The Mating Intent-mobi Read Online Free PDF

of a smile touched his full lips as if he knew her thoughts.  “Willow is harmless. Water Fairy. She was assigned here a few weeks ago by Cael to help me guard the Everglades after she effectively stopped an evil sprite from poisoning a mountain creek. Originally from Montana. I took her into my clan and employed her.”
    A hairy-eared goblin walked past, saw them and gave a little bow. “Break time, Gabriel. Thought I’d grab a snack at the store. I left Odin 2 watching the perimeter.”
    “Two hours. And don’t eat the customers, Odin,” Gabriel called after him as the little goblin scurried into the store.
    This was news. “Since when have you decided to have goblins patrol your territory?”
    “Odin and his twin brother, Odin 2, are good guardians. I need them to protect the land.”
    “From what? Invasive cat tails?” Sienna asked, more alert now that her head no longer felt stuffed with cotton wool.
    He bent his head to regard her, and a hank of dark gold hair spilled into his face. Gabriel pushed it back with an impatient hand. “You’ve been gone twenty-five years, pixie. A lot has happened in that time. A lot of changes, and many of them very, very bad.”
    “Speaking of which…” Sienna pulled her cell phone out of a jeans pocket and handed it to him. “Look at the last photo. Do you know him?”
    His expression tightened as he gazed at the snake man. 
    “That’s Rex. Shifter who lives in Okeechobee. He was down here in my territory visiting some cousins living along the river.” Gabriel gave her back the phone. “Where’s his body? His mate and their seven young will want a proper burial.”
    She was afraid of that. “There’s nothing left, but I can give you the GPS location where he died so they can dig up the earth and scatter it as they wish.”
    “What were you doing at the river?”
    Sienna hesitated. He had a finger on every water source across south Florida and he’d eventually discover the truth. “Trying to find a channel that would take me to the spring of Danu so I could sneak in the back way.”
    “Ah, my most inventive pixie. I wouldn’t expect less of you.”
    His stark admiration made her flush with pride. Gabriel was one of the few in her life who had ever handed her a compliment without expecting something in return. They had shared much during their earlier time together.
    “But all I found was the river, and a funhouse straight out of Nightmare on Elm Street.” Sienna told him about both Rex’s and the mangroves’ odd behavior.
    His expression remained shuttered as she talked, but Sienna watched his eyes. Gabriel had shifter eyes that flickered with emotion. Now they turned dark gold, signaling the rise of his panther.
    “So what the hell is going on, Gabriel? What’s infecting the land around here?”
    Glancing around, he shook his head. “Not here. We need absolute privacy. You feeling better?” His gaze sharpened as he studied her. “Color’s returned to your cheeks, but you’re still slightly pale.”
    “I live in Oregon. Tanning isn’t on my agenda.”
    Giving her a lopsided grin, he unsnapped the radio hanging on his leather belt and spoke into it. “George?”
    A female voice crackled over the radio. “He’s out on property, Gabriel. Can I help you with something?”
    “Come to the pond. I need you to give the keys to George to lock up at closing time.”
    “Be right there.”
    Gabriel pocketed the radio. “Be nice to Willow. She’s a little frail.”
    “I won’t bite.”
    “Ah, as I recall, darling,” he murmured, “you definitely bite. You left a mark right on my…”
    “Stop it.” She shook her head. “We’re not headed there.”
    “Too bad. It was rather enjoyable.”
    Unable to think of a sharp retort, Sienna fell silent, glancing at the paved walkway as the petite Willow scurried toward the pond. For such a tiny thing, she certainly had speed. Maybe she flew. The thought of a Fairy taking wing and startling the customers,