But it was already too late.
Two shapes materialized from the gloom that shrouded the entire area. One tall, obviously male, the other female. Their scent was otherworld and it was one that he knew well.
A deadly calm slipped through his veins. The situation had just gone from bad to worse. Only he knew how much the stakes had just been upped. The fact that the two mercenaries had snuck up on him like he was a wet-behind-the-ears freaking newbie was unacceptable.
Skye Knightly was too much of a distraction. If he didn’t deal with that soon, she’d get them both killed.
“Jagger Castille, been a long time.”
He clenched his teeth so hard his jaw ached. But first things first.
It looked like Jagger’s past was about to bite him in the ass. Big-time. If only he’d had more time back in Michigan, when he’d first realized they were tracking him.
“Tag,” he said calmly. “Was hoping I’d never have to lay eyes on your ugly-ass face again.” He then turned to the woman, whose smile was empty, cold. “Dani, you’re looking a little pale. Short supply of O-neg around these here parts?” The sarcasm of his words was hard to miss.
“Good to see you too.” The female spoke softly. “Although I’m guessing, you’re not quite as happy to see us as we are to find you out in this godforsaken corner of the world.”
Power surged through Jagger’s veins as he smiled at the two before him. They both had a major hate-on for all things Castille.
Especially the one named Jagger.
Chapter 14
Instant dislike ripped through Skye’s body as she carefully observed the newcomers. She could sense the animosity, the hatred, emanating from the two of them, but there was something else. Something subtle.
There was a history between them and Jagger. She could tell that it was ugly.
The female, Dani, was obviously a vampire. There was no mistaking the sickening scent that clung to her skin or the otherworld glow that hung in the air around her.
Of course the fangs that half slid from between the plump red lips were a dead giveaway as well.
The woman’s eyes passed over Skye, dismissing her instantly, to rest on Jagger as if he were a yummy piece of meat she wanted to enjoy. Skye’s hackles rose and for an instant she visualized her fist connecting with the perfectly white skin, marring the paleness in some violent way.
The other one, Tag, was something else entirely. That he was otherworld was without question. Yet his scent was something she’d not come across before.
His eyes were flat, dead, and at the moment their black roundness was directed solely at her. The intensity behind them made her skin crawl.
She moved back without thinking, her body melting into Jagger’s warmth. Her reaction drew a wicked smile from the man.
Bastard knew exactly how he made her feel.
“Christ, Dani, you could have sent a postcard, although I guess I should be flattered I’m worth a trip to the Belizean jungle.”
What the hell was Jagger doing, baiting them? Did he have a freaking death wish?
“But really, a little overly dramatic, don’t you think? Seems an awful long way to carry a grudge if you ask me.”
His hands tightened around Skye’s waist. “You need to shift and get as far away from here as you can,” Jagger’s voice was a whisper in her ear.
A low growl escaped from Tag’s mouth and Skye felt her belly flip over when she caught sight of the deadly row of serrated teeth. She couldn’t stop staring at them, not even when he licked his lips and hissed at her.
It was then that she knew. Tag was a demon.
Shit, this put a whole new spin on the situation. Demons were still relatively few and far between in the human realm, and not much was known about them.
“Oh, Jagger, you silly animal. Haven’t changed at all, have you?” Dani looked at his arms, still pressed possessively at Skye’s waist. A shadow passed over her face and when Dani turned her attention to Skye, the vampire made no effort at all to hide the contempt and utter disregard that she felt.
“Want to weigh in on that one, chica? Is Jagger still an arrogant son-of-a-bitch who thinks the world revolves around him?”