Defiance
- Gates of Paradise (a Blue Bloods Novel)
- A Very Levet Christmas (Guardians of Eternity)
- Darkness Eternal (Guardians of Eternity)
- City of Fae
- The Invasion of the Tearling