“Lightning crashed close, and the cabin shuddered beneath a defeaning roar of thunder. Raven swung around and paced to a chair. "Something's going on for sure. That's one of ours doing that."Shea's hand went to her throat. She could not shake the feeling of impending doom. She turned to Raven. "What do you mean, one of ours?" Why had she agreed to stay and protect Raven? Something evil was watching them, and she couldn't ferret it out. Jacques, where are you?"The lightning and thunder," Raven replied easily. "One of our males is upset.""Great. Tantrums, that's all we need," Shea said moodily. Jacques hadn't answered her. Where was he? Couldn't he feel her need?Raven laughed. "They are great for that, aren't they?”

“Gregori was as still as a statue, his face a blank mask, his silver eyes as empty as death, yet Shea gave him a wide berth. There was something dangerous in his utter stillness. Shea felt she had no way to sorting out the complexity of the Carpathian male’s nature. Gregori was watching Raven through narrowed, restless eyes, eyes that saw far too much. Suddenly he cursed, low and vicious, startling from someone of his stature and power. “She should not put herself at risk. She is with child.”His eyes met Jacques’, silver lightning and black ice. Total understanding between the two men. Shea merged her mind with Jacues’ quickly to try to understand the hidden currents. Raven’s pregnancy, if she was pregnant, changed everything as far as the men were concerned. Shea could see no evidence of a child—Raven appeared as slim as ever—but she couldn’t believe the healer would be wrong. He seemed so infallible, so completely invincible. The child was everything, all-important to the men. It surprised, even shocked her, the way they regarded the pregnancy. It was a miracle to both of them. The baby was more important than their lives. Shea was confused. Despite Jacques’ fractured memories, his protective streak was extremely strong.“He’s aware of his surroundings, but he can’t move. Even his mind is locked and still. He is paralyzed somehow.” Raven’s voice startled Shea, brought her back to the stormy weather and their rescue mission. Raven was clearly speaking of Byron. “He can’t move or call out, not ever mentally. It is dark and damp, and he knows he will suffer greatly before they are done with him.” Raven swayed, her hands protectively covering her stomach. The healer moved, a blur of speed, catching her arm and wrenching her out into the driving rain.Gregori snagged Mikhail’s shirt, too, and yanked him into the fury of the storm. “Break off now, Raven,” Gregori commanded. He shook her, shook Mikhail. “Let go of him now!”

“But where would she go, Raven wondered. Where was home now that Drew was her heart?”

“No one calls me stupid," he said in a lower tone followed by a really low, throaty growl."I didn't call you stupid." Raven said a little louder."No. One. Calls. Me. Stupid." He crouched down. His eyes turned red. Raven rolled her eyes. "I think I should've called you a moron because you're acting like one.""What?""Or imbecile? Maybe juvenile delinquent since you broke into the house." Raven couldn't stop herself."I'm not a criminal. The door was opened," Jay snarled.”

“Raven: "Don't you notice that?"Alexander: "Notice what?"Raven: "The girls?"Alexander: "What girls?"Raven: "Hello! You were worried about bringing me to a bar when all along I should have been concerned about bringing you."Alexander: "I don't know what you are talking about."Raven: "The girls are drooling all over you!"Alexander: "Well, there is only one girl I want to be with and she's right here.”

“It took both of them to force her to feed from other than Mikhail. She resisted for a moment. For our child, little one, Mikhail whispered softly, lovingly, bending her will to his. You must do this for our child.Gregori added his own reinforcement. I have never asked anything of you, Raven, of our friendship. This I ask.”