Aria's POV

Being in the water is a very sensual feeling. It held onto every intimate part of my body and its gravity was wonderful. It lapped at my skin in the most delicious way, I loved it immediately. Laughter, true laughter, the love of the water, reflected in my eyes and Richard saw pieces of the real me there. Tiny grains of the star that I am. I didn't care, I was happy to share such a moment. Pushing away, I swam a distance and when he got near me I dunked him.

Giggling, I took off real fast but he caught me quickly, lifting me high up in his arms. With his playful determination, showing in his shining eyes and handsome grin, I wanted to kiss him so badly at that moment. Except that he threw me about three feet away. Landing in the water with a splash, I held my breath and swam after him under the water with no plan what so ever. Then I really felt it. The weightlessness, like in deep space. A longing filled me for a moment until hands grabbed me at the waist and Richard brought me up close to his chest.

Water dripped from his dark hair and onto his face in big droplets, his shoulders and chest had little droplets all over his lightly tanned skin over thick muscle. My eyes met his and I smiled looking at his long and silky spiked eyelashes. "What happened to you under the water? One minute you are swimming and then you just stopped." Was he getting worried about me? Like what happened in NASA, emotional attachment. I need to be careful here, I think. Then again...

Grabbing hold of my hair, I tipped backward as he held me at the waist, my pelvis right up against his. Bending backward, I wet my hair so it would not be in my eyes. As I lifted, I caught him gazing at my cleavage with hungry eyes that he quickly concealed. "Under the water, it is similar to the weightlessness that I had lived in for what seemed like millennia. It is a wonderful reminder of it." Richard straightened his throat before attempting to comment and turned my back to his front.

His arm slid around my waist as we sank back into the water. Laying partially on top of him, he pushed off, moving his arm and legs to keep us afloat while I rested my head on his shoulder. "I like it this way instead of just floating or swimming under the water by myself." He was right too. The added warmth and contact was wonderful. My eyes were about to close when we both heard the sound of hotel doors slamming. Both of us stiffened but pretended not to notice as six huge lycans in human form came out to the pool carrying towels. The humans that were still there, got up and left at the size of the enormous men, not wanting any trouble.

Richard leaned in close to me and I could feel the warm caress of his breath against the shell of my ear. "Do you think we should be worried?" Shaking my head, I felt his lips touch my ear lobe sending a pleasurable shiver down my spine.

"No," I whispered with a smile. "Just relax and enjoy the water. They would not have followed my earlier directions just to turn and attack now."

While all of the lycans settled at the lounge chairs at the far end of the pool, only four jumped into the water while two sat down to talk to each other.

Two swam toward me under the water. "Richard, go enjoy a swim. I got these two." I grinned at him. He wasn't thrilled at the idea, but released me and took off swimming, keeping a close eye on the two the surfaced the water, shaking their heads.

The one that spoke first was pale and had wet red hair with bright blue eyes. There was a smattering of freckles on his cheeks and across the bridge of his nose that gave him a boyish look. His grin with bright white teeth didn't help dispel the illusion either. "Hey, Aria! Great to meet you." He nodded his head in the direction of his dark and brooding friend."I'm Jeff, and this is Frank. We were down the walkway when everything went down with Roarke. Others say you are the new Alpha. Is that true?" Both of the lycans looked at me with raised eyebrows over an innocent enough question.

Splashing a little water in front of me I saw behind Frank's shoulder the topic of our conversation. Speak of the devil and he shall come. Roarke.

When he dove deep into the water, he swam in my direction with what seemed like a purpose. Splashing his way through the surface, he looked at me as he rubbed the water from his nose. "We need to talk as soon as you are able." He was stiff and formal with me, but something was truly bothering him.

I nodded to Jeff and Frank, "We'll talk another time, I must have words with Roarke." Turning back to Roarke, he nodded.

"It's best if we don't talk here, it could raise panic." At his words, he had my full attention. As he swam off, I followed him, already missing the glide of the water on my skin. Damn... I wanted to stay. But... Duty calls.

Roarke didn't bother to grab a towel when he got out, so neither did I. I just stepped out of the pool onto the hot cement and followed him back to his room. It was twelve doors down from the suite I shared with Richard. Unlocking the door with a swipe key, he walked inside and held the door open.

As I walked inside, I dripped water all over the Burgundy carpet. This room was not even half the size of mine. There was a king-sized bed with a burgundy matching coverlet, two couches, a table with two chairs, and a huge 80" TV. "Alright Roarke, what is this all about?" Closing the large door, he also locked it from the inside.

Walking around me, he took in my scent. "You smell more like a human now. Are you having trouble shifting from one form to another? I bet you are..." He lifted his hand to caress my cheek, making me feel very uncomfortable.

Backing further into the plain room I then stood my ground. "Roarke stop this and tell me the information you have or I'm leaving," I commanded him with a stern voice.

Internally he was fighting with the alpha wolf, while on the outside, he did nothing but gaze at me somewhere around my chin. "The Shapeshifters have learned you are here, and the Vampires are on the way too. Life is about to get very...interesting for you." He smirked as he crossed his arms over his chest.

Pacing at the foot of the bed I gazed down at the carpet. "How much time do we all have?" I stopped and raised my eyes to his.

"You have approximately forty-eight hours before both sides reach the Merriot Hotel. Good luck to you."

Before he could blink I was nose to nose with him. "How do I know your sources are reliable? We both know you are still Alpha, and that the confusion of your men over what happened, will last only so long. So why should I just trust you, and not just invade your mind for my answers?" My stare into his eyes was glacial, though his chocolate brown eyes gained a smile that finally reached his lips.

"I'm actually enjoying watching my guys squirm under your lead. They need to learn to overcome fear in all forms. As for the sources, I would stake my own life on them. But if you do not believe me in any of this, feel free to enter my mind. It is what you do, isn't it?" As I looked at his facial features for some sign of deception I saw none.

Though his last sentence brought me up short. I read Richard's mind by force when I needed information. So why hadn't I already read Roarke's? Then again, how would he know that I had read Richard's mind? Was I really becoming more human?