Free The Guardian by Sara Anderson Page A

what he had just told her was wearing off. She had to admit she would
not mind an evening of fun with him. He was very good looking. His broad
shoulders and muscular chest were very easy on the eyes. His silky, dark hair
made her fingers itch to run through it. She was not the type of woman to think
about sex, but that changed this morning when she woke up with him. It was all
she could think about.
    “I know this is short notice, and you are not as open
as shifters are about your body, but you will need to decide how you want to
change.”
    “I have to choose?”   She knew what she wanted: him. Could she get those words out though? I want you. I want to surrender myself to
you and let you take control . She didn’t know if she could say the words.
Women were supposed to be tough and independent.
    “Yes, you will have to make this decision. It would be
unethical of me to decide and do this as I please. Lana has made us some
breakfast. We can eat and shower, and then you will need to choose.”
    “What would happen if I didn’t? What if I just left it
alone?” Maybe she could have some more of that awful tasting potion. She could
down a glass of that and then they could get to know one another before they
danced the horizontal tango.
    His face was grim as he regarded her. “The pain would
return, but without my help the essence churning in you would rip apart your
cells. You would die in excruciating pain.”
    Cassie felt herself pale at Michael’s statement.
“Well, I am not suicidal, so that option is off the table.”
    Michael pulled her up so she could stand, and he
followed her. He grabbed two robes and wrapped one around her. “Come, let’s
eat. No matter your choice, you will need your strength.”

Chapter
Six
     
    Michael smiled as Cassie filled up her plate with the
feast his sister, Lana, had laid out. She had always
been more of a mother to him than a big sister, so it was not surprising when
she heard about what had happened she rushed over to his side of the house to
make sure he and Cassie were both well fed.
    Lana looked over at Michael, grinning. “So it seems an
imp followed Myra home.”
    Michael laughed. “Did she chase it away with her
constant talking?”
    “No, she made Warren deal with it. I guess they were
up all night trying to find the damn thing.”
    “Imp?” Cassie asked.
    Michael nodded, but Lana answered. “There are many
magical creatures around that humans can't see. I am not sure why, but I think Ilithyia does that to protect them. If humans knew they
existed they'd catch them for pets, or kill them.”
    Michael wanted to disagree with his sister, but it was
probably true. Maybe not so much now, but in years past. Humans still hunted species to extinction. Fairies, Mim-mim lights, and other magic folk wouldn’t stand a chance. He had lost track of Lana
and Cassie’s conversation, concentrating on his food. When he looked at Cassie,
he had noticed how she looked up at him shyly several times and blushed.
    He could tell she was shy by nature, and he felt like
he was pushing her hard. He wished he could take this slower and gently seduce
her, in the way he knew would please her, but time would not allow that. In a
day, or maybe longer, her terrible pain would return and the essence would
start to move.
    He had seen the interest in her eyes as he informed her
about the mating option. She was not turned off by that idea, so that was a
good start. He was attracted to her like he had never been attracted to a woman
before, and even without his ability to sense a person’s true heart, he knew
she had a good nature. The aura he sensed around her was peaceful, and in his
line of work she would be a comfort to be around, especially after a long day
of settling disputes and hunting down feral shifters in his territory.
    He had no doubt they would be a good match. Ilithyia would not have paired them if she did not see it.
He was unsure how he could get Cassie to understand this