His Darkest Hunger (25 page)

She screamed softly before smiling down at him wantonly, beginning to move and gyrate against him. The pressure he felt was intense. His hands immediately grabbed her hips, slowing the rhythm, wanting the pleasure to last.

But his little hellion was having none of that, her body gliding up and down more forcefully, her channel tightening as she continued to ride him fast and hard. Her breasts jiggled in front of him, and his hands fell away from her hips, letting her have her way, and they found their way to the softness of her generous globes, the long fingers pinching the puckered redness of her engorged nipples.

His right hand left her chest and he held it tight against her belly, loving the feel of her muscles as they clenched and shuddered with each thrust of his cock. He could feel the pressure build deep inside him, and his eyes sought out hers, fastening on the large ovals that stared down at him, misty and luminous with passion.

Her lips were open and her tongue could be seen between her teeth as she began to moan softly. She increased the rhythm even more, and the sounds of flesh slapping hard against flesh reverberated throughout the tent. It only added to the insane pleasure that Jaxon was feeling; for they were the sounds of his body loving the woman that belonged to him.

When he felt her vaginal walls clench even tighter, he knew he couldn’t wait much longer, and as she screamed her release, he gave one final thrust and let his body give in to the most incredible orgasm he’d ever had. It pounded through his veins, rough and aggressive, leaving every nerve ending in its wake electrified.

He heard the beast within scream in triumph, or it very well could have been himself. He didn’t know and didn’t care.

Libby collapsed onto his chest, and he immedi
ately wrapped his arms tightly around her, reveling in the sound and feel of her heart raging deep inside her chest. He wasn’t sure how long they lay there, limbs entwined, bodies wet and slick from their lovemaking.

When her head moved and her eyes looked at him, he felt more love than he’d known was imaginable. She gently traced his mouth and kissed him, murmuring against his flesh, “
That
was one hell of a body wash.”

Jaxon laughed loudly, and pulled her in close to his body before closing his eyes. A few moments later her even breathing told him that Libby had surrendered and fallen asleep. He kissed the top of her head as his thoughts darkened, and he felt anger once more begin to claw at him.

His thoughts turned to Cormac. They had in their possession something the sorcerer wanted. Badly. There was no way in hell he would just hand over an innocent to a madman like Cormac, but that didn’t mean he was above using the woman as bait.

He sighed softly, his breath ruffling the soft blond hair that lay against him. Only time would tell if his son was indeed alive and well. He couldn’t dwell on that right now, though. He needed to rest.

Because tomorrow he was going to fucking kill the bastard.

Libby awoke with a start. She wasn’t sure what pulled her from the clutches of sleep, but she pushed her hair from her eyes, instantly on edge. She sensed a presence, and it had nothing to do with the warm, muscled form that was flush against her back.

She shook her head and tried to focus.
Something
was here
. She could feel it. Her eyes searched the dim interior of the tent as she tried to locate whatever was making her so jumpy.

The feeling intensified, manifesting itself until she knew beyond doubt that Cormac was calling to her. The urge to run to him was so compelling she found herself moving before she even realized it.

His magick was strong, of that there was no doubt, and her natural instinct was to fight the pull. What kind of power did he have over her? The nagging question flittered through her mind, but Libby pushed it away. She knew it didn’t matter. She would follow his crumbs. This was her only chance to get her son back. She had to obey.

Gingerly, she disengaged her limbs from Jaxon, her smile bittersweet as she gazed down at the sleeping man. He was such a fierce warrior, so handsome and strong, yet in repose she could see the young man that he had once been.

That thought alone brought a host of emotions to the surface, and she had to take a moment and compose herself. Quickly, she gathered up the dirty clothes that Jaxon had removed from her the previous evening, wrinkling her nose at the thought of pulling them on. A quick glance around told her there was nothing else available, so she quickly pulled the clothing up over her body.

After dressing, she drank some water and tried her best to untangle the hair that still lay in wild waves, pretty much everywhere. She gave up after a few frustrated moments and gathered the thick mess, securing it with a piece of string from the bag she’d brought with her when she first arrived.

She paused once, her eyes trailing back toward
Jaxon, and then quietly slipped from the tent. She knew she had to do this alone. Jaxon would attack with a vengeance, taking Declan, Cracker, and even Julian along for the ride. There was just too much room for error, and that was something she wasn’t willing to take a chance on. Her son’s safety was her only concern.

Besides, she knew that Jaxon would never approve of her plan.

It was still dark out, the air heavy with the threat of a storm. The ominous feeling seemed to fall like a second skin over her flesh, and she shivered as her eyes moved about the camp. She’d been so exhausted when they returned that she’d never even inquired about the woman.
Skye Knightly
.

She pursed her lips, then took off without hesitation toward the tech tent. It was the largest and would be the most logical place to stash a prisoner. After moving the flap back, she stepped silently inside, grateful that her eyes had adjusted to the gloom.

“You’re up early.”

The words sliced through the air and brought Libby up cold. She turned to her left, a small smile playing around her mouth as she spied Cracker.

“I couldn’t sleep.”

His raised eyebrow brought a blush to her cheeks, but Libby ignored it, her focus shifting to the woman who lay a few feet beyond him. She was bound, and her eyes burned with dark emotions that were evident even through the dim interior of the tent.

“I need to talk to her.” Libby nodded toward the prisoner. “Alone.”

“Aha.” Cracker spat to the side and slowly got to
his feet. “I’m going to give you a few minutes, Libby, but pay attention. She’s a slippery piece of work and not to be trusted.”

“Don’t worry about me. Why don’t you try and get a few hours sleep? I’ll stay with her.”

Cracker’s dark eyes bored into her, and Libby hoped he would just leave. She didn’t know what she’d be forced to do if the ex-soldier refused and stuck around. Seconds ticked by, and then, with a slight nod, Cracker disappeared and left her alone with the blond woman.

A woman who was the key to her son’s survival.

Her face grim, Libby turned and slowly walked toward her. She needed to know why Cormac wanted her so badly. She needed to know what kind of hell she was going to unleash by giving him exactly what he wanted.

Because she
would
sacrifice this woman for her son, if she had to.

Of that there was no doubt.

Libby squatted down in front of the woman that she’d shared a room with for several weeks in the DaCosta compound. They’d hardly spoken then, and the dislike evident on the stranger’s face told her she would have to do her dammed best to get her to talk now.

“Skye?” Her voice was soft, silky smooth. As the seconds ticked by, Libby knew with all her heart she was on the right path.
She would do this.

She would get her little Logan back.

The woman’s electric blue eyes were full of anger, but she remained silent.

“Skye, we don’t have much time. I need your help.”

The woman continued to regard her with eyes
that had turned dark with loathing. “You lay with a jaguar and you expect me to help you? You’re fucking crazy.”

Libby frowned and shook her head. She was done with games.

“You
will
help me get my son back,” she stood quickly, her eyes narrowed as she lowered her voice, “and Cormac will die.”

“Cormac?
He
has your son?”

Libby nodded and moved toward a long table, her steps sure and her heart full of many scattered emotions. She grabbed a gun, one that was loaded to the teeth with antimagick bullets, as well as a long serrated knife. The symbols that lined the silver blade proclaimed it as charmed, and she smiled softly as she held the deadly weapon in her hand. She would slice his throat with it, if she had the chance.

Turning back around, she motioned for the woman to get up. Skye hesitated briefly, but then slowly moved her limbs, gingerly gaining her feet with a grace that was surprising considering her arms were bound behind her back. When she was standing and facing Libby, she spoke.

The venom and hatred that poured from her mouth was undeniable.

“I’ll help you get your son back, but you will let me kill Cormac. He needs to be stopped.”

Libby paused, staring at the other woman suspiciously. “Why does he want you?”

The blond woman grimaced but kept quiet, refusing to answer. A sliver of doubt slid through Libby and was gone as quick as it had arrived. She didn’t for one second trust the other woman, but would
not change her own course. There was no time. She nodded toward the exit. “All right, let’s do this.”

She listened intently at the door, and when the coast was clear, pulled back the flap. She let Skye pass and followed suit. Seconds later both women disappeared into the darkness and were enveloped into the arms of the jungle.

T
he going was rough.

Libby and Skye had been trudging through the jungle for what seemed hours. The sun was up, but the rays were hampered not only by the thickness of the jungle canopy, but the dark clouds that blanketed the area as well. The occasional rumble of thunder could still be heard in the distance, and as Libby paused for a moment, wiping sweat from her brow, she doubted the darkness that was following her had anything to do with the weather.

Cormac’s black magick could be felt in every breath she drew deep into her lungs. It was pungent, thick with the taint of his evil. She tried not to think about the fact that she found the sensation almost familiar. In fact, it seemed as if her legs had a mind of their own and she was just along for the ride.

The two women had spoken barely a word to each
other the entire morning, but the silence that lay between the two of them was not so much one of dislike; rather, it was something akin to slowly gained respect. It had grown as their legs ate up miles of jungle underbelly, and about an hour earlier Libby had finally relented and untied Skye’s hands from behind her back.

She was impressed that Skye had no problems keeping up with the relentless pace she set. She was more impressed that the woman hadn’t tried to escape. Of course, the gun and knife that she brandished might have had something to do with that, but it also appeared that Skye wanted to destroy Cormac almost as much as she did.

Maybe even more so.

She grabbed some water and took a long draw, letting the liquid slide down her throat as she caught her breath. The stitch in her side had returned, but she’d become so used to ignoring pain that it was no more annoying than a mosquito bite. She rubbed her ribs gently and passed the water to Skye.

The other woman grabbed the bottle and took a long swig. She wiped her hands across her mouth and looked directly into Libby’s eyes. “Sorry for that.”

Libby looked at her, confused by the comment, but when the woman nodded toward her ribs, she understood. The only reason she’d received the injury was because Skye had initiated a rebellion against Fat Frank.

Libby shrugged and looked away. She was trying to banish the horrific memories that she’d only managed to regain a few days ago.

“You were there when they brought me in.” Skye’s words were spoken quietly.

Again Libby remained silent, but now Skye had her full attention.

“How long did the DaCostas have you?” the other woman asked.

Libby considered ignoring the question, but for whatever reason, she found an answer slipping from her mouth before she could stop herself. “Three years.”

She could tell that Skye was surprised by her answer, and for a moment there was just the familiar silence from before.

“Why did they take you?”

“Why did they take
you
?” Libby shot back.

Skye remained quiet, her deep blue eyes shadowed and pained. Libby exhaled deeply and looked away into the distance. The sadness that encircled her heart was making it difficult to breathe. A plethora of emotions wracked her psyche, but she didn’t give into them. She needed to be strong.

For Logan.

“I worked for the government, in an antiterrorist unit. I met Jaxon,” her eyes bored into Skye’s, “
my jaguar
, at PATU. He was in charge of our unit.” A small smile lit the corners of her mouth as she continued. “We became involved, and we’ve both paid the price for that.” She grimaced and glanced at Skye, who was listening quietly. “We are the poster couple for the million reasons
not
to get involved with someone you work with. It
will
come back to bite you in the ass.”

Libby sighed harshly, her voice bitter, “The DaCostas took me, and tortured me to get information on a mission that Jaxon was involved in. They
wanted to eliminate him. There was no way in hell I was gonna give up the man that I loved. But then…” Her voice trailed off softly.

“Then what?”

“They found out I was pregnant.” Libby shook her head as her eyes filled with tears. “Suddenly I had to choose between the man I loved and the child I carried.” She shrugged her shoulders. “I chose my child, but at what price? Logan was ripped from my womb two years ago. I didn’t even get a chance to hold him.”

“I’m so sorry, Libby. I had no idea.”

Libby was silent for a moment, as a new thought struck her. “Do you know why Cormac has my child? And what your role in all this madness is?”

She watched as the other woman struggled with something internal. As if she were weighing all of her options.

“I don’t know why Cormac has your child, Libby, but nothing he does is random. There’s an ulterior motive there, and it’s something above and beyond using your son to get to me. He will not hand the boy over.”

“And he wants you because…?”

Again Skye hesitated, but then shook her head and answered. “I’m guessing he thinks I’ll lead him to an ancient portal that’s a direct conduit to the demon underworld.”

Libby was stunned at her answer. She opened her mouth to speak but then closed it. She was speechless. All sorts of thoughts ran through her mind. Demons? She’d never dealt with anything like that in PATU, but she’d read reports that had made her
skin crawl. If Cormac somehow managed to open his very own portal to the underworld, all hell would literally break loose.

“Can you?” she finally managed to ask.

Libby watched as pain crossed Skye’s features. She was a striking woman, but there was also strength there to match the beauty.

“My father died trying to destroy the portal, and I will give my own life to keep it out of that bastard’s hands.”

Her answer was barely above a whisper, and Libby was still not altogether sure that she trusted her. But at this point she had no other choice. “Okay, then. I’ll do whatever I can to help, but my son comes first. Understood?”

Skye nodded, and Libby exhaled slowly. A shrill shriek cascaded across the jungle as a large bird flew overhead. Both women jumped, and afterward Libby tried to calm her nerves.

“We need to get going,” she said, stashing the water bottle and standing. “I want to get to Cormac before Jaxon and the rest of the team follow suit. I can’t take a chance on everything going to shit. I won’t let Logan get hurt in the cross fire.”

“Do you even know where we’re going?”

The heaviness in her heart turned over, and Libby fought the panic and nausea that roiled in her gut. She nodded and began to move, Skye following her lead. “Cormac has tapped into me somehow. He’s leading us right to him.”

“That’s great to hear,” Skye replied sarcastically. “We got a plan?”

“No.”

Skye laughed softly. “Good to know.” She fell in
step behind Libby, and the two women were once more swallowed whole by the Belizean jungle.

Base camp was quiet, yet the air was thick with anger. It clogged Jaxon’s throat, preventing him from articulating the boiling rage that simmered beneath the surface. But maybe that was a good thing.

He could not believe he was about to go after Libby…again, the second time in as many days. The woman was certifiable! What the hell was she thinking? Traipsing off into the jungle, going after Cormac alone—taking the only bargaining chip that they had with her.

How the fuck had she managed to sneak out of camp, and take their prisoner along for the ride?

He threw a dark look toward Cracker, but truthfully, he knew he couldn’t blame the soldier. They were all exhausted, and there had been no reason to suspect she would pull such an incredibly stupid stunt.

He snarled, angry with himself more than anyone else. He’d had the woman in his bed and still she’d managed to slip away.

Libby was going to get herself killed. And over what? Some fantasy that his enemies had kept his offspring alive? That someone as evil and demented as Cormac would take care of a small jaguar shifter? Out of the goodness of his heart? That even if he had, he would just hand the child over? The man was a monster, and for reasons Jaxon didn’t understand, wanted the woman that they’d pulled from the wreckage of the compound.

None of it made sense.

But he was going to get to the bottom of it. And
there would be hell to pay if one hair on Libby’s head was harmed.

He clenched his teeth as he heaved his bag across his shoulders. They were full of weapons, Declan specials, and he was ready to use all of it to get back the woman he loved.

“You ready?” Declan asked as he moved toward him, followed closely by Julian and Cracker. The ex-soldier was avoiding his eyes, and Jaxon left it alone. He knew Cracker felt responsible, but he’d come around eventually. No words were necessary.

Jaxon nodded and glanced over to the tech tent. “Ana, we’re going silent. Don’t contact us unless we’ve got company.” He could see the frustration that lit her eyes. The vampire was damn pissed that she wasn’t able to come along.

“I’m coming after you as soon as it gets dark,” she replied.

“Ana, we need you here with all the equipment.”

“No you don’t, Jaxon. Tech boy over here can handle it without my help.” Her eyes softened as they passed over the sorcerer, but the familiar bite was still there as she continued, “You better watch your ass, Declan. I don’t want to be picking it up off the jungle floor.”

“Hell, Ana, is that all I have to do to get your hands on my ass?” Declan smirked and then winked back at the vampire. “Don’t worry, darlin’, I’ll be back, and you can inspect every inch of me for damage. In fact, I’ll expect a thorough examination.”

“Just be careful.” With a whirl of long dark hair and pale limbs, Ana disappeared into the tent. Their tech boy saluted and followed suit.

“All right. Let’s head out.” Jaxon turned in a
semicircle and inhaled sharply. He felt a rush of emotion threaten to overwhelm him as her scent drifted on the wind and settled deep inside his chest. He could track her easily by smell, but he knew he didn’t need to do that any longer. She belonged to him now, and her essence called to him on a primitive level.

His gaze swung west and he began to move quickly, his men following suit. She had at least a two hour head start and they had some rough ground to make up.

The four men moved through the thick trees with deadly precision. Each were consumed with thoughts of their own, and the jungle fell silent as they methodically ate up the terrain. Jaxon could feel Libby’s emotions all around him. They were in each breath he took. They ran the gamut from pain, anger, and a touch of hope as well, and surrounded him as if they were hung from the branches of the low lying canopy. Everything that she felt pummeled him with an intensity that left no doubt she belonged to him body and soul.

His long frame hummed with a hunger that ate at him, pushing him forward at a relentless pace.

Julian fell into step beside him, and Jaxon felt grateful for the presence of his brother, although that brought to mind the missing Jagger. He grimaced at the thought and shook his head; one more thing to file away and deal with later. All that he could think about right now was finding Libby and getting the hell out this jungle.

“We have a plan?”

Jaxon stole a glance to his brother and snorted. “We’re going to go in with everything we’ve got,
and I’m going to personally rip that fucking bastard to pieces.”

Julian nodded. “Not if I get to him first.”

“Hey, he’s my piece-of-shit father,” Declan put in. “If anyone has the right to send him to hell, it’s me.” He grinned as he pulled up alongside the two brothers. “It’s about time we started a pissing contest.” He looked back to Cracker. “You in?”

“You young pups are all insane. Cormac O’Hara is one crazy son of a bitch, and he’s not going down without a fight.” The older man’s words sobered them a bit. “Declan, you’d better make sure you’re on top of your game, and don’t let him mess with your head, or we’re all dead.”

“Christ, you know how to close a party down but good. Don’t worry, Cracker, my old man is in for the surprise of his life.” Declan’s demeanor changed sharply, and Jaxon looked at him intently. The sorcerer’s body crackled with power, and sparks flew from his fingers as he clenched his hands.

Rage, anger, and vengeance were strong emotions indeed. They could prove deadly when mixed with the kind of power Declan possessed. They could also corrupt and eat away at a person until all that was left was poison.

Jaxon forged ahead, filing away that knowledge and knowing he’d have to keep a close eye on his friend.

They hiked through streams, cut their way through verdant greenery, all the while on a direct course toward the Mayan ruins in Caracol.

The thick jungle finally gave way to a vast area that had been cleared. It was early afternoon and they’d been hiking for hours. Jaxon could feel Libby
much stronger now, her scent everywhere. It tore at him and he began to breathe hard.

He quickly got hold of his emotions and called for the calm, calculating soldier that was so much a part of him. His eyes scanned the area directly in front of him, but the site was massive, spreading out over thirty square miles into the jungle. He could see humans milling about, but dismissed them as either tourists or members of the archeological team that was slowly rescuing Caracol from the jungle that had laid claim to it centuries before.

The focal point was the large temple that rose well over 140 feet. It was one of the largest Mayan structures ever unearthed, and the largest one in Belize. His eyes narrowed as another flash of anxiety rushed through him.

His body trembled as the cat shimmered and burned beneath his skin. Libby was there. Somewhere deep inside the temple.

He snarled and took off at a run, and the three men followed suit. Declan began to chant a protection ward, his long legs keeping him abreast of the Castille brothers and Cracker as he did so.

They skirted the perimeter of the ruins and slithered into the thick Chiquibul forest that surrounded the area. By the time they reached the back of the stone structure, it seemed that every cell in Jaxon’s body was on fire with the need to get to his mate.