Page 55 of Savage Hunt

“The ravens made you hide your true nature.” The beast, Fane, unwrapped the sleeves of the jumpsuit from around my waist. “You’ve always been a rebel—a fighter and a renegade—and I never want that to change no matter how much it pisses me off sometimes.”

His words lulled me and drew the other Tate forward, his soul taking hers by the hand. I felt myself fading to the background, but as the beast’s fingers slinked under my shirt, tasting and feeling my flesh, I didn’t mind that much.

I would still be inside, enjoying the seduction and lust he poured into this body. Plus, I wouldn’t stay down for long. She’d need me again soon enough.

“You’re my fiera mika, and I need you to find your way back to me.”

My chest tore open, and a sob burst out. “Fane.”

He drew back, searching for me. This me, the one that had gone missing for the last few weeks.

“Tate.” He tore the chain off my throat. “It’s you.”

Tears ran down my cheeks, and I greedily gulped air now that the pressure was gone. “I’m sorry.”

I’d tortured him for hours and slept while he was chained. I screamed on the inside every time I cut into him. And I died a little more with every fear he experienced.

But the last one…

I didn’t know he felt like that. Of course I wondered but never thought too much of it because I didn’t want to be disappointed.

He knew exactly what he’d revealed, and neither of us was ready to face that. So much was against us. If we spoke the truth to each other and something tore us apart, it would only hurt that much more.

But his eyes said what his mouth couldn’t. And he saw the same emotions within me. I loved him.

We wouldn’t say those words—we couldn’t—but we felt them so deeply it fucking hurt.

“Fiera mika.” His mouth pressed against mine in a slow, burning kiss that set me ablaze. “I told you I would always bring you back.”

Another broken sob slipped out, and I ripped his jumpsuit off before the pain and anguish could overwhelm me. “Can you make it all go away, Fane?” I rubbed against him, focusing on the lust and desire that had already been building between us since he broke through his binds. “I need you. Now.”

Fane didn’t hesitate to give me what I wanted. He shredded my clothes off in seconds, spread my legs, and slammed into me so violently my shriek could have blown the walls down.

The physical pain shoved the emotional distress away and brought pleasure as our bodies collided. We’d been separated too much lately, and our bond was more determined to keep yanking us together.

Was it angry we’d been apart?

“I will never stop bringing you back, Teague.” Fane dragged his mouth over my jaw and then down my neck, sucking and biting a fiery trail. “And even if you can’t take control, I won’t leave you.”

The malevolent me purred inside.

He will stay with us both.

“I promise. Always” Fane punctuated each word with a thrust.

The urge to shatter beneath him overwhelmed me, but I tightened my grip, needing him to know how much his promise meant. He would never abandon me like so many others had. No matter how dark I became, he would stay and fight for me.

“I’ll never turn away from you, Fane.” He’d been abused and abandoned by the people who should have loved him too. “You are my beast. Mine.”

A shudder rippled through him as that word—mine—crossed my lips. That word had power among shifters, and I’d felt it when it hit the air. I hadn’t consciously meant to do it, but I wouldn’t take it back.

I would never take back any claim I laid on Fane Maverick. He was mine. And sooner or later, I might have to fight every villain in this realm and the others to keep it that way.

“You two need to get up now.”

I turned and blinked at the tall figure leaning over the bed, trying to grasp what was happening. It took several moments to realize Warden Demarcus was the one skulking in the room.

Fane bolted up and shoved Demarcus into the wall. “I’m going to murder you for allowing Venna to torture Tate like this.”

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