His Darkest Salvation (Jaguar Warriors 3)

“Dude, I need a drink. You think we can hit the bar on the way down?” Declan’s voice drifted back to him as did Nico’s answering growl. Julian shook his head, wondering how the sorcerer could remain so flip in the face of such darkness and death. He supposed it was how he dealt with the pile of shit that was his life. The same pile of shit Julian needed to dig out from under.

He watched as Jaden crossed the room and opened a cupboard that was located near the window. He saw her reflection in the glass, and it afforded him a chance to study her without her knowledge. Her lean body was covered in a simple skirt and blouse, both professional yet feminine. Her generous breasts strained against the thin fabric, and his gaze lingered.

Her hair was pinned loosely, and as she turned, her tattoos glistened vibrantly. He found himself fascinated by the luminescent quality, the exotic design.

She grabbed a glass and threw some ice into it before pausing. “You need a drink? ’Cause I sure as hell do.”

“Whiskey, over ice,” he answered without thinking. He turned back to face her and let his eyes drift over her body once more. Her feet were bare, the toenails painted bright pink.

His eyes lingered there, on the feminine arch and delicate lines.

“Some things haven’t changed,” she said softly, and, for a moment, he was clueless as to her meaning. He shook his head slightly, more than a little pissed at how easily she was able to distract him.

She raised his glass, and the sound of the ice tinkling against the tumbler echoed loudly between the two of them.

“Everything has changed,” he retorted, not liking the sensations she seemed to pull so easily from him.

“Whiskey,” she said. “It’s what you were drinking that night . . .”

Maybe it was the way the light played along her skin, emphasizing the healthy, golden glow, that had him hurtling down memory lane. Or maybe it was her scent, fresh, exotic, and wholly feminine.

Whatever it was, suddenly things shifted, like reality had taken a vacation, and he saw her as she’d been three years earlier, younger, fuller, and so passionate that she’d taken his breath away.

She walked toward him, and he sensed her jaguar scratching just below the surface.

Her clan tattoos seemed to move along her skin, and the sudden urge to run his tongue along them, to taste them, pulled at him.

Hard.

Julian clenched his teeth and frowned darkly as he accepted the glass from her. She smiled, a sly lift to her mouth, and turned away, letting her long hair down as she did so, the thick waves slipping from the clip to caress her bare shoulders and fall nearly to her ass.

“Don’t play this game with me,” he said harshly, before draining half the glass in one gulp.

Jaden laughed softly, leaned against a sofa, and raised her glass to him before letting the liquid slide down her throat. His eyes were drawn to the delicate lines there, to the muscles that moved slowly as she finished the entire contents of her glass.

The energy in the air changed. It was now electrified, potent. She licked her lips and stared at him, her dark eyes glistening.

“I don’t play games, Castille.” She shrugged and returned to the cupboard, pouring another generous amount into her glass. “I’ve no time for that shit, so why don’t you come clean, and we can move on.”

She turned back to him, but he remained silent. “Let’s face it, the sooner we end this, the sooner we can forget—”

“Forget what?” he asked softly, and his body moved in a blur of energy and power until he stood inches from her. He felt the heat of her skin, saw the blush of warmth along her cheeks, and the powerful clawing inside him increased tenfold.

“Us . . . forget that we ever met,” she whispered.

He wanted her. As insane as that was, he couldn’t deny the fact.

His body began to hum with an energy long forgotten, and he inhaled sharply as a myriad of sensations spread across his flesh, caressing the raw scars that lay there.

“Move back, Castille.” Jaden’s voice was low, rough, and he studied her eyes closely, watching the irises darken and swell until they were deep pools of inky black velvet.

Her small nose twitched, and her tongue darted out to run along her top lip quickly. He followed the action and found himself bending down.

He would have one more taste.

“Don’t,” she said softly, and he paused. His mouth hovered just above hers, with only the caress of her breath between them.

Julian closed his eyes and breathed in her seductive scent. He felt her hand against his chest, there where he was damaged, and his eyes flew open as they connected.