Hunter

by Kym Grosso

  “Ilsbeth left the coven before,” Hunter commented, changing the subject back to the witch. “What makes you think she won’t get on her broom and fly the coop again?”

  “Ilsbeth won’t be going anywhere. And more importantly, nothing will be getting in to take her. Samantha will take care of it. Don’t worry yourself with the witch. Pay attention to the wolf you brought back. Willa, she’s a lovely little…”

  “What do you know of Willa?” Hunter’s heart pounded as he said her name. “You fed from her. So fucking what? You have no claim to her.”

  “No, but apparently the thought of it really twists you up. Delightful as that is, I can’t claim to know anything about her except she was used as a blood slave in Hell. I’m afraid that’s it.”

  “She said someone is after her and I believe her. Going into Hell on purpose would be…”

  “Stupid. Idiotic.”

  “Saving your ass? Yes, it was. I’m definitely questioning that course of action.”

  “Ah, but you care. Should we hug it out?”

  “No, I’m good. I care about her. You? Not so much.”

  “You risked your life for me.” Viktor put his arm around Hunter, who immediately shoved it away.

  “I did that for Quintus. And you? Jesus, what is your issue?”

  “Fine, but you’d better pay attention to the steaks because you’re about to overcook them. They taste better mooing. Nice and bloody.”

  “Tell me more about Ilsbeth.” Hunter caught sight of Willa crossing the room toward the kitchen.

  “I didn’t want to keep her here, around you and the girl. As much as she helped me down there,” Viktor gestured to the ground, “I can’t risk it. As soon as you wrap up things with the she-wolf, we can go back to New Orleans and deal with her.”

  “New Orleans?”

  “You gotta admit, we could have a good time.”

  “Plenty of good times here in Jackson Hole. I need to stay with my pack.”

  “Don’t be salty about me letting Ilsbeth go. You’ve got your hands full here. She’s a complication you don’t need.”

  “That fucking bitch. Let me tell you. Going into Hell? I sure as shit never expected to find her. I was only goin’ in for you. But when I saw her. Fuck.” Hunter shook his head and locked his gaze on Viktor. “You know Ilsbeth. I knew her back when. Long before she was the High Priestess . People who know her say she is a double-edged sword. She was never all bad. Maybe yes. Maybe no. I say it depends which side of the sword you’re looking at and if she’s shoving it through ya. But man, I could have killed her myself for what she did to Dimitri. And hey, I still get it. People didn’t want her to be guilty. A million stories about the others she’s helped over the years. Just because she fell for D. I don’t know. She’s a cold bitch in my book. Ah, fuck. I don’t know. Down there in Hell, knowing you, knowing Ilsbeth, suspecting she’d helped you? I didn’t think twice. Saved her ass too. But still, I’ve gotta know what she did with Dimitri. I want to ask her myself. And more importantly, I wanna know how and why she was in Hell.”

  “She helped to save your girl in there. That part is true,” Viktor said.

  “So you say, but I have some questions for her.” Hunter forked the steak onto a plate and glanced to Willa who stood in the kitchen, her eyes on his. “There’s something about her, yeah?”

  “Ilsbeth? Well, she’s certainly a force to be reckoned…”

  “Not the witch. I’m talking about Willa. She’s a doctor.”

  “Doctor, huh?” Viktor dragged out his comment with a cheeky smile. “I bet she has a good bedside manner.”

  “You’re an asshole,” Hunter snapped. He reached for the grill and switched off the gas. He stopped and glared at the vampire. “Look, Vik. Can you go easy? Willa isn’t shifting. Like you said, she’s traumatized. I want to give her some time to….” The Alpha glanced to her once again. His rogue she-wolf had begun peeling a banana and he silently counted the seconds as she slid the firm fruit between her lips. Jesus, what is she doing to me? “It’s just she’s not really ready to…”

  “She looks plenty ready to me.” Viktor laughed as Willa bit down hard onto the banana.

  “She, uh, she…” Hunter caught sight of Willa smiling at him, her tongue brushing over her bottom lip. Holy shit. His hand shook as he lifted the plate.

  “Oh yeah. She’s ready all right.”

  “Shut the fuck up, vampire,” Hunter responded, keeping his eyes on Willa.

  “Stop being all sappy. You’re going to make me sick. Move along. I’ll come watch you eat meat. Doesn’t seem right, cooking it so thoroughly. With you being wolves and all, I’d expect you to eat it raw.”

  “Quintus cooks. He eats. You know you might like it. Get with the whole ‘I live among humans’ program. I know it might be torturous for you, but you might want to at least try it.”

  “Quintus has gone soft. Not me. I’m a purist. It’s been way too long for me to ever consider food. Sex and power. Now those are two things I can’t give up.” He laughed.

  “It’s not a pick one or the other scenario. The human experience is expansive. For us, even more so. I’m talking life. Be well-rounded, man.” Hunter held the plate up to his face and sniffed. “Ah yeah. Now, that’s what I’m talking about. Nothing like it. Go on. Smell it.”

  Hunter shoved the food toward Viktor. “Tell me you don’t miss it. Don’t lie.”

  “Fine. Fine.” The blond vampire leaned over and sniffed briefly, then rolled his eyes. “Sorry, does nothing for me. Absolutely nothing.”

  “Don’t just pretend to smell it. Go on,” Hunter insisted.

  Viktor raised an eyebrow and shook his head as he reluctantly acquiesced to his demand, inhaling its scent with a slight smile.

  “That’s right, Hollywood. It’s good. So good.” Hunter grinned in victory, aware he’d discovered the vampire’s secret desire.

  “It’s just a momentary weakness. I’ll be fine. Are there any donors out here in the middle of nowhere?” He sighed.

  “Not many. I could call on a she-wolf I know. She’s into being bitten. We’ve got a small blood club if you want to dine out. Probably your best bet.”

  “A wolf would do. I’m not picky.” Viktor’s gaze drifted to Willa. “She really doesn’t remember me. Maybe she’d be interested.”

  Hunter stopped cold, his anger spiking at the vampire’s implied threat. “If you ever touch her again, you’re dead. You aren’t drinking from her. Never. Ever. Again.”

  “Joking. Jesus, wolf. As if.”

  “We’re clear?” Hunter growled. Willa’s trauma had destroyed her wolf, and like fuck he’d let the blood sucker bite her again.

  “Of course. It’s not like I was really going to…”

  “It’s time to eat.” Hunter ignored Viktor as he slid open the door, brushed past him and strode into the kitchen.

  “That it is…I’ll be back.”

  “Thank you. This was amazing.” Willa brought the wine glass to her lips.

  “I’ve thought about starting my own cooking show. I’m pretty sure it’ll be a hit,” Hunter joked, attempting to lighten the mood. She’d been quiet during dinner.

  “If you make steaks this delicious, I’m sure everyone would tune in to see you.” Willa glanced at her near empty plate, her smile slowly fading.

  “Look Willa. I’m sorry…you see, the conversation I had with Viktor, he’s the friend I went in to save.”

  “A vampire?” she asked, her tone soft.

  “Yeah.”

  “And why does an Alpha save a vampire?”

  “He’s a friend.” Hunter shrugged. “Maybe more like a friend of a friend. He was caught up in something. Kidnapped really. Well, technically, he went after the demon. She was more of a zombie really.”

  Willa stared at him wide-eyed with a closed smile.

  “It’s, uh, it’s complicated.”

  “I bet.” Willa took another sip of her wine and set it on the table.
/>   “He’s special.” Hunter inwardly cringed realizing he’d used the same word to describe Willa.

  “Yeah, he seems very…unique.”

  Hunter laughed. “You could say that.”

  “You make it a habit to go into Hell for vampires? You must be a pretty good friend.”

  “Quintus. He’s from New York. We got in some heated situations together.” Hunter’s mind flashed to the ménage he’d shared with him and Gabriella, his mate, and decided to skip that discussion. “Let’s just say we became close. And Viktor, well, he can kind of be a bit of an asshole but he’s not all bad.”

  “And the disappearing thing he does?”

  “It’s an ancient thing. Like us wolves. The legends say…” As a child, he’d been told about an original family of wolves who sparked the legacy of their race.

  “Don’t believe in fairy tales,” she warned.

  “Real life isn’t too far off from fairy tales. Quint. Vik. They’re thousands of years old. So when I say ‘ancient’, they are the beginning of their species. I’m not saying they’re the only ones. But those two…they’re the real deal. Blood brothers. Same sire. They’re close. Quintus just found his mate. There’s no way I could let him go to Hell. He’d just found her, and she needed him. Open that portal and you never know when you’ll get back. When Viktor was kidnapped, I had no other choice.”

  “We all have a choice. You made the choice to sacrifice your life. For your friends. For me. I’ll always be grateful.”

  “I would never have left you.” Unfamiliar emotions stirred in his chest as a shy smile crossed her face and she tilted her head, flashing her demure eyes at him. Hunter sucked a breath and rose, gathering the dishes. “Sometimes life is about doing the right thing. The universe placed you in my path. It’s no accident.”

  “Let me help you clean up,” she insisted.

  “No way. You’re a guest. Besides Paul will be by tomorrow, and he’ll take care of all this. He usually watches my place when I’m gone. Since I’ve been away, he’s been off seeing his cousins in New Orleans, but he’ll be back tomorrow.”

  “A butler?” she laughed. “Fancy.”

  “Who? Paul? Sort of, but I like to think of him as more of an assistant. A jack of all trades. Keeps things in order.”

  “I can help you though.” Willa reached for the silverware but stilled as Hunter placed his hand upon hers.

  As Hunter’s palm rested over her delicate fingers, his body stirred in awareness. He attempted to ignore it and focused on his words. “I mean it now. Not only are you a guest but you’ve had a rough go. I’m not going to let anything else happen to you. This will just take a minute and then I want to talk to you about this leaving business again. Go on now. Have a seat on the sofa and I’ll be right there.”

  Hunter’s chest tightened as she smiled at him, and he quickly removed his hand as if he’d touched fire. Jesus, there was something about her energy that drew him, confused him…aroused him.

  Shoving the feelings away, he returned the smile and set off to pile the dishes in the sink. He began rethinking his grand plan to have her stay in his house. It’d been weeks since he’d been with a woman, and that alone should explain his attraction. But there was something about her that stirred his wolf. He didn’t want to have sex with just any woman. The Alpha craved Willa, the hunger burning deep inside his gut.

  He reminded himself that she planned to leave. His wolf urged him to chase her, but much as he was tempted, his responsibility was to his pack, not a rogue wolf he’d picked up in Hell. He should show her the guest room and go for a run with his beta.

  The sound of tinkling piano keys caught his attention. He smiled as the familiar classical music began to fill the room. The beautiful she-wolf was full of surprises.

  He studied her as he made his way over to the piano, watching her delicate fingers effortlessly drifting over the ivory. Her expression was relaxed, lost in the music. As he sat down next to her, she smiled at him. When the music ended, her hands rested on the keyboard.

  “It’s beautiful. Please. Don’t stop.”

  She nodded and took a breath, her fingers depressing the keys. Hunter brushed his hands beside hers and began to play in unison. He’d learned the romantic duet nearly a hundred years ago. Willa’s pace slowed as he joined her and she smiled, her eyes on his. Several minutes of pure bliss passed as their fingers moved in tandem. The rhythm danced, escalating into a crescendo, ending with a whisper of a note.

  Deafening silence filled the air. Hunter’s blood raced. As her pinky brushed his, his cock stirred.

  “You play,” she whispered.

  “It’s been a long time.”

  “Sorry?”

  “It’s been a long time since I’ve played…the piano.” Cared about a woman. Hunter closed his eyes. The closeness of being next to her tempted him. Fuck. No. Don’t do this, Hunter. He knew it was wrong. He’d just met her. She was leaving. Getting involved with a rogue wolf was trouble. There was always a reason they left a pack, and whatever it was, it wasn’t good. Tell her goodnight. Don’t be stupid.

  As her eyes met his, his arousal spiked, and his judgment wavered. Just a little taste.

  “Alpha.” Willa lost her words as her gaze fell to his lips.

  “Willa…” Hunter knew everything about kissing the beautiful she-wolf was wrong. But as his lips brushed hers, he was convinced nothing could be more right. His hands gently cupped her face, his mouth dancing with hers, his tongue probing. The sweet taste of her essence drove him wild. As he deepened the kiss, Willa moaned, her hands wrapping around him. Blood rushed to his cock and his hands reached for her waist.

  His wolf sought hers. His beast told him this stranger, this gorgeous woman was pack. He shoved the piano stool back, devouring her mouth. The temptation to make love to her surged, and he lifted her by her waist onto his lap. She wrapped her hands around his neck, their lips crushed upon each other’s.

  As she writhed on his rock-hard erection, his cock throbbed in arousal. His hand drifted under the fabric of her shirt, finding her breast. Hunter grazed his thumb over her taut nipple. She arched her back, her chest thrusting toward his, and moaned.

  What am I doing? Hunter knew he should stop, but his beast went feral as her lips moved to his neck, and she nipped at his skin. His palms slid down from her breast over her belly, teasing the waistband of her pants. Her hands gripped his shoulders as he slipped his fingers beneath the soft fabric and delved them into her slick folds.

  “Alpha,” she cried.

  “You’re beautiful,” he murmured, his lips on her neck.

  “Ah…I…” Her forehead fell to his chest as he plunged a thick finger inside her tight core.

  Hunter smiled at how wet she was for him, yet he exercised restraint.

  “Please,” she begged, her hips thrusting into his hand.

  The Alpha grunted as she shifted, her bottom grazing his stiff cock. Willa lifted her head, softly panting, her eyes on his. A silent connection sizzled between them, her electric energy surrounding him.

  Hunter added another finger, sliding it deep inside her heat. His thumb teased over her swollen nub causing her to suck an audible breath.

  “I…I…” Willa lost her words as she gripped his shoulders.

  His mouth crushed onto hers as she splintered apart. He devoured her with his kiss, tasting the delicious she-wolf. She shook in his arms, moaning as he slowly removed his hand and held her gently.

  Fucking hell, this woman was wild, feral as she bit at his skin. It’d be so easy to make love to her, to take her upstairs and fuck the hell out of her. But as familiar as her energy was to him, she emanated her own unique vibrations. She claimed to be wolf, yet she couldn’t shift. None of it should matter. She’d be gone from his life as quickly as he’d discovered her.

  Hunter groaned into their kiss, his cock throbbing as she undulated on his lap. Don’t do it, his conscience urged him. Fuck. As he tore his lips from hers, she reache
d for his dick and he wrapped his fingers around her wrist. They exchanged a heated gaze, Hunter’s forehead resting upon hers.

  “Sweetheart, you tempt me but…” His words were interrupted by a familiar voice.

  “You’re seriously going to stop? Late to the party as always,” Viktor commented.

  Hunter took a deep breath, protectively wrapping his arms around Willa, sensing her tense beneath his embrace.

  “What the hell are you doing here?” Hunter shot at Viktor.

  “Ah well, you know I have the ability to move quickly. The perks of being a vampire. Just coming to warn you there’s been a bit of a tiff here in quiet Jackson Hole.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “Your little resident blood club. Blue Moon. The name seems a trifle cliché, but I was able to find a donor there.”

  “What’s going on?” Willa asked, her arms tight around the Alpha.

  “I heard a rumor from a lovely little ginger. A human. She told me about a gang of thugs who roughed up her brother earlier today.”

  “I’m having trouble getting past the fact your donor is sharing information with you.” Hunter desperately tried to ignore his painful erection.

  “Unlike animals, I’m quite civilized,” Viktor replied in a smug tone of voice.

  “It could have been anyone.”

  “She said her brother was ambushed on his ranch. Gave him a beat down. Said they shifted into wolves.”

  Hunter released an audible sigh. Every now and then rogue wolves joined a pseudo pack of wolves, actively working together.

  “They’ve come for me,” Willa whispered.

  “It’s possible they’re just another pack of rogues. They move through every now and then. We round em’ up and scare them off. I can’t have them fucking with the humans and drawing attention to the pack.”

  “I could smell the fear tonight in your little town. Your humans are buzzing about scared.”

  “Viktor, I don’t have time for hyperbole.”

  “I can also taste it. Her blood had a smidgen of fear in it. Can’t say I didn’t enjoy it. Gives it a little kick. Did I mention the brother got sent to the hospital?”