Passion Untamed (20 page)

Skye stroked his fur. “I’m going to help you, Paenther. I’m going to heal you, I swear it. Then I’ll do whatever I can to help you free him.”

The panther rose onto his haunches and leaned forward to lick her cheek.
Thank you, Beauty, but I’m not letting you get anywhere near that cavern again. My men and I will get him out.

“I don’t think you’ll make it through the warding of that mountain without me to guide you.”

We’ll see. I’ve promised to keep you safe, little witch. That’s a promise I mean to keep.

“I know.” She buried her face in his fur and loved him.

Help me shift
.

“You’ll be naked.”

He chuckled in her head.
A naked man on the beach will draw a lot less attention than a black panther. There’s no one out here to see, either way. I need to kiss you, Beauty. It won’t wait
.

His words brought tears to her eyes. She did as he asked, and a moment later, the man was beside her, pulling her onto his lap and into his arms.

Paenther pulled Skye tight against him as he sat naked in the sand. The night was clear, the moon dancing over the waves as the soft roar of surf melded with the hard beating of his heart. Need poured through him as he slanted his mouth over that of the woman in his lap, kissing her thoroughly, tasting her, inhaling her sweet scent of violets. The need to touch her, to be close to her, was becoming a craving he couldn’t fight. Goddess, what was she doing to him? The more time he spent with her, the more he needed her. And not just sexually. Touching her was becoming as important to him as breathing.

As she wrapped her arms around his neck, he reached beneath her sweater and covered her breast, neatly tucked into a lacy bra. He growled, low, not liking the feel of anything between them.

With a light tug, he pulled off her sweater and tossed it aside, then followed with her bra. Her skin glowed in the moonlight like mother-of-pearl, drawing his gaze…and his mouth. He bent his head and closed his lips over her shoulder. She tasted of forests and raindrops and sweetness, and she stirred emotions inside him he’d never felt for anyone.

Her fingers went through his hair. “Aren’t you worried about draden?” she asked softly.

“I’ll shift if I have to,” he murmured, then slid his tongue along the line of her shoulder and slowly up her neck, drawing a gasp and a hard shiver from her. Skye was in no danger from the little fiends—they rarely attacked Mage. And he had a fiery need to make love to this woman beneath the stars.

His hand closed over one perfect breast, her nipple tight and hard as it grazed his palm, sending need coiling low inside him. Curving one hand beneath her knees and the other at her back, he turned her until he was cradling her in his arms.

Skye laughed and slid one arm behind his neck. “What are you doing?”

He met her gaze with his hunger, he was certain, written all over his face. “This.” Lifting her, he brought her breast straight to his mouth. He groaned from the sheer sweetness of her flesh as he closed his lips around her and suckled. He flicked his tongue across her nipple, over and over again until her fingers dug into his neck where
she held on, and into his scalp, where she held him tight against her until she was moaning with pleasure.

With a last tug on her breast, he lowered her back to his lap, gazing at the damp, swollen flesh with satisfaction. He looked down at her, at her small, sexy smile.

“You’re even more beautiful in the moonlight,” he said softly. “I didn’t think it was possible.”

Her smile widened and turned shy. “So are you, my warrior. I want you inside me.”

“There’s nowhere I’d rather be.” He kissed her, sliding his tongue into her mouth as he laid her on the soft sand and stroked her body, his hand sliding down her torso, to bump up against her jeans. “These have got to go.”

But as he rose to his knees to unfasten her belt, she sat up, her hand sliding over his arm.

“Paenther…”

His movements stilled at the uncertain tone in her voice. She was watching him with raw need, but something more.

“What, Beauty?”

Slowly, she reached for him, cupping his erection in her cool palm. He sucked in a breath at the exquisite pleasure of her touch.

“In the cavern…you wouldn’t let me kiss you here. Yet you brought me so much pleasure when you kissed me down there. Is it different for a man?”

So innocent. He stroked her head and met her gaze. “It’s no different. It can be an incred
ibly erotic feeling…when it’s done by the right person, in the right way. Ancreta used to force my arousal like that. Bad memories, I’m afraid.”

Yet even as he said the words, the truth, the thought of Skye’s mouth, replacing the perfect touch of her hand, nearly brought him to release.

He stared into her eyes, cupping her cheek. “You are the right person, Beauty. If you want to…”

Her eyes searched his. “I don’t know how to do it in the right way. I’ve never done it at all.”

“There’s no wrong way. Whatever pleases you. But first, I want you naked, little witch.” He kissed her, then set about unfastening her belt. “You’re wearing far too many clothes.”

Paenther moved between her legs and pulled off her jeans and panties, tossing them onto the pile, his gaze fixing hungrily on the sweet flesh between her legs. But she closed her knees and rose, pressing her hands to his shoulders.

“My turn.”

He could have overpowered her in an instant, but he rather liked the touch of bossiness in her tone.

“Lie down for me, Paenther. Please?”

He did, lying back on the cool, damp sand, watching her as she knelt beside him and studied his cock as if unsure where to begin. His body thrummed with anticipation, throbbing with desire. His chest tightened until he thought it might explode from the pressure of his feelings for her.

Her hand closed around him. Then slowly, so
slowly, she lowered her face. Her tongue flicked out, marking him with a fast, damp lick across the tip of his head, tearing a groan from his throat.

She watched him, their gazes locked as she held him upright, opened her mouth…

He froze, suddenly struggling not to grab himself out of her hand and push her away.

She saw and released him. “I’m sorry.”

Paenther sat up and grabbed her shoulders as she started to lean away. “No. Don’t stop. But I think I’ll sit up while you do it.”

She nodded, understanding in her eyes. Being on his back brought it all back too clearly.

Once again, she slowly lowered her face to his lap, but this time she didn’t stop. As he slid his fingers into her hair, he felt her damp mouth close around his cock. His eyes nearly rolled back into his head at the unbelievable pleasure.

“Ah, Skye, that’s good.”

She tongued him, sucked on him, driving a desperate need to touch her in return. His hand slid down her silken back until his palm cupped her rear, kneading and flexing into the soft flesh. Then his fingers slid into the crack between her cheeks and down until he found her heat.

As she twirled her tongue around his head, he shoved two fingers deep inside her, eliciting a deep sensual moan from her throat.

His other hand slid into her hair, holding her, caressing her. Loving her.

Her damp mouth began to suck on him, riding his length until he thought he was going to lose it.

Goddess, but he had to be inside her.

He pulled his fingers out of her and lifted her face.

“Enough, Beauty. I need to be in you.”

With a soft smile, she lay back on the sand, opening her arms and her body to him. The moonlight lit her face, setting her eyes to sparkling, tightening a band around his chest.

Skye reached for him. “Love me, Paenther.”

He stared down at her. “I do.” And he knew it was true. Against all odds, against everything he’d ever thought possible, he’d fallen in love with a Mage witch.

He fell into her arms and cradled her face. “I love you, Skye.”

She stared at him, tears and joy flooding her eyes. “I love you, too. So very much.”

Her words stroked his heart, filling him with warmth and rightness. Holding her with his gaze, he entered her body, sliding his length into her tight, wet sheath, fitting together two halves of a whole.

She was his. And yet there were a dozen reasons she could never be.

He pushed the dark thoughts aside as she wrapped herself around him. Over and over, he slid inside her, then most of the way out, then deep inside her again. Faster and faster, he drove them both as Skye met him, thrust for thrust, groaning, her body straining right along with his.

She came on a cry of joy, and he followed her
over, spilling his seed in a moment of such perfection, he wasn’t certain it would ever be matched.

But as he kissed her and pulled out of her, reality pressed in, threatening to steal this one brief moment of happiness.

They returned to the beach house without any sign of draden, showered, and fell into bed, exhausted. A short while later, Paenther woke to the sound of Skye’s distress.

He held her close in the bed, her body curled around his, her head tucked beneath his chin. As he stroked her back, her trembling slowly eased.

“Birik again?” he asked softly.

“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.

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.

Tighe’s voice cut through her head with hard warning.
If you harm Delaney, witch, you die.

She answered him in kind.
She’s a good person, Tighe. I would never hurt her.

With a warning growl, he turned and bounded off after Paenther.

“Was he threatening you?” Delaney asked beside her. The wind whipped at her loose hair, sending it flying about her face like a dark mist.

Skye threw her a wry look, then went back to watching the cats. “You know him well.”

“Oh, yeah. They’re prickly as hell about who they let in their inner circle, but once you’re in, watch out. The cavemen had nothing on these guys for sheer stubborn protectiveness.”

“That’s nice for you. To be protected like that.”

“Do the Mage do that?”

“Protect their females? Some do. When I was a little girl, I lived among Mage would have risked everything to keep me safe from the outside world. Unfortunately, it was another Mage who wanted me, and there was nothing they could do to stop him.” She sighed. “The only one who ever tried to protect me in the caverns was Paenther. And he was chained at the time.”

She felt Delaney’s probing gaze. “He’s more than protective of you. I’ve seen the way he looks at you, Skye. It’s a lot like Tighe looks at me. Some of the Ferals think you’ve enchanted him, but I don’t think it’s that simple.”

Skye met Delaney’s gaze. “I love him. And he told me he feels the same.”

Delaney grinned. “Well, there you have it. Sounds like we’re going to be sisters-in-law…or whatever it would be. Feral Warrior wives-in-law?”

Skye smiled, the rush of longing making her chest ache. “I’d like that.” She’d more than like it. Having friends, a home, a family again was a dream she’d barely dared to imagine.

Look left!

Tighe’s voice rang in Skye’s head, tearing her thoughts from the fragile hope. At her side, Delaney’s head jerked left and she knew he was speaking to them both.
Two men. Do you recognize either of them, Skye
?

She saw the two he was talking about a distance away, walking casually, like humans out for a stroll. They were dressed in casual jeans and barn jackets rather than the blue tunics of Birik’s sentinels. But as one of them turned, she caught his profile.
They’re Birik’s men, Tighe.

The two cats gave chase. Immediately, the Mage took off, running in two different directions.

Get in the car and lock the doors,
Tighe barked.
Both of you.

Delaney made a sound of disgust. “I hate getting relegated to the role of helpless…” She whirled, pulling her gun. “Freeze!”

Skye spun around to find a third man running directly for them. A man she recognized all too well. Devrell, one of Birik’s cruelest sentinels.

“He’s Mage.” In her head she screamed,
Tighe! Paenther!

The sound of gunfire exploded in her ears as Delaney shot at the man, but he was immortal and the bullets did nothing to slow him down.

“Skye, run!”

Skye hesitated, wanting to help her new friend, but there was nothing she could do. Besides, she knew it was her the Mage wanted. She turned and fled in the direction she’d watched Paenther go.

Beauty! What’s happening?

There’s a third Mage. Delaney shot at him, but
…

She glanced behind her and gave a mental shriek.
She’s down! He’s coming for me
.

Run, Beauty! I’m coming
.

Her feet felt awkwardly heavy in the borrowed running shoes as she ran through the woods, leaping over the uneven ground, the forest-scented wind whipping at her face. The heavy thud of her heartbeat pounded in her ears as terror crawled up her spine.

She wouldn’t go back there!

All around her, birds landed on nearby branches. Squirrels chattered angrily in the trees as if preparing to come to her aid, but she didn’t call them. They’d only get hurt.

Behind her she heard the low chant of a Mage spell and her heart sank. Seconds later, a rock the size of her fist rose from the ground and flew at her. She turned her head and raised her arm, but the rock slammed into her shoulder, knocking her off stride. More rocks flew at her, as if Birik’s nightmare had come to life, hitting her legs and sweeping her feet out from under her. With a
thud, she landed on her back on the forest floor, the wind knocked out of her.

Before she could leap to her feet, Devrell was over her, staring down at her with cold eyes ringed in a copper as bright as her own. He grabbed her and hauled her to her feet. Skye fought him, struggling against his hold as he dragged her back toward the road. Even though his strength was nothing compared to Paenther’s, it was still far greater than her own.

Paenther!

I’m coming, Beauty.

Moments later, a flash of black caught her eye.

Devrell released her, pulling a knife from his belt. As the panther leaped at him, going for the throat, the Mage slid the knife between the animal’s ribs. The sleek animal knocked the man to the ground with his powerful body, taking two more stabs to the chest and throat before he bit clean through Devrell’s wrist, tearing off his hand.

Blood sprayed from the Mage’s arm as the great cat lay across him, lengthwise, his deadly teeth mere inches from Devrell’s face. Tail twitching, blood matting his fur, the cat stared down at his captive like a hunter about to take a juicy bite out of his prey.

Paenther snarled, his eyes glowing green. But as Skye stepped closer, he swung his head toward her.
Are you okay?

“Yes. What about you?” she asked worriedly.

Fine, Beauty.
The panther growled and turned back to the Mage.
Who sent you?

“B-Birik,” the man stuttered, his voice thready with shock.

“Where are my friends?”

“Took them. The others…took them.”

“Why?”

“The Feast of the Moon Spirit. Three Ferals…to open the blade.”

Skye’s heart seized. “He’s going to
sacrifice
them?”

“Yes. Birik wants you, too, if we can get you. Otherwise, he’ll use the viper shifter and pull his own power.”

You’ll not get her. Ever
. The panther turned to look at her.
Is there any reason I should spare his life
?

“Other than the Earth getting even angrier than she already is?”

Paenther tilted his face to the wind as if just realizing the weather had changed.
Other than that?

“None. He deserves whatever you do to him.”

Paenther watched her through his cat eyes, his body ablaze with pain as it always was when he was in his animal, trebled by the knife wounds. Wounds he could feel healing slower than they should be. He shoved away the deep worry clouding his mind and concentrated on Skye, on the echoes of old pain and deep hatred swimming in her summer-sky eyes. A pain that cut him deeper than the knives had.

He hurt you
. It wasn’t a question. The truth was written all over her face.

“He enjoys bringing pain to others.”

To you?

She looked away, then met his gaze, her mouth tight. “When Birik chained me to that rock where you were kept, he invited his sorcerers and sentinels to use me, too, figuring the worse it got, the quicker I’d cave. His men still had souls at the time and few took him up on the offer. This one joined me on that rock every night, usually with two blades. One of flesh, the other of steel.”

Paenther snarled deep in his cat’s throat, his gut twisting with rage for the child subjected to such brutality.

He stared down at his captive.
You die. For her, you die.
He made sure Skye heard the words as clearly as did the Mage beneath him.

The man yelled in fear as Paenther struck, ripping out his throat before tearing at his chest until he had the heart in his mouth. He looked up at Skye. If he’d seen horror in her eyes, he’d have tossed the heart aside and ended it there. But those blue eyes blazed with gratitude and vindication, so, his gaze fixed on hers, he ate it.

For you
. Thunder rumbled angrily in the sky.

“I’d kiss you, but you’re a little messy.”

Paenther gave her a feline smile, then called to Tighe.

Is Delaney okay?

Yes. You?

We’ll be right there.
He looked at Skye.
Help me shift back, Beauty.

Small pellets of hail began to fall. The Earth was angry, all right. She was going to get a hell of a lot angrier once he got his hands on Birik.

Skye slid her hands in his fur and helped him shift back with a burst of pain that nearly sent him to his knees. When he was standing on two feet again, he pulled her against him, shielding her from the hail, and led her back toward the road.

“Where did the blood go? You’re clean.”

“That’s the upside of not being able to keep my clothes on when I shift. I don’t retain much of anything.”

“You don’t even have to take showers?”

“It doesn’t work
that
well. Besides, I’ve found I’m rather fond of showers.”

He could almost feel her blush. Holding her against him like that, he felt that overwhelming protectiveness well up inside and spill over. Never again would anyone hurt her. Not as long as he drew breath.

The hail grew in size until he could feel it tearing at his bare back. Hell, his Escalade was going to be dented for sure. But he didn’t care. Goddess, he didn’t care. He’d slain one of Skye’s dragons, and for that he felt on top of the world.