Warriors of Poseidon 02.5 - Shifter's Lady

else.
     
    Since Bastien and Kat had mated, or reached some Atlantean magical state that the warrior called the “soul meld,” the two had been inseparable. Their hunger for each other was so powerful that Ethan was sure even a man who wasn‟t the alpha of Kat‟s pride would have been aware of it.
     
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    Since Ethan was the alpha and had once entertained hopes that he and Kat would someday settle down with each other, being around the pair was something akin to taking a serrated blade to the gut. He gave them another minute, then growled his displeasure. “If you‟re done groping each other, how‟s the cat doing?”
     
    Bastien released Kat but shot a warning glance at Ethan. “Perhaps you should concern yourself less with us and more with whoever or whatever is attacking your cats.”
     
    Ethan snarled at him. “Don‟t push your luck, Atlantean. I may respect your fighting ability and our alliance, but don‟t even think about questioning my concern or efforts on behalf of my panthers. Shape-shifter or the single-natured.”
     
    Bastien inclined his head. “As you say. None can doubt your commitment to the members of your pride or to your panther counterparts.”
     
    Kat‟s eyes narrowed. “Do I have to toss a little of my mojo your way, boys?”
     
    Both men stepped back from her, lifting their hands in surrender. Kat‟s Gift calmed aggression and sent waves of peace flowing through even the most antagonistic predators, and Ethan suspected Bastien didn‟t want it used on him any more than Ethan did.
    Ethan wasn‟t in the mood for peace. “About my cat?”
     
    “His injuries were really severe, Ethan,” Kat said. “Dr. Herman is the best, but he said it‟s touch and go.” She shook her head. “If you hadn‟t gotten there when you did…”
     
    “Yeah. I‟m a big hero.” Ethan forced the words out through clenched teeth. “Such a big damn hero that I‟ve let five of our cats die. Maybe six now. Six out of a total population of Florida panthers of maybe ninety, max. At this rate, they‟ll be facing extinction again, like they were back in ‟55.”
     
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    “We‟ll find him. Or them. Or it. Whatever is doing this, Ethan,” Kat promised.
     
    “I, too, will assist you in your search,” Bastien added. “Until such time as my prince releases me from these political negotiations to join the search for Justice.”
     
    The fury that burned in Bastien‟s eyes at the mention of his friend and fellow warrior reminded Ethan that he was glad to have the Atlanteans on his side. “I understand what you mean about politics. But we have to lock in support among all the Florida shape-shifter coalitions so that they ally with us against the growing vampire threat. Organos proved that the vampire master plan to enthrall the shape-shifters has advanced far beyond what we‟d suspected.”
     
    Bastien‟s eyes gleamed. “Organos died for his temerity, and so will any others that oppose us.”
     
    Ethan started to agree, but Kat cut him off with a loud hissing noise. “Is that…is that it?
    Is that her?” she whispered, pointing to a spinning sphere of light that had suddenly appeared in front of them.
     
    Bastien put an arm around her shoulders and pulled her to him. “So it is. Finally you will meet my sister.”
    The sphere stretched and lengthened into a tall, oval shape, and a fractured kaleidoscope of light shimmered like a starburst in the center of it. Suddenly, near the bottom, one delicately shod foot stepped through the portal and onto the grass, followed closely by the rest of the tall woman in her white dress. Ethan barely got a glimpse of the side of her head, her glossy dark hair bound up in some kind of intricate braid thing, before she hurled herself at her brother. Bastien whooped and yanked her off her feet and swung her around, shouting with joy. But Ethan‟s attention snapped back to the portal when a second figure stepped through, this one ominously familiar: Alaric.
     
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    As Ethan nodded his head briefly to the Atlantean god‟s high priest, the portal‟s light winked out of existence. “Alaric. Be welcome among the pride,” he said in the formal words of greeting.
     
    “I come as an ally and friend,” Alaric said, nodding in return. Ethan supposed after he‟d seen the priest a