Binding Ties by Shannon K. Butcher

Author:Shannon K. Butcher [Butcher, Shannon K.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Penguin Publishing Group
Published: 2015-02-09T06:00:00+00:00

Chapter 20

Joseph felt Lyka’s panic an instant too late to predict her actions.

She sprang from the moving truck and tucked into an acrobatic roll as she hit the ground. He skidded to a sloppy stop on the gravel road and slammed the truck in park.

By the time he was out of the truck and headed in her direction, she was already on her feet, running into a nearby tree line.

Joseph couldn’t leave her alone out here, unprotected. She was weak from her efforts to heal him. He’d sensed her fatigue clouding the minute connection between them. She was practically weaponless, with only those short daggers and a puny knife to hold demons at bay. And even if all of that hadn’t been true, he would have been forced to pursue her because of his vow to protect her.

If she’d already become comfortable in her power, she could have pulled strength from him to speed her flight. But she wasn’t comfortable yet. She probably didn’t even realize that she could use him in that way.

He’d never been more grateful for ignorance in his life.

Joseph pulled specks of energy into himself, gathering them from the chilly night air. He was unable to access the huge reservoir of magic he housed, but he could make instant use of what was available to him in the environment. As he drew power into him, some of it overflowed his need and became a part of him. It wasn’t fun or easy to add onto the bulging stores of energy inside him, but it was effective.

His pace quickened until he was easily gaining on her. Branches batted at his face as he passed, but she seemed to have no such trouble. She dodged and ducked, weaving through the forest with such ease, he wouldn’t have been surprised to learn that she’d planted every tree and rock herself.

He finally caught up to her on the far side of a creek. She’d leapt across it, and the slick leaves littering the ground slid beneath her foot. Her arms whirled as she scrambled to find a handhold to keep her upright, but there was nothing low enough for her to grab.

She started to fall. Joseph caught her up and swept her to the top of the steep bank. She spun around, striking out at him with her bare hands. Panic still ruled her mind and controlled her actions, so he grabbed her wrists and pinned them behind her before she could draw blood—and the demons that would smell it.

The last thing they needed was another pack of sgath closing in on them.

“I’m not going to hurt you,” he told her, though his words came out through clenched teeth, making them harder to believe.

“I won’t let you hurt me.” She snarled, baring her teeth at him as she tried to get away.

He bore her to the ground, pinning her arms with his hands and her body with his. She squirmed against his hips and thighs, lighting a fire of sexual need in his groin.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.