Elijah kept going in and out of her line of vision, his face grim, his eyes locked on the head of the snake, the knife trying to slice through scale and muscle to sever the head. The snake knew it was in trouble now, and the only avenue left to it was abandoning its meal and escaping. The moment the snake loosened its coils, Conner reached past the thrashing body, wrapped his arm around her leg and yanked her to him. He all but threw her behind him. She caught a glimpse of that rock- hard, masculine body, ripped with ropes of muscles, as he plunged into the shallow water to help Elijah.

The snake coiled around the man in an effort to escape the blade of the knife, trying to use sheer weight and muscle to drive him back into deeper water. Conner gripped the thrashing body and held while Elijah killed the snake. The animal went limp and both men stood, bent, chests heaving from the tremendous fight against such a strong creature.

Conner turned to her, crouching low in the water to run his hands over her. “Are you all right, Isabeau?”

She considered screaming. Or bursting into tears. She’d nearly died, crushed by a snake, or drowned. But he looked perfectly calm as if it was an ordinary occurrence and no big deal. She swore he even looked regretful as he watched Elijah drag the carcass onto land. Was she all right? She looked down at her body. She felt bruised and maybe a little battered, but nothing was broken. She was soaked, but the rain had already done that.

She slowly took stock of her situation. She was still in the stream, up to her ankles, and she’d just survived an honest to God anaconda attack. Her heart pounded like thunder in her ears, her breath came in ragged, harsh gasps, but every single nerve ending was alive. The world was crisper, fresh, more beautiful than she’d ever seen it.

The mist hung in soft veils surrounding the black, whispering leaves peaking through as the wind swayed the canopy slightly. The water ran over the rocks, a dark, gleaming ribbon of silver as it moved. She could see the long, thick body of the snake lying on the bank. Beside it, Elijah sat, a small smile spreading across his face. She couldn’t stop her gaze from straying back to Conner, where his naked body rippled with defined muscles.

Conner grinned at her, a slow, very much alive grin that took what little breath she had and replaced it with a rush of heat and adrenaline. He raised a dripping hand to his hair and slicked it back away from his face. “What a rush, right?”

She nodded, fascinated by the sheer magnetism of his face. There was joy—life—shining in his eyes. Flames leapt and burned brightly in the golden eyes. He winked at her and butterflies began a serious migration in the pit of her stomach.

“Sorry about the lack of clothes. I thought your life was more important than your modesty.”

“At the time I did too,” she admitted. Although now she was more concerned with her virtue—what little she had left. She wanted him to stand up. His strong thighs hid the front of his body from her, but her mouth was watering. She knew what was there. And she knew he’d be rock hard. He usually was around her, and she hadn’t seen much difference since they’d been in each other’s company.

“I hated that we had to kill her,” Conner said, and this time there was no mistaking the regret in his voice. “She was a female looking for a meal is all. I hate losing any of them.”

“I’m grateful I wasn’t her meal,” Isabeau admitted.

“I should have been more careful,” Conner said. “They lie under the banks in the natural caves there where the water is shallow and a little sluggish. We aren’t at a very high elevation and I should have been more alert.”

Elijah snickered and Conner sent him a glowering warning. Elijah just laughed. “Clearly, your mind was where it shouldn’t have been.”

Conner’s glower turned to a smoldering glare. “Why weren’t you alert?”

The glare didn’t have any more effect than the glower. Elijah laughed out loud. “Trying to converse, you mangy cat. It isn’t easy trying to get your sorry ass out of trouble. It takes some thinking.”

Isabeau burst out laughing. “Both of you are insane.”

“We’re insane? You’re the one standing there laughing after a snake tried to swallow you whole,” Elijah pointed out.

“I’m sure it would have dislocated all her bones first,” Conner said.

She shoved him, hoping for a big splash. Her push barely rocked him, but he flashed her another wide grin that shook her up, and his smile was worth missing out on seeing him going facedown in the water. It was the respect on his face. In his eyes. He was proud of her and there was respect in Elijah’s eyes as well. She couldn’t help the small, blossoming glow spreading inside of her.

“We’d better get you back and out of those wet clothes,” Conner said. “I’m going to shift.”

It was all the warning she got before his muscles contorted and fur slid along his back and belly. Claws burst through the tips of his fingers. She was shocked at how fast he could assume his other form. She fell into step beside him, unafraid, even though her heart pounded and she was aware of every movement in the forest. She was alive. Totally, absolutely alive.

8

IT was happening all over again. Isabeau took a quick, surreptitious look around, hoping no one would notice her squirming. Her skin burned, felt too tight, every nerve ending raw and jumping. She rubbed her arms, and with even that light touch, her skin hurt. Deep inside the itch had grown to a demanding ache she couldn’t ignore.