Shadow Visions: Shadow Warriors, Book 2

by Gabriella Hewitt

  She stared up into Manuel’s eyes and saw his trust and acceptance. She barely knew the man. And yet, he was willing to believe in her.

  Her abuelo believed in her and she had let him down. She had chosen to fit in over accepting her heritage, and she may have put her abuelo at risk because of it. Worry, confusion, guilt all collided within her, pulling her to a place she feared to go. She felt like she was teetering on the edge of an abyss. Below her, a dark, fathomless pit awaited. She was terrified of falling into it, of never being able to find her way out. What if it sucked her up and she found herself with nothing to hold on to? What if she lost herself in that darkness?

  Around her, the air grew stronger as if pushing her towards that edge. Pebbles hit the windowpanes of the cabin and debris from the ground slammed against their legs.

  “You don’t understand. I can’t control it. These powers are not a gift—they are a curse. Horrible things happen.”

  “I can help you.”

  “No one can help me. Not even the gods want to help me.” Inside her, a storm of emotions fought for dominance. She had to get farther away from the cabin. So many memories were tied to this house, this land. She couldn’t let it all be destroyed because of her freakish ability. She pressed her hands against Manuel’s chest. “I’m sorry.” With a shove of power, she blew him back.

  Ixa ran towards the car, ignoring Manuel’s shouts behind her. If she could get in the car and drive away, maybe, just maybe…

  With each step, the wind kicked up a frenzy, swirling all around her. She brought her hands up to protect her face. Sand and wind blasted her from several directions. A dust cloud of towering proportions roared up before her, blocking her path to the vehicle.

  “Get down!” Manuel appeared in front of her, massive wings billowing out from his back taking the brunt of the sandstorm. He grabbed her, pushed her down to the ground and huddled her into the curve of his body. Cocooned in feathers and strong arms, she heard only the sound of dirt and wind pounding down around them.

  Chaos ruled, yet in his arms she found a safe haven.

  Her tattoo flared to life. Her breath caught in her throat. His hands wrapped tightly around her, holding her, cradling her.

  Huddled within Manuel’s protective arms, the despair of ever living up to the legends of her ancestors didn’t seem such an insurmountable burden. His breathing feathered against the back of her neck, warm, sensuous, sending liquid heat to her core. Like a cat, she arched back against him, unable to resist the temptation of rubbing up closer. His body jerked. His arms tightened. Then his hands moved, spanning her waist before slowly moving up to cup her breasts. She shuddered. Around them, the storm raged, but within their self-made cocoon, she could only concentrate on the feel of his hands lightly squeezing her, of his fingers rubbing against her nipples, of his erection pressing against her backside.

  The emotional chaos that had driven her outside subsided, replaced by sexual heat so intense she thought she would burst into flames. The sound of the sandstorm died down abruptly.

  Manuel rose to his feet, pulling her up with him. He didn’t give her time to speak. He whirled her around and his mouth slammed down on hers.

  With everything she had, she kissed him back, her hands greedily thrusting into his hair, tugging his head down even as she lifted up on her toes. She understood the power of a volcano, all that intense heat searching for a release. Her body burned, burned for this one man. None of it made sense, and maybe when she found her sanity again she could figure it out, but right now, she simply wanted to let the heat consume her and forget reality.

  Manuel hungered for her. He had ever since he’d seen her in that warehouse. She belonged to him. His mouth devoured hers, needing to brand her, to make her realize that she was the other half of his spirit. Without her, he had no hope.

  He let his feelings pour into his kiss, saying with his lips and his tongue what he couldn’t say in words. And even if he did, would Ixa listen? She had closed herself off from her roots. Her mind warred with her instincts.

  His hands stroked her back from shoulder to bottom. He shaped her buttocks, pressing her against his erection. He desperately wanted to be inside this woman, to feel her womanly heat surround him and milk him until he had nothing left to give. She moaned into his mouth, making him deepen the kiss. She tasted of the sweetest honey, an intoxicating elixir that made him crave more of her. He wondered what she would taste like lower down. A hunger to lick and taste every inch of her had his blood thrumming in his ears. Her soft, warm curves grew hot in his hands. Within the cocoon of his wings, he sensed the air crackle and heat.

  He tore his mouth from hers. Light filled the darkness of the small enclosure his wings had made for them.

  “Your tattoo.” His eyes fixed on the light emanating through the fabric of her shirt.

  He felt an urge to run his fingers over her skin, but she covered the tattoo with her hand.

  She spoke softly. “The wind has died down. We should go.”

  Manuel let out a breath. He willed his libido to calm.

  Slowly he retracted his wings, folding the massive feathers away. His eagle peered out and screeched.

  “What the—? Did I do this?” Ixa looked around them in horror.

  Manuel stared about him, seeing the damage. Large sand dunes covered the landscape, one of them nearly blocking the entrance to the cabin. The SUV sat buried in sand halfway up the passenger doors. It would take time to shovel it out.

  “Come,” Manuel urged. The utter anguish on Ixa’s face tore at his heart.

  She tried to back away. “No. I can’t. I’m dangerous. Can’t you see? Look at what I did.”

  “What I see is my spirit mate, a beautiful woman, a guardian chosen by the gods to protect mankind. You have been gifted with the power of the wind from your great-grandfather. You have much to learn, but you can learn. Will you let me teach you? I can show you how to control your powers so this does not happen again, unless you choose for it to.”

  She bit her lip and glanced away. Slowly her head turned back to him. “You can really show me how to control this…ability?”

  “Of course.” He could read the indecision on her face. He didn’t understand it and they had so little time, but he couldn’t force her. She had to make the choice on her own. “The sun is beginning to set. Let us go inside to discuss this further.”

  She nodded and let him hug her close to his side as they made for the front door. She fit against him perfectly. Her scent teased his nostrils, filling his lungs and setting his nerves on fire.

  When he had his hand on the doorknob to the cabin, he paused. She looked up at him questioningly.

  “Be very sure. Once you cross this threshold, there is no going back. Our paths will be one.”

  In the deepening twilight, she kept her gaze locked on his, searching, seeking answers he supposed.

  He had nothing more to say. He simply held the door open and waited.

  Ixa crossed the threshold with trepidation. Every nerve in her body hummed. His kiss lingered on her lips and she could still feel the sensation of Manuel’s hands on her body. Her head told her to focus on the task at hand. He’d promised to teach her to control her power, but her body wanted him to teach her something else, something more carnal and basic.

  Manuel went to the potbelly stove and lit a fire. The small fire illuminated the small space. Firelight danced on the walls and across his chiseled face.

  She shivered—not from the cool desert night air pressing in through the cracks of the cabin, but from the determined look upon Manuel’s face. He chanted in a foreign language. She wanted to concentrate on the words, as they seemed familiar, but the shimmering air around him distracted her. His modern suit dissipated and was replaced by ancient warrior garb. Feathers adorned his hair and hung like a mantle over his bare chest. Her eyes followed the length of his flat stomach down to his slight hips covered with a white cotton loincloth embroidered with gold. Her mouth went
dry.

  She should have never stepped back into the cabin. She should have stayed outside instead. The windows rattled.

  “Ixa.” Her head snapped up, only to discover a pair of eyes glowing gold fixed upon her. He approached softly with the steps of a predator tracking prey. “That’s right. Look at me. Concentrate.” He moved around her and came to stand behind her. She felt his hands slide up her arms and cup her elbows. Her tattoo flared to life.

  “I can feel your power,” he whispered into her ear. She stiffened.

  He rubbed his thumb back and forth along her skin. The soft touch made her arms quiver. “Relax. Tell me what you are feeling.”

  “Scared.” The single word was barely voiced.

  “Good. Take the emotion you feel and focus it on the fire.” He lifted her arm and pinched the pressure points at her elbow. Her fingers parted.

  “No, not fire. It will spread all over the place.” Images of her sister and mother engulfed in flames popped into her mind. The air kicked up. The firelight flickered. Fear crawled in her gut. She squeezed her eyes closed and shook her head. “No. I can’t do this.”

  “Yes, you can.” He pressed his body closer to hers. “You have to conquer your fear, and the only way is to face what frightens you the most. We can’t change the past but together we can take control of the present. Take a deep breath. Think of the wind and its strength. Use the strength within yourself to blow out the fire.”

  “I’m not that strong.”

  “You are stronger than you think.”

  Her heart skipped a beat. His belief in her touched her. For so long, she had hidden her abilities, afraid of what others thought, and had learned to hide behind a badge and a rulebook, denying who she was. Afraid that if her colleagues found out what happened that fateful night, they would blame her. Manuel didn’t blame her. With Manuel, she didn’t have to hide—he understood and accepted her.

  A new emotion replaced her fear. It welled in her breast, suffusing her with warmth. She didn’t examine it too closely—rather, she let it warm her, fill her and give her hope. She focused on the stove. Strands of wind extended from her fingertips. The air billowed the curtains. The flames flickered and sputtered.

  “That’s it, my hummingbird.”

  She felt the heat of his hand on her arm and the conviction in his voice. Her tattoo grew warmer.

  A stream of wind flowed out from her hand and extinguished the fire, throwing them into darkness.

  “I did it!” Ixa let out a whoop of joy and turned in his arms. She hugged him. “I controlled the wind.”

  “Yes, you did.” He lifted her off the ground and kissed her on the lips.

  Chapter Seven

  The kiss threw her off-kilter. Her head spun at the energy that flowed between them and her entire body came alive. She should tell him to put her down, but in his strong arms she felt protected and feminine. She wrapped her arms around his neck. Her tattoo hummed and warmed on her bicep. His feather-soft hair tickled her hands. She stroked her fingers through his hair, eliciting a groan from him. Ixa took it as an invitation to be bolder. She pressed her mouth harder against his. His tongue slipped between her lips and swept inside. Her body burned. She wanted more of him. His hands moved down her back in long, languid strokes. Effortlessly he lifted her up off the ground. She wrapped her legs around his hips.

  It was madness. Ixa felt herself swept up into an intense, crazy storm of emotions, a whirlwind of want and desire. Always she had sat on the outskirts and watched others get involved in relationships while she had shied away, afraid of hurting another person she loved or of finding herself unlovable because of who she was. She had fooled herself with the notion that being one of the boys would be satisfying, but deep down she still hadn’t fit. In Manuel’s arms, she fit perfectly. Every curve of her petite frame fit right into the hard angles of his body.

  Manuel’s tongue laved her bottom lip and moved over her chin, licking a trail down her neck. She arched her neck, allowing him more access. She moaned her pleasure.

  “I can feel your need.” His voice came out in a growl.

  She could have denied it, but her body betrayed her. Her rock-hard nipples pressed into his chest.

  His hands roamed up and down her back, past her bottom, eliciting another moan from her.

  Eye to eye with Manuel, she could see his blatant desire, raw and heavy. No man had ever looked at her the way he did. Sure, with the job she was constantly surrounded by males and had been propositioned more than once, but a few choice words sent them packing and she soon had a reputation for being an ice bitch. She hadn’t dared let anyone too close—until now. Even so, her mind told her to be careful. When all was done, he would be back to chasing the next demon, or criminal, or whatever work the gods had planned for him. And where would that leave her?

  She would be foolish to get involved with him, except her body cried out for his touch and her heart longed to feel a connection to another, no matter how brief.

  For one night she wanted to lose herself in a man, to lose herself in intense pleasure like men and women had been doing since the dawn of time. For one night she simply wanted to feel normal.

  “Don’t make me any promises,” she rushed out as her legs slid down to support her once again. “Don’t pretend there’s more to this than there is.” Her hand rested against his chest. His heart beat steady and strong. His hand came up to cover hers, trapping it there against him.

  “You are an amazing woman, a courageous woman, but you fear that which you do not understand.” His hand came up, catching the bottom of her shirt, slowly lifting it as his gaze held hers. He dragged it over her head and tossed it aside. He attempted to unbutton her jeans but she pushed his hands aside and quickly shed them, along with her white cotton panties and bra. And then she was back in his arms, with his fingers skimming the indentation at her waist, trailing a path of flames that set all her senses on fire. “Tonight, I don’t want you to think. I want you to feel.”

  He caught the tip of her lobe between his teeth and nibbled, sending waves of heat through her bloodstream, making her womb clench and her breasts feel swollen and heavy. It was a wonder she could stand.

  His hand traveled upward until it was lightly brushing beneath her breast. She wanted him to reach higher. A whimper sounded in her throat.

  He blew softly into her ear. “What is it you want, Ixa? Tell me.”

  She stared up at him helplessly, unable to keep the truth down. “You,” she whispered. “Only you.”

  She was like a drug in his system. He couldn’t get enough of her. And when she admitted that she wanted him, triumph filled him. He didn’t give her time to rethink her answer. He brought his hand up to cup her breast, his thumb making lazy circles around her nipple. Her breath hitched and the sound made him even harder.

  He wanted her badly.

  Her hand came up to clasp his forearm, as if she was afraid he would snatch his hand away. Not possible. She moved him.

  He had nearly given up hope. His animal spirit grew stronger with each demon kill and he knew he had little time left.

  And then he found his spirit mate.

  Ixa made his blood heat and his body come alive. He hadn’t had sexual urges in centuries, yet they were back now, riding him hard. He dipped his head to the curve of her shoulder, inhaling her unique scent even as he bit gently, then blew on the mark he had made.

  “You smell like sunshine and fresh flowers,” he murmured against her skin.

  She brought her arms up to clasp around his neck, her breath coming out on a sigh. “We probably shouldn’t be doing this.”

  “Sure we should. You heard your lieutenant. He put you under my protection and I promised to take very good care of you.” He took her nipple and rolled it between his fingers, loving the soft little sounds she made in her throat.

  “I don’t think this is what my lieutenant had in mind.”

  “He has a very limited imagination.”

  I
xa laughed. The sound filled the room and made the darkness inside him recede further. For a moment, he could not move. He stared down into her exquisite features and felt the earth rock beneath him.

  She belonged to him.

  “What is it?” She appeared uncertain, the laughter disappearing from her eyes.

  “You. My world will never be the same now that I have met you.”

  Her cheeks colored, but she held his gaze. She leaned up and kissed him on the edge of his mouth. “My turn.” Ixa took his hand and led him over to the throw rug.

  “I want to taste you.” Her eyes held a mixture of shyness and boldness—a heady combination to a man who hadn’t had sex in centuries. He waited for her to make her first move. She put her hand under the loincloth and cupped his hard length. He sucked in a breath, savoring the feel of his manhood in her soft palm.

  Heat swamped him and his eagle stirred. He ignored his animal spirit, focusing only on the woman before him. She smiled, a womanly smile that held secrets and mystery. She slowly slid her fingers over his head and rubbed up and down his shaft. He threw his head back. When he felt her take him inside her mouth, his body shuddered in ecstasy. Hot and tight, her mouth gripped him, suckled him. Her hands came up to caress his balls, lightly squeezing, as her mouth drew him in and out in a rhythm that set all his senses on fire.

  His hands tugged at her braid, lifting it up and unraveling it. Her hair fell around her shoulders, a dark, silky waterfall.

  He moaned and thrust his hips forward, pushing his cock deeper into her throat. She took the full length of him and let him slip out. She licked her lips, then crooked her finger and patted the rug next to her.

  “Come lie with me, warrior.”

  He followed her down onto the soft material, gently pushing her back until he blanketed her with his body. He caught her face between his hands, wanting her to see him. There was no going back. He needed his spirit mate desperately. But Ixa could not conceive what she was getting into, what it would mean to be tied to him as a spirit mate.