Releasing the Hunter (Harlequin Nocturne)

by Anna, Vivi

  “I’ll find a room on the first floor. No sense in climbing those stairs needlessly. Especially if we need to get out fast.” He did a quick sweep of the house and came back two minutes later. “There’s a den at the back, looks like it has a hide-a-bed.”

  He helped her to her feet, and then half carried her to the back of the house. He kicked open the door and brought her through. He set her on the edge of the easy chair, then went about tossing cushions off the sofa to pull out the bed inside. Once the mattress was unfolded, he picked her up and settled her onto it.

  His command of her made her feel like a child. She hated that the pain coursing through her made her inept to function on her own.

  “Lie down.”

  “Why?”

  “So I can fix your damn leg.”

  “Why can’t you do it while I sit up?”

  He fixed her with an intense stare. “Because you need to be absolutely still and it’s going to hurt like hell.”

  “Fine.” She plopped onto her back, embarrassed that she’d forgotten why they’d come to the house to begin with. Ronan had told her he could fix her, but she had to lie down. The pain was making her loopy.

  Ronan handled her left foot gently, getting it as straight as he could. He then gripped the hem of her pant leg and tore it in half, all the way up to her thigh.

  She jolted at that, trying to sit up. “Hey!” Loopy she may be, but she wasn’t going down without a fight.

  He pushed her back down. “Lie still. If you move too much I could set your bones wrong. They’d heal crooked and you wouldn’t be able to walk normally again.”

  That made her stop struggling. She didn’t want to be hobbled anymore. It made her feel weak and vulnerable.

  “Take in a deep breath.”

  She did, just as he wrapped his hands around her ankle and pressed down.

  Pure dark agony sang up her leg. She gritted her teeth and bit down on her tongue. Blood filled her mouth, but it at least made her think about something other than the pain searing her foot.

  Sweat dampened her forehead. She felt faint, light-headed. She was in fear of passing out any second. Then the pain receded a little. Just enough that she could put together some coherent thoughts.

  She glanced down her body to her feet. She could see a faint blue glow around her left ankle. It emitted from Ronan’s hands as he held her still, pressing tight against her bones. His eyes were closed, and she could see the muscles at his jawline flexing. His face was sweat slicked, and she wondered if he, too, was in pain. It appeared that he was.

  Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the pain stopped. Instead, a warm floating feeling settled into her bones and muscles. It was as if she was suspended on her back in a sea of warm water.

  Ronan let her ankle go and stood up, looking down at her. His brow was still creased but he didn’t have that pained look in his eyes.

  She smiled up at him. She couldn’t help it; she felt giddy. “Wow. You’re good.”

  “Your bone is fused back together. I also infused you with a kick of endorphins. That’s what you’re feeling right now.”

  “I like it.” She reached up to him and grabbed his hand. But his skin seared her and she snatched back her hand. “Ow. You burned me.”

  Ronan rubbed the palms of his hands on his pants. “Part of the process, I’m afraid. Healing burns my hands.”

  “Are you in pain?”

  He shrugged. “Nothing I can’t handle.”

  “You should shoot yourself up with those endorphins.”

  “Doesn’t work like that.” He continued to rub his hands on his legs, looking down at them with a forlorn look on his face. A look of loss, maybe.

  She liked looking at him. He was an attractive man, with that dark tousled hair and those intense eyes. He had strong facial features and a full mouth. She remembered how those lips had felt on her skin. And she longed to feel them again. Maybe she could erase the pain from his eyes.

  She slid over on the mattress and patted it beside her. “There’s room for two. You need some sleep, as well.”

  He considered her. “That’s the endorphins talking.”

  “I don’t care.” She grabbed his hand again, this time holding on tight despite the burning sensation. She tugged him to the bed.

  He knelt one knee on the mattress, then settled his full weight down beside her. He stretched out on his side, his body barely brushing against hers. But she could still feel the heat of him covering her.

  She turned onto her side to look at him. To really look at him. She traced one finger along his jawline to his mouth. He opened his lips slightly as she ran her fingertip over them. “You’re really quite beautiful.”

  He reached up and stilled her hand on his mouth to softly kiss her fingertips. “So are you.”

  “You know, I really don’t want to like you.”

  “I know.” He smiled and kissed her fingers again. “I don’t want to like you, either.”

  “Even with your demon blood, you’re a better man than most I’ve known.”

  “And for a hunter, you’re a damn fine woman.”

  She laughed at that, then wrapped her hand around his neck and pulled him close. She covered his mouth with hers and kissed him hard.

  At first he hesitated a little, but his resolve soon broke and he was fisting his hands in her hair and tilting her head to deepen the kiss. Lips touching, tongues stroking, teeth nibbling. It was a long, hard, wet kiss that made her stomach clench and her thighs tingle with anticipation.

  Ronan broke the kiss and stared into her eyes. He traced his fingers down her cheek to her neck and back. “We don’t have to, you know. I could just hold you.”

  She snorted. “Oh, no, we have to.”

  “I don’t want to hurt you.”

  “I’m feeling no pain right now.”

  He shook his head. “It’s not the right time.”

  She kissed his protests away, and then nibbled on his earlobe. “It’s the perfect time. I need you, Ronan. I need to forget everything for a while. Don’t make me beg.”

  He stilled his fingers on her face, then pulled her close to press his lips to hers. He shoved his other arm under her to cradle her body next to his. She could feel the thumping of his heart. It was as fast and fierce as her own.

  She moved her hand down to the hem of his T-shirt, and yanked it up. Ronan sat up briefly to pull the cotton over his head. When he lay beside her again, she ran her hand over his chest, playing her fingers over the thin line of dark hair that lined his sternum down to his pants.

  He rubbed his hand over her arm to the edge of her shirt. His hand snuck up under the fabric to capture one breast in his palm. He pulled at the cotton cup of her bra to find her nipple already hard and throbbing for his touch. He pinched and pulled on her until she was moaning.

  “Oh, your hand is still hot.”

  “Does it hurt?”

  She shook her head. “God, no. Feels fantastic.”

  Ivy’s hand roamed down his chest to the button of his pants. She made quick work of it and unzipped him. His erection strained against the cotton of his black briefs. She covered him with her hand and massaged him through the fabric.

  Growling low in his throat, Ronan sat her up and stripped off her shirt in one pull. He nestled her down again beside him; his head bent low to her breasts. Tugging at her bra, he quickly sucked in one nipple, rolling it between tongue and teeth, and then lavished equal attention on the other.

  His hand was edging down to her pants. “I don’t want to upset your ankle by taking off your pants.”

  “Just tear them off. You already halfway did anyway.”

  “True.” He grinned, and then with one impressive pull he ripped the rest of her pants away, tugging the torn materia
l out from under her and tossing it onto the floor, leaving her in just her panties. “There. Perfect.”

  She half moaned, half laughed as he yanked on her cotton panties to pull them down over her hips. Then his fingers, still hot and sweaty, were buried between her legs, stroking her gently, and she lost all thought and reason.

  * * *

  Ronan had to bite down on his lip to stop from tearing into her. The feel of her hot slick lust on his hand was enough to leave him feeling hard, hot, and desperate to take her until she screamed his name.

  Desire clawed at him as he nuzzled her breasts. He bit down on a nipple while plunging his fingers into her core. She cried out as he stroked her fast. He wanted to watch her face when she came. He wanted to see the ecstasy in her eyes. Ecstasy that he gave her.

  His fingers pumped harder and faster until her breath came in short pants. He sucked on her nipples, hard, nipping at her skin every so often. He alternated between plunging into her and flicking his fingers over her clit. He could feel the muscles in her body clench.

  She squeezed her eyes shut as he pinched her sensitive nub then stroked her firmly again. Back and forth he went. Rubbing, flicking and pumping. Until her hand tightened on his cock and he knew she was going over the edge.

  And just as she came, Ronan tugged down his briefs, pulled her leg up over his hip and plunged his cock into her in one swift, powerful thrust.

  Her eyes flashed open and she cried out. “Ronan!”

  Gripping her behind with his hand, he drove into her again and again. He pumped and thrust until his whole body was wet with sweat. Until the muscles in his legs and arms vibrated with strain.

  She was panting and mewling, her hands everywhere on him, pulling and tearing and holding on. He gritted his teeth and pulled her down to him as he thrust up hard with his hips. He buried himself deep inside her. Her flesh contracted around him, squeezing him tight.

  Then, in a flash of light and heat and delicious agony, he came.

  For five minutes, neither one of them moved. It was as if they were frozen in time, fused together like some complicated marble statue.

  Ronan opened his eyes and studied her face. Her eyes were still closed and she was almost smiling. It was sexy the way her lips twitched up at the side. She must’ve sensed he was looking at her because the smile widened.

  “I’d say I’ve completely forgotten about my ankle.”

  “Well, good. My work here is done, then.”

  Ivy opened her eyes and met his gaze. “I’d say that you earned some overtime pay.”

  “Is that right?”

  “Yup.” She snuggled closer to him and pressed her lips to his neck. She traced her fingers up and down the line of his sternum. “Mmm, you smell like perfection.”

  He chuckled at that. “I think you’re drugged from sex.”

  “You think right.” She closed her eyes and nuzzled her face into the crook of his neck and shoulder. Her hand curled up to rest on his chest.

  He pulled her tight, his other hand resting on the rise of her hip. He played it gently back and forth along her smooth, pale skin.

  She sighed. The cadence of her breathing slowed and he sensed the exact moment when she fell asleep. With his chin resting on her head, he smiled, and then closed his eyes, allowing himself to drift off. And just before he was asleep, Ronan thought how perfectly they fit together.

  Chapter 17

  Ivy jolted awake. Rubbing at her eyes, she slowly sat up. Did something wake her? Had she heard a strange noise? She glanced up and saw a fat brown squirrel at the window. Its thick bushy tail thwacked against the glass as it busily collected food.

  A bit confused about where she was, she looked around the small room. Her gaze landed on Ronan sleeping next to her on the bed. He was naked, a sheet lightly drawn over his hip. She drank in his naked form. He was definitely a looker. No doubt about it.

  She shook her head. But what the hell was she doing having sex with him again? Hadn’t she learned the first time? No good could come of their...

  Whatever it was. It would only get in the way. And once they found Quinn and Ronan took the key, or tried to, what would they have in common anymore?

  She rubbed at her face again, then swung her legs off the bed. She set her feet down on the floor and tested her left ankle. It was sore, but looking down at it, no one would ever be able to tell that the bone had snapped and ruptured her skin. The flesh around her ankle was bruised dark purple, but there were no lacerations. No puncture wound. She glanced over her shoulder at Ronan. He was truly gifted with the power to heal within his demon blood. Go figure.

  A cool breeze blew over her skin, bringing attention to the fact that she was naked. Everything had ended up coming off during their hot sex session. She stood, wobbled a bit then went to search for her bag for a pair of pants.

  Once she was dressed in khakis and a T-shirt, she went to see about finding them some food. They both needed the energy. Especially after the sexual bout they’d had. It had been intense and her thighs and belly still clenched in remembrance. Her orgasm had been fierce and not something she could easily erase from her mind.

  With one last glance at Ronan’s sleeping form, she silently exited the room. She stole across the hall and into the kitchen, careful not to make any noise in case someone had come home without their knowledge. Once in the kitchen, Ivy glanced out the window to the drive. There were no vehicles parked on the dirt path. She breathed a sigh of relief and began searching the cupboards and pantry for something edible.

  After a thorough search, she dumped a can of mushroom soup into a saucepan and brought it to a boil on the stove. She also found some crackers to go with it. As she stirred the soup, she thought about their next step. The first thing was to find a vehicle and get back on the road. Getting to Quinn was even more important than before. Because someone obviously didn’t want that to happen. This was the second attempt on her life. Well, both their lives.

  She’d thought the first attempt, at her house, had been the demon Sallos’s doing, but now she wasn’t so sure. What if someone else wanted to stop her from finding Quinn? It obviously wasn’t the Crimson Hall Cabal. No, they wanted her to get to Quinn so Ronan could take the key for them. So, if not them, then who?

  “Smells good.”

  Ivy swung around to see Ronan leaning casually in the kitchen doorway. He’d slipped on a pair of pants, but forwent a shirt. And she couldn’t stop herself from gobbling up his hard pecs, flat stomach and the dark line of hair that arrowed down to the waistband of his pants. Her fingers itched as she remembered tracing a seductive trail down that path.

  “It’s mushroom. All I could find. There was tomato but I hate tomato.”

  “Yeah, me, too.” He came all the way into the kitchen and sat at the little two-seater table.

  Ivy turned off the stove, and then poured the soup into two big bowls. She set the bowls down on the table along with spoons and the box of crackers.

  She expected him to pick up his spoon and start eating, but instead he stared at her expectantly. She stared back, not sure what he wanted her to say. It wasn’t like she’d had a lot of experience in morning afters. She usually didn’t sleep with men. She’d had sex, but she’d usually kick them out afterward. It was interesting that sleeping beside Ronan had been more intimate than any of her prior sexual escapades.

  After another minute, Ronan sighed, then picked up the spoon and began to ladle the soup into his mouth. He grabbed a couple of crackers, crushed them into the soup and continued to eat. She followed suit, until a few minutes later they both had empty bowls.

  He wiped at his mouth with the back of his hand. “So I figure we need a vehicle.”

  “I was just thinking that.”

  “There’s a small barn in the back. I’ll check it to see if there’s any
thing that’s useful.”

  She nodded. “We need to get back on the road as soon as possible. That second attack tells me that we are on the right track to Quinn.”

  “I know.” He pushed back his chair and stood. He left the kitchen and returned to the den, she assumed to put on a shirt and his boots. After another minute, she heard the back door open and close.

  This gave her time to go back into the den, get her boots and gear—and her mind—back together. Nothing was going to get accomplished with her fantasizing about Ronan’s body and remembering how it felt as he filled her tight. She had to put her mind where it needed to be: on finding Quinn. Nothing else was important. No matter how much her body told her otherwise.

  * * *

  Ronan marched across the back lawn to the barnlike building. Anger made the muscles along his jawline jump. He supposed he shouldn’t have expected anything other than the cool reception she’d given him. It wasn’t like she was going to prance across the kitchen floor and fling her arms around him to kiss him. It was just that he thought maybe something had changed last night, was hoping that something had shifted between them.

  He didn’t want it to be just sex between them. He wanted more from her.

  But wanting more from the ice-queen demon hunter was a lesson in futility. It wasn’t going to happen. And he had to get that through his head. He was a means to an end for Ivy. And that was all he was ever going to be.

  The door to the barn opened easily and he stepped in. It smelled of mildew and old hay but also had the unmistakable odor of motor oil. He smiled when he saw the vehicle barely visible in the shadows. He hoped it would run.

  He approached the car, a two-door Ford T-Bird, running his hand along the old hood. The windows were cranked open and he peered inside at the dark leather interior. He smiled again. He really liked old cars. This one was a classic and it looked like the owner took real good care of it.

  “Is it drivable?”

  Ronan swung around to see Ivy standing in the open doorway. “Looks to be in good condition.”