'She's bleeding as you wait, Shapeshifter.'
Rage rose, so deep and powerful it shook him to the core. Maybe he wasn't as uncertain of his feelings for Maddie as he'd first thought.
He took a deep breath, then quickly rearranged the blankets to make it look like there were still two bodies carefully wrapped inside. Maddie's chances of survival now depended on making Hank believe he hadn't had the chance to rescue the teenagers. He moved back to the window and climbed out, then slid it shut and walked around the far end of the building.
'What do you want?' he said, turning the corner.
Hank stood in the middle of the clearing, a knife held to Maddie's neck. Even from where he stood Jon could see the slight trickle of blood down her throat.
His gaze met hers. Deep in the amber depths of her frightened gaze he saw the fires burning. She was close to losing control, and if she did, she'd kill not only Hank, but also herself.
Jon sensed she wouldn't mind that death, and the thought made his gut clench.
Hank's smile was slick and victorious, but the relief in the fiend's eyes was unmistakable. Maybe, just maybe, his bluff had worked.
'What I want, Shapeshifter, is you dead.'
Jon flexed his fingers. 'Then why don't you release Maddie and attempt to make your wish come true?'
Hank grinned. 'I'm not that foolish, Shifter. I've seen your type fight before. Until I get a better weapon, I'll settle for you leaving this area and not coming back.'
Jon kept his gaze on Maddie, watching her struggle for control. If she lost, he'd have to move quickly to stop the fires from consuming her too. If he could stop them.
'And what about Maddie?'
Hank grinned, a lizard enjoying its brief time in the sun. 'She's my insurance against your return.'
Hank obviously didn't suspect Evan was gone, or he wouldn't have been so keen to get rid of him before he'd gotten the teenager back. If Jon left now, he could still ensure the teenager's safety. And that, he thought, studying Maddie's frightened eyes, was all she'd care about.
'Then you'd better take real good care of her, hadn't you?' he suggested softly. 'Because your insurance will only work for as long as she lives.'
Hank's smile faded, and his knuckles went white against the knife. Maddie gasped slightly, and another trickle of blood ran down her neck. Leave, her eyes seemed to plead, leave and be safe.
He had no other choice. He couldn't risk any sort of attack with the knife held so closely to her neck—and he had to get Evan to safety. She'd never forgive him if something happened to her nephew now that he was so close to freedom.
He caught her gaze again. 'Don't do anything foolish,' he warned softly. Just hold on until I can get
Hank merely smiled. 'I hold your queen, Shapeshifter, so don't dare threaten me.'
'That wasn't a threat, my friend,' he said softly and leapt skywards on gold-brown wings.
Chapter Thirteen
Maddie watched the hawk until it disappeared from sight. Maybe because of all the old werewolf movies she'd watched over the years, she'd half expected his shapeshifting to be an event of both power and pain. It was powerful, yes, but also very beautiful.
'First time you've seen him change, huh?' Hank whispered into her ear. 'Exciting, isn't it?'
She was all too aware of the exact state of Hank's excitement—and of the growing tremble in the hand that held the knife so close to her throat. The fires flared brighter within her soul. She bit her lip, desperate to keep them under control.
'Why don't we move on inside?' Hank continued. 'I have a pain that needs to be eased. Maybe you can help me.'
A chill ran through her. If Hank tried to touch her, she'd surely lose control and kill them both.
He nudged her forward. The knife was a thin line of heat against her neck. If she so much as stumbled, she would die.
And despite everything, she knew she really didn't want to die. There was so much of life she'd yet to experience.
Like love.
She clenched her fists and felt Jon's ring bite into her palm. He'd given her something of his to hold on to, something he seemed to value more than life. Something he'd come back for. All she had to do was hang on and wait.
After all, Hank couldn't do much to her that her husband hadn't already done.
She edged up the steps, hissing slightly when the knife bit into her neck. Blood trickled down her throat.
Hank chuckled, his breath hot and unsteady near her ear.
They reached the door. Hank kicked it open. A bell chimed harshly above them, jarring against her already taunt nerves. He pushed her through, then quickly drew her back against him while he closed the door. The knife nicked into her throat again. She bit her lip and fought the sting of tears. The last thing she wanted was to give Hank the satisfaction of seeing her cry. He was probably the type who'd enjoy it—just as Brian had.
But at least Brian was dead, and no longer able to hurt her.
Shoving the thought from her mind, she squinted, hoping to see Evan and the other teenager in the fire-lit darkness.
Two long bundles of blankets lay in the far corner of the room. She hoped it was the two of them—and that they were still alive.
Hank moved the knife away from her neck, but she didn't relax. He still held the knife close enough to use it should she move the wrong way.
'Why don't you go sit down while I tend to the fire.' He gave her a hard shove in the direction of the sofa. 'It's gotten a might cool in here.'
She stumbled forward, then caught sight of the window near the back of the cabin. If he turned away long enough… she edged sideways.
'Don't event think about it, sweetheart.'
She froze. Hank's dark gaze gleamed viciously as he grabbed her arm and forced her down onto the sofa.
'You know, up until today I wasn't entirely sure if you were involved with the shapeshifter.' He sat down beside her. 'And I still don't entirely understand why you are.'
She watched his fingers lightly tap the cushions that separated them. If that hand moved any closer to her thigh, she was running, knife or no knife. 'As you said yourself, he's a charmer.'
His smile gleamed briefly. 'We both know he's not your type, sweetheart.'
'He's not Eleanor's type either, but she didn't seem to mind.'
Anger darkened his eyes, and Maddie bit her lip. She sure could pick the perfect moment to start answering back.
'No, she doesn't,' he growled softly. He grabbed her wrist, squeezing it tight. 'Hell then, what's good enough for the goose is good enough for the gander.'
He yanked her toward him. She thrust her hand into his face, desperate to keep his lips from hers. Fire leapt up through her body, running heat through her veins. But the heat of it told her if she did release her fire, she'd kill not only Hank, but herself and the teenagers as well.
And if he didn't stop soon, the choice might be taken from her.
