Hawke’s wolf flashed in his eyes, the ice blue glittering with the same amusement that had his cheeks creasing. “What brought that on?”
“I refuse to be your mate and be in the dark.” She stroked her palms up over the temptation of his chest, her breasts tingling at the memory of how hard and beautiful he felt pressed up against her. In spite of his earlier words, he’d let her play with his body, stroke the rigid heat of his cock, learn him with her mouth.
Of course, that hadn’t lasted long. When she’d complained, he’d promised to let her use the handcuffs on him next time. Sienna couldn’t wait to hold him to that promise, to taste every muscled inch of him, but first things first. “Tell.”
Leaning down, he nipped at her jaw, a quick, affectionate bite that had her jerking. “No distracting me,” she complained, rubbing her foot over the back of his calf, the hairs on his legs crisp and rough, a sexy caress against her skin. “I want to know.”
His chuckle vibrated through the palms she had on that resilient flesh. “If you’re sure.” Another small bite before he whispered it in her ear.
She blinked.
“No.”
He growled, but it was playful. “Don’t you like it?”
“It’s beautiful, you know it is.” Perfect for him. “But then I have to ask about your first name. It doesn’t seem very wolfish—especially considering the age and significance of your last. Was it a family name?”
He shook his head. “My mother had decided on a name if she ever had a boy, long before she met my father, regardless of the fact that Hawke wasn’t any kind of a name for a wolf.” He settled over her, a heavy male blanket. “When they mated, she decided to take her mate’s surname, which was one of the oldest, if not
the
oldest, in the pack, but she refused to change her mind about her son’s name.”
Sienna heard the echo of deepest love in that statement. “Your father accepted it.”
“He adored her.” A simple answer. “Plus he figured any son of his would soon handle anyone who hassled him over his name—he was right.” The arrogance was pure male wolf.
Charmed, she kissed a line up his neck. “In your mother’s defense,” she said, unable to stop petting him, “it’s a gorgeous, unique name.”
“Just not meant for a wolf.” He bent into her caresses. “Honestly? I like that they both gave me a name.”
She did, too. “What about me?” she asked. “Do I take your last name since we’re mated?”
“Do you want to?” A tilt of his head, the wolf watchful but not demanding.
She considered the question with care, thinking of who she’d been, who she was now. “Yes,” she said at last, “but I’d like to keep mine, too.” As with Hawke, the past was gone, but it had left an indelible mark, could not be forgotten. “It’s a part of me.”
Lips against her own, a wolf’s kiss. “That works fine for me . . . Sienna Lauren Snow.”
1
File note: Covert scans of George Kim’s mind show evidence of a subtle but total telepathic wipe in relation to the Eldridge project. Given the delicacy of the wipe, there is a high likelihood it was completed by an E-Psy. He has no useful or problematic knowledge. Terminal action not required.
2
File note: Action unable to be satisfactorily completed. Parents’ minds show evidence of a subtle telepathic wipe in relation to the X Project–neither has any problematic or useful knowledge. Akim descendants unaware of any discovery relating to their genetic line.
3
File Note: See note on e-mail dated: April 10th, 1973. Parents have no useful or problematic knowledge. Terminal action not required.
4
File Note: The E in question has disappeared from the Net—all attempts to find him alive or locate his body have failed. An active alert has been placed with Enforcement and all hospital facilities.
5
File note: No request filed with Ethics Committee. No indication of any unauthorized experimentation.
Berkley Titles by Nalini Singh
Psy-Changeling Series
SLAVE TO SENSATION
VISIONS OF HEAT
CARESSED BY ICE
MINE TO POSSESS
HOSTAGE TO PLEASURE
BRANDED BY FIRE
BLAZE OF MEMORY
BONDS OF JUSTICE
PLAY OF PASSION
KISS OF SNOW
Guild Hunter Series
ANGELS’ BLOOD
ANGELS’PAWN
(A Berkley Sensation eSpecial)
ARCHANGEL’S KISS
ARCHANGEL’S CONSORT
Anthologies
AN ENCHANTED SEASON
(with Maggie Shayne, Erin McCarthy, and Jean Johnson)
THE MAGICAL CHRISTMAS CAT
(with Lora Leigh, Erin McCarthy, and Linda Winstead Jones)
MUST LOVE HELLHOUNDS
(with Charlaine Harris, Ilona Andrews, and Meljean Brook)
BURNING UP
(with Angela Knight, Virginia Kantra, and Meljean Brook)