Soul of Eon (Eon Warriors #8) - Anna Hackett Page 0,17

I promise.”

“We’ll get home,” she said.

There was an intense look in his black-green eyes, and he nodded.

Several tunnel entrances peppered the wall ahead of them.

“I think the right-hand one is best—” He broke off with a groan, going down on one knee.

Her pulse jumped. “Thane?” She crouched beside him. “What’s wrong?” She pressed a hand to his back. God, was he hurt?

“Don’t touch me.” He shifted away from her.

She felt a strange punch to her gut, and dropped her hand.

He was breathing heavily, his body shaking.

Screw this. She moved around in front of him and crouched. “Let me help you.”

His head lifted. The green in his eyes looked alive. “I’m feeling stirrings of the Eon mating fever.”

“Oh.” Her belly was alive with flutters.

“I won’t hurt you. I…just need a minute to get it under control.”

“The mating fever…?”

“It makes me want to touch you.” His body shuddered.

She dragged in a deep breath. She stared at him. He was a good man. An honorable man. He’d protected her, been with her every step of this horrible situation.

She cupped his cheeks.

“Kaira—”

She kissed him.

He groaned and she deepened the kiss, pulling in the taste of him. She kept it slow. Desire was a slow simmer in her belly.

She might not want to be mated, but she wanted him.

He shuddered, but didn’t touch her. Except his mouth moved on hers—firm, demanding. So, so good.

Kaira forced herself to pull back.

They stared at each other for a beat. He looked better, and his breathing had evened out.

“Come on.” She helped him up.

“I’m good. Thank you.” He looked to the tunnels, gathering himself. “Let’s get going. I want to find a way out of this underground maze.”

Small rocks crunched under their boots.

“The quicker we get out of here and get to the Kantos base, the better,” he said.

“You think the Eon are looking for us?” she asked.

“Yes, and when they get our signal, they’ll be here as fast as they can.”

Good. Kaira wanted off this planet.

A rumble echoed through the tunnel.

They both froze.

The ground and walls started to shake, and dust rained down on them.

“What now?” she said.

Thane turned, looking back the way they’d come.

“What is it?” she asked.

“I hear water.”

He strode back down the tunnel, and Kaira jogged to follow. They turned a bend, and ahead, she could see the chamber and the pool they’d left behind.

Her heart stopped. “Oh, God.”

The water in the pool was rising up, starting to flood through the chamber.

Thane spun. “Run.”

“It’s not so bad—”

“It’s rising faster.”

He took her hand and they ran. It wasn’t long before her chest was burning. Kaira stumbled, but Thane caught her.

She heard the rush of water coming behind them with a loud roar. Shit. There was no way they’d be able to outrun it.

Thane stopped and pulled her close.

“We can’t beat it,” he said.

Her heart thumped hard against her ribs.

“Hold on.” He wrapped himself around her. His armor changed, the black scales twining around them both like a rope. He’d tied them together.

“Thane.” Fear drummed through her.

“I’m here.” His gaze met hers.

Then a wall of water rushed down the tunnel toward them.

Oh, God.

She bit her lip and held onto him tighter.

Then the water hit them and swept them away.

Thane held on tight to Kaira. They were swept along, tumbling over and over.

He sucked in a breath, and heard Kaira spluttering.

He kicked his legs, trying to keep their heads above the deluge. He knew he could form helmets, but one big knock against a rock could shatter it in their faces.

A deafening roar reached his ears, and he realized in a flash what was ahead. He thrust a hand out.

He caught a rock and stopped their mad rush.

They’d reached the top of a huge fall of water. The tunnel opened into a large chasm below.

“Shit!” Kaira yelled.

Thane gripped the rock harder, trying to hold on.

They were hanging over the drop, water rushing over them.

“Can’t…hold on much longer.” Every muscle in his arm strained.

Kaira touched his face. “Let go.”

“No. Have to…keep you safe.”

But his fingers were slipping.

“I’ll release the armor, and you climb up.”

“Hell no, warrior. Let go. We’ll fall together.”

His gut clenched. “Kaira—”

Her face was resolute. “Do it.”

He let go.

The water washed them over the edge.

As they fell, he curled his body around hers. He spun so he was on the bottom.

A second later, they hit a pool with a huge splash.

Bubbles rose around him and Thane kicked. Finally, their heads broke the surface.

Kaira spluttered. “I always hated waterslides as a kid.”

Holding her tight, Thane kicked to the