A Hunter Found: A Paranormal Vampire Romance (Hired Hunters Series Book 3)

by Kimberly Forrest

  “Which you can’t exactly do in the middle of New Orleans.”

  “Your control is another thing we’ll have to work on,” Morgan said with a frown. “You’ve gotten better recently, but you’ll need to learn to stay in control even in a combat situation.” Tapping her chin with her finger as she contemplated the problem, she said, “I think we’ll rope your brother in on that one since he actually knows what it’s like to be a dragon.”

  Sophia’s phone went off as Morgan spoke the last and she glanced at the display that proclaimed The Mighty Kane was calling. She frowned. She hadn’t inputted that, nor had she, or would she, set the ringtone to LMFAO’s song Sexy and I Know It. Connecting the call, she demanded, “What did you do to my phone?” and then changing her mind, said, “Better yet, when did you do that to my phone?”

  Kane let out a bark of laughter. “Yesterday when you were otherwise occupied. You really should password protect your devices. Jamie would be appalled.”

  Shaking her head with a mixture of disgruntlement and amusement, she looked toward Morgan and Jamie who were patiently waiting and mouthed, ‘sorry’, before asking Kane, “What’s up? Did you need something?”

  “Yeah. Furniture. I decided to stay at my new place after I left you guys last night. Those floors are hard.”

  A snort of laughter was out before Sophia could stop it, and embarrassed at the sound, she quickly cleared her throat. “Okay. So, you want to go furniture shopping? Why call me?”

  “Well, it occurred to me you wouldn’t realize what I’d done to your phone until I called you.”

  Unable to hold back her grin, Sophia tried for a dry tone and failed as she said, “Ah, I see the method to your madness.”

  “So, do you and the ladies want to help me furnish this place? They’re there with you, aren’t they? They’ve had you cleaning guns all morning, am I right?”

  “We were about to start on strength training.”

  “Perfect. I’ll let you lift the couch.”

  Her cheeks hurt, she was grinning so broadly as she returned, “Ah, how chivalrous of you.”

  “You know it.”

  An hour later, Sophia, Morgan, and Jamie met Kane outside of a furniture store. The first thing Sophia noticed, was that while she felt a flutter in her belly at the first sight of Kane, she still didn’t feel that weird scratch under her skin like she continued to feel around Morgan, even if it was now to a lesser degree. How odd. He was definitely one of the Born, that wasn’t in question, but instead of her dragon warning her of a possible threat, the beast was practically sighing at the sight of the man.

  “This is going to be fun,” Jamie gleefully spoke up, rubbing her hands together.

  “I bought a few things online last night, next day delivery.”

  “What did you get?” Morgan asked curiously, as they entered the store, staged like rooms to best showcase their wares.

  “Treadmill, elliptical, weight bench, all the trimmings. Let me tell you, after that order, Nautilus is loving me right now.”

  Morgan let out a little chuckle. “Priorities, I see. Most people furnish their bedrooms and living rooms first.”

  Kane shot Morgan an unabashed grin that made Sophia’s heart do a weird little stutter as he excitedly added, “Oh! I also got some sweet wooden targets for hatchet throwing.”

  Sophia’s eyebrows shot to her hairline. “Hatchet throwing?”

  “Oh, yeah. Great fun. You’ll have to try it.”

  Feeling those stomach flutters intensify, and blaming hunger rather than attraction, Sophia dug into her purse for a handful of nuts. Which, of course, had Kane looking at her bag with that delighted grin of his that only turned those butterflies into what felt like rioting squirrels.

  “More snacks? What’d you bring today?”

  Her mind went blank and she had to look. “Peanuts and raisins, M&M’s, and Twizzlers.”

  “Ooh. Can I have a Twizzler?”

  Pulling the pack out so he could grab one, she was momentarily struck dumb as he winked at her and said, “Thank you.”

  Kane Fletcher, she decided, was positively lethal.

  “I like this couch,” Jamie said from across the room. “What do you think, Kane?”

  Grateful not to have all that charm and magnetism focused on her as Kane turned away to see what Jamie had found, Sophia took a moment to regain her equilibrium before she rejoined the others.

  Kane dubiously eyed the pale cream-colored couch upholstered in a fabric that looked rather shiny before turning to glance at Sophia. “What do you think?”

  Shrugging, she joined Jamie on the cushions with a little bounce. “It’s definitely comfortable. Nice and squishy.”

  “Squishy?” Kane didn’t know if he wanted a squishy couch, though comfortable sounded nice. Honestly, shopping for furniture had simply been an excuse for him to call Sophia and see her again. While he appreciated the females' opinions on the furniture, he could have easily set Edward on the task. His clerk would have been in raptures that Kane trusted him to decorate his home. Not that Kane cared about color schemes or how the decor flowed. As long as he had food, and a place to lay his head, he was good. Hell, he’d been sleeping in cheap hotel rooms or catching Z’s in the back of the SUV for years. Anything more than that was a luxury.

  The dragon, however, intrigued him and he could finally understand what had attracted Morgan to Travis if she had experienced something similar. He hadn't been able to get Sophia out of his head, had barely slept, a fact which had nothing to do with the hard floors of his new house and everything to do with the woman currently testing out a recliner.

  Once again, she had all her hair tucked up under a ball cap and his fingers itched to pull it off. Would her hair tumble down her back in waves or be a smooth length of straight locks? What color was it? Was it a brown, streaked with blonde, like her brother’s hair, or a darker hue now thanks to her years in stasis?

  Her eyes, he knew, were a lovely golden brown, but he longed to see them without the shadow of the bill. Her form was a little on the thin side, but that was to be expected considering she'd spent five years encased in stone. She wouldn’t be that way for long. Man, the woman could eat, a fact Kane happened to love. Food was awesome. It was also meant to be enjoyed, and he had always hated it when he took a woman out and they picked at their meal like a bird then batted their eyes and said they were full when he could clearly hear their stomachs stating otherwise. What was the point of that?

  Not Sophia, though. She was a woman who appreciated food almost as much as he did. The way her eyes had practically rolled back in her head yesterday when she’d first bitten into that sandwich he’d gotten for her, the way she’d groaned in enjoyment. Oh, yeah. That was sexy. He’d had to talk Kane Junior down before everyone became aware of exactly how turned on he’d been.

  He was willing to bet that once Sophia’s body was back to full health, she'd be spectacular, probably needing to beat back horny wolves with a stick if she stayed on pack lands. The thought made him growl with an overwhelming surge of possessiveness that, in all his many years, he'd never before experienced.

  Sophia St. John, he decided, was dangerous. Good thing Kane happened to like danger. Now, the question was, how did one woo a dragon? Glancing down at the leather hobo bag stuffed with snacks, Kane grinned as an idea began to form.

  ∞∞∞

  Evangeline made another turn around the tiny tourist shop that sold healing crystals, herbs, and assorted talismans, despite her having seen everything the store had to offer several times over at this point. She’d have to buy something soon or she’d be asked to vacate the premises, and the last thing she needed was to cause a stir that might reach certain ears.

  The young girl behind the counter had already asked if she could be of assistance twice. Evangeline had wanted to snort at the offer. She was eons beyond this child in knowledge. Not to mention, she couldn’t sense even a tiny drop of magical blood anywhere in the girl. This was simp
ly a job for her. She probably had no idea of what power lurked within these trinkets in the right hands. The only way she could possibly help someone of Evangeline’s magnitude was if she could offer up Kane Fletcher’s whereabouts. He wasn’t currently in the apartment above this shop where he’d first brought her that night she’d engineered their meeting in the bar and she’d had to hastily abort her plans. He also, as far as she could tell, hadn’t been there for at least twenty-four hours. Where was he? Her so-called spies were proving absolutely worthless. She needed better minions.

  The bell above the door rang, announcing another customer’s entry. A wolf shifter if Evangeline’s senses weren’t mistaken. One that obviously knew the clerk as she greeted the girl with a grin and the two exchanged some small talk.

  “Is Kane up there?”

  Ears perking, Evangeline grabbed up the clear crystal in front of her to bring it to the counter so she could better hear the clerk’s response.

  The girl behind the register shook her head, but instead of elaborating, she glanced over the shifter’s shoulder and smiled at Evangeline. “Ready to check out?”

  She’d rushed it, been overeager. How very frustrating. If she’d waited a moment more, she may have had her answer. But the fact that this young wolf knew Kane, wanted to find him, well, that was intriguing. Her purchase complete, she waited outside for the shifter to leave. It didn’t take long, and the woebegone expression was telling.

  “You know Kane?” Evangeline asked with a sweet smile, falling into step beside the wolf.

  The girl stopped, taking in Evangeline from head to toe. Such an expressive face the shifter had, so easy to read the seething jealousy she tried to hide behind a false smile. “How do you know Kane?” the girl bit out between clenched teeth.

  Evangeline wanted to throw her head back and laugh. How marvelous. The shifter and Kane had known each other intimately, any fool could see that, and that suited her plans perfectly.

  Oh, yes. Evangeline could definitely use this girl. Kane Fletcher might currently be the territory-holding Born of Louisiana, but before that, he’d been a Hunter, a breed that practically reeked from their hero complex and something that couldn’t easily be shrugged off. With this girl, Evangeline could make Kane come to her.

  The spell was easy, practically child’s play for someone of Evangeline’s power, and with a wave of her hand in front of the shifter’s eyes, the girl was following like a well-behaved puppy.

  “What’s your name, child?”

  “Nicky.”

  With a grin of sheer wickedness, Evangeline announced, “Well, Nicky. Let’s see if we can find Kane for you.”

  Chapter Ten

  With the furniture purchased and arrangements made for drop off, Kane had called Edward and told the clerk to contact a few strong backs the man trusted to help arrange Kane’s new home. As predicted, the man had practically gushed about what an honor it was to be entrusted with such a task. Edward was good people, and Kane did trust him, that was the point, and if the clerk thought this was an honor, wait until the man saw his Christmas bonus. Kane almost chuckled as he imagined the man’s face. But hey, in Kane’s opinion, you do right by him and he’d do right by you.

  Slipping the phone back into his jacket pocket, he was about to ask if his ladies wanted to join him for a bite to eat when he noticed Sophia staring longingly at something across the street. It was a salon he noted. His dragon wanted a little pampering, did she? He could definitely make that happen.

  “You guys were such a help to me today,” he told them. “You deserve something special, and I need to take off for a bit.” He didn’t, but he might as well use the time to go visit Jourdain since the man hadn’t gotten back to him yet about the video footage. Time to beard the lion in his den and hope he didn’t get his brain melted for the trouble. “So why don’t you go have a spa day over there at that salon. My treat.”

  “Ooh, mani-pedi,” Jamie said with a grin. “I’m all for it. Morgan? Soph?”

  “No need to twist my arm,” Morgan said, while Sophia nodded with such a look of longing that Kane felt his chest nearly burst with pride that he could give her this. After all, money wasn’t exactly an issue for him. Hunter bounties were substantial as the Born wanted their runners back quickly, and Hunters weren’t exactly living large while on the road. Weapons and tech tended to be their only high-ticket items, and if properly taken care of, needed to be replaced only rarely, so his career of well over a century hunting had garnered him substantial wealth.

  Offering his credit card to Morgan, he asked, “We’ll all meet up for dinner after?” And then with a grin, “I want to see all those pretty piggies.”

  Morgan let out a scoffing sound. “These piggies will be back in their boots, but I’ll let you admire my fingers.”

  “Deal. Call me when you’re done.”

  With one last look at a smiling Sophia to tide him over until later, he headed off to meet Jourdain.

  The leader of the Order of Witches didn’t live in a mansion, or even in one of the wealthier districts though Kane doubted the man was strapped for cash. The buildings in this section were small, almost identical, though some sported gorgeously painted murals interspersed with more common graffiti. But this was why so many of the Born underestimated the witches. While Kane’s kind flaunted their power and wealth visibly, the witches preferred to remain under the radar.

  Honestly, Kane would have liked to do the same. While he loved his new house, he would have been just as happy in a smaller place, but as a newly-appointed territory-holding Born, he now had certain expectations to fulfill. His sworn oath may have been overseen by his father and his eldest brother, but eventually, once they got their shit back together after the unexpected death of their leader, the Court of Elders would send an emissary to meet with him. His household, as well as the functionality of his territory, would be scrutinized. In this, he needed to fit the mold.

  Giving the door a quick rap, Kane wondered if the women were having fun. He had an image of them sitting side by side in those big chairs that salons had, their feet soaking while they gossiped and sipped champagne. The thought left him smiling as the door opened.

  “Mister Fletcher,” Destin Jourdain drawled, his hawk-like features scrutinizing Kane. “I do hope that smile on your face means you’re here to sell me cookies.”

  Kane’s smile widened to a grin. “No such luck, though now I’m wishing I did have some. I’d even share.”

  “How magnanimous of you.”

  Kane sighed. So much for any of that ice having melted away after they’d worked together to bring down those rogue vamps that had been killing witches. Not that he could blame the guy. The death of those particular witches may have been a message of challenge meant for Kane, but Jourdain had been the one to suffer the grief. Those men and women had been his people.

  “I was hoping you might have a moment to talk.”

  Jourdain backed up, waving his hand for Kane to enter.

  Destin Jourdain was one big bastard. You didn’t tend to notice it as much when you were standing a few feet from him, but stepping up next to the guy, Jourdain practically loomed over Kane’s six-foot, two-inch height. Not to mention the frisson of power you could feel emanating from the man even when he was relaxed, that felt like a lightning storm was imminent, the kind that raised the hairs on your arm.

  Jourdain’s home was an interesting mix, Kane noted as he fell into step behind the man. On the right, there looked to be a small family room with a couch, recliner, and one of those old-style cabinet TVs from the seventies that probably weighed more than Kane. Did the thing even work?

  Before he could ask, Jourdain brought him into a room that had Kane stopping in his tracks with a surprised, “Whoa.”

  This room didn’t have any furniture. Instead, the expanse of the bare plank floor held a large circle painted in white with symbols around the interior in red. Fat, white pillar candles crusted in dried wax sat on the floor just outsid
e the circle while in the center was placed a massive metal bowl, flanked by dirt-smeared human skulls, and was filled with a red liquid that might have been mistaken for blood had his nose not told him otherwise.

  Jourdain’s booming laughter seemed to echo around the room. “The look on your face, Mister Fletcher.” The man shook his head as his amusement continued. “I assure you, it’s for the tourists.”

  Throwing Jourdain a sheepish grin for being caught gawking like one of those said tourists, Kane stuffed his hands in his pockets. “You can call me Kane, you know. That’s kind of one of the reasons I’m here.”

  Jourdain raised a brow. “I see. And the other reason?”

  “I was hoping you may have recognized the woman in that footage I sent you.”

  Moving into what was clearly Jourdain’s office, one with floor-to-ceiling bookshelves that lined the walls and held obviously ancient tomes, as well as newer books, Jourdain motioned for him to take a seat.

  The leather club chair Kane settled into was probably comfortable, but he didn’t sit back to discover if that was true, remaining perched on the edge as he waited for an answer.

  “Drink?”

  The offer was surprising. Kane had thought Jourdain would want him out of his house as soon as possible, but he certainly wasn’t going to turn down the hospitality. Nor did he turn down the offer of a very expensive cigar.

  He occasionally shared a cigar with Travis, but those weren’t anywhere near this quality and the combination of aged scotch and Cuban tobacco reminded Kane of his father. Sweeping aside the unwanted moment of nostalgia, Kane focused on Jourdain who was saying, “I didn’t recognize the woman in the footage, but from what I saw, the two of you seemed to be chatting. You didn’t get a name?”