1
NEVER
Damp leaves slapped my face. Branches clawed at my clothes and scraped against my skin as I ran for all I was worth. My heart was beating so hard I could feel it in my throat, in my fingers, in the tips of my ears.
When I thought I’d run far enough, I paused and held my breath, ignoring my screaming lungs as I listened for any sign of my pursuer.Did I finally lose him?
A twig snapped in the darkness of the cursed tropical forest.
Fuck.
I closed my eyes and tried to focus my attention and energy on the beach. “Come on,” I panted. “I can do this.”
A split second later, the air around me changed.Success!
I opened my eyes, and sure enough, I’d managed to flash, just not far enough to escape. My footprints where I’d stopped were right there, a few worthless yards away.
The hair on the back of my neck shot to attention, but it was already too late. A big hand landed on my shoulder, pulling an involuntary yelp out of me. I wrenched free and flashed again, the wild power leaking out of me without any direction.
A silent sigh of relief slipped out when I realized I’d landedjust a few yards away again. Rather than waiting to see if he spotted me, I flashed again and again, each time inching further and further from him.
I had no idea where I was. No way to get my bearings without revealing my location. But if I could get to the beach and reorient myself, I might stand a chance.
When the flashing created too much of a drain on my power, I ran, racing through the trees in the general direction of the beach. At least, that was the direction my gut was telling me to run.
The sound of boots thumping against the damp ground behind me chased me every step of the way.
How the hell does he keep finding me?
I ducked behind a large yellow fern and pictured the beach. The white sand, the gently lapping waves. I tried to imagine the feel of the cool breeze on my heated skin. Then I gathered the energy inside me and flashed again.
When I opened my eyes, I almost let out a whoop. I didn’t quite make it to my goal, technically, but I could see it from where I was crouched in the shadows of the foliage. A second later, Hook appeared, his boots sinking into the sand as he scanned the beach and the tree line.
The moment his eyes met mine, even in the shadows, I forgot how to breathe. Despite the blinding light of the midday sun, it was all too easy to see the ring of amber light rimming his irises.
He couldn’t possibly see me from there, could he?
His eyes narrowed, kicking my pulse up a notch. Which was saying something since I already felt like I might die of a heart attack.
I blinked. That was all. A nanosecond delay, but it was enough. Hook’s arms wrapped around me from behind likesteel bands. I bucked and twisted, but damn him, he didn’t give me an inch.
So, I did the only thing I could and flashed again. I had no idea where I was going. All I knew was that I needed to break free of his hold.
Shade engulfed me again, but he was still there, still holding me tight. “Nice try,” he whispered in my ear. “You should know by now that there’s nowhere you can run that I won’t find you.”
“Yeah?” I panted, fighting to ignore the shiver those threatening words sent tearing through me. “Well, try this on for size.” I flashed once more, imagining someplace cold.
Did I think it would work? Not a chance. Apparently, neither did Hook, because when the ground beneath our feet morphed into a snowy hillside, we both went down.
His grip loosened as we tumbled through soft white powder. Down. Down. I slid the last few feet and scrambled for purchase, only to get yanked backward by an iron grip on my ankle. Hook somehow managed to haul me under him and flip me at the same time, and when my head stopped spinning, he was straddling my hips with that gorgeous, irresistible smirk looming over me.
He licked his lips like a predator getting ready to devour its dinner. “Do you yield?”
I shook my head, and his responding growl reverberated in my bones.
“Then tell me, love: How do you plan on getting out of this little predicament?”
Could he tell how tired I was? This much flashing, then dragging him along for two of those short trips, was eating up my energy fast. But I still had something left in the reserve tank. I leaned up and planted a hard kiss on his lips. He kissed me back just as hard, our teeth clashing as his hand came up and cupped the side of my face to hold me in place.
