His Darkest Hunger (Jaguar Warriors 1)

Her eyes were huge, but the grief was so great that Libby couldn’t answer. All she could do was stare in terror at the man who regarded her with no emotion at all.

“Skye was your roommate at the DaCosta compound.” His eyes bored into hers, and as realization dawned on her, his cruel mouth broke into a sinister grin. “You find a way to get her to me, and I will return your son.”

“Why should I believe anything that you say?” The words fell from her lips in a hoarse whisper.

Cormac laughed softly and looked directly into her eyes. Libby saw the truth there even as he spoke. “I have no need to lie.”

The sounds of battle ceased, and Cormac moved away from her, edging toward escape. His voice was dispassionate and it was raspy, like sandpaper, “Remember what I said, Libby, the woman for your son.”

“But how will I…How the fuck will I find you?” Her terror and anger burst from her chest as she shouted down to him.

He paused, and though he didn’t speak, she heard his words clear as day, echoing deep inside her skull. They whispered through her mind and she shuddered at the creepy sensation. I’m not going far so don’t fail me now. I already told you…we are not so different. Pay attention: you will find me, or you will never see your son alive.

He disappeared, and Libby screamed in frustration. She struggled wildly then, her body breaking out in a heated wash of sweat. There was no way to break through the charm Cormac had used, but still her body railed against the invisible chains.

How long she struggled, she couldn’t know. Her fury was like a black haze that hung in front of her face, and the taste of her salt tears fed the hunger even more. That such evil had a hold on her child made her sick. Most of his words made no sense to her. She’d been adopted as a six-year-old and had no memory of her younger years. Cormac had insinuated he’d known her as a child.

What the hell did all of it mean? How did it all fit together?

Furiously, her brain tried to decipher it all, but Cormac’s innuendos and statements just coagulated into a large blob of nothing. None of it made any sense.

Her head lolled back and Libby felt the fight leave as her body began to physically shut down. She tried to wipe all of it from her mind. Everything faded away, and the sound of her own breathing echoed loudly in her ears. She closed her eyes and rested, trying to conserve her strength.

She would need it in the coming days.

When Jaxon burst into the secondary chamber and saw Libby suspended twenty feet in the air, his heart stopped.

Bone-crushing agony shattered his soul and he cried out in anguish at the sight of his woman, lifeless and possibly dead.

Declan was fast on his heels and pushed his way past Jaxon, his hands weaving a pattern quickly in the air. He shouted to the jaguar at his side, and had to repeat himself twice before Jaxon understood.

“Stand beneath her, you’ll need to catch her when she falls.”

Jaxon rushed forward, his heart beating hard, and when he was in position beneath Libby and she opened her eyes, he almost fell to his knees, so great was the relief that rushed through him.

They were shadowed, full of pain and sorrow. It broke his heart. Rage simmered along with his own pain, but he pushed all of it away. He would find those responsible for this, but first he needed to comfort and care for his woman.

He steadied his trembling limbs and stood waiting, his eyes never breaking contact with hers, and when the charm broke, she slid from the air and deep into his embrace.

“I knew you would come.”

Her voice was rough, and his fingers began to feverishly work their way over her body checking for injuries. She was warm, alive, and finally safe in his arms. The joy that he felt at that was unheralded. He hugged her close, inhaling her scent deep into his lungs, holding it there, savoring it slowly. He reveled in the feel of her, the warmth of her, the very weight of her in his arms.

Tenderly, he cupped her face in his hands and gazed down into her eyes. His heart felt about to beat its way from the depths of his chest, and without hesitation he claimed her lips in the most brutally honest kiss he’d ever given. His soul sang as she opened beneath him, and for the first time in a long time he was at peace.

Deep inside, the jaguar purred loudly and barked in triumph at the return of his mate.

“We should go,” Declan said. “We need to get to the plane before Belize is overrun with more DaCostas.” His voice sliced through them, and Jaxon wasn’t prepared for Libby’s violent reaction.

“No!”

She broke away from his kiss and struggled hard against his arms. He fell away from her, shocked at the ferociousness in her tone and the wild look in her eyes.

“We can’t leave! Jaxon, our baby is here somewhere in this godforsaken jungle. I need to get to him.” Her voice began to shake and her teeth chattered crazily as she rolled away from him and gained her feet. She staggered, but then stood tall, and Jaxon could sense her determination. He stood back and felt an incredible amount of pride as he continued to study his fierce woman.

“Libs, why would you think that our child is out here in the jungle? Why would you even think that he’s still alive? I’m their enemy. Why would the DaCostas keep my child alive?” He ran his hands through his hair in agitation. “It doesn’t make any sense.”

“Jaxon it’s not the DaCostas, it’s Cormac. You have to believe me. Our little boy is here and he is alive…I have to believe that…all I have to do is…” Libby’s voice trailed off and her eyes fell to the ground. Jaxon closed the few feet between them, his strong arms reaching for her, and he was grateful when she didn’t pull away from him.