Rapture Untamed (Feral Warriors #4)(45)

He and Olivia alone knew the real reason. That she was his because he'd forced her to be. Because he knew something about her no one else knew and had threatened to destroy her if she didn't do exactly as he said.

The truth settled in his gut like a fist-sized lump of hard clay.

She'd become his partner because he'd coerced her into it. She'd become his lover because he'd given her no choice.

But it wasn't enough. He wanted more. He wanted...her.

With a sudden longing that tore a strip from his soul, he wanted her to reach for him because she wanted to. He wanted to see a smile lift her pretty mouth and light her eyes and know that smile belonged to him alone. The longing hit him like a pair of fists.

And just as quickly, the bile stirred inside him, the bitterness that drove his life, decrying every thought he'd just had, rejoicing in the fact he would never see a smile in Olivia's eyes. Not for him.

He didn't want her smiles. He didn't need her reaching for him. He'd never wanted that shit from anyone. Not since...

Goddess.

Not since he'd watched Cordelia die and done nothing to stop it. Done nothing to help her.

His mind turned abruptly from that dark pit of nightmares, his gaze seeking Olivia's small, bright head.

His hands fisted on his thighs as he fought to keep from reaching for her.

And he ached.

Chapter Fourteen

The rain started on the drive out of Harpers Ferry.

Great.Olivia pressed her fingertips against the inside of the Hummer's cool window. It was as if Mother Nature knew exactly what they had in mind and was already expressing her displeasure. If they killed any Mage, the weather would only get worse.

Though midafternoon, the day was gray and colorless.

They parked the vehicles in the woods, and the Ferals shifted. Hawke took to the sky while the three house-cat look-alikes accompanied the four non-Ferals through the rain. Delaney walked beside Olivia, the hood of a raincoat covering her hair. Niall and Ewan brought up the rear.

"Did you get a good look at the Daemon?" Delaney asked, as they made their way through the underbrush. The ex - FBI agent's expression revealed little, but her eyes possessed a keen edge of dread. "Skye tried to explain it to me, but she said words failed her."

"I did see it. And Skye was right. The thing's a nightmare."

She'd had little interaction with Delaney, but after six hundred years, she'd become a good judge of character, and the woman had impressed her. Olivia's instincts told her the woman possessed both intelligence and compassion, with a fierce streak of warrior that would bode well for her ability to handle whatever they came up against.

Olivia suspected the woman had the heart. But she couldn't help but wonder if she had the strength. They claimed she'd been turned immortal, but immortal didn't mean indestructible. Would she bounce back from injury as quickly as a Therian? Tighe must think so, or he wouldn't have let her come.

"So the Daemon attacked you?" Delaney asked.

"Yes. It could have easily killed me."

"Why didn't it?"

"I struck back. I punctured something up under his shoulder with my knife, and he screamed and took off." She doubted that was the whole truth. Though she couldn't be certain, she suspected her feeding off him had had as much to do with his flying away as her knife attack.

They were nearly within sight of the house when a huge hawk swooped down through the trees and took human form in front of them. Unlike Jag's, Hawke's clothes remained when he shifted, and he stood now in all black.

"There's no one in the woods, thanks to the weather. The house up ahead - the run-down white clapboard that I assume is our Mage stronghold - appears occupied, but I couldn't get a look inside."

Tighe's voice rang in her head, as it did in all theirs, she was sure.Any sign of Mage?

"None. Not a sentry in sight, either outside or in. We may genuinely be able to keep the element of surprise, despite the daylight raid."

A few minutes later, the house came into view. Olivia and Hawke drew to a halt, the other nonanimals stopping more slowly.

Delaney glanced at her with surprise. "What's the matter?"

Olivia looked at her a second before she understood. "We're here. You can't see the house, can you?"

Delaney frowned. "Apparently not."

Olivia looked to her men. Each shook his head once. Ewan's eyes warmed as they slid down her body, clearly looking for an invitation. They'd been intimate from time to time when both were in the mood and had no one else to share it with. She'd always found her encounters with him adequately enjoyable.

But the thought of him holding her and entering her today, even as perfunctory as the encounter would necessarily be, left her cold. As did the thought of Niall. She couldn't even look at him now, knowing the need she'd see in his eyes - a need far more emotional than physical. A need she'd never been able to return.

The sad truth of it was, from the moment Jag had come barreling into her life, her body had lost interest in everyone else.

Tighe shimmered into his human form, his clothes also intact. Jag joined them, standing naked as a babe without swaddling and infinitely comfortable with it.

Tighe looked at Delaney, reaching for her hand as he turned to Olivia. "While I try to help Delaney, get your men's minds open or send them back to the vehicles. Blind warriors are useless. We'll be back in a few."