Savage Hunger: Savage, Book 1 (14 page)

Though it was anybody’s guess how long she would retain that knowledge. The possibility that she’d have her memory wiped was looking likelier by the day.

“You are. All these years…you hid who you were. What you were,” she whispered. “You never once let on what kind of creatures are out there. And, my God, that you’re one of them.”

Heat stole up the back of his neck and Warrick’s jaw flexed. “I couldn’t tell you, Sienna. You or your brother. My kind aren’t supposed to exist.”

“You not only exist, you
coexist
with humans. And none of us have a clue.”

“I’ve already told you that some humans are aware of the existence of shifters.” He hesitated, wondering if it was his place to tell her. But it was likely she’d discover it fairly soon anyway. “Your father is one of those humans.”

Sienna’s mouth tightened and her lashes swept down and then back up in a slow blink. “How long has he known? And why hasn’t
his
memory been wiped?”

Her lack of surprise sent a prickle of suspicion through Warrick. Was it possible that her father was the one who’d informed Sienna of their existence?

“Kevin Peters has been working for the P.I.A. since before you or I were even born, Sienna. His genius IQ and reputation within the scientific community led to the government’s recruitment of him.”

Now the shock came. Tension had Sienna’s body rigid, even as her eyes rounded and her mouth fell open.

“He worked with you guys? That’s impossible,” she croaked. “I would have known. Daniel would’ve known.”

“Of course you wouldn’t have. It wasn’t possible for him to tell either of you.”

Her head swung back and forth in denial. “Did my mother know?”

Sienna’s mother had been dead for almost ten years now. And an airtight contract should’ve made it clear Kevin Peters must keep his mouth shut. But he wouldn’t have been the first human who worked for the shifters to secretly confide in his spouse. Even though the consequences were severe and the spouse’s memory would be immediately wiped if it were discovered.

“She shouldn’t have known,” he finally said.

Tears welled up in her eyes and she bit her lip, looking away. Something inside Warrick twisted with guilt. His fingers curled, itching to reach for her and pull her into his arms. To do something to erase the confusion and pain in her gaze.

“
Donovan
.”

Warrick’s muscles went taut and he flexed his jaw as he stood from the bed and turned to face Larson. The alpha and leader of their unit stood in the doorway, his mouth drawn tight and his eyes narrowed with fury.

“Get your ass outside.
Now
.”

Without glancing back at Sienna, Warrick muttered, “I’ll clean up the blood when I get back.” And then walked from the room, following Larson out of the house.

The acrid smell of burning flesh greeted his nostrils before he spotted the rest of his unit surrounding the burning body out near the barn. His gut kicked with guilt and he closed his eyes for a moment.

“It’s procedure.” Larson came up silently from behind. “But then you know that. To burn the body of a deceased shifter to avoid discovery.”

Warrick nodded, but he hardly needed the reminder. The shifter was dead because of him. And without even having to think about it, he knew he’d make the choice to save Sienna again in a heartbeat.

“I’m not sure I even need to tell you how badly you’ve fucked up, Donovan.”

“No, sir. You don’t.”

“You chose a goddamned human over one of your kind,” Larson shouted anyway. “Already our numbers are dwindling and our existence is endangered. It’s forbidden to kill a shifter. You just
don’t fucking do it, Warrick
.”

Warrick drew in a slow breath, trying to hold back his temper and the wolf that was coming to rise inside him again. “He was feral. He would’ve killed her.”

“Then you should’ve let him.”

“The hell I should’ve,” Warrick snarled and spun around, fists clenched so he wouldn’t punch the alpha. “Tell me you wouldn’t have done the same.”

“Perhaps if the woman was my mate,” Larson admitted just as fiercely, shoving Warrick against the wall. “Sienna’s a human. She is not, and never will be, your mate. Got it?
Never
. Not if you have half a brain, that is.”

A slow tic started in Warrick’s jaw as he wanted to argue, wanted to smash his fist into the alpha’s snarling face. Fuck, he was already in enough trouble. What the hell was wrong with him? He scrambled for a way to justify his actions. Anything that would prove to Larson—and himself—that there was no emotional attachment to Sienna.

“Kevin Peters would’ve never forgiven us if we had let something happen to her. He’s a huge part of this organization—regardless of the fact that he’s human. We protect our own, Larson.”

“Sienna isn’t one of us.”

Warrick shook free from his grip. “Yeah, well, her father pretty much is.”

“Let’s just hope that reasoning flies with the elders.” Larson flashed a hard smile and stepped away. “They’re sending Quinton out in the morning.”

A chill of foreboding slid down Warrick’s spine at the name, but he was careful not to show any reaction. Instead he replied flatly, “Good. Perhaps he can be a voice of reason with this.”

Larson scrubbed a hand down his face, but not before Warrick spotted the wary bitterness. “We’re finished here, Donovan. What’s done is done. We’ll figure out the consequences in the morning.”

Sienna sat in bed, once again dressed in an oversized T-shirt and knowing she should try and get some sleep. But also realizing how futile it was. Silence lingered in the house now. Ominous in its presence, but also a welcome relief from the angry male voices Sienna had listened to not long ago, raising and falling in a heated exchange. Fighting over something. Over her? Over what had just happened outside? Her stomach churned furiously and she swallowed hard.

God, she missed her old, uncomplicated life. Her cute little apartment, somewhat adequate social life, and nine-to-five mundane job that she was way overqualified for. Where the most drama in her life had been worrying about whether or not she was going to get into her top pick for grad school.

Of course it all seemed pretentious now. A flimsy shield of a life that hid the darkness and deception that really existed in the world.

It was almost too much to take in. What Warrick was. The P.I.A. and the fact that her father had worked for them since before she was born. And what had happened not even an hour ago outside.

A shiver racked her body as she replayed those horrific moments in her head. The look in the feral wolf’s eyes before it had launched itself at her. The fiery pain of its teeth ripping her flesh. She shook her head. Whatever had happened between getting attacked and waking up in the bedroom was mostly a blur.

Though if she closed her eyes, images would zip through her head. Images of Warrick fighting the wolf…of being carried in his arms…his mouth on her flesh. The visions were so fuzzy and surreal she could almost convince herself they were a dream.

Lifting her arm she looked at the nearly healed wound. But
this
was no dream. Warrick hadn’t lied. He’d literally healed her.

Warrick’s ominous parting remark about the blood in the room had freaked her out, and she’d immediately found towels to wipe it up.

She turned her arm slightly and narrowed her gaze. The puckered puncture marks were right above the artery in her arm. Another icy shiver slid down her spine and nausea slid through her. How close to death had she actually been? There’d been a lot of blood.

Her throat tightened and she wrapped her arms around her chest, glancing toward the closed door.

Where was Warrick now? Any of the men? It was far too quiet.

She closed her eyes and wondered if she was conjuring up the sound of footsteps in the house. But then they approached the door and her eyelashes fluttered up just in time to see it swing open.

Sienna’s pulse tripled and her heart did small flips at the sight of Warrick in the doorway. His face was drawn tight, the lines around his mouth indicating the stress of the night and lingering fatigue. But when his gaze slid to hers the disturbing hardness in his eyes disappeared and concern replaced it.

“How are you?” he asked quietly, closing the door before approaching the bed.

The automatic reply of “I’m fine
”
was on the tip of her tongue, but then it fizzled out. She wasn’t fine, and how the hell could it help pretending she was?

“I don’t know,” she finally admitted, hating the way her voice cracked. “Warrick…you killed him, didn’t you? That shifter?”

The mattress dipped under his weight as Warrick came to sit beside her. He pushed a strand of hair off her forehead, his gaze searching hers.

“He would’ve killed you, Sienna.”

So that would be a yes. Hearing the confirmation put a lump that felt about the size of a golf ball in her throat. Warrick had killed for her. He’d killed another shifter. The staggering realization mixed with the ache of the senseless loss. Somehow she knew the shifter never would’ve hurt her if he hadn’t been feral. He’d been out of his mind from whatever drug had been pumped into his system.

“How much trouble are you in?” she asked quietly.

His jaw flexed, before he gave a short shake of his head. “It doesn’t matter. I’ll face it when the time comes.”

No. Oh, God, no. He
was
in trouble. None of this would’ve happened if she were a better scientist. Or if she’d gone straight to her father. Or if she hadn’t tried to escape… The last thought sent a wave of guilt and horror through her that sucked away her ability to breathe.

“Stop it,” Warrick muttered fiercely. “I know what you’re thinking, Sienna, and you need to stop.”

“But I promised you I wouldn’t leave the house.” She shook her head, angry tears filling her eyes. A shifter was dead because she was an impulsive, stupid—

Strong hands pulled her across the bed and her mind immediately abandoned its dark path as she found herself dragged up against Warrick’s hard chest. His arms curled around her to keep her cocooned against his warmth and his lips grazed her forehead.

“Dammit, Sienna, I couldn’t watch you die,” the words seemed ripped from him almost as if he hated himself for saying them. “I was willing to risk whatever punishment the elders would pass down on me.”

Whatever punishment the elders would pass down?
His words tightened her throat and sent stabs of fear through her. Oh, please no. How had she not considered that Warrick could be in far more trouble than just a slap on the wrist?

“You shouldn’t have to,” she whispered. “This is my fault. It’s always my fault. I shouldn’t have run. I should never have—”

Warrick’s lips covered hers, smothering her frantic words. Her eyes widened before slipping shut, and a sigh of dismay parted her lips.

His tongue plunged inside, claiming her mouth and calming her. Fracturing her guilt and fear into a million tiny pieces, sending her instead to a place of molten heat and need.

Sienna slid her hands up his back, clinging to him and kissing him fervently. Her heart jackhammered in her chest and her muscles turned to jelly with each delicious stroke of his tongue against hers. Her head spun with only the thought of them and this kiss. This connection that she never wanted to end.

Warrick’s hands, so large and rough from life, moved to cup her face. She felt his possessive groan rumble from his chest against her breasts. Arousal sifted through her blood, stirring all the soft and hidden parts of her into awareness.

She slid fully onto his lap so that she faced him and could wrap her naked legs around his waist. Her T-shirt bunched up around her middle and the thin fabric of her panties was little shield from his erection that strained against her through his jeans. A throbbing ache blossomed between her legs. Scalding lava seemed to have replaced the blood in her veins, bubbling and spreading a fire through her body as her arousal grew.

Sienna rocked against him and his hips jerked upward, grinding into her so she felt the thick curl of his need. She moaned low in her throat, wanting so much more as her nipples tightened and panties dampened.

Warrick’s kiss gentled and her heart clenched, because she knew he was going to lift his head in a moment. But he didn’t right away. Seemed just as reluctant to break the kiss as she was. His lips trailed to the corner of her mouth, his tongue flicking and his teeth nibbling while his hips ground against hers. He groaned again, before his head lifted and his lips feathered across her forehead. And then, then he was gone.

The coolness of the air brushed against her skin and Sienna bit her swollen lip, not wanting to open her eyes and face the reality that he’d just ended another sensual moment. That it would go no farther than a heated, passionate kiss.

“Sienna,” he said gently. “Look at me.”

Part of her wanted to deny him like a stubborn child. Keep her eyes closed and stay locked in a moment that had taken her to an alternate reality.

The strong fingers that lifted her chin took the choice from her and her lashes fluttered open unwillingly. His eyes, more gray now than blue, swirled with need and yet a control that clearly spoke he had no intention of acting on his desire.