Page 176 of The Ranger

“Get the girl.”

“No! She is his mate, singing her final Call. What sort of a fool have you become?”

Maida froze, along with everyone else in the clearing except Brennan and the woman Lissa, who were still arguing.

Markhel was in the full throes of a shift.

She heard Vale and Makama talk about it, but they didn’t say much. All she knew was that a Muiraran’s inner heart could show itself in a physical form. What that form took, depended on the heart. For Markhel, it was a huge black lion with bright blue eyes. He had to be the size of a horse! The lion…er… Markhel, looked at her and roared so loud she fell over backwards.

You are mine, and I am yours forever...

“Markhel?”

Do not be frightened little one...

She gaped at the lion as his eyes shifted to Brennan.

The Englishman openly gawked. “Whatareyou?”

Lissa gripped his arm. “That is a king’s ranger.”

“He’s also ours.”

“Pa!” Maida scrambled to her feet. “Grandpa!”

Her father entered the clearing, gun drawn. He pointed it at Brennan. “Mister, I don’t know who you are, and I don’t care. But you’ll not lay a hand on my children. That goes for all three of them.”

Brennan arched an eyebrow. “You’re human.” He looked at Maida and Duncan. “You’ve sired only two.”

“He’s my future son-in-law,” he said and pointed at the lion. “He counts as the third.” His eyes flicked to Markhel. “Four, if we count him as a pet.”

“Pa!”

“Not now darlin’. Markhel... take care of this.”

Markhel roared again, then stalked toward Brennan and Lissa.

“Lissa...” Brennan said with a hint of urgency. “Our time here is done.”

Lissa began to sing. A bluish-gray light grew between the pair forming a ball, that thrust itself at Markhel. It was flecked with dark spots, and Maida sensed the power emitted from the couple’s shared heart was corrupted. There was no other word for it.

Markhel held his ground, his lion’s body pushed back but a few feet. It was all the time the couple needed. By the time Markhel got his rear legs coiled for a spring, the couple was gone.

Maida’s body shook. She had sung her final Call, and Markhel’s heart had answered.

Makama, Vale, Paddy and Wilfred entered the clearing, Brennan’s henchmen already rounded up.

Makama took one look at Markhel and whistled. “Oh, wow. That’s like…”

“Different?” Vale offered. “Are you going to do that one day?”

“So I’m told,” she said.

Markhel ignored them and padded toward Maida. When he reached her, he lay down before her and looked into her eyes.

She smiled. “It really is you.” Her smile broadened as she reached out and touched his massive head. “You’re beautiful.”

Duncan listed to one side. “I think I’m seeing things. Is that a giant black lion or a horse?”