NocC 004 - The Ancients 03 - Bonnie Vanak - Hunted by the Jaguar - Harlequin 2011-12 by Nocturne Read Free Book Online

coughing roar, he woke up. She scrambled back, dirt and gravel digging into her tender palms.
    Sleek fur faded, transforming into a naked, furious man with dark, wavy hair and a long, bloody scratch across his neck. Daimon glared at her.
    “Goddammit, what the hell were you thinking?”
    Fury sparkled in his eyes. Tension gripped every muscle, as if he fought to rein in his temper. Not doing a very good job , she thought.
    “Thought that would be obvious,” she croaked out. “I was saving your ass. It’s a very nice ass and I thought it was worth saving.”
    Daimon ran over to her, his dark brows knitting. Fingers explored her body, gently probing the skin, his eyes sweeping over her body. When he saw the faint ligature marks on her wrists, he growled.
    “Daimon, he didn’t hurt me.”
    “When I woke up and saw you were gone… I panicked. Ariana, he had you. Lawson had you, he could have killed you.”
    “Killing me wasn’t his intent. I think he wanted you dead.” She rubbed her swollen mouth, remembering the brutality of the werewolf’s kiss. “Fighting him was a bad idea. It was a stupid, macho thing to do.”
    Expecting a bristling response, she was surprised at his stricken look. “I know. And now there will be a price to pay. My stupid pride, it got us into trouble again.”
    A distant, haunting howl split the air. Fear clogged her throat.
    “They’re waking up. We’ve got to get back.” Daimon stood, gesturing to the car. “Get in.”
    “Ah, slight problem, Einstein. My legs don’t seem to be cooperating.”
    Snarls wended through the thick pine trees. A cool wind brushed the branches, sending showers of pine needles downward. Ariana felt herself picked up and deposited into the front seat. The car door slammed, then he raced to the driver’s side.
    “Hurry,” she urged as he climbed in. “How fast are they?”
    Daimon started the engine. “Not as fast as a jag.”
    “They don’t eat cars, do they?”
    “They’re strong enough.”
    Growls sounded as she turned and saw what looked like a hundred wolves racing toward them. One leaped onto the trunk, saliva dripping from its opened jaws. It smashed its powerful body against the back window. A spiderweb of cracks showed.
    “Dammit, I just got this car washed,” Daimon muttered.
    She screamed as another wolf jumped onto the trunk, clawing at the cracked window. Daimon pressed on the gas and took off. The wolves spilled onto the roadway.
    Others raced behind them, jaws open, teeth snapping at the air as the car sped away. She cranked her head, watched them fall behind.
    Cold dread filled her. The pack would strike again. Jarrett wanted her badly, and would not stop.
    Behind her eyes hovered a new vision, one deep with striations of crimson.
    Death.

Chapter Seven
    When they reached the lodge, Ariana had regained some strength. Inside the garish green-and-purple bedroom, Daimon examined her. He picked up her wrists, frowned at the faint ligature marks. His thumbs stroked over them.
    “Bastard, daring to touch you.” His fierce gaze went to her kiss-swollen mouth. “I can smell him on you. Did he do anything more?”
    “He didn’t hurt me. It was just a kiss.”
    “Just a kiss.” He slid a hand over the nape of her neck, began a slow massage. Beneath the soothing strokes, tension fled. Ariana leaned against him.
    “He’s hurting. Deeply.”
    “Enough of him. I’m worried more about you. Why did you leave, Ariana?”
    She sensed hurt behind the words. “You only wanted to seduce me for my powers. Like Jarrett. I’m not a toy both of you can fight over.”
    Like a flower on a wilting stem, her head tipped back as he kneaded her tight muscles.
    “Not now. The first time we’d made love.”
    The ceiling had a mirror, she realized. Kinky. Certainly did not add to the weird decor.
    Daimon stopped massaging and instead turned her around, cupping her face. “Ariana?”
    “You scared me. Us, scared me. It felt—” she nibbled on her