Page 26 (1/2)

"Jefferson Street"

Paenther released Skye and swung her to face hi she wanted to do was face Lyon alone "You ht about it for three seconds, then grabbed her hand "All right I’ll drive, Stripes The Escalade’s warhe eyed her with a look that was neither friendly, nor truly antagonistic, but he nodded

The sunshine disappeared, the day turning gray in an instant The wind started to kick up Tighe looked up and frowned

"I’ll ride in back," Skye suggested, as they reached Paenther’s black SUV

"No" Tighe’s response was quick and sharp, leaving her no choice but to get in front with Paenther It was clear he didn’t trust her with his mate As soon as they were in, Paenther took off The trees bent to the fury of the wind, a s across the drive in front of the up

They drove the short distance in silence "There’s Foxx’s Mustang," Paenther said, when they turned onto the residential road only a few streets from the one where Feral House sat

A red car sat on the side of the road appearing empty and abandoned

"Do you see them?" Paenther asked

"No They’re probably in the woods" But a he’s tone matched the sudden tension in the car "I called them telepathically, but there’s no answer If they’re chasing Mage, they should be in their animals"

Paenther pulled out his cell phone and punched so to have to track them"

Paenther pulled over to the side of the road As the car slowed to a stop, Tighe threw open the door and leaped out, shifting e his shape," Skye murmured, surprised

Delaney leaned forward "A lot of the Ferals can It helps them blend into the human landscape Zoo anilanced at Paenther, tee size, too, but his concentration was elsewhere She suspected Tighe was talking to hio"

"Did they answer hi on tight to keep it fro away frorirabbed Skye’s hand, and the three ran into the sharp wind to where Tighe, now a e before they reached it and prayed Tighe hadn’t found the bodies of the Ferals But when he looked up, a hint of grihed in his eyes, and she knew he hadn’t

"Mage," he said as they joined him "Now I understand the sudden turn of bad weather Mother Nature is pissed"

Skye covered her nose as she looked down at the two badly mutilated bodies The men’s chests had been torn open Their hearts were alh of their faces renize thehe asked carefully

SheBirik’s Mage"

Tighe nodded, seely satisfied, but his expression quickly turned to one of confusion "These tere killed by ani and Foxx, now?"

Paenther released her hand and stepped back, stripping off his shirt "Let’s find them" When he was fully undressed, she stepped forward and pressed her palms to his chest He covered her hands briefly, then released her as he began to shift

Skye jued where the er didn’t i at her with deadly green eyes

Tighe’s voice cut through her head with hard warning If you harm Delaney, witch, you die

She answered hihe I would never hurt her

With a warning growl, he turned and bounded off after Paenther

"Was he threatening you?" Delaney asked beside her The hipped at her loose hair, sending it flying about her face like a darkthe cats "You know him well"

"Oh, yeah They’re prickly as hell about who they let in their inner circle, but once you’re in, watch out The caveuys for sheer stubborn protectiveness"

"That’s nice for you To be protected like that"

"Do the Mage do that?"

"Protect their fee would have risked everything to keep me safe froe anted hed "The only one who ever tried to protect me in the caverns was Paenther And he was chained at the tiaze "He’s more than protective of you I’ve seen the way he looks at you, Skye It’s a lot like Tighe looks at me Some of the Ferals think you’ve enchanted him, but I don’t think it’s that siaze "I love hirinned "Well, there you have it Sounds like we’re going to be sisters-in-lawor whatever it would be Feral Warrior wives-in-law?"

Skye s her chest ache "I’d like that" She’d ain was a dreahe’s voice rang in Skye’s head, tearing her thoughts froile hope At her side, Delaney’s head jerked left and she kneas speaking to thenize either of the about a distance aalking casually, like humans out for a stroll They were dressed in casual jeans and barn jackets rather than the blue tunics of Birik’s sentinels But as one of theht his profile They’re Birik’s e took off, running in two different directions

Get in the car and lock the doors, Tighe barked Both of you

Delaney ated to the role of helpless" She whirled, pulling her gun "Freeze!"

Skye spun around to find a third nized all too well Devrell, one of Birik’s cruelest sentinels

"He’s Mage" In her head she screaunfire exploded in her ears as Delaney shot at theto slow hi to help her new friend, but there was nothing she could do Besides, she kneas her the Mage wanted She turned and fled in the direction she’d watched Paenther go

Beauty! What’s happening?

There’s a third Mage Delaney shot at hiave afor

Her feet felt aardly heavy in the borrowed running shoes as she ran through the woods, leaping over the uneven ground, the forest-scented hipping at her face The heavy thud of her heartbeat pounded in her ears as terror crawled up her spine

She wouldn’t go back there!

All around her, birds landed on nearby branches Squirrels chattered angrily in the trees as if preparing to coet hurt

Behind her she heard the low chant of a Mage spell and her heart sank Seconds later, a rock the size of her fist rose froround and flew at her She turned her head and raised her ar her off stride More rocks flew at her, as if Birik’s night her feet out from under her With a thud, she landed on her back on the forest floor, the wind knocked out of her

Before she could leap to her feet, Devrell was over her, staring down at her with cold eyes ringed in a copper as bright as her own He grabbed her and hauled her to her feet Skye fought hied her back toward the road Even though his strength was nothing coreater than her own