She swallowed and tamped down a familiar, visceral surge of lust, quickly directing her attention to her own garb. Time enough for mating after they rejuvenated themselves in the Source. She could feel the weariness beating at Rain and the emotions swirling so close to the surface beneath the too-thin layers of his self-control.

"Aiyah," she managed to agree. The word came out throaty, unconsciously seductive. She coughed twice and added with a grin, "But let's keep our distance. I don't fancy swimming in fish stew." Earth came to her call with a green flash. Leathers and steel fell to the ground in haphazard piles.

She glanced up in time to see Rain's eyes rake down her slender body and spark with a hunger as powerful as her own. He took one step towards her, intent stamped on his face. And despite her determination to see to Rain's health first, a thrill of pleasure shot through her. It never ceased to amaze her that all the love, passion, and devotion of this incredible man belonged wholly and eternally to her. Her. Ellysetta Baristani. Who would ever have believed it?

In her mind's eye she still was, and perhaps always would be, that shy, gawky, rather unattractive girl who'd never fit in. Yet even when the glamour set upon her at birth had disguised her true Fey heritage, Rain had always seen beneath the mortal guise. And when he looked at her with such simmering intensity, she felt like a different woman. Not Ellie Baristani, but Ellysetta Feyreisa, a shining Fey queen every bit the equal of her exceptional mate.

"On second thought," Rain growled, taking another step closer, "swimming can wait."

One brow arched. "Who says we have to choose? Her lips curved in a siren's smile, and with a low, challenging laugh, she bolted. She raced across the stony shore on nimble feet and dove for the lake with an Air-powered leap that sent her soaring gracefully half a Tairen length from the shore before she plunged into the Fire-warmed waters.

Magic hit her like a lightning bolt, robbing her of breath. She kicked to the surface, gasping and tingling all over. Rain was on her the instant she came up for air.

"Rain, wait. There's something—"

She didn't get to finish her sentence. His arms wrapped around her, dragging her close. His lips fused to hers. The long, lean lines of his flesh—hotter than the waters Steli had boiled with her Tairen flame—pressed against Ellysetta's, burning stone beneath seductive velvet flesh.

Coherent thought evaporated.

Sensation raced through her... sizzling, electric. Her flesh was afire. Always when Rain's skin touched hers, she felt his emotions as if they were her own; but now, with the waters of the Source around them, the feeling increased exponentially, instantly forming a harmonic. His desire feeding hers... hers feeding his. He breathed, and her lungs expanded as if the breath were her own. She brushed her hand across his skin and her flesh felt the caress. She dragged her nails across his nipple and her own sprang instantly erect.

"Oh, dear gods." She gasped. Her womb clenched. In an instant, her flesh grew swollen, burning and aching... needing.

Ellysetta couldn't tell which feelings were Rain's and which her own, and she didn't care. Her arms wrapped around his neck; her legs locked around his waist. Her muscles contracted, dragging him so tightly against her it was as if some part of her mind thought she could physically fuse their bodies together through the sheer strength of her embrace.

«Ke vo san . . . ke vo lanis . . . ke vo arris» I love you ... I want you ... I need you. The words chanted in her head with the beat of her pulse, repeating over and over. His voice—or was it hers?—grew more insistent with each utterance. «Veli ti'ku . . . Vo'shani a'ku.» Come to me. Give yourself to me.

The connections of their still uncompleted truemate bond flared with the same rhythmic pulse until she could almost see the threads and their intricate, tightly woven pattern, until she could almost see what was missing and how to spin it. Her dazed mind tried to grasp the image, process it, but sensation overwhelmed her senses. Concentration dissolved, thoughts scattered. The image of their bond flared with sudden brightness, and its pattern merged into a single blinding light.

She could hardly breathe. Then his body surged up, plunging deep into hers, and all she could think was, Breathe? Who needs to breathe? They flung back their heads on a mutual shout of pleasure as her body shattered and his followed.

"What in the Haven's name just happened?"

Dazed and still trembling from the overload to her senses, Ellysetta floated in Rain's arms, her limp body draped across his, incapable of autonomous movement. She could barely think straight, let alone summon the strength to actually move.

Rain's chest rippled as he dragged in a shuddering breath. "I don't know." His voice came out hoarse, raspy. He swallowed, then tilted his chin against his chest to glance at her. A grin twitched at the corners of his mouth. "But I hope it happens again."

She started to shove his shoulder, decided it was too much effort, and settled for a scowl instead. "Be serious. That was not normal."

She'd drunk faerilas—the waters of a Source—before. She'd swum in Veil Lake numerous times during these last weeks. But she'd never had a reaction like the one that had just occurred.

«Fine, fierce mating. Rainier-Eras and Ellysetta-kitling will make many strong kitlings for the pride.» Steli, who had given up boiling fish and begun to amuse herself chasing them under the water, surfaced without warning nearby. She shook her soggy head, showering Rain and Ellysetta.