His teammate couldn’t see it, but Sloane flashed his fangs in a vicious snarl. “Back off.”
“Why? What are you hiding?”
“I don’t have to tell you anything,” he growled.
Vesta scoffed. “You do if it’ll get you killed, and you really do if we’re going to be the ones given the order. Whatever hunt you’re on, there’s a very slim chance it’s worth your life.”
They had no idea just how wrong they were. The urge to tell them rested on the tip of his tongue, a desire to share theburden and proudly proclaim Cecilia ashis.But he couldn’t do that. He’d been given a small reprieve from consequences only because the true reason for his absence was unknown.
Before he could think of a response, Arjun moved. Sloane stepped back sharply, expecting a hit or a swipe of his claws, but neither came.
Arjun simply unlatched his helmet. The seal broke with a hiss as he lifted it over his head. Dark eyes narrowed as he leaned in close to a deep breath.
Sloane realized what he was doing half a second too late. By the time he’d reared back, arm swinging in the direction of Arjun’s unprotected face, the damage was done.
“A woman?” Arjun wasn’t exactly prone to showing emotion, but whatever scent clung to Sloane’s skin and clothing made his mouth drop open in surprise. “He smells like a woman. Andsex.Fresh sex.”
Sloane didn’t blush. Whatever heat rose to his face came from fury, not from any embarrassment over the fact that he hadn’t wanted to scrub the scent of her off his skin and now his teamknew.
And just like that, they all took their helmets off.
Swinging his fists and snarling didn’t put them off. Vesta lunged for him at the same instant that Cesare threw himself onto his back.
“Fuckoff!”he raged, bracing his legs to take their combined weight.
“Smells like strawberries,” Cesare noted, his eyes as wide as saucers. White fangs flashed against dark iridescent skin when his lips pulled back in an incredulous grimace. “And sugar. And… pretty.”
Leaping back to avoid a swipe of his claws, Vesta breathed, “Itisa woman. That’s why you left.”
Cesare took a nasty kick to his knee before he stumbled away. Clearly baffled, he asked, “Why would he risk being executed for a woman? Why would you leave us?”
Sloane backed toward the door he’d come in through. His heart beat hard and fast in his chest. His foot lifted, preparing to flee, when the truth finally occurred to Arjun.
“The same reason the captain ran.” Arjun watched Sloane with dark, inscrutable eyes. “Because he found his consort.”
The glass trapped beneath his boots screeched across the floor as Sloane sprinted for the door. Vesta’s yell followed him, but he didn’t stop. He didn’t look back. He couldn’t risk it.
They know. They know. They know.
Fear sluiced through his veins as he propelled himself over the fence and down the alleyway. The only time he’d ever moved faster was when he saw the vampires through Cecilia’s window. Getting away, getting home, getting her — it was a matter of survival.
He couldn’t live without her, and he couldn’t kill them, no matter what he told himself. Running was the only option.
Sliding behind the wheel of his car, he peeled away from the curb as fast as he could.If they keep their mouths shut, I have forty-eight hours to convince Cecilia to leave with me,he realized, hands trembling on the wheel.
Gods, please let them keep their mouths shut.
CHAPTER
TWENTY-FOUR
Forty-eight hours.
It was a very short amount of time to make her love him, but Sloane was nothing if not determined — or desperate enough to fight until the bitter end.
They sat outside on the bluff overlooking the ocean, a blanket spread beneath them. Cecilia had picked out several of her revolting foods from the cupboard and spread them on one side. She’d then commanded him to sit behind her. He hadn’t been a fan of that particular order until she climbed between his legs and made herself comfortable against his chest.
Cecilia arranged his limbs like she owned them. She wrapped his arms around her middle and tipped her head against his jaw.
