Read Online His Darkest Salvation by Juliana Stone - Free Book Online Page A

there with you,” she retorted, as her mind worked furiously, trying to figure out his angle.
    “You will go there with me”—Julian bared his teeth—“or else.”
    “Do not threaten me, Castille.” Jaden was so angry she could barely get the words out. The fucking nerve. “I am not someone you want as an enemy.”
    “I will get my hands on the portal, Jaden.” He dismissed her as if she were nothing more than a nuisance and moved away from her. “I’d prefer it sooner rather than later.”
    Fury rushed through her, hot and sharp. She pushed it back, knowing she could not let him get to her. She needed a cool head.
    She watched as his hand crept up to his chest, and an image of his scarred, damaged skin flashed in her mind. What the hell had happened to him?
    “So,” she began carefully as she put more distance between them; her mouth seemed to work better the farther away she was. “You want to work together to retrieve the portal?” It was hard to keep the sarcasm from her voice, and she watched as he arched a perfect eyebrow and cocked his head.
    “You will help me.”
    Unbelievable.
    His arrogance left her mouth agape, but he was already walking away from her before she could answer.
    “You’re one hell of a prick,” she yelled at him, willing him to stop, and she swore loudly as he kept walking. Her face tightened, and her eyes narrowed into dark slits of anger. “Hey dickhead, I’m talking to you! Give me one good reason why I should help you?”
    He stopped abruptly, and she nearly ran into his back. His body was hot. She felt the heat scorch the air.
    He turned around, and she retreated a step, her chest heaving as she struggled to calm herself. His muscled frame was draped in casual cotton, the light-colored fabric a foil against his tanned skin. The open collar drew her gaze to the pulse that beat strong and steady at his throat, and she swallowed thickly, her mouth suddenly dry.
    His long legs were encased in faded jeans, the kind that hung low; so low, in fact, that she could see the taut skin of his belly as he lifted his arm and ruffled the hair at his neck. Even though Mexico was hot as sin, his feet were encased in the same pair of boots he’d worn the night before. The man was seriously hot. Too bad he was such an asshole.
    “You done?”
    Her eyes jerked back up to his. “Done?”
    “Checking me out. I thought you saw enough last night, but hell, if we have time—”
    “Fuck you, Castille.”
    “Seems to me you already did,” he whispered softly, the tone of his voice dangerous like dark chocolate.
    Her arm flew out as the anger inside her erupted. She felt the power of her jaguar gather and aimed her fist for his nose. But he grabbed her just above the wrist before she made contact and twisted until a whimper eventually fell from her lips.
    Small spurts of air escaped from between her lips as her chest heaved. She tried to pull away, but he refused to let her go.
    “I don’t have time for games. If the portal is not found . . . if Cormac is not stopped, all hell will break loose in the human realm, and, trust me, if that happens, I will be the least of your worries. There will be such madness, chaos, and pain . . .” His voice trailed off, and Jaden’s gut twisted as fear began to grow.
    Deep within the recesses of his eyes, something flickered, something haunted. She swallowed heavily, and whispered, “Let me go.”
    He held her for several long moments, his eyes never leaving hers, then gently withdrew his hand.
    She stood there, rubbing her throbbing wrist as her mind whirled into a thousand directions. Julian Castille had not been vacationing in Club Med for the last six months. He’d been someplace dark, twisted. He knew what was coming.
    But could she work with him?
    A loud crash echoed into the silence, and she jumped.
    “What the—?” Jaden pushed past Julian and was down the hall in seconds, her mind and body on red alert.
    She reached the main room and