Raphael said, pointing behind him to the male guards.
“They’re Suits,” she said, as if that explained everything. “You need a Hunter on this. Why not me?”
Raphael exhaled. “Honestly, I don’t think you’re stable enough.”
Her expression went tight and she lifted her chin an inch. “What is that supposed to mean?”
“You’ll kill him.” The words were simple. Honest. Obvious. And Raphael didn’t allow her to counter. “He has information we need. That I need.”
She sniffed, disgusted. “Don’t they all.”
The leader of the Pantera didn’t answer. His eyes were strangely kind as he stared at her. Killian wondered if the latitude he was giving her was due to that mysterious something that she’d been through.
Her shoulders drooped. “Don’t you get it?” she continued, her tone softer now. “The humans, they don’t give a shit about us, Raph. Or about sharing anything with us. They only want to destroy us. You keep letting them in here. Giving them chances. Working with them. When are you going to make them pay?”
“Your anger is understandable, Rosalie, but—”
“Don’t give me any of that shit.” She didn’t say it with any amount of menace. But Raphael wasn’t about to let her defiance slide this time.
“Watch yourself, Hunter.” His eyes had darkened. “I believed that when you came to me about forgiving Hiss you’d let go of—”
“Hiss is Pantera,” Rosalie cut in.
Killian sat up even taller. Who was this…Hiss?
“He showed me that when we broke into the lab.” Her eyes swept over Killian. “I have no forgiveness for anything human.”
Jaw tight, Raphael nodded. “Then go. And leave this one to me.”
“No,” Killian broke in.
They both turned to stare at him. “What?” Raphael asked.
“I want her.” The words slid from his tongue like honey. Slow and easy. His eyes locked with Rosalie’s. “If you insist on someone shadowing me, guarding me while I’m here, then I want her.”
The leader cursed, low and black. “I can’t allow it. She wants your blood.”
Killian laughed. “I’m sure she’s not the only one. At least she’s honest about it. I know where she stands.”
Green eyes flickered with heat, but if it was sexual interest or the possibility of getting him alone and removing his heart with her puma’s teeth, he couldn’t tell.
“It’s settled, then,” she said, her lips curving into a smile.
“Nothing is settled until I say it is,” Raphael returned tightly. “Rosalie, if this man ends up dead, you will not be able to remain in the Wildlands. Do you understand me?”
She gasped and turned to look at the leader of her kind.
“Do you want to take that risk?” he asked.
Her jaw tightened, but she nodded.
“I need your word, Hunter,” he pushed.
“He will not die, Raphael. I give you my word.” But he might feel some pain , her eyes said.
Killian could handle pain. He might even enjoy it if it was coming from her.
“And,” Raphael said just as she was turning Killian’s way, “no puma.”
She whirled back to face him, eyes wide, nostrils flared.
“When you’re around him, the cat is caged.”
Her face reddened. “Why?”
“You know why,” he stated pointedly, piquing Killian’s curiosity. What was this about? So much mystery surrounding the beautiful and terrifying Rosalie. “Now, take him over to the garden house.”
“That’s very near your home,” she said, looking confused. “Why not one of the secure units?”
“Take him, Hunter.”
She growled softly. “Fine. Follow me, Human.”
With a nod at the leader of the Pantera, Killian grabbed his now-dry shirt and pushed off the bed. As Rosalie walked out the door, her strides confident, her ass swinging from side to side, a thought slammed into his mind before he could stop it. Follow you? Anywhere, Kitten. Any-fucking-where.
Chapter 3
She’d been to the garden house only once. It was about an acre away from Raphael and his mate
“They’re Suits,” she said, as if that explained everything. “You need a Hunter on this. Why not me?”
Raphael exhaled. “Honestly, I don’t think you’re stable enough.”
Her expression went tight and she lifted her chin an inch. “What is that supposed to mean?”
“You’ll kill him.” The words were simple. Honest. Obvious. And Raphael didn’t allow her to counter. “He has information we need. That I need.”
She sniffed, disgusted. “Don’t they all.”
The leader of the Pantera didn’t answer. His eyes were strangely kind as he stared at her. Killian wondered if the latitude he was giving her was due to that mysterious something that she’d been through.
Her shoulders drooped. “Don’t you get it?” she continued, her tone softer now. “The humans, they don’t give a shit about us, Raph. Or about sharing anything with us. They only want to destroy us. You keep letting them in here. Giving them chances. Working with them. When are you going to make them pay?”
“Your anger is understandable, Rosalie, but—”
“Don’t give me any of that shit.” She didn’t say it with any amount of menace. But Raphael wasn’t about to let her defiance slide this time.
“Watch yourself, Hunter.” His eyes had darkened. “I believed that when you came to me about forgiving Hiss you’d let go of—”
“Hiss is Pantera,” Rosalie cut in.
Killian sat up even taller. Who was this…Hiss?
“He showed me that when we broke into the lab.” Her eyes swept over Killian. “I have no forgiveness for anything human.”
Jaw tight, Raphael nodded. “Then go. And leave this one to me.”
“No,” Killian broke in.
They both turned to stare at him. “What?” Raphael asked.
“I want her.” The words slid from his tongue like honey. Slow and easy. His eyes locked with Rosalie’s. “If you insist on someone shadowing me, guarding me while I’m here, then I want her.”
The leader cursed, low and black. “I can’t allow it. She wants your blood.”
Killian laughed. “I’m sure she’s not the only one. At least she’s honest about it. I know where she stands.”
Green eyes flickered with heat, but if it was sexual interest or the possibility of getting him alone and removing his heart with her puma’s teeth, he couldn’t tell.
“It’s settled, then,” she said, her lips curving into a smile.
“Nothing is settled until I say it is,” Raphael returned tightly. “Rosalie, if this man ends up dead, you will not be able to remain in the Wildlands. Do you understand me?”
She gasped and turned to look at the leader of her kind.
“Do you want to take that risk?” he asked.
Her jaw tightened, but she nodded.
“I need your word, Hunter,” he pushed.
“He will not die, Raphael. I give you my word.” But he might feel some pain , her eyes said.
Killian could handle pain. He might even enjoy it if it was coming from her.
“And,” Raphael said just as she was turning Killian’s way, “no puma.”
She whirled back to face him, eyes wide, nostrils flared.
“When you’re around him, the cat is caged.”
Her face reddened. “Why?”
“You know why,” he stated pointedly, piquing Killian’s curiosity. What was this about? So much mystery surrounding the beautiful and terrifying Rosalie. “Now, take him over to the garden house.”
“That’s very near your home,” she said, looking confused. “Why not one of the secure units?”
“Take him, Hunter.”
She growled softly. “Fine. Follow me, Human.”
With a nod at the leader of the Pantera, Killian grabbed his now-dry shirt and pushed off the bed. As Rosalie walked out the door, her strides confident, her ass swinging from side to side, a thought slammed into his mind before he could stop it. Follow you? Anywhere, Kitten. Any-fucking-where.
Chapter 3
She’d been to the garden house only once. It was about an acre away from Raphael and his mate
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