Captivated by Her #2
But if her abilities were to captivate men with one conversation, neither Phillip or I stood a chance.
Because in only hours, it was evident how effective a power it was.
She was the only thing I could think about, and I spent all morning awake, ready to go to her—ready to have a reason to spend any amount of time with her.
“Several planes? So even you guys don’t know what all is out there? Holy shit.” V sat across from me at the table, studying the text in front of her. “Is there a reason for mythology to vary by culture?”
“Different parts of the world see connections to certain planes, and it’s theorized myth stemmed from such things.
The Organization only in the last three to four hundred years started to better document it, so it’s been passed by word of mouth mostly.
But like I said, it’s not easy to cross between alternate existences. ”
V hummed, eyes scanning the page. “And the Organization plans to tap into that, I guess?”
I was surprised to hear her utter what I had yet to mention, and it showed on my face. “Is that what you think?”
Her hazel eyes rose to meet mine, the glimmer absolutely breathtaking. “It seems the most forgone conclusion, yeah? They experimented and built us out of all these other species. I sort of wondered why, but this makes the most sense to me.”
The girl was clever, and I was exhilarated by her strong deductive skills.
Phillip leaned back in his chair, a proud smile tilting his lips. “You’re right. It’s their intention to cross over, and they’ve likely spent this entire time trying to perfect a Hunter who could. Sloan and I, you, we were all steps in that direction, I imagine.”
Though she tried to hide the bitterness in her expression every time Phillip spoke, she didn’t manage to. “So, do you think…?”
I tilted my head in confusion. “Think what?”
“That whatever I am, it’s their hope I’d be the most likely to cross over? I mean, it’d make sense.”
Phillip hummed and I quieted, a little disappointed I hadn’t thought of that possibility.
The two of us stewed in her question for a few seconds before Phillip straightened and crossed his arms over his chest, a contemplative look on his face.
“I wouldn’t put it past them. They learned their lesson from raising Hunters in facilities.
It didn’t work out very well, and a lot of us…
well, let’s just say there was more rebellion there than anywhere else. ”
Having heard many of his stories about being raised in the facility, one I had the good fortune to avoid, I was plenty informed on what sort of torture could lead all the Hunters kept there to rebel.
Many tried and failed to rise up against the Organization, and very few survived long enough to make it out.
Phillip had good reason for wanting to burn the entire facility down, but it was shut down before he could.
Sadly, I was confident facilities like his still existed.
It would, however, take all our resources to find them, and we risked exposing ourselves should we try.
Jaw strained, Phillip continued, “Maybe this approach was easier to control. We know you have, at the very least, vampire abilities since my blood activated yours.”
“And the magic?” she asked to my confusion.
But Phillip quickly shook his head. “It’s not clear what happened, and I don’t want to assume anything right now.”
“What happened?” I asked expectantly.
Phillip groaned. “I’ll tell you about it later.”
I nodded, not in a hurry but curious. “You’re suggesting she may have other genes?”
“Yes,” was all he said, and I left it at that.
No point in prying when Phillip would explain later.
“Whatever they did to manipulate your genetic makeup, V, it wasn’t something they wanted to risk losing at a facility.
Though, I’m not exactly sure why. Maybe they thought you’d be more likely to succeed outside of one.
If that’s the case, we’re being watched much closer than I’d originally planned for. ”
It meant a team would be reporting our location. Our every movement would be under strict surveillance. The confidence in our escape would be exploited. Eros’s presence suggested a double agent—top-level—so our current location was already compromised.
“Shit,” I muttered.
“Schiesse,” Phillip agreed, jaw clenching in anger. “Then he’s going to be here soon.”
I looked up and nodded, eyeing the windows and front door.
For someone like Eros, the barriers wouldn’t take longer than a day or two to infiltrate.
If our guess was right, he may already be close to getting through them.
“Or he’s already here. May be a better idea to lay a trap to get an advantage. ”
“Or orchestrate a distraction,” Phillip mused, retrieving a blood bag and tossing it over to me. “We’ll set the trap, but if it comes to it—”
“I’ll get V out.”
Phillip nodded his thanks, blazing eyes straying over to V. “She’s our top priority.”
“Wait, what’s happening?” she asked, justifiably confused.
Phillip was already rushing around to get everything into place, so I addressed the confused Hunter. “Our location is very likely compromised. Eros will be informed of where we are, and we’ll need to work quickly to get you out.”
“Can’t we just escape now?”
I shook my head, sure Eros wasn’t far even if we tried. “It would put us at a disadvantage to try without a proper plan, and it’d risk putting you in a worse situation than if we were to stay here and prepare.”
She quickly stood from her seat, hands landing flat on the table. “What do you need me to do?”
I really admired her spirit.
Smiling, I walked over to her. “We didn’t get to finish our training, but what would you do in this situation?”
“Reinforce barriers. Lay a trap. Ensure proper escape routes. Be sure to take advantage of anything and everything I could,” she listed off confidently.
Yes. It wasn’t that the granddaughter of Rose had an ability to mesmerize men. Simply, V was an incredibly impressive Hunter at such a young age, and I was attracted to how truly beautiful she was inside and out.
“It’ll be his intention to catch us by surprise, so I imagine in the middle of the night. We may not sleep like others, but in the comfort of a safe home, he’d expect us to let our guard down. That’s how we’ll trap him.”
Her breathing exposed the young Hunter’s fear. “Can you fight him like Phil can?” V’s gaze strayed to where Phillip was laying out several of his favorite inventions, ready to be used and go off.
“I can hold my own,” I promised. “Phillip taught me well. I promise he won’t get the jump on us. Believe it or not, Phillip and I work really well together.”
The redhead’s gentle laughter eased the unnatural tension in my chest. “I guess you would have to, being best friends and all that.”
Best friends? Phillip would die if he heard V say so.
I snickered to myself, not expecting to be labeled as such.
“Not sure that’s how he’d put it,” I murmured, getting a laugh out of the hazel-eyed spitfire.
“As far as what you can do, I’ll need you ready to escape.
You’ll stay close to me while we wait to see if Phillip can trap or distract Eros to give you and I time to escape. ”
“And Phillip will what, stay?”
Her expression gave away the concern she felt for the Austrian, and it bothered me to see it. “He’s fought Eros more times than I can count. He can keep Eros engaged longer, and it’d give us more time to escape. Eros has never managed to outwit Phillip. I can promise he’ll be fine.”
“But Eros has the serum,” she countered angrily, the concern in her face intensifying. “He’ll—”
“Eros lost his edge when he used it last time. Phillip knows Eros has the serum. He’ll be ready, and it’s very unlikely Eros will catch him off guard. Besides, he won’t have anyone to protect.” V’s expression darkened, and I quickly backtracked. “Not that you need it.”
Shaking her head, the Hunter sighed. “No. You’re right. I was the reason we were caught by surprise.”
Phillip walked over, his eyes white-hot with rage. “Not even close. You were the reason we survived.” I’d never seen that look on the Austrian’s face, and it silenced me for a second. The air Phillip put out was electric, and it tickled my senses to be near it.
“How?” V argued, her tone that of someone who didn’t fear Phil or anything he’d do to her.
She was one of very few.
Phillip brushed his knuckles across her cheek, and it was just another reason for me to question the man standing in front of me.
He was an entirely different person around her.
“We didn’t die that day because of Nigel and his pack.
They were there because of you. I’d never say it to that damn wolf, but they were the reason I was able to run Eros off. ”
Her anger melted away and a gentle smile lifted the young Hunter’s lips, taking me by surprise. “So, you finally admit it.”
Phillip threw his head back, sighing and running fingers through his hair. It was the most petulant I’d ever seen the man. “Don’t make me regret saying it out loud, V.”
“Serves you right,” she rebutted, huffing. “And why’d you have to remind me about the day I almost died, Sloan.”
Not expecting to suddenly be front and center to the conversation out of nowhere, I tilted my head in confusion. “But I didn’t. Not really,” I retorted.
The smile she offered me set my loins on fire, and I’d never had such a powerful urge to kiss someone. “Sure, sure. Keep telling yourself that.” With a happy little puff, she crossed her arms. “Okay, what now?”
Phillip’s eyes slid over to me, visibly cautious when I couldn’t control my affectionate smile. “Now we wait. It’s only a matter of time. In the meantime, we intensify training.”
“Like it wasn’t intense enough,” V complained.