Chapter 7
Bishop paced the forest, hands fisting his hair and chest heaving in equal measure from both the exertion of his run and the panic over his actions. Turning he faced the direction he’d just come from, the direction of the cabin, the place where he had his Angel tied up and held hostage.
Fuck! He didn’t know what he was doing. Worse, he was pretty sure that his choices up to this point had been all wrong. Kidnapping Jenny wasn’t going to solve anything. Worse, she was the Chief of Medical back at StoneCrow, and he knew they needed her back. Turning in a slow circle, he lifted his nose and scented the air half expecting to discover Sentries nearby. He wouldn’t put it past Monroe to come after Jenny, and it was grating. He’d accused Jen of having her sights set on a more worthy Walker, Monroe StoneCrow to be exact. Now, his gut curdled with the uncertainty of whether or not his accusation held any truth. If that wasn’t problem enough, Jenny was a Skin Walker too. It meant that she was inclined to fight back, to defend herself. She hadn’t in the infirmary, but it was still a real concern for him because she could be seriously injured. Not that he’d hurt her, but he didn’t want her making some rash decision and acting on instinct or out of worry that he’d actually harm her. He wouldn’t. He couldn’t. She was his Angel and the only thing he felt toward her, aside from still angry, was possessive, protective, and aroused. Even now, his erection strained against the zipper of his jeans and shamed him. His actions in the infirmary were a hideous revelation into his own character. He thought he knew himself better than that. He’d always believed he was a good guy. Apparently, he’d been wrong.
Thoughts stalling on his self-loathing, they slid to Jenny. He didn’t know her, not a single thing about her aside from her name, her position, and the fact that her body fit his like she’d been created for him.
Dropping onto his haunches, he eyed the forest with hardened eyes, lips thinned into a grim line. He’d really fucked things up and had no idea what to do now. Did he go back to the cabin, waltz right in and hold out his hand to introduce himself properly to his Angel as if nothing had happened? Did he try to act civilized to a woman who was currently tied up on the bed and probably worried that he’d attack her again like he’d done in the infirmary?
Rising to his full height, he hissed and fisted his hands, wishing he had someone he could talk to, someone he could seek out for advice.
As if conjured by his thoughts, he felt a mental nudge indicating another Skin Walker was attempting to contact him through their telepathic means of communication called the mist.
He permitted the contact with a snarled, “What!”
He recognized Monroe’s voice instantly. “You have something that belongs to me.”
The declaration had his hackles rising and a growl wrenching its way up his throat. “Belongs to you?” He had to know. “You got something going on with my Angel, Monroe?”
Monroe’s next words shocked him to his core. “Yes.”
A pregnant pause hung between them before Monroe offered in a bored tone, “It’s called employment. She may be yours, but she works for me. I expect her back, and I expect her unharmed.”
“Like I’d hurt her!”
“Don’t make me come find her, Bishop. That cabin you’ve been running to the past few months isn’t my idea of a vacation destination, and if I have to come out there, you won’t like it.”
“She owes me an explanation.”
“Agreed. But she’s a doctor, a scientist, and a Walker on top of all that. She’s rare and valuable. I can’t replace her, so…”
“So you thought you’d make contact and threaten me into keeping my hands off her.”
A smug, “Yes” was Monroe’s reply. “Delighted you understand. Bring her home, Sentry.”
Their connection severed before Bishop could respond. Fucker! It wasn’t lost on Bishop that Monroe had addressed him as Sentry. It was a reminder that he too was under Monroe’s employ.
Bishop reluctantly headed back toward the cabin thinking on Monroe’s words. He might be Monroe’s employee, but that didn’t mean he’d blindly do his Dominant’s bidding. No. Where Jenny was concerned, he’d take direction from no man.