Hunter's Need

by Shiloh Walker

  Duke snorted. “And you think I care who ‘moves in on her’ for . . . what reason again?”

  Dominic laughed. “Hell, maybe you don’t care. But some part of you does. Body language doesn’t lie. Scent doesn’t lie.”

  And that was the bitch of it all, because even if Duke wanted to pretend he didn’t want the pretty blonde psychic with the sad, purple eyes and hesitant smile, his body said otherwise. Above the other scents in the room, the scents of life, coffee, food, the lotions a lot of the women loved to rub into their skin, he could smell her. Smell Ana.

  He could smell himself, smell the need on him. Knowing how fucking bad he wanted her didn’t make it any easier to look at her, though. He looked at her and saw how fucking foolish he’d been, how damn gullible. How pathetic.

  Not again. He could want her until hell froze over, but that didn’t mean he’d give in.

  Across the pool table, he met Dominic’s level stare. Then, without saying anything, he hurled his cue stick down and stalked out of the room.

  SHE felt his passing like a hot, angry wind, blasting against her shields, snaking through the minute cracks and scalding her.

  People were watching her—she felt it as she left the library. She didn’t want to, but she couldn’t just stay in the library forever, either, which meant she had to go back the way she’d come.

  Should have just dealt with the rain and gone to the main library. Stupid, stupid, stupid.

  Ana stood looking out into the rec room. Clutching the book to her chest, she licked her lips and then glanced from the door where Duke had just disappeared and then back at the pool table where he’d been playing only a few minutes ago.

  There was a vampire standing there—she might not have the sense of smell or the eyesight that most of these people had, but she could recognize a vamp easy enough. Instinctive fear curled inside her gut, and she fell back a step before she realized it.

  Vampires—she hated them. It had taken her weeks to work up the courage to leave her assigned rooms once the sun had gone down, even longer before she could be near one without fighting the urge to lock herself back in her room and just hide.

  Not all of them were evil. Not all of them were like Cat.

  She knew that.

  The one watching her now was a stranger, a man she’d never met and she watched as his gaze left hers to study the room around them, picking up on the censure and distrust and outright hatred.

  It was no secret how Ana had landed at Excelsior. Nor was it any secret that most of the students here quietly despised her, resented her presence. Unfortunately, she presented a hazard to them and she had to be trained.

  Well, trained or just killed.

  The vampire’s gaze came back to linger on her face and to her surprise, a slow, sympathetic smile curled his lips. Even through her shields, she sensed his intention before he moved and she jerked her gaze away. She didn’t need his sympathy.

  Pulling her shoulders back, she started forward, winding through the mass of people, sidestepping those who were lying on the floor, skirting around tables, keeping her distance. She wanted to run. It was a need that left her muscles in knots while her gut clenched and her hands went cold and slick, but she didn’t give in.

  Running around a bunch of predators that already disliked her seemed a very, very bad idea.

  She almost made it through.

  Almost.

  A familiar voice drawled, “Where you off to, Ana?”

  If seeing Duke made her sick with guilt, hearing that voice made her sick with fear. Neal Hollister, a vampire who’d arrived at Excelsior about the same time she had, and he was roughly her age. Like so many vamps, he’d been Changed against his will by a feral vampire, but his sire had an accomplice—a psychic. Neal’s distrust of psychics went as deep as Ana’s fear of vampires.

  He came up quietly, quickly, so quickly she didn’t have the time to avoid him as he placed himself in her path. He smiled, flashing his fangs at her, and reached up, toyed with the ends of her hair. “Where you off to in such a hurry, baby?”

  “To my room,” she said, hoping the ice in her voice would camouflage the fear—even as she knew it wouldn’t.

  Damn vamps, they could smell it with the same ease she could sense it. His grin widened and he tugged slightly. “Want some company?”

  Batting his hand aside, she said, “Not hardly.”

  “Oh . . . so cold.”

  Curling her lip at him, she went to go around him. He lifted an arm, blocking her exit and caging her between his body, the door and the mass of people watching with avid interest. “Why you have to be so cold?”

  She swallowed the knot in her throat. She had to say something—had to do something to get him away from her. He might not respect strength, but most of these people did. She opened her mouth to say something—anything—

  Then, damn it, Bradley, her knight in shining armor, appeared in the doorway—just beyond Neal’s shoulder. “Leave her alone, Neal.”

  Her little brother had shot up over the past four years, but he was still too skinny, giving him an odd, stretched out appearance. Once his body had a chance to catch up, she imagined he’d bulk up some, but she seriously hoped he didn’t get much taller. He already had two inches on her.

  But he was still inches shorter than Neal—and he was a human teenager, where Neal was a vampire who’d already been an adult when he was Changed. Neal shot Brad a bored glance. “I’m talking to your sister, kid, not you.”

  “You’re not talking to her.” Brad took a step forward, a harsh note entering his voice.

  People who knew him would have backed away.

  But this particular rec room was set aside for the adult students and faculty. Brad was a bit of a special case and had special teachers who worked with him. Not one of those teachers was here. Nobody in here had ever trained with Bradley, and not one of the people in the room had any experience with him, other than the stories they’d heard. Stories most of them probably brushed off—after all, how dangerous could a fourteen-year-old human kid be?

  In Brad’s case, the answer was very dangerous.

  Ignoring Brad, Neal lifted a hand and stroked Ana’s cheek. “I keep hearing how much you’re into blood . . . why don’t you—oomph—”

  Ana felt it, a punch of psychic energy, blasting through the air. She grabbed Brad as Neal went flying backward and crashed into one of the glass-fronted media cabinets. Glass, DVDs and CDs exploded around him at the impact and he fell to the floor—seconds later he was up, moving quicker than the eye could track.

  She felt the punch of Brad’s power again and she shook him, distracted him for just a second, long enough for the swell of power to fade. “Brad, stop. Now.”

  He shrugged her off and squared off with the vampire. Once, whenever he used a power display like that, it would show on his face, in his eyes as he pushed his limits. The nosebleeds had stopped more than two years ago, and Ana wondered just how far those limits had expanded. She sure as hell didn’t want to find out now, though.

  “You little fuck, I’m gonna knock the shit out of you.”

  Ana whirled and glared at him. “The hell you will!” She might be a coward, but nobody threatened her baby brother.

  He sneered at her. “Get out of my way, bitch.”

  From the depths of the room, people started to stir.

  “Neal, back off . . . ”

  “Come on, man . . . ”

  “Backing off sounds like a damn good idea.” Bradley shoved around her, once more planting his skinny butt in front of her, protecting her—damn it, she was supposed to protect him. It was her job, one she failed at, miserably.

  The swell of psychic energy rose in the room once more and Neal grimaced as it pushed him back once more.

  “Want some help?” Brad asked, a vicious smile on his face, one that made him seem far too old. Far too bitter. Far too angry.

  Ana shoved between them and Brad deflected his next psychic strike—ju
st like she’d suspected he would. He scowled at her. “Ana, get out of the way.”

  Behind her, she heard Neal snarl, sensed his moving—quick. Too quick.

  Several things happened at once.

  Voices emerged from the hall behind them, deep, angry and full of authority.

  The vampire who’d been shooting pool with Duke appeared from the mess of bodies, grabbing Neal as Ana turned. Neal’s hand was only inches away from her, caught in midair. The new vampire stood there, holding Neal’s wrist with apparent ease while the weaker man struggled ineffectively.

  “Get the fuck off of me,” Neal snarled.

  “No, Dominic, I think you’re good right where you’re at.” The female voice was hard and cold, and Ana felt something inside her shrivel with fear as Kelsey Hughes came storming into the room.

  The redhead paused in the door, taking in everything with one quick glance. Her husband Malachi sauntered past her and flicked a look at Neal that had the vampire’s eyes going wide with apprehension. Two other instructors trailed in after him—and Duke.

  Planting her hands on her hips, Kelsey demanded, “What in the hell is going on here?”

  “Nothing, Ms. Hughes.” Wrapping an arm around Brad, Ana pulled him against her.

  Kelsey cocked a brow and glanced from Neal to the siblings. Neal still had his wrist suspended in midair and the vampire—Dominic—stood there still as a statue, like he could hold that position all night and well into morning. “Nothing. I feel several spikes in energy, there’s broken glass, I walk in right as somebody’s coming at you—from behind—and you want me to buy that line?”

  Blowing out a breath, Ana said, “It’s my fault—Brad came in at a bad time and he—”

  “The kid did what nobody else in here had the decency to do.” Dominic cut in. He let go of Neal but before the younger vampire could back away, Dominic got in his face. “You like taking swings at kids and women?”

  “That kid attacked first,” Neal snapped.

  “Yeah, after he came in and found you putting your hands on his sister. Although she’d done made it clear she didn’t want your hands on her.”

  Neal’s response was cut off as a low, eerie growl whispered through the room.

  Automatically, all eyes followed the sound—

  To Duke, standing in the door way and staring at Neal like he’d just found his midnight snack. Kelsey shifted, casually placing her body in between the two men, blocking their view of each other. Her voice calm and cool, she said, “Neal, is that right?”

  Neal opened his mouth. Snapped it close. Opened it again.

  “Get out.”

  “Fine,” he muttered. “Stupid bitch ain’t worth my time anyway.”

  A cold smile curled Kelsey lips and she said, “I’m sorry. I wasn’t clear. I don’t mean leave this room. I mean, get out. As in out of my school.”

  Neal blinked. Looked from Kelsey’s face to Malachi, then at Ana and Brad. “What?”

  Kelsey repeated, “Get out.”

  “Over that bitch?”

  “Nobody, and I mean nobody lays a hand on a woman or a child in my school for any fucking reason. Unless of course she was attacking you . . . tell me, Neal, did she attack you? Is that why you touched her?”

  “You can’t trust her,” Neal snarled. “You can’t trust her kind—she’ll turn on us. She’s done it once before.” He jerked a chin toward Duke.

  Ana’s skin crawled with shame. Automatically, she tightened her arms and Brad reached up, patted her hand.

  But nobody was looking at them. Or at Duke. They were staring at the exchange between Kelsey and Neal with fascination. “No, Neal. We can’t trust your kind. You’re not one of us . . . and you never were.”

  Neal paled. Something flashed through his eyes. “I am one of you. I’m here, aren’t I?”

  “You were brought here to train—but not to be a Hunter. You were brought here to learn control. Non-mortals can pose a danger—our job is to limit that danger. We do that through teaching, through training. That was why you were brought here—never think otherwise.” Kelsey gave him a dismissive look and then turned her back.

  Neal jerked away from Dominic and stalked across the room, placing himself in front of Kelsey. “This is fucked up, lady. I didn’t hurt her—hell, I didn’t hurt that little punk, either. I wouldn’t hurt a kid.” He sent Ana and Brad a furious look, one that scalded her and left her almost ill with all the hatred she felt coming from him.

  Tearing her eyes away from him, Ana whispered to Brad, “Come on. Let’s get out of here.”

  Brad looked like he wanted to argue, then he sighed and shoved a hand through his hair. “Okay. Maybe we can go to get a snack—I’m starving.”

  “That sounds like a good idea, Ana,” Kelsey said, an edge to her voice. But when the witch looked at Ana, her gaze was kind, so kind and so gentle and it made Ana feel even more pathetic.

  Silence fell as the brother and sister headed for the door. Kelsey lingered in the doorway, watching them with that enigmatic gaze. The witch’s gaze softened as Brad passed by and she reached out, ruffled his hair. “You’re a bottomless pit these days,” she teased.

  The lighthearted words did nothing to ease the tension in the room. As they left, Ana breathed a little easier. Every passing step made it easier, every inch of distance helped.

  Get away—she had to get away from that anger. Her shields were stronger than they had been a few years ago, but anger was always harder to shield against. Always.

  As Ana and Brad disappeared from sight, Kelsey stepped back in the room. Somebody slid the door closed behind her. All around, people were staring at her. Watching with avid, intent interest and making no pretense otherwise.

  Some of the people in the room would become Hunters.

  Many would not.

  Even though they were told when they came to Excelsior that not all would join the Council, not everybody believed it. Kelsey could understand in a way. The older ones that came to them, more often not, were victims of a vampire attack, survivors of a were’s bite. Their entire lives changed, and they had little understanding of why. Time and again, many of them had to leave their old lives behind—their lives, their families. Faced with a long, empty stretch of life, they latched onto anything that might give their new existence meaning.

  Being a Hunter had meaning.

  But that mind-set crippled them—doing it because it had meaning was the last reason to do it.

  In more cases than she could recall, Kelsey had seen it happen. In more cases than she could recall, it was the ones who didn’t want to be here, the ones who didn’t want to be a Hunter that were called to it.

  For some fucked-up reason, Kelsey ended up being the one dumped with the responsibility of saying No. I’m sorry, but no, it can’t be you. Most of the instructors at the school were perfectly content to let her have that not-so-happy job.

  “Are you going to make this harder than it has to be?” she asked, weary.

  Neal glared at her. “I’m not making anything hard—you’re the one throwing some kind of tantrum because that bitch can’t handle her own problems.”

  “The bitch,” Kelsey said, getting more annoyed by the second, “isn’t the problem.”

  Neal, stupidly, thought she was referring to Brad.

  Rolling his eyes, he said, “I already told you. I wouldn’t hurt a kid. And I wasn’t going to hurt her, either. I just wanted her to get out of the way.”

  “But you had your hands on her—that’s what started this, isn’t it? You had your hands on her, touching her, when she didn’t want you touching her.”

  It was Duke, of all people, who spoke. Separating himself from the crowd, he stalked toward Neal, his pale gray eyes swirling, the pupils spiking and flaring as he fought the rage inside him.

  A rage that made no sense to Duke. Even as he prowled around the vampire, struggling against the urge to pounce, there was a saner part of his mind that kept demanding, What in the hel
l is your problem?

  Ana wasn’t hurt—nobody would have let it go that far. He didn’t even waste time trying to convince himself that he’d be this pissed no matter who the woman had been. Of course he’d be pissed. Ready to rip a throat out.

  Except he knew his reaction wouldn’t be this extreme.

  Ana—that bastard had put his hands on Ana.

  “You put your hands on her—after she made it clear she didn’t want you touching her. But you want us to buy that you wouldn’t hurt her?” he asked quietly, pacing in a tight circle around Neal.

  Neal echoed Duke’s movements, keeping the shifter in his sight. Baffled, he said, “You make her sound like some kindergarten teacher, like I was going to grab her, rape her and drain her dry, just for breathing. She’s not some damned innocent. She’s not some helpless victim. She’s not—”

  “She’s mortal.” Duke closed the distance between them and reached out. Vamps were quick. Shifters? Quicker. Neal didn’t have time to evade as Duke grabbed him and whirled. Slamming the vamp back into the wall, Duke repeated, “She’s mortal—she’s got psychic gifts, but her power is all in the mind. She’s got no offensive powers, she’s no stronger than some kindergarten teacher. She gets hurt, she’ll take just as long to heal as any other mortal. You cut her, she’ll bleed like any other mortal.”

  Neal shoved Duke back, but he was still caught in the grip of that inexplicable rage and he snarled at the younger man, flashing incisors that had already begun to lengthen. His gray eyes swirled and pinwheeled, glowing with ominous warning. Rage—hot, thick and potent, spiraled inside him, straining against his skin, fighting to tear past the confines of his self-control.

  Over her—

  Ana . . .

  The man inside him struggled with it, fought to understand it. The animal inside him didn’t care.

  “Enough.” The word, coolly spoken, just barely managed to penetrate the haze of fury that gripped Duke. Kelsey stepped up and laid a hand on his shoulder.