Binding Ties The Sentinel Wars - Shannon K. Butcher Page 0,51

heavy wave of exhaustion sucked her under and didn’t let go. She couldn’t fight it. Even breathing was too hard. All she could do was relax and hope that wherever this current took her, it was someplace safe.

Chapter 18

Ronan had no patience to deal with a newly bonded pair of Theronai. His hunger was raging. He was worried about the woman who’d saved his life—a woman who’d run from him. One he was determined to find.

He’d had no time to hunt tonight upon waking. He’d used all the power the unknown stranger had given him to find her, only to come up empty-handed. His plan was to search again tonight, but the call for help had come through, thwarting his plans.

The sun had only just set, and he’d been confined to his van, unable to do more than suffer through the acute weakness daylight brought upon him. It was his bad luck to be the closest Sanguinar near Joseph when all he wanted to do was hit the road, following the faint trail of a woman who’d seemingly vanished.

If not for the blood that she’d fed him, he wouldn’t have even had that hint of a trail to follow. But he did have it, and he would find her before it faded to nothingness.

He had to find her. There was no other choice. She compelled him like no other creature ever had.

He needed her.

In an effort to have this task of healing Joseph out of the way as soon as possible, Ronan raced through the trees toward the Slayer settlement. Their kind liked to be isolated and difficult to reach, which was often handy—when it wasn’t completely inconvenient.

Like it was right now.

Branches slashed at his face as he hurried through the forest. There was only the slightest path left visible in the foliage—no more than a natural trail that wildlife might leave behind. But even without that trail, Ronan would have been able to find Joseph. The scent of his blood was heavy in the air, telling Ronan that the man was gravely injured.

As he came over the top of a rise, he saw Lyka and Joseph down below. Sparks arced between their bodies as she clumsily tried to heal him.

Ronan suffered a moment of surprise. Nicholas had said that Lyka had bonded to the leader of the Theronai, but Ronan wouldn’t have believed it possible if he hadn’t seen it with his own eyes.

Somehow, she was both Slayer and Theronai—something that definitely bore deeper investigation.

Too bad it wasn’t she who needed healing, or Ronan could have used that excuse to delve into her mind and determine exactly how it was possible that she would straddle two races so seamlessly.

By the time he was at the bottom of the hill, Lyka had visibly weakened. He could smell the destruction of her body on a cellular level as she channeled Joseph’s power. He was in even worse shape—unconscious, his heart stuttering against the loss of blood.

If Ronan didn’t do something now, not only would Joseph die, but there was also a chance he’d take Lyka with him.

“Stop!” he yelled at her as he made his way to her side.

She didn’t seem to hear him—didn’t so much as turn his way. Her eyes were closed. Sweat trickled down her temples. Her skin had gone so pale that he swore he could see through it, when the sparks between her and Joseph lit beneath her fingers.

He knew there was a chance he could injure her if he pulled her away from her task, but injury was far preferable to death. And that was exactly where she was headed.

Clearly, healing was not this woman’s gift.

“You need to stop.” Ronan put his hand on hers, shaking her.

She tightened her grip on Joseph, digging her fingernails into his skin. He tried to pry her fingers away, but she was far stronger than a female Theronai had any right to be—a gift from her Slayer side, no doubt.

As her body continued to suffer the ill effects of her effort, Ronan was left with no other choice. He had to separate them.

He commanded his body to strengthen so he had the leverage to tear the couple apart. It took a monumental effort, but he was finally able to use brute force to get her to let go.

She flew through the air, landing a few feet away. Ronan hoped he hadn’t hurt her, but he would deal with that damage in a moment. Right now he had to concentrate