His Darkest Hunger (17 page)

But, blood was blood, and he was grateful that his brother had not hesitated when he’d called and asked for the family jet. They needed to fly into Belize under the radar. No government agencies on either side could know their intent. Jaxon needed to attack quickly and with deadly force.

He still had no clue who had broken through their sophisticated defenses in Washington, and that concerned him. No one, not even Commander Drake, could know what he was up to.

Jaxon exited the plane and found himself staring deep into the topaz-colored eyes of his older brother. They were warm with affection, and he bypassed the outstretched hand and enveloped Julian in a hard embrace.

A greeting from behind broke the men apart, and Julian smiled broadly as Jagger, the youngest of his brothers, jumped down.

One after the other his whole team gathered around, Ana swathed from head to toe in protective gear; Libby, quiet, reserved, as she observed everything. Julian tossed him a bag, and he in turn handed it to Libby. She was still avoiding his eyes, but took the bag, clutching it to her midsection protectively.

“Some clean clothes,” he murmured, wincing as she jumped at the sound of his voice. Julian elbowed his way into their inner circle, and Jaxon had to urge the beast inside to quiet. He watched as his older brother held out his hand, the long, elegant fingers palm up, a submissive greeting, and one that did not go unnoticed. He was doing his best to alleviate any fear that Libby had, and to let Jaxon know he had no interest whatsoever in the thin blonde who stood so unsure before them all.

“I’m very sorry to hear what you’ve been through, Libby,” he told her. “But rest assured, the DaCostas will pay for their sins, I will personally see to it.” Julian’s voice was soft, but the underlying steel that clung to his words reassured Jaxon that even though his brother might look the corporate magnate, he was still a jaguar at heart.

And apparently he was going to join in the hunt.

She took his hand, and the two of them led the way toward the Castille corporate jet. Jaxon took a seat in the very back, his eyes never leaving the blonde, who, to him, still appeared too vulnerable for the type of mission that lay in store.

Once they were up to a cruising altitude, he unfastened his seat belt and made his way toward Libby. He felt her stiffen as he sat beside her, his body so very aware of the heat from her skin.

It was approximately two and a half hours until their landing in Belize City, a place he’d not been to in decades. Ironic, that his enemy now made their home in the very jungles he’d once run through as a youngster.

Jaxon pushed that thought aside and concentrated on the task at hand. He needed to know where they
were headed. His team had pinpointed three locations, but Libby had indicated back at the cabin that none of them were the right ones.

He cleared his throat, then spoke. “We’ll be landing in a couple of hours. I need to know where we’re headed. I need numbers, how many civilians, targets, etcetera. And I need to know the
exact
location of the DaCosta residence.”

He looked at the long fingers stretched out on her lap. The nails were short, and he was surprised that he’d forgotten how graceful they were. As if they belonged to a musician and not a trained assassin.

Her voice was soft, and he strained his ears in an effort to hear her.

“We’ll need to go to San Ignacio. It’s southwest of Belize City. From there we’ll take the Pine Ridge Road south into the Cayo district. There are some ruins there, in Caracol. They’re old and there are people excavating. The DaCostas have a compound to the east, high up into the jungle. It will take the better part of a full day’s hike to reach it. It’s deep in the heart of the Maya Mountains.”

Libby stopped fidgeting and met his eyes fully. “You’ll need a lot of firepower. There are no civilians.”

“Thank you. That’s good.”

Silence hung heavy, and it ate at him, the slowly widening space between them. All he wanted to do was close it.

“Libby, we need to talk about a lot of things. I think—”

“Don’t think, Jaxon. I can’t do this right now, with you.” Jaxon felt her sadness and kept quiet as she went on. “I have a lot to figure out, and right now,
most of what is on my mind has nothing to do with you. I need you to give me some space, and let me do what I need to do.” She raised her eyebrows to him. “Are we clear?”

Libby closed her eyes and rested her head against the headrest, effectively dismissing him. Jaxon took a second to absorb the information, then left her alone with her thoughts as he made his way back to Declan and Ana.

“Declan, call ahead to your contact and let him know we need a base set up near a place called Caracol. There are some Mayan ruins there, should be easy enough to find. It needs to stay under the radar. We’ll rendezvous there before heading into the jungle. Tell him to get his hands on as much firepower as possible. We’ll be landing in a couple of hours and I want to be at the base by early evening.”

“You do know that we’re most likely walking into a trap?” Ana replied. “I mean, they seem to know our every move. Maybe we need to take some time and think on this a bit before rushing headlong into the jungle on intel she’s fed us.” She spoke quietly, but everyone heard her. “I just feel like we’re playing into their hands.”

Jaxon’s face was tense. “Don’t think that hasn’t crossed any of our minds. But the fact remains that Belize is where we need to start. We need to proceed with caution and be smart.” He lowered his voice and looked directly at Ana. “And I need to know that everyone on board is here to fight. Because if not, now’s the time to speak up.”

Ana was quiet for a few moments, then piped up. “Don’t worry about me. I have my own reasons to
want to see every single DaCosta dead. But are you sure it’s a good idea to take her along?” She kept her tone neutral, but clearly thought of Libby as a hindrance on the mission.

“Nope. Don’t think it’s a good idea at all.”

He ignored her snort and turned toward the porthole of the plane. The sun was shining brilliantly, and he squinted out at the blanket of clouds that dotted the landscape. His gut was nervous, and a cold pressure was pressing into his chest. His heart began to beat heavily.

The jungle called to both his jaguar and the humanity that lived inside of him, yet he couldn’t shake the feeling of dread that stuck in his throat.

He didn’t have a good feeling about this one.

Not at all.

T
hey landed amid heat, haze, and a strong breeze that blew across the tarmac, fresh off the Caribbean Sea. The air was thick with moisture, and Jaxon felt it heavy against his cheek as he deplaned. It called to something primal, deep inside his soul, and his spirit lifted even as the coming mission weighed on him. He quickly scanned the area surrounding the plane, and his nostrils flared as he scented the air.

Nothing seemed out of place, and he proceeded, acutely aware of Libby following a few paces behind. Her heart rate had elevated and he sensed the turmoil that ravaged her psyche. He knew that it had to be hard for her to return to this place.

This paradise that hid so many dark dangers.

He cleared all thoughts from his mind save one, and proceeded toward the small building that
housed customs. He couldn’t afford for his focus to be compromised. His thoughts were centered on the DaCostas and what he would do to them when he had them in his sights.

They were waved through customs, and Jaxon shook his head at how easily a few dollars in the right palms eased their way into the country. Ana drew her share of looks as she walked through the small building, swathed from head to toe in a thick cotton weave with a sun repellant charm courtesy of Declan.

So much for flying under the radar.

Their contact met them outside the airport. John was a tall man, lanky, with strong features that hinted at his Indian heritage. He leaned nonchalantly against a large, older model cargo van that had seen better days, but it blended in perfectly with the odd assortment of battered vehicles parked along the curb.

Drivers were lunging for luggage, trying to outdo each other in a bid to capture a tourist for their next fare. When John saw them approach, he flicked the cigarette he’d been smoking and smiled broadly.

“Welcome to Belize, man.”

The drawl was soft, full-bodied, with an island roll that caressed his words. He quickly helped load their gear and stowed it in the back of the van. Once they were all inside, he pulled away and they began the trek to San Ignacio.

They followed the Western Highway as it headed out into the lush tropical countryside. The town was approximately seventy miles away, but the roads were busy, and despite John’s aggressive driving style, the ride took almost two hours.

Jaxon’s eyes swept along the brush that crept up
to the road and he felt a sliver of excitement as he recalled visiting the Jaguar Wildlife Reserve. He’d accompanied his mother and older brother. Jagger hadn’t been born yet, so he knew he must have been a toddler, but it was still clear to him now.

He remembered shifting with his mother, and the three of them running wild for days, intermingling with several wild jaguars that lived on the reserve. They’d made several trips throughout his childhood, but it seemed so long ago. He smiled at the memory, and caught a glance from Julian in the rearview mirror.

He wondered if his brother was thinking the same thoughts. They used to come here, to this wild and untamed place, to mingle freely with true animal jaguars. The mighty predators had once ranged from Belize all the way up past Mexico and beyond, into the southern states. Sadly, with their habitats slowly eroding, there weren’t many protected environments for the big cats to live and play in. The Jaguar Reserve in Belize had afforded them the opportunity to do just that.

The sun was high in the sky and crossing over into late afternoon by the time they arrived in San Ignacio. They stopped briefly for food and to pick up a few more supplies. The plan was to continue along and make base before the sun set.

Jaxon tried to keep his distance, but he was concerned about Libby. She had changed on the plane, and a feeling of déjà vu spread through him at the sight of her dressed as if she were part of his unit once more.

She was still favoring her left side, and he looked to Declan as a thought struck him.

“Can’t you work some magick to make the pain go away? A charm? Spell? Something?”

Declan looked to Ana and lowered his voice before answering. “It doesn’t work that way, Jax. And we don’t have the time for me to attempt a healing charm.”

Jaxon grimaced, causing Declan to raise an eyebrow.

“Look, none of us thinks she should even be here. I can appreciate her need for closure, and the desire for revenge. Really, I can relate. But she’s not in great shape physically or mentally.” Declan shook his head and looked away. “She’s gonna get us all killed.”

“I was just asking a question,” Jaxon snapped, “not looking for a lecture.”

The mood darkened considerably as they climbed aboard the van and headed south along Mountain Pine Ridge Road. It would eventually dump them deep into the Cayo district. They traveled through a large reserve that was abundant with lush flora and fauna. These forests were famous the world over, full of pine trees that seemed out of place in the middle of its tropical locale. In the distance, large waterfalls could be seen shimmering as they cascaded down, some well over a thousand feet above the ground.

They soon left the reserve behind, continuing along Pine Ridge Road. The journey remained both quiet and tense, until eventually they came upon the Mayan ruins located in Caracol. It was indeed a sight to behold, and Jaxon felt the enormous weight of history beat at him as they parked and slowly stretched their limbs, deep in the shadow of the impressive ruins.

His fingers radiated energy, filled with a new and frenetic excitement that was hard to explain. This…
this
is what was real to him: being out in the jungle, deep in the heart of jaguar land with a thousand warrior ghosts urging him on.

He had to use superhuman effort to keep control of his emotions, and as he looked to his brothers, he knew they felt the call of the wild as deeply as he did. Jagger’s nostrils were flared and his eyes had darkened until not a speck of green remained.

The sun was beginning to set, and its direct rays no longer affected Ana. She’d dumped the shroud but looked miserable as the heat curled her hair wildly, and her clothes stuck to her body. She quickly pinned her hair back, her arms trim and pale, and Jaxon was startled at the raw emotion that crossed Declan’s face as he too watched the vampire.

The man looked haunted, pained even, and Jaxon turned away, not wanting to be privy to such private revelations. Libby was off to the side, her back to him, and he made his way to where his brothers stood.

John returned and confirmed that he’d talked to the person in charge of the site, an archeologist. They would be allowed to leave their vehicle and proceed out into the jungle. Jaxon wasn’t sure what he’d told the archeologist and he didn’t care. They were here in the heart of the Cayo and would be close to the DaCosta compound in just under twenty-four hours.

They grabbed their gear and Declan radioed his contact. He pointed to the west, and the group hiked nonchalantly around the edges of the ruins before
disappearing into the Chiquibul forest that surrounded the ancient Mayan temples and buildings.

They were swallowed up by the jungle immediately, and their eyes adjusted quickly to the dim interior. Howler monkeys trumpeted their advance, and Jaxon felt the eyes of the jungle’s inhabitants on him. Cracker led the way, with Libby at his side, with Jaxon content to watch her from several paces back.

Julian fell into step beside him and they carried on for a while in silence.

“Are you all right?” his brother finally asked.

The question surprised Jaxon, and he flashed a quick grin and nodded. “Yeah, once we reach base, I’ll have a look at the satellite images we managed to pull…not sure if they’ll do any good with all this cover, but we’ll come up with a plan and they’ll never know what hit them.”

“That’s not what I meant. I’m talking about Libby. Jagger filled me in. I know there was a child.”

Jaxon’s face whitened and he kept his gaze focused on the slight shoulders that were covered in a tumbled mess of blond waves. He shook his head at Julian, “It’s her I’m worried about. She thinks that the child is alive. She even named him. Logan.”

He couldn’t begin to describe the sorrow that stabbed him as his older brother hiked along beside him.

“Do you think she’s right? About the child being alive?”

“No.” Jaxon’s face turned hard and his bitter eyes darkened at the thought of a child he’d never had the chance to know. “Why would a DaCosta spare the life of my son? It doesn’t make any sense.”

“None of this makes sense,” Julian answered darkly. “I think it’s safe to assume that things are not what they seem.”

Jaxon shrugged his shoulders and kept his eyes trained ahead, on Libby’s frail frame. “Yeah, Cracker and the rest of the team are fairly certain this is not going to go as easy as we’d like. This will not be an operation without consequence.” A harsh smile flickered across his handsome face as he turned once more to his brother. “But then, what would the fun be in that?”

Julian shook his head as Jaxon’s smile widened, and answered wryly, “Indeed.”

Silence fell between the entire group then, and they hiked for just over an hour more before Declan led them to a clearing where his contact had managed to set up a half decent base of operations.

There were four tents in all. One housed equipment and weapons, and the other three were for sleeping. The plan was to get some much needed rest and then leave early in the morning. Hopefully, they’d reach the compound by early evening and attack under the cover of darkness.

Jaxon watched as Ana stowed her gear in the nearest tent, followed by Declan. Cracker and Jagger claimed the second one. Libby stood looking more then a little lost, and he quickly moved toward her, but she turned before he could reach her and disappeared into the remaining tent.

He continued to the larger tent, which held their cache of weapons and a whole host of goodies. Julian was already deep in conversation with Declan’s man, and after introducing himself, Jaxon requested the satellite images they’d managed to pull.

Considering the amount of cloud cover he’d observed on the flight over, he was relieved to note that the images were clear, and he quickly made mental notes.

It wasn’t a large compound, but there were ten buildings scattered about, and from the looks of the pictures, a fair amount of commandos. He continued to study them, his mind focused and sharp, when a tingle up his spine stopped him cold.

He sensed Libby’s presence before she stepped through the tent flaps. Her female scent was enticing hung heavy in the air, drifting lazily through his nasal cavity and making his mouth water with need. His reaction was instant and hard. It slammed into his gut with red hot spikes of desire, and he nearly dropped the pictures.

His head whipped around and he pinned her with his black eyes. Her violet eyes had darkened, and they ignored him as she focused on the photos that he held. Her breathing was ragged, coming in short staccato bursts, but she managed to keep a professional air as she came toward him.

“Let me see those.”

The words slipped from between her lips, and the commanding tone surprised him enough that he let her take the satellite photos from him. Her long, graceful fingers avoided his touch as she did so.

Her hair hung down past her shoulders, the flaxen strands curling wildly from the heat. It was all Jaxon could do to keep reaching for her and burying his nose deep in the soft waves.

He couldn’t take his eyes from her, and watched as her pale cheeks flushed. Every cell in his body ached for her, and he knew it would not lessen in
time. His body had recently tasted her sweetness, and it remembered every detail of their wild coupling two nights ago. He mentally groaned, unable to stop the images of her as she rode his cock, so full of passion atop his body. She’d successfully slithered into the one corner of his heart he’d left vulnerable, and stolen it out from under him.

Again.

He was screwed. There was no other way around it.

She bit her bottom lip as she studied the pictures, and he knew how hard it was for her to be here.

Libby was hurting, and he desperately wanted to comfort her.

Without realizing he’d moved, Jaxon took a step toward her, but stopped as she whispered, avoiding his eyes, “Don’t. I need to be strong right now and I
will
fall to pieces if you touch me.”

Anguish sliced through him at her words. Reluctantly, he drew back, respecting her wishes. Turning away from her, he noticed that both Julian and Declan’s man Bart had left them in privacy.

He cleared his throat. “Where do the DaCostas hang when they’re at the compound?”

Libby edged her way to the table just to his right. She was so close he could see the rash of goose bumps that covered her flesh. She drew in a shaky breath, and when she spoke, her voice was strong.

“This large building here is the main gathering place in the compound.” He watched as she pointed to the largest of the buildings at one end. “It’s where their offices are located and it’s also where they like to eat and drink.”

“These here,” her fingers trailed along several
smaller shelters that lined the eastern side, “are the sleeping quarters for their men. Some are shifters, some aren’t.” She turned to Jaxon, her lips pursed into a tight line. “But they’re all dangerous.”

Half of the buildings were hidden beneath the jungle canopy, but as Jaxon stepped closer for a better look, he was able to make them out.

He pointed to two buildings located on the southern perimeter. They were secluded from the rest, which seemed odd. “What are these ones used for?”

Libby tensed but shrugged her shoulders. “They’re just storage sheds. I think they use them for extra food and water.”

She held the photos for a few seconds more, then placed them carefully on the nearest table. “All the ammunition is kept in the main building at the very back.” She looked directly into Jaxon’s eyes, and he flinched at the pain that was so clearly present. “Next to Degas’s office.”

Jaxon nodded, and they stood in silence for a few moments before Libby quietly excused herself. Then he paced the small circumference of the tent, on edge and full of restless energy. His heart pounded out a pagan rhythm, and as the familiar burn began to ease its way up his torso and across his chest, he growled low in his throat.