“Malichai.” He raised his voice again. “I need my medical field kit. The new snakebite spray is inside the snakebite kit. Hurry.”

He tried a slow, charming smile to ease her mind. He didn’t want her to think he was a mad scientist – because he was certain she’d been exposed to more than one. “I’m going to try a relatively new product on you. There isn’t time to get you to a hospital and they wouldn’t have the antivenom for this snakebite here. You know that.”

She had known and she’d known the bite could be fatal – even to her – yet she’d still stepped in front of him, protecting him at a very real risk to her own life.

Pepper raised her eyes to Wyatt’s face. She wasn’t going to die, she already knew that, not unless something went very wrong. It wasn’t the cobra venom she feared. That wasn’t going to kill her or make her all that sick. If it was just that…

She didn’t want him to drag the baby from his grandmother, and if he knew exactly how venomous she really was, he would be like all the others – the ones who had created her – he would kill her.

She didn’t understand the pull of his man, or why his face was so familiar. Why her heart sang when he was close. The scent of him enveloped her and she actually felt safe instead of threatened. She’d never been safe, and she certainly wasn’t now.

“Here’s the water, Wyatt,” Ezekiel said.

Ezekiel’s gaze was on the child, not the woman or Wyatt. He watched her in the way a hunter watched his prey, eyes fixed and wholly focused. The baby buried her face against Nonny’s bony shoulder with a small little shudder of fear.

“Set the water down and quit tryin’ to intimidate a baby,” Wyatt said.

Ezekiel did as Wyatt asked slowly, for the first time turning his head to look at the woman. He put out his hand, toward her arm, her bare skin, as if he had to feel that it was as soft as it appeared. Wyatt actually felt the impact of her go right through Ezekiel’s gut. His breathing hitched. Instantly flames burned in Wyatt’s belly, igniting like a firestorm, hot and all encompassing.

“Walk away, Zeke,” he said quietly. “Step back and walk away.”

Ezekiel blinked rapidly, as if trying to come out of some hypnotic trance. He stood, almost mesmerized by the woman, unable to look away. “Holy crap, Wyatt.” There was awe in his voice.

Wyatt fought the urge to pull his grandmother’s knife out of his boot and slice him from his belly to his chest.

“Step back, Zeke,” he repeated, and this time he put command in his voice.

Ezekiel obeyed out of respect for rank. He stepped back, still blinking rapidly. Wyatt knew they were all in trouble. This woman was dangerous to all of them. She could tear them apart without even trying – and what would happen if she tried?

He began to wash the wound carefully. Her skin had gone clammy. She was very pale. He tried not to notice that her skin was softer than anything he’d ever felt in his life.

“I don’t have a lot of time before I get very sick. Give me your word you’ll protect her.”

Again he had to shake off the seductive sound of her voice. He seemed particularly susceptible to it, although when he glanced at Ezekiel, he noticed the man was still staring at Pepper as if he might devour her.

“Why would you believe me? You just put a knife to ma grand-mere’s throat,” Wyatt said. He had no idea why he was so affected by her calm demeanor, by her insistence they save the child that had put her life in jeopardy, but he was. He wanted to save this woman. She was worth it. He didn’t know how he knew that, or why he felt it, but the need was the strongest emotion he’d ever felt.

“Where the hell is that snakebite kit, Malichai?” He kept the urgency he was feeling out of his voice.

“Because you’re a Fontenot. I’ve been in the bayou a little while now, and you have a reputation for keeping your word.” She coughed. Her eyes drooped more.

The venom was moving quickly through her system in spite of the fact that she had slowed her heart rate. She had tremendous control.

“Ginger can’t see this,” Pepper reiterated. “She’s been traumatized enough. Take me out of here.”

It wasn’t prudent to move her around. “Malichai! Where the hell are you?” Wyatt glanced at his grandmother. Did he dare leave her alone with a child who could kill with one bite? A baby who didn’t know what she was doing?

“She’s extremely intelligent. Her emotions are baby emotions, but she understands…” Pepper coughed. Tried to clear her voice. “I’m feeling nauseous.”

“You know that’s just one of the symptoms.” Wyatt poured a soothing note into his voice. He’d always been gifted with a voice that could mesmerize if he needed it – although hers had his beat by a mile. When she spoke in that soft, husky, barely there tone, he felt her moving right through his body.

He’d always been particularly careful of using his gift – especially after he was enhanced. He used it now. “We’ll get through this.”

“There’re two more. Two babies.” She coughed, tried to clutch her throat. “God, it’s going to be bad this time.”

He kept possession of her arm to keep her from raising it above her heart. “Stop talkin’. Just stay calm.” She was becoming a little agitated, another symptom.

She tried to talk. The words came out garbled. Her eyes went wider than ever. She shook her head and tried again.