“Milliner is playing you for a fool. The cats rescued Dhane several days ago, so there’s no way the general could have made the trade. He was going to wait until you delivered Heather and then kill you.”
Rage spread through Nate, compressing his chest and stealing his breath. He had no reason to trust her and yet he believed every word. That slimy human bastard had double-crossed him! “I’ll kill him for this. No one—”
“Milliner’s day will come, but for now I need you to play dumb.”
“I don’t play dumb. Ever. No one gets away with—”
“He’ll not get away with anything, but you will leave Milliner to me. You’ll convince him you’re doing everything you can to find Heather, make him believe all you need is more time.”
He had no intention of following orders, hers or anyone’s. But instinct warned him not to push. This was not some helpless human. She obviously knew more than she was saying and undoubtedly had powers she’d yet to reveal.
“Do you know where my daughter is?”
She had the audacity to laugh. “Heather’s safe and out of danger, but that’s not why you asked.”
“Where is she?” He was halfway across the room before he realized he was moving. “Do the backers have her or…” He stopped and ran both hands through his hair, exasperated. “It’s those fucking cats, isn’t it? Which clan dared to interfere with my pack?”
“You already know the answer so don’t waste my time. The question is, what should you do now? Are you wise enough to turn this to your advantage or are you going to rush off and get yourself killed?”
With his fists clenched at his sides he glared at her. “What difference does it make to you?”
She shrugged. “You amuse me. It’s been a long time since I found someone who did. It would be a shame for it to end after only one night.”
Before he could calm himself enough to speak, she melted back into the shadows.
Chapter Ten
Jake rested on his back with Heather snuggled against his side. The covers tangled about their hips and twilight crept across the room, creating a surreal haven. She was either asleep or lost in thought and he didn’t want to disturb her. They’d spent last night and most of today in bed, exploring each other. Their link made it easy to determine which pleasures they each enjoyed, but as soon as their passion cooled she retreated behind her shields, unwilling to share her thoughts and feelings.
He couldn’t blame her for being cautious. The only person in her life who hadn’t betrayed her was Lexxie. Landon hadn’t actually betrayed her. He’d abandoned her to their father’s ruthlessness, which was almost as bad.
“We can’t spend all day in bed,” she whispered, her breath warm against his neck.
They’d ventured into the kitchen a couple of hours before and scrounged together something to eat. The rebels never knew when the safe house would be needed, so Erin kept it stocked with food and other essentials. Other than the quick repast—and inevitable bathroom breaks—they hadn’t left the bed, much less the bedroom.
“Why can’t we spend all day in bed?” He pulled her on top of him, groaning as her warm body covered his. “We’re not expected at Devon’s until seven, so we have plenty of time to—”
Her laughter cut him off. “I can barely walk now.” She straddled his hips and sat up, arising from the covers like a pagan goddess. “Are you trying to kill me?”
Sliding his hands up her legs, he gripped her hips and rocked against her. “You’re death is the furthest thing from my mind.”
“Glad to hear it.” She braced her hands against his chest and leaned down, obviously meaning to kiss him.
His phone vibrated on the nightstand, halting her descent. He muttered an impatient curse and sat up. He’d turned the infernal thing back on after lunch, figuring twenty-four hours was long enough to be incommunicado while so many conflicts remained unresolved. Though all Therians were telepathic to some extent, their ranges varied greatly, which left them dependent upon more conventional means of communication.
Unwilling to release her entirely, he tossed a pillow against the headboard and scooted back, taking her with him. He grabbed the phone off the nightstand and swiped his thumb across the screen, unlocking the display. The caller was identified by initials and trepidation lodged in his gut as he realized it was Grace, the healer who was treating Natasha.
“This is Jake. How is she?”
Grace wasted no time with small talk. “I did everything I could, sir. Natasha was beyond saving.”