Chapter 14 #3
Elijah studied her, his gaze so intense she nearly squirmed in her seat.
It was driving her crazy to sit so close to him with such a yawning gap between them.
Every inhale brought his scent into her nostrils, making her heart pound.
She knew he heard it, knew he’d sense her hunger just as he had when they’d first met in the Bryce Canyon cave.
He resumed eating, his gaze on his plate. “Apology accepted.”
Relief filled her so quickly she got dizzy. That was probably why it took her a heartbeat or two to realize she wasn’t going to get any more from him.
“That’s it?” she demanded when it settled in. “That’s all you’re going to give me?”
“What more did you want?” he asked coolly, scooping his sunny-side-up fried egg onto a triangle of buttered toast. “You apologized. I accepted.”
Her eyes burned. Coming so swiftly on the heels of relief, her disappointment blew the lid off her already volatile mood. “I think I hate you.”
His knuckles whitened on his utensils. “Tread carefully, Vashti.”
“What the fuck do you care? No, don’t answer. You already have, loud and clear.” She slid out of the booth and walked away.
There was a moment of terrible silence.
“Damn it, Vashti.” His silverware clattered onto his plate behind her. “God-fucking-damn it.”
She raced the distance to the Explorer, desperate to get away before he saw her crying.
God…she really was a hot mess. And for what?
A sexy lycan who strung legions of panting women along for kicks?
Stupid. The whole thing was stupid. She’d been way better off with a dormant sex drive and the lycan working for the Sentinels.
He reached the driver’s door just as she locked it with her safely inside.
“Vashti.” He’d never looked more furious. His eyes were wild and glowing, his voice guttural. “Open the door.”
Flipping him the bird with her left hand, she turned the ignition with her right. “Enjoy your breakfast, asshat. I’m going to grab a bite to eat myself. Fuck if I’ll starve myself for you.”
His palm slapped against the window, sending hairline fractures exploding through the safety glass. “Vashti. Don’t run. I won’t be able to control myself if you run.”
She gunned the vehicle into reverse, sending gravel flying from behind the tires.
She was on the road a second later, having no idea where she was going and grateful that there wasn’t another soul on the winding rural road.
Pine trees crowded thickly against the serpentine ribbon of asphalt, casting shadows over the highway that perfectly suited her mood.
Tears coursed down her face. So many goddamn tears. She’d thought she cried herself dry during the night. It infuriated her that there were more yet to be spilled.
Gripping the steering wheel in both hands, she screamed to purge the sick, roiling tension inside her. Then she screamed again as she hugged a curve in the road…and came face-to-face with a massive chocolate-colored wolf.
In the split second it took her to realize she was going to barrel right through him, her world ground to a shuddering halt. She stood on the brakes, distantly felt the antilock system vibrating the pedal madly beneath her feet. The wheels didn’t lock. The car didn’t slow nearly fast enough.
Bracing for the impact, she stiffened into a board…
…and nearly lost her sanity when Elijah leaped onto the hood, scrambled over the roof, and jumped off the back.
The Explorer slid into a turnout and came to a jerking stop. Vash slammed the transmission into park and hopped out.
“Are you fucking insane?” she screamed with fists clenched at her sides.
His wild green irises were aglow above a vicious snarl. All animal, with none of the man in them. He was absolutely crazy.
And she was in big trouble. Huge.
She was faced with the choice of fighting or fleeing.
Holding up both hands, she forced her restless body not to move.
She debated her options—tearing into him with teeth and claws, ripping him to pieces physically as he’d done to her emotionally, or just running as far and fast as she could.
She’d outrun lycans before; she could do it again.
Ears flat to his head and teeth bared, Elijah slinked forward, owning the center of the highway.
Vash swallowed hard, as riveted by his lupine beauty as she was by his human form.
He was stunningly majestic, his thick fur as glossy and rich as his human hair, his movements lethally graceful.
His growl was a deep warning, a rumbling sound of danger that made the hair on her nape stand on end.
Something perverse inside her burst free, fueled by her simmering fury and pain. She’d chased him across the country, then chased him down at breakfast. By god, it was time for him to see what it felt like to pursue. She’d been too damn easy. Just like all the other bitches who fell all over him.
With her eyes on his, her mouth curved in a slow, taunting smile. One of her upraised hands lowered to intersect their line of sight. All of her fingers curved into her palm except for the middle one. “Fuck you.”
Vash leaped over the hood of the SUV and darted into the woods.