There were a series of tunnels jutting out into different directions, but he quickly turned to the right and headed toward the last passage. As he stepped into the darkened interior, her unique odor caught at him full tilt.
It punched him straight in the gut, actually. He began to pant as his senses picked up the remnants of her emotions. They hung in the air, mocking him. Pain, confusion, and incredible terror slapped him in the face, and it stung.
Libby was in danger, and he felt like a third fucking tit, less than useless.
He whipped around, and his nose touched on a secondary scent that until then had eluded him.
It was strangely familiar. He closed his eyes and took his time, his mouth watering in agitation as he let the scent wash over his pallet. It was eerily like Declan’s, but tinged with a foulness that almost made him gag.
His eyes flew open and he began to run down the tunnel, Declan hard on his heels. She had been there, but her scent was faint. His heart was pounding hard, and the adrenaline was once more kicking in. Jaxon reveled in the flush of power that lay just under his skin, and his eyes were glowing as he neared the end of the tunnel, only to find…absolutely nothing.
He came to a wild halt, his chest heaving as his head whipped around, turning his body with it.
“Where the fuck is she?” The words were ripped from his throat, and sounded harsh as they echoed off the cold stone walls. His eyes traveled along the passage, glancing past the many drawings of jaguars and eagles.
He could sense her. He knew she was just beyond his reach, and it made him furious. Frustration fueled him, working its way to his outer limbs, and he pounded his fists against the stone, not caring about the blood he left on the smooth rock.
The animal inside of him was so close that Jaxon felt faint from the rush of energy and emotions running with chaotic abandon through his veins.
“Jaxon, over here!”
Declan was crouched low to the ground, back several feet along the tunnel.
Jaxon’s long legs carried him over quickly, his eyes narrowing as he watched Declan run his hands over the seam of the wall, where it met the floor.
“There’s a protection ward here. It’s been placed hastily, just give me a second and I’ll get us through.”
Jaxon stood back, air hissing through his clenched teeth and watched as Declan wove an intricate series of symbols into the air. They glowed from the energy he was producing, dancing along the wall as if resting on a thin band of smoke.
Within a few moments the wall began to glisten and shimmer. Declan stood up quickly and his long fingers once more traced the length of the wall along the seam. He found a small indent and pressed his finger into it hard.
Jaxon watched in amazement as the large piece of rock slowly moved inward until an entrance lay open to them.
Declan grabbed his satchel, and Jaxon slipped past him, lowering his head to allow himself room to enter the secret tunnel.
It was dark, cold, and clammy. He could smell water ahead somewhere, and increased his pace, moving quickly as his nose caught a small bit of Libby in the air.
She was here and he would find her.
Declan grunted from behind him. “Cormac’s mine. Do not touch him.”
Jaxon continued forward without pausing.
“Cormac’s a dead man. If you don’t kill him, I will.”
Chapter 23
Libby’s mouth was bone dry and her tongue swollen. She opened her eyes slowly, wincing as the remnants of a nasty headache wove
their way across her skull. Christ! She hadn’t had one of those in…She shook her head at a bucketful of memories that came to her.
She trembled as the enormity of them weighed her down. He was here! The monster from her dreams was here, in the flesh.
Her eyes few open and she looked around wildly. She was in a small room, one that had been carved from the stone inside of the mountain. She shivered as cool moist air moved freely into the room from a passageway to her right, clinging to her damp skin.
The narrow entrance also allowed the strange greenish glow inside, enabling her to see, though it was still dim. Her eyes seemed to be coated with a film that made it hard to focus, and she shook her head, not liking the sensation.
The relief that washed over her when she realized she was alone was palpable. Her heart beat hard against her chest and she didn’t think it would slow anytime soon. She reached for the weapons she’d stashed on her body, and felt deflated when she realized they’d been snatched.