Savage Craving - Cecilia Lane Page 0,15

not a shifter.”

Right. And she wasn’t human, living on a little planet called Earth. “I saw your eyes change.”

“A trick of the light,” he muttered, brows shooting together. He shook his head and frowned, but didn’t say anything else.

Fine. She could stare off into the night just as easily with answers as without.

Chapter 6

“Where are we?”

Lilah studied the nondescript house as Seth eased the truck up a driveway and under a carport at the back. The place could have fit into any suburban neighborhood... or some serial killer’s version of the perfect disguise. Nothing about the house’s shape, size, or the freaking siding stood out from the others along the cul-de-sac. Even the lawn and shrubs were exceptionally bland.

"Safe house," Seth grunted. He opened his door, but stopped when her hand went to the handle on her side. "Stay here until I check it out."

Lilah drummed her fingers against the door as soon as he shut her inside. The care he put into his job was... acceptable. She’d rather not be forced into hiding in the first place, but it soothed her that he took the role seemingly seriously.

The lack of control, on the other hand, drove her up the wall. She didn’t want to be bossed around by some grunting barbarian. She liked order and routine. Those made sense to her and gave her a roadmap for the day. They were a comfort she relied on when work turned hectic or the nightmares of being overpowered returned.

Reality, she mused. Not a nightmare. The past had caught up to her for an encore.

The barbarian in question returned a moment later. He came around to her side of the truck and ripped open the door. “We’re clear. You can come inside now.”

Lilah didn’t move. “Was this the plan all along? Cart me away where no one will hear me scream?”

Seth rolled his eyes upward and let off an annoyed sigh. “Would you like me to take you back to the apartment where they already found you?”

“No, but I’d really like to know what the plan is instead of putting all my trust into your hands.”

“You don’t need to trust me. You just need to listen so you have a chance of staying alive.” He held up his hand to ward off her next barrage of questions. “We’re stopping here for a few hours because I need to sleep even if you’re hopped up on anxiety, then we’ll leave in the morning. Where, I’m not sure yet. Wolfden, maybe, or another enclave.”

“An enclave?” Lilah’s eyes widened. “You can’t be serious. You want to stick me with more shifters after shifters have me on the run? What harebrained idea is that?”

Seth didn’t answer. He simply reached across her and unsnapped her seatbelt. That arm hooked around her middle and dragged her out of the truck.

Lilah’s heart lurched into her throat. She stumbled when he set her back on the ground near the door. Heat flooded her cheeks and the rest of her body. “That was...” she added an extra step between them. “That was entirely uncalled for!”

She did not stomp her foot. Not one bit.

Her heart hammered against her breastbone when she lifted her chin and met the shifter’s eyes. There, again, the tiniest spark of gold flashed at the center. Trick of the light? Like hell! He was a lying liar who’d probably eat her in her sleep!

Seth once again reached around her to open the door at her back. “Make yourself comfortable. I’m going to check the perimeter.”

Lilah seethed at the expert dismissal. She crossed her arms and glared at the shifter until a door stood in the way.

A quick tour of the joint didn’t reveal any bodies, but she didn’t know what secrets lived in the attic or crawlspace. Two bedrooms, one bathroom, and a small living room winged by an equally small kitchen were paced within minutes, leaving her to wait while Seth did whatever was involved with walking fifteen steps from one corner of the lot to the other.

She continued her inspection, opening kitchen cabinets and the refrigerator just to give herself something to catalog and put her mind at ease. A whole lot of not much sat in the fridge and frozen meals stacked up neatly in the freezer. More nonperishable boxes and cans filled one cupboard, with a small but workable set of cookware and dishes in another. Whoever had stocked it last took the drink variety to heart. Lilah snorted at the two boxes of