When Hunter Meets Seeker: (An Arcane Society Novel - Paranormal Demon Romance)

by Betty Shreffler

  Want me to come over just in case?

  No, it’s fine. We’re spending time catching up. I’m going to call Jackson to meet up with us, play some pool and have a few drinks. Looking forward to seeing you later.

  So am I. Got a surprise for you when I see you. Be careful.

  He glanced at the frame he’d just finished sealing. He flipped it over, admiring the portrait of her and her beautiful wings. An agitating feeling of angst clung to his chest. He glanced at his phone and dialed Greg.

  “Yeah?”

  “Call Carl and tell him we’re closing the club tonight for security measures. There’s a high-ranking board member from the Arcane Society in town. I have a bad feeling about his sudden arrival.”

  “Her brother?”

  “Yeah.”

  “I’ll let Carl know. Anything else?”

  “I might need you and Al’s help tonight.”

  “I’ll keep my cell in reach.”

  She caught Leo leaning back, trying to read her text. She frowned and turned her phone away from his line of sight.

  He let out a mischievous laugh. “What? I’m trying to see what you and your boyfriend are talking about. I’m curious about him. He’d have to be special to win over my sister.”

  “You might get to meet him. We’ll see. You up for playing pool and having a few drinks? I was thinking we could meet up with Jackson and a couple of my friends.”

  His expression grew serious, almost pouty. “I thought you and I could spend time alone together. Jackson gets to see you all the time. I don’t.”

  She softened at his words. “Okay, yeah, I’d like that. There’s a place around the corner we can hang out and play pool. Afterwards we could rent a movie and make popcorn, like old times.”

  Leo grinned. “Sounds good to me.”

  Anya lined her pool stick up with the cue ball and gave a smooth, quick release. It spun across the table, smacking the red-striped eleven ball into the pocket. One more and she could go for the eight ball. She lined up again, hit low, sending the cue ball over one of Leo’s balls that was in the way. It came down and rolled, smacking the yellow nine ball into the corner pocket. She did a little dance and then stopped when she saw the irritated expression on Leo’s face. She moved around the table for the eight ball. Her nerves tickled when she saw Leo’s cold stare in the corner of her eye. She shifted the pool stick intentionally out of place and released. The cue ball hit too far on the right of the eight ball, it bounced out of the pocket.

  Leo’s shoulders relaxed. His lips curved upward as he leaned down and sank his seven ball and then the eight ball.

  He stood and grinned. “Almost had me.”

  She had no problem giving up her win if it made him happy. “Yeah, that was a close one. You’re a good player.”

  “You’re not too bad yourself.”

  She stepped onto the stool and swigged her beer. She glanced at the TV screen above them. An Atlanta Braves game was on and thankfully they were winning. Her mind shifted back to Leo as he filled the stool across from her, tugging on his beer.

  “It’s good to have you here. I missed you.”

  His jaw twitched. His lips pulled back into a smile. “I missed you too. It’s good to see you’re doing so well.”

  “What’s it like being a board member?”

  “It has its perks. I have a lot of control of what goes on.”

  “Were you shocked when you found out that it wasn’t run by humans to protect humans?”

  He shook his head. “I figured out early on that the organization was created as a safeguard against stronger, more advanced demons—physically, politically and economically.”

  Her brow raised. “Politics?”

  Leo let out an amused laugh. “Yes, Anya, demons work in politics, just like anywhere else.”

  “What’s the purpose of the Arcane Society exactly?”

  “It’s an organization of demons that keeps tabs on all demons. We monitor their professional, economic, political and societal activities. We watch the ones that are powerful and we ensure they don’t get too powerful.”

  “Phillip Owens. Who was he?”

  “A state representative that got out of hand. He thought he could do as he pleased and kill when he wanted to, so he had to be canceled.”

  “How about Chris Donatello?”

  “Ah, the order you didn’t fulfill. Why is that? How is it that he’s still alive and so are you?” His eyes narrowed on hers.

  “Answer my question first.”

  Leo leaned back, putting his forearm on the back of the stool. “Carl Donatello runs one of the biggest demon clubs on the East Coast. He’s shady and has had dealings with other demons that has put him on our radar. His club is gaining too much attraction and far too much business profits for just being a night club. We believe he’s running something on the side. The club needs to be shut down before it becomes a problem for us. He refused to close, so we gave him an ultimatum. If he didn’t close, we’d take out his brother.”

  “Why not just cancel Carl? Why bring his brother into it?”

  “Carl is still an asset that would be valuable to the Arcane Society.”

  “Why?”

  Leo tapped his hand on the table. “Sorry, Awn, not everything is up for discussion.”

  There was so much she didn’t know, that he did. She felt in the dark about everything—her life, the organization she worked for, her parents, Dillon, Leo. She adjusted in her seat, taking a long swallow of beer, trying to put the puzzle pieces together.

  “Ready to rent that movie?”

  She set the beer down and nodded. She was ready for the privacy of her home so she could ask him more questions.

  Chapter 20

  Anya removed the steaming bag of popcorn from the microwave. Leo’s phone rang. She listened as she divvied the popcorn into two bowls.

  “I appreciate the notice. Proceed with caution.”

  Leo pocketed his phone and gave a charming smile as he took a bowl from her outstretched hand.

  “What was that about?”

  “I just received word that Donatello’s night club is a front for the actual activities that go on there. It’s a sex club for an incubus and succubus horde. We’re moving in on the club tonight. Several of the demons working there will be canceled.”

  Her breath caught in her throat. Her body tensed, feeling as though she was being squeezed by a python. “Why would you kill them? They can’t help what they are. The club offers them a functional way to survive.”

  “We’ve had reports that clients of that club have gone ill and their bank accounts have been run dry. A couple clients died.”

  “I already canceled the one who was responsible.”

  Leo’s head tilted. “You’ve been to this club? Is this why you didn’t cancel Chris Donatello like you were supposed to?” His tone seemed on the edge of anger. “Why would you be spending time at a club like that, Anya? Is this where your boyfriend works?”

  His interrogation and the sound of his voice made her feel like they were back in high school. When he would lecture her for everything she did and how it made him look.

  “Speak up, Anya. Does your boyfriend work at Donatello’s?”

  “I need to make a call.”

  She stepped toward the door and he moved to block her. His eyes grew fierce. His stare seared her. “I know what you plan to do. There’s no point in warning him. He’ll be dead soon.”

  She shoved past him. He took her arm, holding her steady. He used his other hand to pull his phone from his pocket. “You should learn to be more careful, Anya. Getting mixed up with an incubus demon is dangerous.”

  “He’s not dangerous. Let go of me.”

  His grip on her arm tightened. “I’m not letting you go so you can run to him. Accept that he’s already gone.”

  “No! Let go!”

  He released her, shoving her body backward. His hand swung through the air, backhanding her cheek. She flew s
ideways, crashing into the counter. She put her hand to her throbbing cheek as she used the counter to stabilize herself. She stared back at him in shock.

  “You hit me.”

  “You’ve been acting like a whore. I won’t have my sister spreading her legs for an incubus…anymore.”

  “You’ve been watching me?”

  He clicked a button on his phone. A video came up. He lifted it for her to see. It was her and Dex in his apartment. Someone was recording them from outside his windows.

  Shock and disgust swam through her. She stared up at Leo’s angry eyes.

  “Why would you have me followed?”

  “I told you I’ve been keeping tabs on you. It’s what we do and you’re my sister. It’s my job to protect you.”

  Her stance hardened. “You need to leave. Get…out…of…my…house.” Her throbbing jaw clenched.

  His shoulders widened. His tone became threatening. “I’m not leaving and you’re not going after him.”

  She spread her wings out wide. His eyes widened and then a wicked grin spread over his face.

  “It’s about time.”

  His fist flew through air, making contact with her face. It felt like a cement brick had been slammed into her bones. Her body flipped backward. She saw the ceiling before it all went dark.

  She woke to throbbing pain on both sides of her face, especially her left cheek. It felt swollen and bruised. She tried to move her body, but she was tied, face down, to the bed. No shirt and only wearing her jeans. Her ankles and wrists bound by narrow, solid chains. She moved her wings, but couldn’t fold them down. They were held outstretched by some kind of cold, metal clamp lying against her skin.

  She scanned her surroundings. Leo was in the kitchen, pouring himself a glass of her whiskey. He looked over at her and grinned. It was deadly and arrogant.

  “Ah, you’re awake.”

  He grabbed one of her table chairs as he headed toward her bed. He turned it and straddled it with his glass of whiskey in hand.

  Her nerves bunched in her gut. Fear swam across her skin. “What are you doing to me?”

  “I haven’t begun what I’m going to do to you.” He stood up from her chair and grazed his finger across her cheek. “That’s a nasty bruise and that’s only the beginning.” His cold, deadly eyes stared down at her. “The smell of your fear is intoxicating.”

  “Tell me what you plan to do to me!”

  His head tilted, staring at her with blank, emotionless eyes. “I need your feathers.”

  “What?”

  “Oh, Awn.” He ran his fingers through her hair. “So beautiful and so naïve. You can thank father and Dillon for that. They always wanted to protect you and keep you in the dark…from everything.”

  He turned and grabbed the chair, bringing it right next to the bed. He sat in it and leaned back.

  “I suppose I owe you the truth, don’t I?”

  “How many lies did you tell me?”

  “Nearly everything I said was a lie.”

  “You don’t care about me, do you?”

  He clicked his tongue against his cheek. “No, I don’t.”

  “What do you want with my feathers?”

  He rubbed his brow. “Slow down. Too many questions. We’ll get to them in time. I need to start from the beginning. We’ll start with this…I’m pretty sure you’re my half-sister.”

  She stared at him, shocked and confused.

  “I know, my reaction was the same. Apparently a woman can become impregnated by two different males. It’s called heteropaternal superfecundation. Our sacs were separate because we have two different fathers. I’m fairly certain Dillon was your father. It’s a shame he never knew and died not knowing.” A cruel laugh escaped his lips.

  Rage filled her. “Did you murder him?”

  He waved his hand through the air as though that detail wasn’t important. “As I was saying, Dillon is very likely your father. He was a malark demon. They’re incredible fighters, patient, exceptional eye-hand coordination, they always look human and are well concealed like vuall demons. They make for great trainers. I knew you weren’t born from our father, because you lacked something all vuall demons have—a split tongue.” His demon eyes turned green as he let out his long, snake-like tongue with a split down the center and pointed tips. She cringed from the sight of it.

  His cruel laugh escaped from his belly, rolling over his firm abs. “Don’t like it, do you? It does take some getting used to. Women sure like it when I put it between their legs. Unfortunately they don’t usually survive to tell about it.”

  She turned her head into her pillow, disgusted by him.

  “Look at me when I’m talking to you, Anya.” His voice rose, sounding threatening. She turned her head to him. His lips pulled back into a wicked grin.

  “Another quality you don’t possess is that we vuall demons feed off fear. I can smell yours and it is rich, intoxicating.”

  He stood from the chair and sat next to her on the bed. He grazed his hand across her face. She flinched from his unwanted touch. His lip pulled back as he leaned down, letting out his split tongue. He ran it across her cheek and hissed.

  She squirmed to put as much space between them as she could. “Don’t touch me.”

  His tongue rolled back into his mouth, hiding behind his smirk. “I’m going to enjoy feeding on that fear all night.”

  His hand ran along her back, caressing her wings. She tried to recoil them, but couldn’t. The clamp locked them in place, holding them out. His hand caressed along her wings, examining them, then along her bare back and over her behind.

  “You did turn out to be a beautiful woman. It’s a shame we’re related.”

  She bucked her body, forcing his hand away from her. “Get away from me!”

  “Don’t worry, Anya. I’m not into incest. I wouldn’t touch you like that. I’m just admiring you.”

  Relief filled her. “What do you want with my feathers? What else did you lie to me about?”

  His eyes shifted back to her face. They narrowed, growing cold as memories seemed to return to him. “Our father did pursue our mother out of necessity. Stole her right out from under Dillon. They married, but a few years into it, he started abusing her. He drank often and being a vuall demon we’re prone to violence. She turned to Dillon and his bed. When she found out she was pregnant she stayed with my father. We were born, but two years later father discovered her affair. He killed her in a rage. He said it was an accident. It probably was. I think he’d actually grown to love her. He took one of her feathers before she died. He consumed the enzyme in a tonic, giving him the benefits I told you about—slower aging, strength, making him impenetrable. Unfortunately for him, he didn’t get to keep more of her feathers. The effects eventually wore off.”

  He placed his hand on her back, rubbing along her skin with his finger.

  “As you and I grew up, he stayed away to protect us from his violence, his rage, his shame. Once we were old enough to be recruited he kept tabs on us and our progress. Dillon always praised you and your abilities, which made it harder for me. The times when father did visit us I was eager for his praise and attention. Any attention was better than none, but he’d take one look at you, see our mother, and he’d lock himself in his office and drink the night away.

  “He’d have me brought to his office late in the evening and we’d talk at first. He’d tell me stories, tell me his mistakes, his regrets. I cherished those moments, but they didn’t last. His rage would explode and he’d bury his fists into my back and face. He’d beat me for not excelling as well as you. He’d tell me he was ashamed to be my father and then he’d break down and cry when he was done hitting me.”

  Tears streamed down her cheeks. “Why didn’t you ever tell me he hurt you? Why didn’t you tell Nan?”

  He reached for the whiskey glass, emptied it in one swallow and left her bedside for more. He returned with another glass full and sat beside her.

  “I hea
led quickly and it taught me to be stronger. He made me into a warrior. He made me try harder. He built strength and determination into me.”

  “He hurt you, Leo. He never should’ve laid a hand on you.”

  Leo took another drink. His eyes glossed over. “He paid for it, Anya. I killed him.”

  She sucked in a breath. “You’re the demon that killed him?”

  He let out a chuckle. “I am. That’s how I gained his position on the board.” He held up his hand, displaying a ring on his middle finger. “Swiped the ring from his hand and declared myself as his predecessor. No one even tried to challenge the incident.”

  His eyes shifted over her. He rubbed along the bottom of her feathers. They twitched, uncomfortable with his touch.

  “What about Dillon? What happened to him?”

  “He was the only one that did challenge me. He was assembling a crew. Some of the strongest demons out there. He felt the Society had become too corrupt. He was meeting with other demons to plan our dissolution. I had no choice but to kill him.”

  She remembered the black car arriving at his house. It must’ve been a demon he was meeting with. Her emotions were a whirlwind. Sorrow, fear, affliction all did summersaults in her stomach.

  Leo tugged roughly on one of her wings, reminding her of his prior threats of pain.

  “Don’t drift off on me.”

  She returned her attention to him.

  His lips curved upward. “That’s better, Awn. Now where was I? Dillon. He planned to recruit you. Knew you’d be a valuable asset to his plan. You would make a strong adversary being a handuit demon. You’re as deadly as a shadow walker, but not as easily bought off.”

  Her eyes narrowed. “You sent the shadow walker after me, didn’t you?”

  He nodded as his hand grazed along her back, reaching her wings and fixing his eyes on them as he stroked them.

  “I didn’t send him to kill you. I sent him to get you to transform. I needed these wings. With you gone and the strength of your wings I’d have no adversaries of my own.”

  “I wouldn’t have sided against you.”