Primal Heat 05 - Darkness Reborn

room, impatient to get the men back on track. "That's our only chance. They'll keep hunting me otherwise, and I'm all that's holding that river open right now." She looked at Kane, Ryland and Thano, who were exactly what she was trying to defend against. They were massive, much larger than those who hunted in her woods, but they were the same race. How could they resist the allure of whatever it was that took the Akara men? "We need to stop them at the source. We need to find out what is turning them and destroy it. It's our only chance."
    "I like mysteries." Thano was sweeping his blade over the doorframe, as if he were using it to sharpen the edge of his halberd. "I'm in." He jammed the blade into the floor and grinned at the guys. "Let's go kick some ass, shall we?"
    Ryland grinned. "I'm in. I still owe them for almost taking us out a couple weeks ago."
    Sarah noticed that Kane said nothing. He looked directly at Nonny. "How old are you?"
    Nonny's eyebrows shot up. "Why is it that everyone seems to think I've got age issues now? Did my eye cream suddenly stop working?"
    "Nonny, you're the hottest firecracker I've ever seen," Thano said. "You don't need any eye cream, sweetheart."
    Nonny winked at him, "Keep it up, young man, and you'll find out exactly how much pep there is in this old girl."
    "Were you present during Los Muerte's attack?" Kane asked, not taking his attention off Nonny.
    Sarah frowned. "Of course not. She's not immortal..." Then her voice trailed off when she saw the gleam of anticipation on Nonny's face. "Nonny?"
    Nonny laughed softly. "I am highly offended that either of you think I'm that old." She raised her brows. "And yes, I was there."
    Sarah stared at her grandmother. "But you're not immortal—"
    "No? Don't make judgments, young lady—"
    Kane leaned forward, his voice urgent. "Was it me? Am I Los Muerte? Am I the danger that's going to bring this village down?""
    Nonny's eyebrows shot up. "Why are you asking me? You know the answer to that question."
    Kane swore. "I don't remember anything—"
    "Of course you do. Everything you've ever lived is inside you. You know exactly who you used to be, and who you are now. It's your choice to decide when you're ready to know."
    "I don't remember a damned thing."
    "You can't erase what's in your mind, boy. You just have to decide you want to hear it." Nonny stood up. "Come on, Sarah. We need to get you out of here. There's no need for you to spend the night in the village and endanger yourself. Let the boys do their thing."
    Kane blocked the door "No," he said fiercely. "Sarah stays."
    Sarah frowned. "I can't stay here. They know I'm here and they'll come get me. Without Jacob to track me, I can hide outside the village—"
    "And if they do find you outside the village, who will protect you?"
    "My brother is the only one who can find me, and he's dead—"
    "He's not dead."
    Sarah went still, and Nonny sucked in her breath. "What?" Sarah had suspected her brother might have survived when she'd realized that she and Kane hadn't done the death stage of the bond, but she hadn't dared to hope it was true, not when Jacob had failed to reappear. She'd simply tried to focus on keeping herself strong so that his death and betrayal couldn't kill her as well. But now... "He's really alive?" Joy leapt in her heart for her brother, at the same moment that fear trickled through her for the assassin he was planning to be.
    "He's not dead. He's unconscious. They're keeping him at the mansion until they can figure out how to hold him. The minute he wakes up, he'll find you, won't he?" Kane's eyes flashed the challenge, and Sarah closed her eyes as rekindled fear simmered through her.
    Kane was right.
    She opened her eyes and looked at her grandmother. Nonny's face was grim, but at the same time, there was a glimmer of hope. As long as Jacob was alive, they might be able to save him. Resolution poured through Sarah, and she clenched her fists. "All right," she said, "I'm staying." But she knew there was no hiding. If Jacob was alive, he could teleport right into the house, right past the lights. There was nowhere safe to hide from Jacob. The only man who could keep her safe was Kane, which meant that when he went hunting tonight, she had to go with him. "This has to end tonight. I can't keep this up."
    Nonny set her hands on her hips. "How is it going to end? What ends tonight?"
    Sarah took a deep breath. "Tonight they... we... are going to follow them home and find