“Even though you don’t trust me?”
Hitting him with a sledgehammer would have hurt less. The pain in her eyes stabbed him straight to the heart. He’d caused her this pain.
“Why do you say that?”
What a stupid, stupid question!
Her lip trembled as a sob broke free. Anger, disappointment and pure outrage boiled over in her words. “You slept with me as a convenience. To keep me close. To make your fucking job easier!” She stood, shaking as she pulled the sheet free to wrap around her. “I heard you. I heard that woman with Sage say that you found an easier way to keep track of me. That it was easier to know where I am when I’m beneath you in bed. I believe she said something like ‘easier to know where your sheath is when your dagger’s in it.’”
How could she believe that?
As he raked his hand through his hair, angry with himself, furious with his predicament, he admitted given the evidence, he’d have to believe the same.
Chapter 7
She’d kicked him out of her room and out of her life.
Of course, she had. He’d have done the same if he were in her shoes. He invisibly waited for a human to come along and punch the down button for the elevator.
Why did the fates have to choose a human for his mate?
Why couldn’t he just fucking tell her who and what he was?
Frustrated and having no answers, he slid into the elevator when a couple, obviously in love—or lust—happened by. He turned from them as they engaged in a hot kiss that made his belly twist and his heart ache for his Cassie.
His.
What was his problem? Every time he decided to stay away from her, she dragged him back in.
Not true. He wanted her more than he wanted his next breath. He needed her.
The elevator opened on the ground floor. I have to get out of here. He made a beeline through the lobby and out the doors. He needed fresh air and open sky. Taking a deep breath, he vanished and raced to where he knew he’d find answers.
“Thanks for coming with me, Cassidy.”
Dana sounded short of breath as they walked through the shady woods along the marked path. She rubbed her very round belly.
Cassidy’s heart squeezed painfully and for a moment she couldn’t speak. What she wouldn’t do to be like that with Trevor—so totally in love and in tune with a man. If only he’d give her the chance, but she couldn’t force him to trust her and she wouldn’t lay her heart on the line.
She’d agreed to go with Dana to the far boat dock to get her mind off Trevor.
“It’s really no problem, Dana. I needed the diversion.”
Dana paused for a moment, her hands bracing her lower back as she stretched. She cocked her head and surveyed the trees.
I don’t see anything. Maybe living with Paras made Dana more in tune, or maybe she is a Para, too?
“Dana, are you…?” How to ask the question? Spit it out. “Are you a Para?”
Dana’s eyebrows shot up as she faced Cassie with a crooked smile.
“So, Trevor finally told you?”
“Not everything. Not enough.”
“Give him some time, honey. He’ll come around.”
“Whatever you noticed in the trees? I’m sure it’s Trevor.” Cassidy shrugged as they continued along the path, irritated he would follow her. If he was so worried about what she was doing, he should’ve told her the whole truth.
She shook her head, trying to dislodge her wannabe lover from her brain. She was so distracted she totally missed the creep who stepped right in front of her. She plowed right into the sleaze who had tried unsuccessfully to single her out several times since she’d been here.
Strong hands manacled her arms.
Embarrassed she’d been so intent on Trevor that she’d slammed into the “professor,” she sputtered an apology. Her eyes met his, cold as ice, black as sin. She gasped and recognized the danger she’d missed before when he sneered. A shiver streaked up her spine as he dug his fingers into her flesh, trapping her like an animal.
Her heart pounding, she glanced at Dana. While her friend’s eyes were wide, she seemed calm. She twisted the ring on her left hand around and around and her lips moved silently, as if in prayer.
Satisfied Dana wasn’t stressed enough to go into premature labor, Cassidy fervently wished for once, that Trevor were watching her.
“Let me go.” She yanked her arms. He released her suddenly, leaving her to rub her soon-to-be-bruised forearms.
“My apologies, Ms. Sinclair.”
He bowed slightly and moved slowly behind her along the path.
Wait, how does he know my name? I never told him my name—
The cold edge of the knife pressed lightly against her throat.
Dana gasped and ordered, “Let her go.”
The son-of-a-bitch barked a harsh laugh in her ear, his breath hot and moist on Cassie’s neck. “I don’t think so. This woman is worth a lot of money to me.” He wrapped one arm around her waist, pulling her against him while she fought back useless tears. “You, my dear,” he said, addressing Dana, “will bring a considerable bonus. Come on, both of you, nice and easy, to the dock.”
“You need to reconsider what you’re doing.” Dana warned as he herded her down the path, Cassidy still in his grasp. “You won’t get away with whatever you’re planning.”
An evil smile curved his face as he replied, “No one even knows you’re out here and nobody uses this pier, so I think I’m already home free.”
After a few minutes running with the breeze in his face, the boughs slapping harmlessly against his furry arms and legs, Trevor realized he fought a battle already lost.
She was his. Period. And he was definitely hers.
In fact, she was nearby in the forest with Rekkus’s mate, Dana. He’d heard their voices, but not detecting any stress in their conversation, he’d moved on. Cassie had been clear she wanted to be left alone. He’d give her time to burn off some of her anger before he approached her again. He stayed at the boundaries of hearing them.
The tone of their voices changed suddenly. He broke out in a cold sweat under his fur. He shifted back to human form and fought the fear that threatened to paralyze him. While his pulse raced, he focused on controlling his breathing. He needed to calm down to control his innate abilities to cloak and track silently.
My mate’s life may depend on it. Completely alert now, sensing danger, he cloaked himself and moved in their direction.
A male had joined them. The voice sounded like the man’s he’d seen with Cassie. Maybe he was harassing her. The man needed a lesson and Trevor was just the one to teach it. He smiled. Maybe he could win some points back with Cassie with his chivalry—
That thought flew right out of his mind when he spied the huge black tiger racing toward the women’s location.
If Rekkus was responding as a tiger, Cassie and Dana were definitely in trouble.
He made his way silently, invisibly, to cut off the man’s escape. The dock was not typically used by the island staff.
Probably a boat there to get away. And some small hole in the island’s defense system has been discovered.
A tiger’s roar rent the air. Why hadn’t he heard the man’s painful cries?
The bastard’s smug laughter rang out as Dana said, “Don’t hurt her.”
Oh, fuck. He couldn’t move fast enough, but he had to keep his composure, had to calm his natural desire to protect his mate.
There. Rekkus in his black tiger form prowling lethally between Dana and the attacker. And Cassie with a knife glinting at her throat.
He froze.
Think. One deep breath and then another. He was trained to do this. The last time the stakes had been so high he’d almost gotten himsel
f killed. If he made one mistake, he could lose her this time.
He wouldn’t make a mistake.
Cassie’s life hung in the balance.
Breathe, Cassidy. She tried to not move a muscle, fully and uncomfortably aware of the cold steel at her throat. The sharp edge pinched her skin, microns from slicing into her neck. Her muscles cramped, holding her chin up and away from the blade as she fought against her sickening fear. Sweat dripped into her eyes, burning them.
The black tiger paced before her, muscles bunched. It growled, baring its teeth, warning the eerie professor to stay away from Dana. Glittering golden eyes narrowed at the attacker, never leaving its prey.
Something about those eyes… Ah! Dana’s mate, Rekkus, is a shifter. Hope flickered but Cassidy forced her thoughts to the asshole holding her.
How am I going to get out of this? Why does he want me of all people?
She waited for an opportunity to get free or talk him out of whatever the hell he was planning. What did he say? She was worth a lot of money? Who would pay for her to be kidnapped? Or worse, killed?
The thought chilled her. She closed her eyes for a moment to center herself and when she opened them, she caught Dana’s gaze dart for a second to a location behind her. From her friend’s single raised eyebrow she knew Trevor lay in wait to strike. Could he save her again?
“Come on. We have to go. Now.”
The son-of-a-bitch yanked her back, away from the prowling black beast. She couldn’t hold back the yelp as the knife bit into her skin but managed to get a hand on his forearm. Trying to remain calm and loose, ready for whenever Trevor attacked, for she was sure he would, she moved carefully along with her captor. Rekkus and Dana followed, though Dana remained behind her tiger-shifting mate.
The tang of salt water and sea grass on the breeze grew stronger. Her time grew short. Soon she’d have to fight for her life. Her blood mixed with her perspiration and trailed warm down her neck and between her breasts. He pressed her body to his. She had to swallow the bile that rose in her throat when his erection rubbed against her back. The bastard is aroused. She couldn’t pull away with the blade at her neck.
The pier appeared at the end of the path. Maybe Trevor wasn’t there. Maybe this madman would take her to God only knew where and kill her or worse, turn her over to human traffickers. She’d rather die than become a slave to some bastard’s sexual depravities.
She couldn’t take that chance.
As her captor tried to transition her to the boat, his attention on the tiger on the dock ready to pounce, Cassidy pushed with all her might against the wrist holding the knife. She latched onto the knife, feeling the sharp sting as the blade sliced deeply into her palm.
A roar exploded from behind her. A huge hairy creature like the one she’d seen for the briefest of moments during the school shooting leaped from the boat.
He crashed onto the stunned man.
Her attacker screamed and let her go. She fell back into the boat, blood spurting from her hand.
The scene blurred as relief and pain flooded through her. Calmer voices now filled her ears as the afternoon sunlight filtered through the overhanging leaves.
“Cassie,” she barely heard as her vision narrowed and grayed, “I’ve got you, baby. I’ve got you.”
Lifted by familiar strong male arms, she let go, knowing she was secure and safe as everything went black.
Chapter 8
“What did you find out?” Trevor asked Cemil, Rekkus and Cyrus as they filed into the lobby where he paced like a caged animal. Sage and Dana had been with Cassie in the staff lounge for over an hour now and he anxiously and impatiently waited for one of them to tell him her condition.
“Well, his name is Phillip Jeffries and he is human,” Cyrus said.
“I still can’t get over how I didn’t sense his intention. It just shows how dedicated that group is to infiltrate the island.” Cemil hung his head, obviously taking the blame.
Cyrus patted his brother’s back. “This was well planned, Cemil. It is not your fault. We will have to tighten security and let the Syndicate know of the latest threat. Mr. Branson needs to know of the specific threat to his son.”
Something about the frown between Cyrus’s brows bothered Trevor. “What do you mean specific threat?”
“The attack on the school was not to assassinate Allan Branson, but rather to abduct him.” He paused before adding, “And his teacher.”
Shock and fury seared his vision for a brief moment. “You mean they planned to kidnap Allan and Cassie?”
“Yes,” Rekkus said. “And there’s more.”
Cyrus’s nostrils flared while his jaw clenched. “This new group, the Mundus Novus, planned to use the boy to obtain information to further their ambitions. He’s a clairvoyant empath. Very valuable to vermin like them.”
Stealing the boy from his father made Trevor’s stomach turn. The boy was motherless already and had bonded with Cassie as his surrogate mother. His empathy had become a curse and he’d retreated to an emotionless world. She was the only one he’d let penetrate the shell he’d lived in since his mother had died.
“So based on their surveillance, they determined they needed Cassie to communicate with him, to get him to do their bidding,” Trevor said.
Bastards. He needed to see her now more than ever to reassure himself she was okay. Otherwise, he’d kill that son-of-a-bitch. No matter how well protected the prisoner, he’d make that asshole pay if Cassie’s injury left her permanently disabled.
“What did he want with Dana?”
Rekkus stalked away.
“Jeffries planned to turn her over to the Mundus Novus who he thought would kill her once she gave birth. If this is the faction that put the bounty on Cyrus, they would surely kill her as payback to Rekkus,” Cemil said, his fist clenching in restrained fury. “Rekkus saved Cyrus when he was targeted for helping the Syndicate take down immoral sects. Jeffries figured they would raise the baby in their ideology.”
Trevor gritted teeth. “And he is still living?”
“He is,” Cemil said, clearly angry though the least demonstrative of the three. “He is secured and awaiting transport via the portal to the Syndicate, who will continue debriefing him.”
I’d like to debrief him. Calm down. Focus on getting to Cassie. Destroy the Mundus Novus later.
“Can you take me to Cassie?” he asked Cemil. “I need to see her.”
The man’s anger dropped and a crooked grin tugged at the corner of his mouth. “You need to see your intended mate, Trevor? Why have you not told her everything? Why haven’t you mated with her? Look at Rekkus, how complete he is.”
“I really don’t feel like getting into this right now. Can you take me to her or not?”
Cemil exchanged a wry look with Cyrus and Rekkus before shrugging. “Sure. Follow me.”
With her right hand covered with a poultice that smelled like a guy’s week old gym socks, Cassidy had a problem opening the letter Sage handed her. Frustrated, she dropped the envelope on the blanket that covered her and she flopped back against the pillows of the couch in the staff lounge.
“Just read it, will you?” she huffed to Sage.
Sage retrieved the envelope, but seemed uncomfortable opening the message.
“Go ahead, I’m sure it’s not personal.”
Sage exchanged a glance with Dana who shrugged a shoulder. Sarka remained near the window, stirring her tea absently.
Sage read:
My dearest Cassidy,
I hope you are well. I expect by now you will have learned of the existence of our kind, paranormal races. You have been such an integral part of Allan’s recovery and more importantly his life. He loves you and I believe you love him.
I enjoyed spending time with you this last
week. I would like to make you a proposition. Please come live with Allan and me. It would make him so happy; you alone have been able to reach him since he witnessed his mother’s murder.
It would make me happy, too. I believe we are compatible and could become good friends. If this concept makes you uncomfortable, please do not turn down my offer. My son is the most important thing in my life. I’d like you to consider that we’d make Allan loving parents.
Ian
Sarka, who’d barely spoken two words since Cassidy regained consciousness, sputtered out her tea. “He’s proposing marriage? Through a fecking letter? Asshat.”
Oddly, the idea did not repulse Cassidy. She did love Allan and she did like his father. And the one man she truly loved didn’t trust her. She didn’t have anything to lose.
As if conjuring him with a single thought, Trevor appeared just inside the archway.
Her pulse raced and her chest tightened. She forced air into her lungs. Tension hung heavy into the room as she waited for him to say something.
“Cassidy.”
Oh, no. He hadn’t called her that all week. So formal, like—
Like he’d heard Sage read the letter.
Cassidy stared at his face, his brow pinched, his Adam’s apple jumping up and down in his throat.
Oh, yeah. He’d heard. Her heart ached that she’d hurt him. She hated hurting anyone, but he’d made his choice not to trust her.Her inner voice scolded her. She wasn’t being fair. He’d only known her a few days; he was only protecting his family. And she hadn’t been honest with him, either. He didn’t know she’d seen him change form the day of the school attack. How can a man pass a test he didn’t know he was taking?
Still, Mr. Branson—Ian—offered her a comfortable, stable life.
A life without love.
Would that be enough?
Guarding His Heart Page 6