Page 49 of Darkness Bound (Night Prowler 5)
But then he whispered with searing, startling remorse, “I didn’t know you, Jacqueline. I didn’t know you. If I had, I never would’ve agreed to it. I never would’ve hurt you. I thought you were something else, someone else, this heartless woman who felt nothing, who only wanted to spread hatred and fear. But you’re not. You’re . . . unexpected. You’re . . .”
He hesitated, but seemed unable to continue, or unsure of what to say.
His gaze dropped to her lips.
Everything honed to a crystalline clarity. His eyes, his face, the space between them, crackling hot. A frenzy of emotion whipped her heartbeat into a thundering gallop, and it became hard to breathe.
A sinister rustling in the underbrush ripped her attention away from him to the dark forest.
Hawk whirled around. He shoved Jack behind him with one hand. From his throat he issued a low, preternatural hiss.
It was answered by more hissing from the darkness.
Jack froze in horror as she peeked around Hawk’s shoulder and saw, slinking forward in a solid line from the depths of the jungle, ten monstrously huge black panthers. Their long tails waved in sinuous harmony, their eyes shone with predatory malice, their muzzles full of sharp fangs were bared.
They moved clear of the underbrush, slowly spread apart, and sank into coiled, silent crouches.
Poised to pounce.
“I didn’t realize our lord and master would send a welcoming party,” Hawk snarled in the Old Language to the gathered animals, feeling Jacqueline’s fingers digging into his back. “You’re lucky I didn’t rip off your heads before I realized who you were!”
A flash of light, a coil of smoke, and there stood Luis Fernando, head of Alejandro’s security detail, naked as the day he was born.
Smirking.
“Su sahapu beleti immaru masku amari sumsu mimma, ahu.”
Translation: You were too wrapped up in lady white skin to realize much of anything at all, man.
“Edin na zu, Nando,” Hawk replied, shooting the naked Fernando a murderous glare. Go to the desert. It was the equivalent of “go to hell” in the ancient tongue, and was used in the same way.
How much had they heard?
If the smirk on Nando’s face was any indication, far too much.
Wonderful. Absolutely wonderful. Already this was proving to be the disaster he’d foreseen, and they hadn’t even stepped foot inside the colony.
In a burst of energy that sent a heated blast of air rippling through the small clearing, the nine other panthers Shifted as one. Behind Hawk, Jacqueline squeaked in terror.
“Aren’t you going to introduce us?” Nando stepped forward and peered in avid curiosity around Hawk’s shoulder. Against his back, her fingers trembled, and before Hawk knew what he was doing, a low warning growl rumbled through his chest.
It brought Nando up short. His brows lifted. “No need to get testy, ahu.” His lips twitched. He added, “You lying, scheming, underhanded son of a dung beetle.”
The other nine burst out laughing, and Hawk’s temper snapped.
He stepped forward, lashed out with his fist, and connected with Nando’s jaw like a hammer against a mango.
The big male went flying backward in an awkward tangle of naked limbs. He landed on his back in a thicket of underbrush with a thud and the pouf of flying foliage. Shouting a volley of curses, he thrashed around among the low branches until he scrambled to his feet again, while the others howled with laughter, slapping one another on the back.
“The next one who says another word is going down with him,” Hawk snarled, eyeing each of them in turn.
“Somebody hasn’t gotten laid recently,” chuckled one of the group.
Another answered, “I’m sure he’ll take care of that later tonight; Luiza’s so hot for him to get back she’s practically in Fever.”
Hawk had them both flat on their backs with devastating punches before either of them could make a move in defense.
“Anyone else?” he shouted to the remaining seven.
