by Cynthia Eden
Cass gave a low whistle. “What were you going to do with this?”
She grabbed for it. “Give it to me!”
Instead of giving it to her, she found herself shoved beneath the stretching branches of a massive oak tree. Cass pinned her there with his body while one gloved hand gripped the knife. “I can feel the magic in this weapon. Very old, very potent magic.” His eyes narrowed. “This is what you took from him?”
Her clothes had fallen from her hands, dropping back into the dirt. “That knife is mine! I didn’t take it from Luke. That’s not what he wants!”
His head dipped toward her. “I think you’re lying to me again.”
“No, not this time. That is mine. That emerald will buy me a new life.” Another one. “I can trade it for a spell that will make sure Luke and Leo can’t ever locate me. I just have to find the right wizard or witch and then I’m set—”
His eyes held hers. The knife was still gripped in his hand. “How many lies have you told me?”
Oh, shit. Shit. He didn’t realize it, but he was holding a very, very powerful weapon that was known in certain circles as the Blade of Truth. When you held it, people near you were compelled to only speak the truth.
“A…lot,” Amber heard herself mutter.
His eyes widened. “You’re not human.”
She laughed. “Hell, no.” The words just fell out. Horrified, she slapped her hands over her mouth. She had to stop talking.
Cass blinked. “Then what are you?”
Her body shook as she tried to hold back the truth. She had to get that knife away from him.
“What. Are. You?”
Her hands fell back down to her side. Dammit. She’d intended to trade that oh-so-valuable weapon for her protection. She’d spent decades searching for the damn thing. And now—it was being used against her. How typical. “The last of my kind,” she snapped at him.
Amber expected another hard question. What she didn’t expect was the flash of raw sympathy that appeared on his face. “Me, too.” He moved even closer to her. “Being alone…I didn’t realize you were like me.”
“I’ve been alone a very long time.” Another truth.
Distract him. Take the weapon. Use it against him. If she didn’t stop him soon, he’d learn every secret she possessed.
Her hands rose to flatten against his chest. She pushed up onto her tip-toes, and Amber put her mouth on his. He stiffened at the touch of her lips, and she thought he might pull away.
He didn’t.
His lips parted. He kissed her. Deep and consuming. Hot and sexy. He kissed her with a raw skill and a desperate hunger that had her heart racing. She’d wanted to distract him…
Now she just wanted more of his mouth.
The kiss became even deeper. She wasn’t just touching his chest, she was now moving her hands and clutching his shoulders. His left hand had curved around her hip and yanked her flush against his body. She could feel the long, thick length of his cock pushing against her.
A basic, undeniable truth…Cass wanted her.
And…her truth…She wanted him.
Wanting someone so much could be very dangerous. Especially when that someone was Cass.
Her eyes were tightly closed, her body leaned into him, and her hand reached for the knife that he still held. Her fingers slid over his, caressing, then she was curling her hand around the—
“Sweets…that isn’t the move you want to make.”
He’d lifted his mouth from hers. His bright gaze glared down at her—filled with fury and lust. “Don’t play games with me. You won’t win.”
“I wasn’t…” Crap. He’s still holding that knife. So she couldn’t stop her words. “I want you. I want you so much it scares me because I know you aren’t a safe lover. You kill with a touch, and all I can think about is having you touch me everywhere.”
His face changed. “Don’t bullshit me.”
If only. “I want you. I have…there is something inside of me that’s…others have said it’s wrong. That I’m wrong.” She’d heard that accusation plenty of times. “I want the men I shouldn’t. I want danger. I want darkness. I looked up in the bar and saw you and from the first glance, I wanted you.”
“Then you found out I was the fucking boogeyman.”
Her eyes squeezed shut, but she couldn’t hold the words in. “And I still wanted you. Maybe even more.” Because in her dark and twisted paranormal world, power was sexy. Cass had so much power within him.
“You…aren’t lying.”
Her lashes lifted. “No.”
And then his face changed. Shock…need…lust. Raw and wild and so savage. He threw the knife—just as he’d thrown the scythe before. It whirled and she heard the thunk when it sank into the nearby trunk of a tree. But she wasn’t looking at that knife because Cass had locked both of his arms around her. He yanked her up against him and took her mouth. His control was gone—she could tell that immediately. His kiss was out of control, ferocious with its need, and her desire burst to the surface. She was as desperate as he was.
“It changes nothing,” he growled.
The need. The hunger. “I know.” The knife wasn’t forcing her to share that truth. He wasn’t touching the weapon any longer, but she was still telling him the truth. This time, the truth was her choice. Even if that truth hurt. Her hands wrapped around his neck and she pulled his mouth back to her.
She loved the way he kissed her. Loved the need and desire that she could taste. He kissed her with such intensity, as if she were the only thing that mattered to him.
He backed her up against that tree and his hand slid under her shirt. When she felt the touch of the glove on her skin, she jerked a little.
“Easy…I swear, I won’t hurt you.” Cass breathed those words against her mouth.
She believed him.
His hand slid up her rib cage. His mouth trailed down her throat. A moan slipped from her because he felt so good. She loved his mouth. She wanted it everywhere.
His fingers brushed against the edge of her bra. Her breasts were tight and aching and she—
A twig snapped. In a flash, Cass had yanked down her shirt and whirled away from her. His hands were fisted at his sides and he stared to the right, at a thick line of trees.
Her breath came too fast, too hard, and her heart was racing in her chest. Goosebumps were rising on her arms. She’d been too distracted to notice her alarm system going off. “It’s…” Not the vampire, don’t be the vampire… “Tell me it’s not Gregory or Leo…”
“It’s not.” Cass didn’t look back. His right hand lifted and she felt that odd hum of energy again…and then the scythe was in his hand. “Show yourself!” Cass yelled.
And the trees moved—no, something burst right out of the trees. A big, snarling black bear. Its fur seemed to explode from its body and it hurtled toward Cass.
Her jaw dropped.
“Ivan, turn your ass back into a human,” Cass ordered, keeping the scythe at his side.
Less than two feet from Cass, the black bear halted. Its mouth opened and it let out a bellowing roar.
“Not impressed,” Cass tossed back. “And you’re about to lose some fur.” He lifted the scythe. “I’ve had a seriously shitty day and it’s barely dawn. Don’t test me.”
The bear…shifted. Slowly. Shifts were always brutal to watch. And to hear. Bones snapped and popped and the thick fur melted away until the beast was gone and a man stood in his place.
Ivan.
He rose—naked—and his gaze slid to her. He was tall, about Cass’s height, but stockier with his muscles. His skin was a dark brown and his eyes were a sharp, contrasting green. Those eyes stared at Amber with curiosity.
Well, curiosity was better than a killing glare.
“I hate when you guys always wind up naked,” Cass muttered. “Shifters…I swear, can’t you cover your junk?”
Ivan tossed back his head and laughed. “Reaper, you are such a prude.” He ma
rched toward a nearby tree, and Amber averted her eyes. She thought it might be the polite thing to do.
“There, better?” Ivan called.
Her gaze jerked back to him. He’d put on a pair of sweats. The guy kept emergency sweats handy in those woods? If that was the case then…
Then they must be in the bear’s territory.
Cass hadn’t taken her down some random dirt road. He’d had a plan in mind. A destination.
Figured.
“I didn’t mean to interrupt,” Ivan drawled. The faintest hint of a southern accept dipped into his voice. “Thought you wanted a plane, but then I saw you and the lady and realized you were…you know, doing other things.”
Making out. Getting hot. Yeah, other things. Feeling her face flame, Amber turned away from them and stalked to the nearby oak tree—not the one she’d been frantically kissing Cass under. The one that her knife was currently embedded in.
She yanked out the knife. The blade was slightly warm to the touch. Cass had been right. You could feel the weapon’s magic.
“And what is that little trinket?” Ivan called out.
“Nothing for you to worry about.” She put it back in the sheath and then hurriedly tucked the knife into her waistband—
“No.” Cass was in front of her. He held out his hand. “I’ll be taking that.”
“It’s mine.”
“Is it? Or did you steal it from Luke?”
They’d already been over this. “Luke never owned this weapon. It’s not what he’s looking for, trust me, okay?”
Behind him, Ivan cleared his throat. Loudly. “Luke? Luke Thorne? I mean, that is who you’re working for, right, Cass?”
Cass didn’t look back at him. “How do I know you won’t use that weapon to stab me?”
His question was just insulting. “I don’t want you dead.”
His lips curved. Uh, oh. That smile of his was absolutely devastating. “Good to know.” Cass swiped the knife from her. “I’ll just keep this safe for you, how about that?”
Her hands fisted. “I’m guessing I don’t have a choice.”
“You guessed right.” He turned to face Ivan. “Is the plane ready?”
“Only if you want to come crashing to a quick and fiery death.” Right after he said the words, Ivan’s mouth dropped open. “What in the hell?”
Blade of Truth.
Cass stiffened. “You want to run that shit by me again? Because when we spoke last night, you promised me that you had a fully operational plane that I could use at dawn today.”
Ivan raked a hand over his face. “You don’t want to piss off a Reaper. If he asks for something, you say you have it.” Again, he appeared horrified by his own words. “What in the hell is happening to me?” He paced toward them. His hand lifted and pointed one claw-tipped finger at Amber. “Are you doing this?”
She shook her head even as she asked, “Doing what?” Amber hoped she sounded innocent.
Ivan’s eyes turned to slits. “You are.” He charged toward her.
Cass brought his gloved hand up and shoved it against the guy’s chest.
Ivan immediately stilled.
“You don’t hurt her. You don’t even think of hurting her. I don’t care how long we’ve known each other…you go at her, and we have a problem, got me?” Cass’s low voice said the guy had better have him.
Ivan’s stare had dropped to the gloved hand on his chest. He swallowed, and his Adam’s apple bobbed. “I got you. And keep those freakin’ gloves on, got me? I won’t hurt your girl. I just—I had this thing all wrong. I thought she was the bounty…didn’t realize the truth until I saw you two—shit, you know.”
She knew. She also knew that she wasn’t Cass’s girl. But Cass didn’t correct the bear shifter and neither did she.
“What’s the problem with the plane?” Cass demanded.
“It’s, um, I don’t know.” Ivan’s eyes bulged as he said those words. “Fuck! Why is this happening?”
Cass tilted his head. His right hand still held the knife. His left hand pressed to Ivan’s chest. “What, exactly, is happening?”
“I can’t lie to you! That’s what’s happening!”
“Uh, Cass, we should really get going,” Amber announced loudly. “Let me take a look at the plane. I bet I can fix it, no problem.”
Now Ivan frowned at her. “You’re a mechanic?”
“Absolutely.” If that was what he wanted to call her, then she’d gladly accept that title. She was extremely handy when it came to mechanical work.
“It’s an older Cessna, twin engine—”
“Got it.” It didn’t matter what the plane was—she could fix it. She could fix anything. That power had never left her. She hurried toward Ivan. Her hand slapped on his shoulder. “Come on. Let’s go. Show me the plane. I’ll get started and—”
“Amber.”
She peered over her shoulder.
Cass’s gaze darted from her to the sheathed knife. She knew he’d figured things out. “Why does Ivan have to tell me the truth?”
Dammit. “Because you’re holding the Blade of Truth,” she blurted.
“Fuck me,” Ivan whispered. “I thought that was a myth.”
She rolled one shoulder in a shrug. “Most myths are real. That’s why life is fun.”
He blinked at her. “Who are you, lady?”
He didn’t have the Blade of Truth. She didn’t have to tell him.
“How does the blade work?” Cass asked her.
She rocked back on her heels. “You hold it and you ask questions.” She spoke too fast. “Anyone near you has to answer honestly. Lies just can’t happen when the blade is close.”
Cass glanced down at the sheath. “Interesting.”
“Isn’t it?” She slapped a smile on her face. “Now, in case you’ve forgotten—we have a vamp and a pissed off Lord of the Light on our trail. So how about I just get to work on this plane?” She nudged Ivan. “Show it to me.”
“I haven’t forgotten anything,” Cass said.
Of course, he hadn’t. And why had his words sounded like a warning?
But Ivan was turning to trudge back through the woods and she hurried to keep up with him. And since she moved—Cass had to keep up with her, too.
They were linked, bound still…until that forty-eight hours ended.
Maybe…maybe she could delay them…maybe she could make that forty-eight hours expire before he delivered her to Luke. If the forty-eight hours ended before Luke got her back, then she could have a chance to disappear.
Her head lowered as she began to plan.
Chapter Eight
“We’re ready to fly,” Amber announced. She was holding a wrench in her hand and a streak of dirt slid across her cheek. “She’ll be good to go now.”
Cass had to admit, he was impressed. He’d watched Amber and she’d seemed to know exactly what she was doing, no hesitations at all. She just jumped right to work on the small plane.
“Where did you train?” Ivan wanted to know as he gave a low whistle. “You’ve got that engine working like a dream.”
She shrugged. “I didn’t train anywhere. Or at least, not at any school or any place like that.”
Ivan’s jaw dropped.
“I just…I know how to make things work.” She put down the wrench. “I’ve been putting things together and taking them apart for a very, very long time.”
Cass stared at her. “You’re sure this plane will fly?” He didn’t have the knife in his hand—he’d already stowed it on the plane with a bit of gear and some back-up clothes that Ivan had given to him. At the earliest opportunity, though, he planned to take out that knife again. And to use it so that he could unravel all of Amber’s secrets.
“I’m sure.” Her stare met his unflinchingly. “But if you don’t believe me, just ask your buddy here. He was watching me like a hawk.”
Ivan nodded. “It’s good.” Then he turned and moved briskly toward the side of the plane. “Now you t
wo need to get the hell out of here. This strip is off the radar for most folks, but I don’t like to take chances, know what I mean?”
Cass knew exactly what he meant. He handed Ivan his payment and the cash vanished. “More will be wired to your account.” Enough to cover the cost of the plane. He’d done business with Ivan plenty of times over the years. They had a standing agreement. “Thanks for the help, shifter.”
Ivan glanced away, licking his lips. “Anytime, Reaper. Anytime.” His gaze had darted to Amber. He was frowning.
Cass put his hands on his hips. “Is there a problem?”
Ivan raked a hand over his face. Amber was just a few feet away—as far as their invisible bond would let her go—and she was still peering at the front of the plane. “What is she? I mean…I swear, she smells human to me, and you know I have a good nose for things like that.” His gaze slid back to Cass. “I don’t like putting humans at risk.” Because, once upon a time, Ivan had fallen in love with a human female. Unfortunately, she’d been caught in a paranormal battle—caught between bear shifters and vampires—and she’d vanished.
“She’s not human.” Cass was absolutely certain of that fact.
Ivan’s shoulders relaxed.
“Gregory is after her.”
The shifter took a step back. “What?”
“He tracked her down to the hotel we were staying at in Biloxi. The vamp thinks he can take her and start hunting for Luke.”
“You…killed him?”
Cass lowered his voice. “No. I let the bastard keep living. After all, I owed him.”
Ivan exhaled. “A lot of us owe him. Next to Luke, I’d say he’s the paranormal who schemes the most. Always planning ahead. Always using everyone else…”
“His vampire clan took me in when I was a kid.”
Cass heard the faint rustle of footsteps and saw Amber creeping closer, but he kept talking. Maybe she should hear this.
“Gregory’s vampire clan took me in when I was at my worst. A fucking lost kid who’d been tortured for too long. I was more animal than human back then.”
Amber gave a sharp inhale.
“They raised me. Taught me to fight. To hunt. To kill. Once, Gregory was the closest thing I had to family.”
Her hands twisted in front of her. “The thing about family…they can turn on you, too. Sometimes, the worst danger that you can ever face can come from the ones closest to you.”