Passion Untamed (Feral Warriors #3)(26)

It sat at the back of the drive, a magnificent three-story brick house with black shutters at the windows and dormers tucked under the roofline. The windows were ablaze with light, giving the house a look of warmth and welcome that reminded her with bitter longing of the house, the Mage stronghold, where she'd lived as a child.

Any appearance of warmth was an illusion. There would never be any welcome at Feral House for her.

Along the edges of the drive were parked an array of cars, everything from low-slung sports cars to unremarkable sedans.

The car came to a stop, the hum of the engine going silent as the men and the woman flung open the doors and escaped into the night, slamming the doors behind them.

Skye scooted toward the seat backs as the door behind her lifted. Paenther's hard and shadowed face stared down at her as he reached in and gripped her arm, hauling her out of the car and depositing her on her bare feet. She stood in the light coming from the windows of the well-lit house, her hands tied behind her, trembling. As the cool breeze tugged and pulled at the skirt of her dress, she watched Paenther reach up and pull down the hatch, the muscles of his bare arms and torso flexing.

He was a beautiful creature. Strong. Powerful. If he decided she needed to die, she'd be dead in the heartbeat of his choosing. He turned and came to her with a dangerous catlike grace that drew her even as it scared her. Never had she wanted to be this man's enemy.

He grabbed her arm again without meeting her gaze, his jaw hard as granite, and led her up the brick walk as if she were a prisoner on her last journey. She wondered, briefly, despondently, if she'd ever again breathe the night air.

The couple she assumed were Tighe and his mate waited for them to catch up. Tighe was handsome in a classic sort of way, with his short blond hair and hard, unfriendly eyes. The woman was beautiful, with her dark hair and confident bearing. She watched Skye with an assessing, curious gaze.

"Interesting eyes," she murmured. "Are those copper rings what make them Mage eyes?" She turned and looked up at her husband.

"They are, but some Mage can hide the copper. This one did when she trapped Paenther." The raw disgust in his voice flayed her.

Finally, after so many years, she was among others with souls. Others capable of honor and self-sacrifice. Of love and kindness. But none of that kindness would be turned toward her. Because she was a Mage. The enemy. And the Feral Warriors were well-known to be merciless to their enemies.

Paenther ushered her through the front door and into the warm interior of an extraordinary house. There were luxuriously appointed apartments within the caverns where she'd lived all these years, the apartments of Birik and his sorcerers, but she rarely visited them and never willingly. She'd preferred her own rustic cell, or the woods, where she'd been left alone.

But her gaze focused on the grandeur before her with wonder. The foyer glowed brilliantly with light, nearly blinding her as her gaze took in the beauty of the high, three-story room. Stairs curved upward from either side, while high above them hung a huge crystal chandelier the likes of which she'd never seen. The walls were covered in richly decorated papers, gilt-framed paintings of flowers and animals positioned elegantly upon them. The largest of the paintings was on the floor beneath her feet, a portrayal of a forest filled with naked men and women and all manner of creatures that no longer existed, if they ever had.

Skye jerked at the sound of footsteps and looked up to find three people rushing into the foyer - two more large Ferals striding purposefully, towering over the blond female between them.

"Paenther!" the woman cried, smiling with such relief, Skye wondered if this were Paenther's mate. "We were so worried." But as she started forward, the largest of the men, a man with a commanding face and thick waves of golden hair, held her back.

"Lyon..." the blond complained.

"Easy, Kara. He's caught a witch."

Kara's blue eyes swung to her, flaring with wariness and no small amount of hostility. The female pressed herself back against the big man as his arm went around her protectively.

This man was clearly the woman's mate. Strangely, foolishly, Skye was glad.

The woman's wary gaze returned to Paenther. "I'm glad you're okay."

"Thank you, Radiant."

Holding the woman against him, Lyon reached for Paenther and clasped arms with him, his expression deep and warm and moving. "I'm glad to have you back, B.P."

The man beside him greeted Paenther in the same way. He said nothing, but the relief in his pale eyes was clear. When he released Paenther, he looked at her, his eyes going cold as a snowy day as he plucked at his goatee.

"She's tugging at my animal."

"And mine," Lyon said, pinning her with a look sharp enough to cut before lifting his gaze to Paenther. "The Shaman's on his way. I want her locked up until he gets here."

"Agreed."

"Evangeline and Genovia are on their way as well. I want everyone in that car cleared immediately." Lyon's gaze swung to Tighe. "You and Delaney can clear one another."

Tighe grinned as he pulled the dark-haired woman against him, the dimpled smile turning his hard face rakish as he visibly inhaled the scent of her hair. "If I have to."

The woman elbowed him gently, making him laugh.

Lyon's gaze swung to the man with the cold eyes. "Kougar, you and Jag keep an eye on Paenther until we know whether he's still enthralled." His gaze came back to Paenther. "Get rid of her cantric, if you haven't already."