clung to the skin of a witch—while at the same time smelling different on each of them. Shea’s scent was powerful and subtle. Like the witch herself.
“Well, get it out,” she yelped, reaching around to drag her fingernails across the back of her neck.
“I will, but it’s going to hurt.”
“Fine. Whatever. I don’t care. Just do it.”
The pride he felt for her rose up and did battle with the lust that was damn near choking him. He wanted her and admired her and tonight, he was going to have her. He would feel her writhing beneath him. Feel her body take him inside, accepting him and their mating and all that it entailed. But first . . .
Reaching to the sheath at his side, he pulled out a knife with a wicked silver blade. One edge was razor sharp, the other jagged with silver teeth designed to rip and tear.
“Holy crap,” she murmured and backed away a step.
“Be still. This must come out or our enemies will be able to track us.”
“Right. Enemies. Track.” Her gaze was locked on the knife blade. Her eyes looked enormous and glittered with the shifting shadows of the fire.
“Trust me, Shea,” he said, his voice compelling her to look up into his eyes.
She did, meeting his gaze squarely, with a courage that obviously cost her. “You keep saying that and I keep doing it, despite being terrified. Why is that?”
“Because we belong to each other.” He looked deeply into her eyes, willing her to believe. “Now turn and let me take care of this.”
With a long, deep breath, she did.
“I’ll take as much of your pain as I can.”
“I’m fine. Just do it and be done, okay?”
He lifted her thick, silky hair and bunched it in one fist as he laid the tip of the knife to the tiny scar on her neck. At the base of her skull, nearly hidden by her hair, it was so small, he knew it had to be a microchip.
Silver, of course, so it wouldn’t be a constant drain on her powers and thus tip her off to its existence. Silver for witches was a conduit to other elements. It focused their powers, channeled their energies—and the fact that their enemies had used that element against her fried his ass.
Torin edged the tip of the knife into her skin and winced as blood welled and trickled down her back. She jerked a little at the pain, but then held steady, the only sign of her distress her heavy, uneven breathing.
“Almost,” he whispered, then dug the chip free of her body and caught it in his hand. “Hold on to me, Shea.”
She automatically reached back and laid one hand on his side. He felt the fire of their joined energies and carefully fed them onto the bleeding cut on her neck. Instantly, the cut healed and he used his thumb to wipe away the blood.
“Did you get it?”
“Yes.”
She turned and looked down at his palm. “It’s so small.”
“Microchips.” He walked to the fireplace, set the chip on the mantel and slammed the knife handle down onto it. When it was splintered, he gathered the pieces and tossed them into the flames.
“Thank you.”
He slanted a look at her. “You don’t have to thank me for caring for you,” he said. “It is what I will always do.”
“Why?”
“Because you are mine as I am yours.”
Her voice was soft, her eyes flaring with a hunger they had shared over the centuries. “I don’t even know you.”
“You do. You just don’t remember.”
“Same thing.”
“Stubborn witch,” he said with a shake of his head. Digging into the pocket of his black jeans, he tugged out a cell phone and flipped it open.
Her eyes widened. “Seriously? A magical guy uses a cell phone?”
“Satellite phone. We can use technology, too. We live in the modern world, Shea, and fashion it to suit our purposes.” He waited. Rune answered on the second ring.
“The woman’s safe,” Rune said with a tinge of disgust. “She and her mother and daughter are packing, for chrissakes. What is it with women? They’re on the run, with crazies after them, and they want to take time to pack? What is that?”
Torin smiled at the image of three mortal females driving his friend insane. “Before you go to Sanctuary, check Terri’s neck.”
“Why?” Instantly Rune was serious.
Shea’s gaze was locked on his as she realized that she might not be the only one tagged for recapture.
“Shea had a microchip embedded at the base of her