Masters of the Hunt: Fated and Forbidden

by Sarra Cannon

  “Wait.” A hollowed pit, the size of a grapefruit, settled in his stomach. “The fight you broke up, who was the vamp?”

  “What’d you mean? Drake. Who else?”

  “You didn’t find another vamp at the scene? A female, around five-five, black hair, goes by the name of Strife?” Dread crept up his spine.

  “Talon, W-T-F! This is why we need directions, not some blank message. The only vampire at the coordinates when we arrived was Drake.”

  “That son of a bitch.” Talon crushed the armrest while trying not to smash the phone. “Where’s Drake now?”

  “He’s with us, of course. We’re on our way back to the office to go over details from the scene.” Jame huffed. “Why? Did you think he’d take off again?”

  “Arrest him,” his voice lowered, a rumble in the depths.

  “What?” Her screech hurt his ear.

  “Jame, arrest Drake now,” he shouted. “Another vampire was at the scene when I left. She’s called Strife and is the leader of Veritas. If he was the only one there, then he let her go.” His blood boiled. “Arrest him.”

  “Christ, Talon. Are you sure? I mean, Bull, smelled another vampire in the area, but he couldn’t track the scent.”

  “I talked with her.” His eyes trailed toward the window, narrowing at the dark clouds in the night. “She abducted Sera, claimed to be protecting her.”

  Her voice sounded too thin across the digital line. “What do I charge Drake with?”

  “Accessory to kidnapping.” He squeezed the phone.

  “It’ll never stick.” She sighed.

  “We don’t need it to stick. We just need him locked up, so he can’t help the enemy.” The buzz rode under his skin, begging for a shift. “I don’t trust anyone with,” he caught himself before he slipped and said her, “this.”

  She didn’t respond. Silence lagged on for one heartbeat, two, three.

  “What is it?” The pauses spoke volumes. “Come on, don’t go quiet on me now.”

  “I meant to tell you after the press conference, but the all call came and that madness.” Her hesitation grated his nerves, but he waited for her to continue. “Meg did some digging, like you asked, and the witness, Sera. She’s on our recruitment list and she has a record.”

  “Details, Jame. Don’t give it in pieces. Spell it out.”

  “Yeah, yeah, okay. Her father, a police chief turned senator, put her file under lock and key. Back in her high school days, she came under suspicion for an accident.” Grueling silence reigned. A news clip appeared on the cell screen with the headline, “Teen Boy Remains in Coma after Car Blaze.” Scanning the article, Talon discovered teenaged Sera had been with the boy at the time of the incident, surviving the two-alarm fire without a single burn.

  Talon growled. “A car accident?”

  “Yes.” She paused again. “Talon, the police didn’t think it was an accident. They suspected her of starting the fire on purpose.”

  Blood assailed his ears, pounding and churning. He choked on the words. “What happened?”

  “Lots of circumstantial evidence. Nothing concrete. Judge dismissed the case, and daddy sealed the record.” A car door slammed, then a shuffle of papers. “She finished her senior year of high school at some lockdown Canadian boarding school, then moved the three thousand miles away for college and changed her last name. None of it came up in the background check. Meg had to fish it free.”

  “So she was declared not guilty.” An image of Sera, surrounded by a burning light, flashed in his mind.

  “Yes, but it doesn’t make her innocent.” Jame coughed into the phone. “Just be careful.”

  Rage simmered under his skin. Whether it was directed at his warring emotions, Sera’s uncertain past, or Jame’s blunt warning, he couldn’t say. “I know what I’m doing. I’m not some wet rookie.”

  “Gotcha, boss. Know you can handle it. But it’s my job to watch your back. Remember?”

  “Yeah.” A sweet sigh rolled down the aisle, falling in his ears. Sera’s sleepy murmurings sounded like the softest breeze. It caressed his senses, driving him mad. “Keep an eye on it for me. No matter what I say, okay?”

  “I always do.” She coughed, clearing some of the tension. “We’ve got bigger problems though. Meg thinks Sera landed on our recruitment list care of Sera’s daddy. Meg’s theory is Senator Papa’s being blackmailed. And he sent us the recommendation so we’d run the background on Sera, put two-and-two together, and protect her.” A gasp rang through the line. “But question is, protect her from what? And if this Senator is being blackmailed, who’s the blackmailer? And what the hell does it all have to do with these human murders?”

  “Seven hells, Jame. Let’s take it a step at a time, huh?” Talon’s eyelids drooped, the events of the last few days catching up with him. “What’s Meg learned?”

  “Haven’t touched base with her again.”

  “Alright. Here’s the plan. Keep Drake under lockdown for now. And get Meg on the line fast. I want to know the full story with this Senator and Ser...the witness.”

  “Can do. But what about you? Will you be alright with her?”

  “Whether she’s a victim or a suspect, she’s safer under our guard.” He rose, pacing the narrow aisle to catch a look at her. The blanket tucked under her trim figure, accentuating her delicate waist and ample breasts. His muscles tensed, adrenaline surging. With sheer force of will, he walked away and focused on the plane’s interior wall as if it was a friggin’ Picasso. “We’ll figure out later what to do with her. For now, I’m taking her to a safe house. I’ll send the coordinates on a secure channel when we arrive.”

  “Got it.”

  “Jame, one more thing.”

  “Yeah, boss?” Her huff signaled the end of her patience.

  “Keep the boys in line. Last thing we need is dissension in the ranks.” He exhaled on a hiss. “And get what you can from Drake. I get you don’t like using your assets, but we need the intel and he’s got a soft spot for you.”

  “Bleeding vampires.”

  “I know. Just do what you can, okay?”

  “Uh-huh. I’m on it.” Her words became throaty. “N-Not like that. I mean, on the job. Not on it, him.” She sighed. “I’ll get the information we need. What about this Strife?”

  “We can arrest her for the kidnapping, but Sera would have to testify in court. And I can’t bring her out of hiding without endangering her life.” He rubbed his chin. “Don’t bring her in yet, but have Meg run the satellite grid. Find her. Track her movements. Let’s see if we can figure out whether she’s an ally or an enemy.”

  “Okay.”

  “Thanks.” He ended the call and continued to stare into the emptiness. His insides scrambled. He didn’t trust himself to know the right path. Something about Sera sent his thoughts into chaos. All logic and rationale faded into dust. A clean fresh aroma caught his attention.

  “Is everything alright?” Sera stood before him wrapped in the blue cotton blanket. Her hair fell in a wild mass around her shoulders and draped down her back. The golden amber hue shone like honey in the cabin’s dim lighting.

  “Yeah, fine,” he said, his words sounding rougher than he intended. “Long night.”

  “Tell me about it,” she mumbled. Her eyes darted around the rear of the plane as if trying to discern something. She leaned against one of the seats.

  “Having trouble sleeping?” He tried to keep his tone even, a failing battle as stabbings of arousal clashed with his suspicions of her. An overwhelming urge to slap a pair of handcuffs over her delicate wrists nagged him. What he’d do after, he didn’t know.

  “Sort of. I’m tired, but it’s like my mind won’t turn off. You know?” She tucked a strand of glossy hair behind her ear. “I keep replaying everything over in my head.”

  “And do you come up with anything different?” He rose, forcing her to step back and into the aisle.

  “No. Not really. Just a jumble of stuff. Same as I told y
ou.” She bit her bottom lip. The simple gesture made her lips brighten to a brilliant red.

  He groaned and waved his hand toward the front. “Well, go lay down on one of the couches. Might be more comfortable.” The suggestion came off more like a command, a gruff dismissal.

  “Um, yeah, sure. I’ll give it a try.” Her shoulders sagged as she made her way up the row.

  “Damn it all.” He pinched the bridge of his nose. A wave of pain washed over him. The idea he’d hurt her, even slightly, made his stomach clench. “What the hell is wrong with me?” He hissed, trying to get a grip. You hardly know this girl and she could be a suspect for the love of…Hell. He shook his head and peered over the seats in front of him. Sera slumped onto one of the couches, her face in her hands. She pulled the blanket up to her chin.

  He dropped into the seat, letting the leather take the brunt of his weight. Digging out his cell once more, he flicked through the list to find Meg’s info. Once, twice, three times it rang, then switched to voicemail.

  “Hi. You’ve reached the all-knowing genius of the digitized speedways. If you’d like to leave a message, even though they’re a way antiquated form of communication, wait for the beep. Beeep.”

  Snorting into the line, Talon said, “Meg. I need intel on our witness and I need it yesterday. Did her father send us the recommendation for sure? If so, why? And the full details on her past. What happened exactly? Unseal everything in her record and route it to me.” He cleared his throat. “I’m counting on you.”

  The call ended with another obnoxious beep and the line went dead. Talon stretched and yawned. He couldn’t remember how long it’d been since he last slept, but he knew no rest would come until he had that file.

  Soft snores filled the space. He walked toward the sound to discover Sera stretched along the couch. The two-seater fit her upper body, while her legs sprawled over the armrest. Her forehead scrunched together to form worry lines. Her head shook side to side and her breathing became uneven. She muttered something unintelligible. His gut tightened in response to her fitful sleep. He bent beside her and smoothed her hair away from her cheeks. The contact singed his fingertips, but he didn’t pull away. His body craved her heat, the burn. He studied her face, searching for an answer. “Who are you Sera?”

  The plane jerked in response. Veering sharply to the right, it knocked Talon onto his ass and sent Sera tumbling into his arms. The pilot came over the intercom. “Sorry folks. Looks like we hit some turbulence. Going to be in a bit of a rough patch for a couple of minutes here. Better buckle up.”

  “Thanks for the warning.” Talon cocooned her against his chest, careful not to startle her.

  “Wha-what the heck?” Her body seared his chest as if she’d just come off some crazy adrenaline rush and the energy flared out of her.

  “It’s alright. We’ve run into a storm or something. Captain says it’ll be fine. Just bumpy for awhile.” He lifted her to the couch and strapped a buckle around her waist. She still expelled that burning force. He sat next to her, fastening his own belt and taking her hand. Tingles ran through their joined hands until he couldn’t tell whether the energy buzzed from his shifter side or her unknown power. “I’ll stay with you. Try to go back to sleep.”

  “Thanks,” she whispered and leaned her head on his shoulder.

  “No problem.” Her breath tickled his neck. His pulse quickened. He battled his lust, desperate to push her onto the small couch and lose himself in her warmth. Her hand absently stroked his collarbone, until the storm passed and the plane eased onto a smoother jet stream. When her gentle snores returned, he sighed. No way would he interrupt her much needed sleep. Relaxing into the pillow, he tried to find the same blissful reprieve. The leather against his jean-clad thighs, her hair on his shoulder, her hand resting in his lap, mocked his efforts. He cracked his neck, tossing his head back to stare at the ivory ceiling. His eyelids grew heavy as his thoughts flitted over the case and the woman at his side. Answers eluded him and as the night gave way to a gray morning, he said to the empty sky, “What now?”

  Chapter 13

  PCD FIELD OFFICE, PHOENIX, ARIZONA

  “This is some total B.S.” Jame’s feet burned a wicked path across the office floor. Her combat boots, buckled at the ankle and mid-calf, stomped the ground like a horse about to explode into a gallop. She spun on the ball of her foot, the rubber soles screeching over the industrial tile. “I’m surrounded by frat boys. Incompetent, moronic, frat boys!”

  “Ah hem.” Bull cleared his throat. His tree trunk legs stretched over his desk ending in his well-worn tan cowboy boots. His hands sat steepled on his hard stomach.

  Jame swatted at him. “’Cept for you, Bull. You know that.” Her pacing continued.

  “Girlie, sit down. You’re hoppin’ about worse than a cricket in springtime.” He rose from his seat to wheel a chair toward her. “Now, sit ya self down.”

  She remained standing, hands on her hips. “You don’t understand. Talon’s got it bad for this Sera chick. If she end up being a Norman Bates type psycho, he’s gonna flip.” She flopped a hand down to her side. “And what if he doesn’t bring her in? Huh?”

  “Now, you’re talking plum crazy. The boss is a straight shooter.” He huffed and sat down again, boots back up on the desk. “He ain’t gonna let a pretty lady turn his head and forget his duties. Dontcha worry.”

  “Yeah, fat chance of that happening, right?” Curling her toes inside her boots, she kicked over a small tin trashcan. A low buzz simmered in her veins. Talon’s never looked at you that way. Never even hinted at it and suddenly he goes AWOL over some leggy bimbo. She shook her head, chastising herself for letting her thoughts stray in his direction. No more high school drama. Plenty of hotties out there. Screw him. Her eyes wandered to the garbage littering the floor, bunches of papers and a half-eaten banana. She left it to rot and strode for the exit. “I’m taking a walk.”

  Bull mumbled a “Yessum” as she closed the door with a crash.

  Her temper flared, the simmer growing to a boil. She tried to tramp down the shifting urge by counting. She made it to twenty-four before a muddled conversation broke her concentration. She pressed her ear to the steel door. The space beyond functioned as both holding cell and interrogation room, depending on the team’s needs. Considering the field office’s three rooms were smaller than Jame’s apartment—and that was saying something—the areas each worked for multiple purposes.

  Jame cursed as Slick’s threats invaded her ears. His low hissing voice grated on her last nerve. She gripped the metal handle using her last bit of willpower to crack the lock instead of smashing it. The door flew open. It seemed a minor loss since she really wanted to shift into a jaguar, tear down the door and rip into Slick’s throat.

  “Tell me I’m not seeing what I’m seeing here.” Jame lunged at her teammate, catching him around the waist. She flung him into the nearest wall and got in his face. “Tell me I didn’t hear you putting a rundown on Drake from the hallway. Tell me you are not doing my job.”

  Slick rose, a purposeful slowness to his movements. He flung a quick glance at Drake, then focused on her. “Let’s talk about this elsewhere, huh?”

  “He’s not going anywhere.” She rallied on Drake, a steel edge to her words. “Are you Drake?”

  “And miss this show?” The vampire laughed. “I wouldn’t dream of it, luv.”

  “Good. I’ll deal with you in a minute.” Her eyes burned feral. She could feel her irises change color as the shifter in her begged to be appeased. “Now, answer me, Slick. Were you or were you not doing exactly what I told you not to do?”

  “I was trying to get some intel from him.” He stood up taller, his sinewy muscles dancing under the room’s bright lights. “You said you didn’t want local boys involved and I agree. But he knows something he’s not saying.”

  Her hands twisted. The bones snapped and claws extended. “I said no one questions him, but me. That includes you. And I’m pretty damn
sure you understood me.” The energy licking along her knuckles exploded in a myriad of pain. She bit back a cry and retracted the claws. “Get out.” Pointing toward the door, she broke a sweat. “Get out, Slick, before this becomes something neither of us want.”

  “Alright. No problem.” He took two steps to the exit, watching her under half hooded eyes. “I’m sorry, Jame. I didn’t mean to step on your toes. He’s all yours. Just shout if you need me.”

  Her blood stirred, itching for a fight. “Out. Now.”

  “Right.” He dashed for the door without another word and closed it behind him.

  “One. Two.” She battled to bring her breathing under control. With calmness she didn’t feel, she faced Drake, sifted the tangles from her ponytail, and stared him down. “So how do you want to do this?”

  “Oh Kitkat, I’d have you anyway I can get you.” He smiled a set of devastatingly white teeth, fangs poking from his gums. His spiky hair stood up in all directions. The yellow tips contrasted starkly with the dark roots. His black eyes stared at her with hunger in their depths.

  “I’m not in the mood for games, Drake. As you can clearly tell.” Jame breathed deeply. Her hands still shook from the two quick shifts and her body felt altogether too hot. She fanned her face with one hand. “How about you just give me the full story and save us time?”

  “But then you’d leave and I would no longer have the pleasure of your company.” He sat in a metal chair on the far side of the room. A heavy desk lay between them. Thick chains surrounded his wrists and ankles, winding around the chair’s legs. All the furniture in the room was bolted into the cement floor with three-foot spikes. Not the easiest to break out of, but not impossible.

  “So you want my company?” Jame jumped atop the desk hard enough to shake it. She knelt to stare into the vampire’s black eyes. Her breath caressed his face. “You got it, so start talking.”