His Darkest Embrace (Jaguar Warriors 2)

“Good. That means we’ll be safe. We’ll rest here this evening and then figure out the plan in the morning.” He continued to nuzzle her neck and small shivers of delight were once more making their way across her body.

“Don’t worry, Skye, we’ll find the damn thing and end this once and for all.”

Skye closed her eyes and let her body relax into the strength of his. Her euphoria had already faded. She didn’t want to think about tomorrow, or finding the portal.

Because once that happened, she’d no longer have him.

They lay down together, under the dais inside the stone structure that had been built by her people. A jaguar and an eagle.

Skye couldn’t help but wince at the irony in that and as she snuggled closer to him she cleared her mind of everything except the warrior who held her so tightly. Long moments passed and eventually she felt his breathing slow, as did the beat of his heart, and eventually he fell asleep.

She couldn’t shake the heavy ball of dread that clutched at her midsection. Something bad was coming. She could feel it. This was so not over.

Eventually her exhaustion won out and she felt herself slipping away into the arms of the sandman.

She wasn’t sure how long she slept, but when she awoke abruptly, darkness blanketed the area. Skye was instantly on alert. She felt uneasy, and even though Jagger’s arms encircled her, feeding her body with his warmth, she was cold and shivering.

Gently, she turned and looked at him. He was relaxed and it amazed her how boyish he looked in repose. A smile tugged at her mouth and her fingers touched his lips as she slowly traced their outline.

He turned toward her touch and she felt a pang inside her heart at the gesture. She bent, meaning to touch his lips softly, smiling wickedly as she thought to wake him and maybe “play” once more.

Skye.

One word whispered and her world stopped. Skye.

She stilled, blowing out a fine sheen of mist as the stone shelter became unbearably cold. It was filled with an arctic blast of chill air.

She wasn’t surprised he’d come. In fact, on some level she’d expected it sooner. She wasn’t even afraid. Carefully she sat up, disengaging her limbs from Jagger’s.

Come to me.

A shadowy form stood not more than two feet away, staring down at the two of them. She fought the urge to cover her nakedness but instead rose to her feet, studying the figure closely.

He wasn’t real, or at least, his form wasn’t corporeal. But he was there. Skye could feel the strength and power that he wielded. It was thick, potent, invading the very air that she breathed.

She held her head high and as his eyes locked on hers, the very ones she’d come to know since she was a little child. She saw the fury that shadowed them and she swallowed heavily.

Azaiel.

He raised his hand, holding it out, palm facing her and she felt his touch at her cheek. It was hot and stung her flesh. It was a peculiar sensation, considering how cold she was. His eyes burned red and the slash of teeth that cut through the gloom was feral.

Follow me to the portal.

Skye looked at him in surprise. That had not been what she was expecting to hear. How the hell did he know where the disc was?

She shook her head. “No.” The word slipped from her lips before she even knew it was out. The feel of Jagger was still soft against her skin and the pain in her heart made breathing difficult. I want to live, she thought, there has to be another way.

“No,” she said again, this time her voice firm.

He was only a shadow man. He had no power over her.

He laughed then, the sound echoing harshly inside her brain and she fought the urge to cover her ears. Pressure began to build along the sides of her neck, erupting from the inside, and her hands went to her throat as her airway was blocked. She looked at him in panic and gasped loudl

y as she struggled to breathe.

Oh God, he was going to kill her! The thought burst through her brain and she staggered a few feet, dry raspy noises coming from her throat as she struggled to breathe.

She was released just as the inky black of unconsciousness rode the edges of her mind. She took great hulking gasps of air as she looked at Azaiel, her eyes flaming twins of hatred.