His Darkest Hunger (Jaguar Warriors 1)

He watched as anger began to burn in her cheeks and a fire erupted deep inside her eyes. She began to struggle, and literally spat at him, “You are going to have to kill me before I let you take me back to them.” She was so agitated, he was afraid she’d hurt her injured ribs even more.

His arms pinned her tightly, their noses inches apart. He could feel her heart beating inside her chest, and took a moment to control himself.

“Who the fuck are they? What the hell happened to you, Libby?”

At the sound of his words she stilled, her eyes closing as a fresh batch of tears coursed down her face.

“They are pain, anger, and madness.” She whimpered. “They are evil.”

Her eyes flew open but her voice quieted as her shoulders sagged in defeat.

“You are just like them.”

Chapter 5

Libby’s words hung in the air, and Jaxon felt the fight leave her body. Physically she was done. She just didn’t have anything more left in her.

Her words made no sense to him. You are just like them. She was comparing him to the bastards that had literally beaten the life out of her?

He didn’t say a word, but picked her up carefully and began the trek up the hill and through the forest. The birds that had heralded his approach remained quiet as he slowly made his way back. He could feel their eyes on him, not trusting the shifter that had invaded their sanctuary.

When he cleared the apple trees, he quickly ran to the truck, balancing Libby against his chest, feeling the steady rhythm of her breathing. Even though he would deny it until hell froze over, there was that small sliver of comfort in knowing she was finally calm.

And free of her nightmares for the moment.

He reached the truck and loaded her into the passenger side for the second time, looking around for the blanket that had flown out with her. He noticed it a few yards back and quickly retrieved it, tucking her in with the added warmth of the wool.

He jumped into the cab, started the truck, and looked to his passenger before accelerating slowly. Libby was fast asleep, but he didn’t trust her. He flicked on the child safety locks and ran his hand through his hair in agitation.

He needed to find out whoever the hell them was.

Somehow this whole mess was connected. Everything, starting back three years ago, when his unit had been ambushed and Diego murdered.

He just had to connect the dots. He needed to link them all together. His face hardened as Libby’s image floated through his mind.

He had the first dot.

Now he had to find the rest.

With Declan’s help they should be able to hurry her memory from its hiding place, and then the answers would come. Jaxon felt the coldness that lived inside of him spread out and caress his fast beating heart. His small shred of humanity disappeared and his handsome features settled into a tense frown.

The woman in his thoughts moaned as she turned toward him. Her arm was flung over her head, as if warding off…something.

Libby Jamieson had all of the answers locked deep inside of her. He snarled softly as he looked away from her and back to the road. He had a shitload of questions and wouldn’t let her rest until she was able to answer them. He’d rip them from her if he had to.

The glowing clock on the dashboard told him it was three. He had been making great time until Libby’s mad dash for freedom. Without any more problems, he’d reach the loft by four.

Jaxon cranked up the volume and carried on down the road as the hypnotic melody of a Doors classic filled the cab.

This is the end, my only friend the end.

He snorted as the lyrics floated through his brain. Hell no, this is the beginning of the end.

Hardly anyone was on the road and it was just before 4:00 A.M. that the beams of light from the Tahoe flickered across the empty parking lot of an old abandoned warehouse, deep in the heart of the waterfront near Manhattan.

Old, indeed it was.

Abandoned, it most certainly was not.