Free She's No Faerie Princess by Christine Warren Page B

a good thing Rafael De Santos was very happily married to a gorgeous,possessive, and terrifying human witch, because evenknowing that didn't stop the reflexive surge of territorialitythe handsome Felix inspired when he smiled at the Faerie princess.
    What the hell was wrong with him?
    "The pleasure is mine," Rafael said, turning his lazy white grin on Fiona. "I am Rafael De Santos, and I feel I should say right now that I have nothing in common with the savages before you."

    There were many, many things wrong with him, Walkerrealized. At the moment, chief among them was the factthat he couldn't seem to keep his hands from clenchinginto fists. Or keep himself from picturing those fists in theface of any man who smiled so charmingly at theprincess Walker couldn't get out of his mind.
    "Don't mind them," Fiona said from behind him. "I don't know what's gotten into them, but I'm beginning to believe that this is normal for them."
    "You could very well be correct."
    "Nah," Jake said, "they've gotten a lot worse than this, but not usually with each other. Generally it's the two of them against someone else."
    "It'll be us against you if you don't keep your mouth shut,
    puppy," Walker warned.
    "I'm glad you're here, Rafe," Graham said. "It looks like
    we might have some trouble on our hands."
    A quick summary of events brought Rafael up to speedand had him frowning right alongside Walker and Graham.
    "I'm sure I don't need to tell you that the timing of this
    could have been better."
    "Oh, for goddess's sake," Fiona said, "you all are just going to have to get over it, okay? I'm sorry if my vacation ended up coinciding with some top-secret kaffeeklatsch of yours, but how was I supposed to know? It was   a secret !"
    The men ignored her. "What do you have planned?"

    Rafael asked. "What is the next step?"
    "The problem is that we need to take two steps. We need to find the demon before a human does, and before it kills someone," Graham pointed out. "Unfortunately, we also need to find out what the hell is wrong with the Faerie gate so we can get Fiona back before the Fae come looking for her."
    "You people have quite a penchant for beating the dead
    horse, don't you?" Fiona muttered in the background.
    "They have a plan for the demon. Fiona is going to find it," Jake offered, cheerfully enough to earn a killing glare from his uncle. At that point, Walker couldn't decide who needed to meet his fists the most. The choices seemed infinite.
    "Ah, yes. That makes sense." Rafael nodded. "And if I might suggest, my wife might prove helpful with the gate problem. Tess has quite a talent for the magical milieu."
    "Whatever it takes. Getting the princess home is the
    priority."
    Rafael turned to Walker and quirked an eyebrow.
    "Princess?"
    "Tobias has a fixation with my family tree. He's all bent out of shape thinking my aunt is going to kick his furry little tail, or something."
    Walker swore under his breath while Jake turned aninteresting shade of green. Rafael just quirked the otherbrow until they nearly met his dark hairline. "Does thatmean your aunt is someone like Queen Mab?"

"As like as can be. Identical, as a matter of fact."
    "Shit!" Graham roared. "I thought 'princess' was some kind of term of frickin' endearment, you son of a bitch! Are you telling me that you've trapped the niece of the Queen of Faerie in pack lands with no way to get her home? Are you insane?"
    Walker squared off against Graham and roared rightback, almost grateful for the opportunity to vent some ofthe frustration that had been building inside him. "Oh,right. Like I planned for this. Do I look like a goddamnmartyr to you? I'd rather have my claws pulled out with arusty tweezers than be in this situation, you idiot!"
    "What did you call me, Beta?"
    "Gentlemen," Rafael interrupted, stepping fully into the room and putting himself not between the two Lupines but close enough to take action if they went for each other's throats.