CHAPTER 17
Tanner didn’t bother to lead her through the forest. The minute Dog turned his back on them, he flipped her over his shoulder and began to move. She didn’t dare scream or cry out. She could feel the tension emanating from both men, the air of danger and lethal violence. So she held the required protests back until they entered the small cave that held the cover stone to the tunnels.
Why Dog had just let them escape even she couldn’t guess at. She was in shock over that one. Dog never showed mercy, and he never failed a mission. Ever. Until now. He had just let them go without a gun at his head.
“Not a f**king word,” Tanner hissed as he set her on her feet, his nose nearly touching hers, his golden eyes burning with subdued flames. She swore there were veins of red flickering in his eyes.
She nodded slowly, eyes wide, almost holding her breath at the unusual phenomenon. No one, period, had ever returned to the Council with a report of seeing Tanner enraged. Playfully murderous, if there was such a thing. And with Tanner she was certain there was. But never truly angry. Never enraged.
He was enraged now.
Snarling, he turned, snagging her wrist to drag her to the open entrance.
“Down.” He pointed into the hole.
With pleasure. He didn’t have to tell her twice.
Scheme plopped down on her butt, swung her legs into the hole to find the ladder with her feet, and she was gone.
“Oh my God!” She screeched like a frightened little mouse when she came face-to-face with the hard, savage expression of someone she didn’t know.
She knew all the Breeds.
Jerking back, the back of her heel caught on the edge of the ladder, taking her off balance and throwing her against the wall.
A second later freaking Catman dropped into the tunnel, crouched, snarling. The sound of it sent chills up her spine.
“Whoa there, big boy.” The man stepped back, his hands held carefully in front of him. “I was just here to make sure she didn’t fall.”
“I know how to climb down,” she snapped. “Tanner, where the hell’s the flashlight? I can’t see.”
She was seriously afraid that whoever the hell the other man was, his existence was definitely in question if the sounds coming from Tanner’s throat were any indication.
He was still growling. A dangerous, not-so-comfortable sort of sound that had her stomach cramping in fear. Not for herself.
He whirled on her, his eyes practically glowing in the dim light as he stared down at her.
“You’re seriously starting to piss me—Oomph.”
Before she could say anything more, he lifted her. He didn’t jerk her or drag her; he lifted her into his arms before snarling over his shoulder at the surprised stranger.
Or at least he was a stranger to her.
“I’ll just, uh, put the stone back in place.” The other man cleared his throat. “You go ahead and just do whatever. I’ll wait here for Cabal.”
Tanner’s body tensed further.
“Stop it.” She slapped his chest sharply. “That sound is really starting to get on my nerves. I don’t like it.”
Surprised, he stared back at her.
“The growly thing when you’re getting hot and wild is one thing. This let’s-kill-somebody rumble really makes me ill. I’m going to throw up on you if it doesn’t stop.”
There was a snort of laughter from behind Tanner. She threw a frown over his shoulder before bringing her gaze back to the dangerous Bengal Breed.
His lips were curved, maybe into a smile. Well, at least he wasn’t snarling anymore. Not that the smile on his face was much more comforting. It was a bit hard, calculating, laced with a fair amount of anger.
“I’m in trouble, aren’t I?” she asked, flattening her hands on his chest as she stared up at him. “How much?”