Mischief twinkled in his eyes. “‘Okay’ isn’t even close. Kissing you is like a roller-coaster ride to outer space. The farther we go, the more I’m lost and the more I want to explore new territory.”
He had an amazing ability to say things that lit sparklers in her heart and splashed bright colors across the ugly memories in her soul.
Calling the kiss “okay” would have been much easier to accept. He’d stepped all over her boundaries since the minute they’d met, but he always seemed to understand she had barriers he shouldn’t try to breach.
She’d never enjoyed a man’s touch until Storm.
She even missed him when he wasn’t around her, missed the way his hands sneaked past her defenses without raising an alarm.
Isak had kissed her, twice now, but not like Storm kissed her. On the other hand, Isak didn’t have the access to her that Storm had.
The more time she spent around Storm the easier he managed to infiltrate her emotions—and without using his majik, as he’d agreed after the first time.
He made her want that “more” part, made her consider tempting fate and taking a risk.
Unsure how to respond, she started looking around and changed the subject back to a real concern. “We probably should keep moving.”
He ran his finger along her cheek. “We’re about thirty yards from where Tristan’s trail ended the first time we were here. I’ll hunt for as long as you need me, but I want you to realize he has no intention of helping you by handing over the other Alterants.”
That’swhat Storm had been saying when the train had showed up. “Adrianna told you that?”
The spell that had woven around them when the train had passed disintegrated with the edge to her question.
Storm took a deep breath and expelled slowly. “Yes, and I think her information’s as solid as that Nightstalker you place so much belief in. What are you going to do if you find Tristan?”
She’d asked herself that since landing in the jungle inside Tristan’s enclosure. “I’ll figure that out when I find him.”
“Not sure I like the sound of that. Thought the whole point was to get this bunch locked up again. Right?”
“Not exactly.”
“Evalle.”
She didn’t believe any of them had gotten a fair shake, including Tristan, and she had never planned on just handing over the Alterants. “I can’t condemn someone to a life I’d rather die than face. If they come in with me voluntarily I have Brina’s support to protect them while we get the Tribunal to hear each of their cases. This would be a chance for real freedom for them, too, which should mean even more now that Alterants are being hunted.”
“I agree with you in principle, but I’m not objective when it comes to your safety and freedom. I have no problem with handing them over to save you.”
When had Storm become her champion? “I have a plan. If Tristan will just work with me, then all the escaped Alterants will have a chance to be treated fairly.”
Storm didn’t like hearing that. His scowl could scorch the walls. “Tristan screwed you once already with the Kujoo, then again by leaving you in the jungle. Why would you help him at all?”
“Tristan fell in league with the Kujoo because no one else had offered him any hope of freedom. I might have done the same thing in his shoes. He did leave me in the jungle, but not until you were there. He could have let the demons kill me or left me at the mercy of any animal with my knee crushed. But he didn’t.” She’d been thinking on that for a while. “I have to believe any person with a soul deserves a chance.”
She felt Storm pull away from her emotionally. Why?
He asked, “You’re so sure he has a soul?”
“Yes. He’s not some demon.”
Storm scoffed silently to himself, sarcastically whispering, “No, he’s so much better than a demon.”
She would have dismissed this as just another case of posturing if Tristan had been present. Storm and Tristan matched up like two rottweilers snarling over the same bone.
This would be easier if they could get along. She tried to smooth things over. “All I’m saying is that I’m willing to give Tristan a chance if I can find him.”
A booming male voice behind her said, “In that case, this is your lucky day.”
Evalle stepped back from Storm and turned to find Tristan striding up to her. “Where did you come from?”
