Page 9 of Panther Heart's Secret Passion
He was up in a second, blocking the door, his body tense but his voice soft. “Adrienne, you can’t go out there alone. Morris’s rogues are tracking you. They know you have the shard. You’re not safe without me.”
My fear spiked, my hand tightening on my bag. “Tracking me? How do you even know that? What else aren’t you telling me?” My voice shook, memories of those cloaked figures, their glowing eyes, flashing in my mind. “I can’t just sit here, Allen. I need to figure this out, and I can’t do it with you hovering.”
He stepped closer, his eyes pleading. “I get it, you’re scared. I’m scared too. But if you go out there alone, they’ll find you. Please, stay here. We’ll figure this out together.”
I shook my head, my chest tight. “Together means you start talking, Allen. Until then, I’m doing this my way.” I turned back to the table, sitting as far from him as I could, my pen scratching as I copied more notes. The silence between us was heavy, a barrier I didn’t know how to break. I wanted to trust him, but his secrets, his glowing eyes, the panther I’d seen, they all kept me at a distance. I focused on the books, my hands steadying as I wrote, determined to uncover the truth myself.
Hours passed, the library quiet except for the hum of the lights and the occasional rustle of pages. I found more references to the veil, to artifacts that powered it, and to a ritual that could destroy it, plunging the hidden realm into chaos. It was all tied to Morris, to the sabotage, to the shard I carried. I was so deep in my notes I didn’t notice my bag had shifted until I reached for a pen and felt something crinkle. I pulled out a folded note, written in red ink, the words chilling: “The truth will kill you both.”
Chapter Ten
Allen
I led Adrienne through the dense forest of Esoterra, my senses sharp for any trace of Morris’s rogues, their acrid scent still lingering from the fight outside the cabin. The note in her bag, written in red ink, burned in my mind, but I couldn’t tell her how close the danger was, not when she was already terrified of me. The waterfall cave was our best bet, a hidden spot deep in the realm where the rush of water would mask our steps. The air grew cooler as we approached, the sound of cascading water growing louder, and we slipped behind the curtain of the falls into a cave where glowing moss clung to the walls, casting a soft, dreamlike light that reflected off the shallow pool inside. The mist from the falls dampened my skin, but my heart ached more than the cold, heavy with Adrienne’s silence since she saw me shift. I stayed near the entrance, keeping my distance, giving her space to process what I was.
She sat on a smooth rock by the water, her posture rigid, her hands clasped tightly in her lap. The glow of the moss lit her face, her hazel eyes fixed on the rippling pool, avoiding me. I wantedto reach out, to ease the fear I’d seen in her eyes, but I didn’t know how. The bond between us was still there, a warm pulse in my chest, but her silence made it feel like a wall I couldn’t climb. She shifted, moving closer, and sat beside me, her shoulder brushing mine. I flinched, my voice raw as I spoke. “You don’t need to come near me, Adrienne. I know you’re scared.”
She hesitated, her eyes softening, her voice trembling as she looked at me. “I am scared, Allen. I won’t lie. Seeing you change like that, it’s a lot. But I’m trying to understand you. I don’t want to be afraid of you.” Her words were quiet, but they hit me hard, cracking the wall between us.
I swallowed, my throat tight. “I never wanted to lie to you. I kept it secret to protect you, from my world, from the things out there that want to hurt you. I’m still the same guy, Adrienne, the one who’s been trying to keep you safe.”
She looked down, her fingers twisting together. “I want to believe that. But you’re not just a guy, are you? You’re a shifter, from some hidden realm. And those things chasing me, they’re like you, right? I need to know what I’m dealing with, Allen. I can’t keep running blind.”
I reached for her hand, then stopped, unsure if she’d pull away. “They’re not like me, not really. They’re rogues, shifters who’ve turned against our laws. They’re working for someone who wants to destroy the veil that hides Esoterra. That shard you have, it’s part of that veil. They’ll kill to get it.”
Her eyes widened, her hand brushing her pocket where the shard was hidden. “This thing? It’s why they’re after me? Why didn’t you tell me that from the start?”
I sighed, my voice heavy. “Because knowing makes you a bigger target. I thought I could stop them before they got to you. I was wrong, and I’m sorry.”
She looked at me, her eyes searching mine, and the bond surged, a warm pull that made my chest ache. She leaned closer,her breath warm against my cheek. “I don’t know what to do with this, Allen. But I know I feel something when I’m with you, something I can’t explain. It’s why I’m still here, even after everything.”
Before I could respond, she closed the gap, her lips brushing mine in a tentative kiss, cautious but real. I froze for a second, then kissed her back, my hands finding her waist, pulling her closer as the kiss deepened, passion overtaking her hesitation. The mist from the falls clung to our skin, the roar of the water echoing around us as she pressed herself against me, her hands sliding up my chest. I lifted her, her legs wrapping around my waist, and backed her against the cave wall, the cool stone a contrast to the heat between us. Her fingers tugged at my shirt, pulling it over my head, and I groaned softly, my lips finding her neck, tasting the mist and the salt of her skin.
“Adrienne,” I murmured, my voice rough as I kissed along her pulse, feeling it race under my touch. She arched into me, her breath hitching as she unbuttoned her jacket, letting it fall to the cave floor. My hands slid under her shirt, tracing the curve of her ribs, my thumbs brushing the soft skin beneath her bra. She moaned, her fingers fumbling with the clasp until it came loose, her skin bare under the moss’s glow. I kissed her chest, my lips lingering on the curve of her breast, my tongue teasing until she gasped, her hands gripping my shoulders, her nails grazing my skin.
“Don’t stop,” she whispered, her voice bold now, her hands sliding to my jeans, unbuttoning them with steady fingers. I peeled her shirt off, my hands exploring the smooth lines of her back, the mist making her skin slick under my touch. She pushed my jeans down, her touch growing braver, her fingers tracing the line of my hips, sending a jolt through me. I slid her jeans off, my hands slow and deliberate, savoring the feel of her thighs, her hips, as I kissed along her collarbone, my teeth grazing gently.She pulled me closer, her legs tightening around my waist, her breath ragged as she guided me to her.
I entered her slowly, my eyes locked on hers, watching the way her lips parted, her breath catching as I moved deeper. “Allen,” she gasped, her hands tight on my back, her nails digging in as I set a rhythm, gentle but intense, the bond amplifying every sensation. The water’s roar filled the cave, mixing with her soft moans as my lips trailed down her neck, her chest, lingering on the sensitive spot behind her ear. My hands gripped her hips, steadying her against the wall, my shifter strength controlled but firm, each thrust drawing her closer. She arched into me, her fingers tangling in my hair, tugging gently, and I growled softly, kissing her deeply, my tongue teasing hers as we moved faster.
The mist swirled around us, the moss’s glow casting shadows on her skin as she clung to me, her breath breaking with each movement. My hands slid to her thighs, my fingers digging in just enough to make her gasp, her body trembling as we pushed each other higher. “God, Allen,” she whispered, her voice raw, her nails raking across my back as she tightened around me, her release hitting hard, her cry echoing with the water’s roar. I followed, the bond pulling me with her, a rush of heat and connection that left us both breathless, our bodies pressed together against the cave wall.
We slid to the cave floor, her head resting on my chest, my arms around her as we caught our breath. The moss’s light softened the world, but my fear of losing her lingered, heavy in my chest. I brushed a damp strand of hair from her face, my voice soft. “You okay?”
She nodded, her fingers tracing my chest. “Yeah. I just needed that. Needed you.” Her voice was quiet, but there was a strength in it, like she was choosing to stay despite everything.
I wanted to tell her more, to explain the council, Morris, the veil, but the words stuck. Instead, I held her closer, my lips brushing her forehead. “I’m not going anywhere,” I said, hoping she’d hear the promise in it.
She shifted, her hand brushing the cave floor, and froze, her fingers closing around something small and glowing. Another veil fragment, its blue pulse bright in the dim light. “Allen, look at this,” she said, her voice sharp with curiosity. “It’s like the one I have.”
I sat up, my heart sinking. “That’s not supposed to be here.” My senses sharpened, and I realized too late what it meant. Morris. He’d planted it, luring us to this cave, knowing I’d bring her somewhere safe. I stood, pulling her to her feet. “We need to go, now.”
She clutched the fragment, her eyes wide. “What’s wrong? Is it those rogues again?”
Before I could answer, growls echoed outside, low and menacing, cutting through the water’s roar. I pushed Adrienne behind me, my body tensing, ready to shift. “Stay back,” I said, my voice low. “They’re here.”
The cave entrance exploded with movement as Morris’s rogues burst in, their eyes glowing, their claws glinting in the moss’s light. There were three, two wolves and a coyote, their snarls filling the air. I shoved Adrienne toward the back of the cave, but the coyote was faster, lunging past me and grabbing her arm. She screamed, kicking at it, but the wolves closed in, pinning her as she struggled. I roared, my body half-shifting, but a heavy paw slammed into my chest, knocking me back against the wall.
“Allen!” she shouted, her voice breaking as the rogues dragged her toward the entrance. I lunged, my claws slashing, but they were gone, vanishing into the fog with her. My breath heaved, my vision blurring with rage and fear, and then I sawit, carved into the cave wall, the words stark and chilling: “Bring the fragments, or she dies.”
