Merinus checked the bubbles covering her, then sighed deeply.
“Yeah. Come on in.”
The other woman entered the room, concern marking her pretty features, lingering in her light blue eyes.
“If Callan’s DNA is lion, then what’s yours?” She didn’t bother to beat around the bush. There were
more than just Callan and she knew it.
Sherra sighed. She sat gracefully in a padded chair at the end of the tub.
“Snow cat,” she said quietly. “Dawn and Dayan’s mix is cougar.
Tanner is Bengal. Taber is jaguar, Callan is lion.” She watched Merinus carefully, her expression
composed, calm, but her eyes were shadowed.
“What’s happening to my body?” She would ask the questions of their DNA later. Right now, there
were more pressing problems.
“It’s a mating, Merinus,” Sherra said gently. “Our tests aren’t conclusive yet. Doc’s still working on it.
But it seems pheromones, chemistry is the culprit. Yours matched with Callan’s and his body reacted to
it. There’s still so much we don’t know about our bodies. Aren’t certain of. Unfortunately, we’ll need
more samples. I had hoped to catch you before your bath to begin them. Your body will give us more
answers than Callan’s can, as the mix of his semen and your body’s secretions are contained within you.”
Fear raced through her now.
“I’m not on birth control,” she whispered, her voice trembling. She couldn’t believe she hadn’t thought
of that before.
“Don’t worry,” Sherra rushed to reassure her. “The semen of our males has never been compatible with
a female before. But just to be on the safe side, the injection doc gave you last night would prevent
conception, should the reaction have changed that.”
“And this ‘thing’ going on with my body?” she asked her hesitantly. “Will it stop?”
Sherra sighed roughly. “We think so. Callan’s semen seems to have a counteracting agent in it, but it
appears very slow acting. In time, I believe it will go away.”
“Man, I really stepped into it this time,” Merinus breathed wearily, closing her eyes at the problem she
now found herself steeped in. “This is not good.”
“Perhaps for Callan it is,” Sherra said softly. “He was growing very angry, very hopeless, Merinus. He
leads us. Protects us. Maybe this was what he needed. I can’t say he was relaxed when I saw him this
morning, but he now plans for more than just his death.”
“And what are those plans?” Merinus asked her, watching her through the steam of the bath.
“Providing for you. Protecting you,” Sherra informed hesitantly.
“No.” Merinus shook her head fiercely. “This is just a story. This chemical thing will go away, and so will
I. I can’t stay here. And if he goes back, then I go to the next story. This is not permanent.”
“That’s what you think.” Callan stood in the doorway, his face dark, the savage lines pulled into a mask
of male arousal and hard purpose. “You cannot leave me now, Merinus. No matter what either of us
would wish.” He glanced at Sherra, the look hard, commanding.
“I need those samples, Callan. Quickly,” she told him as she came to her feet. “And Merinus is sore—”
“I do not need you to tell me my responsibilities, Sherra.” He flashed her a sharp look. “I have always
seen them through.”
“Of course you have,” Sherra said worriedly. “When she’s finished, please, we need her in the lab.”
“I’m not a guinea pig,” Merinus burst out. “I won’t be poked and prodded at incessantly.”
She flushed as Callan arched a brow sarcastically. Then her body heated as her gaze skipped to his
thighs, then back up. He was aroused. Ready for her. Again. Her body heated up further, her blood
pumping harshly through her veins.
“Leave, Sherra. I will have her there soon for your tests.” Callan moved aside, allowing the woman to
escape, then closing the door behind him.
Merinus stared at him from the depths of the tub, breathing heavily, her body reacting to the fiery glitter
in his slumberous eyes.
“I won’t take you again, yet,” he promised her softly. “But soon. Do you need help now getting out of
the bath? I can fix you lunch before you are forced to endure Doc’s testing.”
Merinus’ eyes narrowed on him. He was commanding, forceful. She hated that in a man.
“I’m a grown woman, I think I’m capable of bathing myself,” she told him sweetly, patiently. She felt