Bile rose in her throat. Ethan had all the time he was going to get because she wasn't about to stand here and play with this madman. She lifted her hand and hit the wolf kinetically, smashing him back against the wall. As he slithered down the rock she flung the stake at him. At the last moment he saw it and dodged. The white ash stabbed through his side rather than his heart. Deadly, but not immediately so.
His rage washed over her, a force so great it knocked her back several steps. With the stake lodged in his body he couldn't shapeshift, but he didn't even appear to try as he picked himself up and rushed at her.
She dodged and hit him kinetically again. Pain slithered through her brain, and she knew she'd have to watch it.
She'd need her kinetic skills to cope with the Mara, and she couldn't afford to overexert herself right now.
The wolf hit the wall with a grunt, bounced to the ground and relaunched himself at her. She ducked away but wasn't fast enough. His fingers hooked around the bottom of her sweater and jerked her to a stop. He laughed, a harsh cruel sound that made her stomach churn.
She swore, twisted around and raised her arms, pulling herself out of the sweater. She ripped the second stake free, holding it in front of her like a knife. It was doubtful he even noticed it as his gaze slid down her naked torso.
The heat of his need boiled around her, sucking away the air and burning her lungs.
He sprang again, but before he reached her there was a blur of fur and fury that hit him broadside and thrust him away from her.
Anger and relief surged in equal portions.
Ethan.
He hit the ground in human form and rose, standing between her and the other wolf. He had one hand behind his back and was flexing his fingers, as if grasping for something. She kinetically slipped the stake into his hand.
'No one touches what is mine,' he growled and launched himself at the stranger.
The other wolf might have been bigger and more powerful, but he didn't have a chance against Ethan, even if he hadn't already been stabbed with white ash. Ethan was fast and furious, and he gave no mercy. Within minutes the other wolf was dead at his feet.
He swung around and stalked towards her. His brown eyes were more wolf than human and glowed almost golden in the torch light. His hunger washed across her senses, and her body sprang to aching life. Reacting to him, and only him.
The spell, she thought. He might have thought he was committing himself to Jacinta, but he'd bound himself to her. Or, at the very least, bound her to him.
He pulled her into his embrace and plundered her mouth.
His kiss was intense and passionate and, in many ways, an affirmation of territory. No one touches what is mine , he'd said. Her heart did a joyful little dance, but she had to wonder if he was even aware he'd said those words.
'Next time tell me it's a werewolf coming down the tunnel,' he growled when he finally broke away.
His breathing was as harsh as hers, and his desire thrummed through every fibre of her being, stirring her in ways she'd never dreamed possible. But right now, it was a need they both had to ignore.
'Next time trust me to take care of myself,' she bit back.
'Where in hell have you left the kids?'
'They're safe.' He swept up her sweater and tossed it to her. 'Put that on so we can get out of here.'
Once she pulled on the sweater, he grabbed her hand and led her out of the cave. When they were under the canopy of the forest, she dug the cell phone out of her pocket and dialled her grandmother. 'Where are we?' she said to Ethan as she waited for the call to be put through.
'Tell her to meet us on Mountain Road, near the Agness signpost.'
'You have the kids?' Gwen questioned in her ear.
'Yes.' Kat quickly passed on Ethan's instructions. 'I think it would be wise to get to a safer area before we hand the kids over.'
'I'll arrange it.'
'Good. And bring a couple of full kits. The soul sucker still isn't in the cavern, so it might be a good time to check out whether she is breeding or not.'
'Will do. See you in ten.'
She hung up and stopped as Ethan stopped. He whipped away a couple of leafy branches that had been piled on top of each other, revealing the two girls tucked safely in a small depression. He picked them up and glanced at her.
'We haven't got far to go,' he said.
No, they didn't. Soon it would be over, and he hadn't yet answered the question she'd raised in the tunnel.
She had a bad feeling he never would.
By the time they reached the road, Gwen was already waiting. Ethan eased the two girls into the back seat of the car, carefully buckling the seat belt around their limp, sleeping bodies. Gwen checked them over and declared them both healthy and unhurt, even though both looked a little gaunt, Janie in particular. He should have been relieved. He wasn't.
Because this case was no longer solely about rescuing his niece. Someone else had entered the picture. Entered his life.
He could feel Kat's gaze on him. She was waiting for an answer, but there was nothing more he could say to her.
He didn't know what he felt for her. Yes, he wanted her.
Yes, he cared for her more than he'd cared for any other woman since Jacinta. And he'd already told her both those things. If that wasn't enough, then too bad, because he wasn't going to lie.
But at the same time, he had to wonder if he was lying to himself.
He slammed the car door shut then glanced skyward.
Though he could no longer see the moon, the power of it thrummed through his veins. But there was a very different feel about that force now. It was intense, yes, but it was also controllable. In past months, past years, he'd spent this day in bed, unable to do anything more than sate his moon-spun lust with a willing woman. He'd never been fussy about who his partners where and while in recent years he'd started seeing the same few faces, it hadn't always been that way.
Yet right now, he didn't hunger for just any woman, only the one, and the mere act of thinking about her had blood surging to his groin. But it wasn't the must-have-you-now heat of a werewolf in the midst of rutting fever. It was deeper than that. Richer than that.
But a werewolf couldn't love twice. That was part of what they were. Part of the law of the moon. Once his heart had been given there was no going back. No second chances. He couldn't love Kat because he had loved Jacinta.
Hadn't he?
For the first time in his life, he wasn't so sure. But he wasn't about to say anything to Kat. He didn't want to raise her hopes only to dash them again. And if he couldn't love her, he couldn't stay in her life. He might hunger for her, but she deserved far more than that.
Yet even the thought of leaving her formed a cold, hard lump in his gut.
He took a deep breath then turned and walked around the car. She was still watching him, her big green eyes both warm and wary.
'All set,' he said, stopping beside Gwen.
'I'll just go check the kiddies a final time.' Gwen reached up and kissed his cheek. 'You be careful, wolf. And if all else fails, talk to your brother.'
He gave her a sharp glance, but she merely smiled and turned away. He returned his gaze to Kat's. 'What did she mean?'
Her shrug was tired. 'I don't know.'
