He twisted and moved back. He held up his arms defensively, his feet spaced wide, moving on the balls of his feet. Ready to strike. He was coiled, his...eyes moving. He sought a weapon to defend himself with.Aurora wouldn't give him the opportunity to reach a weapon. She sprang at him, her wings flapping behind her. She had been trained to fight with blade. Her attacks were quick and efficient. She did not leave herself open. Damien had no choice but to retreat before her onslaught, his eyes. Silmaria scrambled nimbly up into the tree, struggling with her dress but moving as quick and quiet as she was able, swinging up to the branches and high out of reach. The murderers searched about in the underbrush for a time, moving in an organized fashion. Every moment stretched out endlessly, while Silmaria huddled up in the branches above, watching them, waiting. Finally, and much too soon, one of the men had the notion to look up in the trees. After a few moments of searching he spotted. ”Diana knew her husband. Although he tried to hide the look, she realized what it meant. “Jeff, I don’t want you getting into trouble...” she began, but she saw the determination written on his face. Knowing that trying to change his mind would be useless, she sighed, hugged him and just shut up.As the two walked toward their suite, Jeff conversed subliminally on his radio with Lieutenant Mayfield.At the door of their bedroom after Jeff had finished his conversation, the Clan Queen kissed him. Her twenty years of total abstinence and self-denial had built up in her and once unleashed seemed impossible to cool. But now she could indulge without any pangs of guilt, and had, to her heart's content.Yes, it had been a nearly perfect honeymoon, marred only by her memories, nagging recollections of how she had given herself to Mark beneath the elm tree on her father's ranch, and what had happened after that with three other males that she should never have had to come close to, who had.