Page 63 of Haunted By the Shadow of Death

“I’ll take it.” His voice was rough as he knelt on the cot. He shifted me backward until he was lying half on top of me.

I loved the weight of him on top of me, the smell of his skin and the feel of it under my palms, so warm and smooth.

“You know, it was easier to not do this when I thought you weren’t ready. Now that I know it’s because you think you’re going to kill me, it’s much harder to keep my hands off you.” He smiled again, as if that had been good news.

“What if she changes her mind and kills you?” I whispered. It would be so easy to lose myself in him for the moment, but not when she wanted it.

“She won’t.” Even his voice, so low and gruff, seemed to heighten my arousal. He dipped his head, brushing his lips against my ear. “I’m very likable.”

His hand ran up from my waist to cover my breast as his leg nudged mine apart and his thigh pressed against my core. I arched into him, knowing that it would take almost nothing for me to absolutely fall apart in his arms. I’d never had this kind of connection to anyone, ever. The simplest touch from him and I was on the verge of losing myself.

Then that dark piece of me inside began to pulse to life, responding to his touch as well. I pulled away abruptly, scrambling off the cot and nearly falling in my urgency.

“I can’t. I just can’t.” My voice broke, and I wrapped my arms around myself, trying to hold on to my resolve. “You don’t understand. When you touch me, I can feel that piece of her coming to life. What if I lose control? What if what’s in me hurts you?”

He stayed on the cot, concern smothering the fire that had been in his eyes a second ago.

“It’s all right, Pips.” He reached out, grabbing my hand and tugging me back toward the cot. “Just lie here with me. We don’t have to do anything.”

I lay down on the cot, settling in against his chest. True to his word, he didn’t do anything else.

Chapter Twenty-Six

It wasn’t quite noon as we stepped into the field that was technically their territory. Dirkin had drawn out the map this morning in between rolling his eyes and grunting.

“Don’t let anybody who shows up get too close to you. They don’t normally kill people, but that doesn’t mean they won’t or can’t under the right circumstances,” Kicks said.

Considering meeting this creature had been his idea, he wasn’t selling it well. If I wasn’t so desperate, I would’ve called the whole thing off. Unfortunately, I was near reeking of desperation. Sweat and dread was my newest scent lately.

“You don’t need to warn me. I don’t touch anyone intentionally, remember?” I couldn’t imagine how anyone could forget.

He kept his eyes on the horizon but smiled.

“I’m glad you find my killing abilities a source of joy,” I said.

“There’s always a silver lining.” He nodded to the other side of the field. “We’ve got company.”

A man was walking toward us, tall and gangly, with whitish-blond hair.

As he walked closer, I could feel the difference in the creature who approached. I could smell a sweet scent from him, see the way his eyes twitched unnaturally. A year ago, I might’ve noticed him and thought him slightly odd, but wouldn’t have given it much more thought than that. Now, I watched with eyes that felt like they were centuries older than the girl I’d been. Maybe it wasn’t life that was making me more attuned but the piece of Death that had taken up residence in me.

As the man grew closer, his eyes seemed more intent on me, and he gave Kicks only a passing glance. He stopped a good distance away, scanning me.

“We’re friends of Dirkin,” Kicks said. “We don’t mean to cause trouble. We’ve just come to talk.”

“Who is she?” the man said.

I sensed he was more interested in what I was more than who I was.

“She’s my mate, Piper. I’m Kicks. We’re from the Arkansas pack.”

“But what is she?” The stranger’s gaze remained fixated on me.

“I’m a human that had guide magic passed on to me,” I replied.

He hesitated but then nodded. That description was probably enough to confuse him and throw him off the scent of what else was going on. At least, I hoped. I still wasn’t sure how we were going to ask for help when we didn’t want to tell them what the problem was.

“What do you want?” he said, still not offering a name.

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