Warrior Rising - By Pamela Palmer Page 0,13

back in his seat beside her, his breathing erratic, his runaway pulse pounding in his ears. Looking up, he found his brother watching him with amusement and silent speculation.

"Go to hell," Harrison muttered. He glanced at his watch.

"When was the last time you heard from Jack?" Charlie asked.

"Right before we picked you up. He or Kade should be calling with another report within the hour."

The humor left Charlie's eyes. They were dealing with a major invasion this time, and the greatest threat the world had ever known. If King Rith got those stones, it was all over.

"Anyway..." Charlie cleared his throat and resumed his story, giving Harrison the short version of his trip through Esria. "We reached the Forest of Nightmares not a moment too soon, but Jesus, Harrison. That place will steal your mind. The name couldn't be more accurate. Whatever you're most afraid of appears. It may not be real, but damn if you don't think it is. I found myself surrounded by Esri who weren't there, and nearly run down by an eighteen-wheeler. In the forest."

Musical laughter trilled beside Harrison. Ilaria's laughter. The sound caressed his senses, stroking him inside and out. He struggled to ignore her and failed, unable to forget what Charlie had told him earlier, that she'd been incarcerated in a village no bigger than a football field. For three hundred years. No wonder she couldn't quite contain her smiles or laughter. She must be ecstatic to be free.

Even though they were essentially holding her captive.

His gaze slid to her, lingering on the creamy pale flesh of her cheek and the long expanse of silken neck peeking out through the soft cascade of curls. He breathed in her scent, sweet gardenias, and felt things tighten low in his body as his gaze dipped lower, to the ripe swell of breasts beneath that amazing gown.

"So fill me in on what's happened while we were gone," Charlie said, drawing Harrison's attention back to where it belonged - anywhere but Ilaria. A keen speculation lit Charlie's eyes. Harrison pretended not to notice.

"We're all but certain Esri came through some of the other gates last month. Reports of sexual assaults and abductions have skyrocketed in five very specific locations, all in northern Europe. London, Copenhagen and small towns in close proximity to three stone circles, one each in England, Scotland and France."

"You think the circles were originally erected as an attempt to defend against the monthly Esri invasions?"

"Seems likely, doesn't it?"

"Yeah, it does. So, tell me about the Sitheen recruits."

"Kade's been traveling almost constantly, from one military base to another, and from police station to police station. Once we've exhausted the most likely places to find trained warriors, he'll expand the search."

"How many has he found?"

"Six. We lost one last night during the battle. One of the Marceils' arrows went right through his eye."

"Damn. So who do we have other than Brad and Tom? Handy that Tom's a pilot, by the way."

"It is." Tom was flying the jet, Brad keeping him company. "Norm is a retired firefighter in his seventies. He and Myrtle hit it off as if they were made for one another."

Charlie smiled. "A bit of romance?"

"No doubt about it. The other two are brother and sister. Paige is a detective with the Richmond police, mid-forties, and a crack shot. Frank is her brother, also a cop, though not as fit. Still, he knows what to do in a fight."

"Who did we lose?"

"A young navy ensign. The most promising of the bunch."

Charlie swore softly. "Myrtle couldn't help him?"

"The arrow punctured his brain. He was killed instantly. Myrtle's a gifted healer, but she can't raise the dead."

Harrison went on to fill his brother in on the full battle, struggling to forget the woman who sat beside him, which turned out to be an impossible task. Her presence filled the air.

He and Charlie were still talking an hour and a half later when the movie finally finished. Tarrys pulled off her headphones and stood up. "I need to move around."

Charlie watched her, the look in his eyes all predatory male. "I'll go with you." He rose and looped his arm across Tarrys's shoulder, the air crackling between them. "Maybe we can find something to eat."

Harrison grunted. If it was food on Charlie's mind, Harrison was a chimpanzee. More likely, his brother was planning to join the mile-high club. If he hadn't already.

As the pair walked off together, Harrison turned to find Ilaria watching them with a speculative and