Page 49 of Taken By Raider Kings
“I don’t know.”There was a sound of movement, and a sudden drift of her almost-perfume.Sophie, approachinghimfor once.“You’re angry.”Soft, tentative.
He forced himself to stand still.“Of course I’m angry.They’re threatening our shaman.”My mate.But you don’t have a clue, do you?
“Well, what should we do?”Still that cautious tone, as if she thought he was going to explode.
He just might.Even the ice and moonlight hanging on her wasn’t enough to smooth his nerves.“What Iwantto do is go find this Wilson motherfucker and tear his spleen out.Because I can smell how afraid you are every time you think about him.Then I want to find his happy little handler, this Armitage, and tearhimapart, too.And all their little helpers.”
The touch startled him.She had her hand on his shoulder, a light pressure through his damp jacket.Both of them had been rained on all day, and for what?To find out theupirhad a lock on this town so tight the Tribes were afraid instead of proud.
“Why are they afraid of Carcajou?”She pronounced the name slightly wrong, but he thought he detected a breath of high-school French.“And what does that mean, anyway?”
“They’re afraid because that’s our specialization, huntingupir.And because we don’t back down—that’s why there’re so few of us.We breed slow and we fight hard.”Our Family was an exception.Especially when our shaman threw twins, that was a Big Event.Every Tribe we ever knew came to pay regards.
His hands had knitted into fists.He felt more than heard Eric withdraw, probably spooked by the high-level bloodlust pouring out of Zach’s glands.
“Well.That answersthat.”Did she soundamused?Did she not understand what was going on?
He glanced down.Yes, that was her hand on his shoulder.Yes, she was smiling.It was an odd, wry expression, and her glasses glinted wickedly at him.She’d unbuttoned Kyle’s jacket; the rain had worked its way in, plastering a triangle of cotton T-shirt to her chest.
Yup.Curves to make a racetrack die of envy, and she was standing right next to him, the closest she’d ever willingly been.Close enough that he could feel the heat from her, even through soaked clothing.
What the hell?
“I guess you saved my life.”Sophie stared at the window, very carefully avoiding looking at him.“Though we’re going to have to talk about that kidnapping thing.”
“I didn’t have achoice.”His growl rattled the entire room; Zach fought to bottle the anger, keep it leashed.
“I know, I said we’d talk about it.Just calm down.”
He couldsmellthe fear on her, yet she stayed right where she was.He wondered what it cost her.“It’s hard to be calm when you smell frightened, shaman.”You don’t know how hard.
“I can’t remember not being scared.Isn’t that funny?”Her expression suggested she didn’t find anything amusing at all about it.“I know I must’ve been, maybe before I married Marc.But not anymore.”
Jesus.“I’m sorry.”And I’m something you should be afraid of, too.Dammit.Of all the things to happen.
“I was terrified when I left him.That nobody would believe me, or he’d find me and drag me back, or the outside world really was too huge for me to handle on my own.That he wasrightsomehow, you know?That I was weak and he was justified every time he…” Maddeningly, she stopped.
Every time he hurt you.“But you did it anyway, right?”
“I did.”Her hand fell from his shoulder, but thankfully she didn’t retreat further.“Just like I’m scared of you and your family, but I’m going to stay with you anyway.Being frightened isn’t a reasonnotto do something.Lucy always tried to tell me that.”
“I’m sorry about her.”And sorry about Kyle.And sorry about you, too.Sorry I’ve frightened the fuck out of you, handled you exactly wrong.Why couldn’t this have been easier?
“Me, too.”Miraculously, shestilldidn’t back away from him.The nearness was soothing, her scent spreading, wrapping around him.“I just… Why would Marc wantherdead as well?I can’t figure it out.”
Of course she couldn’t.It was utterly alien to her, probably, the things some men were capable of.And they callusbeasts.“I’d bet it was because she helped you get away.Didn’t she?”
Because when that type of man thinks he owns something, he’ll kill everything it touches.Just to prove the point.
She was silent for a long span of moments, staring out the bay window.When he looked closer he found her cheeks were wet, not just with the endless, stupid sleet.Big gemlike tears made her pretty eyes sparkle, and she was biting her lower lip, worrying gently.
“Then itismy fault,” she finally whispered.“It should’ve been me.”
“Oh, Christ.”Zach had her shoulders before he realized it, restrained himself from shaking her only by sheer willpower.“Don’t.It’s not your fault and not hers, either.It’shim.He’s the?—”
Sophie reached up, awkward because his hands were around her upper arms.Her damp fingers curved around his nape; she pulled his head down, gently but irresistibly.His mouth met hers, lips opening shyly, and he forgot everything but the taste of her, flavored with the ghost of spearmint gum.
His body pushed against hers, searching for resistance and finding none until her back met the wall near the dead fireplace.His palms slid down to describe her waist, those hips he’d been longing to touch unreeling just like a rollercoaster.
