Desire Unchained

“His death severed the connection,” Shade said, “but when he was resuscitated, the connection wasn’t.”


“How was he resuscitated? By whom?” Wraith dug one hand into his jeans’ pocket, and Shade knew he was comforting himself by feeling up one of his weapons. His brother was never unarmed, not when he was sleeping, fucking, not even in the safety of the hospital. No doubt there were a half-dozen more blades concealed on his body.

“Solice. She was there, with Roag. No doubt she’s been spying for him.” Shade clenched his fists at the memory of how she’d gone down on her knees and tortured the hell out of him in the dungeon.

“Solice?” Wraith’s lip curled into a nasty snarl. “She’s so fired. Like, with real fire.”

Eidolon was totally revved, grinding his teeth, tugging on his stethoscope. “This doesn’t add up. He was massively touched in the head, but why would he want to hurt you? And Skulk?”

“He killed Skulk to torture me. The rest … he thinks we’re responsible for the fire at Brimstone. He wants revenge.”

Wraith’s eyes shot wide open, and E shook his head. “The Aegis did it.”

“I know, but he’s convinced we wanted him dead.”

“I sure as hell want him dead,” Wraith ground out.

“You won’t get an argument from me.” Shade pegged E with a look, daring him to disagree, but his brother only nodded.

Wraith paced in a circle, his boots striking the obsidian floor so hard Shade expected to see sparks. “You say Roag forced you and Runa to bond?”

“He made us think we were dreaming.”

E cursed. “He really is sick. He knows that if you have a female tethered to you, you’ll fall for her.”

“And activate the curse.” Wraith wheeled around. “It’s an easy fix. We just kill Runa—”

A low growl erupted in the room. The writing on the walls began to pulse, and Shade realized the noise and aggression was coming from him.

“Easy, Shade,” E said. “You know Wraith is right.”

Yeah, he knew that. But the fierce, possessive instinct to protect his mate was burning inside him.

“I’ll do it.” Wraith’s voice was hard, decisive. “Where is she?”

Shade was in his brother’s face so fast he didn’t remember getting there. “Touch her, and I’ll lay you out like roadkill.”

Wraith held up his hands, smiled with a flash of fangs. “See? This is why I’m never, ever bonding with a female. Makes you stupid.” He shot a meaningful glance at Eidolon. “Or *whipped.”

Pissed as Shade was, he had to give Wraith that one. Not that Eidolon being whipped was a bad thing. His mate, Tayla, had kept him from going insane, but she also had him wrapped around her slender little slayer finger. When she crooked it, he came.

Pun intended.

“Shade,” Eidolon said softly, “would it be easier if Tayla did it? Tonight, after Runa changes?”

“No!” Shade backed away from Wraith, ran his hands through his hair, and left them clutching his skull as if doing so would help him keep his head on straight. “Nothing will make it easier. You think I want to know that Wraith is getting off on killing my mate or that your slayer is beating the hell out of her?”

E nodded as if he got that. “I can do it. I’ll sedate her first. She won’t feel a thing.”

Anguish twisted Shade’s gut, and he dropped his hands. His body and emotions were so tweaked out. “That’s not like you, offering to kill someone.” Then again, it was the logical thing to do, and E was all about logic.

“Better her than you.” Eidolon’s dark gaze sharpened. “I won’t risk losing you, Shade. Not to that curse. We’ve already got the werewolf thing to deal with, on top of your impending s’genesis.”

The s’genesis that was clawing at him even now. He could feel the throbbing in his throat, right above where his mated mark had set into his skin. His groin throbbed in time with his neck, and he knew he’d need to be with Runa, and soon.

“No one touches her until I’ve gone through it,” he growled. “Having a mate will make it easier, and with the lycanthropy complications …” What a nightmare. If s’genesis struck during a full moon, he could only imagine the horrors he’d inflict on the females he’d attack for sex.

Eidolon blew out a breath. “I agree that it makes sense to wait, but you’re taking a chance.”

“I’m not going to fall in love with her anytime soon, bro. She’s annoying as hell. I have time.”

“I don’t like it,” Wraith said.

Shade snorted. “You just want an excuse to kill her.”

Wraith didn’t deny it. “How did she infect you, anyway?”

His body cramped, as though it remembered the agony he’d been in when he’d begged Runa to hurt him.

“She shifted to bite me.” He frowned. “She can shift at will. She doesn’t need the full moon.”

Eidolon started. “How is that possible?”