Chapter Twenty-Nine
Hunter
I keep Sherese in my line of sight at all times as we make the commute to vampire territory.
I don’t trust her not to leave me behind in some misguided attempt at keeping me safe.
Eventually, she’s going to figure out I want to keep her safe.
I figure we’re about one mile in with about four more to go.
She’s barely talked today, and I can’t imagine what she’s thinking.
I hate that we’re doing this; I hate that she has to go back.
The only reason I’m going along with it is that I know she’ll just go without me if I put my foot down.
After we go a little further, I touch her elbow.
“Hey.” She turns to me. “No heroics, okay? No, trying to get rid of me.” I see guilt all over her face and know I’m right.
“If you go in there without me, I will just follow. So, you may as well just let me go in with you.”
“Hunter.” She shakes her head. I know this is so the wrong time, but I love the sound of my name on her lips. I do my best to stay focused. “We’re doing this together. We’re going to get in and get the lay of the land and then get Ajax to Garrett’s team. Then we get out. A few days tops.”
She nods. “Okay.”
Before she turns away, I have to give her something. “You’re not alone this time, okay? I’ll be at your side the entire time.”
“Not if they split us up.”
I stare into her eyes. “Let them try. I’m not going anywhere, okay?
” She’ll learn in time that she can trust me and my word.
Hopefully, she’s picking up on the fact that I’m not talking about just this mission.
She turns away, and I let her. This isn’t the time to burden her down with anything else; we have a mission to focus on.
The next few miles pass in silence. It's only when we get close that we start to slow down and get a lay of the land. “They’ll know when we get close. They’ll most likely send someone to get us,” she whispers to me.
We stay in the trees for cover and move closer.
I can hear her breathing speed up, and my heart tugs in my chest. I hate that she’s coming back here; I hate all of this.
She suddenly puts a hand on my arm, stopping me.
She turns to me, and that mask is back in place.
It’s the mask she wore when I first met her, and it came with her to Phoenix.
I’ve enjoyed watching her lose it more and more.
They’re coming, she mouths to me.
How many? I mouth back.
Four.
Adrenaline floods my body, but I keep it in check. I take a step closer to Sherese. Knowing that these first moments will be some of the most crucial, I take another step closer and put my hand on her lower back. She turns to me in surprise. What are you doing? She mouths to me.
Just getting ready to play my part, I mouth back.
I drop my head to the spot between her neck and shoulder.
Her entire body tenses up. “Relax,” I whisper against her skin.
“You have to act like you’re used to this.
” I take a deep breath, trying to find the sweet scent of her healer's blood beneath the vampire scent. I draw in a deeper breath, hoping to finally catch her true essence, but I can’t. It’s just not there.
She turns to me suddenly, her eyes wide with panic. I go still, letting my senses reach out and find the threat. “What?” I ask in a low voice.
“You have no marks on you,” she whisper hisses at me.
I stare at her, uncomprehending. “What?”
“If you were really enthralled by me, you’d have bite marks all over you.”
“Well, get busy.”
Her eyes go so wide, I worry they’re going to roll back in her head. She shakes her head. “I can’t; I don’t...”
I step close, so I can talk in her ear and not be worried about our enemy hearing us.
“You don’t have to drink my blood. Just give me a couple of bites.
” Her gorgeous brown eyes meet mine, and I can see her panic.
I realize I’m going to have to take matters into my own hands, or things are going to fall apart before they even start.
I tug my shirt to the side. “Bite me.” I intended for the words to sound teasing, but they sound anything but.
“Hurry.” We’re running out of time, and she’s right.
Showing up without a single bite mark is sure to draw the kind of attention we don’t want.
I can tell the moment she makes up her mind.
She steps towards me. I bend over slightly so she can reach me better.
“I’m sorry,” she whispers right before she bites me.
I feel a sharp pain, and then there’s nothing.
She’s already moved to the other side. She bites the other side hard.
I know I’m going to have bruises tomorrow, and yet, I can’t find it in myself to regret it.
If I had more time to analyze it, I would, but right now, we have to prepare for four incoming vampires.
One minute, there’s no one there; the next, they literally appear out of thin air. “Sherese,” one of them says in a voice that’s devoid of any kind of emotion. It’s hard to get a read on him. “We’re supposed to take you to Rizo.”
She raises her eyebrows. “Obviously, that’s why we’re here.”
They move towards me, and she whirls around, eyes flashing.
“Don’t touch him.” They all pause and then look at her.
“He’s mine.” Her words are husky, and it’s honestly the sexiest thing I’ve ever heard.
I know she’s just playing a role, but hearing those words come from her has my blood pumping and my heart racing.
“He’s not coming with,” the vampire who seems to be in charge says.
“Oh, but I think he is,” Sherese all but croons.
I force myself not to respond, but she’s making it rather difficult.
She flips her hair over her shoulder and steps close to me, reaching a hand up to my shoulder.
I force myself not to respond when she all but drapes herself across me.
“He comes with.” Her words are low and ominous.
I watch as the lead vampire takes a step towards her.
My body tenses, but Sherese gives me a warning elbow in my ribs.
I keep any and all expression off my face, going for just a blank look.
“We’ll see what Rizo has to say about that,” the vampire says, sneering at her.
“Well, well, well, this looks cozy.” It takes everything in me not to respond to that voice. Ajax steps out of the shadows, and I force myself to stay still. “Aw, the prodigal comes home.”
“Ajax,” Sherese says in an emotionless voice. “I told you I would be back.”
“You did. What’s with the wolf? Did you bring him to us as a gift?”
“No,” Sherese says, sounding bored. “He’s with me for now anyway, until I get bored of him.”
Ajax crosses his arms. “You’ve never fed from someone before, and now, you expect us to believe that you’re feeding exclusively from him?”
Sherese runs a hand down my chest, and my muscles jump in response. I grit my teeth and force myself not to respond, but she’s clearly trying to torture me. “Pretty sure I don’t care what you believe, Ajax.”
Ajax stares her down. “Whatever this is, it doesn’t change the fact. He’s not coming with.”
“And I say he does.” They stare each other down, and I do my best not to get distracted by the feel of her soft body against my own.
She’s fit and lean and muscular, so I didn’t expect the softness of her body.
I force those thoughts back and keep a tight hold on my wolf, who’s pushing against his barriers at the threat to our mate.
Sherese takes a step forward, and Ajax steps into her path.
I force myself not to respond. “Let us pass, Ajax.” Her voice is soft but commanding.
When he doesn’t move, she crosses her arms. “Fine. Then get Rizo.”
His face changes then. I wouldn’t catch it if I wasn’t watching him so closely.
For just a moment, hatred crosses his face.
It’s gone so fast, I almost miss it. But I saw it.
My wolf takes his scent in deep, memorizing it.
He's a dead man; he just doesn’t know it yet.
It won’t even be me who gets to take the kill.
That’s promised to the alpha of the Northwoods Pack, but it will give me great pleasure delivering him on a silver platter.
“There’s no way he comes into our territory. He’s a wolf.”
Sherese shrugs. “Who wants to be with me. Right, Love?” she croons, turning back. I force what I hope is a love-sick smile in her direction.
Ajax watches us both a moment, disgust clear in his gaze. But then he turns back. “Watch them. If the wolf tries anything, put him down.”
Sherese follows him, turning back once to look at me.
“Coming, Love?” she asks, her voice dripping sweet.
But the look she gives me is anything but.
She’s ready for what’s coming. The vampires surround us, and Sherese makes a point of wrapping her arms around me as we cross the barrier into vampire territory.
We both know I don’t need her to be able to cross, but the vampires don’t know that.
I'm surprised when a current runs through me. It doesn’t hurt, but it's jarring.
Sherese must feel it too, because she reacts. “What was that?”
Ajax turns back to look at her, a cruel smile on his face. “That is our insurance that the wolves can’t cross. They try crossing that barrier...” he smiles wickedly. “Let’s just say, there won’t be a body left to clean up.”
My gut tightens, and I immediately reach out to Bryce.
I need to tell him about the new barrier.
The wolves crossed before. It was painful, but they made it.
Now, it would be suicide. Bryce, don’t let any of the wolves cross the barrier.
They changed it. It will kill anyone who tries to cross.
I wait for his response, but nothing comes.
Bryce? Frustration builds in my chest as reality settles over me.
I don’t have access to the pack link. We’re truly on our own, just the two of us.
..in vampire territory. I watch Sherese stride ahead, confident as always.
I pledge anew to protect her and to get us both out of this.
I will play the role she wants me to play, but only if she isn’t endangered.
If she is in danger or gets hurt, I won’t be able to contain my wolf or the other, more dangerous side of myself. My wolf sends his agreement.
We walk for a while before we get to the area I recognize.
I see the house we rescued Ava from. Sherese slows down and heads in that direction.
She must remember she’s supposed to be directing me, because she steps close to me again and puts her hand on my shoulder and leads me towards the house. “Where are you going?” Ajax asks.
Sherese raises a single eyebrow. “To my house?”
Ajax shakes his head. “Not your house anymore. You’ll be staying in the main building,” he says, nodding his head towards the huge building where they do all their dirty work.
“Um, no. I’m going to stay here.”
I feel him before I see him. My muscles bunch, and I search the darkness. And then, he steps into our line of vision. Rizo, the master. My body locks up, ready to fight, before I remind myself I can’t.
“Little Lamb,” he says in a voice that sounds like melted honey.
It’s too smooth, too practiced, too deadly.
“Welcome back.” Then he pins those eyes on me, and every muscle in my body tenses.
It takes everything in me to give him a blank look, one that doesn’t show what I really think of him.
“And you brought a friend. How...lovely.”