But he was nowhere to be seen. The pallet he’d made for himself in the corner, opposite where she lay, was empty.
Skye jumped off the hard ledge and stretched out stiff muscles. The silence in the large cave was deafening, and she found herself fighting the urge to cover her ears with her hands.
Suddenly remembering her precious satchel, she breathed a huge sigh of relief as her fingers felt the familiar strap slung across her shoulders. She opened it up, just to make sure, and was relieved to see that all of her maps and notes were safe and secure.
She was so deep into the mountain, it was impossible to figure out what time it was, but if she were to hazard a guess, she’d say it was a few hours before dawn. She reveled in the strength she gained as Mother Sun slowly crept through the darkness.
But where the hell was the jaguar? Had he betrayed her? Was he at this very moment colluding with the DaCostas? Certainly they’d pay handsomely for her capture. They needed her in order to get their slimy paws on the portal.
The panic she’d felt earlier resurfaced as her thoughts continued to swirl. Skye had never felt so desperate and alone in her entire life. She didn’t like it. Not one bit.
She was an eagle knight, for God’s sakes. She should not be counting on a jaguar to protect her.
What the hell had she been thinking? It was time for her to put her big-girl pants on and get the show on the road.
Quickly she gathered up the bag of supplies that she’d dropped when she’d first arrived. She eyed the remaining bag that Jagger had carried, but realized it would just weigh her down. She’d travel much faster and farther, the less that she had to carry.
Once she had both her supplies and her satchel slung across her shoulders, Skye hesitated for a second. She needed to get a move on and leave before Jagger came back. Whether he was alone or with the entire DaCosta clan, he’d be dangerous.
The sad fact was, she wasn’t sure which scenario scared her more.
The thought of sliding her body back through the tiny opening didn’t much appeal to her, and she swung curious eyes toward several chambers that led from the large cavern.
Moisture led her to believe that there was indeed another way out of the cavern. Walking toward the far end of the huge open space, Skye closed her eyes and concentrated with all her might, hoping for a sign.
She felt the briefest whisper of warmth flood her mind, and the feelings were so welcome they brought tears to her eyes. Her father always came to her in her darkest moments, and she believed with all of her heart that he was leading her in the right direction.
Her eyes snapped open and she turned to a tunnel that was half hidden by huge staccato slices of rock. Immediately, Skye grabbed the torch and exhaled softly as she disappeared into the dark depths.
Chapter 5
A soft breeze slipped through the underbelly of the jungle, ruffling the ferns, bushes, and branches of the low-lying greenery. Warm moist air caressed Jagger’s face as he slid through the dark interior.
It was near daybreak. He could feel the change. It made him jumpy, nervous as all hell. He’d been too long in the jungle and the urge to get back to Skye was playing on him heavily.
Jagger had waited patiently for her to fall asleep the night before, and once he’d been certain that she was down for the count, he’d left.
Like the deadly hunter that he was, he’d slipped silently through the jungle, stalking the enemy, and he’d made quick work of three of them. Adrenaline from the kills still rushed through his veins and he trembled slightly at the intensity of it all.
He’d been much too long from the fight.
Jagger had spent the remainder of the evening dragging his ass over three square miles in an effort to engulf the entire area in his scent and throw the warriors off of his trail. Wearily, he ran a hand through the thick hair at his nape and stretched taut shoulders. He was exhausted and would love nothing more than to get some rest himself, but he knew that was impossible. The warriors were already on the move.
He needed to get Skye the hell out of the jungle.
From what he’d witnessed, the jaguar shifters would not rest until they had the elusive blonde in their custody.
Jagger rolled his head around, loosening the tense cords of muscle at his neck. She’d not given anything up the night before. He still had no clue why the DaCostas were after her, but truthfully, he didn’t care. It was enough that they were involved. He’d not felt this alive in a long time.
His eyes swept the immediate area one last time before he turned his body south. It was time to go.
The first shafts of sunlight were just beginning to feather their way across the horizon when he arrived at the foot of the rock face that led to his hideout. He paused and let the cool, damp mist crawl over his heated flesh.
Something tingled at the edge of his mind and Jagger stilled as a foreign scent rifled its way down his lungs. His nostrils flared and he felt his heart speed up as he recognized the scent for what it was.
Magick. Otherworld magick, and the darkness that accompanied it left no doubt whatsoever that it wasn’t the friendly type. It was the kind that tightened his belly and raised his blood pressure.
Fear began to beat at him, not for himself but for the lone woman he’d left behind, and Jagger cursed as he quickly swept up the steep mountain and disappeared into the hidden crevice.
His nocturnal eyes quickly adjusted to the thick darkness and he immediately crept forward, his stealth and agility enabling him to glide through the gloom without making a sound. Every single muscle in his body was tense, and Jagger’s agitation grew as the stink of otherworld magick became stronger.
It loosened up memories, long buried, and as he moved forward down the narrow passage a collage of images stumbled through his brain. Explosions. Blood. Black night. And death. Jagger stopped, his hands braced against the cold, damp wall of the cave.
He took a few seconds and slowly calmed his fast-beating heart, but the pain that the memories left in their wake was wicked. It knifed through him and even though he shook his head savagely, he couldn’t forget the haunting images of another female, a member of his team in Iraq. Eden.
She’d foolishly trusted him with her life, yet had come back from war zipped tight inside a body bag.
Anger then replaced the pain and it flushed hard through his body as Jagger savagely pushed his bulk away from the cool rock wall. He would not lose another in his care.
He would die before that happened.
He let the anger feed his soul, snarling into the darkness.
Jagger turned quickly and slid through the blackness, his feet gliding over the floor in silence as he melted into the shadows. He retraced his steps from the night before, coldly putting aside the intensity of his emotions as he concentrated on the scents that lingered still.
He wasn’t anywhere near the large cavern where they’d made camp but Skye’s intoxicating odor drifted over him, teasing him with its subtle flavor.
It wasn’t alone.
The smell of otherworld continued to grow stronger, and Jagger quickened his pace, his thoughts deadly, his intentions even more so.
Within minutes he reached the opening of the smaller chamber and sped past, disappearing through yet another passage before silently slipping into the huge cavern where he’d left Skye.
It appeared to be empty. Jagger paused, his senses on full alert. After a few seconds he was positive that there was nothing more dangerous than silence.
He quickly crossed to where he’d left his bag and withdrew a flashlight. Seconds later he turned around, bathing the cave in an eerie glow of artificial light.
His eyes quickly scanned the interior as he carefully made his way deeper into the chamber. The stone ledge where Skye had fallen asleep held no trace of the woman at all. He could sense nothing except the lingering scent of his enemies.
There was something strangely familiar about the trace signatures of the magick that hung in the air like a dar
k cloud. It gave him pause, but Jagger filed it away just as quickly. It was another piece of the puzzle that he would deal with later.
He had no time for the details. He needed to get to Skye.
Jagger knelt down, his fingers slowly caressing the earthen floor, and was barely able to make out the imprint of what was, undoubtedly, a large male footprint. It shadowed the smaller outline of Skye’s. The evidence was unmistakable, and savagely he scattered the soft covering of dust until there was nothing left.
Jagger sprang to his feet as the urgency of the situation hammered at him. He grabbed his satchel, swung it over his shoulder, and turned toward the openings along the far side of the chamber.
Both sets of footprints led to the last one on the right, and he knew from previous explorations that it was the only other tunnel that led to the outside.
Jagger stowed the flashlight. His animal quieted as a deadly calm washed over him and settled against his chest. His eyes quickly adjusted to the dark again and he growled softly. He turned and crossed to the passage.
It was time to hunt.
The damp air that permeated the area was cooler inside the tunnel, its smell old and musty. Jagger inhaled deeply and slipped through the passage, his steps sure, his body tight with power and intent.
He’d trod the exact same steps not more than two weeks earlier, and he made his way through the narrow crevice easily, his senses inflamed as Skye’s soft scent lingered in the air, urging him forward.
He wasn’t sure how much of a head start she had and he pushed his body to a relentless pace, his thoughts centered on the otherworlder who was hot on her heels. He needed to get to her before the enemy did.
There was no other option.
It took him almost a full two hours to push through the passageway; sometimes he was barely able to squeeze his large bulk through the narrow chasm that led to the outside. By the time he neared the end of the tunnel, his body was slick with sweat and trembling with the need to act.
Up ahead Jagger could see the soft glow of light that fell in from outside and he slowed a bit, his mind and body cautious even as he fought the urge to rush forward.
Slowly Jagger approached the exit, his senses flying outward, looking for any hint of danger. Satisfied that the coast was clear, he slipped outside and stood near the base of the mountain, surrounded on all sides by lush jungle.
It was thick, green, and carpeted the landscape for miles. Overhead the blue sky held a radiant sun and Jagger’s chilled skin welcomed the warmth as it enveloped him whole. It was early yet and already the air was filled with humidity.
Without a doubt it was gonna be a bitch of a day.
His gaze fell on the ground at his feet, and once more, footprints in the earth were like a beacon, leading him forward until the jungle swallowed him whole.
Once Jagger was deep into the undergrowth, he focused on the mission at hand. He knew he was gaining on Skye and the otherworlder, and Jagger’s cool facade hid a growing anger that was building in his gut.
Anger at himself for leaving her behind. It would be the last time.
He followed the trail for well over another hour and as time marched on he began to feel panicked. What if he was too late? What if the otherworlder harmed Skye?
The need to get to her was clawing at his insides with such force that it was becoming a physical pain inside of him. When he crested a small knoll, Jagger paused and scented the air, adrenaline rushing through him in a dizzying assault when he realized he was almost upon them. He could literally taste the black energy that rode the wind and he knew the source of it was close at hand.
He swung his head back and forth and after a few seconds began to melt into the darkness that lay along the jungle floor. They were just ahead, to his right.
Everything but his target faded away and the calm that settled over him was like a neon sign, proclaiming to all the deadly predator that he truly was. This is what he was made for. The hunt. The fight.
Voices drifted on the air. The deep timbre of a male mingled with the distinct, melodic sound of Skye’s.
Carefully, silently, Jagger crept along the jungle floor, his human body melting into the earth as easily as his animal. His eyes stared through the thick foliage, their piercing green countenance unwavering, and when he finally spied his quarry, his body stilled, poised to pounce.
But the scene before him was not what he’d expected. In fact the growing anger that clutched at his midsection shattered, erupting into a tangible, living thing and it took every ounce of control he had to maintain his silent presence.
Skye and the otherworlder were in profile and she seemed not to be scared at all. In fact, considering her hand rested upon his forearm, she seemed a little too comfortable. It pissed Jagger off and awakened an emotion he’d not felt in a long time.
Jealousy. Possessiveness. Call it what you will.
And that pissed him off even more. What the hell was it about this female that had him running in circles?
“Look, I’ll make a deal with you. Tell me where Cormac is and I won’t kill you.”
Skye’s throaty words hung in the air and the man with her laughed softly before answering. “Chica, you always did have such spunk.”
Jagger bit his lip and watched as the man lowered his head until his mouth was mere inches from Skye’s.
Son-of-a-bitch! He frowned savagely. Why the hell did he care so much? He’d just met the woman and from what he could tell, she didn’t give a rat’s ass about him. He should turn and leave her to whatever the hell was coming down on her head.
And yet, he couldn’t.
“I could perhaps be persuaded, but I’d require some sort of payment, no?”
“And what would that be?”
Jagger sucked in air, holding the growl at bay. What the fuck was she doing? The man reeked of black magic.
“Oh, I think you know.” The otherworlder’s voice had deepened and his arms crept up to Skye’s shoulders.
The beast inside of Jagger erupted and the control that he’d had disintegrated in less than a second. The snarl that fell from his lips pushed him forward and he leapt to his feet, bursting from the underbrush with a fury that was only matched by the deadly intent in his eyes.
“What the hell?”
The otherworlder whipped his head around and pushed Skye away with a powerful shove. She landed hard and rolled over into a crouch. “Fucking bitch. You set me up.”
The man was tall, muscular, with a nasty smile gracing features that were as cold as ice. He also held in his hand a deadly looking weapon and Jagger stalled, noting that the barrel of the gun was pointed directly at Skye.
The black magick Jagger had sensed earlier was heavy in the air but it was layered with a subtle hint of something else entirely, and while it tugged at his mind, he couldn’t quite put his finger on what it was exactly.
“Touch her and I’ll rip your head off,” Jagger growled.
The man turned his weird silver/gray eyes back to Jagger. They narrowed and he spit into the ground before he spoke. “You’re jaguar.” He nodded to Skye and shook his head, ignoring the warrior. “Feeling desperate, love? Desperate enough to bed down with the likes of him?”
“Tell me where Cormac is or I’ll—”
“You’ll what, Skye?” The otherworlder snorted. “Time’s almost up and you’re on the losing side of this war. He will find the portal, and this"—the man waved his hands as the air around him began to shimmer—"this will no longer exist.”
Jagger fought the urge to attack. He needed to keep his cool. There was no way he could risk the fucker firing a shot at Skye.
“I wouldn’t be so sure about that, Kragen,” Skye said as she stood and faced the man.
Alarm shot through Jagger and he was primed to react, to do anything he could to protect the woman, but a vortex of wind, mist, and rain enveloped all of them. It was gone as fast as it had arrived, and with it the otherworlder.
Jagger’s tense bo
dy shifted as he stood staring into the empty spot where the other man had been. His nostrils wrinkled as the smell of sulfur rent the air. It was putrid, metallic. He was just about to turn toward Skye when instinct had him dropping to the earthen floor, twisting his body as he rolled.
He narrowly avoided the deadly knife that arced through the air. It had been thrown with such force that it became embedded deep in the large trunk of a tree.
He whipped his head around, the snarl that erupted from his mouth matched by the fury that graced the blonde’s beautiful features.
“You dumb-ass fucking idiot! Do you know what you just did?” Skye shouted hoarsely, so full of emotion was she. “Kragen could’ve led me to Cormac.”
He watched in silence as she began to pace, shaking her head in agitation. “With Cormac out of the way things would have been so much easier, but now"— her eyes flashed as she whirled around toward him—"you’ve screwed it all up. What the hell was I thinking hooking up with you? You’re a goddamn jaguar, nothing good can come of that!”
Jagger had had enough.
If anyone should be pissed off it was him, not her. Up until the day before his life had been a peaceful, if somewhat lonely, nomadic existence. She was the one who had blown all of that to hell.
He moved so fast, Skye had no time to react. When he grabbed her arms and pulled her in close, he expected to see at least some fear deep in her eyes. Instead, the vibrant blue that stared back at him was cloaked in something close to disgust.
Whether she was disgusted at herself or him, he couldn’t say. But the fact that she stood rigid in his embrace, looking at Jagger like he was the biggest piece of crap on the planet, totally enraged him.
He could feel the blackness that lived inside of him tickle along the edges of his mind, and his skin began to burn. Energy sizzled along nerve endings, trailing a path of fire all over his body.
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