Page 3 (1/2)

And, goddess help her, she didn’t want to

Chapter Two

Hawke lifted a bare forear down his temple as he picked up his pace on the treadmill in the baseht, lifting weights, running, working every ain while his brothers prowled the rocky banks of the nearby Poto the draden that swarmed near Feral House Exercise was the only outlet that reer that had coo, he’d regained consciousness, escaping the darkness of the spirit trap An escape that had been incoe that had nearly consuer that sprang to life at the slightest provocation An anger that wasn’t his own, but the hawk spirit’s, as if the ani them stuck down there and nearly wrenched apart

The fury waited, ready to pounce at the slightest provocation, the faintest hint of annoyance or frustration Then the red haze would rise, clouding his vision, and, though he’d struggle to control it, he lost ot torn if anyone was close enough to feel the rip of his claws And he usually ended up shifting involuntarily into his hawk Ferals shifted at will, with ease, retaining their huer the case for him When he shifted now, on purpose or accidentally, he tumbled back into that dark fury for hours at a ti him behind, unconscious, until the hawk decided to return control Hawke cah in a tree every da to do but spend his days and nights working to control the rage He was useless Worse than useless He was a danger to everyone around hirabbed a couple of free weights, pu iron until he cooled down

Out of nowhere, pain ripped across his brain, slaed fingers of lightning Kkkeeeeer The hawk screeched as if it, too, felt that god-awful pain But even as the first blast faded, a second began, like talons raking at his brain, as if the hawk inside hi it on purpose!" he growled at the damned bird spirit

Slowly, the talons released their hold on hisaway The connection between hied, without a doubt, but he and his bird had never had an easy relationship The animal spirit had always deive him His father, the previous hawk shifter, used to say that his animal wasn’t like the cats It needed to take the reins at tiiven the hawk his head, disappearing soht

For years after Haas marked, the hawk had demanded that kind of freedoiving in to that kind of wildness again Not after what happened to Aren

The hawk spirit had never entirely forgiven hih Until the spirit trap Noas beginning to think they’d become rivals Perhaps even enehts and retreated to the gym shohere a spray of cold water cooled down his body though doing little to ease the frustration that had become his constant companion As he dried off, the sound of footsteps on the stairs reached hihter, more feminine step Kara’s, no doubt She searched hi quickly, he pulled on a clean pair of sweatpants before she reached him Not that he really needed to Half the Ferals couldn’t keep their clothes on when they shifted, and all were naturally co at Feral House saw naked males It was unavoidable But Kara’s cheeks still flushed occasionally at the sight, telling Hawke her hu he wanted was to cause her, or any of his brothers’ ym - Kara with Lyon close behind Hawke had made his brothers promise that none of the women would come near him without an escort And none of the Ferals had been inclined to object

Kara, dressed in pink flannel pants and a camisole that looked like sleepwear, strode to hi softly behind her, blue eyes ith affection and concern Sweet and courageous, she was their Radiant, the one woies the Ferals needed in order to access the power of their animals

As Kara wrapped an arainst his side, relishing the feel of her war the need for touch all Therians possessed

Lyon greeted hi any better?"

"I aet too comfortable"

Hawke smiled "As if she’d let me" He adored Kara They all did But the love between her and Lyon, their chief, was a powerful force that both awed and lifted He drea a woman like that soer to anyone within striking distance of his claws

"How are you really?" Kara pulled back, her gaze soft and worried Though she worked herhied "I haven’t spontaneously shifted in nearly twenty-four hours"

Lyon nodded, twisting Kara’s ponytail around his hand in an absent gesture that spoke of deep and easy affection

Kara studied Hawke "Has anything set you off?"

"Frustration, but I’ve etting better at controlling it"

"Good It’s a start" She clasped her hands in front of her "How about soer you are, the better you’ll be able to control it I hope"

Hawke nodded "Is it dawn already?"

"Alot back"

"Isn’t this the day the new fox arrives?"

"It is" Lyon’s voice echoed with relief "He’ll be here this afternoon"

The last fox shifter had died only a e plot to infiltrate Feral House and destroy the nine Feral Warriors When one shifter died, the aniest Therian with that animal’s shifter DNA and marked him to be the next Feral Warrior The Therian would find a set of what looked like long-healed claw in to need radiance, instinct driving him to seek Feral House and the Radiant, no matter where in the world he lived If he failed to reach the Radiant within a couple of years, he’d die, and another would befor his reply, Kara closed her eyes and lifted her arracefully Allow that ht from the overhead fluorescents pale in contrast Outside, she’d been known to turn the backyard froht to day Never had a Radiant been able to pull the Earth’s energies through solid structures as Kara could

She opened her eyes and ar for Haith one hand and Lyon with the other Though she strengthened the in proxiies provided a jolt of power none of the one At once, a warht from the Earth itself Inside, he felt the hawk calup the power Finally, Kara’s light went out, and she released him, a small smile on her face

Hawke leaned forward and kissed her temple "Thank you"