Black Tide [Panther Key 3] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) Read online

  But the vampire would die first.

  Chapter Six

  Emma walked unsteadily into the baggage claim area, grateful for Diego’s strong hand at her back. He had already caught her once when she stumbled while exiting the plane. She was a little light-headed, and her legs felt wobbly. She didn’t understand what was happening, but it was painfully obvious that she and Diego were somehow connected. Painful, because it felt as though a railroad spike was hammered through her head every time he stepped more than a few feet away from her.

  Once they had figured out that Emma’s pain was linked to Diego, Emma’s mother had gone ballistic. She had demanded to know what the man had done to her daughter. But Emma could sense that Diego was just as baffled as the rest of them. He had sworn he would stay close to Emma until they figured out what was causing this and how to stop it. Even when they told him they were supposed to go to an island in the Keys, he promised to stay with her. Emma was grateful, but she felt guilty for the inconvenience it would cause him and for whatever personal plans he was altering to help her.

  Well, part of her felt guilty. The other part—the part that couldn’t keep her eyes off him and had already thought of some very naughty things she’d like to do to him—was glad he was sticking around.

  It hadn’t been just his words or the look of shock and regret he wore on his face that told her Diego was truly confused about their predicament. She could feel it. She could feel him. She couldn’t really explain it, even to herself, but it seemed as though she could actually feel his emotions. She shook her head. That made absolutely no sense.

  She scanned the baggage claim area, wondering if whoever was supposed to pick them up from the airport was already here. Kate had told Emma’s mother that they would send someone to get them. Her searching gaze caught briefly on a pair of golden-brown eyes—actually, two pairs of golden-brown eyes—across the room. Two men stood next to each other with fierce expressions on their faces. They were identical. Emma felt the hair on the back of her neck stand up, and a shiver went through her. There was something about those men that set all of her nerves on edge, but seemed to draw her to them at the same time. She felt Diego stiffen next to her and felt his unease shoot through her. She tore her gaze away from the mesmerizing pairs of eyes and allowed Diego to steer her toward the baggage carousel, her mother still grumbling behind them about their odd situation.

  Luggage emerged from the chute, and the conveyor belt carried it around the carousel. As Emma waited for their luggage to appear, she felt the hair on the back of her neck stand up again just before a voice behind her caused her to spin around.

  “Emma.” It was the man she had seen from across the room. His twin stood slightly behind him. Both looked tense, as though they were about to pounce on something. Or someone. She felt a strong emotion—possessiveness, maybe?—coming from Diego.

  Emma swallowed hard and forced herself to meet the intense, golden gaze. “Yes?”

  The man glanced at Diego and narrowed his eyes, almost warningly. Then he looked back at Emma and smiled. His face transformed. He still looked fierce, but he was gorgeous. Stunningly gorgeous. He held out his right hand to her.

  “Cash Dawson.” He gestured with his left hand to the man next to him. “This is my brother Chase. We’re here to take you and Mrs. Walker to Panther Key.”

  Emma ripped her eyes away from his mesmerizing gaze and looked down at his hand, outstretched in greeting. She tried to remember what she was supposed to do. Comprehension slowly dawned on her, and she reached out to shake his hand. As soon as she placed her hand in his, she felt as though her whole arm had turned to a warm mush.

  “Um. Hi. I mean…um, nice to meet you.” Good grief, what was wrong with her today? First she acted like a blithering idiot with Diego, and now she was practically turning into a pile of goo! Someone might think she had never met a man before!

  Of course, she knew without a doubt that she had never met men quite like this. The blond hair and deep tans spoke to the amount of time they spent in the tropical sun. Their muscular chests and shoulders bulged against their white T-shirts that were emblazoned with a small logo, Panther’s Pride Charters, on the breast pockets. She fought a sudden urge to touch them. Were those chest muscles as hard as they appeared under those shirts? Lean hips and long legs were wrapped in perfectly fitted jeans. These men were powerful. Maybe even a little dangerous. Emma felt a delicious little shiver travel through her.

  She dragged her gaze back up Cash’s mouthwatering body until it rested on his knowing smile. Oh, dear God! She had openly checked both brothers out, and Cash knew it! Mortified, she realized her hand still rested in his. She dropped her hand to her side and ripped her gaze away from Cash’s blazing stare.

  “Um, this is my mom.” She gestured behind her.

  Her mother stepped around Emma and held out her hand to Cash. “Beth Walker. Thank you for picking us up.”

  “Our pleasure, ma’am.” Cash shook her hand and dipped his head slightly. When he looked back up, he focused a cold, hard stare on Diego.

  “And you are?”

  Diego moved from behind Emma and stood in front of her, almost defensively, with his arms crossed in front of his chest. “Diego Anton.”

  “Right. Why are you here?” Cash’s tone was hard and accusatory.

  Emma was confused and a little pissed off at the way Cash was treating Diego. Regardless of how scrumptious this man was, he didn’t have any right to be rude. She pushed herself around Diego.

  “He’s here because of me.” She stared at Cash, but he wasn’t looking at her.

  “Yeah, that much I’d already figured out.” Cash’s eyes narrowed even more menacingly at Diego. “What I want to know is, what’s his plan?”

  Emma’s irritation mounted. “His plan is that he’s coming with us.”

  Chase’s sharp laughter burst through the air. “Not likely.”

  Emma had reached the end of her tolerance for one day. She was confused, still a little light-headed, and being around this much testosterone was making her way too edgy.

  “Look.” She glared at Chase and then at Cash. “I don’t know what the hell is going on between you three, but for some reason my head wants to explode if Diego gets more than ten feet from me. So he’s coming with us. Got it?”

  Cash gaped at Emma. She glanced at Chase and saw the same horrified expression.

  Cash turned an angry glare at Diego and practically growled at him. “What the hell did you do to her?”

  Diego grabbed Emma by the shoulders and pulled her back behind him. “I didn’t do anything to her. We met on the plane, and something just—I don’t know—happened. I have no idea why, and I want to figure it out as much as she does. Until then, I’m sticking close to her.”

  “Yeah, well, that’s gonna be a problem.” Chase stepped forward and lowered his voice, his hard stare narrowing at Diego. “Our island is…special. Not just anyone can visit, if you know what I mean.”

  Emma watched as the three men glared at each other. She wondered if there was going to be a fight right in the middle of baggage claim.

  Finally, Cash leaned forward and pointed a finger at Diego. “If you so much as…”

  Diego raised both hands in a defensive gesture. “That is not my intent. It was originally, to be honest. But as I said, something happened on that plane—and not just to Emma. I swear, I mean her no harm.”

  Cash continued to glare at Diego for another few moments. Finally, he sighed and ran both hands through his hair, looking as though he were close to ripping some of it out. He turned to Emma, the hardness gone from his face.

  “We’ll figure something out. Let’s get your bags. I’m sure you’re anxious to see Abby and Kate.”

  It was Emma’s mother who answered, “Yes, quite. Exactly how do you two know my daughter and niece, Mr. Dawson?” Emma heard a familiar tone of suspicion in her mother’s voice as she questioned Cash.

  Emma caught a quick glance betwe
en Cash and Chase before Cash addressed her mom. “They’re part of our family now, but I think it might be best if they tell you themselves.”

  Emma saw her mom purse her lips, but she didn’t ask any more questions, which Emma found highly unusual. Normally, when provided with a cryptic answer, Emma’s mom had the tenacity of a pit bull until she dragged the information out.

  Chapter Seven

  Chase watched Emma’s face carefully as they approached the Panther’s Pride. He wanted to see what her reaction would be to the big boat. Would she be timid? Frightened of being out on the open water? Or would she love it as much as he and Cash did? Her feelings toward both the boat and the ocean would be a big factor in where the three of them would spend most of their time once they were mated.

  He laughed quietly to himself at his presumption. They had to convince her that they were meant to be her mates before they started talking about living arrangements. Of course, once her mating fever kicked in it would make things a lot easier. He just hoped they were able to get her alone before that happened. They didn’t need the company of her mother, her sisters, their brothers, cousins, and most importantly—that damned vampire who trailed Emma down the dock.

  Despite the bloodsucker’s insistence to the contrary, Chase was certain the leech had done something to Emma. Why else would she feel pain when Diego tried to move away from her? It had to be part of his plot to abduct her, because Chase was absolutely positive that was the reason for Diego’s presence on Emma’s flight.

  Diego had to be working with Tiberius. The ancient vampire had kidnapped Abby with the intention of mating with her and producing an heir. He thought he could combine his vampiric abilities with Abby’s unique black panther powers to create a new line that would allow him to rule over both the vampire and shifter populations. It was twisted and cruel, and apparently Tiberius hadn’t given up on the plan. He had obviously sent Diego to capture the last unprotected black panther shifter.

  Until they could get Emma to Panther Key, where the powerful magic that surrounded the island would prevent anyone from getting to her, she was vulnerable. Of course, Chase had no idea how they were going to accomplish that when she couldn’t get away from Diego without suffering intense pain. They needed to find a way to break whatever hold he had on her.

  Chase watched as Emma’s gaze roamed over the sleek lines of the Panther’s Pride. She stepped onto the rear dive platform and gripped the ladder. Chase leaned down and extended his hands to help her up, all the while watching her facial expressions. When she was within a couple steps from the top, Chase wrapped his hands around her waist and lifted her over the stern. As he set her down, her body slid against his chest.

  Emma’s sudden intake of breath was not lost on Chase. He looked down into her startled eyes and watched as a shudder rippled through her body. Chase’s cat growled in his head as it stalked impatiently inside his mind, wanting to claim its mate. But his cat would have to wait, at least for a while. He reluctantly removed his hands from around Emma’s waist. As much as he would like to explore the reaction the touch of their bodies could have on each other, he knew now was not the time.

  Emma’s cheeks reddened as she stepped back from him and looked around. “Um, wow. Nice boat. Is it yours?”

  “She is.” Chase motioned to the seats along one side of the yacht and turned to help Mrs. Walker onboard.

  Diego boarded the boat behind Mrs. Walker, followed by Cash, who hauled the luggage up. Emma sat down in the middle of the cushioned bench, and much to Chase’s irritation, Diego claimed the space right next to her. Mrs. Walker, looking uncomfortable, chose a seat at the table set in the center of the deck space under a retractable canopy. Cash paused long enough to narrow his eyes at Diego and nod at Chase before heading up to the bridge.

  Within moments, Cash had the big double inboard motors revved up. Chase threw off the ropes, tethering them to the dock, and then settled himself on the other side of Emma, unwilling to allow Diego to be the only one sitting next to her.

  Chase was awed by the possessiveness and protectiveness he already felt toward Emma, though he knew he shouldn’t be surprised, considering the intensity of the mating bond in shifters. He could even feel his brother’s tumultuous emotions rolling off of him from the bridge. It wasn’t just the protective instinct, or even the possibility of their freewheeling lifestyle being disrupted, that had both of them on edge over finding their mate, though.

  Even though Cash had always refused to talk about it, Chase knew his brother’s inner doubts and fears. He knew the things that kept Cash up at night and gave him nightmares when he slept. Cash’s worries mirrored Chase’s own. Their free-spirited lifestyle masked a long-held anxiety and an even older pain. Chase wondered if Emma would be able to fill the hole that had burned within their souls for most of their lives, haunting them and making it impossible to be truly whole.

  Chase focused his gaze on Emma and thought about that hole as Cash maneuvered the boat out of the marina. Their third brother should have filled that empty space within each of them, but Clay had died when they were kids. The shifter littermate bond wasn’t something that was developed over time. It was forged before birth. To lose a sibling was the equivalent of cutting out part of their own souls. He knew they both secretly hoped their mate would be able to heal the old wound and make them feel complete. He sometimes wondered if that was why he and Chase had spent so much time alone out on their boat. Had they been afraid they would find their mate, only to discover that she could not fill the void inside each of them? Would they live out the rest of their very long lives with the black emptiness and festering wound where their lost brother’s consciousness should have been?

  Emma shifted her body and turned around in her seat, interrupting Chase’s tumultuous thoughts. He watched as she sat up on her knees and leaned out over the side of the boat. Her lips turned up in a smile as the wind whipped her hair behind her and the ocean spray covered her face. Chase smiled as he focused on the pink streak in her hair. This one had a rebellious side to her.

  Diego reached his hand out and secured it around Emma’s arm. “Don’t lean out too far or we might have to bail you out.”

  Chase had to restrain himself to keep from ripping the vampire’s hand off of Emma. He thought the only reason the monster would be concerned for her safety would be to make sure she stayed alive until he delivered her to Tiberius, since that had to be his plan. Why else would he have been on Emma’s flight? But Chase would never let that happen. Once they figured out how to break this unholy link between Emma and Diego, the vampire was going to be sent straight to hell where he belonged.

  “Look! Dolphin!” Emma’s face lit up as she pointed toward the bow of the yacht.

  Chase turned and saw three dolphins breach the water just off the bow, their sleek gray bodies slicing through the surface as they played in front of the boat.

  He turned back to Emma, delighting in the joy he saw of her face as she watched the graceful mammals. “We can take you to snorkel with some, if you like. We know a spot where they like to hang out, and they get very friendly with snorkelers.”

  “Really? That would be so amazing!” She bounced up and down on her knees as the excitement poured out of her.

  “Oh, Emma, act your age, please.” Mrs. Walker’s condescending tone toward her daughter rubbed Chase the wrong way. “Besides, we won’t be here long enough for any of that. Our return flight is the day after tomorrow.”

  Emma’s face fell, the joyous look disappearing from her beautiful face.

  “She’s just enjoying herself.” He stared at Mrs. Walker until she averted her gaze. He was not going to have her belittling his mate, even if she was Emma’s mother. And now was probably not the best time to tell Mrs. Walker that she would be returning to Texas alone. Even if Emma refused to be their mate, something he considered highly unlikely due to the intensity of the mating fever that was sure to come, she would need to stay protected on Panther Key.

/>   He turned back to Emma and nudged her. He winked. His voice dropped so that only she could hear. “Don’t worry, we’ll have plenty of time.”

  Her face brightened again, and it was as though the sun grew brighter. Her happiness brought Chase’s own smile back to his lips. She laughed as the waves splashed against the side of the yacht and the dolphins performed their acrobatic stunts. She pointed to birds soaring overhead and held her hands out to catch the ocean spray. Chase felt his smile widen. She loved the ocean.

  Whether or not she could heal their souls remained to be determined. But maybe, just maybe, they wouldn’t have to build a house after all.

  Chapter Eight

  Something watched her from the darkness. She couldn’t see who—or what—it was, but she knew she was being watched. The sensation of cold fingers brushed her cheek. She tried to jerk away, but she couldn’t move.

  “Who’s there?”

  A soft chuckle sounded in her ear and sent shivers down her spine. She turned her head but could see nothing except the darkness surrounding her.

  “What-what do you want?”

  There was no answer. The cold fingers ran across her shoulder and down her bare arm. The sensation repulsed her. There was evil in this place, wherever this place was. The sinister presence hung thick in the air.

  Farther away, something low and sleek separated itself from the inky blackness. It stalked toward her, glowing, green eyes leading the way.

  She felt the presence of her tormentor draw closer to her as the black shape approached them. The shape turned, circling her and the disturbing presence near her, before coming to a stop in front of her. Its eyes seemed so foreign, yet somehow so familiar.