The fisherman smuggling us off Shadow Wolf island demanded more money than wed planned. Megan yanked her hand away.
Youre a Shadow. Why didnt you just steal money when you got to the States?
Im no thief.
Then I suppose the car with your scent all over it is a rental? he drawled.
Color ignited her cheeks. I put an envelope filled with money and a note in the door of the owners home. Its worth more than the price of the Ford, which has leaky oil gaskets, bald tires and finicky brakes. I might be a Shadow she spit out the word but we have integrity. Unlike you Normals, who turn in your own people for money. Because we are Draicon, like you. Like it or not, thats a fact.
Normals?
Stop acting as if you have no idea what Im talking about. Normals. What you ordinary Draicon call yourself, what you insist we call you. You think youre normal and were not just because we can perform magick before puberty, unlike you, and we can shift and become invisible, unlike you.
She gave him a pointed look. With our gifts, Id say were superior to Normals. Except Im not racist. Unlike you.
Amber glowed in his eyes. His wolf was emerging. As he raised his hand, Megan braced herself for the slap. Instead, he dropped his hand to her forehead, ran a thumb over the bruise.
Some of us are anything but normal, he muttered.
A brisk knock at the door announced the arrival of a cheerful, rounded woman bearing a wood tray. On the tray was a large china plate piled with food, silverware, a napkin and a tall glass of orange juice. Megan nearly moaned at the savory smells of bacon, sausage and fried eggs. The woman set down the tray on the nightstand, accepted Gabriels thanks and left.
Megan picked up the fork. Plastic, she noticed ruefully. Not much use as a weapon. This Draicon wasnt a fool. She poked at the eggs.
Its not poisoned.
His voice, close to her ear, made her jump. Megan speared a sausage, turned it over. Sure, right.
If I wanted to drug you, chère, Id merely put you to sleep with a mind suggestion, like I did back at the restaurant. Amusement laced his tone. His gaze grew stern. Now eat.
Her hands shook so much she could barely bring the fork to her mouth. Eggs spilled onto the tray. Embarrassed, she shuffled the food around the plate. Gabriel paced over to the window and stood before it. Megan quickly ate, then wiped her mouth with a paper napkin. She drank the orange juice, feeling the throbbing hunger ease.
Thanks for the food, she managed to say.
Gabriel turned around. Shafts of yellow sunlight angled into the room, falling on him like a spotlight. Breath caught in her lungs. Denim jealously hugged every inch of his hard, muscled legs. He was gorgeous, with the face of a fallen angel, secrets lurking in those swamp-dark eyes. The sheer sexuality felt like a blast of heat in the air-conditioned room.
She wondered what it would feel like to run her hands over his firm muscles, splay her fingers on that hard chest, feeling his heart race with the same anticipation she felt.
Hes a cold, soulless killer, she sternly reminded herself. Megan drew in a breath, inhaling a spicy, rich aroma, like expensive mens cologne. Instinct told her it was his own natural scent. Damn, he smelled good.
His knowing smile warned he knew shed checked him out. Megan squashed her irritation.
Can I take a shower alone, or are you playing guard dog outside the bathroom, too?
Through there is the main guest bath. He pointed at a closed door. Need help getting undressed?
I can manage.
I can wash your back, he offered in a deep, laconic drawl.
Shivers raced through her. Megan envisioned herself in the shower, Gabriel running the soap down her back, gently caressing her slippery skin with his big hands, cupping her hips, pulling her against his naked body.
Not in this lifetime. I always watch my own back, she muttered.
Watch or wash? he asked softly.
Both. Because I never know when someones going to stick a knife in it.
His gaze grew thoughtful. Ill get the clothing for you. There are fresh towels and everything else you need in the bathroom.
When she didnt move, Gabriel sighed. Come on, Ill help you.
As he grabbed her upper arm, Megan flinched. His gaze narrowed as she went to her feet.
Take off your shirt, he ordered.
A violent trembling seized her. This was it, then. After all shed gone through, constantly moving to avoid the sexual threats, keeping herself pure because she had vowed never to give herself to a man unless it was done with love, it came down to this.
Do you always molest your captives? she bit out.
He was far stronger and bigger, but shed go down kicking and screaming. And biting.
Im not going to hurt you, he said, more gently this time. Take off your shirt.
Color flooded her cheeks. She struggled to lift the threadbare green polo shirt over her head. He helped.
In her faded bra, she hugged herself, feeling cold and exposed and vulnerable. But anger, not lust, glinted his dark eyes. His mouth compressed to a thin slash as he traced one of the purpling bruises on her arms.
Who did this?
I fell down the stairs.
Megan, who hit you?
Rather than have him yank it from her mind, she settled for the truth. The fisherman on the boat that smuggled us to the Bahamas. Said hed heard Shadow females were incredible in bed, and he planned to find out. He beat me and threatened to hit the girls unless I cooperated.
Gabriels breath eased out in a violent hiss.
I made a deal with him. Said sex was better when Shadows werent in physical form. If he could catch me while I was in shadow, I was all his. He liked the chase.
Thats why you were low on energy. You were invisible the entire trip to the Bahamas.
I escaped at a cost. I thought I could make up for it by catching fish when we landed at the Bahamas, but the fishing was lousy and the girls were hungry. In addition to trying to molest me, the fisherman fed us only scraps.
You havent eaten properly for five days. Damn, he muttered.
Suddenly she felt drained beyond words. Is show and tell over with now? Can I get dressed?
Gabriel didnt say anything. He continued tracing the ugly bruises on her arms. His touch was gentle and oddly soothing, as if he wanted to erase her pain.
Whats his name? His gaze was hard, but his voice was as soft as his touch.
She saw no reason to protect the man, since he was taking advantage of helpless Shadows. He calls himself Devin Andrews, but we know him as Grouper. He likes deep-sea fishing, and uses that as his cover. His boat name, too.
Good. He jerked his hand away, as if touching her scorched him. Gabriel turned his back. Take your shower, and after, I have liniment for those bruises to help them heal faster. Youre still too weak for your body to effectively heal itself.
Is this your modus operandi?
A half smile touched his full mouth as he glanced at her over his shoulder. My what?
Being solicitous toward your victims before you kill them and collect the bounty on their heads.
Gabriels expression softened. I wont hurt you, chère.
Right. She wouldnt gamble on that.
I do have a few rules. Just as I told the twins. Any problems or concerns, you bring them directly to me. You cant escape this island, so forget trying. You will eat and you will maintain your energy. No one will hurt you here, youre perfectly safe. But you arent leaving.
Feeling his gaze burn into her back, Megan opened the door and walked into the bathroom. She closed the door firmly and found a fluffy white robe hanging on a peg behind it. She carefully shrugged into it.
The bathroom was larger than her bedroom at home, and the opulence made her feel shabby in comparison. Lilac rugs scattered over gleaming white marble floors. Wrinkling her nose at the color, she sidestepped them. In the corner was a glass shower with a window overlooking the beach.
Curious, she pulled open a cabinet drawer. Inside was an assortment of childs bath toys, including a well-worn rubber duck. A reluctant smile touched her face as she took out the duck and closed the drawer. Gabriels guests included children. Nieces and nephews?
What was it like to be indulged, spoiled and pampered by a male as powerful as Gabriel? To have everything you wanted to eat, pretty dresses to wear and all the knowledge at the tip of your fingers instead of having to hide books and wear ugly dark grape clothing? Her smile faded as she dropped the duck by a stack of towels on the counter. She grabbed a washcloth and soap, stared in bemusement at the twin shower heads and the strange fixtures.
Torn between pride and longing, she set down the washcloth and soap and returned to the bedroom.
Gabriel sat on her bed, touching her pillow with a thoughtful look. His cowboy hat was on the nightstand. He glanced up.
I dont, the shower, the faucets Her voiced trailed off and she felt very stupid.
A wide grin tugged his full mouth upward. Oh yeah. I got confused the first time the plumber installed the new fixtures. Shoulda heard me yell when I got cold water instead of hot.
He sprang off the bed, all grace and smoothness. Inside the shower, he worked the faucets, careful to step out of the way as he demonstrated the spray.
Gabriel stepped outside the shower. Megan gave him the first real smile shed felt in days.
Thanks. I thought I might need an engineering degree just to take a shower.
He tipped back his head and gave a deep, throaty laugh. Her heart skipped at the delight-ful sound. Surely anyone who laughed like that couldnt be as evil as they said.
I like how you laugh. Youre not what I thought.
Startled, she realized shed spoken aloud. Gabriel stopped laughing. Megan shivered again, but this time from a deeper, more intense need.
A predatory look crossed his face. When he grasped her shoulders in the gentlest touch, she felt drawn toward him. His gaze fell on her mouth. Amber flashed in his eyes as she moistened her lips and parted them. Megan took a step forward, captivated by the smoldering hunger in his gaze. Her body yearned, her hands reached out to touch him in turn. She could almost feel his lips against hers, warm, authoritative, demanding.
Just as quickly, he stepped back, dropped his arms. Go take that shower, and Ill find the clothing and liniment.
The door slammed behind him with a violence that shook the hinges.
After her shower, Megan used the liniment Gabriel had left, dressed in the clothing hed put on the bed and began planning her escape.
She slipped down the hallway and paused before a large, masculine bedroom at the corridors end. Drawn by the rich spicy scent that was Gabriels, she walked inside.
The bed was large as a car, with a crimson duvet and a hand-carved mahogany headboard. She shivered, imagining his big body on it, sweat gleaming on his brow, dampening his dark hair, his long legs twisted in the sheets after a hot bout of lovemaking.
Stop it.
The windows boasted splendid beachfront views. Coconut palms, their green leaves swaying in a gathering breeze, framed shimmering sand and tranquil Gulf waters. French doors opened to a wraparound balcony. Megan went outside.
The mainland seemed close enough to swim for it. But what about the twins?
On the bayside, a fishing boat, a sleek yacht and a rowboat were moored to the dock. Powering the fishing boat or the yacht meant noise. However, if she had Jenny create a distraction, they could use the rowboat. She disliked asking her cousin to use powers she had been taught to curb, but it was necessary if they were to escape.
A few hundred yards from the dock was a single-lane causeway and a bridge connecting it to the mainland. Megan spotted an outboard boat near the bridge. The boater started the engine, heading in her direction. Sweat gathered on her brow as he passed the house.
A man with silver hair. It was too far away to be sure, but shed swear it was the same man from the hotel restaurant.
What did he want? Why was he following them? Was he a rescuer? Or like Gabriel, another enemy who desired the healthy bounty on their heads?
Gabriel should know. Megans pulse sped up. She couldnt risk telling him, the enemy she couldnt trust. What if he were working with the silver-haired man?
The only person she could trust was herself. The twins relied on her. She had to get them off the island.
Megan found the twins in a large, airy room, playing dolls before a wood dollhouse. Her heart twisted. She hated having them on the run again.
Better running than dead. Because thats what Gabriel would do. He might be all smooth Cajun cowboy charm on the outside, but he was nastier than the other Normals. Gabriel would soothe them into thinking all was well, and then
Megan shuddered. She motioned to the girls, who reluctantly abandoned the toys.
Were leaving soon. When we do, just stick close to me, okay?
Jenny looked upset. But I like it here. Gabriels nice. He promised to make us a nice dinner and we can each have a doll of our own. He wouldnt hurt us. Hes
Squatting down, she took her cousins small, trusting hand into hers. Honey, we have to get you to New Orleans, remember?
Jenny brightened. Both twins had asked Megan why they were headed to New Orleans until she told them about hoping to find a relative there. More information was needed before telling them the relative was their father. The girls must not have their hopes raised and crushed. Theyd already endured too much on the island.
Megan dreamed of finding their father, a man who would smother them with love and protection and send them to school, instead of learning with smuggled books. In the city, shed blend and find others like her. Together theyd work to free all Shadows from captivity so future generations wouldnt fear imprisonment again.
Megan went downstairs into the living room. Arched windows looked out onto the green Gulf of Mexico. White cypress walls gave the living room an airy feel that flowed onto the beach. The furniture was durable, but expensive.
Megan peered into the kitchen. The housekeeper was cleaning the counter, her car keys out on the table.
She ran upstairs to join the twins. When the housekeeper popped her head in the doorway and announced she was leaving, Megan felt a rush of relief.
I just wanted to see if you needed anything, Mrs. Hemmings said.
Were fine. Thank you for the lovely meal.
That was Mr. Gabriel who did the cooking. The woman studied her so intently, Megan felt like an animal in a zoo.