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heavy fall of her hair as she sighed. "The other jaguar-men are not protected from the vampires or mages by their blood."

"We know you have something extraordinary in your blood," Dominic agreed. "I had a lot of time to study what was happening in my body as well as your own. Maybe the mages have need of it for some reason--and anyone willing to force another's body to his bidding should not have access to your blood."

"Let's do this, then. He'll never expect us to be able to track his familiar back to him. Anyone arrogant enough to take possession of someone's body will believe he's too powerful to be caught."

She was suddenly aware of her body. She'd been so comfortable with him, she hadn't realized she'd awoken naked. It felt good not to be worried about what he might think of her. She already knew. She wasn't ashamed or wanting to hide herself from him. If anything, she felt a little sexy and very cared for. He'd given her a confidence in herself she never believed she'd have. She didn't hate her scars anymore. She didn't mind that she was too curvy by modern society's standards. Most of all she appreciated that no matter if she was in jeans and a T-shirt, ready to fight battles with him, or naked from shifting, or together alone face-to-face as a man and a woman, she didn't have to hide who she was from him.

He had given her the gift of freedom, of acceptance, and, looking up at his face, her heart opened to him and took him in. Her moment of revelation was waking up in his arms to see him beating himself up over what he thought was imperfection.

"Why are you looking at me like that, kessake?" he asked.

She could see the dawning knowledge in his eyes and she smiled. "I think I'm madly in love with you, my Dragonseeker friend."

"Lover," he corrected.

She gave a small smirk. "Not yet." She stretched languidly as only a cat could do. She stretched sensuously as only a woman sure of herself could do. "Let's go hunting."

He groaned. "That was just mean."

Her smirk turned into a full cocky grin. " Now you're finally seeing the real Solange."

"I like the real Solange."

"Well, no one has ever certified you as sane, have they? Get us out of here."

He wrapped his arms around her and floated them from the deep earth. "You are becoming a bossy little thing. I can see I have given you far too much scope, woman."

She wasn't about to test the threat in his voice. He had a decidedly wicked side to him, definitely very sexual, and she wasn't going to get herself in trouble. Her confidence was growing with every minute spent in his company, but she had the feeling he knew a lot more about her body than she did, and would use his knowledge to his advantage. She nuzzled his neck. "You always smell so good." "I should not let you get away with distracting me."

She circled his neck with her arms and turned her mouth up to his, her first daring risk of initiating any real physical contact between them. She felt very brave, and her heart nearly exploded when his lips moved under hers, parting to draw her tongue into his mouth. There was no hesitation, only the same heated eagerness she felt. His kisses thrilled her, sent her into another world of pure sensation where she lost herself, her body going up in flames.

She pressed tightly against him. Her breasts ached, and as always, she was wet and welcoming for him. It didn't bother her that he knew. She wanted him to know. She took pride in her reaction to his hot, inflaming kisses. "You're so beautiful," she murmured against his mouth. "Really, truly beautiful, Dominic. Thank you for saving my life."

His fingers bunched in her hair and pulled her head back. Her womb clenched in reaction to his sudden aggression. "You are more than welcome. But I meant what I said. Never scare me like that again. I will be putting you in an impenetrable bubble if you do."

She laughed out loud. "You probably could really do that. Come on. I'm a little worried that if this mage saw you, he could identify you to the vampires. If he's in league with Brodrick, he could very well be in tight with the vampires as well and he'd blow your cover."

"Protecting me again, I see."

She shrugged. "It