The hawk swooped, and Hank's scream of terror filled the air. Maddie thumped into a tree and struggled to a sitting position. Dizziness hit her and, for an instant, her vision blurred. She shook her head and took a deep breath. Rain dripped hotly from her nose. She ignored it and watched the hawk sweep around for another attack.
Hank ran for the trees. The hawk circled around, then with a flick of its wings, came back to her. As it neared, a gold haze crawled over its form, and the hawk became Jon.
'I didn't think you'd find me so quickly,' she said, blinking back tears of relief and pain.
He knelt down beside her and quickly undid the rope binding her hands. 'Neither did I.' He touched her face, momentarily brushing his fingers over her bruised and swollen cheek. 'Are your hurt anywhere else?'
Everywhere, she wanted to say, but bit the words back. I'm not going to be a burden, remember?
Life rushed back into her fingers, fast and furious. She swore and blinked back the tears still threatening to embarrass her. Jon took her hands in his, rubbing them gently.
'Maddie, look at me.'
She took a deep breath and glanced up. His eyes were a deep blue ocean in which she could so easily drown.
'Are you hurt anywhere else?' he repeated slowly.
She shook her head. Her head ached almost as fiercely as her arms, but not enough to mention. And that wasn't the question he was really asking, anyway. She swallowed and gave him a shaky smile. 'He didn't touch me.'
She saw the flash of relief in his eyes before he smothered it. She shivered—and knew it was more of a reaction to the warmth of his hands against hers than the cold rain dribbling down her back.
He took off his jacket and wrapped it around her shoulders. 'Can you stand? We have to get out of this weather.'
'If you help me.'
He rose to his feet and gently guided her upright. Then he pulled her against him, holding her tightly. She leaned her cheek against his chest and listened to the thunder of his heart. It felt so good, so right—as if she belonged right there in his arms, and nowhere else.
'Next time I tell you to stay behind, will you kindly listen?' he whispered into her hair. 'I think I've aged ten years in the last few hours.'
His breath brushed past her cheek, and something deep inside shivered in reaction. She swallowed and forced a smile as she pulled away slightly. 'I'll consider it.'
At his quick frown, she reached up and brushed a kiss across his rain-wet lips. Only to be caught totally unprepared by the sudden flaring of heat and her own intense need.
He groaned slightly and splayed his hand across her back, holding her close as she deepened the kiss.
Their bodies molded together, and heat trembled through her veins. When the tremulous ache began in her heart, she knew, really knew, that she was more than just attracted to this man. God help her, she was falling in love with someone she barely knew.
His hand moved from her back to her hair—then stilled. 'You're bleeding,' he said, pulling away.
She glanced at his hand. It was smeared red. She frowned and touched the back of her head. It felt tender and sore. She looked at her fingertips. They were bloody.
'So I am.' She felt absurdly calm and wondered why. 'Maybe I opened the cut when I fell off Hank's shoulder.'
Jon swore softly, then swung her up into his arms. 'Let's get you out of the rain.'
She nodded and rested her head against his chest as he ran towards the garage. The warmth of his arms and the strength and gentleness with which he held her were both comforting and arousing. Or maybe it was just the hit on the head affecting her senses.
He kicked the door open, then gently sat her down on a large crate. 'Now, tell me about the cut.' He squatted down in front of her and took her hands again, rubbing them briskly.
She shivered, more from the force of his touch than from the chill beginning to creep through her body.
'I hit my head when he hit me.'
He paused, his fingers tightening around hers momentarily. 'He hit you?' he repeated, his voice oddly devoid of any emotion.
She nodded. The little man with the drums was starting up in her head again, and it hurt.
'The bastard has to pay,' he muttered. He glanced past her, listening intently. She could hear a distant wail of sirens, growing closer with every breath.
'Don't move.' He rose and opened the garage door, then rummaged around in several boxes. After a few minutes he came back and wrapped a blanket around her shoulders.
'Maddie?' He shook her shoulders slightly, forcing her to look him in the eyes again.
Such nice eyes, she thought with a smile. Eyes that she'd love to wake up to in the morning—all the mornings—for the rest of her life.
'Maddie, are you listening to me?' She smiled again. 'No.'
He frowned and suddenly looked more worried. 'I said, I called the police before I attacked Hank. A man called Mack is in charge. His men have Evan. You'll be safe with them until I get back.'
Evan—lord, she'd forgotten all about him. Guilt washed through her, thick and strong, and momentarily cleared the fuzziness from her mind. 'Is he hurt?'
'He's in better condition than you are.' His gaze ran past her again. 'Mack, get some medical help, will you?'
His gaze came back to hers. Anger and worry burned deep in the wild blue depths of his eyes. Her heart did an odd flip-flop. She reached out, touching his full lips with her fingertips.
'Let the police handle it,' she said, suddenly realizing he was going after Hank. That he would make Hank pay for the hurt he'd inflicted on her.
'I can't.' He reached up and took her hand, gently kissing her fingertips. 'Hank and Eleanor are my field of expertise. I'll handle them.'
'You can't go alone. Let me come.'
'Ah Maddie, you continue to amaze me,' he whispered. Leaning forward, he kissed her lips, his mouth hot and yet so gentle against her own.
Heat whispered through her soul and made her heart ache. She closed her eyes and leaned her forehead against his. It was scary to realize just how far she'd fallen.
'Don't go,' she whispered after a moment.
'I have no choice.' He kissed her forehead then pulled back and glanced towards the doorway. 'Mack, this is Madeline Smith. Maddie, Mack's from the FBI.' He rose and squeezed her hand. His eyes became cold, so cold. 'He'll look after you until I get back.'
'Damn it Barnett, just wait—' The big man cut his sentence short and frowned darkly as Jon disappeared through the doorway.
'Not one for taking assistance or orders, is he?' he commented. With surprising grace, he knelt down beside her.
She shivered. 'No, he's been alone too long to depend on anyone but himself,' she said softly. And wondered where the hell that left her.
Hank had a good ten minutes' start on him, but that was nothing when you could fly. He barely even felt the wind and the rain buffeting him. All he could think of was the pain in Maddie's amber eyes, the touch of her blood against his fingers.
The bastard would pay.
After a while he saw a flash of movement through the trees and quickly dove. When he neared the ground he changed, landing with little noise and on the run.
'Hank!'
There was a brief flash of white face as Hank glanced over his shoulder. Jon smiled grimly. Hank leapt forward in a frantic burst of energy. His quarry smelled of sweat and fear.
'You're a dead man, Hank!'
