Lian/Roch (Bayou Heat) by Alexandra Ivy, Laura Wright

massive puma with caramel fur and golden eyes.
    Lian didn’t bother to watch Raphael bound across the meadow toward the cabin where they’d stashed Chayton’s unconscious body.
    He was already headed toward the Suits’ headquarters. Once he’d checked in with Sage he would join Raphael in his battle to try and halt the goddess from escaping the Wildlands.
    Reaching the large mansion he released his claws and climbed the post of the balcony. Then, vaulting over the edge of the balustrade he was bursting through the French doors.
    Sage had clearly just entered the room, the white gloves dropping from her hands as she caught sight of his somber expression.
    “Lian, what is it?” She crossed the floor to stand directly in front of him. “What’s wrong?”
    “Shakpi is awake.”
    She made a sound of shock, her head turning to glance toward the scrolls neatly laid out on the table.
    “She can’t be,” she argued. “It’s too soon.”
    “Look at me, sweetheart,” he commanded, cupping her cheek with his hand and urging her back to meet his searching gaze. “Have you discovered anything that can help us?”
    She bit her bottom lip. “I’m just now learning how to translate the symbols to sounds.”
    “What does that mean?”
    “I can phonetically pronounce the glyphs, but I don’t know what they mean.” Distress darkened her eyes to slate. “I’m sorry. I failed you.”
    His brows snapped together as he wrapped her in his arms and rubbed his cheek on top of her head.
    Dammit. It was bad enough he’d thrown her into the middle of their war with the evil goddess. He wouldn’t have her blaming herself for something that wasn’t her fault. Especially when he was the one who’d lured her away from her work.
    “Don’t say that,” he chided. “Even if Shakpi escapes, these scrolls might help us prepare our defenses.” Lifting his head, he peered down at her pale face. “We need you, Dr. Parker.”
    She gave a small nod, then abruptly wrinkled her nose as a blast of putrid air swept through the open French doors.
    “Good lord, what is that?” she muttered.
    Grabbing Sage’s arm, he gave her a push toward the far door. “Run.”
    “What?” She dug in her heels, looking at him as if he’d lost his mind.
    She wasn’t wrong.
    The mere thought that Shakpi was headed in this direction was enough to send him over the edge.
    The evil bitch was supposed to be trying to escape.
    It’s what she’d done the first time they’d tried to hold her captive.
    Snatching the phone from his pocket, he sent a quick message to his mother.
    “Go to my family,” he rasped. “They’ll take you back to your home.”
    She was shaking her head before he ever finished speaking. “No, I’m not leaving you.”
    He glanced over his shoulder, a shudder of revulsion wracking his body as Shakpi reached the edge of the clearing.
    “Don’t be stubborn.” He jerked his attention back to the female who was making his heart squeeze with terror. He could face a thousand crazy-ass goddesses before he could contemplate the thought of Sage in danger for even a second. “There’s nothing you can do here.”
    Her chin tilted. “I’m not helpless.”
    He fisted his hands. Where the hell was this coming from?
    He was impulsive and always ready to dive into danger headfirst. Sage was supposed to be the sensible, cautious, blessedly logical one.
    “You can’t stop a goddess,” he pointed out in rough tones.
    She remained stubbornly in place. “Can you?”
    “Sage.”
    Without warning, she moved forward, going on her tiptoes to press a kiss to his lips.
    It was a gentle caress laced with the promise of a future.
    Oh…hell.
    “You do what you do and let me do what I do,” she commanded in soft tones.
    In that second, she could have ordered him to stop the world from turning and he’d have done everything in his power to fulfill her wish.
    Accepting he’d lost this particular battle, he turned to run out of room, shifting into