Unclaimed (22 page)

With a lower center of gravity and the power of four legs instead of two, she raced into the tree line with gunshots ringing out behind her. The heat of a bullet whizzed by her head as she ducked behind a massive tree. As her paws skidded on the thick bed of needles, the bone-shattering roar of a big cat filled the air.

Tatiana spun around to see Richard in his lion form as he leaped onto the man and tackled him to the ground. The gun went off as it skittered out of his hands and across the ground. Richard's massive tawny body stood over the man as he sank his teeth into the man's neck, crushing his windpipe and silencing him forever.

Relief flooded Tatiana, and she ran out of the woods toward the prince. His large, muscular feline body was covered in splattered blood, and he was breathing heavily.

Got
you, you son of a bitch
. Richard stalked toward her but stumbled and fell onto his side.
Caedo
assassins. Eric was working with them.

Dominic?
Her mind reached out to his, but he didn't answer or couldn't. She wasn't entirely sure which. Tatiana trotted up to Richard and whined as she nuzzled his massive head with hers.
Where's Dominic?

Tatiana pictured her human form, and seconds later she shifted. She knelt next to the prince and inspected the two gunshot wounds, one at his shoulder and the other had grazed his head.

“How touching.” Eric's voice chilled her to the bone. “Decided to play on Team Amoveo, after all?”

Richard growled, but he was clearly in no shape to go anywhere or do any more fighting. Tatiana squatted on her heels and turned to face Eric with her hands in the air, a clear sign of surrender.

“Where's Dominic?” she asked in a surprisingly steady voice.

“Dead.” Eric's voice was void of emotion, but it hit Tatiana the same as if he'd punched her in the stomach. “William too. Well, I think he is. I pinged his sorry ass mid-flight, so I'll go find him to be sure.”

“No,” Tatiana whispered. Her eyes filled with tears, and nausea swamped her as her body shook uncontrollably. “He—he can't be dead. I don't believe you.”

“Believe what you want.” Eric shrugged. “It's all the same to me. I get paid based on the body count, and as of now, I'm up to three. Well, four, once I kill you, but the prince over here—he counts as two. That's the big payday right there.”

“Payday?” she asked with confusion. “The Purists are paying you?”

“Purists?” he scoffed. “Those assholes don't have money. Shit, they're all pretty much gone now, and thanks to them so is my mate.” His features darkened, and he stalked toward her, his yellow clan eyes glowing brightly as he grabbed Tatiana's arm and yanked her to her feet. “My mate died in that fucking breeding program because Richard didn't get there in time to get her out.”

“So it's about revenge?” She licked her lower lip and glanced to the woods, praying by some miracle Dominic would appear. “Not Purists or Loyalists?”

Keep him talking, she thought. Just keep him talking, and buy time until Pete or the others get here. Kerry said she'd send help, but if they didn't get here soon, it would all be over. She kept her eyes locked with his, but the cold, flat look on his face chilled her to the bone. He was emotionless, barren of empathy, and locked solely on his mission.

“I'm not a Purist, baby. I'm an opportunist.”

“But—these are your people?” she said in disbelief. “Your friends.”

“Oh please. They don't give a holy shit about anything but their women. I've got no mate. I'm fucked, lady. In about a year, I'm gonna be without my powers, so I figured if I have to live my life as a human, I may as well be rich.”

“Money? You did this for money?”

“When I cornered that Caedo assassin at the ranch, he offered me a big payday to let him go. I took the offer. We made it look good though. I let him shoot me and everything.” Eric's grin broadened, and he pulled her up against him, dropping his voice low. “Then, they offered me
ten
times
that to kill the prince and any others I could get,” he murmured. “Well, why the fuck not. I screwed with the horses to mess with Richard's head, and it worked. Your boy Matt overheard me talking on my cell phone with the Caedo. Couldn't very well let him go blathering back to you, now could I?”

“Let her go, Eric.”

Dominic's voice washed over her like a soothing balm, and as ridiculous as it could be, she laughed with relief. Eric growled as his eyes glowed brighter. He spun around, his fingers digging into Tatiana's arm as he held her in front of him. She stilled as he pressed the cool steel of the gun against her temple.

“I thought you were dead.” Eric let out a curt laugh. “I should've known you were too fucking stubborn to die.”

Wounded and bleeding from the chest and his left leg, Dominic limped toward them with his arms out to his side. He kept his glowing amber eyes on Eric as he stepped closer. Tatiana had no idea how he could be on his feet given the amount of blood that covered him. She hoped it wasn't all Dominic's.

“This must be your worst nightmare, brother,” Eric barked. “I've got your mate, and the prince is passed out—practically dead, actually. I shot the other two, and now, it's your turn. So much for doing your duty. Look where it fuckin' got you.”

Eric pointed the gun at Dominic, but the sound of Casanova barking from inside the bullet-ridden house momentarily distracted Eric. Tatiana screamed and fought to free herself as Richard reared to life and latched his massive jaws around Eric's ankle. Eric bellowed in rage, knocking Tatiana to the ground as his gun fired. She looked up just in time to see Dominic throw the dagger he always kept tucked in his belt. It sliced through the air and landed squarely in Eric's chest.

Eric dropped like a stone as a gurgling noise escaped his lips, and the light faded from his eyes. Lying in an awkward position with a knife protruding from his chest, it was abundantly clear he was dead.

Shaking and crying, Tatiana scrambled to her feet and ran to Dominic as he dropped to his knees. She wrapped her arms around his neck and held him, breathing him in. Blood, sweat, and tears covered them both. He linked one arm around her, but the other hung limply at his side, stained red with blood. She pulled back to look at him but could barely see through the tears.

“Sorry I was late,” Dominic said through heavy, shaking breaths. “I got held up.”

“Uh-huh.” She laughed and leaned her forehead against his. “You're not going to use that old I-was-killing-a-Caedo-assassin excuse, are you?”

Tatiana rained kisses over his face and hugged him again, but he winced as she put too much pressure on his wounds.

“Sorry.” She helped him into a sitting position and looked over at Richard, who had shifted to his human form, but had passed out again. “We have to get you two help. Kerry was sending some, but—”

The sound of branches cracking and gravel being displaced set Dominic rigid in her embrace, but a moment later, Pete stepped out of the woods carrying William over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes.

“This guy keeps getting shot.” Pete jutted a thumb at William's limp body, but his eyebrows flew up when he set eyes on Richard and Dominic and the dead bodies. “Shit. You guys really need to develop an Amoveo power that makes you bulletproof.”

To her surprise, Dominic started laughing and shook his head but stopped as pain shot through his body. “Fuck me, that hurts.”

“William is gonna be so pissed I saved him again,” Pete said. His eyes glowed red, and Tatiana got a glimpse of his fangs when he smiled. “He really hates to say thank you.”

“Yeah,” Dominic said through a deep breath as Tatiana helped him to his feet, “but at least it's over, and everyone can go back to their lives.” He sliced a glance in her direction. “You can have your life back, Tatiana. Whatever makes you happy.”

Tatiana's heart sank as Dominic limped away from her and out of her grasp. She watched as he went to Richard's side, but she turned her back on them, struggling to get herself together. As her teary gaze skimmed over her bullet-ridden house, she knew her old life was gone. Nothing would be the same ever again.

A moment later, Casanova came barreling out through the ramshackle door and ran down the steps. Like any good therapy dog, he went directly to the most banged up guy in the group and sniffed the prince. The dog had more sense than she did. Through it all, he knew where to go and what to do, he knew not to fight his nature.

“No.” Tatiana spun on her heels with her hands on her hips and glared at Dominic through the glowing eyes of her wolf. “I don't want it.”

Dominic helped Richard to a sitting position while looking at her as though she'd lost her mind. Pete, with William still flung over his shoulder, looked between them but said nothing. Dominic grunted and rose to his feet as he held her challenging gaze.

“Pete,” Dominic ground out. “Take William and Richard to the Presidium. Tatiana and I have things to take care of. I'll be along after I clean this up.”

“Are you sure, man?” Pete gave him a doubtful look. “You got your ass kicked.”

“I'm fine,” Dominic growled over his shoulder. He held one hand over the wound on his chest and fought to get the words out. “Just get them some help.”

Pete nodded and mouthed
good
luck
to Tatiana as he, Richard, and William vanished into the night.

“What the hell do you want, Tatiana?” Dominic ground out once they were alone. “Do you know? I sure as hell don't. Shit. I could spend the rest of my days trying to figure that out.”

Dominic took another step but paused and ran a hand over his chiseled features, his eyes fierce and glowing in the dark night. Covered in blood, sweat, and dirt, he was still the most desirable, sexy man she'd ever met.

“All
I
know
is that I love you, Tatiana. I love when you nibble on your thumbnail when you're nervous, or when you talk to animals like Dr. Fucking Dolittle, or when you look at me like I'm a macho dickhead. But you know what? Through all of the shit that went down today, the
only
thing I could think of was getting to you and keeping you safe. I want you to be happy, and if that means you staying here without me, then fine.”

His jaw twitched and he squared his shoulders through the pain. He looked as though he was ready for her to rip his heart out of his chest.

“I don't know what happened with Steven and Courtney,” he sighed. “Or how their wires got crossed, but I do know my feelings for you are real. My body might be genetically programmed to respond to yours, but no one can tell my soul what to feel.”

Tatiana's heart hammered in her chest as she glanced over her shoulder at the disaster that was her house. She surveyed the debris and chaos around her until her gaze finally landed on Dominic.

As she studied him and took in the bloody, wounded sight, she remembered how she felt in that moment when she couldn't reach him and had no idea if he was dead or alive. Tatiana recalled the aching void, the one that pulsed deep in her chest when his comforting, soothing energy was absent. In that instant, like fog dissipating from a mirror… everything was clear.

Tatiana moved toward him, taking each step with purpose until she stood inches from him.

“I'm sorry,” she murmured. Tatiana popped up on her toes, and his eyes widened with surprise as she linked her arms around his neck and brushed her lips over his. “It was foolish and insulting to imply that what we feel for one another isn't true.” She peered up at him as her fingers fluttered along the base of his neck. “I do love you, Dominic, and I promise I will spend the rest of my life proving exactly how real that is.”

Dominic growled and pressed his warm lips to her forehead. “Tatiana, you do realize what this means, don't you?”

Tatiana pulled back to look him in the face and found him giving her that mischievous smirk. “What?”

“Make-up sex,” he whispered against her lips. “Lots and lots of make-up sex.”

Tatiana laughed as his mouth covered hers. Dominic's energy signature curled around her like a blanket, wrapping her up with desire and protection. She knew that she was home.

Whether it was a bullet-ridden house in Oregon or a cabin on a ranch in Montana, as long as Dominic was by her side… she was home, and she was safe.

Read on and escape to the sizzling paranormal world of Sara Humphreys's Amoveo Legend series

UNLEASHED

UNTOUCHED

UNDENIED (novella)

UNTAMED

UNDONE

Available now from
Sourcebooks Casablanca

“Samantha,” he whispered in his dark silky voice. Sam's skin tingled deliciously with just one word from him. A smile played at her lips as she waited for him to call her again. Her silent prayer was answered as he murmured her name. “Samantha.” That same delightful rush washed over her like the warm waves that rippled by her feet. She stretched languidly on the sandy beach, and her eyes fluttered open. She was home.

She sat up and glanced at the familiar seashore of her childhood home. Sam knew it was only a dream. It had become a familiar one. The ocean glowed with unnatural shades of blue as if it was lit from beneath. The sky swirled with clouds of lilac and lavender. She stood up and relished the way the soft, pebble-free sand felt on her bare feet. A gentle breeze blew Sam's golden hair off her naked shoulders, and her long white nightgown fluttered lightly over her legs.

She closed her eyes and breathed in the salty air. He was near. She could feel it. Her blood hummed, and the air around her thickened. She'd come so close to seeing him many times, but she always woke up just before she found him.

Not this time.

This time she would stay on the beach and call him to her. It was her dream after all, and she was getting tired of coming up empty-handed. Eyes closed, she tilted her face to the watercolor sky and waited. Her heartbeat thundered in her ears in perfect time with the pounding waves.

“Samantha,” he whispered into her ear. She stilled, and her mouth went dry. He was standing right behind her. How the hell did he get there? Where did he come from? Why couldn't he stand right in front of her where she could actually see him? This was supposed to be her dream, her fantasy. Jeez. Can you say intimacy issues?

Sam jumped slightly and sucked in a sharp breath as large hands gently cupped her shoulders. She should open her eyes. She wanted to open her eyes, but the onslaught of sensations to her body and mind had her on overload. Samantha shuddered as he brushed his fingers lightly down her arms leaving bright trails of fire in their wake. He tangled his fingers in hers and pulled her back gently. Sam swallowed hard as his long muscular body pressed up against hers. He was tall, really tall. She sighed. If he looked half as good as he felt, she was in big trouble.

“It would seem that you've finally found me,” he murmured into her ear.

Sam nodded, unable to find her voice amid the rush of his. She licked her dry lips and mustered up some courage. It was a dream after all. Nothing to be afraid of. She could always wake up. But that's what she was afraid of.

“Why don't you ever let me see you?” she said in a much huskier tone than she'd intended. She pressed her body harder against his and relished the way his fingers felt entwined with hers.

He nuzzled her hair away from her neck and placed a warm kiss on the edge of her ear. “Come home,” he whispered. His tantalizing voice washed over her and he seemed to surround her completely. Body. Mind. Soul. Every single inch of her lit up like the Fourth of July.

“Please,” she said in a rush of air. Sam wrapped his arms around her waist and relished the feel of him. It was like being cradled in cashmere covered steel. Leaning into him, she rubbed her head gently against his arm. He moaned softly and held her tighter. The muscles in his chest rippled behind her, and his bicep flexed deliciously against her cheek. “I need to see you.”

Eyes still closed, she turned in his arms as he said softly “Samantha.”

***

Sam tumbled out of bed and landed on the floor with a thud. Breathing heavily and lying amid her tangled bedclothes, Sam stared at the bland white ceiling of her soon-to-be former apartment.

“Talk about a buzz kill,” she said to the empty room. “Typical. I can't even get good sex in my dreams.” She puffed the hair from her face and pushed herself up to a sitting position. Sam grabbed her cell phone off the nightstand and swore softly when she saw the time. She was going to be late. Crap.