Chapter 2

"What did you find out?" Talon asked tersely as we entered the kitchen through the attached garage.

"He was Anasia's lover." Marcus sounded grim and I glanced at him sharply, taking note of his simple, worn clothes and slightly dirty face. "She's issued the order for your capture."

"How long?" Talon asked after a long pause.

"Dawn."

Both men went silent, tension rolling through the room so strongly I wondered if things would start exploding.

"We need to get Camilla and Hunter involved," Marcus sighed, leaning against the counter and crossing his arms over his chest. Talon shot him a look. "They, of course, know what took place. I filled them in on everything in my letter, including what he'd been up to. He'd been officially out of favor with them." He paused and glanced across the room at Talon. "It's worth a shot."

"It'll take time we don't have." Because I was mostly watching Talon, I caught his quick eye flick in my direction. "I'm not sure I want to put my faith in them, in any case."

"I'm just going with the fact that we're short on time, so I'll save most of my curiosity for later," I interrupted. "But don't think I missed that look." I raised an eyebrow at Talon. "Explain," I ordered, my hands on my hips.

"This is not the first time we've had to evacuate our home and disappear," Marcus spoke up after it became apparent Talon wasn't going to. "Ordinarily, we'd just go to some remote location, separate or together as was necessary, and wait it out."

"So, take me with you," I said, as if that should have been obvious. "My aunts will understand."

Marcus took a moment, clearly trying to pick his words carefully. "Where we'd go, you can't follow." He sounded apologetic. "It's a fair bet they know about the two of you, so we can't leave you behind."

As if, I thought to myself.

"Exactly," Talon said. It was a little unnerving when he did that; I wasn't sure whether he was reading my body language or hearing my thoughts. "If you stay, they'll use you as bait."

"I'm beginning to think you're hazardous to my health," I quipped with a smirk.

"I am." His voice and face were expressionless, severe even. I lost the smirk.

"Don't even think about it," I snapped at him. "You won't get rid of me that easily."

"They wouldn't buy it anyway," Marcus added with a sigh. "How do you want to do this?"

"Why don't I go home and pack while you two talk," I suggested, trying to keep my irritation in check. I turned my back on them and strode to the back door, yanking my shoes off my feet and gathering up my dress before heading outside. I took the switchback stairs that were cut into the cliff at a run.

Washing my feet on my back porch, I entered my small house, not even bothering with the lights; it's not like I needed them.

After removing the dress and hanging it with care in my closet, I grabbed my duffle bag and shoved in a couple pairs of jeans, some shirts, socks and panties, and a thermal undershirt, just in case.

As I packed, my mind was in turmoil. My evening had started out great, everything playing out as perfectly as I'd hoped, leading up to what was supposed to be a very nice night. I looked in the mirror, my eyes reflecting back silver as I lamented the waste of the special undergarments I'd bought while he'd been away.

Irritation gave way to worry as I pondered through the cryptic information Marcus had provided.

Three months ago, my father's Werewolf pack had been attacked by the mercenary group Lilitu, led by Talon's brother, Zaire. When I'd gone up to Montana to be with my father, Talon, Marcus and my Witch friend Billy had accompanied me to offer what aid they could. It turned out Zaire had stuck around and, as a warning to his brother, attacked me.

It was on the way back home that Talon had initiated a bond between us, a bond of soul mates. A couple of weeks went by and nothing really happened except that there was a rash of human disappearances in Montana. We were out one night when I was captured and taken to Montana, where the missing humans were being kept alive so the members of Lilitu could hunt them.

I still have nightmares about that night.

That night ended with Talon and Zaire fighting in full Demon form and Talon eventually killing his brother, who had very nearly killed me. Out of the twelve captives, only myself and two others survived.

In a very battered and bloody state, Talon took me to the ancient Witch who resided with my father's pack. After healing the worst of the damage, and before I could regain my strength, trouble erupted at the Alpha's house.

Despite both our wounds, Talon and I went to the Alpha's house and put down the hostile takeover led by the Alpha's daughter. I'd killed her myself. And now, it seemed that the consequences of that horrible night were catching up.

"Are you planning on wearing that?" Talon asked, startling me out of my preoccupied state. "Not that I mind," he continued, his eyes blazing in the semi-darkness, "but it's turning cold and it might attract unwanted attention."

The air was suddenly thick with desire, his need calling to me from across the room. I was in his arms without any memory of moving, our lips and tongues entwined as my hands roamed his skin. His hands left burning trails on my mostly bare body, my skin ultra-sensitive to his touch.

I needed him savagely, desperately, my entire being craving him to the point of pain. "Talon," I whispered breathlessly as his lips moved down my neck. Nothing else mattered right now except him, not even his imminent departure. Right now, we only existed for each other.

"My lover, you have to wake up now," Talon's voice called me out of sleep. I glanced at my alarm clock as I stretched: 4:32 am, I noticed with a sigh. Dawn wasn't far off. "Hello, Beautiful," he said to me, his gentle hands brushing the hair off my face while an equally gentle smile settled on his.

I just lay there, enjoying the feel of his arms holding me close, my ear pressed to his smooth, well-muscled chest. I was trying very hard to keep the worry and panic at bay, knowing that it would only make the next few hours more painful.

"I love you," I said softly, my voice thick with sleep, rubbing my cheek against his chest and squeezing him briefly.

"And I love you." Kissing my hair, he held me tighter for a moment, then sighed. "I'm not leaving forever," he told me, "it probably won't take longer than a week or two." I just nodded. "Remi, look at me," he ordered softly, waiting until I'd propped myself up on an elbow before continuing. "It will be all right. I'm not going to let anything happen to you."

I gave him an irritated look. "I'm not helpless, you know," I told him, morphing only my hand and running my sharp retractable claws down his chest very lightly.

"Point taken." Talon tipped his head in acknowledgement and I returned my hand to normal.

"So, what's the plan?" I asked, rolling out of bed and moving to my dresser, looking for something to wear.

"I'm sure Marcus has come up with something in the last five and a half hours." Talon looked pleased with the time that had passed, his eyes no longer showing any sign of hunger. Looking away, I blushed. It wasn't entirely his fault I'd only slept the last hour and a half of our time away.

"I'm going to grab a quick shower," I said as I piled the chosen clothes on the chair. "I know you probably have a few things you need to wrap up, so I'll meet you up there when I'm done."