Lightning Game (GhostWalkers #17) -Christine Feehan Page 0,35

paired Diego with a woman who prefers swinging?”

Diego choked. “Swinging? How would you even know about something like that? Rubin? Did you hear her? She shouldn’t even know what swinging is. And my woman is not going to like swinging.”

“You want to kiss multiple women,” Jonquille pointed out. “If you enjoy kissing many women, I imagine your partner must enjoy kissing multiple men. Wouldn’t that follow?”

“No, it would most certainly not,” Diego declared.

“Why wouldn’t it? I don’t understand,” Jonquille said, sounding innocent. Maybe a little too innocent, Rubin thought, but he wasn’t going to help his brother out.

“Well, because,” Diego said. He ran water in the bowl, rinsing it out. “It just doesn’t work that way. If she’s intended for me, she doesn’t kiss other men.”

“So she’s happy to share her man with other women?” Jonquille asked, frowning. “What kind of woman enjoys that, but doesn’t get to share herself with other men? I must be odd because if my man wanted me to share him with other women, I would think it fair that I get to have other men as well.”

“You’re giving me a headache, Jonquille,” Diego complained. “Go to bed so I don’t have to listen to your nonsense anymore.”

“I’ll take away your headache. I was teasing you,” she said immediately. “But really, you shouldn’t have a double standard. If you’re going to go around kissing lots of women, you’d better expect that your woman has been doing the same with other men.”

“I’m fine with that,” he said. “I just don’t want to hear about it.”

“Good.” Jonquille sent Rubin a small little grin, then stood up and touched Diego’s temple with the tips of her fingers very briefly before turning away from them to head to the bathroom.

“Is it gone?” Rubin asked.

“Immediately. You were right about her being a strong healer.” Do you really think she’s a psychic surgeon?

I think there’s a very good possibility. She wouldn’t tell me if I asked her, which I didn’t. She might not even know what it is. We’re being cautious with her.

I’m being cautious with her, Diego corrected. You went all in.

Rubin didn’t respond. He hadn’t exactly gone all in. He was still being careful. He had his brother to protect. Had it been only his life, things would have gone differently, but there was Diego and he wasn’t about to risk another grave behind the house.

Jonquille emerged and started for the ladder. Rubin called to her and when she turned, he beckoned to her. She walked very hesitantly to him. He pointed to the spot between his legs.

She moistened her lips and took the necessary step to put herself there. “What?”

“My woman kisses me before she goes to bed.” He made it a declaration.

“She does?”

“Most certainly she does.”

She stood there for a long moment, deciding, and then she put both hands on his shoulders, leaned forward and brushed her lips across his. His heart did a funny shift in his chest. She pulled back immediately, lashes covering the silvery blue, and then she climbed up to the loft.

“Good night, Jonquille.”

“Good night, Rubin.”

“Someone could say good night to me,” Diego groused.

Rubin laughed. “I’m heading out for the first watch. I’ll wake you in four hours.”

5

Jonquille thought she wouldn’t fall asleep with two men in the same house—virtually in the same room with her—but she did. Both men were incredibly silent sleepers. Rubin had taken first watch, patrolling around the cabin for the first few hours and then waking his brother. She was vaguely aware of Rubin coming in and Diego leaving, but there was no whisper of sound to give them away, only that slight heightened energy she felt when they spoke telepathically to each other. She had gone right back to sleep until Diego had awakened her for her shift.

She loved the early morning hours just as the sun was coming up. She had a small backpack with her, water and her sketch pad. Being as light on her feet as she was made traveling through the woods very easy. Patrolling through the woods, she was silent enough that she never bothered the wildlife or insects. This time of the morning she often came across both the night hunters and feeders as well as the early morning animals and birds. There was so much diversity, and all very close to the Campo cabin.

Jonquille knew it was because the brothers didn’t live there year-round. They encouraged their properties to grow naturally and took care to manage the wildlife and forest