wild animals. And the way he is staring at Tamra just gives me a bad feeling.
Will stares at me soberly. “We’re parting ways with them, Jacinda. Remember? You shouldn’t feel responsible for them.”
“Yeah.” I nod, even if I’m not convinced. Cassian’s emotions run strong, pulling at me. He believes he needs me to get back to the pride. Needs … or wants. I’m not sure which. Maybe both.
I inhale. And that’s when I smell him. That aroma that is distinctly Will. Standing so close to him again, I feel my chest grow tight and achy. There were moments in the last twenty-four hours where I doubted I’d ever have this again. I tilt my face up to him. Everywhere Will’s gaze roams feels like a touch, a caress.
Soon it will be just me and Will. And Tam. We’ll be safe. And we’ll find Mom. Everything will be all right.
Still, the unease lingers in me.
My scalp tingles and tightens knowing the gray draki is just a few yards away. And Cassian intends to take him back to the pride, when he’s hardly fit to get himself back there.
And even more than that. Something still seems wrong. I worry we haven’t entirely escaped. We may not be free yet. It still feels like something is … coming.
As if sensing my bleak thoughts, Will steps closer. His hands slide up and down my arms. I look up into his face and lose myself in the deep sea of his eyes.
“Everything has worked out. We’re on our way, just like we planned. And not a moment too soon.” One corner of his mouth curls. “I’ve waited long enough to get you alone.”
And I can’t say the words burning inside me with his hopeful gaze locked on me. I can’t tell him that deep in my core, in the marrow of my bones, I don’t feel like any of this is over yet.
I hide my feelings with a smile. “We won’t be too alone. There will still be my sister.”
He grins. “She likes me—”
“You think?” I tease.
“I know. Don’t go trying to put doubts in my head.” His fingers dance along my ribs, tickling my side. Even this light touch leaves me breathless—and not because I’m ticklish. I jerk and bounce sideways but he follows me, pulling me flush against him and backing us both against the van. “She likes me and will take pity on me to give us a moment alone now and then.” His gaze scans my face, warming my skin.
“Oh, really?”
“Yes.”
“Good,” I tease back. “You still owe me that date. Dinner. A movie.”
The laughter in those hazel eyes fades, and his gaze grows intent and serious. Desire brims there. The longing of someone who has waited too long already. “What about you? Will you take pity and ease my suffering?” He buries his nose in my hair and inhales deeply.
“How have you been suffering?” I whisper, my vanity craving the words.
“I suffer for you … from wanting you and only getting these stolen moments here and there.”
As if to prove his point, the sound of my name stretches on the wind. “Jacinda!”
Will groans and drops his head into his palm. “See what I mean?”
Tamra approaches, her hair glistening like pearls in the moonlight. “Ah, there you are. Cassian thinks we should get moving again … that we’re still too close to the enkros stronghold.”
I bite back my question: Since when do you care what Cassian wants? I stop myself though. Better that he affects her so little that she can speak his name as if he’d never broken her heart.
“Sure,” I say, squeezing past the warm solidness of Will’s chest with a sigh. I’d like nothing more than to curl up and sleep with him as my pillow.
Tamra moves away. I hear the door at the back of the van creak open and I start to head that way, not wanting to leave my sister alone with a draki who looks at her like she’s his first glimpse of sunlight. Will stops me and quickly tugs me back into his arms for a heated kiss. His lips. On mine. It’s everything. I revel in the feel of his hands, the texture of his roughened palms as they
Will stares at me soberly. “We’re parting ways with them, Jacinda. Remember? You shouldn’t feel responsible for them.”
“Yeah.” I nod, even if I’m not convinced. Cassian’s emotions run strong, pulling at me. He believes he needs me to get back to the pride. Needs … or wants. I’m not sure which. Maybe both.
I inhale. And that’s when I smell him. That aroma that is distinctly Will. Standing so close to him again, I feel my chest grow tight and achy. There were moments in the last twenty-four hours where I doubted I’d ever have this again. I tilt my face up to him. Everywhere Will’s gaze roams feels like a touch, a caress.
Soon it will be just me and Will. And Tam. We’ll be safe. And we’ll find Mom. Everything will be all right.
Still, the unease lingers in me.
My scalp tingles and tightens knowing the gray draki is just a few yards away. And Cassian intends to take him back to the pride, when he’s hardly fit to get himself back there.
And even more than that. Something still seems wrong. I worry we haven’t entirely escaped. We may not be free yet. It still feels like something is … coming.
As if sensing my bleak thoughts, Will steps closer. His hands slide up and down my arms. I look up into his face and lose myself in the deep sea of his eyes.
“Everything has worked out. We’re on our way, just like we planned. And not a moment too soon.” One corner of his mouth curls. “I’ve waited long enough to get you alone.”
And I can’t say the words burning inside me with his hopeful gaze locked on me. I can’t tell him that deep in my core, in the marrow of my bones, I don’t feel like any of this is over yet.
I hide my feelings with a smile. “We won’t be too alone. There will still be my sister.”
He grins. “She likes me—”
“You think?” I tease.
“I know. Don’t go trying to put doubts in my head.” His fingers dance along my ribs, tickling my side. Even this light touch leaves me breathless—and not because I’m ticklish. I jerk and bounce sideways but he follows me, pulling me flush against him and backing us both against the van. “She likes me and will take pity on me to give us a moment alone now and then.” His gaze scans my face, warming my skin.
“Oh, really?”
“Yes.”
“Good,” I tease back. “You still owe me that date. Dinner. A movie.”
The laughter in those hazel eyes fades, and his gaze grows intent and serious. Desire brims there. The longing of someone who has waited too long already. “What about you? Will you take pity and ease my suffering?” He buries his nose in my hair and inhales deeply.
“How have you been suffering?” I whisper, my vanity craving the words.
“I suffer for you … from wanting you and only getting these stolen moments here and there.”
As if to prove his point, the sound of my name stretches on the wind. “Jacinda!”
Will groans and drops his head into his palm. “See what I mean?”
Tamra approaches, her hair glistening like pearls in the moonlight. “Ah, there you are. Cassian thinks we should get moving again … that we’re still too close to the enkros stronghold.”
I bite back my question: Since when do you care what Cassian wants? I stop myself though. Better that he affects her so little that she can speak his name as if he’d never broken her heart.
“Sure,” I say, squeezing past the warm solidness of Will’s chest with a sigh. I’d like nothing more than to curl up and sleep with him as my pillow.
Tamra moves away. I hear the door at the back of the van creak open and I start to head that way, not wanting to leave my sister alone with a draki who looks at her like she’s his first glimpse of sunlight. Will stops me and quickly tugs me back into his arms for a heated kiss. His lips. On mine. It’s everything. I revel in the feel of his hands, the texture of his roughened palms as they
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