Run Little Fawn (Hunter’s Mark #1)

Chapter 7

THE HUNTER

The motel room where I found my fawn mere hours before the real game begins reeks of stale cigarettes and cheap disinfectant, the kind of place where people come to forget or to be forgotten.

It makes sense, in a way. A temporary sanctuary for a fawn on the run, a place to lick her wounds and plan her next move.

Aria doesn't stir as I approach the bed, my footsteps silent on the threadbare carpet. Even in sleep, there's a tension to her, a coiled readiness that speaks of a mind that never truly rests. I wonder what haunts her dreams, what demons lurk behind those pretty green eyes.

I hope it's me.

I could end this now, of course. One quick movement, a hand over her mouth, and it would all be over. But where's the fun in that? The game has only just begun, and I intend to savor every moment of it.

Instead, I reach into my pocket and pull out the burner phone, an exact replica of the one she so foolishly left behind. It's almost insulting, really, how easily she played into my hands. As if a few hundred miles and a cheap motel room could ever be enough to throw me off her scent.

I place the phone on the dresser, a silent reminder that there's no escape from this, from me. And then I step back, melting into the shadows as if I were never there at all.

For a long moment, I simply stand there, watching the rise and fall of her chest, the way her lips part slightly as she dreams. She's beautiful like this, all soft curves and delicate features, a far cry from the fierce determination I saw in her eyes earlier.

It's almost a shame I have to break her. To shatter that pretty illusion of safety and control she's clinging to so desperately. But the game must be played, and I've never been one to back down from a challenge.

I lean in closer, inhaling the scent of her—sweat and fear and something else, something that makes my pulse quicken and my blood run hot. She might not make this easy on me, but that's half the fun. And when I finally catch her, when I claim my prize and break her completely? It will be all the sweeter for the chase.

My phone vibrates in my pocket, a harsh electronic buzz that shatters the stillness of the room. I glance at the screen, a slow smile spreading across my face as I read the message.

Remember, Initiate. The only good Hunter is a hungry one.

I slip the phone back into my pocket, my gaze never leaving Aria's sleeping form. Seven hunts. Seven days each. It's not much time, but it won't take nearly that much in reality. She's out of her element.

The entire premise of this game is unfair, but that's the point, isn't it?

Seven hunts. Seven opportunities to level the playing field, even a little.

It's not much… a mere delay of the inevitable. But it's all we have.

I reach out, my fingers hovering just above her cheek, tracing the delicate curve of her jaw without quite touching. She stirs slightly, a soft sigh escaping her lips, and I freeze, my heart pounding in my chest.

But she doesn't wake. She simply shifts and settles back into sleep, her face relaxing once more. I let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding, a chuckle escaping my lips.

"Sweet dreams, little fawn," I murmur, my voice low and rough with anticipation. "Enjoy your rest while you can. Because when you wake, the real game begins."

I step back, my eyes lingering on her for one last, long moment. And then I turn and slip out of the room, the door clicking softly shut behind me.

The Hunt is on, and I am ready.

Aria Moreau, you may run, you may fight, but in the end, you will be mine. Body, mind, and soul.

And I will savor every moment of breaking you.