you.â
The warrioress and her husband shared a tender smile before Layel escorted her a few feet away, to where the horses were chewing on grass. âZane? Will you be joining us?â
âWe will try,â he said, but didnât explain further.
Whether the king understood or not, he merely nodded. âBack to the palace, men,â he called.
Zane helped Nola atop his horse, then swooped up behind her. Nervousness skidded through her when they started forward. First Layel and Delilah disappeared beyond the trees, then the vampire troops. Soon their turn would comeâ¦soon she would know if she was still bound to the camp.
âZane,â she said, unable to keep the tremor from her voice.
He didnât say a word, just urged the horse into a quicker pace. And then they were past the trees, just like everyone else. They were in the forest, heading away from their captivity.
âWe did it! Weâre free!â
âAs I knew we would be.â He kissed the top of her head. âThe gods are not the cruel monsters I imagined. How can they be, when they paired us together?â
Thank you , she mouthed to the top of the dome. Not once did she look back. There was too much to look forward to. âI love you, Zane.â
âAnd I love you. It will be my pleasure to prove it to you, over and over again.â
âEven when mating season ends?â she teased.
He squeezed her tight. âI have a feeling  our mating season will last for eternity, sweet.â
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If you liked this story by New York Times bestselling author Gena Showalter, youâll love her other titles, available now from www.ebooks.eharlequin.com and wherever eBooks are sold:
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Jewel of Atlantis (book one of the Atlantis series)
Heart of the Dragon (book two of the Atlantis series)
The Nymph King (book three of the Atlantis series)
The Vampireâs Bride (book four of the Atlantis series)
The Darkest Fire (prequel to The Lords of the Underworld)
The Darkest Night (book one of The Lords of the Underworld)
The Darkest Kiss (book two of The Lords of the Underworld)
The Darkest Pleasure (book three of The Lords of the Underworld)
Animal Instincts
Catch A Mate
The Gena Showalter Bundle (includes Heart of the Dragon, The Stone Prince, The Pleasure Slave)
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ISBN: 978-1-4268-3331-1
The Amazonâs Curse
Copyright © 2009 by Gena Showalter
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