Trio of Seduction. Cassie Ryan
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with a vengeance. “Describe the general location of the portal point to me.”
“It’s just next to a small pond with many ducks. There is a natural clearing near it with ankle high grasses and a natural stream. I had to walk through the forest for about five minutes from there to reach the main road.”
A mental map of the area formed inside Kiera’s mind, and she knew the “pond” he referred to was Kinnikinick Lake. There were a few possibilities as to the road, depending on which side of the half-mile-wide lake he emerged from. “Was the road you found paved or dirt?”
“Paved.”
Crap. That ruled out only two sides of the lake.
“Close to the portal are two pine trees with twined trunks. There were orange strips of cloth tied to them.”
Relief and excitement burned through her. She knew those trees and had seen those strips of orange the hunters left to mark the area. Her gaze scanned the moonlight-dappled scenery that bumped and sped by as she tried to get a fix on exactly where they were now and how best to get them to where they needed to go.
The front of the Humvee dipped into a large ravine, and she gripped the door and dash, grateful her seatbelt held her in place. When they reached the bottom of the ravine and started up the other side, gravity pushed her back against the seat just as another blue beam of energy engulfed the Humvee.
Sparks flew from the dash panels, and the smell of burning electrical wires filled the car.
Kiera coughed as the acrid smoke filled her lungs. Icy fingers of panic crawled down her spine.
She shielded her face with her arms as the sparks continued to fly from the dash panels.
Sparks hit her arms like dozens of angry ant bites, and she yelped.
Her fingers groped for the button to roll down the window. When she found it, she jabbed it so hard she was surprised the small lever didn’t break off in her hand.
One tense moment later, the window shakily complied with a high-pitched whine. The crisp night air stole the acrid smoke from the cab of the Humvee, and she leaned toward the open window and breathed deep.
Ryan slammed on the gas, and somehow the Humvee made it to the top of the hill and sped forward, leaving their followers to fight their way out of the ravine.
After mouthing a silent thanks to the universe that the Humvee was still running, she spared a quick glance backward and then turned to Ryan. “I should be driving. Switch with me.”
“What?” His eyes left the road long enough for them to hit several large bumps that made her nervous.
“Watch the road!” When he complied, she huffed out a breath and restated the obvious, while she held on through the bumps and twists of the road. “I know the surrounding area and can’t shoot energy beams. You can, I assume, shoot energy beams and don’t know where we’re trying to go.” She stared at the side of his face, daring him to disagree, although the effect was most likely lost since he was staring straight ahead. “I should be driving, it just makes more sense. If you want some extra firepower to distract any humans in their group, there’s a duffel under the hatchback floor. Switch with me.”
Not bothering to wait for his approval, she unhooked her seatbelt and laid her seat down into a reclining position to give him room to maneuver his bigger frame when they switched. She gripped the steering wheel with her left hand and slipped her leg over his and onto the gas pedal. When he reluctantly moved his foot from the gas, she lifted her butt off the seat and slid it onto his thigh.
“This would be much more interesting if we weren’t being chased by a team of assassins,” Ryan said against her ear through gritted teeth.
Gooseflesh from his hot breath against her sensitive skin marched down her neck.
Now was not an ideal time to allow herself to become distracted.
He moved out from under her, and she slid into the driver’s seat, lifting her butt again so he could retrieve his left leg.
Kiera snapped her seatbelt into place and spared a quick glance for Ryan, who was had already climbed into the backseat. “Hold tight, and try not to land on the cat.” She zigzagged through the forest, careful to avoid fallen logs and ravines, while keeping the gas pedal as close to the floorboards as possible without crashing. The Humvee definitely didn’t handle like her PT Cruiser, and it took her a several minutes to get used to driving the larger vehicle through forest terrain.
“Bollocks, what don’t you have in this bag?” Ryan’s voice held grudging respect rather than censure.
Apparently he had found her stash of weapons. She heard a thud as he transferred them to the backseat. When no offended feline screech ripped through the car, she knew the bag hadn’t landed on Shiloh. If she had any doubts, they were dispelled when the cat jumped into the front passenger seat and then plopped down on his stomach and dug his claws into the leather upholstery.
“I don’t see them behind us anymore. Keep an eye out—” Ryan’s words were cut off when a large truck careened out of the forest and directly into their path.
A spurt of fear crashed over her like a tidal wave.
She turned the wheel hard.
Twigs and dirt hit the underside of the Humvee like an explosion as the tires spun and then finally caught.
The back quarter panel of the Humvee slammed into the nose of the truck.
Kiera’s head smashed against the side window, and she cried out as pain blossomed across her temple.
Sounds of crunching metal filled her ears even as the world swam precariously in front of her.
She stomped on the gas and the Humvee shot forward.
The screech of tree branches scratching metal blended with the loud crack of snapping tree limbs and shattering safety glass.
“Kiera!”
She blinked furiously, realizing that she had nearly blacked out. A grouping of trees stood directly in their path, and she couldn’t seem to get the message to her arms to turn the wheel.
Ryan reached over the front seat and turned the wheel hard to the right.
The Humvee responded but clipped the trees on the driver’s side as they narrowly missed the head-on collision.
“Let up on the gas. Pull over here, and turn off the lights.”
Her slow-moving brain didn’t argue, which should have told her how injured she was. Instead, she followed his instructions.
When she put the car into park, Ryan reached over her to shut off the lights, his warm hand resting on her shoulder. “Grab the cat and get out.” Shiloh’s warm body was thrust into her arms.
“Don’t forget the gun duffel and my backpack,” she said in his general direction before she pushed open the door and stepped out into the chilly night. It was stupid, but those two bags were the last links she had to her father—other than the heavy ball of fur in her arms.
As the cold night closed around her, she shivered, and her nipples tightened into hard nubs against her thin lacy bra as the overwhelming smell of pine filled her senses. The thin material of her T-shirt was little protection against the frigid night breeze swirling through the forest. Shiloh curled tight against her stomach, and she held him closer, enjoying what little pulsing heat he offered.
She glanced up, surprised to find Ryan standing in front of her. “Shit. I’m losing time.” The logical part of her brain told her she most likely had a concussion and needed to get to a hospital soon. The rest of her wanted to giggle and then lie down and take a nap.
Ryan captured her chin between his fingers, and the warmth of his skin burned through her, clearing her thoughts and making her frown.
“Arousal should not override the effects of a concussion.” Her