The Cage(50)

Her heart thudded so painfully, she was sure he could feel it through the layers of their clothes.

“Ready?” His voice caressed her ear.

The sand felt so warm against her back. She had never noticed before all the different colors in his eyes, flecks of copper and green and ocean blue.

“Your goal is to escape the mount,” he explained. “For someone your size, it’s less about strength and more about positioning. You want to do what’s called a bridge, thrust your hips up and to the side to throw me off balance, and then slip out. If you’re dying to punch someone, now would be the time, while he’s down. You’ll get the most force if you use an elbow to the temple.”

The idea of thrusting her hips against him made her face burn even harder. Her lips parted. She didn’t move.

“Any time now, Cora.”

His throat constricted as he swallowed. Maybe he felt it too, this attraction. This place did such strange things to all of them that she was so starved for human contact, her skin longing to brush against the fabric of his shirt.

Lucky leaned closer, so his face was an inch from hers.

“Cora?”

“Yeah.”

“Any time now.”

Her head nodded on its own. She only vaguely remembered she was supposed to be doing an escape of some sort. Right now there was only one thing on her mind, and judging from the way Lucky shifted on top of her, she didn’t think she was the only one.

She was sure that any moment, he’d kiss her.

“Hang on. There’s . . .” His breath was ragged. “There’s something I should tell you.”

“Mmhm,” she muttered, letting her jaw lightly brush his shoulder. He let out a tight breath and lowered his head, so the side of his face grazed hers.

“Really,” he breathed. “I have to tell you. Before . . . this happens.”

“Just stop talking,” she whispered. She tilted her head enough for her lips to graze his jaw, which tasted like the dryness of the sand. She was aware of every grain of sand, every pulse of sunlight, every inch that separated them.

Lucky tilted his head too, until their lips were a breath away from touching. This was going to be it. Her first kiss. With a Montana farm boy who smelled like motor grease and fresh-cut grass.

She parted her lips.

“You call that fighting?” a deep voice called.





UNCORRECTED E-PROOF—NOT FOR SALE

HarperCollins Publishers

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25

Cora

CORA SAT TOO FAST and bumped heads with Lucky. His hands clamped over her protectively.

Leon stood on the closest wall, smirking. “Don’t let me interrupt.”

Lucky pushed himself to his feet. His face was flushed. She knew she must look the same and glanced at her reflection in the black window. The window . . . she’d forgotten about it. Had they been about to make out in front of the Kindred? Just like the Kindred wanted?

Lucky picked up his leather jacket, shaking out the sand a little too hard. “You’re supposed to be mapping the alpine areas, Leon.”

Leon jumped down from the wall and sauntered toward them. “I was, and it’s bloody freezing. I thought, What better place to warm up than a desert? And being the thoughtful guy I am, I came to help you two with the maze.” He smirked. “But it seems escape isn’t the first thing on your mind.”

Cora looked away. “He was teaching me to spar.”

“That what they’re calling it these days? Hell, sweetheart, I can show you a thing or two about sparring, if you want.”

“Back off,” Lucky said.

Leon gave a deep laugh. “Ease up, brother. She’s not my type. She reminds me of my sister.” He ran a hand over his face. “I’ve been watching the last ten minutes, and you fight like you’ve a stick up your ass.”

“It’s standard military combatives.”

“Whatever it’s called, you wouldn’t last five minutes in a street fight.”

Lucky jerked his chin. “Is that right?”

“Hey.” Cora shoved herself between them. “Leon’s right. We were distracted from solving the maze, and right now we don’t need distractions.” She fingered the shell in her dress pocket. “There aren’t many days left before the deadline.”

“If we make it to the deadline without starving.” Leon turned to face her, giving her a pointed look. “Thought it was funny, eh? Where’d you put all the food, sweetheart?”