What had changed? He’d been taunting and toying with her until she mentioned… Dammit! That reminded her. “I don’t want you to touch, hurt, or kill Harvey. He was only protecting his foolishcousin.”
Dagan continued as if he hadn’t heard her. “Immortals can’t die from gun wounds. If anything, getting shot will seriously piss themoff.”
“Maybe, but it will give me a chance to run if I need to. As long as I get them in places that hurt—eeek!” He came at her like a flash of lightning, grabbed her arm and spun her around—her heart beat so hard—hell, it was moments from crashing through her ribcage and hurtling to the gorge below. With her back plastered against his chest and her arms caught in a vise-like grip, she was…trapped.Dammit!
Shae glared at him over her shoulder. He lowered his head to her ear, his breath a warm caress on her nape. “And that’s what can happen when you miss a shot or wound them—except your neck would probably be broken bynow.”
“How is this fair?” She shoved away from his disturbing warmth. “You didn’t warnme.”
“You think an enemywill?”
At his stinging words, she stifled a grimace. He wasright.
“Here’s the thing, Shae-cat, I won’t allow harm to come to you in any form or manner. Yes, you need to be able to defend yourself. If it means using myhugesize to get you used to fighting bigger opponents, then you will fight me. Weapons can get lost. And from what I’ve seen, you need to build up your strength andmuscles.”
He leaped at her. Shae ducked his grasp. Using the maneuvers Harvey had shown her, gathering power and speed, she spun around and lashed out a flying kick dead center to his chest. It didn’t even movehim.
He stepped back, his expression calm, but his eyes gleamed inamusement.
She scowled, and the next second, she went flying as he took her down. She hadn’t seen him move. Bracing for a crushing impact, she squeezed her eyes tight, except he shifted at the last second, and she landed on top of him instead. The air flattened from her lungs. Too winded to care, she lay there panting, grateful she was still in onepiece.
He was even faster thanHarvey.
When she finally raised her head and met his deep stare, any words of gratitude she would have uttered got lost in the winds. She became aware of the warm, male body beneath hers. All hard angles and…rigid man parts pressed on herthigh.
“Very well, I won’t touch your friend. For now.” He wrapped her ponytail around his fist and brought her head down to him. His nose and lips grazed along her jaw and down her throat in a sensual glide, and without thought or reason in sight, she put her mouth onhis.
It took her a moment to realize he wasn’t kissing her back. Shae lifted her head. At the sight of his elongated canines digging into his lower lip—his glowing irises tracking her every move—she became aware of the deadly predator beneath her. Wariness overrode desire. Anxiety squeezed her chest and had her scrambling offhim.
One minute, he was beside her, the next, he was standing at the edge of the plateau, the breeze whipping the loose strands of his hair. He didn’t pace, just stood there. So still, watching her. His fangs still visible, his red-tinge eyes stark with a desire she felt, too, but his features weregrim.
A little shaky, Shae swallowed and swiped at the bangs sticking to her damp brow. “Dagan…”
“No.” He shook his head. “It’s better Angelus sees to your training.” He picked up his shirt and pulled it on. “C’mon.”
Shae bit her lip and she pushed to her feet.Perhaps it was better this way, she told herself as she followed him. Too many complications. Yet it felt as if a hole had opened in hertummy.
In the kitchen, Dagan spoke to Angelus. She tuned them out, got a glass of water, and drank deeply. Exhaling a jagged breath, she set the tumbler down, but the stirring heat inside her amplified. She swiped her sweaty brow and pivoted to find only Angelus in the room withher.
“Are you all right?” he asked, pulling out steaks from the freezer fordinner.
No. “Yes.” With shaky hands, she dug a piece of candy from her jeans pocket and sucked on it, but the energy continued to escalate.No, no, not now!Panic rising, she hurried from the kitchen only to bump into Nik about to stepinside.
“Sorry.” She jumped back. “Is there s-someplace I can run? This abbey…tooconfined.”
At her faltering words, Nik’s narrowed gaze swept over her face.Please don’t let him sense anything.She shoved her trembling fingers into her jeanspockets.
“The foot of the mountain, along the creek. But you can’t leave themonastery.”
“I know, I know…must be safe. Angelus can come. He’ll spring me back here if there’s a need,right?”
Nik frowned and rubbed his palm over his shorn head. “I should check withDagan.”
“Why? You’re a Guardian, can’t you make a decision?” Dammit, she had to get outta here. Dagan in his black mood would never let her out of hissight.
Nik’s pale green eyes became shards of ice. “Very well. Take Angelus. One hour. Or I’ll personally bring you back. And that’s a journey you won’tenjoy.”
What was with the threats with this lot? Too close to the edge to be annoyed, she spun for the bedroom in a feverish sprint. She far preferred the Guardians of New York. They were more civilized. Laidback. They didn’t threaten and bully… She lost track of her frustrated thoughts, the heat inside her gatheringmomentum.
