Kellsie blinked to help her vision adjust. Going from the bright morning sun to the gloom of the tent was making it difficult to focus. She didn’t think Marko was having the same problem she was. He seemed to know exactly where he was going as he moved toward the carousel.
The first thing she did was look at the animals still on the carousel. There were only two—the lion and the wolf. The bear was missing. She glanced at Marko and back at the empty space. There was no longer even a shred of doubt in her mind about his true identity. He was an immortal warrior, the bear.
She bit her bottom lip and huddled deeper into her jacket. In spite of the warmth of the morning, she was cold, the kind of chill that went right to the bone. Marko had been acting weird ever since they’d left her trailer. Okay, weirder. This entire situation was off the charts, totally bizarre. But this was different. He felt aloof, apart from her.
Well, what had she truly expected? Their bodies had joined, their lips had touched, but they hadn’t been making love. They’d had sex. That didn’t mean they had a life-long commitment, especially since her lifespan was considerably shorter than his. Assuming, of course, they both didn’t die in a fiery, gruesome death in the next few hours.
The problem with being an actress in horror films was that her mind could easily conjure a hundred horrible ways to die. She’d gone through a lot of them, but only make-believe. Heck, she’d even been in a couple of episodes of a television show that was based on that premise—strange and wacky ways to die. The movies and television weren’t real, this situation was. There was no coming back from death this time if something happened, but she shoved those thoughts away and concentrated on something more positive.
Like Marko. Or rather the way he looked as he prowled around the room. He still wasn’t wearing a shirt and she had an excellent view of his back now that her eyes had adjusted. The hole he’d clawed in the back of the tent was letting in light and driving back some of the shadows.
She blinked, not quite certain she was seeing what she thought she was. This was the first time she’d gotten a look at his back in the light. She froze in place when she caught a glimpse of the magnificent tattoo that covered the entire span.
Her fingers itched to touch it. The tattoo was him, the bear part of him, every detail perfect. She swallowed, unable to believe her eyes. The tattoo was so real she wanted to reach out and touch it, certain she’d feel fur and not skin when she did. The fierce creature was watching her, mouth open on a growl, front paws raised to fight. It was so realistic she expected to hear him roar any second.
Marko continued to prowl across the floor of the tent. He moved like some great beast, which was apt, all things considered. Bears seemed slow, but could be quite quick when they wanted to be. She’d already had firsthand proof of that when he’d come racing down the hillside after her. He’d caught her easily and she knew she wasn’t exactly a slow runner. She worked out all the time and running was one of the ways she kept in shape.
His shoulders were wide, his arms roped with muscle. He raised one hand and the muscles in his back rippled and flexed, emphasizing the deep furrow of his spine. His butt was mouthwatering in those tight leather pants. His thighs and calves were solid and leather boots covered his large feet.
His hair was loose and brushed his shoulders. He had the best hair, soft and streaked with color. He was the most compelling man she’d ever met and that was just from behind. From the front side, he was even more striking.
As if he could hear her thoughts, he turned and silently moved back to her side. His face was like a block of stone, his features carved and set. Determination radiated from him. Strength. There was no sign of the indulgent lover.
If he could be cold and professional about this situation, so could she. She was an actress and a damn good one. She pursed her lips and slid into the role. She was a survivor. She’d read the script. Her job was to help him, not to be a clinging ninny.
“What do we do next?” She was proud of the even tone of her voice, the slightest bit of force that said she was in charge of herself and the situation. If her heart ached, well, that was her problem and one she’d deal with later.
He frowned and tilted his head to one side, watching her intently. “If you’re up for it, we’ll see if you can free the others.”
Even though the last thing she wanted to do was climb onto the two remaining animals, she nodded. As silly as it sounded, trying to free them felt like a betrayal to Marko. Not that he seemed to have any problem with her climbing on the backs of the wolf or the lion. He was simply standing there, watching and waiting for her to do her thing. So be it.
Adjusting her tote bag so it rode on her hip, she strode to the carousel and went right to the wolf, who still looked as intimidating as he had before with his snarling mouth and sharp teeth.
She reached out her hand and touched his back. Instead of fur, she felt wood. The sensation of him being alive wasn’t there. Still, she had to try. Both these warriors had been trapped for longer than she could even begin to imagine. If there was even the remotest chance she could help, she had to try.
“Okay, buddy, I’m going to give this a go.” She started to hoist herself onto the wolf’s back when strong hands wrapped around her waist and lifted her. Kellsie closed her eyes for a brief moment and simply enjoyed Marko’s touch, soaking up the heat from his skin.
She made herself focus on the job at hand and pushed aside all softer emotions. She could do this. Although with Marko still touching her, it was really impossible for her to concentrate with any degree of success. He was too big, too powerful, too…everything.
“You’re going to have to release me if this is going to have even the remotest chance of working.”
His fingers flexed against her sides and tightened briefly before slowly releasing her. He stepped back and she missed him immediately. Angry with herself, she leaned forward and wrapped her arms around the wolf. Marko growled. Why would this bother him? She was only doing what he’d asked her to.
Was it possible he was jealous? As soon as she asked the question, she dismissed it. Of course he wasn’t jealous. Why would he be? She was just a woman he’d met less than a day ago. More likely, he was angry because it didn’t seem to be working.
Kellsie dug her fingers into the wooden figure beneath her. “Come on, damn it, work.” For a second, she thought she felt fur. Then the sensation was gone.
She sat back, defeated. “I’m sor—” Before she could finish saying she was sorry, she was plucked off the back of the wolf and gathered into a warm, familiar embrace.
“It’s not your fault,” he assured her. “It’s mine. I didn’t want it to work, not really.” He tightened his hold on her, burying his face in the curve of her neck. “It’s selfish of me, but you’re mine. I won’t share you, not with anyone.”
Kellsie clung to Marko, feeling his desperation and his shame. She couldn’t help but be thrilled by the fact he didn’t want his fellow warriors to have the same bond that they shared. It had to mean he cared, right? Even if only a bit.
But she knew he’d regret it if they didn’t really give it a go. “Let me try again, okay?” She knew how much it would mean to him if his fellow warriors were freed.
Marko nodded. “Try Leander this time.”
He didn’t give her a chance to climb onto the animal, but lifted her and placed her on the back of the magnificent lion. He stepped back, took a deep breath and gave her an encouraging nod. She offered him a reassuring smile, closed her eyes and put all her focus on the lion.