Ilona Andrews - Bayou Moon

But today they were gone, off to Rose and Declan’s. Which meant that this morning she and William would be alone in the house.

A black wolf burst from the forest and charged the house. Cerise smiled.

The wolf changed in mid-leap, turning into a very naked William. She craned her neck a little to get a better look. Mmmm … He vanished below the balcony. A moment later William swung himself over the balcony rail and flopped in the chair next to her, still stark naked and slightly sweaty.

She looked at him through half-closed eyes. “You’re lucky the kids aren’t here.”

He leaned over, his eyes wild. “But the kids are gone. We can have a nice lazy breakfast and then we can nap.”

“We just got up.”

“You just got up. I’ve been up for hours.” He leaned over and kissed her lips. She tasted him, smelled the light musk of his sweat. His tongue explored her mouth, and when they broke apart for a breath, she had to remind herself that taking her clothes off on the balcony wasn’t a good idea.

“You’re right, we should take a nap,” she told him.

He grinned at her.

A sharp forlorn cry rolled above them. She looked up and saw a small blue speck rapidly growing bigger.

“What’s that?”

William swore. “That would be an Air Force wyvern. A small one.”

The speck grew into a huge scaled creature, a cross between a dinosaur and a dragon, sheathed in blue and white feathers. Enormous wings churned the air and the wyvern touched down in the middle of the lawn. A small cabin perched on the back of the wyvern.

Cerise took a towel off the table and thrust it at William. He looked at her like she was crazy.

“Cover yourself.”

“Why?”

“Because most men don’t stand there with their stuff hanging out for all to see.”

William wrapped the cloth around his hips.

The wyvern lay down. The cabin door opened and a man jumped out.

William growled.

“Who is that?”

“That’s Erwin.”

Erwin came up to the house and waved at them. “Lord Sandine. The Mirror requires your services.”

They wanted him to go spy. He would be off in danger on his own. Her throat constricted. No. They hadn’t had nearly enough time together.

“I’ll go get dressed,” William growled.

“Both of you, m’lord.”

“I get to go?” Cerise jumped to her feet.

“Yes, my lady. That is, unless you refuse. Lord Sandine is bound by our agreement, but you are—”

“Save it,” she told him. “I’ll be right there. Let me just get my sword.”

Ilona Andrewsis the pseudonym for a husband-and-wife writing team. Ilona is a native-born Russian, and Andrew is a former communications sergeant in the U.S. Army. Contrary to popular belief, Andrew was never an intelligence officer with a license to kill, and Ilona was never the mysterious Russian spy who seduced him. They met in college, in English Composition 101, where Ilona got a better grade. (Andrew is still sore about that.) Together, Andrew and Ilona are the coauthors of the New York Times bestselling Kate Daniels urban-fantasy series and the romantic urban-fantasy novels of the Edge. They currently reside in Portland, Oregon, with their two children and numerous pets. For sample chapters, news, and more, visit www.ilona-andrews.com.