Electricity tingled along the edges of his fingers as he traced the lines that shimmered beneath her skin. Slowly, he made his way down and paused at the base of her neck, relishing the feel of her pulse now that it was beating strong and steady.
A soft gasp escaped from her lips, and he looked at her, surprised to see her eyes regarding his, their dark depths clear and shiny.
“Demon antidote,” he said dryly. “Since when?”
“It cost me a fortune, but my science team finally managed to get it right.”
His eyes wandered over her face, to land on the full lips. His fingers followed where his eyes had traveled, and when they traced the outline of her mouth, he reveled in the softness.
“Move away from her, or I will put a bullet clean through the back of your skull.”
They both turned, startled by the words that slid from the darkness, and Julian felt his animal begin to burn beneath his chest as two men walked from shadow to light.
One he vaguely remembered, a tall, lean, blond man—Skye Knightly’s brother, Finn. He was an eagle knight. The other, he knew quite well, and his jaguar erupted painfully as he leapt to his feet.
Nico.
“I’m not joking, Castille. Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t take you out right now.”
“I could give you a hundred, in alphabetical order if you like,” Julian retorted, his words tinged heavily with sarcasm.
“Nico, enough,” Jaden rasped as she stood up, her legs still a little shaky.
The warrior growled and took a step toward them. “There’s no way we can be sure he’s not compromised.”
Julian laughed at that. The asshole had no clue. He was way beyond contaminated.
“You will not touch him,” Jaden growled, surprising Julian by stepping past him and squaring her shoulders.
“Give me one good reason why?” Nico snarled.
“Because,” she said as she pushed her way past them, “he belongs to me.” She disappeared into the darkness beyond, leaving only her words trailing behind.
Julian stared after her. “I belong to no one.”
“Oh really?” she shot back, her voice stronger, deeper. “Where the hell did you think these warrior tattoos came from Castille? An immaculate conjugal?” She laughed.
He opened his mouth to speak, but her voice sliced through the dark, effectively silencing him.
“I’ve had them for three years, Castille. You do the math.”
Chapter 4
Jaden closed the door and leaned against the cool surface. Her chest felt tight, but as the seconds ticked by, the iron band loosened and she was able to breathe normally.
What the hell had she just done? Why on earth did she spill to Julian about their bond? It wasn’t like he gave a shit. It wasn’t like she wanted him to give a shit. She was doing just fine without him.
She pushed away angrily, pissed at herself and her lack of control. A shower would clear her head.
Her shoulder was killing her, but the antidote was working. She felt the pain receding as the poison slowly left her system. Underneath her feet, the jet hummed, its energy vibrating with a subtlety that tickled her bare flesh. She knew they’d be wheels up within the hour.
Julian Castille would be long gone.
She grimaced as she slid out of the oversized T-shirt he’d given her. She could smell him, his tangy, earthy scent teasing her nostrils. It had been months since he’d worn it, yet it still called to her.
For a jaguar, smell was a powerful thing, more potent than visual memories. She hated that his scent tortured her, riding her hard with a sense of unfulfilled need.
It was an ache she’d come to know well, but she’d deal. She’d been doing just fine without the bastard for the last three years.