Mates?
A gasp escaped, and she slapped her hand over her mouth.She checked to assure herself Tawera’s book still claimed his focus.Even though she’d wondered, given their ability to communicate in taniwha form, she’d told herself she was imagining the possibility.A head in the sand reaction, for sure.Frowning, she continued reading.
Manu thought she and Tawera were mates since Tawera’s reaction was similar to Manu’s response when he’d encountered Jessalyn.He told Tawera to speak with her because any attempt to resist their connection would worsen the moonlust.Her cousin added nature was seldom wrong when the bonds formed.He and Nyree were compatible and would have a good life together.
Mates?
Flabbergasted, she stared at the words.Manu was wrong.
She wasn’t interested in jumping into a serious relationship with anyone, not after her Ari debacle.
Tawera hadn’t mentioned mates to her.Emma and Cassie had spoken to her about becoming mates with Jack and Hone.They’d all fought in their way, not wanting forever with one person.They’d had various reasons, but bottom line, not one of them had escaped fate.
She pressed her lips together to halt a scream.As much as she liked Tawera and enjoyed his company, she didn’t want forever.She wanted to travel, to do the things she’d always dreamed of, but Ari had refused to let her indulge her desires.
Anger pumped through her then.Fury at Ari for letting him box her into an emotional trap.For thenthtime since leaving New Zealand, she chastised herself for buckling to Ari.Once she’d acted the obedient woman and he’d discovered her soft spots—her family—she’d been on unsteady ground because she’d wanted to protect her mother and sister.
And now, apparently, she had a mate.
Manu could be wrong.
Nyree thought about when they’d made love this afternoon—no, it had been plain sex.The physical contact had soothed every part of her angst and left her with increased strength.Happy.
She’d hoped to repeat the experience, but she’d thought of suggesting friends with benefits.A relationship to last only as long as her summer job.They might have remained friends, but now—it was impossible.She’d made a pact with herself never to rely on another man again.Gah!It was apparent she had faulty genes.
As much as she loved her mother and had promised herself never to follow in her parent’s footsteps by trusting men who weren’t worth the trouble, she’d found herself in that vulnerable place.
Never again.
Nyree stared at the email again and lifted her hand.Her finger hovered over the delete button.Then her mouth tightened to a determined line, and she deleted the email.
13
Flight From Hell
Taweraslidapuzzledglance at Nyree as she bustled around the kitchen.He wasn’t sure what was wrong with her, but every one of his instincts screamed something was out of balance.Nyree was chatting with him.She was smiling, or at least her mouth curved upward.Her eyes were as cold as blocks of ice.She seemed…twitchy.That was the best description he could summon.
She set a meal in front of him.As usual, the food was foreign to him, but it smelled appetizing.“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”Once again, her expression didn’t match the words.
He opened his mouth to ask questions but pressed his lips together as he decided to wait.Perhaps the moonlust affected her differently.He would observe.Maybe his email to Manu would yield results.
“Are you looking forward to flying tonight?”he asked.
“Yes.”
A simple reply and nothing more.Tawera stared down at his meal, no longer hungry.He ate anyway but didn’t pepper Nyree with his questions.
Once they’d eaten, Nyree took his photo several times and emailed them to Manu.They did the dishes and cleaned the kitchen, then both read books to kill time.
The wait for complete darkness seemed endless, but he appreciated the necessity of secrecy.The more he learned of the world from the tablet, his reading, and his conversations with Nyree, the more he understood the need for stealth.This advanced world held things good and evil, the differences from what he’d known then to now vast.Questions pounded him, but he remained silent.No, it was best if he waited for Nyree to work out whatever bothered her.With Aroha, this approach had always worked best.
He thought back to the giggling girl he’d intended to marry and wondered how she’d fared with his brother.Had she been happy?Would marriage to Rawiri have satisfied her?Had she cried when Tawera had disappeared?So many queries for which he’d never know the answer.
Had Rawiri wanted Aroha all along?Why hadn’t he told Tawera this at the start instead of lying?Tawera had offered to carry Aroha’s basket one day.Their relationship had started innocently, and they’d grown together in friendship, but if Rawiri had told Tawera of his interest, he would’ve stood back and let his brother court Aroha.
Looking back now, he thought his feelings for Aroha were that of lust and friendship.If they’d married, he would’ve done his best to make her happy.Now, learning the truth of what Rawiri had done, he directed his anger at his brother.He hoped the marriage had contented Aroha, and she’d enjoyed her children, her grandchildren.
