His Darkest Embrace

by Juliana Stone

  He watched as a large, black jaguar slid into view. Its massive head slowly turned before settling directly in front of where Jagger hid.

  The animal barked a warning, emitting a growl that echoed in the quiet. It slowly began to move toward Jagger, its body downwind, and Jagger cursed silently at his inability to read the beast.

  Was it a shifter? Or just a male protecting its territory?

  The animal paused only a few feet from him, and when Jagger noticed the strange mist that began to flow over its flanks, his adrenaline kicked in.

  Fuck. Definitely a shifter.

  Jagger exploded from the greenery, his arms outstretched, the deadly blade aimed straight for the jaguar.

  The two men met in midair and landed together in a pile of raw muscle, anger and curses.

  The intruder was strong, his energy heavy, dark, but the two of them were evenly matched. The knife was knocked from Jagger’s hand and he head-butted the bastard as hard as he could, twisting his body in an effort to get his weapon.

  “Fucking Castille, you always were such a little prick.”

  Jagger froze. The voice was familiar. As was the arrogance and hostility.

  He slid forward, intent on righting his body, when a fist slammed into the side of his cheek, sending shards of pain across his face.

  “What the—” Jagger managed to get out before he was cut off.

  “Next time you’ll think twice before attacking the cavalry, asshole.”

  With great effort, Jagger held his anger in check and turned to the man who stood facing him.

  The warrior’s body looked as if carved from granite, every single muscle seeming enhanced, honed, hard, and lean. The scars that crisscrossed his chest and rib cage were whitened next to the dark skin that stretched tight across his abs.

  The face, nearly feral, couldn’t hide the handsome features, nor the cold blackness that rested in the eyes. The once neatly trimmed hair was long, unkempt, and when he smiled, Jagger could sense only the merest slip of humanity within.

  It seemed he needed to look no further.

  Nico had found him.

  The small modicum of relief Jagger felt was tempered by the blast of anger that washed over him. His cheek fucking killed him, and the impotent need to act, to do something with the electric energy that rode him, had him clenching and unclenching his hands so strongly that his forearms ached.

  Jagger took a second, controlled his temper, and ran his hand along his jawline.

  “Heard you were still a jungle hermit.”

  Nico laughed harshly and began to pace in a circle as if the thought of standing still was too much to bear. He stopped suddenly. “Beggars, my friend, beggars …”

  Jagger hated to admit it, but the warrior was right. He had no choice. Nico was about all he had at the moment.

  “I need to find the Mayan healer you told me about years ago. She still around?”

  “For the female?” Nico laughed softly, his teeth a slash of white in his deeply tanned face.

  Jagger growled a warning and took a step toward Nico.

  “You will not touch her.”

  “I have no desire to. She stinks of demon.” The tall warrior’s eyes narrowed. “The only reason I’m here is because Jaxon called in a favor.” He spit into the ground. “Trust me. I don’t give a flying fuck what happens out there, so long as it stays out of my jungle.” His voice deepened and an unholy light lit his eyes from behind, emphasizing the glittering darkness within them. “And right now it’s crawling with every kind of scum you can imagine.”

  “Yeah, well, my life hasn’t been puppies and rainbows either,” Jagger snarled. “This shit that’s gonna hit the fan is about as bad as it gets. But right now Skye is priority number one.”

  Nico regarded him in silence. “What’s priority number two?”

  Jagger hesitated, suddenly not so sure trusting the warrior was a smart move. The ex-PATU soldier had spent the last several years out in the jungle, with no human contact except the occasional visit from his older brother, Jaxon, and the few times Jagger had seen him, they’d not been exactly friendly.

  Many thought he was crazy, and after what he’d been through there had to be some merit to it. But did Jagger honestly think Nico would betray the warrior brotherhood? Betray his history with Jaxon?

  In the end, loyalty to their common ancestry won over. “You ever hear of something called the Cave of the Sun?”

  Nico’s eyes narrowed. He stared long and hard at Jagger, his body tense. “That’s what this is about?”

  Jagger nodded, his mouth set into a grim line.

  “I’ll take you to the healer,” Nico replied, a tic playing along the side of his cheek. “Then we’ll go to the cave. But I’ll warn you.”

  Jagger paused, eyebrows raised.

  “You won’t like what’s there.”

  Jagger snorted. “I figured as much.”

  Mist once more crawled up Nico’s body and Jagger stood back as the energy within crackled and sparks flew everywhere. The tattoos that adorned his body were different from any he’d ever seen. They moved and glowed as the magick began to take hold.

  Nico was strong—one of the strongest warriors he’d ever come across, and that quality alone garnered much respect.

  Jagger turned and led the animal back to where he’d left Skye. She was slumbering against the tree trunk, her arms held loosely against her midsection as if she were trying to wring some small bit of comfort from her cold body.

  The cat inched forward, its great tail twitching back and forth in agitation. Jagger growled at it and the animal stopped, its canines exposed as it barked and hissed.

  “She’s mine.”

  The words slipped from Jagger’s mouth before he even realized he’d spoken them. Two little words, but suddenly so heavy with meaning, emotion. Christ, he sounded like Tarzan, and from what little he knew about Skye, she sure as hell wouldn’t be content as Jane.

  Hell, she’d be kicking Tarzan’s ass from here to Mexico.

  He shook his head and ran his fingers through his hair. His eyes traced the gentle curve of her chin, the fullness of her mouth, and the delicate area underneath her ear. Somehow, in such a short time, this woman had insinuated herself deeply into his psyche. She’d given it meaning again, after he had spent months wandering the jungle aimlessly. Half alive. Half dead.

  That was no longer.

  Jagger quickly crossed to Skye and scooped her up in his protective embrace.

  His body trembled as the force of his thoughts washed over him. How could he ever have thought to leave her when this whole mess was done and over with? He’d never met a woman like her before and he doubted there was another. She filled the ache inside of him so that he could breathe again.

  She moaned softly, and as his arms tightened around her, he whispered, “You won’t be getting rid of me so easily, my little bird.”

  The jaguar turned and crossed the creek, with Jagger following closely behind. They disappeared into the thick foliage that lined the opposite bank, and the jungle claimed them whole.

  Many hours later they stopped at the edge of the town of Placencia. They’d been lucky and hadn’t come across any of the commandos that had been dispatched to the jungle in search of Skye.

  She had become more and more lethargic as the day progressed, and the urgency Jagger felt was becoming a physical manifestation. Nervous energy clawed at him. He could feel it building. The waiting was driving him fucking crazy.

  He watched as Nico returned to his human form. The tall warrior took a deep draw of water and stretched out his long, lean limbs. “The healer, Mary, lives about a mile from here. I’ll bring her back.”

  Nico swung his head back, the dark of his eyes glittering diamonds in the early-evening gloom.

  “Can’t we just take Skye to her?” Jagger was getting anxious. They’d come so far.

  “That wouldn’t be a good idea. She doesn’t like strangers.” Nico turned from him, “I
’ll do my best to convince her that your woman is worthy. I won’t be long.”

  “You’d better do more than convince,” Jagger muttered, but the warrior had already disappeared.

  Jagger took a few moments to grab some food from his bag. Being a former black ops soldier, he was used to going days without sleep and food, but even he’d found the last few to be some of the most exhausting he’d ever had.

  He ate quickly, holding the shivering Skye against his chest. A long strand of her hair fell across her face and as each breath was expelled from her body, it moved. He reached for it, his dark, rough fingers carefully rolling the silky strands between them. He bent down, nuzzled the soft skin along the side of her neck, and felt his animal tremble with emotion.

  She moaned softly and turned into him, her arms going around his neck as her heated flesh pressed against his bare chest. He could feel her breasts, soft, curved, full, and his body began to tighten painfully.

  What the hell was wrong with him? The woman lay in his arms, ill from the effects of demon poison, and all he could think about was how much he wanted to touch every inch of her. Kiss away her pain.

  His body was rock hard and he clenched his teeth tightly, until the pain along his jaw became too great.

  After a few moments he was able to relax, and blew out a deep breath as he sat down and leaned back against a tree, Skye nestled protectively in his arms.

  He knew they weren’t far from the Caribbean Sea. The smell of salt lay heavy in the humid air. It tugged at something inside of him, leaving a bittersweet melancholy in its wake.

  Here, on the banks of the Monkey River, the jungle seemed untouched by the darkness that was slowly seeping into the local landscape. There was no smell of demon, shifters, or black magick.

  It was as it always had been.

  Jagger, more than anyone, knew how quickly reality could change, how much it was already changing.

  He’d seen a demon, full on, and knew that they were slowly seeping through into the human realm. There was no other choice. They had to destroy the portal.

  He looked down at Skye and murmured, “We’ll get it done.”

  Jagger’s eyes closed and though he appeared to be resting, he knew exactly when Nico arrived, and he definitely wasn’t alone.

  Quickly he rose to his feet. He’d wrapped Skye in a blanket and she lay on the ground, shivering still.

  The tall warrior was quiet, and though he’d managed to find clothes, it did nothing to lessen the wild aura that shrouded his body. He turned to look down at the woman beside him and Jagger was surprised at the flash of warmth. She meant something to Nico.

  The woman, Mary, was small, barely reaching Nico’s chest. She was Mayan, with thick dark hair that hung to her waist in an intricate plait. Her skin was wrinkled with age and the eyes that stared out through the dark at him had seen a lot.

  They were the color of dried tobacco leaves and she pierced him with a stare that seemed to look right through him. The woman made him uncomfortable.

  After a few seconds she shuffled forward, past him, and knelt down beside Skye. Her hands held two large bags. Jagger watched as she slowly peeled back the blanket, running her hands slowly up and down Skye’s shivering body.

  She inspected the wound on her calf and then bent over her, sniffing around her ears, nose, and mouth.

  Jagger was beginning to think the woman was loony, and when she carefully withdrew a long, slimy snake from the bag beside her, Nico had to physically restrain him.

  “What the hell is she? A fucking voodoo witch?”

  Nico shook his head, a ghost of a smile playing along his face. “Mary uses the ancient magicks. It might seem strange to you, but this is something she’s done many times.” Nico pushed him back. “You need to give her some room.”

  Jagger’s hands remained clenched to his sides, his eyes riveted on the scene before him.

  Mary hunched over Skye and let the snake slide from her grasp until it lay coiled in the middle of Skye’s belly. As the animal unfurled its length and slowly moved along Skye’s body, Mary began to murmur words and phrases Jagger had never heard before. And Lord knows, he’d spent a good bit of time among the Mayan and other indigenous peoples of Belize.

  She sprinkled herbs, foul-smelling concoctions, in a circle around Skye and then rubbed something together between her fingers. Skye began to shake violently, and Jagger broke from Nico, his long legs carrying him to her side in seconds.

  Mary glanced up at him and he stopped dead in his tracks. Her eyes were glowing, swirling rings of fire. She motioned to him and he fell to his knees, holding Skye still while the old woman cradled her face between the bony fingers of her hands.

  When she lowered her head once more, Skye began to moan loudly and when Mary’s mouth closed over Skye’s, Jagger struggled to hold her down.

  The keening sound that built from deep inside Skye was awful to hear. And when Mary drew away, spitting black, foul-smelling liquid into the dirt beside her, Jagger watched in shocked silence. Acrid smoke rose and every bit of greenery the liquid touched withered and died in front of his eyes.

  The snake lay limp on Skye’s flesh, its dark green color fading fast.

  Mary repeated the procedure, again and again. Eventually there was nothing more for her to draw from Skye, and when she was done, Mary fell back to her haunches, clearly exhausted. She wiped her mouth with a cloth, rinsed with a solution that was equally repulsive, and then turned to Jagger.

  She didn’t say a word but her eyes spoke volumes.

  “Thank you,” he said hoarsely, not really knowing what to make of what he’d just witnessed. His eyes drifted to Skye. She lay on her side, but her color looked healthier and the scent that had clung to her since the attack was no more.

  Mary turned from him and grabbed the snake. He watched in silence as the carcass hung from her hands before she deposited it back into the bag. Without another word she crossed to Nico.

  She paused and then spoke softly to the warrior, her hand gentle on his. When she turned once more to Jagger, her features softened and her large expressive eyes misted. She seemed incredibly sad.

  She nodded her head and then disappeared into the darkness that lay heavy along the jungle floor.

  “What did she say?” Jagger asked as he carefully tucked the blanket around Skye once more, thankful to hear that her breathing had returned to normal.

  Nico had begun pacing again, his body coiled tight and his face dark. The energy that clung to him was frenetic and dangerous, off center. But then again, the dude was crazy.

  “She called upon every god imaginable and asked for a blessing.”

  “Great, I’m guessing she thinks I’m about to get my ass kicked.” Jagger grimaced. “Good to know.”

  Nico stopped his pacing and the two warriors stood in silence, listening to the comforting sounds of the jungle. Each deep in thought.

  “I need to hunt,” Nico said suddenly.

  Jagger watched the warrior slide into the darkness and then he went to Skye. He pulled her against his chest and settled in to rest. Tomorrow they would head out in search of the Cave of the Sun.

  His thoughts turned to his enemies and he snarled softly into the night. He would not hesitate to kill any who stood in his way.

  Chapter 16

  Skye was awake long before Jagger. Her head hurt, her throat was dry, and every single muscle that she owned was either sore or cramped.

  But she didn’t dare move.

  Being held by the tall warrior, tight against his chest as if she were a breakable, a china doll, was like heaven. Well worth any of the other discomfort.

  She let her hand trail a soft path across the width of his shoulders, admiring the intricate tattoos that marked him as jaguar.

  How weird was that? Had she lost her mind?

  Maybe she had. But, hell, it just felt so right.

  She sighed softly and snuggled deeper into his embrace, wanting the moment to last longer than
it could.

  Images danced in front of her, hazy weird things, and while she knew something profound had happened the night before, she wasn’t quite sure what it was. Skye remembered the demon, the vampire, but most everything else was fuzzy.

  Her hand rested against Jagger’s chest and she could feel his heart beating steady, firm against her fingers. She turned her face and kissed his skin, her tongue slowly moving over his flesh.

  He tasted wild, untamed, and she moved slightly as the softness between her legs began to pulse. It was a sinfully sweet pain, and as she continued to rub her legs together, it increased, drawing a small moan from her throat.

  She could feel the response in his body, his hardness thickening against her thighs, and she smiled softly to herself. Her hand moved across the rock hard abs, up his arms, and when she looked up at his face she stilled.

  Green eyes, dark and stormy, pinned hers with an intensity that took her breath away.

  “Hey,” she said softly.

  He didn’t say a thing. He didn’t have to.

  The air stilled around them and her mouth went dry. She wanted him. That was all.

  When he lowered his mouth she met him with equal fervor, her tongue sliding between his lips and attacking aggressively. The feel of his warmth was incredible and she nipped at his mouth, her tongue circling madly.

  His taste was wild. Intoxicating. It pulled at her and she felt the heat rush through her body, filling her veins with liquid fire.

  “I want you,” she said simply; there were no other words.

  Jagger groaned against her mouth, his tongue plunging into her depths. He pulled her across his body until she straddled him, and his mouth fell to her breasts.

  “Are you all right? Christ, I thought you weren’t gonna make it.” He paused as if he’d said too much. “I mean, the demon … you’re not in pain?”

  “The only pain I’m feeling right now is the kind that hurts so good, it’s sinful.”

  Their eyes met and held.