Tempting The Beast Read Online Free PDF Page A

hell out of here.”
    Merinus felt the soft seat, fought to pull herself onto it despite the hands that lifted her tenderly, if quickly into it.
    “Get started now.” The rough order was given from whoever jumped in next to her and slammed the door closed.
    “What the hell is she doing out here anyway?” a female voice demanded as the motor of the truck fired up and the quick lurch and rough jerking of the vehicle signaled the speed the driver had pulled out with.
    Breathing easier now, Merinus raised her head and stared into the most electrifying, golden colored eyes she had ever seen. A gasp escaped her lips, and then to her profound humiliation and distress, she felt darkness closing slowly over her.
    “I’m gonna faint…” Darkness closed over her, soft and inviting as she slumped against Callan’s chest.
     
    * * * * *
    “Shit.” Callan cradled her close to his chest with one arm while he braced himself with the other.
    He was still fucking shaking. He couldn’t help but clutch her against him, his cheek pressed against her head as he thanked God over and over that he had gotten to her in time. What the hell was she doing up there? There was nothing but broken cliffs and wilderness for miles in every direction. He knew she was desperate to find the track into his driveway, but surely she had enough sense to know it wasn’t up there.
    “Hey, look at this.” Sherra extended a piece of paper to him as she fought to move the vehicle quickly down the mountain. “Where are we taking her? Your place or her room?”
    “Her room.” Callan took the paper from her hand, glancing at the scribbled directions written on it. “Where the hell did she get this?”
    He met Sherra’s gaze in the rear view mirror.
    “Looks like the boys are wanting to play, Callan,” she said softly. “They’ve seen you with her, know she’s searching for you.”
    A tool. That’s all she had been to them. A means of taunting him, of taking something they thought he wanted. He hadn’t been careful enough. Somehow, he had let the bastards see his interest in her. He lifted her into his lap, holding her closer, absorbing the shock of the jeep bouncing over the rutted road to protect her from it. She was so light in his arms, her body delicate and small against his taller, broader length.
    He inhaled her scent, fighting to ignore the hard throb of his erection beneath his jeans, the desire to caress her skin with his lips. He contented himself with rubbing his cheek against the silk of her hair. A soft, peaches and cream scent lingered in it, as it did on her skin. Tempting him. He always had been partial to peaches in any form.
    “Callan, what are you going to do?” Sherra pressed him.
    Merinus was in danger now, they both knew it.
    “Put Dayan on watch for her,” he told her. “She doesn’t know him. Tell him to stay as close as possible, just in case. Have him call me if trouble comes around her.”
    “Trouble doesn’t have to find her, she finds it, evidently,” Sherra remarked.
    Callan smiled, his fingers rubbing over Merinus’ arm softly. She didn’t back down much, he had to give her that. She was stubborn as hell, but he didn’t consider that a good trait in this case.
    “She still out of it?” Sherra asked worriedly.
    “Yeah. So hurry and get to that damned motel before her nosy ass wakes up. We’ll be in for it good if you don’t.”
    He could just imagine her pleasure, which wouldn’t be mutual, to find herself in his arms right now. Not to mention the damned questions that would come pouring out of her mouth. She was just waiting on the chance to lay into him, and he wasn’t too eager to give it to her. It was coming. He knew the only way to avoid her would be to leave the county again. Something he was going to do soon anyway to lure the damned soldiers away before they learned about the whole Pride. As far as the Council knew, the others had died in that damned explosion more than ten years ago. He