Immortal Craving: Immortal Heart by Magen McMinimy, Cynthia Shepp Page B

do with what you want from me.”
    “No, but he’s Dark Fae and we have a few questions for him,” Cree said, slowly pushing Jake forward. “Don’t make a scene and we won’t have any problems.”
    “You expect me to trust you,” Katarina said, annoyance clear in her tone.
    “I fail to see how you have much of a choice,” Lothar said flatly, “but we are not monsters and we have questions for the both of you.”
    Katarina locked gazes with Jake and smiled softly. “I’m sorry, Jake. Just do as they ask.”
    Lothar led the way, with Katarina at his side and Cree following with a hand holding Jake’s arm tightly.
    Time slowed and the world disappeared around Katarina as she locked gazes with Kale when they stepped out into the stale, still night. Her breath caught and flashes of some of the happiest—no matter how false they’d been—moments of her life played like a movie on fast forward in front of her.
    She swore she could feel the soft, intimate way he used to run his fingers over her cheek. Whenever life seemed to be too hard for her, he used to soothe her angst. She remembered the way it felt when he used to pull her to his hard chest and press his face to her hair. The way his smooth and seemingly loving lips would gently kiss every inch of skin he could get to.
    Even those memories couldn’t hide what stood in front of her. He was different—she could see it. She’d noticed a slight shift and dangerous air in him the other night and his once soft eyes were now hard.
    Had all of it been just an act?
    “What now?” Kale asked, breaking his stare with Katarina.
    Lothar looked to Cree, who smiled. His midnight wings burst out and took flight, taking Jake with him.
    “What are you doing?” Katarina screamed and shoved at Lothar.
    “We won’t hurt him,” Lothar assured her as he passed her off to Kale. “Safe house number two is waiting for you.”
    “Was that your plan?” Kale asked, his brows dipping.
    “You’ll understand when you get there. It has been prepared for the two of you. It’s time you get your answers, little brother.”
    Katarina’s eyes shot between the two brothers. Fear, and if Lothar trusted his gift—which he absolutely did—longing, was flowing off of her.
    Kale nodded, his own wings stretching out from his shoulder blades. He pulled Katarina’s back against his chest, wrapping his arms around her waist and leaned close to her ear, “We have some things to discuss,” he whispered before rocketing into the air.

Chapter Fourteen
     
     
    Katarina pushed away from Kale the second her feet hit the dry ground of the forest floor.
    “Where are we?” she demanded, pushing her hair from her eyes as she tried to tame her unruly locks.
    Kale smirked. “Safe house number two,” he said as he grasped her upper arm, pulled her up the stairs, and through the front door.
    “It’s about time,” a small fairy said as Kale shut the door behind them.
    His smirk turned into a full-on smile. “Hello, Genevieve.”
    “The house is secure,” the fairy’s fuchsia eyes fell on Katarina. “She won’t be able to leave the house.”
    “Thank you, Genevieve.”
    “My pleasure,” the fairy said as she disappeared into a swirl of glitter.
    “Are you freaking serious right now?” Katarina fumed. “You had a Twilight cast a spell so I couldn’t leave?”
    Kale smiled. “No, Lothar did, but I have to admit it is genius. You don’t get to run and you don’t get to hide. You owe me some explanations.”
    Katarina scoffed, angrily. “I owe you? No, Kale. I owe you nothing. Why do you even care anymore? It’s been fifteen years. So you didn’t get what you wanted—just let it go.” She stomped down the hall, her hips swaying in her tight jeans and the heels of her red pumps playing an angry staccato melody against the hard slate that covered the main living space in Hawk’s Eye’s safe house.
    What he wanted? No, he had not gotten what he wanted… This infuriating woman, a