His Darkest Embrace (Jaguar Warriors 2)

Brief being the operative word.

She was just about to move forward when alarm bells began to ring from deep inside, her own personal “spidey sense,” as it were, and a tingle of awareness shot up her spine.

She was no longer alone.

She held her body still and scanned the embankment along the water. It was empty, and as far as she could see the entire area was the same. But she knew that there was someone out there.

She just didn’t know if it was friendly.

Skye treaded water in silence, her nerves as taut as the muscles that clenched her stomach. She slowly made her way toward the far end of the basin, her eyes constantly on the move.

Was it Jagger? Or one of the other shifters that had been hunting her?

She grabbed on to a rock ledge, conserving her energy while she waited. There really wasn’t much else that she could do.

Long moments passed and just when she felt like screaming in frustration, movement drew her eyes toward the opposite side of the water basin. There, amongst the darkness, a shape appeared. Tall, undoubtedly male.

He moved toward her with a slow grace that had her heart rate increasing, and she struggled to breathe. Skye bit her lip and remained quiet. When the tall male stepped into a beam of moonlight, the relief she felt was nearly overwhelming.

It was Jagger.

Her relief was short-lived however, once she had an opportunity to gauge his mood. To say that he was pissed would be an understatement. His handsome face looked down upon her, the features tight, the eyes hard.

Skye’s belly did a little flip, and on top of the hunger and exhaustion that she felt, she could now add fear.

Filthy animal.

Her words echoed through her mind and she winced in embarrassment. It had been a cheap shot; she knew he was nothing like the DaCostas and she had a feeling her words would not be so easily forgivable.

Skye inhaled a shaky bre

ath. Crap. Could things be any more complicated? All she wanted was her bag back and to be on her way.

She looked up at the warrior as he stood staring across the water and began to shiver, her teeth clacking against each other. Just because she was scared didn’t mean the warrior had to know. She exhaled slowly and stilled her fast-beating heart, drawing on the strength of her eagle.

She gazed back at him boldly and for the hundredth time she had to ask, what in the hell had she gotten herself into?

Jagger’s eyes narrowed as he stared down at Skye. She looked like a fucking sea nymph. Her long blond hair floated out around her shoulders, framing her body in a halo of long caramel spikes. Her classic features, enhanced even more with the beauty of the moon caressing her skin, taunted him.

She looked up at him and tilted her chin, just so. It really was a fuck you look and he felt a sliver of admiration roll through him, in spite of his dark thoughts. She should be nervous as all hell. Her arrogance was really astounding.

He felt the anger—which he’d successfully banished in his relentless trek through the jungle—eat at him once more. Jagger clenched his teeth together hard as a muscle worked along the lean line of his jaw.

He could hear the chatter of her teeth and knew that she must be damn near dead on her feet from exhaustion, but it didn’t matter.

He smiled wickedly and heard a small gasp escape from between her lips. It was time to teach Skye Knightly a lesson.

She needed to know who was in charge.

Slowly he shed his clothes, his smile growing wider as her eyes did the same. His long, lean body reveled in the feel of night as the humid air slid against his bare skin. When he was naked, he stood at the edge of the water, watching her tread water lightly.

“What … what are you doing?” she whispered hoarsely.

Jagger ignored her question and without warning dove into the water, his head cresting the surface before she’d had a chance to react. He heard her yelp and slowly his long arms arced out, slicing through the water, until a few seconds later he was within reach of her.

To her credit, Skye stood her ground. She held on to the ledge, the water slowly lapping at the tops of her breasts as her eyes met his in defiance.

Jagger’s own narrowed as he studied the eagle shifter in silence.