Megans Mark (Breeds 6)

"I'm not?' Actually, there had been times when he had been forced to be worse.

"You're trying to piss me off,'' she accused him heatedly. "Trying to make me think you're nothing but a coldblooded killer. "

"That's exactly what I am, Megan. " There was no sense in hiding the truth. "Accept that now. You read the reports; you saw the truth of me. I kill. I track down my prey, and I use whatever means necessary to kill them quickly and effectively. They have no worth in my eyes. Understand this now. It's a life you will have to share with me. One you will have to learn to live within. You are my mate. My fight has now become yours. "

Surprise burned in her expression, just as excitement flowed from her.

"This Mating crap has rotted your brain, Braden. " She deliberately provoked him. He noticed she attempted to do that a lot. One day, he would have to cure her of that habit. Maybe. "I don't have to do anything. I do as I please. What's between us won't change that. "

She stared back at him defiantly. That defiance made him want to take

her down. To show her exactly who was the stronger, who controlled. She belonged to him and she damned well better get used to it.

"You will follow, Megan. I lead. " That description was beginning to grate on his nerves and it was time to put a halt to it.

"Sorry Lion Man, but that's not exactly how it works. " She snarled, her chin lifting defiantly as she stood before him like a spitting little tabby cat. "This Mating Heat stuff doesn't change that. And while we're on that subject, just how many different women can you do this to, anyway?"

Braden tensed. He hadn't expected this one, and evidently she had just thought of it herself. Her eyes widened then narrowed as her lips tightened in suspicion.

"As far as I know, Breeds mate only once. For life. " At least that was the information he had received.

"Just as true lions are known to. "

"Real lions have a freakin' harem," she spat out, her eyes glinting suspiciously. "One male, up to a dozen females. "

"They mate only one," he assured her arrogantly. "And pray to Heaven I follow their example because if I had to deal with another woman even similar to you, I would go ahead and walk into a den of Coyotes for the relief. You, Megan, are threatening to destroy any control I have

managed to learn over the years. "

"It better be a one-time deal," she muttered, frustration thick in her voice as she paced the room once again. "Because I don't share. "

Seconds later she stopped, turned to him, and narrowed her eyes. "If you're such a big-shot assassin, why haven't you tracked down the people who murdered the Breeds here?"

"First, I need to know who I'm tracking. " He grunted. "You keep killing the suspects, Megan. You can't question what isn't breathing. Out of four Coyotes sent after you, you've left only one alive. Give me something to work with here, baby. "

She crossed her arms over her breasts. Nice, plump little breasts that fit his hands exactly. Hard nipples spiked beneath the cloth of her T-shirt and the scent of her need whipped through his senses like wildfire burning out of control.

"It's kind of hard to be nice when those assholes are trying to kill me. " She finally shrugged. He had a feeling she had intended to say something far different.

"Once I learn who is behind it, then I'll go hunting. " He kept his relaxed pose, leaning against the counter, ignoring the almost hidden glances she made toward the erection straining against his jeans. At this rate,

his cock would end up bursting the zipper before the day was out.

"Yeah, you do that," she finally muttered, turning away from him to pace back to the table.

She stood behind the chair, leaning against it as she stared down at the computer once again. The information there was not what was on her mind. He could feel her nervousness now, knew what had been coming. Her subtle glance at the erection straining beneath his jeans warned him that her attention had now shifted from his killing expertise to other matters. Those matters weighed heavily on his own mind, and were the very ones he had wanted to avoid.

"It's called a barb," he informed her coolly, knowing that putting it off wouldn't make it easier. "But I have a feeling you already knew that. "

A deep flush filled her face then, and he swore her nipples tightened further. They poked against the shirt with the same insistence of his cock pressed against his jeans.

"Did I ask?’ she snapped, jerking back as she straightened fully and glared at him.

His shoulders lifted negligently. "I could see it on your face, Megan. You're so nervous you're about to jump out of your own skin. There's no

sense beating around the bush or ignoring what happened. "

"I could be a little put out that I seem to be stuck with an arrogant know it-all assassin intent on pissing me off this morning," she pointed out, managing to project cool disdain despite her embarrassment.