And maybe this was a mistake.
Her breath catching in her throat, Skye turned to go back when she heard another growl, this one louder, from behind her. And a snarl to the right. A spine-tingling roar to the left. The flesh below her throat sizzled and she put her hand to the sea glass pendant Shade had given her. It felt alive against her fingers and seemed to give her courage. Part of her wanted to run, but the other part—the part that connected with animals—told her to hold her ground.
So, pulse threading unevenly, she stopped. Waited. The sounds grew louder, more insistent. She realized she could be in danger and started backing up very slowly.
The cloud cover inched off the moon. The area around her glowed blue and she could see them. A lion. A wolf. A hyena.
More wild animals.
Predators, all.
Her mouth went dry and her heart threatened to pound out of her chest, as she inched away from them, skipping her gaze from one to the other.
“Hey, did someone raid the zoo?” she choked out, but no one answered, and it occurred to her they could be the product of illegal wildlife trade.
The clouds lifted completely, giving her a better look at the predators that stared back at her with molten eyes. The breath caught in her throat. There was something truly unnatural about them. What was she facing here?
She fought the knot growing in her gut, attempted to tune in to the animals, to convince them she offered no threat. As had happened earlier, whispers and laughter and an odd tickle of heat brushed along her spine and through her skin.
Afraid?
She ought to be.
Looks like she might make a nice snack.
Hearing the animals’ thoughts further confounded her. She communicated with animals through images, not words. So how was she hearing what they were saying to one another? And why did they sound like humans talking?
The predators moved in on her. Trying not to show the anxiety that threatened to consume her, she curled her hands into fists and continued to edge backward. They continued to advance on her. Her heart was pounding, her blood racing. Knowing they could sense her fear, she tried to control it. Futile. No escape.
The hyena broke from the pack and rushed her. If she turned her back on it, she was dead for sure. She kept putting one foot behind the other and the wolf and the lion picked up their pursuit.
The hyena’s muscles bunched and it flew through the air at her. Though she threw up her hands to protect herself, it never reached her.
Instead, it was as if an invisible wall stopped it cold. It shrieked and fell to the ground in a heap.
What do you think you’re doing? Go!
The predators stopped and she sensed their sudden fear.
Now! the voice in her head thundered.
The animals fled and quickly disappeared into the night.
Skye flipped around. At first, she didn’t see him. Then she caught a movement to her right and nailed him where he stood.
Dark hair whipped around features so rugged they could have been cut from granite. High cheekbones. Broad forehead. Square chin. His eyes appeared silver in the moonlight, and they glowed at her, tightening her stomach and making it hard to breathe.
Trembling, she gasped. “What just happened?”
“You got into something that doesn’t concern you.” Forget about it.
She started. He hadn’t said the last bit out loud. There was something about him so powerful she almost agreed.
She fought the desire to give in. “I’m not forgetting about anything. Who are you?”
She felt as if he were trying to push the command into her mind.
Glaring at him, Skye pushed back.
“What are you?” he asked.
“Someone who protects animals.”
His silence told her that wasn’t exactly the explanation he was looking for. Her pulse threaded as he stepped closer. She sensed both threat and something less tangible, something that made her stomach knot and her throat tighten. She’d always had a psychic connection not only with animals, but with her brother. No one else. Not until now. And this guy being able to mess with her mind went beyond any previous experience she’d had.
“Did you have something to do with the fight?” she gasped. “Where did those predators come from? What kind of power do you have over them?” It had to be something supernatural.
He stepped closer, and she sucked in a breath as his power cut through her, speeding her pulse, drying her mouth.
“You need to forget about them, Skye.”
This time he said it aloud. And he used her name.
“How do you know who I am?” she demanded, her heart beating so fast she could feel it bump up against her ribs. “What were you doing here? Who are you?”
Rather than answering her questions, he reached out and slid a palm along her cheek. The touch seared her, reminding her of the time she’d inadvertently touched a live wire. Wanting to move, wanting to run, she stood frozen instead. He was so close she imagined she could feel the heat of his body as he splayed fingers around the side of her head. Her insides trembled and her breasts felt full and tight.
What was wrong with her? Why couldn’t she move? Or speak?
You never saw me. You’ll forget about me the moment I disappear.
Every fiber of her being longed to do what he wanted. But something in her, the thing that made her do what she did, was stronger.
“Disappear to where?” she demanded through a parched throat. “I have an excellent memory.”
Appearing frustrated she’d been able to hear the silent command, he dropped his hand. “What are you?” he asked again.
The tension in her body eased and she frowned at him. “I don’t understand.”
Skye heard footsteps behind her. He peered over her shoulder.
She turned to look as Shade yelled, “Hey, what are you doing out here?” His gaze shifted over her shoulder and his expression went dark. “And what the hell are you doing with him?”
The stranger was staring at her brother with an equally dark scowl. Their mutual dislike cut through her.
The stranger shifted his focus. Are you his?
Without thinking, she responded to the unspoken question. “Shade is my brother.”
“And my sister is off-limits!” Shade yelled.
The stranger turned to him with a pointed expression when he said, “As sisters should be.”
“What’s going on?” She whipped back to Shade. “You know him?”
Rather than answering, he said, “I told you to wait where you were.”
The air around her shifted and flickered lightning-white for a second, and the tension that held her diminished. When she looked for the stranger, he was gone.
“Skye.”
Set free from whatever spell she’d been under, she pushed past Shade and started back toward the arena. “One of the animals in the fight escaped. I was trying to find it. It’s still out here somewhere. It was a coyote, not a dog.”
He didn’t sound surprised. “So you got out here and what?”
“The coyote was gone. But there were other animals. A wolf, a lion, and a hyena.”
Shade believed her. He knew something, but he was blocking her from finding out what exactly that might be. They were usually on the same wavelength psychically, but not tonight. Tonight, he was holding secrets from her. It was as if he’d created an invisible wall to lock her out.