Eternally Bound: Paranormal Romance Boxed Set by T.J. Michaels Page B

kids, and used to have a husband, most of her traveling had been limited to short take-downs where they were pretty sure who was up to no good. All she had to do was go in, get the evidence and get out. It usually amounted to a few days here and there with the pretense that she was away training pharmaceutical manufacturers how to use her company’s software or help them map their production processes. Perfect cover for her high-tech persona.
    She used to question why she couldn’t share her profession with her family. After all, she was providing a valuable service by taking scum off the streets by infiltrating their organizations and taking them down. But after so many years of firsthand experience with the kind of ruthlessness these criminals possessed, she was glad neither her ex-husband nor children knew what she did for a living. Ignorance was the best form of protection. And Aegis protected them well. After all, Delaine Jeris wasn’t even her real name.
    The steam felt good, but her conscience nagged. She’d just met a fabulous guy whom she wouldn’t mind seeing again, but it had been forever since she’d had to do the “hide my identity” thing with a potential lover. She cringed at the memory of how she’d almost slipped and told him her real name last night. With Gary, she’d had years to adjust until keeping her job secret was second nature. But what face should she wear with this new Justin guy? And why did she wish she could wear none at all?
    ‘Come to me, Sapa,’ she whispered to her best friend and guide.
    * I am here, Suta, but I will not get into that water with you. *
    Delaine laughed at Sapa’s dry humor. She’d learned as a little girl that the lioness despised playing in water. One summer while visiting her grandma on the reservation, her cousins tossed a non-swimming Delaine into the lake. Floundering to stay afloat, she’d screeched for Sapa to help her. Her cousins thought she’d suddenly perfected her dog-paddling technique. What they hadn’t seen was Sapa’s big black back holding her head above water, trying to get her to shore with all haste. Delaine’s threats to tell her grandma sent her cousins fleeing, while a very angry Sapa wished she could sink her fangs into their backsides. Never mind the fact Delaine only had to put her feet down to touch bottom. Sapa had growled, hissed and, to Delaine’s surprise, cursed a blue streak until her supernatural fur dried out.
    Delaine pressed her lips together as the lioness’ corporeal form stalked around the large bathroom. A giggle bubbled out of her throat just as Sapa chose a nice cool spot on the tile floor near the sunken bathtub, flopped down and regarded her charge. Delaine laughed outright at the sound of Sapa’s droll voice.
    * It is a dreadful memory .*
    ‘I’m sorry, Sapa, but it’s funny. Now. At the time I was terrified. But that’s not why I called you to this plane.’ With that, Delaine stuck her face under the shower of water and groaned. God that felt good. Too bad her mind couldn’t enjoy it.
    ‘Sapa, what’s going on with me? I feel so…unsteady.’
    * There is nothing wrong with you, Suta. Your name, Suta Winyan, means Strong Woman. You are, and have always been, a strong woman. Even now when you feel unsure. *
    ‘But why do I feel this way? I’ve never had a problem doing my job before.’
    * Performing your duties is not the issue. Deceiving our mate is the issue .*
    ‘He is NOT our mate,’ Delaine protested hotly, not sure why.
    * And you know this how? *
    Delaine scrunched up her face and regarded Sapa like the stubborn little girl she’d been when they’d met. She rolled her eyes instead. The great hunter lay on her side yawning, not paying the least bit of attention to Delaine’s face. But then, she didn’t need to.
    ‘God, what is it about this guy? I don’t even know him and I want to tell him everything. What makes me want to…hell, I don’t know. I’ve never been affected by anyone