Her heart stuttered for a moment. She was in an awkward position with her legs up around her ears and his body buried deep, but his eyes gave no quarter. She had nowhere to hide. He wanted truth. She couldn’t find the breath to speak so she nodded. She felt the tension ease in him and he rolled off of her.

“I’m going to be really nice, honey. I’ll let you sleep for half an hour and then you’re going to be begging for mercy.” He crawled up beside her and collapsed again, flinging one arm possessively around her waist and closed his eyes.

AND he wasn’t lying.

ISABEAU spent the next four days with Conner as her ruthless taskmaster, a ruthless commander who demanded perfection of both Jeremiah and her. She had to shoot guns for hours, take them apart and put them back together as well as keep working on combat techniques. Jeremiah had it worse. He had to shift on the run, and the entire team was merciless with him. Fortunately, he was so proficient with a rifle, she could tell they were all impressed with him.

The next four nights were spent behind the waterfall, with Conner as her demanding lover, a man never quite sated and always pushing for more. There were times she wasn’t certain she would survive the intensity of their love-making, but she really didn’t care. All that mattered was the feel of his body inside hers and the love in his eyes when he claimed her.

11

“REMEMBER to stay close to Elijah no matter what happens.” Conner kept his hand on the car door, refusing to open it, although everyone was waiting. “Once we go in, don’t look at me. Anyone in there can be working for her. You have to put on the best acting job of your life. And Isabeau—” He caught her chin in his hand, his glittering eyes staring straight into hers. “So will I—I’ll be acting too.”

Isabeau swallowed hard and nodded. “I know, Conner. I can do this.”

“If you get into trouble, signal Rio or Elijah. They’ll get you out of it.”

“We’ve gone over this a hundred times.” Her mouth was dry and fear had gripped her in spite of all her good intentions. She wanted to cling to Conner, but instead forced a small smile. “I’m ready.”

“We’re going over it again, just to be sure. Jeremiah will be outside up high in the trees with a rifle. He can shoot the wings off a butterfly; he’ll protect you outside. If there’s a problem . . .”

“I take the barrette out of my hair.”

“That’s the signal to shoot. If you’re in trouble, use it.”

“Conner, I’m going to be fine.”

“She won’t come in until late. Don’t get antsy or alarmed. Her security detail will come in first and sweep the room, looking for people like us. You’re going to stand out, honey. You’re a female leopard and the two rogues are going to sense you’re close to the Han Vol Dan. That will agitate them, make them more aggressive. You cannot be alone with one of them. Do you understand?”

“You aren’t speaking a foreign language,” she hissed. He was making her more nervous. It wasn’t like every single man on the team hadn’t already pointed that out to her. Even Jeremiah.

His eyes narrowed. Burned. “What? If you aren’t going to take this threat seriously, Isabeau, you can damn well stay here. In the car.”

She threw her hands into the air. “Conner, you’re making me crazy. I’m scared enough. You don’t have to keep going over this. I know what we’re doing. I know what you have to do and I’m going to be all right with it. I’ll stay very close to Elijah, unless you’ve scared him into thinking you’re going to kill him if he looks at me wrong.”

She sounded so exasperated, Conner found some of the tension easing from his body. He sank his fingers into her silky hair. “I’m sorry, beloved, I want you safe. I can’t think about much else right now. Letting you go in there is unbelievably difficult.”

She framed his face with her hands. “Letting you go in there is worse for me. I’m not afraid of Imelda Cortez.”

“You should be.”

She gave him a slight smile. “I should have said my cat isn’t afraid. She’s so close, Conner, and I want her. I want to be able to use her strength to help you.”

“Just stay clear of the rogues. They won’t be able to resist trying to get you alone. Stay with . . .”

“Elijah. Yeah. I think we started this conversation here. Go inside. I’m going to be fine.” She leaned into him, kissing him, grateful for the tinted windows.

“Damn it, Isabeau,” Elijah snapped. “When you get out, all of us will have to hug you, rub our scent over you, otherwise the rogues will be able to pick up Conner’s scent exclusively.”

Rio glared at Conner. “That’s a rookie mistake.”

“Great,” she muttered rebelliously, “they’re going to think I’m the loose, easy chick.”

“I’m beginning to think Conner’s right and you should stay in the car,” Rio said.

Isabeau rolled her eyes and reached across Conner to shove open the door. She wasn’t staying in the car.

Conner simply shrugged before flashing his teeth at Isabeau in a conspiratorial smirk. He exited the SUV and took his first good look at the estate where Philip Sobre, the chief of tourism resided. The man had done well for himself. The six-story sprawling mansion was on a slope overlooking the forest. The panoramic views swept around the verandah and from every deck and window in the large house. Trees, centuries old, rose up in grandeur, to surround the house and lead the way to the small lake shimmering just a distance away.