Trapped In Shadow (Shadow Walker Romance Series Book 4) (16 page)

“No!” Stacey wrenched away.
“Hugh! Where are you?”

Dasan reached for her. Stacey fell backwards and landed in the mist.

“I’m not going to let Hugh’s sacrifice end in your death.”
Dasan leaned over her, a scowl on his face. He reached for her again.

Stacey scrambled backwards.
She had to find Hugh, she had to!
She visualized the golden cord attached to his heart marking him as her mate. Everything inside her reached for him. The man she loved, who made her laugh and want to live a normal life. She pictured his face, his eyes. Dasan disappeared as the ground moved beneath her.

Stacey’s world shifted and Dasan and Nadezhda disappeared. What did she do? She struggled to rise. Nothing but blackness surrounded her. Where was she? Terror cramped her stomach. She was lost in Shadow, like Hugh. Wait. Hugh. The golden cord. She squinted and blinked. It came into sight, lighting the area around her.

It flowed from her chest and fell to the ground no more than five feet away from where she stood. The mist seemed to boil up over something where the cord touched the darkness. She hurried forward. Could it be? She dropped to her knees.

§

“Hugh! Where are you?”
bounced around in Hugh’s brain. He couldn’t think. The voice. He wanted to answer that voice. His mind was fuzzy. What happened?

He tried to take a breath. Pain slammed into him. He almost let it take him under again, but fought to hold to consciousness and the voice who called out to him. His back burned and felt sticky and stiff. The cold mist of Shadow relieved the fire. Shadow.

Everything poured into the emptiness of his mind, the plane, the bomb, Stacey. He tried to open his eyes, blinking, he couldn’t see with the black mist writhing around him. The bomb blew up the plane. He must have been thrown into Shadow. He lay face down upon the ground. His back felt on fire along with the top of his thighs. It hurt to breathe so several ribs might be broken. The hip he twisted felt mangled. He should be dead.

“Oh my god! Hugh.” Cold hands grabbed at his shoulders. He knew that voice.

He tried to answer. Only a moan came out.

§

He was alive! Stacey couldn’t see Hugh clearly between the darkness and the mist, but what she could see didn’t look good. His back was burned and one leg twisted strangely away from his body. She needed to get him help.

The potion! She reached into her pocket, thankful now that Dasan suggested she carry the bottle. She pulled out the cork and pressed the bottle to Hugh’s lips. Slowly, working together she got the contents in his mouth so he could swallow.

Now to get them back to the clinic, before they both froze. Afraid to move him, she gripped his shoulders, his head resting on her leg. His eyes were closed and she feared he’d slipped back into unconsciousness. She began to visualize the clinic. The long hall with doors that opened into treatment rooms. The bed and the equipment standing next to it, the counters and cabinets on one wall, then the tile floor and ceiling.

The ground shifted beneath them. The darkness moved and she looked out into the clinic through a wall of shadows. She didn’t want to release Hugh, but at least his head still touched her leg. She pressed her hands through the blackness and pulled them apart making a small opening. Then she leaned her head and shoulders out of Shadow and into the light.

“Help! Help me!” Stacey yelled.

Footsteps ran down the hall. Hands grabbed her. She blinked. Dasan and Dr. Rick stood over her. They began to pull on her.

“Wait. I have Hugh. He’s badly hurt.”

“Don’t move then. Let me see him,” Dr. Rick pulled the opening into Shadow wider and leaned in. He ran his hand down her body to Hugh. “I’ve got him. You can go through the portal.”

Stacey slid through into the clinic and quickly turned to help.

“We’ll get him. You’re in the way.” Dasan pushed her to the side and leaned into the entrance next to the doctor.

Stacey scrambled out of the way and sat with her back against the wall, her knees drawn up. She was so cold. Dasan’s words stung, but maybe he was right. She shivered. Nadezhda hurried over with a blanket and draped it around her shoulders.

“Thank goodness, you’re all right. We thought we’d lost both of you.”

Stacey clutched the blanket close, but when Dasan and the doctor appeared with Hugh carried between them, she stood forgetting its warmth. They carried him into one of the rooms. The old shaman rushed down the hall with two more bottles of healing potion in his hands. Alyona and Radu came from the waiting room. Nadezhda put the blanket back on her shoulders. Stacey tried to brush past her to get into the room, but her sister stopped her.

“Hugh!” She wanted to be with him.

“Stacey! You should let the doctor do his work. We’ve got to get you warmed up. You look as white as a ghost.” Nadezhda tried to hug her.

“I need him. Please, get out of my way.” Stacey brushed past her sister. “Please understand. I have to touch him.”

Nadezhda stepped back a look of hurt on her face. Stacey bit her lip. She’d have to apologize later. Right now, she needed Hugh. She rushed into the room.

“Let her go,” Radu said from the hallway. “They are linked. She can help him.”

The doctor carefully cut the material away from Hugh’s back and legs. On the far side of the bed the shaman helped Hugh drink the potions. Stacey grasped one of his hands, thankful when his fingers laced with hers. Slowly she sank into the chair Dasan put next to her.

“Connect with him telepathically through your link, Stacey. Hold him to the earth,” Dr. Rick said. The doctor shook his head. “How did he manage to keep his head from getting burned?”

Nadezhda squeezed Stacey’s shoulder when she winced at the doctor’s comment. “He’ll be all right.”

Stacey nodded. “I’m not telepathic, doctor. How do I link with him?”

“You are already linked with him through the golden cord of light,” Alyona said from the door. “Follow the golden light into his heart.”

Stacey nodded. She squinted to see the cord and pushed her awareness into the light, following it inside Hugh’s heart.

“Hello? Hugh?”

“Here, love. I’m still here.”
Hugh’s mental voice sounded weak. She grabbed at his words.

“Don’t leave me! Hugh, please don’t leave me.”
Stacey squeezed his hand, pouring all her love through the bond and into his heart.

There was a sudden flash of bright light. Even with her eyes closed, Stacey saw the flash. Everyone in the room gasped. Stacey opened her eyes to see what happened. Everyone stared at her. She looked at Hugh. His head turned toward her. He blinked and then a huge smile broke across his face. Their gazes locked. Stacey rose.

“Hey, beautiful.” Hugh brought her hand to his lips. “You’re amazing! Look.”

Hugh released her and pushed up to sit on the edge of the bed.

“Your back and leg!” Stacey cried out.

“It’s fine. All healed. Whatever you did sped up the healing potions Isanti fed me. My ribs don’t hurt, and look my hip looks great. I think you healed some of the scar tissue from when I was shot. Before I strip out of the rest of these clothes, come here.” Hugh held out his arms.

Stacey didn’t think. She jumped into his arms. Holding him, she ran her hands up and down his back feeling the smooth skin under her fingers. He pulled her closer until she was nestled between his thighs. Tears poured from her eyes. Hugh kissed her. First her mouth and then her cheek, tasting her tears.

She held him tighter unable to let go after nearing losing him. Hugh held her, his arms like steel bands.

“I’ve got you, baby. It’s okay. We’re okay,” Hugh murmured to her.

Stacey could hear whispered comments from the people in the room. She didn’t care. She’d found Hugh and was never letting him go.

Hugh ran his hands up and down her back and then into her hair, pulling her head back so he could kiss her again. His mouth devoured hers and she wanted nothing less. She fought him for dominance, nipping at his lip, sucking on his tongue. She grabbed his face in her hands. Kissing and licking, she tilted her head, so she could push deeper into his mouth.

His hands traveled down her back to her butt and he palmed her cheeks before pulling her tighter against the bulge in his pants. Heat pooled between her legs.

Someone cleared their throat in the room. Stacey froze. She’d forgotten they had an audience.

“I’m sure between the potions, and whatever magic your wife used, you are healed. But as your doctor, I really need to take a look at you and verify that fact,” Dr. Rick said. Hugh slowly leaned back and kissed Stacey on the nose.

Stacey let her hands fall from his face and down his back. She rested her head on his shoulder. Hugh wrapped on arm around her waist and pulled her slightly to the side, so she could see the room. Everyone had left, except Dr. Rick.

“Sorry, Dr. Rick. I got carried away. I still haven’t made love to my new wife.”

“As soon as we check you out, you can get back to that. Right now, I need you to release her and get out of those tattered clothes.” Stacey stepped out of Hugh’s embrace. He kept her hand clasped in his.

“Sure. Give me a second here.” Hugh kissed her knuckles before reaching for the sterling silver buttons on his shirt.

§

Hugh couldn’t take his eyes off Stacey. He’d thought he’d never see her again. She devoured him with her gaze, something bright and potent in her eyes. She wanted him and he wanted her, the sooner the better. He struggled to remove the ruined shirt. She quickly took over, pushing the sleeves from his arms. She nudged the fabric away from him letting it rest on the bed.

She reached for the buttons on his leather pants, but he stilled her busy fingers.

“If you don’t stop, I’m pretty sure Dr. Rick is going to get an eyeful. I can do it.”

Hugh rose from the bed and finished the job, pushing the leather pants down his legs. He stepped out of his boots and pants. Then peeled off his socks. Stacey ran her fingers over his shoulder and then down to his hip.

“All of the scaring is gone. I can’t believe it.”

Hugh cupped her cheek. “You healed me, sweetheart. You and the healing potions, Isanti gave me. You healed my body to what it was before the shooting that made me retire. Isanti’s healing potions didn’t do that. You did.”

“I don’t even know how I did it, but I’m so glad you’re okay.”

“I am so much more than okay and as soon as the doctor is done with me, I’m going to show you how much.”

§

Stacey hurried down the hall to Hugh’s apartment. She trembled with need. He fumbled with the key and then the door opened and he pulled her inside. Unable to wait a moment more, she reached for the scrubs they’d lent him in the clinic after the doctor finished examining him.

Slipping her hands underneath the cotton shirt, she caressed his chest. He grabbed it and ripped the top off over his head.

“Stacey,” he hissed. “You’re driving me crazy.”

Her hands moved down to his pants pushing them off his hips. He stepped out of his boots and let the pants fall to the floor. She rubbed her face against his chest. His skin smelled of fir trees and musk. She began to kiss each ridge.

Hugh opened her silk shirt and pushed the blouse off her shoulders. Stacey let her arms fall backwards so the garment would slip off.

“Hurry! I want you inside me.” Stacey needed this more than she needed to breathe.

If he didn’t hurry, she would climb him and take what she wanted. She continued to kiss and nip at his pecks and neck as he undid the buttons of her leather pants. She toed off her boots. Hugh pushed the pants to the floor.

He paused as he knelt looking up at her, warming her with his gaze. Then he grabbed her hips and buried his face between her legs. The first lick of his tongue made her shudder. She cried out and grabbed onto his head. Her knees went weak and she wasn’t sure she could remain standing.

He licked at her clit. Tonguing the little bundle of nerves to drive her wild, but she was already wild. She tugged at his hair trying to get him to move up. He refused to budge and ran his hands down her legs and pulled them apart before lifting one over his shoulder. Her body began to tremble. She lost the ability to think, swimming in the pleasure of his lovemaking.

“Hugh…” Stacey called out a warning. She would fall.

Hugh slipped from under her leg and rose, scooping her up in his arms. He carried her into the bedroom and followed her onto the bed.

She reached for him pulling him closer. He kissed her, while his hands massaged her breasts. Stacey moaned into his mouth. Hugh kissed her jaw and nibbled her ear. She ran her hands from his shoulders, down his back using her nails to add to the sensation. In another moment, she would combust. She couldn’t wait.

“Hugh. Inside me. Now.”

Hugh chuckled. “As you wish.” The reference to one of their favorite movies wasn’t lost on her, but all thought fled when he slammed into her.

God he was huge. He filled her completely. Her insides burned and pulsed around him. Stacey pushed up her hips to take him deeper. Why wasn’t he moving?

“Look at me,
tehila.
I want to see your eyes, wife.”

Stacey blinked her eyes open, drowning in the heated dark chocolate color of his eyes. He leaned forward and kissed her on the nose.

“I love you. Always.”

“I love you too,” Stacey whispered.

Hugh’s tender expression changed to something hard and fierce. He began to piston his hips. Pushing deep and then pulling back. Over and over, he filled her.