Page 24 of The Storm Within

That wasn’t what Ryker wanted to do, once again tempted by the bed a mere fifteen feet away. Knowing they couldn’t make any more use of it, Ryker wanted to hunt Diobno down and finish him off.

Reluctantly, he set Nate down but held his hands out like the guy would fall over, though he wasn’t sure why.

“Really?” Nate batted his hands away. “I’m scared, not an invalid.”

For the first time since Ryker could remember, heat scorched his face. Was he really blushing? Jeez.

“Sorry.” He cleared his throat. “I guess I’m taking this whole ‘protecting you’ thing too far.”

“I kind of like it.” Nate’s smile boarded on shy, the kind that caused a light pink blush to spread and send Ryker’s heart racing.

Don’t even think about the bed! Have a blushing contest after you get out of this fucking place.

Right. Escape.

Lacing his fingers with Nate’s, they stepped inside the closet. A bad joke came to mind, but Ryker kept it to himself, unsure Nate would get the “closet” joke anyway.

Now they stood there like strangers on an elevator, Nate’s eyes forward, his lips pressed together.

Did his mate regret flirting with him? It seemed ridiculous considering they’d just had sex not even an hour ago.

A demonic roar echoed through the deserted motel. Nate slammed the door closed, cutting off the hellish sound.

“I think your uncle is a little more than pissed off.”

Ignoring his statement, Nate patted Ryker’s face, his chest, and then down his arm before he latched onto Ryker’s hand.

“I can do this,” Nate whispered repeatedly, his voice strained.

Ryker forced himself not to pick up his mate, allowing him to navigate through his fears. If Nate couldn’t, only then would Ryker step in.

“Now what?” Preternatural had excellent night vision, but Ryker couldn’t see anything. The closet shouldn’t have been this dark considering the space under the door was a good three inches and they’d left the light on in the motel room.

He was astonished when he swept out his arm and felt nothing but emptiness all around him. That shouldn’t have been possible in the tight confines they’d been crammed into.

“We, uh, walk forward,” Nate replied, his voice comforting in the darkness. But he didn’t just have Ryker’s hand. The guy had a death grip on his arm. Nate’s breathing was coming out too fast and hard, his limbs shaking.

With a soft curse, Ryker placed his hand over Nate’s, pulling the frightened man in front of him, then scooped his mate into his arms. Again, Nate buried his face in Ryker’s chest.

“Just walk forward, right?” He kept his voice casual, like asking for directions in a space that shouldn’t exist was something he did all the time.

“And think of where you want to go,” Nate added. “That’s very important.”

A hundred different places popped into Ryker’s head. His SUV was still parked in front of the motel, but fuck going back for it. Then his family came to mind, and although Ryker wanted to let them know he was okay, that the two of them had made it out, only one destination stood out among the rest.

As soon as the thought fully formed, he found himself walking down the side of Deep Dish Diner. Fresh, crisp air filled his lungs as snow crunched under his boots.

Amazing.

Slowing to a stop, he inhaled the delicious aroma of Roman’s cooking, letting out a deep, happy sigh. He was back in Midnight Falls.

God, yes. His gaze darted over the familiar surroundings, astonished he hadn’t even felt the transition from one place to another, from darkness to the predawn light.

A chuckle bubbled up. Hot damn! Ryker had popped his shadow-traveling cherry. Killian was going to be so jealous. “That has to be the freakiest shit I’ve ever experienced. I want to do it again.”

Ryker turned and saw the alley behind the diner. Just that quickly, the rising sun had encompassed everything around them, its warm rays vanquishing the shadows.

“Ow!” Nate yanked his arms around his stomach, causing Ryker to nearly drop him.

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