A Hunter's Challenge [The Hunters 3] (Siren Publishing Allure)
Page 26
Erica drank the tea. Already they could see the colour come into her face.
“I think we tell any pupils that three jumps is the maximum. I may have only been able to do four because of who I am.”
“Maybe Anthan should see how many he can do?”
“Not yet!” She looked at Anthan with fear. “You need to do it with me linked.”
“Don’t worry, Iubită, I won’t do anything stupid.”
Martin laughed at Anthan, he knew very well that Anthan was thinking of trying it. Erica looked at Anthan closely.
She poked him in the chest with her finger. “I mean it. You may be a big shot in the Hunter world but in this I’m the boss!”
Martin muffled a laugh and had to look away as Anthan tried to look suitably chastened. Erica shook her head at the pair of them. Anthan tried to change the subject.
“Martin, Erica and I were thinking we should turn this place into a school. I was wondering what you thought. The dining room is big, we can fit ten around the table that’s there but I can easily arrange for a larger table to be built or buy one. There’s plenty of room to fit one that twenty or so people could sit around. Then the formal lounge room is enormous. We can put some comfortable couches in there and use it as the lecture-teaching room.”
“Sounds okay, but you’re going to have to do something about your kitchen. There’s no way you could cook for a number of people in it. Hell Anthan, until you found Erica you only had one pot!”
“Okay, okay. I get the idea. You know what? You can be in charge of the alterations. You and Amy will have time now the strigoi have been destroyed. Give you something to do.”
“Oh gee thanks!”
Amy looked excited. She grinned at Erica.
“This is going to be fun!” She cocked her head. “How weird is it though? Gram spent all that time trying to keep us away from Hunters and now you end up the most important one.”
“Oh I don’t know about being important but I do get what you mean about Gram.”
Amy looked at everyone. “So if I understand this right then once you learn, you can know when a vampire takes someone?”
Erica looked thoughtful.
“Anthan, there’s no way I can teach you how to detect the person’s emotions when a strigoi takes them if there’s none around.”
“Yes, I’ve thinking about that. I guess that part of the lessons will have to wait until we are travelling.”
“Okay.” She winked at Amy and stood. “I guess if you behave we can take a little trip now. I feel fine.”
“Are you sure? It’s only been about thirty minutes. Usually we need a few hours.”
“I feel perfect.” She closed her eyes then opened them again. “Everything checks out.”
She held out her hand to Anthan.
“Come on.”
Reluctantly he took her hand. She knew he was worried and understood but he was thinking in the “old” ways. She was the “new” model.
“I think I will keep hold of your hand my queen, just in case you decide to go a little further.”
Erica linked with Anthan and together they dematerialised. Erica had chosen a spot eight kilometres away. She “showed” Anthan in her mind how she was able to search ahead to ensure the place she had chosen was safe. It wouldn’t do to arrive in the middle of a group of people—or worse in the middle of a building or a mountain. All Hunters were able to “search” ahead but they were limited by the five kilometre rule. Now Anthan had to learn his restriction was now one hundred kilometres.
They landed in a field, eight kilometres away. Erica was worried that Anthan may be unsettled.
“How do you feel?”
“Fine, exactly the same as if it was only five kilometres. Ready for the next leap?”
She nodded. This time she increased the distance and they both disappeared to reappear fifty kilometres away. Erica had chosen a spot at a tangent so they would be able to get back to the house easily. Erica felt normal and she hoped Anthan did, too.
“Okay. That was okay as well. I don’t feel any tiredness. I can ‘see’ how you’re searching ahead. I think I should do this one on my own.”
“Okay but choose somewhere near the house just in case. I’ll give you control.”
Anthan gave Erica a quick kiss then they both dematerialised again still holding hands, this time to reappear in a park about two kilometres from the house. Anthan swayed slightly when they landed.
“I don’t think we should try a fourth. I think you’re right, Iubită, five is the limit on the ‘old’ models.”
She looked at him, she could “hear” his heart beating rapidly. Still holding his hand, she pulled him toward a seat. They sat for a few minutes until Erica was satisfied Anthan was feeling better.
“It’s only a couple of kilometres, Iubită, I’ll be fine flying there but I think I should feed.”
“I agree.”
They stood and walked toward the street, as they got close there was a woman and man walking past. Quickly Erica and Anthan took control of them and both fed, inserting a pleasant feeling in the couple before they finished. They left them then walked along the pathway and into the trees.
“Iubită, do you feel okay? I mean usually a mate doesn’t have to feed from humans.”
“I’m fine, Anthan, but I knew I’d used a lot of energy tonight. It was easier to just feed now rather than make you take twice the amount so you could replace what I needed.”
Anthan was looking at her in wonder. She had instinctively known how to insert memories, how to block any pain and, more importantly, how much to blood to take so the host wouldn’t be affected.
“Let’s go home, dragostea mea. Martin knows how we went but he worries still.”
Ensuring no one was watching, they transformed into owls and flew the short distance to the house. Amy rushed to her sister as they took on their human form. Martin smiled at them and went inside to get a glass of fruit juice for both. When he returned they all sat.
“Only three jumps for us Martin. It was amazing to be able to travel so far. With three jumps, we could be three hundred kilometres away. Think of what that would mean!”
“So was it difficult?”
“That third jump is definitely our limit. I could feel my heart working hard after it, but the good thing was after a few minutes I was fine. The hardest part is ‘searching’ that far ahead. I couldn’t see how Erica was doing it at first but when we did the second jump I ‘saw’ exactly how. That will be the only problem, learning how to push your mind that far away.”
“I can see that’s going to be the problem. It’s hard enough checking a few kilometres.”
Erica looked over at Martin.
“I feel fine, the old man needs to rest but if you like we can go on a little jaunt.”
Anthan burst out laughing. “Old man? You’ll pay for that crack my dear.”
Erica just grinned at him and stuck out her tongue.
“Just hold my hand Martin. We’ll only go about ten k’s.”
Martin gripped her hand and they vanished.
“You okay, Iubită?”
“Perfect, love you.” She felt Anthan “kiss” her forehead as she and Martin landed.
“Wow!”
Martin was grinning like a Cheshire cat.
“How do you feel?”
“Okay. This is amazing. But I can’t see how you do it.”
“We’ll go again. Ready?”
Martin nodded and took Erica’s hand then they left again. This time they arrived in the park near Erica’s old house. Martin was frowning.
“I can’t see it. I know what you’re doing but I just can’t do it.”
“Relax. Do you want to go back to the house for the final jump? You know it.”
“Yeah. It’s about five kilometres away and I know it so I’ll give it a try.”
They both dematerialised and Erica arrived back on the deck at Anthan’s. They all heard Martin “speak.”
A few minutes later an owl landed on the deck railing then transformed into Martin. He was shaking his head in frustration.
“I should have been able to do that!”
Amy held out her hand and he took it then sat alongside her.
“I honestly thought I would be able to do that last jump. I couldn’t see how you were doing the others Erica, but I figured, because I’ve landed here so many times, it would be a cinch.”
It was easy to see that learning the new skills was not going to be as easy as they first thought. They sat and talked together for a few hours then Martin said he wanted to try again. This time both Anthan and Erica went with him. Unfortunately, they had the same result. He just couldn’t see how either was able to push their mind so far into the distance.
Amy was quiet when they returned, she was tired but had been thinking.
“Do you know what you need, Martin? You need Ken.”
“Ken? Why on earth would I need Ken?”
“Because he teaches meditation. I think you have this block. All your life you’ve known you can only travel a few kilometres now you can go further but your mind won’t accept it. Ken could teach you meditation, you could learn to switch off that restriction through it.”
Anthan looked at Amy in amazement. He jumped up and kissed her cheeks.
“You’re right! I never thought of that. I caught on easily because the gods had told me I would. So I just accepted their word but the rest of you have to overcome years of behaviour.”
“If you like I’ll contact Ken tomorrow, while you’re all asleep. He can tell me if he thinks it will work.”
“That’s a great idea, sis! If he thinks it will, I wonder if he will work with us?”
“Actually that would be great. He would get to meet Hunters, hopefully find the one he is destined for. I know Viorel is arranging to send Hunters through this area to meet him, but if he were working here he would meet more.”
Amy was struggling to stay awake. She and Martin had made four exchanges so the late hours were still a hardship for her. Martin noticed her hiding a yawn.
“Come on, nîcimos, let’s get you home. Tomorrow you can talk to Ken.”
The four exchanged good nights at the front door. Anthan wrapped his arms around Erica.
“Come, my queen, I have something to show you.”
Anthan took her hand and led her out onto the deck. Erica was looking around curiously as he stepped over to the old chaise lounge that was there. He pushed her down onto it.
She looked up puzzled.
“What have you got to show me?”
“This.”
He waved his hands and his clothes disappeared. With one hand, he held his cock. Erica licked her lips as he moved closer to her.
“Oh yes that’s something special my dear.”
“Glad you like it. Perhaps you like to sample its delights?”
“Mm perhaps I would.”
“If you were to...say, kiss it, maybe it would show its appreciation.”
Erica hid a grin behind her hand as she sat forward to plant a kiss on the head of Anthan’s dick. As she did, he grabbed her head and held it. She opened her mouth and slid his cock into it, licking and sucking as it slid passed her teeth. She heard Anthan groan then felt him in her mind.
It was enough to feel his penis in her mouth but when they merged and she felt his sensations it took her to a new level of arousal.
Anthan began moving in and out of her mouth, all the while Erica was licking and sucking. She thought quickly and all her clothing disappeared. She “felt” Anthan’s shout of pleasure as he tried to pinch her nipples. Anthan pulled out of her mouth and pushed her down onto the chair. He lay over her, his knees and arms holding him up over her.
She heard him in her head.
“God, Iubită, I’ll never tired of seeing you like this, naked underneath me.”
She reached up and pulled his face down to kiss him. Her lips brushed across his, she drew his bottom lip into her mouth. He groaned. She let it go then pressed both lips to his. Anthan pushed his tongue between her teeth, almost devouring her. She felt a hand between her legs, rubbing and teasing.
“I want you inside me.”
Anthan moved until he was able to thrust his cock inside her. Erica wrapped her legs around his waist as he began to pump back and forth.
Anthan dropped his head to take one nipple into his mouth as Erica had her first orgasm. She screamed her pleasure to the wind as Anthan continued to thrust and suck.
He increased his speed, trying to push deeper inside her. Erica tried to match his thrusts with her hips, lifting and lowering them in time.
“Iubită! I...can’t...last.”
He grunted.
“Come with me!” Erica screamed out loud and Anthan needed no further encouragement as he pushed deep and held his cock within her hot body. They both felt their fangs slide out. Erica sank hers into Anthan’s shoulder when she felt his bite into her tender breast. Their orgasms rolled across the both, neither knowing whose was whose.
They both were overwhelmed with the sensation of their joint climaxes. Erica thought she blanked out for a moment, although she did hear Anthan as he screamed loudly. Somehow Anthan managed to roll her over on top of him while they were still joined together. He held her tightly as they both tried to match their racing hearts and bring them back to a normal rhythm.
With a loud sigh, Anthan kissed her neck and ear, then licked her breast. Lazily Erica licked across Anthan’s shoulder and laid her head on it.
Anthan murmured. “I don’t want to move but I wish we were in bed, it’s a little softer and much wider than this.”
Erica smiled against his shoulder and thought. Suddenly they were both on the bed.
“Fuck! How?”
Anthan shook his head as Erica snuggled into his body. She looked up into his face and grinned.
“Your wish was my command.”
“More of your new tricks. That one you’ll have to teach me soon, my queen, I think we could have a lot of fun with it.”
“Oh I know we can.”
Chapter Twenty-Nine
That night Ken came over to join the four for their evening meal. He was really excited.
“I think Amy’s right. My understanding is you have all been told from day one that you ‘see’ ahead a few kilometres and that’s it. Now you build this type of barrier in your head. You just need to relax and push passed it. Meditation will certainly help.”
Martin was looking as excited as Ken.
“After dinner, can we start?”
“Yep, that’s what I’m here for.” He looked thoughtful then looked around the room at everyone. “I’m so glad to see you all. To tell the truth, it’s hard trying to slip back into my old life.”
His voice filled with sadness. “I feel like there’s this whole other world, this exclusive club that I know about but I’m not allowed to be in yet.”
Anthan was looking intently at Ken. He had an idea mulling in his mind and was wondering how to approach Ken. Now that he had said he was restless, Anthan was going to bring it up.
“So you’re not really happy working now?”
“Oh it’s okay, don’t get me wrong, but something’s missing. I told my boss I’d be back at work next week but to be honest I think I need a change. When Amy rang and told me about your problem, I got so excited.”
“So if I was to ask if you were interested in working for me full-time there’s a chance you might say yes?”
“Hell yeah! What did you want?”
Anthan explained about their idea for a school, they would need someone to handle the finances. Anthan wanted to set things up so it would become self-sufficient. He also wanted to employ someone to cook then someone would have to work out schedules for guests. Time frames, et cetera.
“Amy is a book keepe
r so she can help with the accounting side of things. But there are so many things that will need doing. Martin and Amy will be posted here but they won’t be able to do everything.”
As Anthan was speaking, everyone could feel Ken’s excitement rising.
“When do I start?” He laughed. “I’ve been so close to handing in my notice now I can. That is if you really want me.”
Anthan laughed. “Of course I want you. You can start now. The meditation classes will be part of it, if it works for Martin.”
Erica had been listening to the conversation. She looked over at Amy as she cleared her throat.
“Anthan, I have an idea. You know our parents are coming here soon. Dad’s a chef. What about offering him the job of cooking? I got the impression he didn’t like not working.”
“Yes he told me that. Actually it would be perfect. You know, we could see if they will take over the flat. That way they would be on site but still have their own home.”
Amy was grinning at her sister.
“How big is the flat, Anthan?”
“Big.” He laughed. “I had no idea why I built it so large at the time, maybe I subconsciously knew or maybe the gods planted the suggestion. It’s got three large double bedrooms, all with a bathroom. There’s a big family room and kitchen, a media room, a double garage, laundry. It’ll need a good clean-out.”
“Sounds more like a house than a flat.”
“Yes, I guess it is. We can stop off on the way to see Viorel and talk to your parents, see what they think.”
“Well I’ll get it all cleaned out just in case, while you’re missing. Anyway, if they don’t want to stay in it I imagine others will.”
“It might need a paint job, too, Amy.”
“Okay. Looks like Martin, Ken and I will be busy while you’re away.”
“Ken as well as accounting and the meditation, can you organise schedules, arrange all that side of things?”
“I’d say so, Anthan. With Amy to help with the book-keeping, it will free up some of my time.”
When they’d all finished eating, Ken and Martin went into the old formal lounge room. The others followed and sat down on the old couch that was in one corner.