Dark Wolf Unbound (Heart of the Shifter #2)(42)

       
           



       

She'd heard him. After more than a century of complete isolation, she'd  heard him. The sudden shock of having his existence recognized by  another living creature hit him with an almost violent crash of emotion.  His entire being suddenly burned with a need to be acknowledged, to be  recognized, to be seen.

He shoved aside the emotions before they had a chance to claim him. He'd  lived his whole life alone. He'd been a shadow in the night, a phantom  who was everyone's worst nightmare. His solitary existence had never  bothered him, not even for an instant, and he wasn't going to let it  start grating on him now just because he'd been strung up like a carcass  for a century and had scented a woman so enticing it could drive him  mad if he let it consume him.

Her essence became stronger, and he realized she was headed right for  him, on a direct path through the tunnels. She was seeking him out.  Anticipation burned through him, an escalating need to see her, to hear  her voice, to drag her against him and taste her mouth against his.

He swore and closed his eyes, raising his own shields to block her scent  so he could recalibrate. What the hell? Why was he reacting like that  to her? Was it just because he'd been isolated for so long? Or maybe she  was some sort of seductress? Not that it mattered. He didn't want to  make out with her. He wanted to escape.

This might be his chance.

He took a deep breath, summoning the combat-focus that had once been as  instinctual as breathing and staying alive. Decades of no food, no  water, and no external stimulation had weakened him, and his mind fought  against his commands to concentrate so intently.

With a snarl of fury, he forced his mind to respond, channeling what was  left of his strength into his mind until it coalesced into the  razor-sharp clarity that had once defined him.

Straining to see in the darkness, he scanned the cave that had been his  prison for so long. It had taken years for his eyes to adjust to the  rampant darkness enough for him to be able to see anything, and even  now, he could make out only the faintest dark shapes that indicated  tunnel openings, escape routes that were only yards away, and yet  completely out of reach.

She was in one of those tunnels, getting closer with each step.

Manipulating his body weight with the effortless grace of a man who'd  spent countless hours figuring out how to stay fit and strong even while  he was suspended by his wrists in a frigid, underground cave, Levi spun  in a circle. He systematically inspected every inch of his cave,  searching for indications that would tell him which direction she was  approaching from.

Unable to resist the temptation, he inhaled again, and her scent wrapped  around him, diffusing through his cells like a tendril of sunshine in a  body that had long been dead. Energy pulsed through him, a sense of  vitality he hadn't felt in decades. He reached out to her again, this  time searching the space around her for more information on who she was.  With his attention no longer only on her, he noticed the presence of  two powerful males flanking her.

His hands clenched, and his muscles went taut. She was with two Calydon  warriors. Possessiveness surged through him, a sudden fear for her  safety. Was she their prisoner? Were they going to lock her up the way  he'd been strung up? Suddenly, it was no longer about sex. It was no  longer about his need to be acknowledged. It became only about  protecting her. Are you in danger? He pressed the question ruthlessly at  her mind, shattering her mental shields.

Again, she flinched, clearly hearing him, but once again, she didn't  answer. Instead, she thrust him out of her mind as efficiently as he'd  penetrated it.

He had to admit, he was impressed with her defenses, but at the same  time, it was annoying as hell. He had no idea what the situation was.  Did he need to protect her? Was she in danger?

No. No. No.

His job wasn't to protect anyone. He had one last mission to accomplish,  and he couldn't afford to get distracted by a woman. He had to escape,  hunt down the man who had nearly destroyed Levi's soul … and then kill  him. He could allow the approaching threesome to mean only one thing to  him: a chance to gain his freedom.