His Darkest Salvation (Jaguar Warriors 3)

He felt a sliver of admiration as she stood up to him, her eyes flashing with anger. “How did you get out? Your charm leave you, so Lucifer blasted your ass out of there?” Her words dripped sarcasm.

Julian snorted. “I never had the pleasure of meeting the son of a bitch, though if you talk to Declan, I think his story might be different.” He shook his head. “I don’t know who or what pulled us out of there.” The lie slipped from his tongue, and he continued with ease. “What I do know is that the portal, that fucking disc that the eagle knights protected, is key. I need to find it, and if I can manage to kick Cormac’s ass while I’m at it”—he rotated his neck and smiled wickedly—“then bring it on.”

“Who’s pulling your strings?” she asked softly, her lips pursed into a concentrated line. “Sorry if I don’t believe you’re doing this out of the goodness of your heart.”

The woman did not give up.

He opened his mouth to retort, but an alarm sounded, followed by a disembodied voice that fell from the security device located near the elevator doors.

“Jaden? It’s Finn.”

She tossed a don’t-move look his way before answering.

“Go ahead.” He watched as she crossed the room and leaned over the com unit.

“We’ve got a situation you need to be aware of.”

“What now?” She threw her hands into the air, not bothering to hide her annoyance. “Declan O’Hara is nothing more than an overgrown child. He’s not that hard to manage.”

“Sorry, but this has nothing to do with the sorcerer. It’s your family.”

Julian was at her side in an instant. She kept her face averted, her breathing was calm. Yet her fingers were white as she clutched the com unit. He could smell her fear. It oozed from her pores in waves.

She was a warrior, a woman who was more than capable of looking after herself in intense situations. Hell, he’d seen her take out two demons the night before and live through the poison one had infected her with.

She was terrified. What the hell was up?

“Who?” she asked sharply.

“Your father’s car just arrived. You’ve got maybe five minutes.”

“Fuck,” Jaden whispered hoarsely.

“Yeah,” Finn answered. “You need to get rid of the Castille shifter or . . .”

Jaden bowed her head. “He knows something’s up. The bastard’s internal radar is freaky. Do what you can to delay him, get staff on it right away.”

“Already in play.”

“And for Christ sakes, keep O’Hara under wraps.”

She exhaled loudly and turned around. Her eyes were bleak, dead serious as she looked up at him.

“Nothing you went through will compare to what will happen if my father finds you here.”

“I doubt that,” Julian answered frankly, while inside the jaguar began to make noise, as if sensing the closeness of his enemy.

Jaden snorted. “You don’t understand. My father eats demons for breakfast.” She looked outside. “Its dinnertime, and he’ll be hungry.”

Chapter 8

Jaden nearly choked on the dread that sat in her throat. The feeling was awful but she forced it away while her mind circled fast. Her hot skin was suddenly cold, clammy, and her belly rolled as she walked away from Julian, narrowly missing the jagged pottery on the floor. Her feet were still tender from the night before, but she’d rather walk a mile over broken glass than face her father right now.

Yet, as in keeping with her week so far, the general direction down into the crap hole would continue.

She was just so tired of it all, the double life that she led; some days it was hard to keep it all straight in her head. Was she secret agent girl working for the greater good? Or the spoiled rich kid with daddy issues who was plotting to take over the world?

“You must stay hidden,” she mumbled, as her mind continued to whirl. She pointed toward the large balcony that ran the length of her suite. “There, you can make it up to the roof.”