His Darkest Embrace (Jaguar Warriors 2)

“He’s the bastard that came for Skye last night.”

Julian considered his words carefully. “You know this might end badly?”

Jagger snorted and turned away, but not before Julian got a glimpse of the true heart of the jaguar. It was fierce, hard, cold, and calculating. He could feel his brother’s power and his own animal fed on it. Welcomed it, in fact.

“It will end how it ends,” Jagger snarled back at him. “Either way, nothing will keep me from Skye.”

“You ready to do this?” Finn asked. The eagle’s face was intense and he kept clenching and unclenching his hands as he turned to the west. “The sacred resting place is not far.”

Jagger nodded. “Okay,” Jagger said to them all. “Let’s go snag me a demon.”

Julian eyed Finn closely and noticed the tightening of the eagle’s mouth. It only confirmed what he’d already suspected.

Things were not as they seemed.

Chapter 26

Anger exploded deep from within Skye’s gut and she hissed at the man who stood before her. Her eyes blazed and she snarled.

“I belong to no one but myself.”

She clutched the disc hard against her abdomen, her fingers hot from its power as it continued to surge into her flesh. She felt it sizzle along nerve endings and as it rushed to her heart, the fast-beating organ was hit with a bolt of electricity.

She stumbled back and nearly fell to her knees. Christ, she felt so faint. She took a second and sucked in a great gulp of air.

Azaiel looked at her as if he were humoring a child. He took a step closer but she scrambled away, turning around as she searched wildly for the exit.

His voice stopped her cold. It slid across the distance between them, wrapping her in its seductive lilt. She turned back, confused and scared at the hold Azaiel seemed to have over her.

“I have watched you since the moment of your birth. When you took your first step, started first grade.” His hands tugged at a damp curl. “When you cut off that lovely blond hair of yours and dyed it magenta.” He took a step closer and Skye could feel the heat of him, fresh against her skin. “I was there.”

His eyes had an intensity that grabbed at her and she wanted to look away, but found that she couldn’t.

“When your heart was broken by that arrogant Swede, who do you think it was that reached out from beyond and plagued him with a sickness that lasted for seven days?”

Skye could do nothing but shake her head. She didn’t understand any of this.

“When you were held prisoner by the jaguars I kept you safe, and even as they tortured and attacked the other woman, you were spared the ferocity of their anger.”

“But how?” she asked, “and why?”

“Because you belong to me. I knew the moment you were conceived that you’d be the one to free me from my prison.” He smiled at her and in that moment she caught a glimpse of the true soul behind the man, or angel/demon.

Or whatever the hell he was.

He was full of ancient power, deep magick that was not of this world. He was seductive and incredibly attractive.

But he was not Jagger and her heart ached at the thought of him.

“Call it what you want but you’re nothing more than a glorified stalker.” Skye made a face. “It’s creepy.”

“You’re so like her,” Azaiel whispered then, his eyes and face changing as something dark slid across his memories.

“Like who?” Skye asked, a macabre curiosity fueling her on.

“The betrayer, Toniella.” His eyes focused and he held out his hand. “The one who tempted me from above with empty lies and the warmth of her body.”

Her gaze fell upon the markings that had been etched into his hands. They looked raw, painful, and she wondered what they meant. He lowered his voice, and it was full of anger and … sadness?