Savage Hunger: Savage, Book 1 (22 page)

God, how could he want to throttle a woman and kiss the hell out of her simultaneously? He wanted to be able to promise Sienna he wouldn’t tell the other agents, but that would be a lie. He had to. Was required to. To do otherwise would be to risk his position within the P.I.A.

“Well we’ll just have to see. I want to go make sure the officer made it back to his patrol car and didn’t report anything that’ll get us in trouble.”

Sienna’s eyes widened. “Do you think he would’ve?”

“No. He should’ve reported exactly what Quinton told him to. That nobody’s seen a pretty little blonde like the girl in the picture.”

“Pretty huh?” She flushed and looked down.

Right, as if Sienna didn’t know how gorgeous she was.
Warrick bit back another short laugh and stepped back from her.

“Try not to get into trouble, Sienna. If you really don’t trust anyone, then stay in the room.”

“So you
do
agree then—”

“I’m not agreeing to anything. But if you’re worried, that’s my advice.”

She gave a brisk nod and slid her gaze around the room. “I can try.”

Warrick bit back a sigh. Unfortunately, try wasn’t good enough. But then with Sienna, he’d take what he could get for the moment.

Chapter Fourteen

It was too damn quiet. Sienna brought her nails to her mouth and almost started to nibble, before thrusting them back into her pockets and resuming her pacing of the living room.

Most of the agents—besides Hilliard, who’d stayed inside to watch her—were out tending to the shifters. Rumor had it the female might not live to see the morning. Her stomach clenched and she cast another glance at the clock on the wall. Almost seven. Time was running short.

Why hadn’t her dad answered the phone? Quinton had placed numerous calls to her father since yesterday afternoon when Warrick had promised he’d try. Unease stirred inside her and she bit back a groan. Her dad wasn’t the biggest gadget guy, hated being at the beck and call of a cell phone, but generally he remembered to carry it with him.

If she hadn’t been standing nearby when Quinton had made the calls, she may not have believed he’d actually done it. There was something off about the guy. It wouldn’t have surprised her in the least if he hadn’t followed through on his promise to call.

Her thoughts shifted to Warrick and she groaned at the immediate warmth that filled her cheeks. The only time she’d seen him was when they’d slept in the room together last night. He’d taken the floor again—obviously didn’t want to be anywhere near her in the bed.

It had stung. That he could so easily forget what had happened between them. Seemed to have no interest in touching her again. Apparently, for him, it had just been an itch. But then she shouldn’t have been surprised. She knew some men were like that, losing interest in a girl just after they got them into bed.

She was determined not to let Warrick see just how much that moment at the river had affected her. Changed her. She couldn’t look at him without remembering what it felt like to have his mouth on her. His hands pleasuring her. And the weight of his body on top of hers.

So not the memories I need right now.

“You’re going to pace a hole in that rug,” Agent Hilliard drawled softly. “Maybe you should sit down for a bit.”

Sienna jumped, her sensual thoughts rapidly disappearing. She felt the blush in her cheeks deepen as she shook her head and cast a glance to where the agent stood near the window, arms folded as he stared outside.

“I’m too antsy to sit.”

“Why don’t you go lie down? Try and get some sleep.”

“It’s barely seven. We just ate dinner. I can’t go to sleep now.” Sienna shook her head. “Jesus, I swear you guys just eat and sleep around here.”

His gaze narrowed. “And try to save the lives of a group of feral shifters.”

Guilt stabbed and she winced. “You’re right. God, I’m sorry, that was crass of me. Maybe I am a little tired. And stressed. But I still don’t think I can sleep.”

“Would you like to take a walk?”

Sienna blinked, surprised by the offer. Her options seemed to be staying locked in the house all day or walking chaperoned outside. And with Warrick and Quinton—both walks had been with the intent of interrogation. Just the idea of being grilled again exhausted her and if those were Agent Hilliard’s intentions she’d rather just sit her butt inside.

“If we do, I’m not going to answer any of your questions.”

Agent Hilliard grinned and waved his hand in dismissal. “Nah, I figure they’ve pretty much drained you in that department. I’ll leave the questioning to Quinton. If you want to go out and stretch your legs, I’ll take you for a walk. No pressure.”

You can’t trust anyone
. The voice inside her shrilled to life a sharp, paranoid reminder, but the idea of getting out of the house was so damn tempting. She hadn’t been outside since yesterday when she’d been down at the river with Warrick.

She narrowed her gaze at him and bit her lip, trying to decide if she could trust him. Then again, she’d been alone with agent Hilliard for the last three hours. If he’d intended her harm he probably would’ve done so by now.
Or maybe he’s taking you out into the woods to off you.

Oh God, she was way too paranoid. Maybe if they walked nearby…close enough for people to hear them if he tried anything.

“Come on. It’ll do you good.”

Shit. Was there a weapon around here she could grab? Some mace? A butter knife? Okay, maybe she’d just have to grab a rock on the trail.

“Oh, well…are you sure you don’t mind?”

“Hell, I could always use some time to stretch my legs. We’re active creatures, Sienna. Like to keep moving.”

She really
did
want to go outside. She’d just be ready to scream bloody murder if he made any suspicious movements.

“All right.” She gave a quick nod and stopped her pacing. “Getting outside would be nice.”

Hilliard straightened from the window and grinned. “There ya go. After you.”

Sienna debated grabbing a sweater—or that butter knife in the kitchen—but the way Hilliard seemed to be watching her every move, she knew he might get suspicious.

So instead she just headed out the front door with the agent right behind her. They stepped off the porch together and her gaze immediately sought out the barn. Inside she could make out the other agents working and hear their shouts as they struggled with the shifters.

Her throat tightened with a longing to go help. To see how the feral shifters were faring and if maybe there was something she could do. Dammit, she felt so helpless. Everyone told her to stay out of the way and that this was beyond her.

“There’s a trail this way I ran on earlier.”

The river was probably a few minutes into the woods. A little farther than she’d hoped, but close enough still that if she got into trouble…

“Sure.” She gave a swift nod and followed him onto the path. “So how long have you been with the P.I.A.?”

Her attempt at small talk was greeted with another soft laugh, but he shrugged good-naturedly. “Ten years about. Been here longer than some, not as long as most.”

“That’s a decade. Not too shabby, I’d say.” She glanced one last time at the barn and bit her lip.

Agent Hilliard followed her gaze and grimaced. “No use worrying about it, honey. The other agents have things under control. Well, as much as they can right now.”

“Do you know them? The feral shifters?”

He gave a slight nod and his forehead crinkled with worry. “One of them—the female—is an agent. The others I recognize from the community.”

“The female is an agent?” The realization sucked the breath right from her chest.

She hadn’t even considered the possibility that any of the ferals could’ve been Warrick’s fellow agents. It completely changed everything. Shed a new light on why everyone seemed so frantic and pissed off.

“Yeah. Grace. She’s still pretty green. Only been with the P.I.A. for a few months. Sweet girl, really. Ambitious.” He shook his head. “Everyone’s blaming themselves, trying to figure out how the hell she got into such a dangerous situation.”

Oh God. Sienna’s stomach clenched and she bit her lip. Maybe she should’ve told Warrick everything she knew from the get-go. But she’d been so terrified. And now the agents knew almost everything. Except for the jump drive. That was the one secret that was just too risky to share. Besides, it wasn’t as if the agents would have any clue what to do with the information on the drive anyway. She was a damn biochemist, the daughter of one of the sharpest scientific minds in the world, and even she couldn’t figure out the solution to helping the feral shifters. But her dad could. And once he was out here things would turn around pretty quickly.

“Are the tranquilizers at least giving them some peace?” she asked.

“They’re keeping’m drugged. Can’t say whether that’s peace or not.”

The guilt increased and she couldn’t help murmuring a husky, “I’m so sorry.”

“Well, if you’ve got no part in it, then why you apologizing?” He glanced at her, his gaze shrewd. “Unless there’s something you wanna confess to me?”

“I had nothing to do with their imprisonment. I’d swear it on my mother’s grave.”

He gave a sage nod and sighed. “I believe you. Not sure everyone else does, but I’m pretty sure you’re not jerking our chain.”

To hear even just one of the agents believed in her innocence sent such a big rush of relief through her. Lifted a weight from her chest. Warrick believed her to an extent, but he knew she was hiding something still. And he kept pushing. Which made her respect him and resent him all at the same time.

“Are you mated, Agent Hilliard?”

His dark gaze jumped to hers again, only this time his eyes were wide with amusement. “Are you coming on to me, Miss Peters?”

“No!” Her cheeks flamed with embarrassment. “I’m just curious as to how it all works. I mean, Warrick explained how shifters need to mate with other shifters. I was just wondering if you’ve settled down with one.”

“I have not. No. Working for the P.I.A. kind of puts a kink in a guy’s dating life.” He gave a small grin, but she noticed it didn’t quite reach his eyes. “All you need is the right girl, I suppose.”

“Right girl? You mean right shifter?”

He sobered and cleared his throat. “Exactly. We…our kind can’t be serious with humans. Not for the long run anyway. Not sure if Warrick told you.”

“He did.”

Hilliard nodded and thrust his hands into his pockets. “But you guys still have a thing for each other.”

It wasn’t a question, and Sienna hated that everyone in the damn house seemed to know there was something between her and Warrick. But then again how could they not know it? Warrick nearly growled at any man who came near her, had risked his career to save her life, and she guessed they could all probably tell Warrick had slept with her.

Her cheeks burned red just thinking about it and she cringed. Agent Hilliard glanced over at her and she knew he could probably figure out every thought running through her head right now. Or at least could make a good guess.

Still, it didn’t mean she had to admit to anything. Especially now that the sex stuff was over. They’d done it. And that door was closed. Was definitely
not
going to open again, so why bring it into the mix?

“Warrick and I have known each other since we were kids. We’re just good friends.”

“Hmm. That’s some kind of friendship.” The trail narrowed, making it too narrow for them to walk side by side. He gestured for her to go first.

Not having to look at him, it was easier to mutter, “It’s really none of your business anyway.”

“No, don’t suppose it is. I’ve just never seen Warrick like this. On the edge all the time. Looking like he could tear down a tree with his bare hands. It’s gotten worse over the last couple of days.”

“Well, you guys
are
dealing with a high-stress situation with the feral shifters.” Sienna scowled and stepped over a tree root that protruded in the middle of the trail.

“Doesn’t matter. Warrick’s one of the best agents in the P.I.A. He’s cool as a cucumber on missions—doesn’t matter how tense things get. This is different.” Hilliard sighed. “You’re different. You’ve gotten into his head and big time.”

“I’m sure it has nothing to do with me.” Still, her heart quickened at the possibility that maybe Warrick wasn’t so immune. That maybe he’d been thinking about their moment at the river as much as she had been.

“You can open up to me, Sienna. I’m the guy everyone confides in. Like a big therapeutic teddy bear. Great for advice. Trust me.”

She glanced over her shoulder in disbelief. His gaze danced with amusement and the sun that broke through the treetops cast shadows on his closely shaved dark head. Therapeutic teddy bear? The guy looked like he should be playing for the NBA, not hunting bad guys in a government agency.

“Yeah well, you’ll forgive me if I don’t want to treat you like my new BFF.”

“I figure you guys have slept together or are damn close to doing it,” Agent Hilliard prodded anyway. “But he’s backing off. Let me guess. Does he think you’ll get hurt?”