His Darkest Embrace (7 page)

Jagger fought the urge to attack. He needed to keep his cool. There was no way he could risk the fucker firing a shot at Skye.

“I wouldn’t be so sure about that, Kragen,” Skye said as she stood and faced the man.

Alarm shot through Jagger and he was primed to react, to do anything he could to protect the woman, but a vortex of wind, mist, and rain enveloped all of them. It was gone as fast as it had arrived, and with it the otherworlder.

Jagger’s tense body shifted as he stood staring into the empty spot where the other man had been. His nostrils wrinkled as the smell of sulfur rent the air. It was putrid, metallic. He was just about to turn toward Skye when instinct had him dropping to the earthen floor, twisting his body as he rolled.

He narrowly avoided the deadly knife that arced through the air. It had been thrown with such force that it became embedded deep in the large trunk of a tree.

He whipped his head around, the snarl that erupted from his mouth matched by the fury that graced the blonde’s beautiful features.

“You dumb-ass fucking idiot! Do you know what you just did?” Skye shouted hoarsely, so full of emotion was she. “Kragen could’ve led me to Cormac.”

He watched in silence as she began to pace, shaking her head in agitation. “With Cormac out of the way things would have been so much easier, but now"— her eyes flashed as she whirled around toward him—"you’ve screwed it all up. What the hell was I thinking hooking up with you? You’re a goddamn jaguar, nothing good can come of that!”

Jagger had had enough.

If anyone should be pissed off it was him, not her. Up until the day before his life had been a peaceful, if somewhat lonely, nomadic existence. She was the one who had blown all of that to hell.

He moved so fast, Skye had no time to react. When he grabbed her arms and pulled her in close, he expected to see at least
some
fear deep in her eyes. Instead, the vibrant blue that stared back at him was cloaked in something close to disgust.

Whether she was disgusted at herself or him, he couldn’t say. But the fact that she stood rigid in his embrace, looking at Jagger like he was the biggest piece of crap on the planet, totally enraged him.

He could feel the blackness that lived inside of him tickle along the edges of his mind, and his skin began to burn. Energy sizzled along nerve endings, trailing a path of fire all over his body.

“Two things,” he said roughly. “I want to know who the hell this Cormac dude is, but more importantly,
what
the hell he is.” His hands gripped her tightly and he took some measure of pleasure as she winced in pain.

“And secondly, someone needs a lesson in manners.” Jagger’s voice dropped into a whisper and he watched closely, feeling a keen sense of satisfaction as she swallowed heavily. He could hear her heart rate increase and her mouth opened slightly as she tried to control the rapid breaths that filled her lungs. She flinched and turned slightly. “Take your hands off me.”

Jagger pushed her back until she was trapped between his body and a large tree. He grabbed her chin and forced her to look up at him. “I spent most of last night covering the backs of our asses because I made a decision to protect you.” He had to pause as his anger threatened to get the most of him. “Seems to me a little bit of thanks isn’t much to ask for.”

She spit at him, “Thanks? Are you for real? Well, thanks for nothing. I had a chance at Cormac and now you’ve totally screwed it.”

Skye began to squirm and her face became flush with anger.

Jagger felt his own rage begin to boil and he thought he should do exactly as she wished and leave her the hell alone. Why was he risking his own neck for a total stranger?

And yet, as he held her body even closer, all he could think about was the intoxicating scent that fell from her, and the fact that her skin, slick with the humidity of the jungle, kept the tank top she wore molded to her curves.

His eyes dropped to her breasts and a new heat began to pulse through his body. It was hard, unrelenting.

It felt so fucking good, it was painful.

His body became rock hard and as his eyes bored into the depths of Skye’s, he resented the hell out of what she was doing to him.

He could tell himself he wanted her so badly because he’d been alone in the jungle for months. That would make sense. He had needs that were long neglected.

Except there was more to it and he growled in frustration, as the biggest complication he’d encountered in as long as he could remember continued to struggle against him. What was it about her, this particular woman, that he craved so?

She was making him crazy, tapping into the dark part of him that was best left alone.

When she arched her back and tried to bite him, he swore and tightened his grip until she yelped in pain.

“You’re no better than the DaCostas,” she spit out in between ragged breaths.

“Sticks and stones,” Jagger whispered.

“Filthy animal,” she replied, and he watched her flinch as the anger he felt toward her words cloaked his face in a cold grimace.

He wanted to hurt her. He wanted her to feel pain.

Jagger flung Skye away from him, suddenly afraid that he would become the very thing she’d just accused him of. The air around him began to shimmer and he could sense the mist beginning to rise against his legs.

He was on the edge.

He closed his eyes, using inhuman strength to still the animal that raged inside of him.

“Get your shit together. We need to leave now if you want half a chance of getting out of this jungle alive,” he managed to get out from between clenched teeth. His eyes flew open and he made no attempt to hide his fury. “Because it’s crawling with an entire clan of
filthy animals,
and you’ve got a bull’s-eye pretty much tattooed to that pretty blonde head of yours.”

“I’m not going anywhere with you.”

Jagger raised an eyebrow and laughed harshly. “Is that so?”

He moved toward her, enjoying the panic that was beginning to flicker across her face. “If you think I’m going to leave you at the mercy of the DaCostas you’re sadly mistaken.” His eyes raked over her form, causing a stain of red to flush her already heated cheeks. “You need my help, and fuck if I know why I’m still willing to give it, but
you will
come with me one way or another. If that means hog-tying you and carrying you out of here on my back, then so be it.”

“I will die before I ever let a jaguar pull my strings again.” Skye shook her head and Jagger couldn’t help but notice how the sunshine played upon the long blond hair that fell around her shoulders. It looked like silken honey.

Her hands pushed the hair behind her ears impatiently and then fell to the edges of her top. Jagger stilled as she pierced him with a look that he couldn’t quite read. Her long, elegant fingers began to pull the thin white fabric up over toned, tanned skin and the hard bulge between his legs ached with such a force that he nearly went down to his knees.

What the hell was she doing?

He continued to watch her in silence as the material was pulled up over perfect, luscious breasts, the nipples puckered, begging for his mouth. When she flung the top away and began to slip the loose shorts down over her hips, he hissed from between clenched teeth, not liking the smile that played around her lips. It was calculating.

Seconds later she stood, basking in the sunlight, naked, wild, and incredibly seductive. Jagger’s belly tightened into a nauseating ball as he pulled air into his lungs. His skin burned still and he had to force himself to remain calm. It was one of the hardest things he’d ever had to do.

Considering the only thing on his mind was the need to grab the seductress before him, throw her to the ground, and sink his aching cock deep inside of her.

“You will never have me,” Skye said slowly, softly, enunciating her words in such a way that he was hypnotized.

He stepped back, astonished as mist began to curl over her, twisting around her frame, and swirling into a storm that wrapped her entire body in magick.

Seconds later, Jagger stood stunned as a large golden eagle flew from the mist, long deadly claws aimed straight for his head. He had to drop and roll in order to avoid a hit, and when he finally righted himself he looked up into the sky in wonder.

Skye Knightly was an eagle shifter.

And she was leaving him.

Jagger leapt to his feet, his eyes sweeping the area, looking for something, anything he could use to bring the eagle back, and when his gaze fell upon her satchel, he couldn’t help the laugh that came from his lips.

The eagle was still circling overhead, her triumphant cry echoing eerily into the humid air.

But when he held the leather bag aloft and grinned up at the magnificent creature, its cries were silenced. Jagger swung the bag around his shoulders and grinned up at her.

“Forget something?” he shouted. He then saluted, before turning toward the mountains in the distance.

Beyond the vast ridge was the promise of warm shores and sandy beaches. The Caribbean Sea was calling to him and he was surprised that there was no reluctance to answer its call.

It was time to go. To leave this place he’d called home for the past three months.

With Skye’s precious satchel held firmly in his hands, he cracked a smile and began to move.

He knew she would follow; the eagle couldn’t fly forever.

When she eventually came down he’d be waiting.

Chapter 6

S
kye’s moment of jubilation—that second of
hell yeah, fuck you
—disappeared as quickly as it had come.

She watched helplessly as Jagger held her satchel.

She cursed in silence as he saluted.

And she continued to circle in frustration, feeling impotent rage engulf her, as he smiled up at her wickedly.

When he began to head east, she had no choice but to follow.

What the hell had she been thinking?

She’d not been thinking. That was her problem. She’d reacted entirely on emotion. The jaguar got under her skin, big-time, and like an amateur she’d let him goad her into making one of the stupidest mistakes ever.

For the
second time,
no less.

Furious, she cried loudly, ignoring the answering laughter that floated on the wind from below. She’d follow the bastard, get her stuff back if it was the last thing she did.

If only she knew where the hell her brother was. Or if Finn was even alive.

Despair threatened to overwhelm her once more and Skye fought it off. There was no time for pity, sadness, or anything other than the task at hand.

She needed to locate the portal. And she needed to do it, like, yesterday.

Things were heating up and there wasn’t much time. For Kragen to be involved at this point, Cormac was gearing up for the impending war. Of that there was no doubt.

The stink of demon was already drifting into the human realm, and if the portal was opened, the consequences would be horrendous. Unimaginable.

As she continued to float on the wind, easily following the jaguar below, Skye tried to keep her thoughts focused. But it was so hard. She really had landed smack-dab in the middle of the most important war that would ever affect the human world.

And they had no clue.

Skye continued to follow Jagger for the remainder of the day. He didn’t stop once, and in fact kept up a relentless pace. She kept to the top of the canopy, flying low and keeping herself as hidden as she could. She didn’t want the enemy spotting her high in the sky.

Off in the distance she could see that he was headed for the coast.

She needed to get her shit and return to her quest. Deep within the Maya Mountains of Belize, the portal lay, long buried, hidden from the eyes of man, magick, and indeed, the eagle shifters who’d been charged with its protection.

Why her father had decided to hide the portal without telling her or Finn was something she didn’t understand. But he had died trying to close it and Skye wasn’t leaving until she found it.

And sealed it forever.

A small sliver of sadness wove through her then, because truthfully, she was never leaving. Either way, her days were numbered.

If the enemy didn’t get to her first, she’d be sucked far into the demon realm when she finally got her hands on the portal and closed it.

Skye tucked her dark thoughts far away into the little holes of her mind that hid such things. She had no time to dwell on them.

In fact as the fading sun began to affect her shifting capabilities, she realized she had no time at all. She was fast losing power.

As she dipped ever lower amongst the trees, Skye was aware that Jagger was a good mile ahead. Hopefully, he’d realize she was no longer following and stop, or she’d have a long night ahead of her, trekking through the jungle.

In the buff.

She felt the ancient magick take hold of her body as limbs elongated, feathers slipped into skin and her human body replaced that of her eagle.

Several seconds later Skye came to a running stop and she paused for a moment, her equilibrium a little out of sorts. She was always thrown slightly off balance when her raptor eyes returned to their much weaker human form. It only lasted for a few seconds, and in fact her eyesight was still much stronger than the average human, but the change threw her for a loop. It was as if a film of mist rolled across her vision and then cleared.

She blew out a deep breath and looked around.

The air was colder down here. It was much damper along the jungle floor and she felt her skin react. Her hands caressed the goose bumps that had spread like a rash across her flesh, and she began to shiver slightly as the heated flesh started to cool.

A howler monkey wailed from several feet away and Skye jumped nervously, her eyes straining to see past the thickening gloom.

Her belly grumbled loudly and she felt frustrated yet again. She was so freaking tired of being hungry, of being hunted, of being in a constant state of unrest. It really was time to get her ass in gear and end this all.

She felt the telltale prick of tears begin at the corners of her eyes and wiped them away angrily. There was no time for weakness.

Skye squared her shoulders, shook out her hair until it fell down past her shoulders in a mess of tawny waves. She turned toward the direction that would lead her to Jagger and seconds later was swallowed whole by the lush greenery that enveloped the jungle floor.

At least two hours later she stopped. Her legs were trembling from exhaustion and lack of food, and the need for water was pounding at her relentlessly.

Skye’s skin was slick with sweat and impatiently she wiped her brow, lifting the heavy mass of hair that was now sticking to her neck in an uncomfortable tangle. She was very near the end of her rope, but forced her body to move forward.

She’d just cleared another ridge when she sensed someone close by. Pulling herself up against a tall tree, Skye melted into the darkness as her eyes scanned the area in front of her. Panic was beginning to beat at her heavily. Was it Jagger? Or had he fled? Left her out here alone and naked?

Long, silent moments went by and Skye began to question her own sanity. Was there anybody out there? Had she imagined it?

She closed her eyes and tried to concentrate, but it was no use. She was done. Used up.

She leaned her body back, resting briefly against the tree as her mind continued to whirl in a jumble of chaotic thoughts.

Several moments later she detected a hint of water in the air and her eyes widened. The thirst that had been stuck at the back of her throat returned with a vengeance and she turned quickly, silently slipping back into the underbrush as she headed toward the water.

She opened up her senses and smiled harshly. The flow of water could be heard somewhere ahead to the right, and Skye quickly switched direction, making haste. She needed food and water, not necessarily in that order.

Seconds later she burst through the thick greenery and was rewarded with a sight for sore eyes.

To her left was a crystal clear flow of water that fell from the mountain that towered behind her. A mere trickle really, but it was enough to fill a rather large basin with the cool, refreshing liquid that her body was craving.

Skye licked her parched lips, whispered a prayer of thanks, and ran gracefully to the edge, her body arcing into perfect form as she dove deeply. The cool wetness slithered over her hot flesh and for a brief moment, her world was perfect.

Brief
being the operative word.

She was just about to move forward when alarm bells began to ring from deep inside, her own personal “spidey sense,” as it were, and a tingle of awareness shot up her spine.

She was no longer alone.

She held her body still and scanned the embankment along the water. It was empty, and as far as she could see the entire area was the same. But she knew that there was someone out there.

She just didn’t know if it was friendly.

Skye treaded water in silence, her nerves as taut as the muscles that clenched her stomach. She slowly made her way toward the far end of the basin, her eyes constantly on the move.

Was it Jagger? Or one of the other shifters that had been hunting her?

She grabbed on to a rock ledge, conserving her energy while she waited. There really wasn’t much else that she could do.

Long moments passed and just when she felt like screaming in frustration, movement drew her eyes toward the opposite side of the water basin. There, amongst the darkness, a shape appeared. Tall, undoubtedly male.

He moved toward her with a slow grace that had her heart rate increasing, and she struggled to breathe. Skye bit her lip and remained quiet. When the tall male stepped into a beam of moonlight, the relief she felt was nearly overwhelming.

It was Jagger.

Her relief was short-lived however, once she had an opportunity to gauge his mood. To say that he was pissed would be an understatement. His handsome face looked down upon her, the features tight, the eyes hard.

Skye’s belly did a little flip, and on top of the hunger and exhaustion that she felt, she could now add fear.

Filthy animal.

Her words echoed through her mind and she winced in embarrassment. It had been a cheap shot; she knew he was nothing like the DaCostas and she had a feeling her words would not be so easily forgivable.

Skye inhaled a shaky breath. Crap. Could things be any more complicated? All she wanted was her bag back and to be on her way.

She looked up at the warrior as he stood staring across the water and began to shiver, her teeth clacking against each other. Just because she was scared didn’t mean the warrior had to know. She exhaled slowly and stilled her fast-beating heart, drawing on the strength of her eagle.

She gazed back at him boldly and for the hundredth time she had to ask, what in the hell had she gotten herself into?

Jagger’s eyes narrowed as he stared down at Skye. She looked like a fucking sea nymph. Her long blond hair floated out around her shoulders, framing her body in a halo of long caramel spikes. Her classic features, enhanced even more with the beauty of the moon caressing her skin, taunted him.

She looked up at him and tilted her chin, just so. It really was a
fuck you
look and he felt a sliver of admiration roll through him, in spite of his dark thoughts. She should be nervous as all hell. Her arrogance was really astounding.

He felt the anger—which he’d successfully banished in his relentless trek through the jungle—eat at him once more. Jagger clenched his teeth together hard as a muscle worked along the lean line of his jaw.

He could hear the chatter of her teeth and knew that she must be damn near dead on her feet from exhaustion, but it didn’t matter.

He smiled wickedly and heard a small gasp escape from between her lips. It was time to teach Skye Knightly a lesson.

She needed to know who was in charge.

Slowly he shed his clothes, his smile growing wider as her eyes did the same. His long, lean body reveled in the feel of night as the humid air slid against his bare skin. When he was naked, he stood at the edge of the water, watching her tread water lightly.

“What … what are you doing?” she whispered hoarsely.

Jagger ignored her question and without warning dove into the water, his head cresting the surface before she’d had a chance to react. He heard her yelp and slowly his long arms arced out, slicing through the water, until a few seconds later he was within reach of her.

To her credit, Skye stood her ground. She held on to the ledge, the water slowly lapping at the tops of her breasts as her eyes met his in defiance.

Jagger’s own narrowed as he studied the eagle shifter in silence.

He’d heard of them in stories passed down by his mother’s family but he’d never come across one before. Now he wished he’d paid more attention. If he remembered correctly, the eagles had been pretty much wiped out hundreds of years earlier in a war with the jaguars.

His very own ancestors.

For what reason, he couldn’t recall but really, it didn’t matter. He had no time at all for a history lesson. Major shit was about to hit the fan, and the woman who stared back at him was in the middle of it all.

He moved forward once more. It was time for him to not only teach Skye a lesson, but also to find out exactly what the hell was going on.

“I’m not afraid of you,” she said, and though she tried to keep her voice neutral, Jagger could hear the subtle tremor that lay beneath her words.

He kept his mouth shut, enjoying the heaviness of the silence and the darkness it brought with it. He wanted her to feel on edge. Off center.

He stopped when his body was mere inches from hers. He was so close he could count the goose bumps that covered the flesh of her shoulders.

His feet touched the bottom easily here, but he could see that she still had to tread water in order to stay above the surface.

“Jagger, I …” Her words trailed off into a whisper and the only sounds that could be heard were the deep breaths falling from between her lips and the slow steady beat of his heart.