Blood Trinity (Belador #1)(76)

He couldn’t figure this woman out. She’d held onto her thoughts tighter than a banker to his wallet … until now. “Why are you finally telling me any of this?”

“Isn’t it obvious after Sen zapped me out of here last night?”

Was that a trick question? “No.”

“You say you aren’t here just to help Sen put me away. I’m thinking either you are and you already know some of this, or you aren’t working with him, in which case I need you to know enough to be able to help …”

“To help what?”

She wouldn’t look at him when she whispered, “Me.”

Even after a couple years spent in isolation from much of the world, Storm knew when he was being given an olive branch of trust. This woman wouldn’t extend faith easily or often, so when she offered anything, a man should pay attention.

The problem was that he couldn’t afford to be responsible for that trust, and neither could he tell her why.

Letting her think she could gamble on him was a mistake. The best thing he could do was help her and the VIPER team find that damn rock, then rework his deal with Sen, which would piss off Sen.

Piss off Sen or Evalle?

Sen would smoke him.

But Evalle would lose her war with Sen.

Storm couldn’t find the person he had come here to hunt down if he gave Sen reason to pull him off the southeastern team. Neither could he do anything for Evalle if that happened. Getting any closer to her than a teammate wouldn’t do her any favors with Sen either.

Keeping his tone brisk, Storm asked, “Why do you need help?”

She turned those dark glasses on him, and even with that separation he could feel the power of her focus. The strength that lay behind that plastic shield. Her scent steamed off her when she generated any power like she was doing right now, while she tried to decide just what she could say without showing any more vulnerability than she had already.

The urge to reach out with his power and comfort her rose up inside him, but she’d bow up if he did that again. Too much pride to allow anyone to protect her. If she didn’t back off the power that was spinning around her he’d have to do something soon. Like put his arms around her. That’d get his clock cleaned. “Look, Evalle, I can’t help you if I don’t know what I’m looking for.”

She dipped her head and the power fell away.

Thank the spirit gods. Storm drew a breath, unaware he’d been holding his.

“Sen wants me off the team.”

“Then leave.”

She gave a wry laugh. “Not that easy. My existence depends on remaining with VIPER. Didn’t he fill you in on Alterants?”

“I heard about the ones that have shifted and killed. I know he thinks you’re hiding something from him.” Storm wanted to smile when her lips parted in surprise. She had a damn nice mouth. “I know he thinks you’re lying to him sometimes, which we established last night was credible.”

That flattened her lips across clenched teeth. What would it be like to see her eyes fire up with passion for once?

“What else do I need to know, Evalle?” He had to get moving, away from her preferably, or he wouldn’t keep his hands to himself with her putting out anxiety waves like a cornered animal. He had no choice but to push her a little more. “You’re the one who asked for help. What’s the deal with being an Alterant? What makes you special?”

That shoved the last bit of her rancor over the edge. “Just freakin’ forget I said anything.” She started past him.

He caught her by the arm.

She swung around and ripped her glasses off with her free arm. Her eyes glowed a brilliant green. Not anything like what he’d seen in the truck when they’d ridden to Atlanta from VIPER headquarters. “Take a good look. This is just a little pissed off. The really nasty side comes out if I shift, which Sen thinks I’m already doing anyhow and just keeping it hidden. The minute he has proof I’m a threat to humans, a Tribunal will lock me in a cage where no one will ever find me. That’s what he brought you in for. Take your hand off me before you lose it.”

Her body shook beneath his fingers.

He understood anger that raw and painful. It came from deep within when everything in your world was beyond your control. Storm’s jaguar wanted to come out and kill whatever threatened her, wanted to roar at the anguish buried inside each of her sharp breaths and force the world to stop hurting her.

When he ran out of choices, he kissed her.





TWENTY-THREE




Evalle had prepared herself for any reaction from Storm when she yelled at him and showed her glowing green beast eyes, but his kissing her had not been one of them. A rush of shock stole her ability to think or react. Then she only thought about how his lips were soft for someone with hard corded muscle beneath the skin where she clutched his arm.

He hadn’t touched her anywhere except her lips.

She, on the other hand, had her fingers wrapped around his arms. Holding on was sending the wrong message.

Allowing him to continue kissing her was sending a way wrong message. She let go.

He lifted his mouth from hers.

She remembered to breathe again. Noticed the rain still misting. Remembered they were in Piedmont Park, where thankfully few humans visited late on a Monday night. When she met his gaze, she expected a look of apology, but she didn’t see an ounce of regret. Before she could stop herself, Evalle licked her lips.