Warriors of Poseidon 02.5 - Shifter's Lady

herself into.
     
    Wondering why she didn‟t want to get out.

SIX
    As they drove through the breathtaking lands of the Big Cypress Swamp, Marie spent several minutes acclimating to the novel experience of riding in a car. When she was sure her stomach would not rebel against the motion and the bumpy ride, she asked Ethan to tell her about this place that he and his kind called home.
     
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    “It‟s a national preserve, protecting over 720,000 acres of swamp. Basically, the swamplands are crucial to the health of the Everglades, because they support the marine estuaries along Florida‟s southwest coast.”
     
    “It‟s beautiful, and so diverse,” she observed. “I am so accustomed to the plant life in Atlantis that this seems very exotic to me.”
     
    He pointed to a stand of trees along the side of the narrow road. “Those are dwarf cypress trees. We have a mixture of tropical and temperate plant life, but it‟s not just the green and leafy stuff that‟s so exotic around here. We‟ve also got gator communities, bears, and, of course, panthers.”
     
    She smiled. “Of course. Tell me about the panthers. I have access to your encyclopedias and other reference texts, but I do have some questions. Are panthers the same as cougars?”
     
    “The Florida panther is a subspecies of cougar that has adapted to the temperature here. We‟ve fought our way back from extinction for the panthers, but there are still fewer than a hundred remaining.”
     
    She turned her head to look at him. “But surely there are others elsewhere?”
     
    A muscle tightened in his jaw. “A few in zoos. But the Florida panther is still one of the rarest and most endangered animals in the world. Unfortunately, developers don‟t care about that. Fortunately, on the other hand, we have Big Cypress. An adult male needs two hundred seventy-five miles of territory, but that can overlap with the females.”
     
    Marie looked out the window, wondering why the subject of male territory was causing heat to rush into her cheeks again. “Females, plural, you said? And is that true of the male shape-shifter as well?”
     
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    “For some, it can be,” he said flatly. “I‟m not one of them.”
     
    Marie winced, remembering what Bastien had told her of Ethan‟s mate who‟d been killed by the vampire. “I am sorry, Ethan. I was not thinking. My condolences on the loss of your mate.”
     
    There was a long silence, then finally he spoke. “Yeah. Well. Fallon deserved better than what I had to offer her and certainly better than how she died.”
     
    Marie caught a glimpse of something large and golden red moving through the trees as they passed. “What is that? Is that one of your panthers?”
     
    Ethan whipped his head to the side and then yanked the steering wheel to pull the car to a sudden stop on the side of the road, knocking Marie forward against her seat belt.
     
    “I‟m sorry. Are you okay?” He leaned over and grasped her shoulders, raking her with that intense golden gaze.
     
    “Yes, of course. But why have we stopped?”
     
    “We‟re having a problem with someone or something attacking our panthers, and I‟d like to check this one out. I‟ll just be a few minutes. Stay here with the doors locked,” he commanded.
     
    His tone conveyed his expectation of perfect obedience, and for some reason it irritated her. “Fine. I‟ll stay here. But you might remember in the future that I am not a member of your pride, and my submission is not your right,” she snapped.
     
    The edges of his lips quirked into a grin. “I‟ll be glad to submit to you, ocean girl. Just name the time and place.” Then he leaned into her and pressed a quick, hard kiss on her lips. “I‟ll be right back.”
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    In seconds he was gone, and Marie leaned back against her seat, pressing her fingers to her lips. She was, perhaps, in more trouble with this man than she‟d realized.
     
    She shook her head, suddenly remembering what he‟d said. Lock the doors. She examined the side of the door, wondering which of the many buttons was the lock, but suddenly the door jerked open and a pair of denim-clad legs stood in front of her.
    Startled, she stared up and into the grim face and crazed eyes of a man who was very definitely not Ethan. “What—”
     
    “Get