Forbidden (Blood Ties #7)

She didn’t stop to listen, just thrust the passenger door open and tore away.

NO!

I jerked my head upwards, to see her fly around the front of the car and race along the headlights. I stabbed my seatbelt.

“Riven!”My brother roared from the phone.

I bent, snatched it up, and shoved the driver’s door open.Don’t let her escape. Don’t…let her escape.

I pressed the button to end the call and shoved my cell into my pocket, leaving my goddamn Audi and the now busted streetlight behind.

“Helene!” I roared.“Helene!”

I stumbled, then ran, chasing her. With every sudden breath, I grew clearer, watching my white shirt flapping as she veered into someone’s driveway and raced along the side of their house.

She was going to get away.

The hell she was.

I lengthened my stride, leaning into the hunt. My breath was steady, that damned hunger rising to the surface, overtaking everything else. She was fast, even if she stumbled slightly no doubt from her concussion…vaulting over a fence until the tail of my shirt caught.

Rip.

The sound of tearing fabric only triggered that need further. I pushed harder, grasped the top of the fence, and leaped over it, landing with athud.

She stumbled, her arms windmilling as she found her balance and raced ahead.

A damn dog came from out of nowhere, slamming its massive body against the fence. Panic punched through me. I jerked my gaze toward the beast as it barked savagely, lunging over and over again.

When I turned back, she was gone.

“Fuck!”

I left the goddamn dog behind, racing forward, hunting her between darkened cars and quiet houses. I dragged my tongue across my lip, still tasting her. My heart boomed. My senses were on fire. I could almost sense her. Almost…

There.

The house in the distance was vacant, no cars in the driveway and aFor Salesign out front. I raced toward it, tearing along the driveway to reach the back. The rear door was open. The closer I came, I saw it was kicked in.

A surge of pride made me smile. I stepped up, pushing the door wider.

The air almosttrembledwith anticipation.

I was going to make her pay for slamming my head against the goddamn window. I probed the wretched throb at the side of my head and pulled my fingers away. Blood shone almost black as I made my way into the kitchen.

The place was sparsely furnished, staged perfectly for a showing. I scanned the living room over the breakfast bar and turned along the hall…heading for the bedrooms.I could feel her hiding, waiting.

The door at the end of the hallway was closed. Every other one was open. My smile grew wider as I neared. I wanted her…Iachedfor her.

I reached out, grasped the handle, and turned it. The moment I stepped inside, something hurtled toward me. I threw myself backwards just in time.

Crash!

A lamp shattered against the wall. I wrenched my gaze to her as she bared her teeth and stepped sideways, my shirt just reaching the tops of those perfect milky thighs. My heart clenched at the sight. Fuck, she looked beautiful. The terrifying, dark things I’d do to her.

Fight me,I urged in my head as I took a step toward her. I wanted her to. I wanted her to give me all she had. I wanted her to—

With a primal scream, she lunged.