By now, I imagine you’ve met Elijah. He’s something else, but I promise you he’s someone you can trust. He promised me he’d look out for you once I was gone. I’ll be in contact soon.
Watch your back, and keep an eye out for my next email.
D
Staring at the screen, I re-read the message over and over again until I have it fully branded to my memory. Two years. It’s been two fucking years since she died. Since then, I’ve met one person who knew her. And that person is mentioned in this first message.
That can’t be a coincidence. Quickly, I log out and get to my feet. I swear if someone is toying with me, they’re going to regret it.
Ramirez glances up at me curiously. “Everything okay?”
“Yeah. Need to run an errand. Be back in a bit.”
“All right.”
As soon as I get out the door, I pull out my phone and scroll through my contacts until I find Elijah’s name. The background check can wait.
He answers on the first ring. “Rainey, nice to hear from you.”
“You have some explaining to do. Where can I find you?”
“What happened?”
“I’m not talking about this over the phone. Where are you?” I demand again. No more half-ass answers.
“I’ll text you the address.”
“Make it fast.” I hang up and shove my phone into my back pocket as I make my way toward my bike.
18
Rainey
The high-rise address Elijah gave me is impressive and incredibly fitting of the way he presents himself. It’s at least fifteen stories, the shiny metal exterior glinting in the sunlight and making it nearly impossible to stare for too long.
After taking a deep breath, I head inside and hit a button to call the elevator down as Delaney’s message runs through my mind on repeat. There are things you need to know, dangerous things I couldn’t tell you until now. Granted, I’m still not entirely sure I believe my sister planted emails for me to receive after she was gone.
It seems entirely too coincidental that I’d meet a man claiming to know her the night before the first email is sent. The elevator dings, and the doors open. After stepping inside and pressing the penthouse button, I reach into my boot and pull out my small silver dagger. Elijah could have killed me multiple times over the past few days and didn’t.
But that doesn’t mean he still won’t try. As I mentioned before, hunters are possessive over territory, and it’s possible he’s waiting to kill me until he’s gotten all the info he needs from me. Just because he says he wasn’t born a hunter doesn’t mean a damned thing. The humans in this line of work are even more cutthroat because they feel like they have something to prove.
The doors slide open, and Elijah is standing on the other side, wearing grey sweats and a black T-shirt. His hair is wet and slicked back and my ovaries feel like they’re going to implode even with the anger burning through my veins. “Rainey, have to admit I didn’t expect to see you so soon.”
He turns away and walks—barefoot—to the kitchen.
“You said you knew my sister.”
“I did.”
I move further into his space, and the elevator shuts behind me. It’s clean—pristinely so. I don’t know why I’m surprised. The guy appears to be loaded, so he probably has it cleaned by a professional.
There are no pictures on the walls, none propped up on the end tables near the white leather couch. “So many wonderful personal touches,” I comment dryly. He glances over at me as he pours hot water into a coffee press.
“Don’t see a reason for them since I have no family.”
Oops. “I apologize.”
“No need to. They died a long time ago.” Pressing down on the plunger, he finishes the coffee and pours it into two white ceramic mugs on the counter. “Here.”
“Cream?” I ask, taking it from him. It’s a test, and based on his lack of expression, he knows it.
“You drink it black.” He stares at me as if it’s totally normal for a stranger to know how I take my coffee.
“Okay.” I set my mug down on the counter and pull out my dagger, setting it beside me in full view of him. “How about you start answering my questions.”
“You haven’t asked any that I haven’t answered.”
“With half-ass responses.”
“Then ask away, I’ll attempt to do better.” His demeanor is different today, calculated, and nearly all of the kindness I’d sensed in him the night before last is gone.
A muscle ticks in my jaw, and I take a deep breath. “Why the hell have you been following me?”
“I told you.”
“Because you were acquainted with my sister is not an answer.” My blood begins to heat, rage and grief mixing together to form a dangerous combination. The last time I was this upset, I blacked out for three hours and woke up in the middle of a vamp nest, covered in blood. That was the night my sister died. I came close to blacking out in the alley, and I can’t help but wonder; if I had, maybe I wouldn’t have needed him to save me.
The blackouts are rare, but when I do come to after one, the scene before me is typically a violent one. Needless to say, I try everything I can to not lose control. It’s my worst nightmare—to commit something heinous that I otherwise wouldn’t. So far, it’s only ever been Supernaturals who’ve taken my wrath.
But what if the next time, innocents are caught in the crossfire? It’s just a risk I’m not willing to take if I can help it.
“I promised your sister I would look after you if anything were to happen to her.”
Narrowing my gaze, I cross both arms over my chest. “And why would you think anything was going to happen to her?”
Elijah’s bright blue eyes narrow on my face, and his mouth flattens into a tight line. “Your sister was a hunter and one who had a bounty on her head, Rainey. She knew death may be coming for her, and she wanted you to be protected.”
“I’m a born hunter. You’re not. How would you protect me?”
Straightening, Elijah chuckles darkly. “I’m a hell of a lot more than you give me credit for, Rainey. Or did you not wonder how I managed to get you out of the tunnels without you seeing me? How I managed to kill six vampires in an alley by myself?”
Eyes wide, I stare up at him. “There were no dead vamps in that alley. You could have been working with them, baiting me so I would trust you.”
Something behind his eyes flashes, a glimpse of power lurking and it confirms my concerns—there’s no fucking way this guy is completely human. So what the hell is he?
“Wrong. I ripped them apart, limb by limb, decimating the group within the span of a few heartbeats. Then, I called in Cleaners to take care of the bodies before any humans could find them.”
“Cleaners?”
“Supernatural Cleaners that will operate off the books at my request.” He puts his mug in the sink and turns back to me.
He killed six vampires, yet he’s not a natural hunter. I extend my hearing and listen for his heart. It’s normal, beating as a human’s would…the steady thump, thump, thump lulling me into a feeling of control. Until…it wasn’t.
Steadily, it increases, faster, faster, until it’s beating at the rate of a—“Vampire.” I withdraw my blade and step back, but not fast enough. Elijah is on me, spinning me so my back slams against his chest. The heat of him, the pressure, sends The Hunt surging through my veins.
With one hand, he grips the wrist holding my dagger, the other bands around my waist, pinning me to him.
“I told you, Rainey. I’m not going to hurt you.”
“Fuck. You.” I stomp on his bare foot. Bones crunch beneath my boot, and he loosens his grip just enough that I can drive an elbow into his gut. Grunting, he releases me, so I spin away, slicing out with my blade. It misses—barely—but gives him the chance to knock it from my wrist. I spin and kick, my boot slamming into his chest and knocking him back into a vase.
It falls to the ground and
shatters, leaving shards of ceramic littering the floor.
Elijah growls as he gets to his feet. “I’m not going to fight you.”
I reach down and grab my dagger, holding it by the hilt as I take my stance and face off with him. My vision begins to blur, and Elijah narrows his gaze on my face. I shake my head to clear it, hoping it’s enough to fend off the blackout lurking near the edge. Apparently, getting pissed off is the trigger. “You’re a vampire; that makes you my enemy.”
“No, it bloody doesn’t.”
I race toward him, jumping up and wrapping my legs around his neck. He grips my thighs and spins, slamming me against the wall. Pain radiates through my back as sheetrock dust covers us both.
Rotating my body weight, I flip forward, taking him to the floor with me and pin him, thighs straddling his throat, my blade pressed against his jugular. His hands grip my thighs and he stares up at me with barely leashed control.
“I’m not going to fight you, Rainey!” He roars it this time, each word laced with anger.
“Not any more then?” I dig the blade into his flesh, and blood wells up from his pale skin, slipping down my blade. The power, the energy, it pours from him now, and I can’t believe I missed it. “Did you kill my sister?”
“I already told you—”
“Enough with the shit answers!” I scream, tears welling up in my eyes. “Did you kill Delaney?”
He glares up at me. “No.”
The elevator dings, and I shove up, facing him but backing away. “Who is that?”
“I don’t know.” Elijah jumps to his feet and heads toward the elevator. “I didn’t let anyone up.”
The doors open.
Click. Elijah moves to the side in just enough time to avoid being impaled by an arrow. “Shit!” he roars and lunges toward me.
I dive behind the counter beside him. “Who the fuck is that?” I whisper.
“Bounty hunter. They don’t know you’re here.” He puts his finger up to his lips. “You could have knocked,” he says loudly.
“Where’s the fun in that?” a woman’s singsong voice carries in.
“Someone get here before us, Elijah? Looks like you had your ass kicked,” a man’s deep baritone adds to the conversation.
“Or maybe I’ve already kicked one person’s ass,” Elijah replies with a pointed glare at me.
I roll my eyes.
“We can hear another heartbeat,” the man says. “Could it be the hunter who came up here a few minutes ago is still alive?”
“Obviously, if you can hear my heart, jackass.”
Elijah growls and shakes his head. “I told you to shut your damned mouth.”
“And what the fuck makes you think I’ll listen to a bloodsucker like you?”
The man clicks his tongue. “Trouble in paradise, Lij? Thought you had it bad for the hunters. You ran with that Astor whore for quite a while. She is why we’re here after all.”
I growl and start to get up, but Elijah grabs my arm and yanks me back down, the warning apparent in his narrowed gaze. “They don’t always feel the same.” He releases me and gets to one knee, preparing for the coming fight.
I swallow hard and mimic his stance. There are two of them and two of us. Other than them having the element of surprise, we’re fairly well matched. Unfortunately, my service weapon won’t do anything but make noise since I don’t have any silver bullets in my magazine and these assholes are vampire bounty hunters.
Using the blade of my dagger, I peer around the counter we’re hiding behind. I tilt the blade and take stock of where the two bounty hunters are standing. Then, I nod at Elijah. He looks away without responding. I count with the fingers of my free hand, still watching.
One.
“Why don’t you two just come out? No need to make this any more difficult than it already is.”
Two.
“I’m not interested in making anything easy for you,” Elijah replies.
Three.
I launch myself over the counter and drop my shoulder, running and slamming into the woman before she has a chance to turn her crossbow on me. We hit the floor together, skidding across the hardwood. Sitting up, I straddle her and lift my blade.
She slams her hand into my wrist and hooks her leg over me, rolling us so she’s on top. I buck, throwing her off and into the marble fireplace.
Grunts are the only evidence that Elijah is fighting as well since I’m far too smart to take my attention off the bounty hunter before me. She growls, pushing to all fours as she stares at me—murder reflected in her red eyes.
She charges, and I hold steady, driving my blade up into her chin as she slams into me. She groans and collapses, pinning me to the floor with her muscled weight. I start to shove her off, but the man roars, and I glance over just in time to see Elijah bite down into his throat and tear. I’m frozen in place as blood splatters me, droplets flying all over the apartment.
Elijah wastes no time. The moment his fangs are free, he’s racing to me and ripping the woman off of me. “We need to go.”
“Have you forgotten? I’m not going anywhere with you.” Ripping my arm free, I glare at him as he steps up directly in front of me, staring me down. He’s more animal than man now, his chin and throat covered in blood, his shirt soaked with it.
“I’m not going to hurt you, Rainey. How the fuck else do I prove it to you?”
“You could start by not lying to me.”
“I’ll answer whatever you want as soon as we’re safe. There will be more.” He turns away and races into his bathroom. I stand, staring down at the two dead vampires. This tower is in my precinct, which means it’s quite probable I’ll be the one called to it anyway.
I run over to the counter where I’d stood and wipe the counter with the sleeve of my jacket. Then, I take the mug and carry it over to the elevator.
Elijah steps out a few minutes later, dressed in a suit, a black bag over his shoulder. He presses the button for the elevator, and we stand in silence until it’s back and opens. Inside, I wipe down the panel with the sleeve of my jacket, and he presses the button to take us down to the garage level.
“Security tapes?” I ask.
“None.”
“This is a high-end building. You expect me to believe there are no cameras?”
“I own it. So, yeah, I expect you to believe it.”
Before I can reply, the doors open again, and I’m stepping out into the dark garage with Elijah at my side.
19
Elijah
Well, I would say that was problematic at best. I glance over at Rainey beside me. She’s tense, rightfully so, and pissed the hell off.
That strong jaw of hers is hard, set, her mouth flattened into a tight line as she stares straight ahead. I know it’s wrong, that there must be something seriously dark about me to even think this way—but that fight before Wren and Greta showed up?
It was sexy as hell.
Never thought I’d actually enjoy having my ass handed to me by a hunter, but for a moment, the animal inside of her came to the surface, and I got a brief taste of an unfiltered, unguarded Rainey. Pure, animalistic fight. The power simmering beneath her—it’s unbelievable. I’ve heard rumors of the Astor line; it’s one of the reasons I sought out Delaney, but she didn’t have a fraction of what her younger sister possesses. Granted, I discovered the reason behind that as well.
Still, the last Astor is more powerful than I ever could have hoped, and she’ll make a hell of an ally in the coming war. If I can convince her that I’m not the enemy.
We reach my car, so I stop and grab the handle, but Rainey continues walking. “Where are you going?”
“None of your fucking business.” She doesn’t even bother to turn around.
“You can’t be serious.”
She whirls on me. “And why can’t I be serious?”
“You’re as much a target as I am.”
“And why is that, Bloodsucker?” she asks, her tone sharp as
fucking nails. “Could it be because you lied to me? You lured me into a trap where I was attacked by two bounty-hunting vamps? Or perhaps because you sent me humans knowing I would go exactly where they were being held.” She closes the distance and stands directly in front of me, her face tilted up toward mine. Then, she lifts a hand and slams me in the chest with her palm.
I step back, the force of it sending me a good two paces from her.
“Did you not want to get your hands dirty? Is that why you didn’t kill me yourself?”
Rage bubbles inside me, and I step toward her. “If I want someone dead, I have no qualms about taking their life myself. Getting my hands dirty?” I laugh darkly. “You have no idea just how bloody my hands are, Rainey Astor. And what is it I have done to make you think I want you dead, Hunter? Was it when I pulled you out of the tunnels after you foolishly tried to take on an underground nest alone? Or was it when I killed the half-dozen vampires beating you to death in the alley?” I tap my finger to my chin and nod. “Wait, I have it. It must have been when I took care of you for the two days you laid unconscious in your bed. And let’s not even touch on the nest I wiped out because they tried to kill you in the alley beside the club.”
Her nostrils flare, her eyes begging for a fight I’m not willing to give her. “That was you?”
I lean down, my mouth only inches from hers. “Yes.”
“Then why are you here? What do you want from me?”
“You’ll find out soon enough.”
“You can’t—”
Clicking my tongue, I interrupt her. “Not here. I thought you were smarter than that, Rainey.” I turn away, unlocking my car and climbing inside. But before I shut the door, I glance back over at where she stands. “And I thought you’d want answers about your sister.” It’s a low blow, I know that. Especially since I very much doubt I have the answers she’s looking for.
Blood Hunt Page 12
