Page 35 of Hunting Savage
Jenna gasped, placing her hand over her heart in a dramatic pose that Aurora knew meant the female did indeed read their minds.Shit, she really needed to learn how to do that, too.
“Well, care to share with the rest of the class?”
“I’ll let you handle that as long as you pinky swear you’re not going to kill any of them.”Jenna held out her pinky toward Savage.Her mates pulled her arm down, but she shook them off.“Hey, you can’t break a pinky promise, and you can’t make a pinky promise if you don’t in fact use your pinky.”
Aurora couldn’t help but laugh as the tiny female rolled those beautiful eyes.She’d always felt small, or fun-sized as she liked to call herself, but next to Jenna, she actually felt tall.
“Oh, I like that.Totally gonna use the term fun-size from here on out.So, whatcha say, vamp?”
“My name is Savage, not vamp, Fey.Fine, I pinky swear.”He reached forward with his large pinky finger extended.
Aurora bit her bottom lip to keep from giggling as Jenna crooked her own little finger around Savage’s, then jerked their hands up and down.The female actually moved Savage’s entire arm with her strength, making his body move forward with Aurora in front of him.They stumbled, but he caught them before they fell into the trio and Starla.
“See, it’s sealed.All right, we are outta of here.Give me a holler and don’t forget to be honest with her about them.”Jenna nodded toward the male shifters.“She’ll make you bleed if you FAFO,” Jenna whisper-yelled the last bit.
When the four of them disappeared, Aurora shuddered.She searched for the link to Starla, letting out a sigh as the connection solidified.
“Alright, spill before you release them from your hold, or thrall.Why did they take my sister, and why were they willing to kill me if it got them her to give to you?”
“I fucking forgot they thought they’d killed you.Fuck me.I swear, that Fey is a tricky little bitch.”
“Hey, don’t call her names.”Aurora paced away from Savage, coming to stand in front of the youngest-looking male.She moved to the next and worked her way from one to the other, wishing again for the ability to read their minds.Finally, she stopped in front of the male who’d ordered her death.He had empty eyes, unlike the others.
“He’s the one who told them to kill you,” Savage said.His voice sounded like he’d chewed gravel and torn up his vocal chords.
“Yeah.Staring at these males, they all appear to have souls, except him.There’s something...I don’t know.Like darkness in him.”
“No shit.It takes a dark soul to order death on an innocent female.You have no clue the things I’ve done, Vita Mea.I hate the thought of you looking at me the way you just did at that male if you saw the shit I’ve done.”He walked to a bar that sat in the corner of the room and lifted a glass decanter filled with golden liquid.
“Can I have a shot of what you’re drinking?”she asked.Her hands shook almost as hard as her knees as she walked the distance to where he stood pouring them both drinks.His large hands were tattooed and scarred, but they’d been gentle when they’d touched her.
“Do you like bourbon, baby?”he asked, passing one of the glass tumblers to her.He lifted the other in the air.“Sip, don’t slam, Vita Mea.”
She sniffed the contents, shuddering at the smell.“No bottoms up?”
He smiled.“The only bottoms up will be yours over my lap.”Savage tapped his glass to hers, then took a sip.
She licked her lips, then brought the glass up and let a small bit of liquid fill her mouth.The sweet, nutty aroma, with notes of caramel, vanilla, and oak, surprised her.
“This is one of my favorite bourbons.Rip Van Winkle has a fruity, medium to full-bodied profile, with intense dried fruit, toasted nuts, and a robust, peppery brown spice.Some say the finish is long and bold, with charred barrel flavors and a hint of floral honey.I just say I like what I like, so I don’t mind paying the ten grand per bottle.”
She coughed, unable to comprehend his casualness when talking about spending that kind of cash on a bottle of liquor.“Have you lost your damn mind?”She wiped the back of her hand across her mouth.
“Some may say that.”He swallowed the last of his drink and motioned for her to do the same.
Aurora looked at the bit of liquid left in her glass.She brought it to her lips and drank, letting out a sigh followed by a small burp.“Excuse me.”
“So, want to know why they took your sister?”he asked, motioning toward the males with his empty glass.
She set the tumbler down and ran her hands down the sides of her legs.“Yeah.Just spit it out and let me process it all at once.Wait,” she yelled, spinning to face Savage.“Is what you’re going to tell me going to make me hate you or want to, like, gouge your eyes out?”
“Female, you have the most insane imagination.I had no involvement in their actions.Nothing I tell you will put me in a poorer light than I should already be in.These morons made their stupid plan with no input from me or my clan.”
She let out a deep breath.Shaking out her arms, she nodded.“Okay, then hit me with it.”
