The Mating Intent-mobi by Bonnie Vanak

thought clenched his guts. Because Elves always left. But maybe he could shower her with so much pleasure she’d stay.
    “Sex is the price you’ll make me pay for using the sacred spring. And you think we create some kind of sexual mojo that heals the earth? How very New Age of you. What’s next, telling me giving you a blow job will make the corn grow?”
    His mouth quirked. “I don’t grow corn, but it would be an interesting experiment to test on the cucumbers.”
    Then he sobered. “I know you’re scared of losing everything familiar to you, everything comfortable. But I won’t let anything bad happen to you, pixie. Count on it.”
    “I can’t,” she said, looking haunted. “I can’t count on anyone anymore. Only myself.”
    “You don’t have to be alone. I’m here for you,” he said quietly.
    “Right. With all this dark magick inside me? What if I infect you? Contaminate you and turn you dark as well?” She shook her head. “No. I won’t sleep with you, Gabriel. No matter how much good mojo you think sex will create.”
    “Forget the positive energy and the effect your Elven powers have.” He cupped her face and dropped a kiss on her chilled cheek. “We will be lovers because you want me as much as I want you. There’s no denying it, Sienna.”
    Gabriel left her standing in the hallway, staring after him. 
     
     
    The night passed comfortably for Sienna, without any dreams. Oddly enough, she felt energized and refreshed more than she had since being infected with dark magick.
    She rose early and showered, enjoying the luxury of a towel heating rack. Then she dressed and headed for the kitchen. Sienna scrambled eggs, and added some bacon to the pan for Gabriel. He padded into the kitchen, yawning and rubbing his tousled hair. Gray sweat pants slung low on his hips, he was bare-chested. Sienna focused on cooking, trying to ignore the surge of heat flaming her body. Sweat trickled down her spine, and not from the cooktop.
    He stood behind her, peering over her shoulder as she fried the bacon. “Morning. Smells terrific.”
    A smile touched her mouth. “Thought I’d cook for you for a change. I knew you liked bacon.”
    “Wasn’t talking about the bacon.” He buried his nose in her hair. “I bet you smell good all over.”
    A furious flush ignited her face. She turned down the heat beneath the frying bacon. “Gabriel…”
    “I bet you taste real good all over, too.” He nuzzled her neck and gave her skin a long, slow lick. “Mmmmm. Better than bacon.”
    The cat had a wicked tongue, and knew how to use it. Sienna grabbed a plate and dished out the eggs and put the bacon to dry on a paper towel. He raised an eyebrow at the eggs. “I thought you were a vegan?”
    “Vegetarian. There’s a difference. I eat eggs, and cheese.”
    She watched him open the refrigerator door and bring out three cartons of eggs.
    “Are you that hungry? I made enough for two.”
    A hank of dark gold hair spilled over his forehead. He pushed it back with one hand and set down the carton. Gabriel found a large mixing bowl and set it next to the carton. “Enough for us, but I need to feed the Wyldings in the glen.”
    Deeply touched, she watched him crack open a few eggs and begin to mix them. “You do this every morning?”
    His broad shoulders lifted. “It’s not a big deal. Least I can do is cook breakfast for them, give them a good start to the day. Many of them used to shift and hunt early in the morning, so breakfast is the toughest meal for them to deal with. Willow helps, but lately she’s been sleeping in and since she works all day at the store, I let her. The Wyldings would help me, but they’re afraid to leave the glen.”
    A timid knock came at the sliding glass doors leading to the wide wood deck. Gabriel glanced up, his eyes widening. “I’ll be a son of ….”
    Dusting off his hands, he opened the door to Neida, who shyly nodded at Sienna. “I came to cook breakfast. May I come