To his left, a movement through the trees caught his attention. Pulling the gun from his waistband, Ronan stayed where he was, his back to the outside wood of the cabin. He monitored the shadow, not knowing if it was one of his own men or one of their enemies.
More gunfire rang out deeper into the trees, but Ronan never took his eyes off of his target. At the same time a cloud moved, allowing a stream of light to bounce off the area where the dark figure stood. Ronan saw his face and realized it was the same man that had been at the diner. He raised his gun, set his sights to harm rather than kill, when the man raised his gun as well. Ronan looked to where the man was aiming and saw Cane come out of the trees to the right.
Cane was a Tracker, his senses heightened like that of an animal, so Ronan knew that he saw the man. Why Cane was still walking toward him was a mystery. Knowing he had seconds before their enemy would open fire, Ronan didn’t hesitate. He went for the kill.
Chapter Seven
Gavin was pissed as hell and freezing his ass off. There had been three men total that had to be taken out, because Tavia hadn’t been able to get close enough to use her power. Gavin knew he hadn’t had the choice but to send Ronan back into the cabin with Devyn, knowing only he could shield the team. But damn, he wished Ronan had a second to pull the storm back. He stomped through the snow, Tavia and Sloane following on his heels.
“Dude, do you want my jacket?” Sloane asked, his voice faint in the wind but clear enough for Gavin to understand what he was saying. “It’s colder than a witch’s tit out here.”
“No.”
Gavin had his arms wrapped around his chest and didn’t want to waste time to have Sloane take off his shit. All he wanted was to get back to Devyn and make sure she was all right. He had a feeling that being able to alter what she saw in her visions was going to set her back some, because it was going to bring up her past and guilt over not being able to save her parents. But he and Ronan would be there, making sure that she accepted that there were certain things you couldn’t change, and the past was one of them. But they could change the future.
“Where the hell is Tye? He would have come in handy right about now.” Gavin slowed a bit for Sloane to walk alongside him. Tye was usually with Sloane on whatever mission they were assigned, due to their abilities being compatible. Where Sloane was a Torcher, able to ignite fire from the same energy that Gavin could create a magnetic field, Tye was a Fueler. He could conjure up the earth’s gases at will, which, combined with Sloane’s ability, made the two of them lethal.
“He said his sister was having problems, so he skipped out on this mission.”
“We offered to help, but Tye said he had it taken care of,” Tavia said, coming up along Gavin’s other side. Gavin liked Tavia. She was a no-nonsense kind of woman and didn’t take crap from anyone. For someone who packed such a punch, she was a tiny little thing with red, spiky hair to match her temper. The amount of pain she could cause a person, as a Sadist, was immeasurable. He had always thought her personality matched her power.
Out of nowhere, the wind died down and the snow lightened. Gavin slowed his steps, knowing that Ronan was controlling the weather, which indicated that all was well. He felt himself relax a little, although the cold was still a little too much for his body to take. They had almost reached the edge of the trees when a gunshot rang out. All three surged forward, Gavin automatically creating a shield in front of them to stop any attack that may be coming their way.
They broke through the trees, Gavin seeing Cane running across the snow. In front of him, Ronan sprinted from the shadows of the house. Gavin was about to pull more energy to make the magnetic field larger, but once he saw what Cane and Ronan were running to, he knew they wouldn’t need it.
They had taken out a fourth target, which meant no one was alive to give them the answers they were seeking. Did they work for the Fray? And who had been able to get close enough to the Nobles’ plane to plant the bugs where they had overheard their plans to come find the Seer in Alaska? None of these questions would be answered now, meaning the threat the Fray posed to them was as dangerous as ever.
“It was the guy from the diner,” Ronan said, leaning down to study the dead man. The shot had taken him dead center in the forehead, but then, Ronan always did have a good shot. “He had his sights on Cane, so I had no choice. Why the hell did you come out of the trees? You had to know he was there.”
“He’d been waiting there for a while, waiting for someone to walk out of the woods. When I saw you open the door, I had no choice but to draw his fire away from you.” Cane turned to Gavin. “Are any of the others alive?”
“No,” Gavin answered. “Unfortunately, Tavia couldn’t get close enough to bring them down. They were coming in for the kill, so we did what we had to do.”
“Ronan, stop the storm all together,” Cane ordered. “We’re bringing in a helicopter to take the Seer out of here. The faster we get her to Haven, the better. We can bring in a Scanner and see if they can get a read off the bodies.”
Gavin glanced over at Cane with surprise. Since when had Talon Foster agreed to work for them? The last he heard, she refused to use her power at all. Technically, that wasn’t hard to do if she stayed away from dead bodies. The last time he had spoken to her, she had been pretty adamant about wanting a normal life. It sounded like Devyn, in a way, but that was about to change, too.
“We’re going with her.”
Gavin heard Ronan say the words and then turn to walk back to the cabin. Cane was about to argue when Gavin held up a hand to stop him. He didn’t want to get into the specifics of their relationship with Devyn quite yet, but knew he had to offer something so Cane would understand that them going with her wasn’t up for debate.
“Cane, there are things you don’t understand. You will once we enter the cabin, but trust me on this, we’re not being separated from her.”
Gavin knew this was where Cane would have argued before, putting the case above any person—man, woman or child. But ever since entering a relationship with Addison and Shane, Cane had softened up a bit. Gavin was pretty sure that was mostly due to his daughter, Emily, but he knew better than to say that out loud. Cane was the type to prove someone wrong just for the sake of proving them wrong. He was a tall dude, with a scar that ran from his right temple to his lower lip. No one messed with Cane.
“Fine. Then let’s go in and meet the infamous Seer.”
Gavin couldn’t have been happier at the thought of going back to the cabin. He needed to get warm and then make sure Devyn was ready to face every one at Haven. He’d have to watch her closely to see how she reacted when Cane, Sloane, and Tavia entered her sanctuary. It was his bet that no one besides him and Ronan had ever set foot inside her house.
They walked back in silence, the group watching as Ronan stopped before entering the cabin to end the storm. Gavin assumed Cane had already given the heads-up that the copter could land close by, which gave him little time to prepare Devyn for what was to come. By the time Ronan had done his job, they were right behind him when they entered the house.
Devyn stood in the middle of the room, wearing jeans and a long-sleeved blue top that matched her eyes. He saw the relief in them at seeing him and Ronan first, but then saw her throw up every barricade she could when she saw who was with them. Her back straightened and her hands clenched into fists, similar to what she had looked like when they had first arrived.
“Kala?” Cane asked as he brushed back his long black hair from his face, making his scar seem more prominent. “You’re the Seer? Damn, do you know how long these two have been looking for you?”
“Cane,” Devyn acknowledged. “It’s nice to see you again. Tavia, Sloane—it’s been a long time.”
Gavin held back a laugh, knowing Cane could see right through the lie. She sounded like she’d rather chew on glass than be in the same room with these people.
“Kala, I can’t believe it’s really you,” Tavia said. “Why didn’t
you tell us back then that you were the Seer? We could have protected you.”
“Gather what you need,” Cane ordered, his usual no-nonsense self. “We have a helicopter coming in to take you back to Haven.”
“I don’t need protecting, Tavia,” Devyn said, obviously not wanting to deal with the conversation, because she walked into the kitchen. “Cane, I’m not getting on that helicopter. What I need is for all of you to return to Haven. I appreciate everything you’ve done tonight, but I’ll be fine on my own from here on out. This is the best route for everyone, trust me.”
Gavin shared a look with Ronan. They were not going to let her pull away from them, especially after what they had just shared. He walked over to the table, to where his laptop and bag were, reaching in and grabbing another shirt. Pulling it over his head as he walked into the kitchen, he came up behind her and whispered in her ear.
“You don’t want to go against Cane, Devyn. And Ronan and I are certainly not letting you strike out on your own.”
She spun around, her blue eyes sparkling with anger. “Stop trying to make something happen that isn’t meant to be. We had sex, end of story. Now it’s time for you to go back to your life and leave me to mine,” Devyn said in a hushed tone, clearly not wanting the others to hear. She must have forgotten that Cane had acute hearing and, by now, not only knew her real name, but that they had slept together.
“Devyn.”
She turned to look at Cane, realization dawning on her face. Devyn shoved him in the chest, and Gavin stepped out of the way. It was better that she be mad at Cane, instead of him or Ronan. They had more important things to hash out with her.
“Cane, I’m telling you now. Nothing is going to change my mind.” Devyn took a few steps to where the group was now taking seats at the table. “I have my reasons for staying hidden. I am not some savior to the Noble race, and I can’t help you in the way you think I can.”
“Devyn is your real name?” Sloane asked, taking one of the four chairs and turning it around so he could straddle it.
“Yes, but I never use it.”
Cane sat down in the chair, stretching his legs out in front of him. “The chopper will be here within thirty minutes. I suggest you get your stuff together.”
“Her stuff is right here,” Ronan said, coming out of the bedroom with her suitcase and duffel bag from earlier. He set both pieces by the door.
“Ronan—”
“So let me get this straight,” Cane interrupted her. “You think we’re here because we want you to use your power to our advantage, is that right? Did it ever occur to you that we just don’t like to see one of our own struggling to survive alone when you don’t have to?”
“You’re twisting my words, Cane. There are several reasons why I don’t want to go to Haven, which are mine. I don’t have to share them with you.”
“You’re right, you don’t,” Cane agreed, nodding his head. “But I know how I would feel if Addison kept things from me. Bottom line is, you need to share it with these two men who love you.”
Chapter Eight
Devyn waited in her bedroom until the coast was clear. It was closing in on midnight and Cane, Tavia, and Sloane were finally leaving. It had taken every ounce of strength she had to stand her ground with Cane. What right did he have to interfere with her life like that? He hardly knew her, yet he said that Gavin and Ronan loved her like it was an automatic thing. Well, it wasn’t. Desire and love were two different things. Besides, she knew their future didn’t contain her, so what was the point of Cane even saying that?
“You’re thinking too hard.”
Devyn turned to see Gavin standing in the doorway. She must have been too caught up with her thoughts to hear the door open. She took in his face, loving how his whiskers were taking over and giving him a rakish look. He was so handsome, and she wondered why some other woman hadn’t snatched him up before this. Cane was wrong, saying that he loved her. He loved the memory of an innocent teenage girl.
“I want you and Ronan to go with them.” Could she make it any plainer than that? She was starting to feel herself crack under the pressure and didn’t want them here when she did.
“So you can go into hiding again? I don’t think so.” Gavin stepped into the room and closed the door behind him. “Ronan went to the rendezvous point to make sure everything is going as planned. Tomorrow morning, when they bring Talon back, we’ll hitch a ride to wherever you want to go.”
“Who’s Talon?” Devyn took a step back when Gavin kept coming closer. She could feel her hands shaking and knew she didn’t have complete control. If she touched him, she might not be able to sever the connection to her ability, and the last thing she needed was to see another glimpse of his future without her. “And I’m not going with you tomorrow. You can fly home with this Talon.”
“Talon is a Scanner. She’ll scan the bodies to see if she gets any images from their last few days alive. Maybe she can see who’s decided to reorganize the Fray. And you’re wrong, because if you’re not coming with us, then we’re staying with you. Either way, we’re not letting you handle this on your own.”
“I don’t need your protection.” Gavin now had her back up against the end of the bed.
“I never said you did. You’re obviously very good at taking care of yourself. We’re coming with you because what Cane said is true.”
She was already shaking her head before he ever finished his sentence. “Will you just stop?” Devyn said, closing her eyes so he wouldn’t see the desperation there. “You don’t love me. You love the image I presented ten years ago, and I’m not that girl now, Gavin.”
“You think that time and distance can erase what we had?” They stood at the end of the bed, with only an inch separating them. Devyn opened her eyes, but stared at his broad chest, refusing to look up and let him misconstrue the want in her eyes for love. She wanted him and Ronan physically, that was all. It had nothing to do with love. “Nothing can erase what we shared, Devyn. Circumstances might have made you run, but they certainly made us find you again. And we aren’t going to lose you to baseless fears.”
Devyn felt her anger start to rise up and took hold of it with a vengeance. She did look up at him then. “Baseless? I did the only thing I could do, Gavin! Every damn Noble thinks being a Seer is the greatest thing on earth. Well, let me tell you, they couldn’t be further from the truth. No one, and that includes you and Ronan, can change what the future holds, and I am not strong enough to subject myself to seeing you and Ronan live your lives out with someone else!”
“Did we, or did we not, just change one of your visions? Ronan not only didn’t die, but we stopped him from getting shot. Now, I realize how hard it must be for you to know that, as a teenage girl, you didn’t have enough knowledge to save your parents. But you hiding out for the rest of your life because you’re scared something might go your way is weak and pathetic.”
“How dare—”
“I dare, because we love you.”
Gavin reached for the hem of her shirt and yanked it over her head before she could utter a protest. Pulling her to him, he wrapped his fingers in her hair and hauled her against him, melding their lips together. She was taken aback at his hunger, so like Ronan’s, that she could do nothing but take what he gave her. Her anger gave way to a fiery passion, and suddenly, she couldn’t get him close enough.
Wanting them to be skin-on-skin, she tugged his shirt up and over his hard abs, loving the heat that singed her fingers. She felt cold inside knowing that they would part ways tomorrow and wanted the warmth he could give her. Pulling away long enough to tug the shirt over his head, she threw it to the ground. She was reaching for his pants when he took a hold of her hands.
“Do you trust me?”
It took a few seconds for his words to register, and wariness settled in. She was starting to hate how he would change tactics in midstream. “Trust is not the problem, Gavin. But—”
Her breath was cut off when he lifted
her off the ground and walked around the edge of the bed. “Take your clothes off.”
Gavin walked over to her dresser while she sat there, stunned at his words. He opened the drawers and started to rifle through the things she hadn’t packed. “What are you looking for?”
“Take off your clothes and lie in the middle of the bed.”
Ever so slowly, she did as he asked. She wasn’t sure where this was leading, but as she said, trust wasn’t an issue. Devyn finished undressing and lay down in the middle of the bed. Gavin turned around and walked toward the bed, but all she saw was some type of material in his hands. What did she have that was purple?
“Close your eyes.”
He sounded so like Ronan, giving her orders. This sudden need to please him surged over her senses and she closed her eyes. The bed dipped, and then she felt something being placed over her eyes. Devyn brought her hands up, but his voice stopped her.
“Don’t touch. I’m going to blindfold you and then tie you to the bed. I don’t want you to do anything but feel what I do to your body. I want to touch you.”
“But—”
“I want to love you.”
With the material covering her eyes and hearing the longing in his voice, she gave in to his request and placed her hands back down to her sides. She could be honest enough with herself to admit she wanted this. She wanted him to love her the way he described, and knowing this might be the last time, she did as he asked.
Her heart started to speed up when he tied the material at the back of her head. She still wasn’t sure what he was using, but quite frankly, she didn’t care.
“Give me your wrist.”
She held up her right arm and felt him take her hand and place it in the corner. She felt him tie something around her wrist and then secure it to the bedframe.
“Good girl.”
The heat that infused her body at those words immediately made her pussy leak, and she rubbed her thighs together to ease the ache that was starting to grow. She felt the bed move and knew he must be going to the other side. Sure enough, she felt his fingers tie something to her other wrist. Once her arms were fastened to the corners, she thought he would do the same with her ankles. Instead, she felt him tie something right above each knee.
Elizabeth, Peyton - Noble Yearning [Nature's Nobles 5] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) Page 7