My own voice wasn't doing much better than his。 〃Even if that means sharing me with someone else？〃
〃I knew that ing in。〃
I felt a frown forming between my eyes。 〃You know what they say about things that are too good to be true； don't you？〃
He touched his fingertips to my face and bent towards me； speaking softly as he moved。 〃Am I too good to be true； Anita？〃 He whispered my name against my lips； and we kissed。 Gentle； soft； wet。 His heart was beating so fast under my hand； my pulse was in my throat； and I think I'd forgotten to breathe。
He drew back first。 I was breathless and a little disoriented。 There was a look on his face delight； I think with the effect the kiss had had on me。
It took me two tries to find my voice。 〃Too good to be true； oh； yeah definitely。〃
He laughed then； and I wasn't sure I'd ever heard him laugh before。 It was a good sound。 〃I can't tell you how much it means to see that look in your eyes。〃
〃What look？〃
He smiled； and he was suddenly all male； pride； pleased with himself； and something else almost embarrassed。 He touched my face。 〃I love the way you look at me。〃
It made me lower my eyes； and I blushed； even though I wasn't thinking a damn thing that was sexual。
He laughed again； a surprised burst of sound that held so much joy。 He laughed the way children laugh before they learn to hide how they feel。 He picked me up around the waist and swung me around the kitchen。
I would have told him to put me down； but I was laughing too hard。
〃I hate to interrupt；〃 Donovan Reece； the swan king； said from the doorway； 〃but I told them you'd help us。〃 He frowned at us； his pale； pale skin； showing almost no lines； as if his skin was like the water that his alter form swam upon。 He had obviously decided not to wait outside。
I asked； still held above the ground in Micah's arms； 〃Help you do what？〃
He shrugged。 〃Nothing important； just find some missing alphas and try to convince the Kadru of the werecobras that her Kashyapa； her mate； isn't dead； just missing with the rest。 Trouble is；〃 Reece said； 〃I think she's right。 I think he's dead。〃
Micah let me slide back to the ground。 I wondered if my face looked as grim as his。 Marianne tells me that the universe/deity loves me and wants me to be happy。 So why is it that every time I get a little happy all hell breaks loose？ The message seems clear； and it's not about love。
44
DONOVAN REECE HAD curled up on the far end of my white couch。 He was dressed in blue jeans so faded they were almost white。 His pale pink shirt brought out the natural pink and blue undertones of his near translucent skin。 He was beautiful； but not in the way a man or woman is beautiful； in the way a statue or a painting is beautiful； as if he wasn't quite real。 Maybe it was because I knew that he had baby swan feathers on his chest； but of all the people in the room he seemed the most surrealistic。
A tall woman with hair almost as white as his sat on the arm of the couch by him。 Her pants were black leather； her loose…fitting blouse a pink that matched his shirt； almost。 I'm not sure I would have remembered the woman if the other two hadn't been kneeling on the floor at their feet。 The second blond's hair was pale yellow and matched her long summer dress。 The brunette's hair fell like a curtain around a navy blue dress with tiny white daisies all over it。 The swanmanes that we'd saved from the club were all looking at me with large； almost fearful eyes。
I only recognized one person other than the swan king and his entourage。 I'd met Christine for the first time at the Lunatic Cafe back when Raina still owned it； and Marcus； her Ulfric； was still trying to control all the other wereanimals in town and make himself high supreme mander； whether everyone else agreed or not。 Christine's hair was still blond； short； professional。 She was dressed in a navy business suit。 Her powder blue shirt was partially unbuttoned； as if she'd removed a tie； though I don't think she had。 She was perched on the other end of the couch from Donovan； her sensible navy pumps still on。 Almost everyone else had gotten casual。 There were a pile of shoes near my front door。
〃Hi； Christine； it's been a while；〃 I said。
She looked up at me； and it wasn't a friendly look。 〃I'm impressed you remembered my name。〃
〃I tend to remember people I meet under stressful situations。〃
I got the tiniest smile out of her。 〃Well； we do seem to meet under less than pleasant circumstances；〃 she said。
Donovan took over then； introducing me to the man and woman sitting between them。 They were both dark…plected。 Their bone structure was pure middle America； nothing special； but their eyes were too big； too dark； the hair truly black。 There was something exotic about them that straight European just doesn't give you。 They also looked amazingly alike； like male and female versions of each other。 They were Ethan and Olivia MacNair； respectively。
The man in my white chair was bulky； not muscled； or fat； just big。 He had the fullest beard I'd ever seen。 The thick hair covered most of his face and neck。 He was introduced as Boone； and the moment he turned small dark eyes to me； I knew he was something that would eat me if it could。 Not wolf； not cat； but something with teeth。
His voice was a rumbling bass； so low it almost hurt to hear it。 〃Ms。 Blake。〃
I nodded。 〃Mr。 Boone。〃
He shook his head； the dark beard rubbing back and forth over his white shirt。 〃Just Boone； no mister。〃
〃Boone；〃 I said。
Nathaniel； Zane； and Cherry were bringing in kitchen chairs so the last four people could sit down。 Two women； two men； were left。 One man was slender with golden red hair； and strangely up…tilted green eyes。 He sat on the floor huddled against the side of the couch as if he were hiding。
〃That's Gilbert；〃 Donovan said。
〃Gil；〃 he said； voice almost too soft to hear。
The woman was tall； nearly six feet； broad…shouldered； strong…looking。 Her hair was brown； streaked with gray； pulled back from her face in a loose ponytail。 Her face was bare of makeup。 She offered me a hand； and gave me one of the best handshakes I've ever had from another woman。 Her brown eyes were deep with worry； as she said； 〃I'm Janet Talbot。 It's good of you to see us all on such short notice。〃
〃I didn't e here to make small talk。〃 This from a woman who was standing on the far side of the room； near the big picture window。 She was looking out through the closed sheers； hands gripping her elbows； nervous tension singing along her straight spine； as she turned to face the room。 I could see where Ethan and Olivia had gotten the dark skin and their exotic look。 Nilisha MacNair was about my size but even more delicately put together； so that she seemed smaller。 A man might think words like birdlike； kittenish； until he looked in her eyes。 Once you looked into those dark； dark eyes； you knew better。 The eyes gave the lie to the packaging。 She was hell on wheels and used to getting her own way。
A man stood near her； but not too near。 He was as tall； as blond； as pale； as she was small； black…haired； and dark。 He was also muscled in a way that nature does not do。 His shoulders were broad； waist narrow； hands large enough to palm her entire head； yet he was clearly afraid of her。 Oh； it was bodyguard deferential； but there was real fear there； too。
Merle was leaning casually near the big blond man。 I didn't know where Caleb was； and didn't care。
〃I am the Kadra； and the Kashyapa； who is dead； is my husband。〃 Nilisha MacNair let out a sudden breath that shook； then she regained control like a mountain squeezing downward。 〃Was my husband。〃
〃Father is not dead；〃 Olivia said。 〃I won't let you make him dead by giving up。〃
Her brother； Ethan； touched her arm； as if trying to soothe her or tell her to shut up。 She ignored him。
But the damage was done； the fight was on。 〃How dare you？ How dare you say that I would make him dead？ I am merely facing the truth。〃
Olivia stood up； shaking off her brother's hand。 〃You just can't stand the fact that he was with another woman when it happened。〃
The fight went downhill from there。 Apparently Henry MacNair； patriarch of the clan； had been leaving his mistress and fellow werecobra's house； when someone had taken him。 No body was found； but a lot of blood was left behind。 There had been signs of a struggle； a car on its side； a good…sized tree torn up。 When wereanimals struggle； they struggle。
I actually learned quite a bit from the fight； but when it was reduced to the two women screaming at each other from less than a foot away； some of it not even in English； I'd had enough。
I looked across the room at Donovan。 He had brought them to my house； after all。 He shrugged。 Basically； he didn't know what to do either。
I had visions of dumping water over their heads； but decided that it might just work better to leave the room。 I motioned the others into the kitchen； and they all trooped out。 It was as the last of them were leaving the room that the shouting began to die down。 Then Nilisha's voice。 〃Where are you all going？〃
Janet Talbot spoke for all of us。 〃Someplace quieter。〃
I couldn't see the women's faces； but I could almost smell the