Soul of Eon (Eon Warriors #8) - Anna Hackett Page 0,25

animal sounded nearby.

They ducked down into the grass again. Next, there was an odd rattling sound.

A moment later, a huge beast—it looked like a mammoth, its large body covered in shaggy, gray fur—appeared, pulling a long, black cart behind it.

A hunched Kantos soldier sat in front of the cart, directing the beast.

The cart slowed, and then started up the winding road.

“Come on,” she whispered.

They kept low and stayed out of sight, following behind. The cart rounded a corner, and they ducked down behind some large, black boulders.

Oh, crap.

Ahead, the cart passed through a rock structure with an archway cut through the center of it. It was some sort of gatehouse. Kantos soldiers were everywhere. Her heart kicked in her chest.

“You see any way past the guard house?” she asked.

Grim faced, Thane shook his head.

Dammit. There was no way through.

A bug appeared farther down on the path. It was about the size of a dog, a mottled black-brown, with long antennae. It lifted its head, sniffing the air, and its gaze turned in their direction.

Oh, shit.

“We have to go.” Thane pulled her back.

They ran back down the path. At the base of the mountains, the ground was littered with huge, broken rocks.

“Right.” She rested her hands on her hips. “We need to—”

All of a sudden, Thane groaned and doubled over.

“Thane,” she gasped.

He pressed his hand to his flat stomach, and held his other one up.

“What’s wrong?” she demanded. “Is it the mating fever?”

Thane dragged in a breath, and fought back the cramps wracking through him.

He scented Kaira, felt her warmth, heard her quick breaths. Desire was like a fist in his gut.

He had to fight this back. For her.

“Thane?” She touched a hand to his shoulder.

He closed his eyes and pulled strength from her touch.

He straightened. “I’m fine.”

“You’re not fine.” Concern lined her face.

“No. Come on, we need to—” With a groan, he went down on one knee.

“Thane.” She knelt. “Talk to me, damn you.”

He met her gaze. By Eschar’s embrace, she was so beautiful. Desire roared higher inside him.

“It is the mating fever.”

She sat back. “Tell me more about it.” Her face hardened. “Don’t lie to me.”

“It happens between mates to cement the bond.”

She frowned. “This’ll get worse?”

He nodded. “If I was on my warship, I might be able to suppress it.”

“It makes you want to—” She licked her lips.

He zeroed in on them. They were perfectly shaped. “Touch you. Kiss you.” He couldn’t help the desire leaking into his voice. “Strip you naked and make you mine.” His voice was gritty.

The air rushed out of her. “I’m sorry.”

“You have nothing to be sorry about.” He released a shaky breath, breathing through the pain. It was a gnawing ache. He wanted to drag her under him, hear her cries of pleasure.

“And this will just get worse and worse?”

“Maybe.” He managed a strained smile. “It’s my first experience with it. Other mated couples I know…”

“Sate it.” Her voice was quiet.

“I’ll be fine.” His body started shaking and he gritted his teeth. He would control this.

She rose on her knees and pressed against him. She cupped his cheek.

“Kaira—”

She kissed him again.

He wanted to be noble and push her away, but he couldn’t. Like in the Mollai cavern, he couldn’t find the strength to give up her touch. Her tongue licked his lips, stroked his tongue. Groaning, he fought to keep his hands off her.

She moaned and leaned closer. “Touch me, Thane.”

He shuddered. “You don’t have to do this for me.”

She met his gaze. “It’s for me, too.”

Her mouth was back on his.

Cren. He yanked her closer. Her head bent back under the force of his kiss.

They kissed and kissed. Even as it fired his blood, it also eased some fractious thing inside him.

Finally, she pulled back, and ran her nose along his.

Thane pulled in the sensation, the connection, the warmth from his helian. They stayed like that, still, faces pressed together, hearts beating hard.

Thankfully, the edgy sensation had eased a little.

“Thank you,” he murmured.

Her brown gaze met his. “You never have to thank me for that.”

There was a noise, a skitter of small rocks.

They shot to their feet. He saw movement and shoved Kaira back behind him.

She made an annoyed noise and moved back to his side.

They formed swords, both tense, scanning the boulders around them.

He heard the noise again to the left.

A Kantos soldier appeared.

Cren. Thane sensed more life signs.

All around them, more soldiers appeared on the rocks, all still and watchful.

Waiting.

“Hell,” Kaira muttered.

Why weren’t they attacking?

The first one shifted closer,