Untamed Hawaiian Heat (Rift Hunters) Read Online Free Page B

him over. Instead she let her gaze roam over him. He was dressed from head to toe in unrelieved black. His leather pants molded to his legs. Various straps crisscrossed along one powerful thigh, highlighting the well-defined muscles. She couldn’t see any use for the straps, though. She skimmed her gaze over his groin, not wanting to dwell on what lay beneath the zipper. His taut abs were clearly defined under his skintight shirt.
    Kiana followed the curves of his muscular chest, pausing to watch it rise and fall with each inhalation the man took. She didn’t realize she’d moved closer until she saw her hand reaching toward his face. She started to pull back from touching the stubble dusting his jaw when he shifted in his sleep and exposed the left side of his neck. She went dead still as her eyes zeroed in on the shimmer of gold just behind his ear. Had Niki and Ash missed an injury?
    She leaned in. Upon closer inspection, she realized the mark was a tattoo. In the middle, a medieval sword with the letters RH engraved near the hilt was overlapped with a shield emblazoned with a dragon. Around the edges was a swirling pattern. As she stared at it, the tattoo began to pulse gently and glow golden from beneath the strangers’ skin.
    Reaching out, Kiana ran a fingertip over it, then recoiled when a spark leaped from the tattoo to her finger. She stared at the mark shimmering brightly against his tanned skin. Her breath came in short gasps.
    Closing her eyes, she took a few deep breaths, telling herself she’d imagined it. The mark on the stranger’s skin did not glitter in the shaft of sunlight filtering through the window. When she finally got her racing heart back under control, she opened her eyes and glanced back down at the man.
    The sunlight streaming in from overhead glinted off the mark like a beacon.
    Without thinking, Kiana leaned over him again. Shoring up her courage, she reached out, concentrating on stopping the trembling that seemed to affect her whole body. Another spark leaped from the spot, only this time, it seemed to hesitate before making contact with her. Once it did, it withdrew slowly as though it wanted her to come closer.
    “What the hell are you doing?”
    Kiana pulled back from the temptation the spark had ignited within her and spun to face Mateo.
    The anger burning through their link quickly dissipated the sensual fog wrapping itself around her mind. “Ahh…”
    Mateo stalked into the room and jerked her into his arms, crushing her against his chest. He captured her mouth in a bruising kiss, thrusting his tongue deep as though staking his claim.
    Kiana pushed him back, breaking the kiss. “What is wrong with you, Mateo?” He reached for her arm, but she shrugged him off.
    “I could ask the same of you. Ever since this forastero showed up, you can’t seem to keep your eyes off him. Now I find you touching the bastardo! I think I have a right to be pissed off.”
    Kiana advanced on him and made him back up toward the entrance. “Like hell it gives you the right! I haven’t done anything, Mateo. What was I supposed to do? Leave him there in the forest?” She poked him in the chest. “As to how I’ve reacted? You’re one to talk. How about the way you’ve behaved? As for what I was doing just now, I found a mark Niki and Ash must have missed in their scan. I was looking at it.”
    “Bullshit! I’ve felt it every fucking time you yearn to touch him. I see the way you look at him when you think I’m not watching, Kiana.” He raised his hand when she opened her mouth to respond. “Save it. There’s nothing you can hide from me when it comes to your true feelings. Mark my words, though.” He pulled her into his arms again and gave her a punishing kiss. “You. Are. Mine!” He snarled the words through their link and then disappeared through the door.
    He left so fast, she hadn’t even been able to confront him about what was bothering him. Suspicion blossomed in her mind,