What the hell was wrong with her? She was in crisis. The world was on the verge of destruction from demon forces unimaginable and she was getting all hot and bothered over some attractive man-meat?
He was a jaguar warrior to boot, an enemy, even if at the moment he seemed to be on her side. Most were not to be trusted. She’d have to be careful.
Skye pulled out another granola bar and grudgingly ripped it from the wrapper, shoving the entire piece into her mouth without thinking. She chewed it hard, ignoring the man beside her.
It was difficult, but she managed to focus her thoughts and eventually relaxed enough, so that the tight band of tension along her shoulders disappeared altogether.
They climbed higher and the air changed as the sun encroached and kicked the moon out of the sky. It was still early morning but the humidity carried with it the hint of rain. Skye inhaled deeply, loving the scent of the Caribbean Sea that drifted on the breeze.
She was secretly hoping the others had taken off and felt a huge stab of disappointment as they crossed a small river to find the three men waiting for them on the other side.
All of them looked at her as if she were an insect that should have been crushed beneath Jagger’s boots.
She lifted her chin and met their gazes full on. She addressed them, her voice nonchalant. “Gee, I was hoping your manners would have improved a bit with a full night’s sleep, but I can see that would be mistaken.”
Cracker’s pale eyes regarded her in silence. She held his gaze even though there was something about the man that put her on edge. He made her nervous in a way the others didn’t.
She could tell he was still pissed that she’d escaped from them before, after they’d rescued her from the DaCosta compound. But there was no time for bruised egos. She needed to take the bull by the horns, so to speak.
She needed to gain their trust.
Skye took a few extra seconds, even as the silence became a heavy weight that made the air hard to breathe.
“How is Libby?” she asked finally, noticing the whiteness around Cracker’s mouth as he tightened his lips.
She refused to look away.
The older man spit to the side and answered gruffly, “Libby is fine. She’s in Canada with Jaxon and their boy, Logan.”
“Good. I’m glad to see she got her happy ending.”
And she was happy for Libby. Happy enough that it hurt deep inside because she knew there was no such silver lining for her. Her happy ending was nothing more than a fantasy. How could it be anything but? She would seal the portal and spend eternity in the hell realm.
Yeah, some happy fucking ending.
Not for the first time Skye felt a tug of resentment rush through her, but she pushed it away quickly. There was no time for a pity party.
“You gonna share with us what went down at Carocal?” Declan shot at her.
Skye turned to him and spoke calmly. “I asked Libby to tell all of you that Cormac had killed me. I didn’t want him or any of the DaCostas to know I’d survived.”
Declan’s eyes narrowed and he studied her so intensely that she began to feel uncomfortable. “It’s you my father wanted, not Libby,” he said softly, and Skye took a step back as the tall man crossed over to her.
A growl, low and angry, fell between them and Declan halted as Jagger shoved his way in front of her. “You will step back.”
Declan raised his hands, a smirk grazing his handsome face. “Hey, I’m not interested in touching her. I just want to know what the hell my father wants with her.” He shrugged his shoulders. “That’s all.”
The heat from Jagger’s body washed over her suddenly cold frame and Skye felt a ripple of frustration run through her. She had no time for these games. The demon realm was knocking hard and it was up to her to slam it shut.
“Jagger says that I can trust all of you.” She looked at each of them. “I don’t. Unfortunately, I have no choice. Time is running out.”
“Why don’t you stop being so cryptic and tell us what the hell is going on?” Declan shot back.
Skye ignored him and kept her eyes focused on Cracker and the tall, brooding jaguar that stared at her from several feet away. He was Julian. She remembered him from three months ago. The resemblance between him and Jagger was unmistakable.
She spoke calmly, though inside her heart fluttered and she felt sick to her stomach. Even though she would tell these men only the bare minimum of what was going on, it still went against everything that she believed in.
“Cormac is after a disc, an ancient Aztec artifact that my people have guarded for thousands of years.”
“Who exactly are your people?” Cracker asked. His eyes had narrowed but she sensed a sincerity in him that set her mind somewhat at ease.
“I am an eagle knight,” she answered softly. “A what?” Declan snorted.
Jagger shot a look at him. “Let her speak.” His tone brooked no argument and Declan raised an eyebrow but remained quiet. He gestured with his hands for her to continue. “By all means.”
“I’m a shifter, one of a few left.” It was hard to keep the bitterness from her voice, and Skye didn’t even try. “My people were hunted to near extinction hundreds of years ago.” She glared at all of them. “By the magicks and the jaguars.”
“Why?” Cracker’s one-word question caused such a well of emotion to churn inside of her that Skye closed her eyes and drew on the strength deep within her.
“My people have been charged since the dawn of time to keep watch over certain artifacts, and for that reason we’ve been hunted. Destroyed by the likes of you.”
Jagger made a sound at her side and for the first time she let her vision wander to him. He stood looking down at her with an expression that was hard to read. Did he believe her? Or did he think she was full of crap?
No matter. He moved a few feet away, his face dark, brooding.
“This disc that you seek, it’s something the DaCostas want so bad that they’d get into bed with someone as untrustworthy as Cormac?”
Skye turned to Declan. His eyes were clear and shrewd.
She answered him simply. “Yes.”
“It must be valuable,” he continued. “What does it do?”
“It’s a portal,” Julian inserted quietly. Everyone looked at him and Skye’s gasp caught in her throat, nearly choking her. “To the demon underworld.”
Fuck! How the hell did the jaguar know that? The bastard had done his homework.
“What?” Declan looked as surprised as the rest of them, and Skye ignored the glare from four sets of eyes as they all turned their attention to her.
“Is this true?” Jagger asked and for the first time a trace of something more than worry edged his words.
Skye considered lying. Hell, the eagle knights guarded several other ancient relics, but she realized there was no point. Julian had already guessed what they were after and by the way he was looking at her, he knew the truth as well as she did.
She exhaled softly and shook her head. “It’s the portal they’re after, yes.”
“I’ve read stories about it and of your people. Thousands of years ago the jaguar warriors pretty much annihilated your tribe in order to get their hands on the portal. It was thought to be lost, as well as the lineage of the eagle knights.”
Skye’s eyes flashed and she looked at Julian hard. “Well, my people held on, barely, and were able to keep the portal hidden. But someone has betrayed us and for the last three years we’ve been on the run. Hunted again.” She felt her eyes mist with the warmth of tears. “My father was our last hope. Only he knew where it had been hidden. But he was murdered before he could recover it.” She paused for a moment, unable to go on as the memory of her father’s death washed over her. “Now with Finn gone, it’s up to me to find it and destroy it once and for all.”
Julian held her gaze for several long, uncomfortable seconds until finally she looked away. He knew too much.
“There is no one else,” sh
e said simply.
Skye ran her fingers through the thick hair at her neck. Things were moving way too fast and in a direction she didn’t much care for.
“Not that I don’t appreciate the history lesson and all, but seriously, what the hell are we gonna do about this portal or whatever the fuck it is?” Declan looked at all of them expectantly. “Damned if I’ll let Cormac get his hands on—”
“This is not your battle to fight,” Skye shouted. She was fed up and pissed off. Who the hell did these men think they were? This was her mission. It always had been.
“This became my business the minute you invaded my territory with two DaCostas hot on your heels.” Jagger was angry. This she could see and a ripple of fear sliced through her at the look that clouded his green eyes many shades darker.
The power that hung on his frame was unmistakable and as he crossed the distance between them, his large body moving with a predatory grace, she shivered.
He stopped when he was just a few inches from her. Skye could see the pulse that beat steadily at the base of his neck. It was mesmerizing, and she found she couldn’t take her eyes off of it.
His scent was intoxicating, and she felt the great raptor inside of her move, wanting out. Wanting to get away from a temptation that not only was a bad idea, it was also forbidden.
Her mouth went dry as her gaze climbed up and met his moss green eyes.
“If you want to survive this and retrieve this disc, I suggest you put aside any notion of a rogue mission, because you’re stuck with me.” He smiled at her harshly. “I will not see you harmed.” His eyes narrowed. “I can’t … I won’t let that happen again.”
Jagger’s words puzzled Skye. She got the impression that he was no longer talking about her. She didn’t have time to ponder them.
He opened the satchel and shoved the notes and maps into her hands. “What do these mean?”
Her fingers held the precious papers loosely and her vision blurred as she looked down at them. Her notes and scribbles could be seen clearly in the margins. She didn’t have to read them to know what they said. Just as she didn’t have to read them to know she was still no closer to finding the cave that she sought.
With or without the help of these men, the situation was hopeless. Why the hell hadn’t her father trusted her enough with the location of the cave?
Not for the first time the bitterness of it all stuck in her mouth, and she wished for nothing more than a cool glass of water. Anything, to wash all of it away.
“I need to find a specific cave,” she said haltingly, trying to control her emotions. Now was not the time for her to break down.
“A specific cave?” Declan laughed. “Would this particular cave come with a, I dunno, a flashing neon sign saying, I’m here?” He looked at all of them incredulously. “This is fucked.”
“The Cave of the Sun? Is that it?”
Skye looked at Jagger, clearly surprised. “Yes,” she answered him. “How did you know?”
“I saw it in your notes.” Jagger’s intense eyes bored into hers and she felt everything fade away, as if it were the only two of them there. “I might know of someone who can help us.”
There it was. Crunch time. She either accepted his help and went with it, or tried to escape at the earliest convenience.
Her focus fell on the muscular arms held loosely at his sides, trailed along the intricate tattoo that peeked from beneath the T-shirt that he wore. He was so tall, strong, and incredibly male.
He was jaguar. He was her enemy.
Yet the overwhelming urge to slide up against his chest and let him wrap his arms around her was so intense she took a step forward. Their eyes connected and the energy in the air seemed to crackle.
Or was that her imagination?
“Yeah, I’m not into this whole flirting-in-danger thing, so why don’t you two chill.” Declan’s sarcastic tone was more effective than a bucket of water and Skye shook her head as she took a step back.
Cracker spit into the ground, his mouth chewing hard on a dark clump of tobacco. “So,” he said roughly, “we got a plan?”
Chapter 11
Jagger watched the conflicting emotions that ran across Skye’s expressive eyes. He knew what she was feeling. The same ones were hammering away at the inside of him and he didn’t understand them any better than she did.
He looked at the other men, decision made. “Skye and I will find this cave and retrieve the portal.” He rolled his shoulders and kinked his neck. The corded bands of flesh that ran along the base of his skull were tight as hell. “I need the three of you to do what you can to neutralize the jaguars that are gunning for us.”
His eyes flicked over his older brother and a fierce wall of pride threatened to come crashing down over him. The change in Julian was nearly indescribable. He looked about as far away from the boardroom as you could get.
It was all good. At least Jagger hoped that it was. He sensed a wildness that had never been there before. An untamed edge that the jaguar thrived on. He knew it would explode eventually. Jagger just hoped that when it happened, any casualties would be limited.
“Don’t take any foolish chances. See if you can dig up anything on Cormac. His location, his contacts, plans. Whatever. I want that bastard.” His gaze passed over Declan. “No offense.”
Declan laughed softly, his tone deadly. “None taken, but you’ll have to get in line. The only one who’s gonna touch that slimeball is me.”
The two men nodded at each other.
“Anyone able to contact Jaxon? Maybe utilize some of the PATU information network? There’s no way in hell all of this activity is going unnoticed.” Jagger looked at them all expectantly.
“We’re still hanging below the radar. Colonel Taggert is in, but for now we’re working with little to no backup.” Declan sighed heavily. “Ana, Jaxon, and Libby are holed up somewhere in Canada. They’ve been busy setting up new PATU headquarters, working with Taggert and a select few.”
Jagger frowned at the news. He didn’t like the situation at all. “Do you have a secure channel? Can I get a message to him?”
“We have a satellite phone, yes, but aren’t due to check in for another twenty-four hours.” Cracker made a face. “A precaution. We could try to get hold of him but Jaxon won’t answer unless it’s at the agreed-upon time.”
“Understood,” Jagger answered, clearly disappointed. “When you make contact tomorrow, tell him he can kick my ass in person soon enough.” He smiled wryly. “And ask him to find out anything he can on some dude named Azaiel.”
“Azaiel? What the hell kind of name is that?” Declan asked.
“Dunno,” Jagger replied, his eyes darting back to his brother. “You have anything to offer?”
Julian shook his head and shrugged his shoulders. “I haven’t a clue.”
“Okay,” Jagger said. “You got an extra sat radio?”
Cracker dug around in his bag and handed one over to Jagger.
“I’ll contact you once I have a location for this cave. We can rendezvous there.” He looked at all the men. “We good?”
“Jagger, can I have a word?”
Skye watched as Jagger moved toward Cracker and Declan. The three men huddled together and she tried to ignore the occasional glance her way. She had no clue what the hell they were discussing, but it obviously involved her.
She inhaled a deep, cleansing breath, carefully folded her notes Jagger had given to her and put them into the bag. She grabbed another granola bar and turned away. Skye needed to wrap her brain around the entire mess and make sure she knew what the hell she was doing.
She’d only had a few moments of solace before she became aware of Julian, standing a few feet away. Skye turned and studied the man closely. He was handsome, dark and dangerous like his brother, but there was something about him that was more aloof. Like he was holding back.
Jagger was no such animal. He was full frontal all the way.
Skye also realized with
a start, that Julian had no warrior tattoos on his arms. She searched closer, blushing when he cleared his throat.
“I’m not like my brothers.”
“Oh, sorry, I didn’t mean to …” Skye’s voice trailed off because, truthfully, she didn’t know what the hell she meant.
Silence fell between the two of them, interrupted by the occasional call of a bird or the shriek of a howler monkey. She could still hear the low voices of Jagger and the other two men, but they were too far away for her to make out their words clearly.
“Does he know?” Julian asked, his brow furrowed, his stare intense.
Skye stared up at Jagger’s brother, her eyes large and questioning. “Does he know what?”
“That the only one who can destroy the portal is that which created it.”
She arched an eyebrow. “What were you, the dorky kid who read history books for kicks? You really did your homework didn’t you?”
Her tone was light but the shadows that darkened her eyes with unshed tears was anything but.
Julian ignored her comment and nodded his head toward the group of men conversing several feet away. “Does he know what you’re planning?”
“Why would he?” she retorted, exasperated. “Aside from the fact that all of you seem to think I have this damsel-in-distress thing going on, I don’t need your help to do what it is that I have to do. This is my fight, whether you want to believe it or not, and how I’m going to accomplish my goal is no one’s business but my own.”
“I see the way he looks at you. He won’t like it.”
Skye looked up at Julian, surprised. “I’m not sure what you mean.”
Julian shrugged, but both his face and his tone were dead serious. “He wants you.”
She laughed curtly. “Really … well, a quick fuck is about all Jagger’s interested in, believe me.”
She looked away as pain sliced across her chest, drawing in a quick breath. “I might even take him up on that.” She laughed bitterly. “I mean, my days are numbered, right? Why shouldn’t I be allowed to have a little comfort before …” Her voice drifted off into silence. She couldn’t continue.
His Darkest Embrace Page 12