Ice_Reaux - Laura Wright Page 0,2

a few of the hybrids, are still not entirely comfortable at the thought of being behind our magical shields where they can’t move in and out without help from a Pantera. They spent too much time locked behind bars to accept we’re not trying to put them back in a prison.”

Ice nodded his head, his chiseled features impossible to read. “Understandable, but they need to consider the safety of their children.”

Raphael nodded. He was a fierce leader, but he was always willing to listen to the suggestions of his trusted advisors, whether they were Suits or Hunters or Nurturers.

“I’ll speak with them again,” he promised. “Maybe we should think about having a public meeting where they can express their concerns, and we can do our best to meet their needs. If they’re to become a part of our clan they need to have a voice in their future.”

Cammy smiled with wry admiration. Raphael’s skill as a Diplomat would be as important to their future as Parish’s skill as a warrior.

The conversation turned to the rotation of guards, as well as starting a training program for the Pantera who’d been held by their enemies. Cammy, however, found her attention drifting toward the male in the corner.

It wasn’t the first time her gaze strayed in Ice’s direction. Or lingered on the compelling beauty of his face. She told herself it was out of self-defense. How could she avoid him if she didn’t know where he was?

It didn’t explain why her attention lingered…but hey, who cared?

She was still watching him when he abruptly tensed, his gaze locked on something outside the window.

“Intruder,” he snarled, his low voice attracting the attention of everyone in the room.

“Where?” Parish demanded, moving with liquid speed to stand at Ice’s side.

Ice pointed. “There.”

There was a rush of movement as the various Pantera hurried to get a glimpse of who had captured Ice’s attention. Cammy was short enough that she had to wiggle through the bodies pressed tightly together before she could finally catch sight of the man who was running at top speed toward the building.

Cammy frowned. He wasn’t Pantera, although he was moving with more grace than any mere human. A hybrid? There were a few who had enough Pantera in their blood to pass easily through the magical shield.

“I’ll deal with him,” Parish snapped, stepping back as he prepared to unleash his puma.

Raphael grabbed his arm before he could shift. “Wait, Parish,” he warned, nodding toward the intruder. “Look.”

At that moment the stiff January breeze tugged open the man’s jacket. They all gasped in horror. Strapped to the intruder’s slender body was a series of long, narrow tubes held together by narrow wires.

“Suicide bomber,” Parish ground out in disbelief, reaching for the handgun holstered at his lower back. “Hit the alarm,” he snapped toward Rage before turning his attention to Ice. “Get the building evacuated.”

Parish shoved up the window and opened fire. The man faltered but continued forward, his dark hair tousled and his eyes wild. Cammy was turning away when an explosion rocked the ground beneath her feet.

Crap.

Obviously realizing he wasn’t going to make it inside the building, the suicide bomber must have set off his charges. And while he hadn’t managed to do the damage he no doubt wanted, the explosion was large enough to blast a massive hole in the wall, collapsing the back of the building.

Cammy darted toward the doorway even as the upper floor came crashing down, threatening to crush them. The sound of furious snarls and the piercing shrill of the siren deafened her, making it impossible to hear the shout of warning as a heavy beam fell directly toward her head.

One moment she was urging the last of her friends through the doorway, and the next she was flat on her back with Ice perched on top of her. She went rigid with shock. What the hell was he doing?

Then she heard the beam hit the floor only inches from her head with shattering force. Holy shit. If Ice hadn’t shoved her out of the way…

She glanced up at the hard face, her breath snaring in her throat at the ice blue eyes that studied her with an emotion she couldn’t decipher.

Without warning, her cat restlessly stirred beneath her skin. Almost as if it wanted to rub against Ice, and coat itself in his raw, male scent.

Good…Goddess.

Thankfully unaware of her baffling reaction to the feel of his large form pressing her against the floor, Ice was rolling upward and