His Darkest Salvation (Jaguar Warriors 3)

He stood swiftly, and she sensed his arousal. The signals were loud and clear. The sorcerer wanted to screw.

Jaden hissed softly. “Follow me.”

Thanks to Julian Castille, so did she.

She looked back at Kragen and crooked her finger, smiling as a hungry glint lit his eyes. His body was tall, lean but muscular, and there was no denying that the man was attractive.

She felt her belly tighten in anticipation, wondering if he could ease the ache that had erupted between her thighs.

Maybe she could have her cake and eat it, too. Have her itch scratched and gather the information she needed.

“Thank you, Paulo,” she murmured politely as she strode past her manager. She knew Kragen was not far behind and led him from the restaurant, taking the path that led toward the gardens.

Cool mist crept along the ground, slithering across manicured grass like long fingers of smoke. The gardens were deserted, dark. Her guests usually kept to the well-lit paths, and that was one reason she’d designed the large area to be free of light.

She could come here and be alone.

Kragen caught up to her, she felt his hand at her back, heard the rhythm of his breathing escalate as he touched her. It was almost too easy.

She resisted his touch and turned to the right, taking a path that led toward a grouping of large palm trees. At first glance, they seemed a solid wall, but she slipped through and into a clearing, her very own secret garden.

A waterfall trickled in the corner, its sound musical, calming. Any other night it would have sung to her, but this night, with all that hung over her head, she heard nothing.

She turned to Kragen, and the two of them stared at each other in silence. Was she out of her ever-loving mind? Had her judgment gone on vacation? Or was she playing Daddy’s little whore a little too close to the bone?

She ached inside, and it wasn’t going away. In fact, the need was growing stronger, impairing her judgment.

Could she seriously have sex with him? Would it do any good? Alleviate the craving that clawed at her incessantly?

Only Julian.

She snarled and pushed thoughts of the jaguar from her mind, ignoring the ferocious desire that tugged at her. Slowly, her hands crept along her hips, up toward her chest until she grazed the hard nipples that sat below silk.

Her lips parted as pain shot through her belly, sitting low and heavy until it liquefied and filtered into the hot juncture between her legs. She fought the urge to put her hand there, all of a sudden not sure what it was that she wanted, or needed.

Kragen lifted his hands, held them palm up, and seconds later, the small area was lit with an eerie glow.

His face was dark, hidden in shadow, and a trickle of apprehension ran along her spine. Her animal burned beneath her skin, sensing things were off.

“You are the hottest thing I’ve seen in a long time,” he muttered as he took a step closer.

“Where’s Cormac?” she asked softly, the anxiety slowly fading as she focused on the matter at hand.

The goddamn vibrator was looking more and more attractive, so the sooner she got this over with, the sooner she could snuggle down with the blue dolphin.

Kragen walked toward her, a true predator, and stood inches from her body. His hand reached for her, but she stepped back, just out of reach. He frowned, and she felt his energy change once more.

She would have to move quickly.

“Does he still have the fallen with him? What can you tell me about Azaiel? Are they working together?”

Kragen arched an eyebrow, and he paused before answering, his freaky eyes glowing. “Azaiel is tied to the jaguars and eagles, you should know this stuff.” His tone was dismissive. “It’s not my fault you’ve lost touch with your history, your culture.”

Jaden frowned. She knew squat about Azaiel really, only what Skye had been told. That the fallen angel had been betrayed eons ago by a woman, Toniella. That only he had the power to destroy the portal.

Azaiel was the rock star in this whole mess.

“Let’s talk business later, shall we?”