She hit the gas, the tires spewing gravel as she peeled around the corner and burst out of the woods right into the center of the almost-abandoned village. The sight of her grandmother’s house hit her hard, and tears filled her eyes as the enormity of her loss filled her. The lavender cabin with its yellow trim and massive collection of colored-glass wind chimes was such an anomaly in a town of rustic cabins, but Nonny had never cared. She did what she wanted and thumbed her nose at anyone who disagreed.
Just like how she’d walked outside after dark to find Jacob.
“Damn you, Nonny,” Sarah whispered as she clenched the steering wheel, jamming her foot on the accelerator, knowing that she had no time to grieve. She had to get to the fountain, or Nonny’s sacrifice meant nothing.
Ruthlessly shoving aside her tears, Sarah kept driving, right through the center of town. Most of the stores were boarded up now, and the pots of flowers in the town green were just old, dead strands of flowers from last summer that no one had bothered to repot.
The white church was silent, the bells no longer pealing the hour, plywood nailed up over the stained glass windows she’d loved so much as a child. There were a few people gathered on the front porch of the Spur & Cask, the general store that had once been the focal point of the bustling eastern Oregon town. Today, it was the only place still open to get groceries or news, but just walking inside gave the aura of a past dying out. One that would be completely destroyed once Sarah was dead.
This was her town, the place she’d grown up with friends and family, a place that had survived near destruction hundreds of years ago, and clawed its way back into the living. The town had been rebuilding piece by piece until the last ten years, when the cycle had begun again.
Now, it was almost dead again. Sarah was the last angel still living there, and there were so few people who even remembered what the village had once been.
Loneliness aching through her, Sarah drove past the closed-down theatre and down the dirt road to the older section of the village, the one no one bothered to go to anymore except her. As she passed one of the outlying cabins, she saw a door open. Out onto the sagging porch came Javier deLeon, one of the old guard who had once patrolled the streets at night to keep everyone safe. She’d heard stories about his legendary strength from the days before she was born, but today he was simply old, gray, and wrinkled. He was the man who spoke to no one and who lived on the outskirts. People left food on his porch, but it was never touched, and no one knew how he managed to feed himself.
But onward he lived, year after year, never faltering over that precipice of death that he’d seemed to be on for decades.
Javier’s long hair was split in two braids which trailed down his back in gray and white ropes of gnarled mess. His skin was dark, as if he’d spent years in the Oregon high desert sun and paid the price. A cold chill rippled over Sarah as he watched her pass by, his black eyes riveted to her Jeep.
He always watched her. Never spoke. Retreated when she reached out.
She raised her hand in greeting, and to her shock, he gave her a single, solitary nod, not taking his eyes off her. The chill immediately shifted to a cold that went all the way to the marrow of her bones. Why had he acknowledged her now? What had changed?
But as she glanced down at the hairline fractures fissuring over her skin, she had a bad feeling she knew: it was because Javier sensed she was dying.
Crap!
Her hands shaking now, Sarah pulled the Jeep up beside the crumbling mound of rocks that had once been the center of the village, a majestic fountain of life and hope. The tires skidded on the dusty earth, too dry for this time of year. Coughing at the billows of dust, Sarah yanked off her seatbelt, grabbed the door frame and pulled herself out of the seat. She landed on the parched earth, and her legs gave out instantly, her knees crashing to the rocky ground.
Sarah gritted her teeth as she braced her hands on the earth, her palms burning from the impact. “Come on, Sarah,” she muttered. “All you have to do is get over to the fountain. It’s really not that difficult.”
Almost glad that Nonny wasn’t there to give her grief for letting herself get this weak, Sarah crawled over to the fountain. She grabbed what was left of the crumbling stone wall, heaved herself over the two-foot barrier and landed in what used to be a pool at the base of the fountain.
Ten years ago, it had been filled with cool, pure water that would have seeped into her skin from the moment she landed in it. Ten years ago, all she would have had to do was collapse right now, submerge beneath the water and let it restore her.
Today, there was just the dry, crumbling rock that had once been the bottom of the fountain. Gritting her teeth, Sarah pulled herself across the basin to the statue in the middle, a sculpture that now looked more like a decaying leper than an angel. She braced herself on the bottom of the statue and reached up into the small bowl that used to overflow—
Her fingers touched dry rock.
No water. Not even a trickle.
Damn! It had been almost dry when she’d left, but there’d been dampness. Now, it was bone dry. “Come on!” She had not allotted time to actually run out of water completely. She needed water now.
Sarah grabbed the statue and hauled herself to her feet to look inside. The opening that water had been flowing through for a thousand years was dry. “Oh, man. This isn’t good.”
Sarah shoved her fingers inside. Dry. “Oh, come on!” She grabbed a small rock, a fragment from the angel’s toe, and clenched it in her fist as she leaned against the fountain, using the crumbling tower to hold her up. She hit the opening with the rock, trying to chisel it to make it bigger.
The opening crumbled beneath her assault, getting wider and wider, and still no water. “Oh, crap. Seriously?” The rock fell out of her hands and clattered to the ground. “Dammit!” Tears of frustration burned in her eyes as she turned to retrieve it, and then she saw a shadow move in the woods.
She froze, straining to see into the shadows of the forest. “Nonny?” There was a dark shadow, a quick movement, and her heart started to race as she saw the muscled bulk of a Calydon. Of course it was a Calydon. Who else ran around in the woods of Akara these days?
Aching disappointment and loneliness arced through her at the realization that it would never be Nonny sneaking up on her again, and she fisted her hands against the grief, trying to steel herself. For two weeks, she’d fought to control her sadness, and she had to continue to keep control. Every minute she was in town, she was in danger, and she couldn’t afford to get killed just because she was too upset to concentrate on staying alive.
She had to focus on the movement in the woods, on the scout that had noted her arrival. It was daytime, so they wouldn’t attack, and some might even be close to their normal human selves, but she knew she’d just been spotted.
She’d have to leave town before nightfall and pray they didn’t track her. How long could she keep sneaking into the village during the day and getting out at night before they figured out how to follow her? Not long. She knew it wouldn’t be for much longer. And if they caught her tonight? Yeah, she’d last maybe five minutes. Tops.
Which meant she had to find the damn water now. Her jaw jutting out in determination, she grabbed another rock and began pounding at the fountain. Her fingers were bleeding, and the rock slipped out of her aching grasp again. Sarah groaned as she watched it clatter across the pebbles, and slowly sank to her knees, leaning her head against the side of the fountain. She closed her eyes, the warm rock rough against her cheek as her body trembled. “This is ridiculous,” she muttered. “It would be so anticlimactic to die sitting next to the fountain that is supposed to save my life. I’m really not this pathetic, am I?”
“See what happens when you have sex with a guy and blow him off? It never ends well to break a guy’s heart.”
Sarah whirled around at the sound of the male whose marks still burned on her arms.
Standing behind her, his shoulder p
ropped casually against the crumbling frame of one of the old buildings was Kane Santiago, a smug expression on his face. His torso was bare, showcasing the myriad of scars across his strong body, and his jeans hung low over his hips. With his hair tousled and spiky, the sun gleaming from behind him, his shoulders broad, he looked exactly like the savior who had plucked her from death and gifted her with the very depths of his emotions. But with his scars so vivid and raw across his body and the hard set to his jaw, he also looked exactly like Los Muerte himself, come back to life.
*
Sarah had no time to fear him. No time to worry about the talismans on his body. She just needed him. “Kane,” she gasped, unable to keep the relief out of her voice.
His gaze swept over her, and his cocky amusement fled, replaced with that same intense protectiveness she’d seen before. “What can I do?”
She gestured at the fountain, her hands trembling, blood oozing from her torn up fingernails. “It’s supposed to have water. I can’t get it.” She couldn’t keep the desperation out of her voice.
Kane strode across the crumbling village square and vaulted effortlessly into the fountain. He crouched beside her, his face intense and all-business. “Where does the water come from?”
She almost cried with relief. He didn’t bother with silly questions that wouldn’t help. He’d instantly realized the danger of the situation to her, and he was focusing on what mattered. “From the earth. But it’s not rising.”
Kane set his hand on her hair, a tender, soothing gesture that made her want to cry as he studied the fountain. His gaze was sharp and clear as he scanned it. “It’s usually in the bowl?”
She nodded. “I tried to chisel through the opening, but I couldn’t get very far.”
Kane stood up and peered inside the bowl, then he shot her a look of respect. “You got pretty far.”
The tension began to ease from her body now that Kane was here. She wasn’t alone. She had help, and quite frankly, she was too damned desperate to worry about whether that help was in the form of the world’s greatest lover or the world’s most deadly demon-tainted mass-murderer. If the man could get her water, then he could have whatever past he wanted, at least for the moment. “Well, I’ve always been known for my rock-chiseling skills. It’s a girl thing.”
He raised his brows. “Impressive.”
“I know.” She grimaced, unable to keep all of the trembling out of her voice. “Unfortunately, my skills seem to be declining. I couldn’t pull it off.”
“I got it.” He crouched beside her, and pushed her hair back from her face, his gaze intense. “But do me a favor and don’t take off on me again. It was a bit of a pain in the ass trying to track you down.” His voice was hard, but beneath it was an undercurrent of vulnerability, a man who had so much to lose and so much at stake.
Like she was going to argue right now. Anything to get his help. Besides, it wasn’t as if she was going anywhere at the moment. “Yes, I promise not to crawl the entire two inches away from you that I could manage before I crumble to the earth in a pile of sheer exhaustion and impending death.”
Amusement flickered over his face. “I swear, there’s nothing like saving a woman from death twice to make it easy to manipulate her.”
She rolled her eyes. “You can’t manipulate me. I made that choice because you look like some lost puppy dog at the thought of losing me, and I felt bad for you. And because I’m too weak to move anything but an eyelash.” Despite her flirting, she couldn’t suppress her discomfort at having to rely on him. She hated to put herself in a position where she would be in trouble if he turned on her, but she had no choice. Not right now.
He cocked an eyebrow at her. “You pitied me?”
She pressed her hand to her forehead, trying to quell the pain thudding through it. “Exactly.”
“Pity?” Kane grinned, even as he set his hand over hers and pressed lightly. She was startled to feel a surge of energy from him. “Well, damn, woman. I think that’s a first. I was hoping for raw, unbridled lust keeping you hopelessly begging for another kiss from me, rendering you utterly incapable of doing anything but fantasizing about me and my incredible lovemaking skills.”
As his touch took away some of the throbbing pain in her head, Sarah shivered with desire, his words evoking memories of their lovemaking. Oh, the man had no idea what he did to her. She thought of the brand hidden beneath her long sleeves and stiffened, trying to pull away from his touch. Dammit. She had to remember to keep her distance, because the bond would try to pull them together. She couldn’t afford to complete any more stages and tighten their connection, making it more and more difficult for her to protect herself from him when he finally turned. “You won’t win me over—”
“No.” He gave her a long look as he grasped her shoulder, not letting her escape from him. “I can’t imagine anyone could, but right now I’ll settle for not having to spend another two weeks tracking you down.” He gestured to her. “I might have to get a little violent with the fountain, so I want to move you out of range. Can you walk?”
She shook her head, not even bothering to try to come across as some powerful woman. He’d seen her at her worst. She had nothing she could prove to him. “Not so much, no.”
“May I?” He held out his arms, and she almost laughed at his attempt to look harmless.
How dangerous could it be for him to carry her a few yards? Surely she could manage to resist her attraction to him for a few steps, so that he could help her? Of course she could. She might be throbbing with desire for him, but she was also an emotionally stunted and damaged woman. She should have no trouble calling upon that trauma to resist the temptation of being in his arms. “Yes, sure, you can move me.”
“Excellent. I’ve been wanting to feel you up for weeks.” He slipped his arms under her and scooped her up with way too much ease, his biceps bulging as he stepped over the crumbling wall.
“Don’t be crass. I’m not that kind of girl.” But damn, she couldn’t stop the swell of desire that cascaded through her at the sensation of being held in his arms. Suddenly, all the intensity that had erupted during their first encounter raged to the surface again. Her skin felt hot, her belly pulsed, and her whole body began to vibrate.
Kane stopped and stared at her. “Son of a bitch,” he said softly, staring at her with such sensual desire that she felt like he was about to ignite every cell of her body. “What is it with you?”
She pulled her sleeves over her hands and shook her head. “We had a night of great sex, and there’s a little residual stuff going on. That’s it.”
“No, it’s not.” He bent his head and pressed his face to her hair, inhaling deeply.
Sarah stilled, her heart thundering at the intimate gesture. It felt amazing to be in his arms again, to feel his body surrounding her like some great shield. She’d wondered how she could have made love with him so recklessly, and now she knew. It was abundantly clear just how thoroughly he unraveled her defenses. He stripped her of all sanity and logic, and made her burn with something she didn’t even understand. Suddenly, all the weakness that had been haunting her fled, replaced with something powerful and strong. Life? Hope? Excitement? Things she hadn’t felt in so long.
Kane pulled back, and something flashed in his eyes. Pain. Hunger. Lust. Tension. Slowly, without another word, without asking permission and without bothering to see how she felt about it, he hoisted her in his arms, crushed her against his chest, and kissed her.
The moment his lips touched hers, something inside Sarah came roaring to life again, just like it had before. The hunger she’d seen in his eyes filled her, sweeping through her like some great storm trying to wrench her off her feet and thrust her up into a raging inferno of desire, lust and passion.
She couldn’t stop herself from kissing him back, from wrapping her arms around his neck, from breathing in the sheer force of who he was. His energy and life force streamed into her, surging past the tears and breaks in the fabr
ic of her soul, plunging right to her heart. She clung to him, kissing him back every bit as fiercely as he was kissing her, afraid to lose the feeling he gave her. He was life, he was light, he was courage and strength, everything she didn’t have on her own, everything she needed.
With a growl, Kane shifted her in his arms so that she was facing him, her legs on either side of his hips, her breasts crushed against his chest. His hands dug into her butt, his mouth almost violent on hers as he kissed her back. It was as if all the intensity from that night had never left, despite two weeks of absence and the fact it was broad daylight.
She fisted his hair, her heart thundering as she kissed him. God, it felt amazing to be held and kissed, like she was alive and breathing for the first time in years. Her skin was on fire, the blood racing through her, her body trembling with such desire that her stomach actually ached with need.
Jesus, Sarah. Kane locked his arm behind her shoulder blades and plundered her mouth, his kiss so deep and so passionate it was as if he were trying to find her soul and strip it out of her body.
But as she kissed him, she felt the kiss begin to change. More passion, more darkness, more violence surging through him. His arms began to tighten around her, almost too tight, almost crushing the breath out of her. Adrenaline raced through her, along with a tremor of fear. Los Muerte. The name whispered through her mind, as the darkness of Kane’s spirit began to close around her like a thick, dark cloud of violence and death—
“Hey!” A firm hand slammed down on both their shoulders. “Cut the crap, Kane. Can’t you see the angel’s in bad shape?”
Sarah jumped and tried to pull back, but Kane just locked his hand behind her head and cut off her retreat, claiming her with one final kiss of pure possession. It wasn’t until he’d decided they were done that he finally allowed her to break the kiss, his brown eyes staring at her with fierce ownership as he pulled back. Lurking in his eyes was that darkness, a pulsing void trying to take him, to consume him. Pain flickered across his face and he grimaced, showing her that he was feeling the same agony that he’d felt when they’d been making love.
Darkness Reborn (Order of the Blade #5) Page 9