Hunting Human

by Amanda E. Alvarez

  “Oh, he left about an hour ago. Said he had to go into Portland for a few hours.” Lucy polished off the croissant and reached for some bacon. “He said he’d be back tonight. In the meantime—” Lucy’s eyes sparkled in delight. “—We’re taking a girl’s day.”

  “A what?” Beth asked, snagging the remaining croissant.

  “A girl’s day!” Lucy rolled her eyes. “Manicures, pedicures, the works! Shopping, too. And Mom’s going to meet us for a late lunch.”

  “But why?”

  “You’ve got to be going stir-crazy up here. You’ve barely left this room in the last couple of days.” Lucy jumped from the bed, brushing crumbs off her lap and onto the floor. “It’ll be fun. And you could really use some of your own things. Anyway, freshen up. Chase is playing escort this morning. He gets cranky if we keep him waiting too long.”

  “We wouldn’t want the man with the Taser to get cranky.” Beth couldn’t help it. No matter how kind the Edwardses were, or how long ago it seemed, some things were harder to forgive.

  “Don’t say that.” Lucy morphed from excited to upset in a heartbeat. “He’d never hurt you. Not now.”

  Guilt-ridden, Beth tried to backpedal. “Sorry. I know,” she acknowledged, surprised to find it was true. “I’m never awake until I finish my first cup of tea.” She smiled weakly, hoping Lucy didn’t take it personally. She was obviously close to her family. Of all of them, Lucy had been the most welcoming—bringing Beth books, luring her out to watch TV, providing a steady buffer against the insanity that gripped Beth when she was left to her own devices too long. She didn’t want to upset her, intentionally or otherwise.

  “Where are we going? Not into Portland?”

  “No. And Braden swore I didn’t have to babysit. I don’t have to worry about you ditching me, right?”

  “I promise. I’m not going anywhere.”

  For now.

  “Cool. Anyway, there’s not a lot out here, either. Small town,” she explained. “But there is this gorgeous hotel along the coast and it has a full service spa. It’s amazing! I can’t wait.” Lucy bounced out the door. “Downstairs? Twenty minutes?”

  Twenty minutes later, Beth stepped off the bottom stair. Lucy stood with her brother by the door, speaking in a harsh whisper.

  Well, she probably thinks she’s whispering.

  “She’s still afraid of you, Chase! So be nice. I mean it.” Lucy had one slender finger pressed to the middle of his chest, and Chase, despite the fact that he had a good six inches on her, looked completely chastised.

  “Ready?” He asked.

  “Sure.” Beth skirted around him as he held the door for them.

  ***

  Beth rolled her eyes and sighed as Lucy dragged her into another store. Her endless energy was exhausting. She’d kept up a running dialogue, most of it one-sided, throughout the day. Whether or not she noticed that Beth was largely silent, she didn’t seem to care. Either way, the day had been exactly what Beth needed.

  “That would look great on you!” Lucy pulled a forest green cable-knit sweater from a rack and handed it to Beth. “You have to try it on.”

  “Only if you try on that dress you keep eyeing,” Beth pointed at the sundress in the store window.

  “Nah. I don’t really need it.” She flushed. “I wouldn’t have anywhere to wear it.”

  Beth pulled her over to the display. “I don’t need a sweater, but you’ll make me try it on. What size?” Beth flipped through the hangers and pulled out the right one. “And I don’t believe for a moment you couldn’t find somewhere to wear it if you wanted to.” Beth gave her a knowing look as she handed over the dress. “You’ve chattered all day long about nearly everything. Except you…” Beth let her mouth curl into a knowing grin. “Anything you aren’t sharing?”

  Lucy blushed and looked away. “Nah. Nothing important anyway.”

  “Uh-huh.” Beth pulled another couple of dresses in the same size from surrounding racks. “A good dress could come in handy. You know, just in case.”

  The smile Lucy answered with was so bright Beth didn’t mind the extra twenty minutes she’d just bought in the dressing room. “Let’s go try these on.” She glanced at her watch. “We’re supposed to meet your brother in a half hour.”

  “Can I start you a room?” a store clerk asked, gesturing toward the fitting rooms.

  “I think we’re ready.” Beth handed over the forest green sweater while Lucy juggled the dozen or so hangers she had slung over her arm.

  “You’ve only got one thing,” Lucy protested. “We can look a little longer.”

  “Nah, we’re running low on time and, this way, I can give you a second opinion if you need it.” They followed the clerk into fitting rooms next to each other.

  “Let me know if I can get you another size.” The woman drew the curtain shut before she left.

  Beth pulled the shirt she was wearing over head and tugged the sweater on. Lucy was right, it suited her. Beth sighed, turning right and left in the mirror. She liked it, but she couldn’t get it. She didn’t have her purse with her, no money, no credit cards. Nothing. She wasn’t even really sure where her purse was.

  Probably still scattered across my living room floor.

  It was hard to believe Markko had attacked her just two days ago. So much had happened since then. It felt like weeks had passed. Part of her worried she was taking the situation too calmly, allowing herself to fall into the illusion of security that Braden’s family provided.

  And when that’s gone? What then?

  “Hey, can you take a look?” Lucy’s voice cut through her thoughts.

  “Sure. Come on out.”

  Beth pulled the curtain of her fitting room open. Lucy stepped out wearing a strapless white dress, cut close through her middle and flaring in the skirt.

  “What do you think?” She asked as she did a graceful twirl.

  “Very pretty.” Beth considered Lucy carefully. She seemed so young, though less than three years separated them. She didn’t seem to carry the same sort of weariness that dogged Beth after the full moon. Why didn’t the shift wear on her the same way?

  “But?”

  “It depends on what you’re after. It’s pretty, but it’s very…sweet.” Beth got the impression that wasn’t what Lucy wanted.

  “It might help if you told me a little more about who it is you’re trying to impress.”

  Lucy scowled and stalked back into the dressing room. “It doesn’t matter. He wouldn’t notice if I walked into a room stark naked.”

  “I doubt that. You know, sometimes guys are a little thick. They only see one thing until something else steps in front of them. Try the black one.”

  “You think?”

  “Go ahead, I’ll wait.” Beth heard the rustle of hangers as Lucy pulled the one she suggested out of the pile.

  “Oh.” Lucy sounded a little breathless and Beth knew what she’d see even before she pulled back the curtain.

  “Much better,” Beth said. Lucy twirled again, wearing a fitted black number, high on the leg and completely backless. “You look great.”

  Lucy cocked a hip and stared into the full-length mirror. “I look so…different.”

  “You wear it well.” Beth met her gaze in the mirror and smiled. “You should definitely think about getting it.”

  “The sweater looks good on you, too.” Lucy smiled wickedly in the mirror. “I bet Braden would like it.”

  Beth pulled the curtain shut on her laughter. “Try on the others.” She stepped back into her own dressing room and pulled the sweater off.

  “You aren’t going to be mad at him forever, are you?” Lucy sounded genuinely concerned by the idea. “I think he loves you.”

  Probably not.

  “It’s complicated.” The truth was that most of her anger was gone. But anger was simple. It consumed while it was hot and provided a sort of distracted focus for all the emotions she didn’t know what to do with. The confusion left in i
ts absence was harder. And more frightening.

  “I hope you guys work things out.” Lucy’s voice was muffled as she pulled something over her head. “This has been fun. I know it’s selfish, but I’ve always wanted a girl in the family I could talk to, about…well, about everything. You know?”

  Beth understood exactly which everything Lucy was referring to.

  “That’s okay, isn’t it? If I consider you a friend? I know we haven’t spent a lot of time together yet.”

  Beth twisted the sweater in her hands. The answer rose to Beth’s mind more easily than it should have. It was harder to force it out of her mouth. “Yeah.” She cleared her throat, dislodging the tightness in her chest. “Yeah, that’s alright.” She realized it was. Lucy was an amazing, generous, funny woman. And the understanding that stood between them was mutual. It was something Beth had never hoped to have again.

  “Great!” Lucy said, as though nothing awkward had passed between them and resumed her ceaseless chatter.

  Beth picked her shirt up off the floor and pulled it over her head. The curtain rustled behind her. A calloused hand closed over her mouth and a firm arm pulled her against an unyielding body. Shocked, she went absolutely still. She didn’t need to glance into the mirror or hear the rough voice to know who held her. Her entire body fired with recognition.

  Markko.

  “Hello, Lizzy.” The words rasped against her ear. “So good to see you again.” Malicious eyes found hers in the mirror. The point of a knife pressed against her rib cage, spearing the thin material of her shirt and nicking her skin.

  “Beth?” Lucy called out. “Everything okay?”

  Beth’s eyes dilated in fear.

  She can’t come in here. He’ll kill her.

  “Tell her you’re fine,” Markko whispered against her ear.

  “I…I’m fine.” Her voice wavered as his knife dug deeper between her ribs. “I’m just trying on this sweater again. I’m listening.”

  Beth eased out a ragged breath when Lucy’s one-sided dialogue resumed to the backdrop of hangers clanking together.

  “How sweet.” Markko rubbed his unshaved cheek against her face, the texture pulling across her skin like sandpaper. “A new sister? Already?” He nuzzled the back of her ear, tongue winding a wet path down her throat. “I can smell the change on you.” He bit down on the juncture between her neck and shoulder hard enough to draw blood and wring a cry he swallowed with his hand. “I can taste it on you, too.”

  Beth tried to pull away, to stomp on his foot, anything to get away from his rasping breath and wandering tongue. He had her pulled too tightly against him; every time she moved, he pressed the tip of his blade further into her skin. A warm trickle of blood began to snake down her side and slip into her jeans.

  “Play nice. Or I’ll have to hurt your friend.” He stared her down in the mirror. “I could. It would be nothing to snap her neck.” He watched her reaction, his smile widening. “But I won’t. Too easy. Unworthy of the history between us.” His fingers clenched over her mouth, nails digging crescent moons into the side of her cheek. “I’m going to move my hand. If you scream, she’s dead.”

  He peeled his fingers from her mouth. Beth considered shouting a warning, telling Lucy to run.

  I can’t risk it.

  She didn’t know Lucy well enough to predict her actions, but she knew without question Markko would kill her.

  Keep his focus here.

  “Good.” He kept his voice low and pulled his forearm across her collarbone.

  “Hey Beth, I’m done, you ready?” Beth heard Lucy step into the hall. The only thing that separated her from death was a thin curtain and Beth’s ability to keep a cool head.

  “I’m trying to make a decision. I’ll be out in a minute.” Beth swallowed around the fear that tried to choke her. “I’ll meet you up front, okay?”

  “Okay. I’ll meet you by the register.”

  When she was certain Lucy had left, Beth glared at Markko’s reflection. “What do you want?”

  “To finish what we started.” He pulled the knife up to the soft flesh below her ear, laying the blade across her neck.

  “It was finished when I walked out of that forest.” Beth flinched under his wandering hand. Idle fingers slipped beneath her shirt and across her skin.

  “It would have been.” His eyes flashed. “But you beat my brother’s head in with a rock. Left him to die.”

  “He murdered my sister.” Beth flinched when his fingers slid over a nipple and twisted.

  “And because of you my brother’s dead. He lived through that night, through the damage you inflicted.” His pressed the knife viciously against her throat, widening the cut. “But his mind never recovered. He was little more than a whimpering beast.”

  His hand slid to the top of her jeans, fingers toying with the waistband. When they dipped beneath it, Beth jerked away. “I snapped his neck and swore the last thing you would see before you died was my face.

  “It took a long time to find you.” His smile twisted and his eyes flashed with the fury of hell. “But I can be patient when the reward is so great. You’ll come to see that, won’t you, Lizzy?” His palm went flat against her stomach and he shoved his searching fingers down the front of her jeans.

  Beth yanked at the arm holding the knife at her throat and tried to shimmy away from him. He pulled his hand up and pinched the flesh at her hip.

  “Perhaps I’ll bring your little friend, too.”

  Anger flared through her. She tightened her jaw and tried again to pull away from him.

  “Still protective, I see. Good.” He pulled the knife away from her throat, retracted the blade and shoved it into his back pocket. “I’ve waited so long to find you, Lizzy. It nearly drove me mad. To find you with the Edwards clan…I can’t tell you how it disappointed me.”

  His hand fisted in the back of her hair, yanking her chin up. “It won’t matter. They can’t protect you. Not from me.” He wrapped his other hand around her arm hard enough to bruise. “Now I see it for the opportunity it is. You’ll live. For now. And every morning you’ll wonder if this will be the day I strike. The day I snatch their female. Her screams will ring in your ears as you die. You’ll beg for her death. Then you’ll beg for your own.”

  He drove her forehead against the mirror; the glass and her skin splintering with the force of the blow. He released her and disappeared through the curtain before she’d slid to the ground.

  Beth didn’t give herself a chance to breathe. She pushed herself to her feet, braced a trembling hand on the wall and lunged for the front of the store. She plowed into solid muscle. Hands grabbed her, keeping her on her feet.

  “Easy.”

  Relief flooded her.

  Chase. Thank God.

  “Lucy? Where’s Lucy?”

  “I’m right here.” Lucy stepped out from behind Chase’s solid form. “I called for Chase. You didn’t sound right.”

  “Who was it?” Chase gentled his grip on her arms, but his voice held a dangerous edge to it.

  “Markko.” Her stomach turned as panic caught up with her. “He said he’d hurt Lucy.”

  “We’re leaving. Now,” Chase ordered, pulling them toward the front of the store.

  Beth tried to wipe at the blood on her face and will her trembling to stop. Gentle fingers tugged her hand away from her face.

  “It’s not obvious. Let your hair down, no one will notice,” Lucy instructed as Chase cut a path to the door. The bell jingled as they exited the shop. Chase’s car sat on the curb and Lucy followed Beth into the backseat. She kept their fingers laced together for the entire ride back to the house.

  ***

  Markko shifted the moment he slipped into the forest, allowing his wolf to run and burn off some of the adrenaline coursing through his veins. He hadn’t intended to do more than follow the bitch, he certainly hadn’t intended to corner her and give away his presence. But the opportunity had been too good to pass up.

/>   She’d trembled and quaked beneath his hands, her face in the mirror a perfect reflection of her terror. She’d been delightfully cooperative when he’d threatened her friend. And what a delightful discovery that was. The Edwards clan had another female. It made his unplanned visit with the bitch completely worthwhile.

  His threats against the Edwards female would drive the woman wild with fear. And the death of both women would drive the Edwards clan directly to his father’s doorstep.

  He couldn’t have asked for a better scenario. He’d bide his time and bring Alek in from Europe. He’d need his help to pull this off. But while he waited he’d have a little fun, let the bitch settle, and then remind her was out here.

  Are you ready for me, Lizzy? I’ll see to it you are.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Beth hissed under the alcohol-soaked pad Braden pressed to her forehead.

  “Sorry,” Braden apologized but didn’t pull his hand away. “The cut’s not deep. No stitches.”

  Beth’s head throbbed where it had hit the mirror, her neck stung where Markko had nicked her with the knife and the cut on her ribs burned and pulled with every movement.

  “Alright, that takes care of that.” Braden pulled a tiny butterfly bandage over the cut, wadded up the wrapper and tossed it on the counter. “What else?”

  Beth hesitated. Braden had carefully treated both the cut on her ribs and the cut and bruise on her forehead. With each new injury his jaw tightened and his eyes flashed, his anger mounting until it simmered just below the surface, like a pressure cooker beginning to rattle. The atmosphere in the house was charged enough. She didn’t want to add to it.

  “What else, Beth?” His eyes narrowed into pricks of suspicious fury.

  Beth pulled the hair away from the nape of her neck and slid the collar of her shirt down.

  “That son of bitch bit you!” He slid a warm hand across her cheek, cradling her head with more gentleness than she thought him capable of. The thumb of his other hand moved in soothing circles as he inspected the area around the bite. “At least he used his human teeth.” He withdrew his fingers but the hand on her cheek remained. “Still, human bites are nasty.”