A short while later, the hot water beating on him pounded away the tension in his body, though Mina’s standoffish behavior still gnawed at his gut. And it shouldn't have. They shared one sexy, down and dirty fight session and two hot and dirty make-out sessions that were unfortunately interrupted. She owed him nothing, and frankly, had been trouble from the start, just like his deputy had sensed.

The thought of Ripley sparked a wave of guilt. It bothered him that he had to lie to her, a woman who faithfully did her work competently and without complaint. To get clear of Ripley and the town Mina's presence threatened, he'd had to concoct a story his deputies would buy. He'd wound up telling them that Mina was a major suspect in a large FBI investigation and he had to escort her to Washington to deliver her to the feds.

It was a stretch, for sure. Hell, everyone knew there was an FBI field office in the state capitol, and he'd heard the doubt in Ripley’s voice. But her absolute trust in him and her intrinsic mistrust of Mina finally sold her on the story.

He was able to curb the remainder of his deputy’s curiosity by handing her the job of finalizing Stacy's case. That had fallen neatly into place when the medical examiner had confirmed that the unfortunate woman died from a mountain lion attack. He didn't feel good about any of it, but at least the town he called home and swore to protect was out of the line of fire.

When he got back home--if he got back home--he'd have to face Ripley's feelings for him head on. He cared for her, but he just didn't feel it. That deep, clawing need. A want so strong, it nearly brought him to his knees.

No. Apparently he only felt that way about bad-assed women who could kick his butt and had fucking wings. Or rather, one bad-assed woman in particular, who, at this moment, would barely talk to him.

He let out a groan of frustration and turned off the jets. She knew how he felt. The ball was in her court. In the meantime, he'd have to suffer through, or take matters--AKA, his cock--into his own hands. He let out a harsh laugh and dried himself off briskly with a musty towel.

By the time he made it to the mess hall Etienne, Taya and Mina were waiting at the table, wine glasses in hand.

"We've been waiting for you," said Taya.

"You didn't have to wait on me," he protested with a frown.

"Nonsense," said Etienne, "it would be rude otherwise." He rose from the table and came back a few minutes later balancing four overladen plates on his arms and hands.

A meat and potatoes man, Dan had never seen a plate of food so fancy. Pan fried chicken breasts were covered in a thin layer of ham and Swiss cheese. Each piece was flanked by little red potatoes sprinkled with parsley, and green beans, steamed whole.

It all looked delicious.

"This is the lazy man's cordon bleu," said Etienne. "I didn't feel like waiting around for it to bake."

"It looks awesome," Dan said, realizing suddenly how hungry he was.

Mina nodded. "Etienne does love his food."

"I don't think I can eat all this," groaned Taya.

"Shifter metabolism, cherie," Etienne reminded her with a grin. "You aren't used to it yet, but you do need more food."

Mina chuckled. "Or do you think she's eating for two?"

"God, no!" said Taya. "Get that idea right out of your head. That's something neither of us is ready for."

"But we'll keep trying, won't we?" said Etienne, sending his mate a wink.

Taya shook her head, but a shy smile tugged at her lips and her cheeks went a charming shade of pink.

Mina, on the other hand, seemed lost in her thoughts. She stared at her plate as she ate, making the occasional remark to Etienne and Taya, but barely glancing in Dan's direction. He opted to concentrate on the job-at-hand. Soldiers in the field learned to eat quickly. Truth was, he’d always eaten his food faster than other people, but the service only exacerbated the habit.

He'd tucked away most of his plate when he felt two sets of eyes on him. He looked up to find both Mina and Taya staring his way.

"What?" he asked, forking up another mouthful of green beans.

"You've almost finished your plate," said Mina.

He shoveled in the last bite of chicken and then set his fork down with a satisfied sigh. "I'm a growing boy."

"Well, you've beaten Etienne, which is hard to do," said Taya. "Dragon lord, I think you've met your match."

"Cherie, hell will freeze over before a human outdoes me. I was just distracted by your considerable beauty." He picked up her hand and kissed it. "I'm not even close to done."

"Good save, Etienne," said Mina dryly.

"And on that note," said the shifter, "my love and I bid you both good night. Tomorrow, we wake bright and early and start preparing."

"I thought you said you wanted to eat more?" said Taya.

"And so I shall, my dear," said Etienne with a smirk.

Dan swallowed a groan. The near palpable heat and constant teasing between the mated pair was another potent reminder that it had been months--shit, nearly a year-- since he slept with a woman. The proximity to Mina and her luscious body wasn't making the dry spell any easier.

The thought of her in that little towel earlier shot straight down his spine causing his cock to stiffen.

Luckily, Etienne rose at that moment, derailing his wayward thoughts. "After you, cherie," he said, pulling out Taya's chair.

After murmuring their good nights, the two walked arm in arm out of the room.

"I guess I'm doing the dishes," said Mina, breaking the silence after a long moment.

"I'll help you," he offered.

Mina stood and pulled plates from the table, bringing them over to the small pass-through to the galley. "You don't need to--" She broke off as she stared into the kitchen. "That bastard," she muttered.

Dan stood and followed Mina's gaze. The kitchen area was a disaster, with pots and the multiple frying pans littering the stove. The countertops were sticky with what looked like egg yolk and breadcrumbs, and the sink overflowed with dishes.

"Not always such a gentleman, eh?" He should've been grateful to the charming bastard for the meal, but some petty, small part of him was glad to see he wasn't perfect after all.

"There's a saying," Mina sighed. "A gentleman may be a nobleman, but a nobleman doesn't have to be a gentleman."

"You keep talking about Etienne like he's some sort of royalty. What, is he related to the freaking Queen or something?"

"Or something," she said with a snort. "Among shifters dragons are considered royalty. We call them sky kings."

That explained a lot. "So he's used to being in charge." And not having anyone call him on being an arrogant prick.

"Etienne is just...Etienne. He can be maddening sometimes, entirely alpha, incredibly stubborn and self-possessed, and totally loyal to the people he cares for. You couldn't ask for a better friend or a worse enemy. Few can beat a dragon in battle, and everyone wants a dragon on their side. And there are so very few of them that our kind is very protective of them. So, you see, he feels like he's...special. Because, in our world, he is."

Mina moved swiftly through the kitchen as she talked, cleaning the counters and gathering the pots and pans. Dan fetched the rest of the dishes from the table and brought them into the kitchen, depositing them next to the large, stainless steel sink. He flipped on the hot water and rolled up his sleeves, scrubbing at one of the pans with an abrasive sponge, but Mina soon edged him away.

"You dry," she said, tossing him a towel.

"Didn't know you were so domestic," he said, bumping her hip lightly with his.

"I'm not. I just refuse to live in dreck. And Etienne and Taya did cook, so I don't mind."

Mina handed him a plate, then another that she washed with lightening fast efficiency.

"Hey," he said. "Slow down."

"Can't take the heat, eh?"

"Not at all," he murmured, knowing he should let it pass, but feeling as stubborn as he was horny. "I would more than welcome the heat."

Mina sniffed, turning to meet his gaze with a searching one of her own. "You sure about that? I tell you, humans and shifters aren't meant to be together. Things never end well."

"Is that what you've been thinking about?" he asked, setting down the dish towel and crossing his arms over his chest. "Why you've barely spoken to me?"

"Partly." She stayed quiet as she finished up the last of the dishes, but just when he thought the conversation was over, she turned off the faucet and craned her neck back to look at him. "I think...I think there's something broken inside me, Dan. Valkyries don't give their hearts away easily. When we bond, we do it forever. Losing our mate means our death." She dried her hands on a paper towel and led him back into the dining area.

She folded herself into a chair and motioned for him to join her.

"But I did once. Met a shifter and mated. And he died."

"I'm sorry," murmured Dan. Unbidden, a tendril of jealousy curled around his heart for the man who once held her. A dead man. He swallowed his self-disgust and waited for her to finish.

"Did you hear what I said?" she asked, her tone raw and guttural as she stared up at him through crystalline blue eyes. "I didn't die and I should have. I think, I think because... oh shit. I can't explain this."

"Take it slow. I'm not going anywhere," he urged gently.

She blew out a long sigh and nodded, almost as if to herself. "I barely remember my mother. She died when I was no more than five. I never knew my father. The Council took guardianship of me. Valkyries are almost as rare as dragons and finding a shifter family to take me was difficult. I see more than most, and my abilities can be...inconvenient. After a few of the families sent me back to the Council, I came to believe that no one would want me."

She said it like she was reading a recipe. No emotion. No inflection. But he knew it hurt. Hell, even hearing it felt like a blow to the gut.

"It wasn't until Etienne's uncle, Rene, took me in that I found a permanent place. I was almost a teenager in human terms by then, though, and things were rough. I didn't see Etienne often. By the time I arrived he was already living on his own. But when he visited, he was the brother I never had. He was my partner in crime, understanding all too well how strict his uncle was. But I gave Rene one hell of a time during those years. I'm surprised I survived it."

"That you survived it?" said Dan. "Don't forget, I've seen what you're capable of."

"Valkyries are tough, but what is it they say about dragons? 'Do not annoy the dragon for you are crunchy and good with catsup.' Fitting for dragon shifters too. Wait until you see Etienne in action," she said, chuckling.

Some of the chill that had seeped into his bones at her story faded as a flash of the old Mina came through, and he managed a grin in return. "Well, I'm glad he didn't make a meal of you then."

"So am I." Her smile faded and she seemed lost in thought. "But I think that time alone, separate from anyone who loved me, fucked with my head somehow. Even with my mate, I never truly let myself fall. I always held a shield up, just in case. I didn't even realize it myself, until he was killed during a bloody battle against a tiger shifter. I survived. I mourned him, and it hurt, but I survived."

The haunted look in her eyes was one he was all too familiar with. Survivor's remorse. He'd felt it a dozen times in the field and knew how deeply affecting it could be. He wished he could scoop her into his arms and comfort her, but knew, as a fellow soldier, she wouldn't welcome his pity. Instead, he remained quiet and waited.

A few moments later, she gave him a tremulous smile and shrugged. "So now you have my sad story. What about you?"

He considered using the standard line. "Not much to tell."

But when he looked into her eyes, he found the words flowing out of him with ease.

"Like you, I didn't know my parents. I was abandoned at a church and adopted by a couple in their fifties who could never have children of their own. They gave me a great life." Bittersweet memories of birthday parties and laughter flitted through his mind. "I was the center of their world. But just when I graduated high school, mom died, cancer. Dad passed six months later. Heart attack they said, but I think he died of a broken heart. He was lost without her."

And Dan had been just as lost with their passing. From the time he could remember, he'd felt loved, but...different. Other. In fact, if his parents had never told him he'd been adopted, he would've figured it out on his own anyway. But losing them had been the final straw. He was truly alone, and he remembered that moment like it was yesterday.

"We had no other family, so aside from a few buddies at school, I was on my own. I think I joined the Army to find a place to belong as much as anything. It was a good fit for me. I was hungry for approval, strong as an ox, and had nothing else to live for, so it was a short trip to becoming a Ranger. Did my tours and then returned home when I got tired of burying brothers."

He glossed over that part with a shrug, refusing to tap into the emotions tied to the simple statement of fact. His nightmares kept those memories fresh enough.

"Anyway," he continued, "the Sheriff's job seemed like a way to use some of my skills and pay the bills while still retaining what was left of my sanity. That's pretty much the whole story."

Mina cocked her head, studying his face, and a strange sensation washed over him, like she was peering into his soul.

"You know," she said, her gentle tone a stark contrast to her probing gaze. "Valkyries are all too familiar with what happens in battle. It's our heritage, stitched into our DNA. If you want to skim over the rough parts with me, that's up to you. But if you ever want an ear, I'm a really good listener."

With that, she stood and she walked out of the mess hall, her stiletto boots clicking on the concrete floor.

What the fuck just happened?

He didn't talk about his wartime experiences with anyone except the shrink at the VA when they forced him to. How did this woman, who he'd known for less than a week, get him so completely already?

The answer came instantly.

Because you're cut from the same cloth. You’re warriors.

Which made it even more maddening the way she kept throwing up roadblocks between them. Why couldn't she see it? She was the yin to his yang. Fuck all that "it never ends well" nonsense. If there was a man alive who could handle being with Mina, it was him.

His adrenaline was pumping from frustration and desire, which fed the parts of his brain that warned that danger was coming.

And danger was coming.

He could feel it the same way a drop in barometric pressure caused an ache in his joints. Like his need for Mina caused an ache in his groin.

He bit back a snarl at the annoying swelling in his jeans.

This was getting him nowhere. He needed something to keep him busy and his mind off her. It was as good a time as any to draw up some defense plans for their borrowed bunker.

He went looking for some paper and found some in the security office closest to the entrance. Then, he settled into the creaky chair at the desk, and started sketching out a map of the area. It took some time, but soon, he settled into the work, detailing the lay of the land, marking weak spots and potential ambush points.

It was only an hour later that he realized his paper was marred with more than one sketch of a woman with dark wings.

This Valkyrie would be the death of him.