Obsession Untamed (Feral Warriors #2)(79)

Tighe nodded and turned to the others, then explained how he and Delaney had figured out the clone was seeing through his eyes.

“So he’s not seeing anything but Delaney?” Hawke took his seat and leaned forward, his eyes flashing. “But he’s hearing whatever’s said during that time.”

“Right. Full sound visions, just as mine are.” Tighe stopped and turned toward the table, his hands going to Delaney’s shoulders, his gaze skipping from one Feral to the next. “We can use this to set him up. To set a trap.”

Lyon’s brows rose questioningly. “Do we know what he wants?”

“The other half of Tighe’s soul,” Delaney said. “He told me he was going to use me to get it.”

“Did he say how?”

“Unfortunately, no.”

Lyon’s gaze swung to Hawke. “Any clue?”

“None. All we know is he had her lying in a pentagram and he possesses at least some of the knowledge of the Daemons. His plan could be anything, but everything points to its involving either Delaney, or Tighe.”

“So we’re going to make it easy for him to catch us.” Tighe waited until all eyes were back on him. “We’ll pretend to be planning to trap him again.” He looked at Kougar. “One of your Daemon traps. Something that requires all the Ferals to leave Feral House. I’ll tell D I’m staying here with her as long as I can, then tell her something went wrong, and I have to leave to help you. If I’m his target, he’ll have access to me when I cross the woods alone. If D is the target, he’ll have her virtually unprotected in the house.”

Lyon grunted. “I’m not leaving Kara unprotected, but the clone doesn’t have to know that. And the rest of them will be in their animals, hidden, watching you two.”

“Exactly.”

“He may not believe you’d leave Delaney alone,” Lyon said.

Delaney gave a soft snort. “If there’s one thing he doesn’t understand, it’s love.”

“How would he get into the house?” Kara asked. “The doors are always locked.”

“His life’s on the line.” Tighe kneaded Delaney’s shoulders softly, gaining strength just from touching her. “A locked house wouldn’t stop me if I needed in. It won’t stop him. He’ll try. We’ll stop him before he breaks in.”

Lyon’s gaze met his. “It’s a long shot.”

“Maybe not, Roar,” Hawke said. “The clone has to know he’s dying, too. I’m willing to bet he’s already planning some kind of move. If he senses how close his soul is to crumbling, he’s planning it tonight. By giving him our plans, or our supposed plans, we’ll be giving him exactly what he wants.” He nodded to Tighe. “It might work brilliantly.”

“If we can pull off the acting job,” Delaney said softly.

He squeezed her shoulders. “We’ll do it. Midnight?” he asked the others. When he received a round of nods he said, “Midnight it is.” Then he took Delaney’s hand, careful not to meet her gaze. “Let’s go up to my room where we can concentrate.”

A long shot, Lyon called it. And Tighe feared he was right. But it was the only shot they had. As he led Delaney from the room, his arm tight around her shoulders, apprehension knotted his gut. But it couldn’t obliterate the hope that burned inside him.

Because he still had a chance to come through this alive. Not a great one, perhaps, but a chance.

If he did survive the night, the next task on his agenda was convincing Delaney to stay in his world instead of going back to her own.

He pulled her close and kissed her hair. One challenge at a time.

“You ready?”

Delaney shuddered, glad for Tighe’s arms tight around her. They’d gone over what they needed to say and practiced it five times, now. But the thought of actually doing it was setting butterflies to flight in her stomach even as it covered her skin in goose bumps.

Because the goal was to let the clone see them. To let him see her. And the thought of bringing that evil presence into the room with them was making her ill.

“He won’t be here, D. He’ll just be watching.”

“Have you started to read my mind now?”

His lips brushed her hair. “Not your mind. I can feel your emotions as if they were my own. The nervousness. But also the aversion. And the fear.”

“My fear doesn’t bother you anymore?” But it didn’t. She could feel his emotions, too.

His hand ran slowly up and down her arm. “All these years, fear has reminded me of that time with Gretchen. You stole its power over me today, D.”

She tried to smile, but was too nervous to pull it off. “I’m glad.”

“Me, too. But enough stalling. We need to issue this invitation, or he won’t make it in time. Then we’re really screwed.”

She took a deep breath, trying to disperse the ants crawling over her skin. “Okay. Let’s do it.”

Slowly, he turned her around in his arms. She expected him to look into her eyes, to draw in the clone. But instead he kissed her, strengthening her even as he calmed her. Smart man, he pulled back before the kiss got out of control and stole all thoughts from her head. Including the ones she needed.

Running his palms over her cheeks, he stared into her eyes.