of energy, she could not maintain shadow. But she’d be damned if she went down without a good fight.
Terror squeezed her heart as her body materialized. She writhed in his powerful grip, but he held tight. Then he freed one hand. Megan shrank back. Here it comes. He was going to hit her. That’s what Enforcers always did. Just for laughs.
Instead she felt him caress her cheek. The gesture felt soothing and erotic. Gabriel bent his head and brushed aside her hair. He was inhaling her scent. Surprised, she stopped struggling. Enforcers didn’t care about their captives. She’d heard they only punished and brutalized. Alarmed at the rising tide of desire, she wondered if Gabriel’s methods were even crueler than other Enforcers. Lower her defenses and then strike like a snake.
A tantalizing scent of leather, pine and spicy male filled her senses with erotic awareness. The space between her legs felt open and wet, wanting. Well aware of the distraction, Megan resumed her struggles to get free. But she was too exhausted.
Warm breath feathered over her cheek as he bent his head. “Shhh,” he murmured. “It’s all right. Everything will be all right. Sleep now.”
This was the true danger, his deep, hypnotic voice lulling her into doing as he wished. Megan felt her eyes closing.
He pushed a hand through her hair, the gesture almost tender. Just before she passed out, she felt a sensual brush of his mouth across her neck as if Gabriel marked her.
Then the grayness turned black, and everything else faded into shadow.
“Dammit.”
This was not how he had envisioned starting his long-awaited vacation. Gabriel stared at the unconscious woman slumped in his arms. Asleep, without the spark igniting her sea-blue gaze, she looked defenseless and young. Long dark lashes feathered against her cheeks. He nuzzled the top of her head, detecting the faint odor of hair dye. She was small, but her slender body looked capable of a good, hard fight.
Lifting her carefully into his arms, he stepped into the hallway. “Mitzi,” he addressed the woman racing toward him. “Tell Jay to pull the Expedition by the back. Did you get the twins?”
“They’re in the kitchen.” His employee looked upset. “They’re terrified. They’re just kids, Gabriel.”
“I know.” Aware of his arousal, he shifted Megan in his arms, wondering why she’d caused such an intense reaction.
“You’re going to have to do a major mind sweep of all the customers. Some were pretty upset when the twins started crying. Jay and I told them the police were on their way.”
Gabriel cursed again. This went all wrong. Then again, nothing ever went exactly right when he was called in to deal with a Shadow Wolf.
“Breakfast on the house for everyone.” The restaurant could afford it. It had turned over a profit ever since he’d purchased it ten years ago.
Jay, the restaurant’s manager, hurried over. “Want me to put her in the truck, too, Gabe?”
“No,” Gabriel said, more sharply than he’d intended. “Take care of the customers until I can do a little mind cleansing.”
He felt protective, even territorial, of the unconscious woman. She felt soft in his arms. Another uncomfortable surge of arousal raced through him. Breathing in deeply, he caught the unfamiliar, odd smell of something faintly sinister, as well.
This Shadow must have come into contact with evil forces.
Using the restaurant’s private kitchen exit, Gabriel headed for the SUV and settled her in. He gently smoothed her hair, disturbed at the lines of strain on her face. A low hiss escaped him as he saw a purpling bruise on her forehead.
Gabriel growled softly, wanting to find whoever dared to hurt her so he could demonstrate the power of his fists.
“You’re safe now,” he told her.
He went into the kitchen. The twins were huddled together on a chair, their eyes wide, holding each other’s hands. Sending waves of reassurance into their minds through his powers, Gabriel squatted down to their level. “All will be well, mes petites. I’m going to take good care of you.”
Then he waved a hand, telepathically commanding them to sleep and instructed Jay to put them into the back of the SUV. Gabriel called his housekeeper.
“Jean, we’re having company. I need you to go shopping for twin girls, age seven. They’re about 50-55 pounds. Get a bunch of shorts, shirts, enough sizes in case they don’t fit and charge it to my card.”
He hung up, went into the restaurant and planted subtle suggestions in the minds of the customers, nothing but a heated squabble between an irate husband and his wife. Even the pack of Draicon werewolves acquiesced. Everyone smiled and nodded, except for the silver-haired man folding his paper and setting it aside.
The man gave Gabriel a small, knowing smirk. His blood went cold. He tried again, probing the man’s mind—just a squabble, no one hurt, nothing to see….
It felt like he’d smacked against a concrete wall. Gabriel inwardly winced, resisted rubbing his temples from the small spike of pain.
Fine. Gabriel let loose all his powers and sent them barreling into the man, like spraying him with a shotgun blast. The silver-haired man rubbed his head and dropped his gaze.
Satisfied, he went into the kitchen and gave Jay instructions to deliver the Harley to his island home.
Gabriel slid behind the wheel of the Expedition, glanced at the terrace. The silver-haired man was eating his breakfast.
The sun beamed strong and bright on the shimmering pavement as he drove away. Air conditioning blew through the vents inside the vehicle. When his cell rang, he fished the phone from his pocket.
“Robichaux,” he stated.
“Whoa, you sound serious.”
Gabriel glanced in the rearview mirror at his cargo. “Something unexpected came up. Have to cancel.”
Silence hung in the air. Then Raphael spoke again. “Just as well with me. The rest of us couldn’t see all that time for male bonding when we’d be gone from our mates and Alex. Well, Alex is seeing someone. Finally.”
Joy and dismay collided together. Gabriel’s hand tightened on the steering wheel. “Who? She’s not … a Shadow, is she?”
“No, she’s regular Draicon.”
It was about damn time his older brother had some happiness. Alex had been grieving for his mate and child for the past three years. Ever since …
My fault, Gabriel thought, feeling the familiar sting of guilt. All my fault.
No time for the luxury of grief. “I’ll be on the island for a few days. Contact me on an emergency basis only,” he said.
“Ah, got it.” Raphael sighed. “I thought you were done with this, Gabe.”
“I was, until I got a call from Jay. No one else
