Fanged Desire (Leyore Coven #3)

Chapter 10

Addison

I had no intention of spilling my guts to a woman I was beginning to suspect was not at all human, and I certainly hadn’t anticipated playing accomplice in a heist that night. But stranger things had happened, and there was too much at stake to hesitate now.

Ethan had ushered us through the back door of Micere with his usual nonchalant charm, striding ahead to strike up conversation with anyone who might have been loitering around. He veered left, redirecting a poor unsuspecting dancer as he went with an opening line that he certainly intended for me to hear.

“Did you hear about Addison? Poor dear couldn’t hold her liquor, or her lunch for that matter. I’ve never seen a projectile vomit of that velocity –”

I had half a mind to stomp on after him and defend my dignity, but Hunter was already tugging me in the other direction. We left Ethan prattling away to the confused woman as the two of us went right, heading deeper into the dim back corridors of the club.

Needless to say, my nerves were frayed. Grabbing that video footage wasn’t going to be easy, and after what I’d seen Hunter do to those men earlier I didn’t want to think about what she’d do to anyone who caught us.

The corridor was narrow, illuminated only by emergency lights that cast eerie shadows against the walls, the muffled, jarring shriek of techno music reverberating through the building not helping my anxiety in the slightest. I walked ahead of Hunter, keeping my steps light, and ignoring the gnawing dread in my stomach.

I snuck a glance at her from the corner of my eye. She moved with the kind of grace that suggested she’d done this before – silent, controlled, and utterly calm. But I could see the tension coiled beneath that exterior. Whatever her reasons, Hunter needed that footage just as much as I did.

We turned a corner and I glanced back at her. “Almost there–”

I didn’t get the chance to finish my sentence. One moment I was leading the way, and the next her arm was snaking around my stomach, thumping the wind out of me as she yanked me off my feet. Her other hand clamped over my mouth, cutting off the words that had barely left my lips.

My back hit her chest, and she pulled me with her in one fluid motion, dragging us both into the shadows. I tensed up on impulse as Hunter’s grip around me tightened, clamping me in place with alarming ease. I could feel the searing heat of her body against mine, the dig of her fingers at my waist. Hot breath brushed against my neck and left goosebumps in its wake.

Past the thundering of my heartbeat I heard footsteps heading our way.

Hunter didn’t say a word. She didn’t have to. Every inch of her body was tense, coiled like a predator ready to strike, waiting for whoever was approaching to pass us by. I couldn’t see much from where we were tucked away, but I could hear the footsteps – slow and shambling, too close for comfort.

But it wasn’t the fear or the rush of adrenaline that left me breathless in her arms. It was the way my body reacted to her, the impossible strength of her grip around my waist, her hand still covering my mouth.

I wasn’t supposed to feel like this. I wasn’t supposed to notice how good she smelled – like rich leather and something more inconspicuous but comfortingly familiar, like rain in the city. I definitely wasn’t supposed to feel the flicker of arousal curling low in my stomach, making my breath hitch against her palm.

Hunter shifted slightly and my pulse quickened, a small gasp muffled against her hand. As the footsteps grew louder her arm around my stomach tightened, and the strength in that small gesture sent a strange thrill reverberating through my body.

The footsteps grew louder still, and then they passed. Whoever it was, they didn’t notice us tucked away in the shadows, and after a moment the sound faded down the hall.

Hunter held us still for another heartbeat, just to be safe, before slowly lowering her hand from my mouth. Her arm unwrapped from my waist and I exhaled a shaky breath, not trusting myself to look at her right away.

“You good?” Her voice was a whisper, low and close to my ear.

I nodded, grateful for the dim light hiding the heat creeping into my face. “Yeah… yeah, I’m good.”

Hunter’s hand brushed my own as she stepped back and I jerked away, giving her a wide berth as I forcibly willed myself to get it together.

From the shadows she gave me a small, knowing smirk, clearly enjoying the effect she had on me. “Didn’t know you were so jumpy.”

I rolled my eyes, trying to play it cool despite the sudden unsteady tremble in my knees. “I’m not jumpy. You just–” I stopped, realizing there was no good way to finish that sentence without sounding ridiculous. “You surprised me.”

“Well, I’m terribly sorry for startling you,” she drawled, still smirking, charlatan eyes flickering in the darkness like she knew exactly what was running through my mind.

I huffed, turning on my heel to lead the way again, though my heart was still pounding a little too fast for my liking. “Come on, let’s just get this over with.”

Hunter chuckled quietly behind me, and the sound sent a shiver down my spine. I did my best to ignore it, focusing instead on the task ahead.

My heels echoed in the hallway, sharp taps that synchronized with Hunter's, lending a disconcerting rhythm to our so-called stealth mission. The corridor seemed to stretch forever as we approached the manager's office, a dingy room I hadn't set foot in since my first day at Micere.

My hands were slightly trembling, betraying my nervousness, but I managed to steady myself enough to handle the door. It clicked open after a moment of fumbling, and Hunter slipped inside first, scanning the room before gesturing for me to follow.

The office was quiet, the soft hum of electronics the only sound in the cramped space. I stepped in and shut the door behind us. Hunter was already at the computer with her attention fixed on the screen displaying various angles of the club. Through one of the grainy feeds I could see Ethan, hand on hip, casually chatting up one of the bouncers who had unknowingly passed us by.

"Okay," Hunter murmured, sliding into the swivel chair with a grace that made even the simplest movements seem deliberate. "Let's see what we've got."

I hovered behind her, wracked nerves apparent in my voice as I glanced toward the door. "Will this even work? What if there's a password or something?"

"Relax.” Hunter cast a curious glance over my wringing hands, tossing dark hair over her shoulder before returning her attention to the screen. “It’ll work."

A few tense moments passed as she clacked at the keyboard and I peered over her shoulder, trying to make sense of the glowing pixels. "Didn’t know you were a hackerman."

"I’m not," Hunter responded casually as the computer prompted for a password. Without hesitation, she typed in an answer, 69, and just like clockwork the system unlocked. "Your boss is just predictable."

On the screen, the camera feeds flitted between old shots, and I watched my assailants circling me from a new angle. That alone left a pit in my stomach, but when Hunter showed up on the feed, blinking into existence where she hadn’t been a moment ago, she quickly cut the video, shooting me a side-eye that dared me to comment.

I just stared back, biting my lip. Whatever she had done out there, whatever she’d done to those men, she didn’t want anyone looking into it. Not even me.

Standing at her back while she flicked through the footage, Hunter seemed all too human. Her collar was ruffled, and I could see the faint outline of her bra strap through the thin fabric of her shirt. Her hair bunched over her shoulders in shaggy waves and her foot tapped an impatient tempo on the tiled floor. She dressed human, she acted human, but her earlier display of strength suggested otherwise.

"It’s all here." Hunter interrupted my thoughts as she rifled through the manager's desk and pulled out a flash drive from one of the disorderly drawers. "This footage goes back months. If your sister was hanging around Micere, she’ll definitely show up on here."

She plugged in the flash drive, selecting a hefty number of files before initiating the download. The chair creaked as she settled back, watching the progress bar like it was the most ordinary thing in the world. I couldn't mimic her calm, my own nerves fraying as I stood rigid, every faint sound from the hallway sending my heart into overdrive.

Hunter clicked another tab open, casually flipping through the live feeds while we waited, and with nothing better to do I leaned in closer to get a better look. My arm brushed against her shoulder and the proximity sent another unwanted shiver down my spine. I tried to focus on the screen, but my attention was divided between the flickering pixels and the beguiling warmth emanating from the woman beside me.

“Oh my god!” Hunter’s evil snicker caught me off guard and I glanced at her, startled, before following her gaze to the footage on screen.

From one of the cameras dotted around the club, we watched one of the bartenders mixing a drink, seemingly routine until he surreptitiously spat into the glass just before serving it to a fancy-looking red-headed man sitting at the bar.

"Ew – that's disgusting!" I exclaimed, but Hunter only laughed harder.

"Trust me.” She chuckled, watching the man sip his drink with a kind of fiendish glee. “That guy of all people definitely deserved it."

I raised an eyebrow, tearing my eyes from the travesty on screen. “Do you know that man…”

My voice trailed off as Hunter turned to look at me, her face mere inches from mine. Her gaze was intense as always, but there was a playful twinge to her lips that made my heart race. The sudden closeness sent a jolt through me, rendering me momentarily speechless.

Hunter clearly noticed, the corners of her mouth tilting upwards as she teased me. “What’s that?”

Trying to recover, I cleared my throat and shifted slightly, though I didn’t really want to move away. The small room felt even smaller with her near, her very presence overwhelming.

"Uh – You know him?" I managed to get out, albeit a bit clumsily.

Hunter's smile widened. "Let’s just say, he’s something of a thorn in my side. Can’t say I don’t enjoy watching Elliot get what he deserves." Her voice was tinged with vindictive glee, and she glued her nose to the screen where the red-headed man was now sipping his drink, oblivious to the secret ingredient.

The way Hunter watched the scene with detached amusement made me wonder about the myriad of stories she must have tucked away. Stories I was increasingly eager to hear.

But before I could gather my thoughts and pry further, Hunter’s demeanor changed dramatically. She jerked upright in her seat, head angled toward the door as she lifted a finger to her lips.

I froze, my words swallowed in an instant, and listened for the tell-tale sound of footsteps. Despite my best efforts I heard nothing, but Hunter was already moving, her reaction swift and sure. She leapt to her feet, and in doing so aligned her body against mine. My breath caught in my throat as the close contact left me momentarily breathless.

It didn’t occur to me to step away.

Then I heard it too – footsteps, faint but approaching fast. Hunter’s quick reaction suddenly made sense. She rolled her eyes, reaching the door in two strides. “As predicted, Ethan is useless.”

The casual smirk was gone, replaced by a sharp focus I had come to recognize.

“What the hell do we do now?!” I whispered but I wanted to scream, dancing on my toes as the footsteps grew louder.

The handle rattled, and my stomach dropped. Hunter looked back at me, her expression stern, signaling me to stay quiet. The door creaked open and a staff member – a janitor, by the looks of his uniform – peered inside. He caught my eye and I blanched in response.

The guy looked like he was about to say something, but Hunter was quicker.

She moved impossibly fast, her hand shooting out to grab the collar of his shirt. The man yelped in surprise as she yanked him toward her and leaned in, whispering something indecipherable before he could say another word.

The janitor’s eyes widened for a moment and then glazed over, his face going slack, and Hunter released him.

“You didn’t see anyone in here,” she said smoothly, her voice laced with an almost hypnotic quality as she straightened out his shirt. “You’re just checking the halls like normal.”

I watched with bated breath, frozen in place as Hunter smiled at the guy. “You have somewhere else to be, don’t you? You should get going.”

It was the kind of smile you see in toothpaste commercials, bright and dazzling, and completely out of place considering her menacing tone.

The man nodded slowly, incomprehensibly backing out of the room without another word.

My pulse was racing, but Hunter was already back at the computer, grabbing the flash drive as the download finished. She hit delete on the remaining footage and straightened up. “Let’s get out of here.”

“Wait – Did you just threaten him away?” I gaped at her, gesturing at the door where the janitor had been. “What if he tells someone? All of this would have been for nothing.”

“He won’t breathe a word to anyone.” Hunter brushed past me, hauling the door open and beckoning me through it. “Trust me.”

“But I–” I didn’t get to finish my protest as Hunter ushered me down the hallway, steering me out of view of the bouncer rounding the corner ahead of us.

We slipped unseen through the corridors, finally making it to the back door with Hunter still gripping my shoulders. Ethan was waiting outside, leaning against the wall, cigarette smoke curling in the air.

"Did you manage?" he asked, flicking the butt of his cigarette to the ground and stomping it out. His eyes flickered between the two of us, suspicion and concern splicing his expression.

“Next time, keep an eye on the janitor.” Hunter strode past him and then paused, waiting for me to catch up.

I let out a breath and pulled Ethan into a quick hug. "I’ll explain later, I promise," I said quickly. "Just... thank you for covering for me."

Ethan sighed but nodded. "Like I said, I told the manager you went home early. You’ll still be in trouble, but not the kind that’ll get you fired."

He eyed Hunter pointedly, before untangling my arms from his neck. "Just don’t let her drag you into something worse."

The drive to – wherever we were headed – was quiet, populated with the soft hum of the car engine and the occasional flick of Hunter's gaze to the rearview mirror. I watched her from the corner of my eye, noting the slight furrow of her brow. It was the only sign that the night’s chaos had brushed even the slightest against her usual calm and composed exterior.

I fiddled with the small flash drive in my hands, turning it over and over while my thoughts raced. Ethan was distrustful of Hunter, and truth be told, I was beginning to question the true nature of my enigmatic companion myself. Yet there was no denying she had stepped into my life like a guardian angel – not once, not twice, but multiple times now.

First, redirecting a handsy drunk during New Year's, then appearing out of nowhere to handle those thugs, and now this lead… she was a chaotic whirlwind contained in a slick suit, somehow exactly what I needed, even if her motives weren’t purely altruistic.

My pulse was still racing from the evening's events, the tension and thrill of the heist mingling with a sense of relief, maybe even hope, that began to settle in. Because of her.

Hunter brought the car to a stop and I looked up to see a massive, sleek office block towering before us.

"This is it," she said, nodding toward the building. "I’ve got a laptop upstairs."

“Is this… High Stakes headquarters?” My eyes nearly popped out of my skull as I turned to her. High Stakes health products were a big deal around the city, a favorite among fitness enthusiasts and health gurus alike. “You work here ?”

Hunter replied with a shrug and a ribald smirk, “It’s a well-paying job.”

I cast my gaze around the interior of her sports car, only just coming to realize that everything about this woman, from her clothes to the way she carried herself, screamed excessive wealth. “No kidding.”

Most of the lights in the building were out, adding a layer of intrigue as Hunter directed me past the grand front doors to a smaller, more discreet entrance – and as we slipped inside, she chose the fire escape staircase over the main lobby.

“Are we breaking and entering?” The place was empty, but her shady tactics made me inclined to whisper as she guided me up the stairs.

“No! I literally have a key.”

Considering the way she promptly ushered me out of sight of the security cameras, I was far from convinced.

Hunter rebuked my condemning expression with a shrug. “I am, technically, free to come and go as I please – but guests are usually expected to sign in.”

On the twelfth floor we finally reached an office – Hunter’s office, I realized – and stepped inside.

The room was neat and minimalistic, but the weathered red coffee machine and scattering of detective novels gave it a strange sense of home. The sofa in the corner looked lived-in, like it had served as a makeshift bed for much of its life.

“All right. Let’s see if this was worth the trouble.” Hunter moved to her desk and booted up the laptop, motioning for the flash drive.

I handed it over and leaned closer as the footage began to load, the proximity sending a subtle thrill through me.

"Do you know when Penelope worked at the club?" Hunter's voice was a low murmur, cutting through the quiet.

I scanned the contents of her desk before responding, taking in the discarded coffee cup, the stack of papers, and a bat-shaped paperweight grinning with exaggerated fangs.

A part of me wondered why Hunter had brought me here instead of to her actual home. The most probable answer was she simply didn’t trust me enough to show me that part of her life. But looking over the contents of her office and the way she seemed to uncoil like a cat stretching out in the sun, something told me this place was home to her to some degree.

"Roughly nine months ago. Late at night, mostly. She wasn’t there long, just a few weeks," I replied eventually, watching as Hunter's fingers flew over the keyboard, pulling up the archived footage.

Hunter clicked through the security footage, cycling back to the dates I relayed to her. Together, we watched frame after frame of Micere at night – patrons milling around, dancers on the stage, bartenders rushing to keep up with orders.

And then, there she was, Penelope, apparating on screen in shades of gray. Like a ghost.

Penelope looked different from how I remembered her; hair pulled into loose curls, lips painted and eyes layered with heavy makeup. She was smiling as she carried a tray between tables, chatting casually with patrons. But there was something else, noticeable even in the grainy shade of the security camera – a tiredness in her eyes that I recognized instantly.

Hunter glanced up at me but said nothing, letting the silence stretch on as I stared at the screen. The ache in my chest grew with each frame.

We sped through the footage, watching night after night unfold. In every clip, Penelope was always there, going through the motions. It wasn’t until I spotted the woman that I remembered to take in a breath.

"Wait, go back!" I lurched forward over Hunter’s shoulder, and she dutifully rewound the footage.

It was uncomfortably easy to single her out – a woman lingering in the background, always nearby whenever Penelope was on screen. She appeared in different scenes, always just a short distance from my sister.

The woman was tall, unusually so, and well-dressed. The kind of well-dressed that insinuated money – enough to spend on a lavish wardrobe. The most damning piece of evidence was the sunglasses, big and reflective, but the direction of her gaze was clear. She was always, always, watching Penelope.

In the first clip, the woman was seated at the bar, nursing a drink while Penelope moved past her. In another, she was at a table near the dance floor, her shaded gaze following Penelope’s every move. There was something predatory in her presence, a quiet intensity that made my skin crawl.

"This is the lead you've been looking for?" Hunter muttered, eyes still locked on the screen.

I nodded, heart lodged in my throat. “I heard there was a woman who was always hanging around Penelope, a private client who seemed a little too eager. She matches the description.”

For a moment, I just stared at the screen. As the footage flickered before my eyes, showing Penelope’s world as it had been a few months ago, the distance between us felt like a chasm I couldn’t cross. All I wanted was to reach through the screen, take Penelope’s hand, and pull her back to safety. But my sister was long gone from this place, and the woman with her, the one who might have taken her, was still a mystery.

Hunter frowned, her fingers hovering over the keyboard as she replayed the footage. “Who is she?”

"I don’t know, but this… this is important. Hunter, I need to find out who she is. I don’t know if she had something to do with Penelope’s disappearance, but I can’t ignore this."

Alongside the sense of foreboding that haunted my every waking hour these days, there was a burgeoning determination igniting in my chest. This woman was a mystery, sure, but I was one step closer to finding my sister. And maybe, just maybe, I didn’t have to do it alone.

“You know…” the idea was half-formed and ludicrous, but batting my lashes had worked so often before, so I leaned near Hunter’s ear and tried my luck. “We make a pretty good team.”

Hunter promptly turned in her seat to look at me, brow raised and clearly not buying my bullshit. "What are you getting at?"

Despite everything, I cracked a smile, hovering like a devil on her shoulder. “You down for a little more snooping?”