Circle of Desire (Damask Circle 3)

KAT WOKE TO THE WARMTH OF ETHAN’S TOUCH, THE WEIGHT of his body atop of hers, the dampness of earth and grass pressed against her spine. She kissed his fingertips as they brushed her mouth, then opened her eyes. His face was inches from hers, his eyes a heated combination of worry and lust.

“Are you all right?”

She nodded. His voice was as ragged as his breathing, and she knew it wasn’t so much pain as desire. He was fighting the moon fever, but if the desperation that surged around her was anything to go by, it was a battle he was rapidly losing.

She swore under her breath and looked around. Metal loomed above them. The bathtub, upside down on top of them. While it had undoubtedly saved their lives, right now it was also trapping them.

She wondered how much time had passed. Wondered how long the mara would leave watch

ers to see if they’d survived.

Through the noise of the storm she could hear voices, but they were as distant as the sirens. Which was odd, to say the least. Or maybe it just meant they were buried deep under the rubble of the motel room.

“I’m going to lift the edge of the tub and see where we are and what’s going on.”

He nodded. Sweat dripped down his forehead and splashed onto her lips. She resisted the urge to lick the droplet from her mouth, knowing right now the slightest sexual move could tip his control past the edge.

She reached for kinetic energy and carefully lifted the tub. And gasped. Because they were no longer anywhere near the motel. It lay at the bottom of the slope below them, half demolished and wrapped in flames.

The force of the bomb had obviously blown them free, and she had a feeling the active protection circle had a lot to do with that. That parcel might have been a product of the human world, but the imprint of magic had still been on it. Maybe because the soul-sucker had handled it, or maybe because she’d used magic to put it there. Whatever the reason, that imprint had registered with the remaining magic of the stones. How they ended up this far away she couldn’t say, but she wasn’t about to question a quirk of fate. Not when it played in their favor.

She lifted the opposite edge of the tub and saw they were close to the edge of a forest. She swept her gaze across the darkness, but she couldn’t sense the taint of magic or evil, and the only sound she could hear was the distant gurgle of water. Lady Luck had definitely stepped into their corner for a change.

“Ethan?”

His gaze jumped to hers. His eyes had slipped past humanity to become almost primordial. “I need—”

“I know what you need, but right now, we need to get out of here. Do you understand me?”

He didn’t answer. Maybe he couldn’t answer. His whole body quivered with desire, and his groin ground against hers. While it was a need he was obviously still fighting, it was one he was predestined to lose. And she had a bad feeling that if she did anything untoward—even something as simple as rising—that need would be unleashed. Which meant they had to briefly separate. The last thing she wanted was the mara realizing they’d survived, which meant she had to hide any evidence of it. Thanks to that explosion and a huge piece of luck, they’d bought themselves some time. Time from another attack, time to rescue the kids.

Maybe even time enough to ease the hunger of a moon-snared werewolf.

But that couldn’t happen here.

She caught his face in her hand, holding his gaze with her own. It was a wolf in mating heat she stared at, even if that wolf still wore human form—and he was close, so close, to completely losing control. “Can you hear the river?”

“Yes.” His voice came out as little more than a harsh growl.

“Your lady awaits you there,” she said, wondering who he’d see there—Jacinta, her, or someone else entirely? Wondered if it even mattered when the moon had him in its grip.

“Jac?” It came out little more than a harsh rasp of sound. “No.”

“Yes.” She closed her eyes against the sting of tears. “She needs you, Ethan. Needs you to hurry.”

He didn’t reply. Energy caressed her skin, its touch warm and sharp as he shifted shape. She lifted the tub higher, and he sprang away, quickly disappearing into the night.

She loosened the damp and heavy blanket from around her waist, then shifted shape and flew up to the shelter of the nearest tree. She took a deep breath, then kinetically lifted the tub and blanket, and thrust them both deep into the surrounding trees. With any sort of luck, they wouldn’t be found until this was all over.

Then she took to the skies again, flying high over the trees until she found the river she’d heard. It was deep in the forest, and she could neither see nor hear anyone close. No one except Ethan, that is. Though she couldn’t actually see him, just sense the force of his wanting. It had to be dealt with now, before the fever raged totally out of control and he attacked someone.

Besides, they could hardly rescue the kids when he was in this frame of mind.

She spiraled down through the trees and shifted shape as she neared the ground. The rain stung her skin, and she shivered. This wasn’t exactly the best time or place to sate a wolf’s desire, but right now she had very little choice. A twig snapped behind her. She turned as Ethan padded out of the trees.

He hesitated, staring at her with eyes that were neither human nor wolf but somewhere in between and far more ethereal. He shifted shape and took off his jeans, tossing them casually into the trees. But there was nothing casual about the way he walked toward her. Nothing casual in the way he watched her. Even in human form, his eyes were otherworldly.

He stopped in front of her. She’d expected the moon-spun lust to be so great that he’d simply grab her and mate with her. That he didn’t surprised her.