Kane was growling. Sherra tilted her head, watching him curiously as he kicked a stone, muttered something and flashed her another dangerous look.
She smiled brightly. “Ain’t adrenaline a fine thing? Want to f**k it off?”
He frowned, lifted his lip in a violent portrayal of fury and stomped over to where Callan had pulled up in the pickup, followed by several Jeeps.
As she watched, Jonas sidled up to her. “Can humans be infected and turn Breed?” he asked her curiously. “I swear, I think he growls better than I do.”
She stifled her laughter, elbowed the snickering Breed and hurried over to Callan. Only God knew what Kane was telling on her now.
Kane was definitely telling. Sherra snickered as Callan cast her a brooding look, questioned Kane, then nodded abruptly as she moved close enough to hear what they were saying.
“The caves are obviously a trap. Best case, we blow all the entrances until this situation eases and we can complete the intel and find the entrances the terrorists are using. Until then, we’re sitting ducks or dead in those mazes, your pick.” Kane’s voice was weary, strained. “I can’t see the sense in risking our men and women this way, Callan.”
Sherra stood behind him, her amusement wiped away by the sound of his voice, the tension filling him. It wasn’t sexual, it was exhausted.
Callan stared around the area, watching as the wounded were quickly loaded to the backs of the jeeps for transportation back to the clinic.
“Blow them,” Callan gave the order, his voice low, throbbing with anger. “They’re not worth trying to keep considering the risk.”
Sherra watched as Kane breathed in roughly, shaking his head as he stared to his side, watching the Breeds clear the area as Jonas began inspecting the now-sealed entrance. Kane’s shoulders were tense, tight, as he shrugged them with an appearance of weariness. She gave Callan a narrow-eyed look. He stared back at her for long moments before his gaze flickered back to Kane.
“Let’s head back.” He pushed his fingers through his thick fall of hair, breathing out in irritation. “We’re expecting more information in on the Purist group rumored to be gathering. Alexandria and I want to be there when the report comes in. And you and Sherra, neither one look in peak condition. Have you two forgotten how to f**king sleep?”
Kane glanced back at Sherra, his eyes dark, concerned. She barely kept from rolling her eyes.
“I am tired,” she finally admitted, breaking the contact as she stared back at her brother. “This shit is getting to me, Callan. We have to do something.”
“Agreed,” Callan grunted. “When you find an answer be sure to let me know, because I’ll be damned if I’ve come up with one yet. By the way, they released our friendly neighborhood missile launcher this morning. Some pansy-assed judge dropped the charges slick as you please.”
Sherra closed her eyes, hearing Kane’s vicious curse at this news.
“Joy, joy,” she murmured. “Next one, I’ll just kill and get it over with.” She wasn’t joking.
“I’ll help you hide the body.” The cold smile twisting Kane’s lips was almost scary to see. But what worried her more was the pale cast to his sun-darkened features.
“Come on, stud.” She moved to his side, butting against his arm as she let her own weariness show on her face. Something she abhorred. “I don’t know about you, but a shower is definitely called for, and a nap.”
His arm went around her waist instantly, his hand cupping her hip as he dragged her against his chest, the muscles tight as he held her to him.
“I’m going to paddle your ass for being in that damned cave,” he suddenly snapped, his eyes glittering with barely suppressed fury.
She did roll her eyes, seeing more than just his anger. She hated seeing the emotions that tore at him, blazing in his eyes, in the tight features of his face. It reminded her forcefully of the ties they shared, the pain he had suffered because of her, for her. And that reminder had the power to weaken her as nothing else did.
The gentle aura of the morning had faded with the danger surrounding them once again, but nothing could extinguish her need for him. She could excuse them on lust all she wanted to, but at her weakest moments, such as now, she knew the truth. Loving him was killing her. Not because she couldn’t have him—she could, she did. But the past was a cruel specter that haunted her, snatching sleep from her, terrifying her with the weaknesses she knew she possessed. Weaknesses she couldn’t let him see, couldn’t let him know.
“Come on, Kane, let’s go home,” she sighed, moving slowly from him, her body dragging, exhaustion pulling at her as she headed for her jeep. She needed to sleep, just once, without arousal destroying her, or memories tormenting her. Just once.
* * * * *
Kane could feel his flesh sensitizing in ways he had never expected. He couldn’t understand it, couldn’t explain it. He paced outside Sherra’s bathroom after their return to the compound, running his hand over his hair as he fought the insane compulsion to storm into her shower and take her where she stood. He needed his c**k buried inside her heat, and he needed it now. He shook his head. Even after that first kiss it hadn’t been like this. This was consuming, an urgent compulsion, a desire unlike anything he had known to this point. He tried to explain the sensation away on the fact that they had nearly died in those damned caves earlier, but there was no logic in that. There was no way to explain the sudden surge of lust that burned brighter, hotter than anything he had ever known before this point.
God help them both if she had any intentions of refusing him, because he didn’t think he could leave her. He knew he couldn’t deny the hunger for her. He could taste her on his tongue, craved the feel of her against his flesh.
He shrugged his broad, bare shoulders, the caress of the air generated against his flesh had him flinching
at the sensation. Dammit, a man shouldn’t be that sensitive.
The shower shut off and he tensed in preparation. He could imagine her—her flesh all slick and wet, creamy and pink and more tempting than anything he knew. He still remembered the feel of her in that cave. Her kiss had tasted more delicate, the spice of the hormone filling his senses as he fought to keep some measure of sanity.