Amber Eyes (Wild 2)

Hunter’s eyes held a whole lot of regret. “Yeah. We are. It’s a bad one. Members of Rebeccah’s medical team are trapped in a village being attacked. The U.S. basically told them if they went in not to expect any help. This one will be off the books.”

Jericho swore. “What about Kaya?”

Kaya, who’d remained a silent observer, stepped forward, still draped in the blanket Hunter had wrapped around her.

“You’re going away?” she asked quietly.

“You could stay here,” Hunter said to Jericho.

“Fuck that,” Jericho said rudely. “I’m not letting you go in alone.”

“I wouldn’t be alone.”

“Forget it. Not happening.”

They both turned to Kaya who watched them with uncertain eyes.

“We have to go away for a little while,” Hunter said. “We won’t be long. No more than a couple of weeks. Just like always.”

She drew into herself, her eyes flashing soft vulnerability. “Will you come back?”

Jericho swore under his breath and reached for her, pulling her into his arms. She trembled against him and clutched at his chest with small hands.

“We’ll be back, Kaya. Always. You’re ours. We want you to stay here. There’s plenty of food, and it’s warm. You’ll have shelter. When we return, we’ll bring more supplies and some decent clothing for you.”

She nodded against his chest, but he wasn’t sure if he’d convinced her.

Hunter cupped his hand under her elbow and pulled her away to look at him. He stared down at her, his expression utterly serious. “Promise me you’ll be careful. Stay close to this cabin at all times. No jaunts over the mountains as the cougar, and when you’re in human form, don’t step outside this cabin.”

“I promise,” she said solemnly.

Kaya sat on the couch in front of the fire, her knees hugged to her chest as she watched the two men prepare to leave. They worked methodically, as if they’d done this a million times before. And they had, she knew. She’d watched them from a distance as they’d donned their pack gear and hiked down the mountain.

Only this time they were leaving her, and it frightened her.

When the last of their supplies were packed, they turned to her. The moment she’d dreaded was here. The goodbye.

“Come here, honey,” Jericho said in a low voice.

She flew off the couch and into his arms, hugging him fiercely. He covered her mouth with his, kissing her with unrestrained passion. Then he tore his lips away and rested his forehead against hers.

“We’ll be back soon. You won’t even miss us.”

“I’ll miss you.”

He smiled. “We’ll miss you too. Take care of yourself until we can come back and do it ourselves.”

He walked around her to stand by the door and allow Hunter his goodbye.

For a long second, she and Hunter stood staring at one another. Her heart swelled and ached with every beat. She didn’t want them to go. Selfishly, she wanted to beg them not to leave her, not to go fulfill the legacy of a woman they’d loved before her.

A tear slid over her cheek before she could wipe it away.

Hunter closed the distance between them and pulled her to him.

“Don’t cry. We’ll be back before you know it.”

She reached up to frame his face in her hands and then pulled him down to kiss her.

“I love you, Hunter. Hurry back to me. I’ll miss you both so badly.”

He kissed her lingeringly, touching her face with gentle hands.

“Be careful, Kaya. I don’t like leaving you like this.”

“I know,” she said sadly. “Now go.”

Jericho opened the door, and the two men walked out into the snow. She stood at the window watching until they disappeared down the mountain. The cougar protested, wanting to bound into the snow after them, but she squelched the urge before it could take over.

Her hand pressed against the frosty glass pane.

“I love you,” she whispered.

Chapter Twenty

Kaya paced the confines of the cabin restlessly. Her skin crawled and itched with the need to shift. Every day after Hunter and Jericho had left, the cougar had tracked through the snow to a rocky overhang that afforded her a prime view of the path they’d take back up the mountain. And she waited.

Today when she’d called to the cougar, the cougar had not risen. For the first time she couldn’t shift.

What was wrong with her? Why was the cougar lying dormant? It frightened her. Made her feel insecure and uneasy. How could she protect herself if she couldn’t call on the beast?

She sensed the cougar had withdrawn. Why? She was still there, but she had settled deep within, refusing to be drawn out.

If only Hunter and Jericho would return. Then she wouldn’t feel so scared. Maybe she’d feel more herself. Maybe the cougar would return.

The shadows had lengthened and dusk settled over the cabin. They wouldn’t return tonight. Dejected, she went into the kitchen and consoled herself with a hot meal. The novelty of cooked food hadn’t worn off.

Her gaze took in the canned goods in the cabinets. Plenty of food to last several more weeks. Jericho and Hunter would return well before then.

Feeling marginally better after filling her belly, she went into Jericho’s room and crawled under the blankets. They still held his scent, and she inhaled deeply to allow it to surround her. She alternated sleeping in their beds, wanting to keep them near at all times.

Tonight, she was asleep almost as soon as her head hit the pillow. Deep and dreamless. In the recesses of her mind, she became aware of a comforting warmth. Gentle sunshine and a touch so light that it carried her along before she realized she was floating.

A smiling woman, familiar and yet strange, with long dark hair. She carried a blanket-wrapped bundle in her arms. When she stood in front of Kaya, her expression filled with love and joy. Then she lowered the tiny bundle into Kaya’s arms.

Kaya looked down to see a baby. The child opened her eyes and their gazes connected. Immediately, Kaya was filled with indescribable pride and happiness. Her finger carefully touched the little one’s cheek. The baby turned, trying to suck the finger into her tiny mouth.

A sound forced Kaya’s gaze beyond the baby. A beautiful silver wolf stood a few feet away. Strangely she felt no fear for her or her child. The eyes were familiar.

The wolf lowered its head and walked slowly toward the baby. Its nose pressed against the baby’s cheek and then both baby and wolf looked up at Kaya again and she saw their eyes were identical blue. Ice blue.

And then the wolf disappeared. But Kaya understood. This was her child. The Maker was gifting her child with the spirit and soul of the great wolf.

The child squirmed and turned toward Kaya, rooting until it found her breast. She latched on and began to suckle as Kaya tenderly kept watch over her.

Kaya came awake with a start, her hand flying to her stomach. She sat up, sweat beading her forehead even though a heavy chill lay over the cabin.

Could it be? She rubbed her belly, but she now knew why the cougar had refused her. Knew why the Maker had come to her in a dream.

A baby. Her daughter.

She slid her legs over the side of the bed and sat there, both hands covering her still-flat stomach as she stared down in wonder.

A child. She was pregnant with Hunter and Jericho’s child. A child who would grow to be a great silver wolf. Strong and majestic. Would it anger Hunter and Jericho that their daughter would be like Kaya?

No, she didn’t think so. It would cause them endless worry, but they would embrace her heritage as they had embraced Kaya’s.

She smiled as tears of happiness welled in her eyes. They had given her their love and she would give them a daughter. She would have her own family. A tiny circle of people who she loved and who loved and accepted her.

She couldn’t wait for Hunter and Jericho to return so she could sh

are her wondrous news.

“I don’t like this,” Hunter muttered.

Jericho stared through the scope of his rifle and grunted his agreement. “It’s too easy.”

Hunter held up his hand as the rest of their team fell in behind them. He positioned the tiny mic close to his mouth and addressed the others.

“This stinks to high heaven. I want everyone on their guard. Jericho and I will go in first. K-man, you and Dierks swing around and come in from the north. The prisoners are being kept in the middle of the camp. Make sure they aren’t compromised. The rest of you split into two teams and take out the guard towers to the east and west. Get in and get out. Fast.”

K-man and Dierks disappeared from sight while the other team members moved noiselessly left and right. Keeping their weapons up, Hunter and Jericho crept forward.

No noise emanated from the encampment. Only the sounds of distant predators filled the night. The eerie laugh of a hyena sent a shiver over Hunter’s skin.

Something wasn’t right. It was all too pat.

Jericho moved ahead before Hunter could motion him back. Jericho laid aside his rifle and hauled the makeshift trap door up a few inches so he could peer inside the pit.

“Hunter, the west guard tower is empty.”

The words echoed in his ear just as Jericho made a slashing motion to indicate the pit was also empty.

Christ. “Pull back,” Hunter hissed into the receiver. “Get the hell out. Now!”

Jericho dropped the door. Before he could pick up his rifle, the world around them lit up.

“Get down!” Hunter shouted as he lunged to cover Jericho.

The two men went down as a blaze of orange filled their senses. Heat. Then pain. Then nothing.