Haunted by Your Touch

was there in his blue eyes. He looked straight at her, not blinking, not flinching. Finally, he let her see how much she meant to him.

“Why now?”

“Because I’m selfish. You’d recover from me more quickly if you believed I didn’t care, but I can’t stand you thinking that I’m too much of a bastard to love you. And because there’s a part of me that hopes you never forget me.”

“Never,” she vowed. “I’m praying our youngling has your eyes so I can look at him or her and remember you each day.”

Tabitha held back a sob. God, this was tearing her up inside. While she would be safe and protected with a man who would watch her and her youngling, Raiden would be alone, fighting the war that most of magickind was too cowardly to wage—and likely dying. And knowing all the while that once Sean Called to her and she spoke the Binding, Raiden would lose her forever.

To keep her and the youngling safe, he was causing himself immense pain. As much as she hated the situation, she loved him even more for his sacrifice.

“Don’t do this. I’m willing to risk the danger to stay here with you.”

He closed his eyes and shook his head. “I’m not. Your safety means more to me than… anything.”

Damn it, under that playboy surface, he was a good man. “But you won’t be safe.”

Raiden shrugged. “All I ask is that you remember me. Tell the youngling about his or her father, please.”

She nodded, but everything inside her was falling apart. “I don’t want this.”

“It’s for the best.” He held out a hand to her. “Let’s go. Blackbourne is expecting you.”

As she linked her hand in his, her insides crumbled. Tabitha fought to stay on two legs and not throw herself against his chest and beg. Her heart hated this. Her head knew he was right.

Together, they ventured through the cavernous structure, then exited to the rocky outcrop overlooking the sea. The winds were calm today. The sun rising over the water looked magnificent with the promise of a new day, a new beginning.

“I can make my way from here,” she whispered.

Raiden squeezed her hand. “I’ll see you there safely.” He hesitated. “Don’t make me let you go before I must.”

Tabitha held back tears and nodded. A moment later, the vacuum swept around her head, and she staggered, her balance off as Raiden transported her to Blackbourne’s estate.

When they arrived, he gave her hand one last squeeze… then released it.

She wanted too badly to grab him again, hold him one last time, but in front of them were the imposing black wrought-iron gates protecting Blackbourne’s rambling house from intruders. On the other side of the gates, Sean walked toward them with a purposeful step.

He was still in his prime and a handsome man in his own right, and Tabitha knew she should feel fortunate. She didn’t.

Sean raised a hand. Moments later, the gate opened. Raiden guided her through until they stood before her mate-to-be.

“Thank goodness you’re safe,” he murmured, taking her hand. “After I heard of your family, I worried for you and the youngling.”

“I’m fine.” Physically, yes. On the inside? Dying. How could she mate with this man? Or any man other than Raiden?

Sean directed a firm stare at Raiden. “You’re giving her to me, correct? You understand that once you leave this estate, she will be mine and you will no longer be welcome to see her?”

Raiden didn’t look at her, didn’t hesitate. “I understand. It’s as her parents wished. You will keep her and the child well.”

Sean curled an arm around her and brought her close. Nothing about him repulsed her. She simply didn’t love him and knew that she never would.

“Well, then.” Sean sent Raiden a tight, polite smile. “There’s nothing more to say.”

Raiden shook his head. “One more request: when the youngling comes, if I’m still…” He hesitated.

Alive. That was the word he sought.

He cleared his throat. “If I’m still… fighting, will you send word of the youngling’s birth? I’d simply like to know that he or she is delivered safely.”

Blackbourne hesitated. “I will. But don’t ask for anything more.”

Chapter Ten

Raiden paced the barren turf around the perimeter of Blackbourne’s estate like a damn stalker, sinking into the newly-rain-soaked soil as he eyed the towering gates and the imposing house beyond. He should leave. Tabby —Tabitha—was no longer his. But he remained. Wind whipped his hair, tugged at the bare branches of the trees above, and echoed hollowly around him.

Two damn days since he’d dropped her off with Blackbourne and the wizard had taken her into his home. Had he Called to her already? Claimed her?

Raiden clenched his fists. Likely so, and it was best for Tabitha. But damn if it didn’t hurt like hell.

Gnashing his teeth at the futility of his pain, Raiden heard a whooshing sound behind him. Then another. Followed by several more. Heart pounding, he tucked himself deeper into the shadows, crouching behind a massive tree. He peered around the gnarled trunk.

Mathias and a dozen Anarki emerged into the spill of light at the perimeter of Blackbourne’s gate. This wasn’t a social call. Everything about their manner screamed violence.

Fuck! Why were they here? Between the Blackbourne family connection to Mathias and the fact that he already knew the Untouchable’s identity, Tabitha should have been safe now. This show of force made no sense.

Except Mathias’s expression said he had revenge on his mind.

Raiden didn’t dare teleport away. This close, Mathias would hear. And he couldn’t leave Tabitha alone. But he also couldn’t fight a half-dozen Anarki by himself.

Sending up a prayer that his unconventional idea would work, he whipped out his mobile phone and snapped a picture of Mathias and his goons, then sent it to Bram. He added a text: Get ur arses 2 Sean Blackbourne’s & b quiet.

Unless and until reinforcements arrived, Raiden had to slow the Anarki’s entry into the house. Because if Mathias reached Tabitha, the fighting would likely be brutal, swift, and one-sided.

As the wind turned particularly brisk, he aimed his wand at the nearest tree and lopped off a heavy, dangling branch. He sent it hurtling into two of the formerly human soldiers. Their undead corpses toppled over, one decapitated. The other grunted, losing his arm and bleeding an oily black.

Mathias tensed and glared at the tree. Raiden knew he was sizing the situation up and wondering, Natural causes or magical?

Raiden plastered himself behind, low to the ground, trying to figure out how the hell to stall Mathias now.

A moment later, he heard a gentle whoosh to his right. Raiden tensed, but Bram, Ice, Caden, and Ronan appeared in the shadows beside him, against the wall. Raiden whipped his gaze around to see if Mathias had heard or sensed their arrival. But the Anarki had already vanished, ripping the wrought-iron gates wide and stomping onto the grounds behind the brick walls.

Raiden stood, thoughts burning through his head. He motioned the others over. “We have to go in now. Tabitha is inside—”

“We don’t know what we’re walking into,” Caden argued.

“I don’t fucking care. He can’t…” God, Raiden was so terrified of the possibilities, he couldn’t get the words