Danae placed her worn and tattered tarot cards in the soft velvet pouch and stowed them in her antique rolltop desk. She trailed her finger over the smooth wood, admiring one of her favorite antiques. Her gaze drew to the large picture window. The light from inside turned the glass into a mirror, duplicating the two claw-foot chairs and the large wooden back sofa marred with chips and nicks accumulated over the years.

Her attention focused on her reflection and the two small puncture wound scars along her neck. She traced the small circles, warmth filling her. The marks were the sign of a mated female. Last May, she and Aramond had completed the bonding, becoming mates.

She drew a small pouch from one of the desk’s mail slots and dropped a yellow sunstone into her palm. Clutching the rough cut gem, she brought the jewel to her chest. Aramie, Aramond’s daughter, gave Danae the special stone, hand buffed and polished by one of the blacksmiths within the underground Keep.

Tomorrow night was the winter solstice. Weather permitting, she and Aramond would return to their special place, the cliff overlooking the valley. It was here they’d reunited after so many years apart. This place would be the perfect setting to honor Lemuria and their goddess Alora.

The sunstone, and the special chain Danae planned to finish, would become her gift to Aramond. If their goddess was happy with their mating, the light from their planet, Lemuria, would infuse the gem with a special copper color turning the crystal into a special kind of sunstone, a “shiller.”

Danae’s gaze flitted to the window once again. A tendril of worry slid along her nerves. If only the weather would hold out. As Amelia had mentioned, snow was in the forecast.

The clomping of boots up the porch steps and the creak of the front door jolted Danae from her musing. She shoved the sunstone into the pouch and returned the special gem to its hiding place. As she tugged on the desk’s wooden slats to close the top, the familiar rattle of wood against wood echoed through the large living space.

Aramond strode into the room, a pile of wood heaped in the crook of one arm. His dark hair cascaded around his ears, accentuating the shadow of a beard coating his strong jaw. As his gaze met hers, his eyes warmed to a deep brown, the color of chocolate. “It’s chilly outside. Thought you might like a fire before I head out on patrol.”

Her chest tightened. She despised his job, hated that they were at war with the Gossum, fighting over the right to claim Earth’s water. To make matters worse, all of Alora’s warriors couldn’t go out in the sun. If they did, they’d die from exposure. Danae pushed away from the desk and headed toward him. “There’s a storm in the forecast.”

Bent on one knee at the hearth, his back to her, Aramond’s shoulders tensed, the muscles rippling under his dark T-shirt. “I must patrol, regardless of the weather.”

The conviction in his tone beat against her heart, poking at her fear. What if he left and never came back, abandoning her like she thought he’d done years ago? She bit her lip, refusing to give in to her trepidation. Close enough to touch him, she longed to run her hands over his shoulders, ease some of his tension as well as her own. Yet, she held back.

The strike of a match against stone broke the silence. A warm crackle started in the hearth.

Aramond rose, turning to face her. The flame’s soft glow reflected in his eyes, and a smile curled his lip. He held out his arms. “Come, let me hold you.”

She stepped into his embrace, and he wrapped his strong arms around her waist, tugging her close. His familiar scent of pine and fresh rain filled her lungs, reminding her of how much she loved him. “I don’t want you to go. The storm, I’m worried that—”

“Shh…” He placed his index finger over her lips, letting it linger there for a long moment. His eyes flashed that amber-red she’d once feared but grew to love. “I’ll return as soon as I can. Nothing can keep me from you, my love. You know that, don’t you?”

She nodded, and he trailed his fingers along her jawline until he cradled her head in his palm. With a tenderness she’d fallen for so long ago, he brought his lips to hers, his passion evident in the intensity of his kiss.

She mewled under his onslaught, scraping her nails through his hair and along his scalp.

A deep, possessive growl reverberated in his chest. After a long moment, he broke the kiss. “That will have to tide us both over until I return.”

She giggled, loving his sense of play, despite the worry lingering in the back of her mind. “I’ll hold you to that.”

A twinkle sparked through his eyes. “I hope you do.”

Brushing her fingertip along the stubble on his chin, she kissed him once again.

He groaned and drew away. “You make this so difficult, my love, but I must go. Protecting this portion of the Keep’s territory is my responsibility.”

She bit her lip, worry flitting through her mind like a bad dream. “Be careful. The storm could dump several feet of snow—”

“Or only a few inches. We both know how unpredictable the weather can be around here.” He winked at her. “I’ll be fine and will return before you know it.”

Before she could stop him, he planted a kiss on her lips then headed for the door. The hinge issued a soft squeak as the door latched shut, leaving her alone with only her fear to keep her company. She hurried to the ornate lamp on the corner table and flicked off the switch.

The room slipped into darkness except for the fire’s soft glow. Through the large picture window, Aramond, in his panther form, ran across the yard’s expansive lawn and disappeared between the trees at the forest’s edge.

Danae brought her hand to her throat, her fingers skimming her small scar. “Alora, dear goddess, please watch over him.”