“Okay.” She let out a slow sigh of relief. “Just hold him. I need Paul immobile so I can bind him. Once that’s done, I’ll banish the magic attacking Manny and we’ll get Luz and get the hell out of here.”
The sooner they got the fuck back to town the better. The sooner they could find Chelle.
“He’s trying to shift, Ronan. I’ve got to do this now.”
Ronan watched as Naya knelt on the ground beside Paul. He struggled against Ronan, but the bastard could fight all he wanted. He wasn’t going anywhere. Beneath Ronan’s hold, the male’s muscles bulged and grew as his body sought to leave its human form. Naya’s eyes met Ronan’s, shining like water at midnight. She clenched her dagger in both fists, the tip pointed down, and drove it into the earth with a forceful shove.
Paul thrashed beneath Ronan’s hold and let forth a string of profanity in English, Spanish, Portuguese, and another language that Ronan couldn’t decipher.
“Shut the fuck up!” Ronan barked as he pressed Paul harder against the ground. “The only thing keeping you alive right now is the female you’re disrespecting. One more word and I’ll rip out your throat. Understand?”
Naya didn’t acknowledge Ronan—her concentration was absolute—but her lips quirked at his words. Warmth rushed through their tether, chasing away the cold. Gods, she was extraordinary.
He watched with fascination as a soft blush light gathered in her palms. The serenity of the moment filled him with an odd sense of comfort. She was so calm: eyes closed, expression soft, her lovely mouth parted slightly with her measured breaths. The light spread from her cupped hands, engulfing her body in a halo of light. Beautiful. The sight of his mate bathed in magic was so lovely that it caused a lump of emotion to grow in Ronan’s throat.
Naya tipped her hands and the pooled magic poured over Paul’s body. He jerked against Ronan’s hold, struggling as threads of magic twined around him, binding him as though with a length of rope. Her softly murmured words reached Ronan’s ears, an ancient language that he didn’t understand.
So in awe of her, Ronan could do nothing but stare.
“Okay, you can let him go now.” Naya slumped backward, one shaking arm bracing her. In an instant he was by her side and scooped her up into his embrace. “I’m okay.” Her words were meant to reassure, but her voice was weak. Quick, panting breaths rose and fell in her chest and she trembled in his arms. “Besides, I can’t get too cozy. I still have to banish the mapinguari’s essence and we need to make sure Luz is okay.”
What about making sure she was okay? “You’re exhausted, love.” Ronan put his lips to her temple, her jaw just below her ear. In the pit of his gut the cold rose once again, but he forced it down. He refused to let that dark force control him when Naya needed him. “Rest. For a couple of minutes at least.”
“No rest for the wicked,” she said with a laugh. “There is one thing you could do for me, though.…”
Ronan smiled against her skin. Didn’t she know he’d do anything for her? “Name it.”
She let out a shuddering breath. “I need a little of your blood to replenish my magic.”
Gods, how he loved an assertive female.
CHAPTER
33
“What my mate wants she gets.”
Ronan’s voice was a sensual purr in her ears. Naya’s stomach did a little flip despite her exhausted state. His pleasure radiated through their tether, leaving her warm and relaxed in his arms. Binding Paul had taken every last bit of energy in her stores and the night was far from over.
Ronan’s smug satisfaction didn’t go unnoticed. Until she’d met him, she’d never experienced the magic that could be harnessed through sex or blood. Ronan had given her both. Just like he claimed her blood was an elixir of life for him, his body, his blood, was a source of power for her. It seemed with each passing moment the universe was proving to her how perfect they were for each other. A fated match to be sure.
Tethered.
“You have to promise to behave yourself.” Ronan nuzzled just below her ear and inhaled deeply. They weren’t clear of danger yet. It was way too early for him to get comfortable. “This is business. Not pleasure.”
“You’ve got that wrong, love.” Another delicious shudder rippled through her. “Because the business of nourishing my mate—giving her whatever she needs—is indeed a pleasure.”
Gods, he could crumble her resolve with nothing more than a few heated words. “Ronan.”
“Naya,” he replied in the same chiding tone.