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And she hadn't told hiht she'd experienced bizarre dreams, so vivid and realistic that when she woke she had trouble differentiating betas real and as not

In one dream, she stood in a shapeless plane of unbroken black Mari saw her ainst her eyes Her father was lying on a stone slab, motionless, his eyes closed, his hands in fists

Other ti her to hurry - but to do what, she didn't know And sometimes, on this balmy, breeze-kissed island, she dreamed of a snow-covered forest with no leaves, the lis and her secrets, Mari continued to fall for her strong, proud olfabout Bowen

So why don't I get a good feeling about us?

"You're holding back from me, too," she finally said

He was Bowe hated that she'd had a first love, and feared she'd never be completely his because of it And always there was the apprehension that he would soain She couldn't turn ih to suit hiood," he answered honestly "I suppose I' ood?" she asked quietly

Even with lingering doubts, he'd never known contentment like this before her - hadn't known it existed "Aye, lass It is forabout his new mate He liked the fact that, for so, she would exclaim, "We are on the crab, baby!" He liked that she ate, drank, and played with gusto Her sense of hu love to her fulfilled hi used to her sht thruh she purred, and soone frorin down at her

And occasionally bizarre things occurred Last night he'd woken to find that everything in the room, froed, tucked her close, and gone back to sleep

Yet though she'd promised not to chant to the mirror, his Instinct continued to warn him

- Her power is unstable Be watchful -

He shook off his et better For instance, I believe you'll like visiting" - living in - "Scotland" He hoped she would approve of their home, but if not, he'd buy her whatever she needed to be happy And he hoped she would get along with his cousins and the clan - though if anyone soher because of what she was, he'd throttle them

"What's your place there like?"

"It's a renovated hunting lodge with oversize fireplaces and i In the winter the snow cohts it falls in silence, and sohts the storms howl and thron blankets"

"It sounds wonderful I've never seen snow"

"What?" he bit out, astounded "Never?"

"There's not much snowfall in Nola And the only time I've been out of the country before this was to Cancún for spring break Guatemala was the first time I'd ever seen mountains"

"Do you want to see other countries?"