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Gone was the heavy black fur. Instead, her arms were wrapped tightly around Hydes shoulders. Her head buried in his nape, her fingers still entwined in his hair.
Somewhere in the flow of tears, he had picked her up and cradled her against his bare chest. His powerful arms wrapped tightly around her as she took a shuddering breath.
“I’m sorry” the whisper was barely words, yet his head titled gently against hers. Bringing another wave of tears to her eyes.
“you’re OK.” his hand stroking over her hair, his body slightly rocking as he held her to him. Talia released her tight grip on his hair and let out another shuddering breath. She didn't want to lift her head; she didn't want to see it. Pressing her face back into the nape of his neck, she closed her eyes tightly.
“I want to go home,”
“I know, Princess. I know” his hand didn't stop stroking over her hair as he cradled her to him.
For a moment, she let herself be still. Let herself absorb the reassurance his hold gave her. How could she feel so safe in his arms?
It made little sense. Nothing made sense. He had kidnapped her, threatened her. Had just torn apart three werewolves in their prime. Yet as his hand stroked her hair, his voice murmuring in her ear, all she felt was safe.
Her tears quieting, the shuddering breaths becoming even. pulling back a little, Hyde lifted her face to look at her. Meeting his look, Talia blinked up at him. Her eyes widening a little as his thumb stroked away a stray tear.
“You ready?” He asked, his voice softer than she had ever heard it.
“To go home?” She forced a quivering smile to her lips, knowing it was utterly foolish to hope. Yet there was no denying the small twinge of disappointment shooting through her as he gave half a frown. His head was already shaking before he answered her.
“You know that’s not going to happen.”
For a moment, a mad moment, Talia could have sworn she heard regret in his voice. Brushing a strand of her hair behind her ear, Hyde took a deep breath of his own. “We need to move from here. In time, the rest of their pack will come looking for them. And killing them all won't be as easy. “
Talia's complexion turned ashen, and she quickly glanced down.
Blood. Some still wet, some drying. Staining her breasts, her stomach. It covered her hands. Everywhere she looked, all she could see was blood. Her breath quickening again as her heart pounded.
If she hadn’t left Hydes bed, these men would still be alive. They were all dead because of her. She had practically killed one of them herself.
His palms cupping both of her cheeks, he brought her face back up to stare into his red eyes. His eyes intense, as his gaze searched hers. Seeing the tears welling again, he swore softly.
“Listen to me” the words had a soft growl behind them as his eyes glowed a little. “This was not your fault. The minute they hurt you, they were dead.” His hands moving from her cheeks to stroke down her arms even as she shook her head.
“Talia, these men don’t deserve your sympathy or pain. They would have gang raped you, marked you,” his voice growling deeper as he spoke, “and sold you.”
Talia frowned as she looked up at him. “How did you know they were going to sell me?”
“This pack is in charge of most of the human trafficking on the west coast,”
Shrugging off his touch, Talia stared at him in growing horror. “And you don’t stop them?”
“They have an agreement with the vampire king.” His voice dropping as he let his hands fall to the sides. No longer touching her. “They pay a high tariff to be left alone to do their business,”
Ignoring the immediate sense of loss. Talia embraced the swell of anger as she glared at him.
“I almost let myself forget that you're one of the bad guys” The minute the words escaped her lips, she wished she could take them back. Watching the harsh, untouchable mask slide back over his features. His hands grasping her arms as he lifted her off him.
Away from his warmth, standing in a room covered in blood and chaos, Talia shivered. Very aware of the fact that she was wearing little more than a g-string.
And he... Well, he stood to his full height. Completely nude. Only blood marring the carved out chiseled form that was Hyde. She couldn't help but drink in the full sight of him. With his chiseled features and muscular frame, he looked like he had stepped out of a Greek myth. And the pure size of the man.
She bit her lip, blushing, as his manhood twitched, hardening a little under her gaze. Covering her breasts and forcing her eyes back up to his face. She tried to keep her expression bland. And knew she had failed the minute her eyes meet his amused look.
“I’m glad you like what you see princess, but this is not the place,” giving her a smirk. He picked up her leather pants. Blushing even harder, Talia glared at him. Handing the pants to her, his eyes softening for a moment.
“we will get back to the hotel so you can shower before we hit the road again.”
