Free Winter Born by Sherrilyn Kenyon

ranked right up there with her lying beside him right now when she was terrified of panthers. This wasn’t something she would have done even a few hours ago—and now …
    Now she accepted the fact that this was her eternal mate. And for the first time in her life, she was beginning to understand exactly what that really meant.
    Someone knocked on the door.
    Pandora jumped.
    â€œRelax,” Romeo said as he moved to answer it while Mike stood aside. “The bad guys don’t knock.”
    Pandora frowned as Romeo let in Leo and the gorgeous Goth man she’d seen downstairs. Leo went to stand beside Mike while the Goth came toward the bed.
    â€œPandora,” Romeo said, “meet Acheron Parthenopaeus.”
    Acheron inclined his head to her.
    She gaped. “You’re the ancient Dark-Hunter?”
    Acheron gave her that same wicked grin he had given her earlier. “The one and only.”
    A weird ripple went through her. “You knew me downstairs when our gazes met, didn’t you?”
    He nodded.
    â€œIf you knew I was looking for you, why didn’t you say something?”
    His gaze went to Dante. “Because it wasn’t time for you to meet me yet.” He glanced to Romeo. “And it’s not time for you to lose another brother.”
    Pandora watched as the wounds on Dante healed instantly.
    Romeo smiled in relief. “What do we owe you for that, Ash?”
    Acheron shrugged. “Don’t worry about it. I’ll call the favor in at a later date.”
    Dante flashed into human form. He looked up at her with a tender expression that melted her.
    â€œAsh,” he said, without looking at the Dark-Hunter. “Could I trade another favor for you to watch my mate for me while my brothers and I take care of something?”
    â€œAbsolutely.”
    Dante placed one large, warm hand against her cheek, then chastely kissed the side of her face. He got up and gathered his brothers to him.
    â€œWe’ll be back in a minute.”
    Before she could ask him where he was going, they vanished.
    â€œWhat is he doing?” she asked Ash.
    â€œKnowing Dante, I’m confident he’s going to guarantee that your ‘friends’ never return to threaten you or anyone from your pack again.”
    *   *   *
    It didn’t take Dante long to find the rogue pack of Katagaria panthers. They were camped in a small, isolated commune just outside of Charleston.
    Ironically, they even had a sign up declaring the area a wildlife preserve.
    With his three brothers behind him, he walked through the wooded area until he found the first panther he’d fought. The panther was lying wounded with a human woman tending him.
    â€œWho leads this pack?” he asked the pair.
    The panther didn’t answer, but when the petite, blond woman did, Dante recognized a voice that was almost identical in tone, accent, and cadence to Pandora’s. “Aristotle is the regis. He’s sleeping over there.” She pointed to a tree.
    Dante inclined his head respectfully to her, then went to the tree to call down their leader.
    Aristotle responded by only opening one bored eye. “Who are you?”
    â€œTake human form when you address me, you bastard,” Dante said harshly. “Or there won’t be enough left of your pack to even start a new one.”
    The panther flashed into human form, then moved to stand before Dante in a stance that said he was ready to fight. He was four inches shorter than Dante and had short black hair that matched his black soulless eyes.
    â€œWho the hell are you?” he snarled.
    â€œDante Pontis.”
    Aristotle’s eyes widened as he took an immediate step back.
    Dante’s brutal, take-no-prisoners reputation was known far and wide, and it was respected or feared by all their kind.
    â€œTo what do I owe this honor?” Aristotle asked.
    â€œA group of your strati tried to take my mate