“It changes nothing,” he growled.
The need. The hunger. “I know.” The knife wasn’t forcing her to share that truth. He wasn’t touching the weapon any longer, but she was still telling him the truth. This time, the truth was her choice. Even if that truth hurt. Her hands wrapped around his neck and she pulled his mouth back to her.
She loved the way he kissed her. Loved the need and desire that she could taste. He kissed her with such intensity, as if she were the only thing that mattered to him.
He backed her up against that tree and his hand slid under her shirt. When she felt the touch of the glove on her skin, she jerked a little.
“Easy…I swear, I won’t hurt you.” Cass breathed those words against her mouth.
She believed him.
His hand slid up her rib cage. His mouth trailed down her throat. A moan slipped from her because he felt so good. She loved his mouth. She wanted it everywhere.
His fingers brushed against the edge of her bra. Her breasts were tight and aching and she—
A twig snapped. In a flash, Cass had yanked down her shirt and whirled away from her. His hands were fisted at his sides and he stared to the right, at a thick line of trees.
Her breath came too fast, too hard, and her heart was racing in her chest. Goosebumps were rising on her arms. She’d been too distracted to notice her alarm system going off. “It’s…” Not the vampire, don’t be the vampire… “Tell me it’s not Gregory or Leo…”
“It’s not.” Cass didn’t look back. His right hand lifted and she felt that odd hum of energy again…and then the scythe was in his hand. “Show yourself!” Cass yelled.
And the trees moved—no, something burst right out of the trees. A big, snarling black bear. Its fur seemed to explode from its body and it hurtled toward Cass.
Her jaw dropped.
“Ivan, turn your ass back into a human,” Cass ordered, keeping the scythe at his side.
Less than two feet from Cass, the black bear halted. Its mouth opened and it let out a bellowing roar.
“Not impressed,” Cass tossed back. “And you’re about to lose some fur.” He lifted the scythe. “I’ve had a seriously shitty day and it’s barely dawn. Don’t test me.”
The bear…shifted. Slowly. Shifts were always brutal to watch. And to hear. Bones snapped and popped and the thick fur melted away until the beast was gone and a man stood in his place.
Ivan.
He rose—naked—and his gaze slid to her. He was tall, about Cass’s height, but stockier with his muscles. His skin was a dark brown and his eyes were a sharp, contrasting green. Those eyes stared at Amber with curiosity.
Well, curiosity was better than a killing glare.
“I hate when you guys always wind up naked,” Cass muttered. “Shifters…I swear, can’t you cover your junk?”
Ivan tossed back his head and laughed. “Reaper, you are such a prude.” He marched toward a nearby tree, and Amber averted her eyes. She thought it might be the polite thing to do.
“There, better?” Ivan called.
Her gaze jerked back to him. He’d put on a pair of sweats. The guy kept emergency sweats handy in those woods? If that was the case then…
Then they must be in the bear’s territory.
Cass hadn’t taken her down some random dirt road. He’d had a plan in mind. A destination.
Figured.
“I didn’t mean to interrupt,” Ivan drawled. The faintest hint of a southern accept dipped into his voice. “Thought you wanted a plane, but then I saw you and the lady and realized you were…you know, doing other things.”
Making out. Getting hot. Yeah, other things. Feeling her face flame, Amber turned away from them and stalked to the nearby oak tree—not the one she’d been frantically kissing Cass under. The one that her knife was currently embedded in.
She yanked out the knife. The blade was slightly warm to the touch. Cass had been right. You could feel the weapon’s magic.
“And what is that little trinket?” Ivan called out.
“Nothing for you to worry about.” She put it back in the sheath and then hurriedly tucked the knife into her waistband—
“No.” Cass was in front of her. He held out his hand. “I’ll be taking that.”
“It’s mine.”
“Is it? Or did you steal it from Luke?”
They’d already been over this. “Luke never owned this weapon. It’s not what he’s looking for, trust me, okay?”
Behind him, Ivan cleared his throat. Loudly. “Luke? Luke Thorne? I mean, that is who you’re working for, right, Cass?”
Cass didn’t look back at him. “How do I know you won’t use that weapon to stab me?”
His question was just insulting. “I don’t want you dead.”
His lips curved. Uh, oh. That smile of his was absolutely devastating. “Good to know.” Cass swiped the knife from her. “I’ll just keep this safe for you, how about that?”
Her hands fisted. “I’m guessing I don’t have a choice.”
“You guessed right.” He turned to face Ivan. “Is the plane ready?”
“Only if you want to come crashing to a quick and fiery death.” Right after he said the words, Ivan’s mouth dropped open. “What in the hell?”