As desire raged through his body, it settled heavily between his legs, and his cock sprang to life, straining against the confines of the khaki pants he wore.
He deepened the kiss, tugging on her lip. The taste and the feel of her cut him to the bone. He felt his insides liquefy as her intoxicating scent washed over him. It was enough to drive him crazy.
Enough to drive him over the edge.
His arms had become hard, unyielding bands of steel, and he suddenly became aware of her whimpering against his mouth. The taste of salt mingled with the headiness that was her mouth, and he realized she was crying.
Jaxon inhaled deeply before pulling away, shocked to see the eyes that had haunted him, night after night, were open now, and staring, full of terror.
“Please.” She could barely speak, but managed to whisper, “Please, don’t hurt me.”
His eyes held hers, and for the second time in this crazy night, everything faded away. He could see the pain and confusion so clearly it was like a fucking billboard. It was a face that would melt almost any man’s heart. But he wasn’t just any man. He was a jaguar, and she was still his enemy. He leaned in close to her, ignoring the way she shrank from him, and whispered, “Move or make a noise, and I promise you will regret it.”
She began to shake uncontrollably, and he put her down, leaning her body against the building. He put one finger to his mouth and with his right hand reached down into a concealed pocket of his pants, retrieving a large, deadly knife. Her eyes widened at the sight of it, but she remained quiet, even as her body shiver
ed in jittery spasms.
With one last look to Libby, Jaxon turned and moved away, his body seemingly melting into the brick and mortar of the building. Silently, he made his way toward his prey, his thoughts clear and focused. He could sense the presence of a man, a human, just beyond his position, and he held the knife lightly in his hand as he slipped into the dark alley.
As he moved deeper into the darkness, his nose analyzed the myriad scents that lived there. Quickly, his eyes adjusted to the gloom. The moonlight did not penetrate here, but his enhanced vision provided him with plenty of illumination.
Jaxon stilled as the threat of danger became more pronounced and his senses went into overdrive. He located his enemy, near the back of the enclosure, slowly making his way toward him. The bastard had night vision goggles on, and even though Jaxon was sufficiently hidden in shadow, he knew his body heat would be a dead giveaway.
There was no time. He would have to be the aggressor. His emotions melted away, leaving only the deadly cunning that was so much a part of the jaguar.
Jaxon gripped the knife and shot down the alley in a burst of speed faster than any human could ever achieve. He felt his enemy pause, confusion rippling off him in waves. But it was already too late.
Jaxon could see the deadly weapon pointed at him, even as the laser beam began to look for its target. He charged forward, his speed and bulk effectively crashing him into the man with the force of a train.
The two men rolled over, and the momentum of the collision propelled them both into the hard, unyielding wall behind them. Jaxon grunted as his shoulder slammed into the solid length of brick, but his right hand was already gunning for the jugular, the blade sure and true.
He felt it slice through Kevlar, flesh, and bone. But it was already too late. For both of them.
A gunshot rang out and ricocheted along the brick, its loud discharge echoing into the night. Fuck. It would be a clear invitation for the other operative.
Jaxon pushed the dead man to the side and was down the alley in an instant. His only thought was to get Libby and get the hell out of Winterhaven.
She was where he’d left her. Shivering and seemingly out of it. He scooped her into his arms once more, without resistance, and took off at breakneck speed toward the knoll where he’d stashed his gear earlier.
The moon lit his path, and he hurriedly grabbed his satchel without breaking stride, and ran into the night that beckoned him, holding his cargo fast to his chest. She began to struggle weakly, but he had no problem holding her tight as she mumbled hoarsely against his chest.
Her mantra echoed into the silence that followed along behind him, a phrase she whispered over and over again, as if she were a robot.
“Please don’t hurt me, please don’t hurt me.”
It was painful to hear, and Jaxon did his best to ignore it as he ran into the blackness that swallowed them both whole.
Chapter 4
Jaxon reached his vehicle less than half an hour later, despite carrying Libby in his arms. The run was strenuous but he’d barely broken a sweat. He crept up a steep ditch and headed for his large Tahoe. It was well-hidden, deep in a thatch of trees several yards from the paved road.
He paused, his dark head turning as he scented the wind once more. The night was full of all sorts of smells, and he inhaled them all, but none carried the scent of danger. He turned back, satisfied that he had not been followed.
Libby was shivering uncontrollably and seemed to be in a trance. Her voice had splintered into a hoarse whisper, and he winced as the words she kept repeating became harder to understand.
He didn’t need to hear them to know what they were; they’d be echoing in his head for hours to come.
Please don’t hurt me. Please don’t hurt me. Please don’t hurt me.