A Shadow's Embrace Read Online Free PDF Page B

him.  
    Wait. She’d intended to stay here, have his back. That’s what a team did. Right? The warmth curled closer, edging out the doubt. No. Arguing wasted valuable time.  
    Something snapped her determination like a rubber band. One minute, it was there, and the next she didn’t care. She blinked, staring at Dare and Mia as she tried to figure out why staying mattered. Why not do as Dare said? He was more trained than her, knew more about situations like these. And if Dagan wasn’t arguing, why should she?  
    Huh.  
    Wait. She’d been really determined, yet she’d just changed her mind easily. But why? The last time she’d experienced such a sudden shift in thoughts, someone had tweaked her mind with their powers. Hell, no. Dagan was messing with her. She turned and punched his arm. “Damn you. Don’t fuck with my head, you son of a bitch.”  
    He met her gaze, and she tumbled into the warm, dark depths. Jesus, he was gorgeous. Molten sin. The psychic battle lasted a few more moments before mental exhaustion plagued her. Fine. She’d cede to his will. This time. Staying here would be stupid anyway. She wasn’t stupid enough to think she could win a war with Dare and Dagan.  
    “Go, Dare. I’ve got this.” Dagan’s voice settled within her mind, a warm, soothing presence that somehow pressed the numbing fear aside. “Wrap your arm around me, little one. I’ve got you.”  
    She embraced the comforting strength around her and trudged alongside him. They moved silently for what seemed like forever. Weariness plagued her mind. Thinking proved impossible. Dagan suddenly moved faster, as though in a hurry. She fought the fatigue to step up her pace. The walls shook around them, and fire erupted to their right.  
    The aftershock imploded the control Dagan had taken of her mind. The warmth in her mind vanished, the thick blanket of apathy dissipated. What the hell? Anger kept her silent as they sprinted through the narrow tunnel that served as the emergency exit.  
    “How dare you?” She shook off the dregs of mindlessness and whirled around, determined to return to Dare, to the compound. He grabbed her by the waist and hauled her against him.  
    “We’re almost out. Look around. It’s too late to go back.”  
    The metal lined corridor pulsated with fiery heat. The charges had been detonated.  
    “That doesn’t make sense. They weren’t out yet.”  
    Dagan’s arm tightened around her waist. “I don’t think they meant to set it off.”  
    No. Her throat burned from the fierce scream of denial.  
    Dare. Cadence. Mia. Rider. Someone, please. Are you okay?  
    “Don’t. Conver has the strongest telepaths in existence.”  
    They were moving, but in the wrong direction. Fighting to return, search for her team, she pulled away from him, clawing at the tight grip he had around her waist. She dragged her feet along the concrete floor and grabbed at the passing walls. Flames shot toward them, flinging fiery shrapnel their direction.  Dare and Mia were back there. She had to get to them. The corridor heated as the fire spread its evil manacles along the exit Dagan was hauling her down.  
    “Let me go. I won’t leave them! Damn you, I won’t leave them.” She grabbed at the walls, now heated by the advancing inferno threatening to envelop them. Why wouldn’t he let her go? She had to help Dare. Kicking, she bit back the pained cries in her throat as her fingers burned from their impact against the hot surface.  
    She kicked and grunted, wriggled and punched at the steely grasp around her waist. Cool air trailed along her skin as he carried them out the exit. No. She couldn’t leave her team. Not until she knew they were okay.  
    “Easy, Devyn. We’ve gotta get out of here. We’re meeting with Dare and Mia soon, remember?”  
    The confidence in his tone eased her worry somewhat. Why didn’t she have that confidence in her team? Dare was a fierce telekinetic. They had to be okay.