Page 13 of The Last Sacrifice

Hyde paid no more attention to the conversation and knelt next to her. He gently picked up her hand. Even this close to the fire, her skin was only just starting to warm to the touch.

Her eyes met his.

A deep feeling of recognition hit him as he stared into her strangely familiar eye’s blue eyes. He swallowed hard and abruptly rose to his feet, refusing to meet her gaze.

“I will get you a whiskey,” speaking roughly, he gestured to Thorn to watch her. Hyde moved away, towards the bar.

“Close to closing time,” the bartender looked up.

Maybe his day was looking up. Long black hair fell in a long plait down her back. Her pretty face, hidden by round eye-glasses, smiled up at him.

“Five whiskeys,”

Deftly placing the glasses on the bar, she poured. With a flirty smile, she slid the glasses towards him; the ice clinking against the sides. In the sensible white work shirt, her breasts straining against the buttons, a welcome distracting sight.

“What time do you finish?” With her glasses off, she would be even prettier, but all he cared about was getting her supple flesh under his hands.

She leaned forward, toying with a small pendant around her neck, and locked eyes with him.

“I finish at” her voice hesitating, her eyes widening at the demonic glow of his gaze. Swallowing, her eyes flicking to the two brothers of his pack, moving into the room. “Technically, the bar is closed”

Watching her flirt shut down. Hyde bit back an annoyed growl.

Draven had left his beast just under the surface. For three weeks, his red wolven eyes had caused him issues. It was bad enough that the beast was always pushing for freedom. Its rage eager for release. Any release. It took all of his hard earned control to keep himself reigned in.

Making any situation outside of intimidation blow up in his face. Moving two of the whiskeys to his brother’s hands, he took his and downed it in one swig.

“Another,”

Not questioning him, she poured another, her eyes moving to where Thorn was sitting with Talia.

“Should I take her a drink?.”

“That woman is not your concern,” Standing, he downed the whiskey.

“We leave at sunlight,” the brothers nodded at him, “be ready,”

Picking up the glasses, he made his way back to the fire. Handing Thorn a glass on his way past, he knelt beside Talia. Her skin was still pale, with only a touch of colour returning to her lips. Her wet hair starting to fizz in the heat of the fire. She looked more lost than he had seen her. She didn’t belong in his world; she was too... too.

Soft.

Yet instead of the derisive scorn he normally felt at such a thought. Her softness twisted something deep and forgotten in his gut. Ignoring the sensation, he handed her the whiskey glass.

“Drink this, it will help,”

Taking it carefully, her hands still shaking, she brought the glass to her lips. Meeting his eyes, Talia tipped the glass fully.

Downing the brown liquid easily. Raising an eyebrow, Hyde couldn’t keep the smile completely off his lips.

Maybe not as soft as he thought.

“Let’s get you out of those wet clothes and into a shower,”

Pulling her to her feet. He pulled her close as he turned to Thorn.

“Keep the men on guard, we are not home yet,”

“Sure boss” his lips twisting into a smile, Thorn glanced at Talia.