“See!” he bit out tightly before clearing his throat, his attention going back to the road. “Told ya he’d find us.”
Hands still bound, Narae had difficulty clambering up off the floor. When she finally managed to make it onto the bench seat , she turned and stared in awe at Daemon. He had one hand clamped to the truck’s rack roll bar, his legs splayed wide for balance. The wind was whipping through his hair, and he was staring dead ahead, eyes blown out with his wolf while a sinister grin twisted his lips. He looked terrifying…and sexy. Chilling gaze sliding down to Narae, he shot her a wink, then turned to look behind them. Narae looked down the road, too, but there wasn’tanyone coming. Had they really gotten away from the Biters so easily?
The truck rocked slightly again, and Narae’s heart rate kicked up as she watched Daemon scale the side of the truck. Thrall didn’t slow down a bit, but that didn’t deter Daemon from opening the passenger side door and climbing in. Once seated, he glanced over his shoulder and shot her another wink. “You good, trouble?”
Unsure how to respond, she nodded woodenly.
Thrall was eyeing the rearview mirror for the millionth time. “They coming?”
Daemon shrugged. “I hope so.”
And that cemented it. Daemon was most definitely bat-shit crazy.Great! She’d been kidnapped by morons and marked by a psychopath.
Chapter 17
Narae couldn’t stop checking the road behind them. At any second, she expected a dozen wolves to break from the forest and barrel down the road after them.
“They’re not coming, trouble, because they know what’s waiting for them if they do.”
Daemon’s words had her shooting him a dark look. She was pissed now that some of the adrenaline from her kidnapping was wearing off. Hands still bound behind her back, dried blood still coating the neckline of her shirt, she’d had one shitty fucking morning.
“Here, let me untie you.”
Finally! Eyes flat, she gave Daemon another dark look before twisting in her seat to bare her hands to him. She had every intention of attacking the second her hands were free.
Instead of releasing her hands immediately as Narae had expected, Daemon’s fingers brushed her throat as he pushed the fall of her hair back off her shoulder. “The bite is healing nicely,” he murmured. A shiver coursed through her at his touch, and shestruggled to stifle it, forcing her posture to stiffen in hopes of steeling herself against the soft caress and gentle tone of his voice. Narae couldn’t remember the last time a male had spoken to her softly. God, had it really been so long that she couldn’t even come up with a single instance? She didn’t have to bother trying to remember the last time a male had touched her gently. It had never happened…until now.
“I’m sorry for that. I should have…” But he let his words trail off without finishing the thought.
It had Narae wondering what he’d been going to say. Why was he sorry? What should he have done?
The soft slide of material as her binds were released drew her from her thoughts. Turning slowly, she was contemplating her plan of attack when Daemon ripped off his shirt and shoved it toward her.
“Here. You can put it on top of your shirt and then take yours off. I’m sorry I ruined your shirt.”
Her eyes snapped up to collide with Daemon’s. He didn’t hold her gaze long; it was almost like he was ashamed. Instead, heforced his shirt into her chest. With him looking away, it gave Narae the chance to lower her eyes to his bare chest. He was covered in tattoos down both arms and across his chest, even up onto his thick neck. Distinct Viking symbols and a myriad of ravens covered his flesh, but couldn’t hide the raised scars on his flesh. Claw marks. Of course, he was covered in battle scars. Even before he’d taken off his shirt, Narae had known he was battle-hardened. There was an air about him, an authority that screamed Alpha. It had her wondering why he wasn’t. She knew it had to be one of two reasons. Either the Allegiance Alpha, Koe, was an absolute fucking beast, or Daemon wasn’t Alpha by choice. She’d bet on the latter.
Pulling the shirt onto her lap, she ignored the chills that blasted up her spine, the pricking of her flesh as Daemon’s scent wafted up to her. The soft material of his shirt was still warm from his body. Mixed with his scent was the slight scent of blood, but not his. There were droplets on his shirt from the enemies he’d just slain, but not nearly as much blood as that on her shirt. She huffed a quiet sound. She’d merely been bitten while he’d gone towar, and he still wore less blood. She shot him a glance.Leviathan. She’d known Daemon for all of about thirty minutes, and she knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that he was a titan among shifters. The stuff of other shifters’ nightmares. His wolf was probably terrifying, too. A skitter of giddy anticipation shot through her when she thought about meeting Daemon’s animal.
“We’ve got a couple hours ride back to the compound,” Daemon spoke without looking at her. “We’ll stop when we can for food. Until then, you can relax.”
Relax?She audibly snorted.
“Here.” Thrall lifted the lid on the center console between himself and Daemon before he reached back and handed her a bottle of water. Glancing at her in the rearview, he winked. “It’s the best I can do right now.”
“Don’t fucking do that!” Daemon snarled quietly.
“What?” Thrall snapped, attention going to Daemon. “I gave her a water, dude.”
“Don’t fucking wink at her!” Daemon ordered.
Narae couldn’t help the smirk that twisted her lips, and then immediately self-admonished,“What in the fuck are you smiling about, you idiot? You’ve been kidnapped!”
Clearing her throat, she glanced out the window. “You can just drop me anywhere.”
Thrall shot her a look in the rearview mirror and then sliced his gaze to Daemon.
Daemon slowly turned his head to the side but didn’t look at her. The cab of the truck was silent as the muscle in Daemon’s jaw ticked. Finally, he growled low, “Ain’t happening.”
