by Storm Savage
With one arm under her back and a hand buried in the thick of her hair, he used his free hand to stroke between her legs. He came on hot and heavy, stealing her breath with each move. She felt powerless beneath him and could only hold tight to his gorgeous hair as he had his way. When her body was about to explode, he lifted his head and shifted his weight so that they were perfectly positioned for his entry.
His gaze moved over her face then stopped at her eyes. He was so utterly intense she could barely stand it. Every nerve in her body screamed for his domination. Lowering his head, he didn’t speak but brushed his lips over hers then let his tongue flick into her mouth ever-so-lightly. They held each other’s gaze in the most powerful exchange of emotion she’d ever known.
Then without warning he thrust his full length into her. She wanted to throw her head back as the scream of pleasure erupted from her throat, but he held her steady with a hand still locked in her hair. His sex filled her, stretched her, and stimulated her beyond belief. Her hips rose to meet each powerful drive of his long hard male sex into hers. A groan of obvious pleasure rumbled in his chest as he took her with blazing passion.
She locked her ankles behind his lower back to pull him deeper. “You feel incredible…” Her words rode a quivering sigh.
“You’re an angel,” he murmured. “Giving yourself to me this way.” He thrust hard and unbelievably deep then withdrew slowly on the outstroke. In slow teasing motions, he rubbed the velvety head of his cock against her pulsing clit.
Her body shuddered on the brink of climax. He slid back inside, thick and hard, swollen to the max. Every inch of him caressed every inch of her. Each blissful stroke sent her higher until a series of wicked spasms racked her body. Everything around her blurred into a euphoric haze as the orgasm spiraled out of control. She cried out his name and raked her nails down his back.
He pushed harder. Then he joined her in wild release. A stream of liquid heat jetted deep into her core, creating another wave of forceful contractions inside. Her sex clamped around his so tightly she could feel the pulsing of his cock as he came hard. They panted against one another, holding each other in a powerful embrace while cresting that idyllic wave together.
Heavy breathing filled her ears, be it his or hers or theirs combined, she was too high to sort whose. His scent floated over her—leather, musk, a tang of spice and sex wafted together in a heady mix.
“Sasha,” he whispered her name on a soft sigh, sending shivers over her skin. “Not sure I can let you go when this job is done.”
“Not sure I want you to,” she breathed out the words.
Ice woke in the middle of the night with Sasha sleeping peacefully, her head resting on his chest. The way she snuggled against him warmed his heart. This unique woman had melted yet another layer of ice from his chiseled heart. He didn’t want to let her go. Perhaps the time has come to tell her of my gift, he thought. Still, I better wait until the mission is complete, he concluded. The last thing he needed was to complicate matters further before finishing the job. At least then she’d be free to return to her world if she couldn’t accept him as is. He’d rather she chose to stay than be forced to out of fear. No, not yet, he told himself. I’ll finish the job then tell her what I am.
When streaks of sunlight began filtering through the trees, he carefully untangled himself from their tender embrace then pulled on his pants. After cooking a batch of eggs over the hot coals, he laid them on a plate and placed it beside her along with the revolver. Carefully, so as not to wake her, he draped a blanket over her gorgeous naked body then laid one of his shirts and a pair of jogging pants at her side. She’ll need clothes to wear. He grinned while thinking back to their savage hot lovemaking. Is that what it was? Did we make love or merely surrender to undeniable lust for one another?
He knew she’d be safe while he hunted down the second prick on her list. He wanted to avoid more questions and possible second-guessing on her part. She had come this far. He was determined to see her through.
Jona Maxwell wouldn’t be found in the woods, so Ice knew he’d have to shift into human form ahead of time and make a stealthy approach. The man owned a restaurant and from the information Sasha had given him, the next target would be going into work to open for the day and most likely would be alone—Ice hoped. He avoided witnesses not for his sake but theirs. Though they could never catch him, he still detested the thought of an innocent bystander caught in an ugly scene.
This morning’s journey took him a bit farther east to a small depressed area of a major city. The glorious sensation of flying never grew old. He loved soaring above the trees and among the clouds, free from the filth of this world, free of hate and prejudice. His life in the forest suited him. People did not excite him. Well, just one now, the lovely and passionate Sasha. Even so, he wasn’t about to leave his life of serenity and return to a world of war.
And this is why he regretted letting her into his heart. No doubt, a woman like her would not accept an isolated life away from the mainstream. She had a child and a grandchild. He couldn’t expect or even hope that she’d give up the family she fought so hard to save just to spend her days with him.
He flew overhead peering through smog to locate the establishment. Spotting it below and tucked between two adjacent buildings, he swooped down and landed on the roof. Once his assignment was complete, the woman would be gone and his lonely heart would return. He cursed himself for allowing his feelings to come back to life, and also cursed the men who’d driven such a beautiful woman over the edge. Had they only behaved in a civil manner, she’d not have sought him out and his heart would still be safe.
Reluctantly, Ice focused to shift into human form. Talons receded along with the beak, feathers and his other bird parts. A metal ladder attached to the rear of the building led to the ground. Quickly and silently he slid down the building. Nobody appeared to have arrived yet so he waited. About a half an hour later a short, stocky man with cropped black hair rounded the corner. There was no mistaking his identity. He looked exactly like his photo.
The man looked him over with open disdain. “Go on home, buddy. We don’t need vagrants loitering around the dumpsters. I’ll send leftovers to the soup kitchen down the street. You can get something to eat there.”
Ice forced back a laugh. “You think I’m homeless?”
“Well, look at you! You’re not even wearing a fucking shirt!” he sneered with a mocking laugh. “Get a job, asshole.” He moved to push past.
“I have one. Sasha hired me.” His voice was stone cold.
At the mention of her name, Jona’s head shot up. “Who?”
“Sasha Turner, you know, the mother of your wife?”
His expression fell. “Tell that bitch to stay away from us if she knows what’s good for her.”
“Is that a threat?” Ice cocked one brow.
“Take it however you want. Now step aside.”
Ice didn’t budge. He looked him straight in the eye. “How’s your wife’s grandfather, anyway?”
A look of sheer horror traversed Jona’s face seconds before Ice released talons from his hand and tore his throat open. He never even screamed.
Ice nudged his lifeless body with a booted foot then continued the shift into full hawk form again. Before anyone saw what happened he’d taken flight. Target number two had been eliminated and would not likely be discovered before the restaurant opened.
He had a long trip back to his woods. Again he called upon the wind to speed his journey home.
Painted skies of gold, pink, and blue hung over the glorious redwoods when he arrived at the forest. A setting sun cast a stunning backdrop against the trees. He detected movement far below, not of animals but of hunters. Damn poachers. He knew they were hunting on protected land for the rare animals living there. With a sudden shift of his wings, he dived toward them at a rapid speed. All three hunters fired off shots from their rifles. The first two rounds zinged past but the third pierced his upper wi
ng and sent him spiraling downward.
He plummeted to the ground away from them and flopped his way into the thicket. Searing pain shot through him, making it difficult to focus. He lay in the brush gasping for air. Suddenly a rush of dawning washed over him as he understood what hunted animals must feel like. Loss of blood in his hawk form was more draining compared to if he’d suffered a gunshot to the shoulder as a man. His vision blurred. He needed to shift to save his life.
Summoning all his strength, he concentrated on his animal spirit and silently called upon the Shasta Realm—the place between worlds from where his power came. Slowly, feathers began to recede and wing bones transformed into arms. The rest of his body followed course until at last the sharp talons shifted into human feet. He stretched his neck against the pain, which was not as intense now. His heart felt heavy over the vulnerable creatures that perished for the sake of human sport and greed.
Pushing to his feet, he ignored the pain and bolted into a run in pursuit of the hunters. The cowards would pay for their lawlessness. His superior strength and stamina enabled him to close in on his prey quickly. They did not hear his approach until he was right on top of them. Panic flooded their eyes when they turned and saw him barreling down. Dropping their weapons, they turned to flee.
“Who’s the hunter now?” he growled upon catching them and blocking their path. “Trespassing on these lands is against the law and killing protected animals is cause for punishment.”
They glanced at his bleeding wound then at each other with bewildered expressions. Ice didn’t give them time to ponder the encounter. He gripped two by the throat with each hand and leg swept the third then kicked him hard to keep him down. Fury rose in his soul over what these pricks tried to do.
The first man never made a sound but the other two screamed like the cowards they were when Ice tore out their comrade’s throat. He turned viciously on the two pleading men. In less than five minutes the trio of hunters had been hunted and killed by the prey.
Sudden rustling in the brush caught his attention. He turned his head sharply to see what lurked. Standing with wide eyes and on trembling legs was Sasha. Her unexpected appearance rendered him momentarily speechless.
“Is-is that what you do to poachers?” Her voice wavered. “Is that the noise I heard when you took off into the woods the other night?”
He gave a short nod, staring back at her with little emotion. His heart felt suddenly cold again as the invisible walls sprung up within.
“What…are…you?” she asked.
Chapter Five
Sasha followed him back to the campsite in silence. Fear threatened to overtake her. She’d accidentally seen him transform from a hawk to a man, then watched him brutally kill three men. What was their crime? She wondered while traipsing along behind him. He still had not uttered a word in his defense.
He worked quickly to build a fire in the pit once they reached his primitive domain. He pulled two large fish from a cooler and tossed them on a metal grate over the flames. She glanced around and realized he didn’t have any fishing gear.
“How do you catch all those fish?”
“You ask too many questions,” he growled, keeping his back toward her. “Your second target has been eliminated. One more and we can go separate ways.”
Her heart tumbled yet she didn’t understand why. “What about exploring our options?” Why she wanted this man baffled her.
“There are no options.” He turned to face her. That hard stare on his face returned again and pierced her soul. “You won’t like what I am.”
She took a hesitant step toward him. “Try me.”
“Give me one good reason why I should?”
“You make intense wild love. I want to know the animal you keep locked behind all that passion.”
“You saw me shift?” He sighed. “What were you doing nosing around?”
“I heard gunshots.”
“Are you always drawn to danger? You could’ve been killed.”
Squaring her shoulders, she gave him a defiant look. “I spent all of my life fighting people who did their best to beat me down. I survived, but not unscathed. I may not have physical scars to show for the battles but the scars in my soul run deep like a fire that never dies. You won’t tell me what drives your madness. Don’t mistake my timid exterior for lack of backbone because I have plenty.”
His expression softened somewhat and he arched both brows. “Maybe you should’ve done the jobs yourself.”
“I would have if it was my last resort. I didn’t want to risk getting caught.”
“And someone pointed you in my direction.”
“Yes. You are not easy to find. I had to search long and hard just to find anyone who’d even speak to me about mercenaries. Once I got into the underground network your contact came to me after my situation traveled the wire.”
“Yeah…my main liaison keeps an ear out for cases like yours.”
“So are you ever going to tell me about you and this unique power of yours?” She couldn’t fathom what it would be like to change into an animal and hoped he’d open up.
“Should I?”
Sasha threw her hands up in surrender. “I’m not going to drag it out of you.” She turned away with a huff. “You might feel better talking about it though.”
“I did that and it did me no good. I see no point in opening myself up to another who will simply walk away once the job is done.”
She half-turned and tilted her head, slanting him a look. “The job is done.”
“I have one more target.”
“I changed my mind about him. There is still a glimmer of hope.”
He grabbed her shoulders and swung her around. “What’s going on here? Have you decided to back out now that you know what I am?”
“No!” She wrenched free of his grip and stepped back. “My daughter sent me a text while you were gone. Seems word has traveled fast about the other two men. Her ex-boyfriend has pulled away from the family and wants to change.”
“Do you believe him? Maybe he’s just running for his life.”
Sasha let out a short, cynical laugh. “I’d be a fool to believe him so quickly, but I do love my daughter and that precious little baby. If Sienna believes there is hope then how can I as her mother, strip that away from her?”
“You love deeply when you love.” A peculiar softness laced his voice.
“I don’t want to be the one who takes my grandchild’s daddy away if there is the slightest chance that boy can turn himself around. He’s still very young, only in his early twenties, unlike the two bastards you just killed. They were never going to change and those people hurt me more than anyone I’ve ever known.”
“What about your daughter’s safety?”
“I am concerned. But she seems to have herself together and promised to take things very slowly with the boy. I can’t deny her. Will you allow me to cancel this last job?” She offered him her cell phone. “Read for yourself what Sienna said if you don’t believe me.”
Ice accepted the phone and read the messages. Not a hint of emotion traced his face as he read.
“I rarely see love like this between a mother and daughter. You travel the same wave with her.” He looked up from reading. “I will honor your request and let the boy live…for now.”
“This isn’t a case of backing down. I am not afraid to finish. I just don’t want to hurt my daughter if a glimmer of hope exists. The kid is still extremely immature. Perhaps now that the ringleaders have been taken out he will change his ways.” She paused with a grateful look. “Thank you…thank you for taking Jona out. He was pure evil.”
“I must admit, I am impressed by your genuine nature.” He handed the phone back to her.
Sasha smiled slightly with a casual shrug. “I’m just me. I don’t bow to peoples’ standards and I follow my heart. Doesn’t exactly make me very popular as most people I know turn themselves inside out to fit into this world. I was shut away from s
ociety for such a long time that I have no social circle to impress.”
“What do you do for a living?”
“I own a small bakery. After the divorce I used my settlement share to open the shop. I make enough to get by and I can work alone, which I prefer. I do my baking by night and Sienna runs the sales counter by day.”
“Sounds like you dropped out of the mainstream a while ago.”
“Yeah…a long time ago…” Her thoughts drifted for a few moments over her past. So much heartache and trauma—she wondered how she’d survived at all. “Life doesn’t always play by the rules.”
“No, it sure as hell doesn’t,” he said, then added, “Are you hungry?”
She nodded. “Perhaps we should tend to your wound first.”
“I’m fine. I heal fast.” He grabbed the cooked fish off the grate then tossed them onto paper plates. “Let’s eat.”
His physical resilience made her want him all the more. He ignored pain and killed without mercy just as she’d been told. She watched him prepare their meal. Though fish was her least favorite meal, the way he cooked it actually made it taste good. She picked around the bones, enjoying the moist meat while feeling Ice’s eyes steadily upon her.
“Do you catch the fish while in your animal form?” she asked.
Their eyes met and he appeared taken aback by her straightforward question. He simply stared while chewing. After swigging water from a bottle, he wiped his mouth.
“Yeah. No need to mess around with bait and tackle when I can just pluck them from the water with my hands.”
“You mean your claws?”
He cracked a smile. “Actually, they are talons.”
“Ah, so you can smile,” she teased.
“Sometimes.”
“Will you tell me about it? How did you get this way? Were you born with the ability to become a bird?”
“No…” He looked past her with a distant expression as if he wanted to avoid the subject.