Passion Untamed (Feral Warriors #3)(64)

"Yes."

He felt so damned helpless. He'd promised to keep her safe, but in those dreams, Birik hurt her, and there was nothing he could do about it. All he wanted to do was keep her safe - lock her within the walls of Feral House, where no one would ever hurt her again.

But Feral House was the one place she could never stay. No Mage witch would ever be welcome there, he knew that.

He kissed the top of her head, her soft hair brushing his chin. She pulled back and looked up at him with love in her eyes. Within that love, he saw a raw, desperate hope for the future. A future he was all too afraid would never be theirs.

Chapter Nineteen

Skye clung to Paenther's hand as she accompanied him up the front walk of Feral House, her heart warm and full with a fragile joy.

Paenther loved her.

The entire trip home, he'd held her hand, refusing to let go, filling her with happiness and hope beyond anything she'd ever thought possible. There was so much at stake still, and the other Feral Warriors still distrusted her, but Paenther would bring them around. She had to believe.

Because he loved her. And she loved him so much in return, she ached from it.

They were nearly to the front steps when the door burst open. Paenther grabbed her around the waist and hauled her back as Tighe ran out the door, Delaney close behind him.

"Jag and Foxx found a pair of Mage." Tighe paused at the base of the steps. "They called for backup."

"Where?"

"Jefferson Street."

Paenther released Skye and swung her to face him. "You need to stay here."

"Paenther, no." The last thing she wanted to do was face Lyon alone. "You may need to shift."

He thought about it for three seconds, then grabbed her hand. "All right. I'll drive, Stripes. The Escalade's warm."

Tighe eyed her with a look that was neither friendly, nor truly antagonistic, but he nodded.

The sunshine disappeared, the day turning gray in an instant. The wind started to kick up. Tighe looked up and frowned.

"I'll ride in back," Skye suggested, as they reached Paenther's black SUV.

"No." Tighe's response was quick and sharp, leaving her no choice but to get in front with Paenther. It was clear he didn't trust her with his mate. As soon as they were in, Paenther took off. The trees bent to the fury of the wind, a small branch tumbling across the drive in front of them. The wind was definitely kicking up.

They drove the short distance in silence. "There's Foxx's Mustang," Paenther said, when they turned onto the residential road only a few streets from the one where Feral House sat.

A red car sat on the side of the road appearing empty and abandoned.

"Do you see them?" Paenther asked.

"No. They're probably in the woods." But a moment later, Tighe's tone matched the sudden tension in the car. "I called them telepathically, but there's no answer. If they're chasing Mage, they should be in their animals."

Paenther pulled out his cell phone and punched some numbers. "No answer."

"We're going to have to track them."

Paenther pulled over to the side of the road. As the car slowed to a stop, Tighe threw open the door and leaped out, shifting midleap into a house cat.

"He can change his shape," Skye murmured, surprised.

Delaney leaned forward. "A lot of the Ferals can. It helps them blend into the human landscape. Zoo animals tend to draw unwanted attention."

Skye glanced at Paenther, tempted to ask him if he could change size, too, but his concentration was elsewhere. She suspected Tighe was talking to him.

As if in answer, he shoved open his door. "Let's go."

"Did they answer him?" Delaney asked.

Skye opened her door, having to hang on tight to keep it from getting away from her as the wind tore past.

"No." His expression was grim. "He smells blood."

Paenther grabbed Skye's hand, and the three ran into the sharp wind to where Tighe, now a man, stood at the edge of the woods. Skye smelled the carnage before they reached it and prayed Tighe hadn't found the bodies of the Ferals. But when he looked up, a hint of grim satisfaction weighed in his eyes, and she knew he hadn't.

"Mage," he said as they joined him. "Now I understand the sudden turn of bad weather. Mother Nature is pissed."

Skye covered her nose as she looked down at the two badly mutilated bodies. The men's chests had been torn open. Their hearts were almost certainly gone. But enough of their faces remained for her to recognize them.

"I know them."

"Friends of yours?" Tighe asked carefully.

She met his gaze without rancor. "I have no friends among Birik's Mage."

Tighe nodded, seemingly satisfied, but his expression quickly turned to one of confusion. "These two were killed by animals. Feral animals. So where are Jag and Foxx, now?"

Paenther released her hand and stepped back, stripping off his shirt. "Let's find them." When he was fully undressed, she stepped forward and pressed her palms to his chest. He covered her hands briefly, then released her as he began to shift.

Skye jumped back as the panther emerged where the man had stood. He took off into the woods but the tiger didn't immediately follow. The great striped cat was staring at her with deadly green eyes.