Phantom Wolf. Bonnie Vanak

chin. “A little shakiness is nothing to be ashamed of.”

      The slow stroke of his thumb brought a different weakness. Tendrils of desire shot through her blood.

      As his gaze zeroed in on her mouth, her lips instinctively parted. A seductive glint danced in his eyes. Those beautiful, sleepy hazel eyes could coax her into anything. He could lure her into his bedroom with a mere glance.

      A slow exhale of breath as he stared at her mouth. The want intensified into aching need. Kelly moistened her mouth, aware of his smoldering hunger. She leaned forward, her mind clouded with erotic promise.

      Lifting her chin, she parted her lips as he lowered his head toward her.

      She wanted his touch badly, wanted his strong arms encircling her in a comforting embrace that promised all would be well.

      “I want to kiss you again, just like before, when we made love until we were both sweaty and exhausted and spent, and then did it all over again,” he said hoarsely.

      Her gaze lifted to the silky strands of his hair she’d loved to run her fingers through. Sam stroked a single finger down her right cheek. Holding her hands out like a shield, Kelly stepped back. This hurt so much. “I can’t, Sam. Please.” Her voice cracked. “Don’t do this. We have too much between us. Let me have the memories of how it was. They’re all I have left of us.”

      The moment shattered. This man had the power to hurt her badly. She had none. And eventually he would hurt her, because they no longer were on the same side.

      His broad shoulders stiffened as he turned away. “What the hell do you want from me, Kelly?”

      “Take your teammates and find the missing children before the Arcanes kill them. Stop the slaughter before it starts. Not for me, but for the innocents who will get hurt if this goes down.”

      “I’ll notify my superior. Curt’s cool. He’s Mage and I trust him.”

      Not good enough. “I trust you, Sam. Not some military commander who’s bound by regulations. You have influence.”

      “My life’s with the team now. It’s not just me, Kelly. It’s all of my team. I have to follow orders.” Cool, clipped words from a man who’d turned from fire into ice.

      “You never did before. You were a maverick,” she whispered. “What happened?”

      White bracketed the lines of his full mouth. “Your father.”

      Silence draped between them. Kelly’s chest felt tight. “I can’t undo what happened, Sam. I wish I could. All I can do is go forward and try to eliminate future threats.”

      Sam turned toward the window. “You have proof? The email?”

      “It’s back at my office. All I have is my word. And what I know.” She touched her cheek, still warm from his touch.

      “I’ll do what I can.”

      The military had entrenched Sam in order and discipline. A knife twisted inside her heart. Her former lover was distant and aloof, as if they’d never known each other.

      “Thank you,” she said quietly. “It’s a risk for you, and I appreciate it.”

      Sam stared out the kitchen window. “If this is running as deep as you say, you’re walking into a minefield. They labeled you a child snatcher and broadcast your photo. Perfect fodder to draw away attention from the real threat. It’s standard battle strategy. Your enemy finds a weak spot and strikes.”

      A terrible suspicion surfaced. “Can I use your computer?”

      The paneled, elegant study featured an array of complicated electronic equipment. After Sam powered up the PC, Kelly pulled up the Facebook page for Sight Finders. Her throat went dry as sand. Sam bent over to see the screen and muttered a curse.

      “They didn’t waste time.”

      Postings on the wall included hateful messages claiming Kelly’s nonprofit was a front for child smuggling. She turned away, sucked in a trembling breath and fumbled for her cell.

      Carl, her director, was brief. “Jesus, Kelly, they’ve launched a war against us. The whole damn government is seizing our files, taking our hard drives, saying we’re child traffickers.”

      He lowered his voice. “They took your laptop. They claim our office in Honduras is a front for smuggling children and selling them.”

      Her mouth dry, she managed to ask, “Did you get an IP address on the anonymous email?”

      “Some internet café in D.C. I locked away the hard copy of the email. But what does it matter? No one will believe us.”

      Heart pounding, she spat out the emergency phrase. “The wolf’s in the barn.”

      Carl would alert the others, and they’d go deep underground.

      She thumbed off the phone and looked at Sam. “Got a disposal in that nice kitchen of yours? I have to get rid of this phone before they use it to track me down.”

      Sam took the cell, flipped it into the fireplace and flung out his hands. A burst of white energy shattered the phone and ignited the logs.

      She gave a shaky grin. “A fire. Very cozy and romantic. Wish I could stay, but I’m afraid if they find me here, it’ll ruin the mood.”

      Sam followed her into the kitchen as she grabbed her pack. “I’m the target of a witch hunt.”

      “No, you’re the target of a Mage hunt.” He rubbed a hand over his chin, lines of tension bracketing his mouth. “Look, Kel, lie low. Stay out of sight.”

      “I promised my team I’d get those kids out of Honduras. I won’t break a promise.”

      Sam touched her cheek. “I don’t break promises, either. And I made one to you, long ago. I’ll do whatever I can to keep you safe, Kelly Denning. You know what they’ll do to you.”

      His jaw tensed to granite.

      She knew what he meant. The gray, lonely asylum where many Arcanes had been confined…those thought to be seditious and deemed a danger to Mage society. Locked away behind bars…

      Never. I’ll die first.

      “Your team can save them, Sam. Talk to your commander, have him send a team of SEALs to rescue the children.”

      His expression shuttered. “He’d have to go through proper channels and first determine Elemental children are missing.”

      Red tape, delays. “It would take too long.”

      “There are rules. We have to work within the system.” Sam lightly gripped her shoulders. “I’m more concerned about you.”

      She was alone. Kelly’s throat tightened.

      “I don’t need you to take care of me. I need you to convince your superiors of the truth.”

      Someone banged hard on the front door. Kelly jumped. Blue and red lights flashed outside, stroking over the bushes and the house next door. He muttered a curse.

      “I knew Tom wouldn’t let this go.”

      Another hard pounding. “Chief Shaymore, open up,” a deep voice called out. “I’m with the security division of the Council of Mages. We need to question you about Kelly Denning.”

      Sam snagged a set of keys from a peg in the kitchen. “I’ll hold them off. Take the trail in the woods out back. It leads to a side road. We have a car stashed for emergencies. Get on the interstate and don’t stop. Stay at a friend’s house and stay low until the political burn wears off.”

      She took the keys, her fingers brushing his. “Thanks, Sam. But you know I can’t stay low. If you won’t help me, I’ll go it alone to Honduras. If there’s a chance they’re still alive, I’ll take it.”

      He