ways. Was she drawn to lycan because of some chemical thing the same way they were drawn to her?
She didn't think so. The first one had scared her half to death and, although she'd been fortunate enough since that she had managed to elude them and avoid another really nasty encounter, she didn't believe for one moment that she'd subconsciously wanted to be caught.
Maybe she just wanted to believe him because what he'd told her about the rogue had scared her? Because she wasn't completely confident that she could throw the rogue off her trail and it was terrifying even to think of an entire pack coming after her.
She moistened her lips, dragging her gaze from his and looking down at his hands curled around her wrists. “You don't have to hold my hands,” she said finally. “I've never attacked anyone.” She lifted her head again and met his gaze. “I only use it to defend myself."
A faint flush crept beneath his swarthy skin. He uncurled his hands and withdrew them.
"I'd like to go home now."
He frowned. “Haven't you listened to anything I've said?” he asked harshly.
"Yes. That's why I'm going to go home. It's ... safe there and, now that I know about the lycans, I'll be extra careful.” She drew a shuddering breath. “I'm sure there's something I could do to throw them off the scent. I'd be happy to listen to any suggestions you might have."
"You'd be safer if you stayed with us."
Shilo stared at him for a long moment and finally turned to look at the others. Color crept into her cheeks as she briefly met their gazes. She hardly knew them, but she was inclined to like them. They'd been pleasant and courteous and friendly. She didn't want to insult them. “The ... uh ... scent thing. Wouldn't that be a problem, though?"
Dante's face darkened. “No, it wouldn't."
He looked more uncomfortable than angry. Shilo frowned, thinking that over. As embarrassing as she found it to talk about it, though, she needed to know for future reference. Maurice had said it was ‘appealing'. Dante had said, though, that he was only aroused because she was a woman, even if she was human. “Is it just ... sort of an identifier, then? It's not ... it isn't like a ... lure, or anything?"
"It wouldn't be a problem. You're under my protection. This is my territory, and it's my job to enforce lycan law within it."
That didn't exactly answer her question. Or maybe it did? She would've felt more relieved if he'd just laid it out in plain English so that she was absolutely sure. “Well, that's nice to know, and, if I should ever come back, which I doubt I will, I'll keep that in mind,” she said, smiling at him. “But I don't live in your territory—in fact, I'm positive it's an area not claimed by any lycans."
Dante wrestled with his rising impatience. He was not accustomed to having his orders questioned. He was willing to make a concession in her case and try to persuade her because she was human and not directly under his authority, but he'd already determined what he intended to do, what would be best, and if he had to hogtie her, she wasn't going anywhere.
It had ceased to be only a matter of protecting her and his territorial interests from the moment Maurice had said she wasn't off limits. He wanted her ... so bad he could taste it. He hadn't been able to think far beyond breeding her since he'd caught his first taste of her scent. If it was true the council wouldn't object, he meant to have her and he had no intention of having to try to track her down to claim her.
He had to take care of the rogue problem first, though.
And then he meant to make some careful inquiries about the laws governing psychics. He sure as hell didn't want to stir up unwelcome interest in her that might result in someone else, of higher authority, swooping in to snatch her out from under his nose.
Of equal concern to him and importance, although he was having a damned hard time focusing on it, he wanted to be sure it wouldn't harm her. He
She didn't think so. The first one had scared her half to death and, although she'd been fortunate enough since that she had managed to elude them and avoid another really nasty encounter, she didn't believe for one moment that she'd subconsciously wanted to be caught.
Maybe she just wanted to believe him because what he'd told her about the rogue had scared her? Because she wasn't completely confident that she could throw the rogue off her trail and it was terrifying even to think of an entire pack coming after her.
She moistened her lips, dragging her gaze from his and looking down at his hands curled around her wrists. “You don't have to hold my hands,” she said finally. “I've never attacked anyone.” She lifted her head again and met his gaze. “I only use it to defend myself."
A faint flush crept beneath his swarthy skin. He uncurled his hands and withdrew them.
"I'd like to go home now."
He frowned. “Haven't you listened to anything I've said?” he asked harshly.
"Yes. That's why I'm going to go home. It's ... safe there and, now that I know about the lycans, I'll be extra careful.” She drew a shuddering breath. “I'm sure there's something I could do to throw them off the scent. I'd be happy to listen to any suggestions you might have."
"You'd be safer if you stayed with us."
Shilo stared at him for a long moment and finally turned to look at the others. Color crept into her cheeks as she briefly met their gazes. She hardly knew them, but she was inclined to like them. They'd been pleasant and courteous and friendly. She didn't want to insult them. “The ... uh ... scent thing. Wouldn't that be a problem, though?"
Dante's face darkened. “No, it wouldn't."
He looked more uncomfortable than angry. Shilo frowned, thinking that over. As embarrassing as she found it to talk about it, though, she needed to know for future reference. Maurice had said it was ‘appealing'. Dante had said, though, that he was only aroused because she was a woman, even if she was human. “Is it just ... sort of an identifier, then? It's not ... it isn't like a ... lure, or anything?"
"It wouldn't be a problem. You're under my protection. This is my territory, and it's my job to enforce lycan law within it."
That didn't exactly answer her question. Or maybe it did? She would've felt more relieved if he'd just laid it out in plain English so that she was absolutely sure. “Well, that's nice to know, and, if I should ever come back, which I doubt I will, I'll keep that in mind,” she said, smiling at him. “But I don't live in your territory—in fact, I'm positive it's an area not claimed by any lycans."
Dante wrestled with his rising impatience. He was not accustomed to having his orders questioned. He was willing to make a concession in her case and try to persuade her because she was human and not directly under his authority, but he'd already determined what he intended to do, what would be best, and if he had to hogtie her, she wasn't going anywhere.
It had ceased to be only a matter of protecting her and his territorial interests from the moment Maurice had said she wasn't off limits. He wanted her ... so bad he could taste it. He hadn't been able to think far beyond breeding her since he'd caught his first taste of her scent. If it was true the council wouldn't object, he meant to have her and he had no intention of having to try to track her down to claim her.
He had to take care of the rogue problem first, though.
And then he meant to make some careful inquiries about the laws governing psychics. He sure as hell didn't want to stir up unwelcome interest in her that might result in someone else, of higher authority, swooping in to snatch her out from under his nose.
Of equal concern to him and importance, although he was having a damned hard time focusing on it, he wanted to be sure it wouldn't harm her. He
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