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  Kate’s heart was pounding and her face felt flushed but she nodded as calmly as she could.

  “Then we’ll do it. We have to—have to hold back your Beast and feed your hunger.” She looked down at herself. “Uh…but I’d kind of like a quick shower and a change of clothes first. Can you wait long enough for that?”

  He nodded slowly. “I think so—if you hurry. I’m going to set a course for G’nera while you do. If we can just hold off the Beast until we get there, then I can go to the Howlund and let it out to roam safely.”

  “All right.” Kate nodded and would have gone towards the small bathroom but Rone caught her in his arms and drew her close for a moment. Leaning down, he took her mouth in a soft, searing kiss that seemed to make every nerve in her body tingle.

  “Thank you,” he murmured when they finally pulled apart. “Thank you for trusting me, Kate. Even though you still don’t remember me.”

  “I may not remember you but I still…still like you. Like you a lot,” Kate whispered back. “I know it’s not love—not yet—but I’m trying, Rone. I’m trying to be open.”

  “I know.” He stroked her hair, his silver eyes bright. “And that’s all I ask.”

  Kate couldn’t take the intensity of his gaze anymore. She pulled away from his gentle embrace and headed for the bathroom. She still had on the ragged, bloodstained “exercise” clothes they’d been forced to wear at Flame and Frost and she couldn’t wait to get out of them and get a shower. And then…

  And then I’ll deal with what comes next, she told herself firmly, her heart pounding. I have to.

  Chapter Twenty-one

  After a short but refreshing hot shower, Kate stood, wrapped in a towel, in front of her small dresser and looked over the selection of lingerie her past self had acquired.

  “Wow, I certainly wasn’t shy,” she murmured, running her fingers over the variety of silky gowns and panties that filled her lingerie drawer to overflowing. She must have loved dressing to show her body off—which was still hard to believe, given how she felt about her scars.

  Speaking of scars…she flexed her shoulder blades and frowned. The familiar tightness she always felt in the scar tissue, especially when she was under stress, wasn’t there right now. Given how nervous she felt about what she was about to do—to let Rone do to her—she was really surprised not to feel it. Then she remembered what he’d told her—that he used to lick her scars to make her feel looser and more supple. He’d spent a long time healing the wounds on her back—that must have been what helped her feel so much better.

  Kate sighed. Now wasn’t the time to be thinking about her scars. She needed to find a good outfit to wear—something sexy that would make her feel pretty and relaxed. As if she could relax when just the thought of the big Kindred getting between her thighs made her feel hot and cold all over.

  She still wasn’t completely sure why she’d told Rone that she wanted to let him taste her. Well, aside from controlling his Beast, that was. But the Beast wasn’t the only reason she’d agreed to this. Maybe because he was so gentle—so patient and willing to go slowly. Kate knew he would never hurt her or hold her down in any way. He wasn’t that kind of male.

  And maybe because you know he loves you…and you’re beginning to love him back, whispered a little voice in the back of her head. But was she? As Rone had pointed out, it had been less than a week since he’d found her at the International Mall and she still couldn’t remember their past life together.

  But Kate couldn’t deny that when she thought of him, she felt a warm glow that filled her whole body. Somehow during the time they had spent together after the fear toxins had been leeched out of her, she’d begun to trust the big Kindred…and to care for him and crave his touch. And since she’d been able to share the story of her attack with him, she felt even closer to him—that was probably why she was willing to let him try tasting her even though she hadn’t been able to back at Flame and Frost.

  Of course there, they’d had the sadistic Madam of Shadows demanding that they do sexual things to each other. Kate didn’t like performing for an audience—especially not a cruel Madam standing over her with a cane. The whole experience had been fraught with tension although she had to admit the feeling of Rone’s big body behind her, his thick shaft rubbing against her and spreading her pussy lips had made her feel incredibly hot, not to mention the way he’d tugged and twisted her nipples…

  Kate could feel her cheeks heating at the thought. Then she realized she was just standing there, staring at the drawer full of silky lingerie without choosing anything. She could hear Rone moving around in the other part of the ship—soon he would be back and she was still shy about letting him see her naked. As if her thoughts had called to him, she heard his voice coming down the hallway.

  “Baby? Are you almost ready? I’ve got the course logged into the autopilot.”

  “Almost. Give me just one more minute!” Kate called back.

  Quickly, she grabbed an outfit at random and pulled it out of the drawer. Dropping her towel, she scrambled into it and pulled up the matching panties just before he walked in the bedroom door. She stood quickly, smoothing down the soft material of the short nighty she’d picked as his silver eyes roamed over her.

  “Mmm, baby,” he murmured. “You look beautiful.”

  “Do I?” Kate looked down at herself, taking in the details of her outfit. It was a jade-green silk top with spaghetti straps and it had a border of white lace that ended just below her belly button. It also had soft, lacy white cups that held her breasts and displayed her pink nipples perfectly. The panties were matching jade green silk with a white lace crotch that did little to hide her pussy lips. Kate had to admit it was a pretty outfit—although much more revealing than anything she’d meant to wear.

  Oh God—look at me! I can’t believe I’m putting this much skin on display! Her heart started pounding faster and she had to fight the urge to cross her arms over her breasts.

  “Are you all right?” Rone asked, a look of concern in his silver eyes.

  Kate lifted her chin. “Sure I am. Why do you ask?” she said, hoping she sounded more confident than she felt.

  “Because you’re trembling, Lalli.”

  Rone crossed the room to her and took her in his arms. At first Kate held herself stiff but then his warm, masculine scent filled her senses and she felt herself melting against him.

  Safe, the scent told her. Good, right…home. It seemed to tease at the corners of her mind, whispering about memories—things she’d forgotten. But when Kate reached for them, they melted away. That was all right, though. The main thing was that she felt safe with the big Kindred—safe enough to let him do what needed to be done.

  “Gods, baby, it’s so good just to hold you again and feel you hold me,” he murmured into her hair. “I love the feel of your soft little body against mine…your sweet scent calling to me…”

  Kate gave a shaky laugh. “I was just thinking the same thing about you—that you smell really good.”

  “You’re probably smelling my Mating Scent,” he said seriously, looking down at her. “I think my body knows our bond was twisted or buried—the scent is an effort to bring you back, to try and get us to reconnect.”

  “You mean by having uh, bonding sex?” Kate had heard several of the Kindred wives talking about that in their time aboard the Mother Ship and as far as she could pick up, it was a kind of sex that tied a female to her chosen Kindred for life. “Because I’m not quite sure I’m ready for that, yet,” she told Rone. “Sorry.”

  “No, baby—that’s okay. We won’t do anything like that tonight, I swear it,” he murmured, stroking her cheek. “It’s enough for you to let me just taste you a little bit. Like I said, just a few licks of your honey will help hold back the Beast.”

  “Well then…” Kate straightened her shoulders. “I guess we’d better, uh, get started.”

  “We can. If you feel ready.” He looked down at her, searching her