The Alien Huntress Series

by Gena Showalter

Silence.

  Silence that lasted a long, long time.

  “Damn you,” he finally muttered.

  I was close to breaking completely, and I didn’t want it to be here, with this man. I wanted Lucius.

  Devyn drove me to my apartment building. Finally. Home. When he reached the building, I trudged out of the car, and the door shut with a snap. The air was cooler than it had been all week—more fragrant, less dry.

  The window eased down with a quiet whoosh. “Eden,” Devyn called.

  I don’t know what he planned to say, but I spun around and reentered his car. I owed Devyn everything, yet he was getting nothing in return. He truly did possess too much honor to hold on to me. Without a word, I leaned into him and brushed my lips against his. Softly at first, then I increased the pressure. When his mouth parted, I swept my tongue inside. Again I tasted his warmth, his masculinity.

  It didn’t last long, only a few seconds before I pulled away. I watched Devyn lick his lips, savoring my taste. “Thank you for everything.”

  “I hope we meet again,” he said, his amber eyes glowing. “And I hope your human is worthy of you.”

  “He is,” I said. I knew this one thing for sure. “He is.”

  Chapter

  30

  Bandaged and medicated, Lucius was sleeping soundly in my bed. I showered, the dry spray washing away the horrors of the night. Clean at last, I curled into bed beside him. His warmth seeped into me. A tear rolled down my cheek, followed quickly by another. Down, down the golden droplets fell until I was sobbing, shaking, convulsing. I sobbed until my eyes swelled shut, sobbed for the family I had lost, both my parents and Michael, sobbed for the things I had done.

  While I had probably destroyed families, I had also rid the world of evil. People slept peacefully because of the kills I had made. I had to be content with that knowledge. And know that Michael had done the same.

  Finally, I drifted off to sleep.

  When I awoke, the surroundings were unfamiliar to me at first. It seemed like an eternity since I had gazed at this room, and it took me a minute to recall that I was inside my new apartment. The canopied bed, the coffee-colored walls. Lucius was still asleep, was still beside me.

  I lumbered off the mattress and stumbled into the kitchen, where I fixed myself a glass of sugar water. I drank deeply. I was just refilling my glass, with every intention of dumping the contents in Lucius’s face to wake him up, when he raced into the kitchen, a wild glaze in his ice-blue eyes. He stilled when he spied me.

  “I now own you,” were the first words out of my mouth. “You’re bought and paid for.”

  “My God, Eden. I nearly killed myself with worry about you.”

  “I know the feeling.”

  He stalked toward me, and his hard expression was the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen. Something I couldn’t read glowed in those electric eyes of his. My heart thumped in my chest as he jerked me into his embrace.

  “I thought I’d lost you,” he said roughly. Rawly. He pushed me to arm’s length. “Where the hell have you been? What happened?”

  “I—”

  His gaze went to my mouth. “Explain later. I’ve missed you too much.” Then he was kissing me.

  We didn’t make it to the bed. We just pulled off each other’s clothes and went at it on the self-warming kitchen tile. I couldn’t touch him enough. My hands were all over him, and his were all over me.

  We strained and moved together, and when he entered me, I screamed with the force of my climax. His soon followed mine. And this time, we let the walls reverberate with the sounds of our pleasure.

  In the aftermath, we lay together, panting. I explained what had happened to me after the sale. I even told him about Michael killing my parents.

  His arms tightened around me. “I didn’t know,” he said. “I’m so sorry, baby.”

  “That’s cookie to you.” I brushed aside the pain inside me and smiled playfully. “And I’ll get over it. I need time, that’s all. Michael’s a good man, and he loves me.”

  “He loves you a hell of a lot. Maybe not as much I do, but he loves you all the same.”

  I jolted up and spun to face him. He’d offered the words so casually, I was afraid I’d misunderstood. “What did you say?”

  His gaze bored deeply into mine. He didn’t pretend to misunderstand. “I love you. I have for a while.”

  A weight lifted off my shoulders, and I suddenly felt lighter than air. I felt my mouth curl into a wide grin. “Well, I love you, too.”

  “Maybe now you can stop trying to prove yourself all the time.” He cupped my face in his hands. “I know how great you are. There’s no one better.”

  His words touched me, freed me somehow. I had his love. I’d closed this case and killed my target. I had proved myself. I was a success. “You’re pretty amazing yourself, you know that?”

  With a gentle tug, he urged me on top of him. “What did the Targon mean, that you’d made a bargain with him to free me?”

  “I kissed him,” I said. “Twice. And I’m not sorry. I would have given him everything to save you.”

  “Hell, I would kiss him too if it meant saving your life. Just make sure it doesn’t happen again. You’re mine.”

  I loved hearing those words. You’re mine. “I’d believe you,” I said, biting my lower lip and forcing an expression of desolation. “Except…”

  “What?” he asked, frowning. “Except what?”

  “I don’t know your real name.” I stroked his abdomen…then his cock. “Tell me, and I’ll let you come.” I squeezed him. Tight.

  “Phineas Gaylord Hargrove,” he said on a moan. “Now what the hell does the F stand for?”

  “Wait.” My hold on him loosened. “Did you say Phineas? Phineas Gaylord? You’re kidding me, right? Trying to get me to tell you my deepest secret?”

  “It’s the truth,” he growled. “That’s my name, so put your hand back where it was.”

  I laughed until my side hurt. Now I knew why he’d guarded his name so zealously.

  He sat up and tapped his fingers against the tile. “I believe you have something to tell me, and I’m tired of waiting.”

  “Fine. I’ll tell you. I bedeviled Michael so relentlessly, he added a middle name when he adopted me, making my name Eden Fucking Black.”

  Lucius gave a husky bark of laughter. “You’re shitting me.”

  “I wish I were, Phineas.”

  He tried to level me with a glare, but his eyes were sparkling too much. We both burst into another round of laughter. But once the amusement subsided, we sank into a heavy silence. There was still something nagging and dragging between us, but I was loath to bring it up.

  “Where’s Agent Luc?” I finally asked, staying on safe ground by avoiding what we really needed to discuss.

  “Safe. We can go get her, later. First, I have a confession to make.” Lucius did what I’d been unable to do; he brought our troubles out into the open. “Michael paid me to guard you. He—”

  “I know,” I said, relieved that he’d finally told me.

  “Don’t be mad,” he rushed on. “I realized early in the case that you could take care of yourself.”

  “I’m not mad.” I intertwined our fingers and squeezed. “I’m grateful.”

  He stared at me for a long while. “Okay. Where’s the Eden Black I know and love? I expected another knife at my throat.”

  I snorted.

  “Maybe I should be mad at you. I wanted a piece of EenLi myself.”

  “Maybe I’ll give you the next one. No, wait.” I nestled my head into the hollow of his neck. My hair spread over his chest like a golden curtain. “I left the agency. As of now, I’m unemployed.”

  His fingers caressed the length of my spine, making me shiver. “Maybe we should start our own company.”

  “Maybe.”

  “Definitely. Tell me again about the Targon. I didn’t like the way he looked at you during your auction, and I still don’t lik
e that he actually had his lips on you. I’m thinking he’ll be our first target.”

  I laughed. I just couldn’t help myself. I might be jobless, but right now, in Lucius’s arms, life had never seemed more ripe with promise.

  Up Close and Personal

  with the Author

  YOU CALLED YOUR PARENTS “ASS KISSERS” IN THE DEDICATION OF AWAKEN ME DARKLY. DID YOU MEAN TO DO THAT?

  First, I’m sorry mom and dad! No, that was a total accident—although my mom tells me it must have been a Freudian slip. Thankfully, they found my mistake amusing. I had no idea I’d done it until my friend and fellow author, Jill Monroe, called me and mentioned it. Talk about being horrified! I’d meant to call my parents “ass kickers.” KICKERS. K-I-C-K-E-R-S. And no, I’ll never live this down.

  HOW COME MIA SNOW DIDN’T MAKE AN APPEARANCE IN THIS BOOK?

  Have no fears, I do plan to bring Mia Snow back into play. In fact, she and Kyrin make an appearance in the third alien huntress book, Savor Me Slowly. Let’s just say Mia and the star of that book do not get along. Eden Black and her man will be there, too.

  TELL US MORE ABOUT THIS NEXT BOOK. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE…

  Miska Le’ace, a woman whose DNA has been spliced and honed by scientists, making her an empath and gifting her with superhuman strength, is recruited by Alien Investigation and Removal agents to find and stop the alien wreaking havoc in near future New Chicago. Also, Jaxon can’t resist her….

  WHY DON’T YOU WRITE THESE ALIEN HUNTRESS BOOKS FASTER?

  I also write paranormal romances, contemporary romances, and young adult books, so I promise you that I’m writing all the time, as fast as I can. I’ve even forgotten what spare time and vacation mean.

  WHAT DO YOU LIKE BEST ABOUT WRITING THE ALIEN HUNTRESS BOOKS?

  Creating this world where the good guys aren’t always good and are sometimes worse than the bad guys. It’s exciting, thrilling, and I’m never bored. There’s something absolutely wondrous about weaving the right words together and breathing life into a story, into people.

  WHO ARE SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE AUTHORS?

  I love a plethora of authors. P. C. Cast, Karen Marie Moning, Jill Monroe, Kresley Cole, Linda Howard, Jennifer Crusie, Susan Elizabeth Phillips, Janet Chapman, MaryJanice Davidson, Susan Grant…. I could go on and on. Books—not just my own—are my passion. Reading is one of my favorite things to do.

  HAVE YOU EVER BEEN ABDUCTED BY AN OTHER-WORLDER?

  No. But if there truly were an other-worlder, like Devyn, I might voluntarily go. However, I’ve been told by a certain friend (who shall remain nameless for now—oh, what the hell: Kelli) that Devyn is her property and I’m to keep my hands off.

  WHERE DO YOU GET YOUR IDEAS?

  If I told the truth—from the voices inside my head (they’re characters so it’s okay, I promise!)—I’d be committed, so I’ll stick with my standard answer: everywhere. No conversation around me is safe, no action is exempt. God, I love my job!

  Never buy off the rack

  again—buy off the shelf…

  the book shelf!

  Don’t miss any of these fashionable

  reads from Downtown Press!

  Imaginary Men

  Anjali Banerjee

  If you can’t find Mr. Right,

  you can always make him up.

  Vamped

  David Sosnowski

  SINGLE MALE VAMPIRE ISO

  more than just another

  one night stand…

  Turning Thirty

  Mike Gayle

  27…28…29…29…29…

  Let the countdown begin.

  Lust for Life

  Adele Parks

  Love for sale.

  Strings sold separately.

  2cool2btrue

  Simon Brooke

  If something’s too cool to

  be true, it usually is…

  Loaded

  Shari Shattuck

  She’s got it all: Beauty.

  Brains. Money.

  And a really big gun…

  Just Between Us

  Cathy Kelly

  The fabulous Miller

  girls have it all.

  Or do they?

  Fashionably Late

  Beth Kendrick

  Being on time is so

  five minutes ago.

  Great storytelling just got a new address.

  Available wherever books are sold or at www.downtownpress.com

  13459

  There’s nothing better

  than the perfect bag…

  Unless it’s the perfect book!

  Don’t miss any of these fashionable

  reads from Downtown Press!

  Happiness

  Sold Separately

  Libby Street

  Too bad life doesn’t come

  with a money-back guarantee.

  Younger

  Pamela Redmond Satran

  She’s old enough to be his

  mother. Too bad she’s having

  too much fun to care…

  Confessions of

  a Nervous Shiksa

  Tracy McArdle

  In Hollywood, when your

  well-scripted romance

  ends up on the cutting room

  floor, it’s time for a new

  leading man.

  Rescue Me

  Gigi Levangie Grazer

  Sometimes love

  needs a lifeboat…

  Love Will Tear

  Us Apart

  Tara McCarthy

  They’re rich.

  They’re fabulous.

  And they’re joined at the hip.

  Literally.

  Sometimes two’s a crowd….

  Did the Earth Move?

  Carmen Reid

  She’s looking for a man to

  take her all the way.

  Great storytelling just got a new address.

  Available wherever books are sold or at www.downtownpress.com

  13459

  Good girls go to eaven…

  Naughty Girls go Downtown.

  Introducing the Naughty Girls of Downtown Press!

  Awaken Me Darkly

  Gena Showalter

  There’s beauty in her strength—

  and danger in her desires.

  Lethal

  Shari Shattuck

  She has money to burn, looks to die for, and

  other dangerous weapons.

  The Givenchy Code

  Julie Kenner

  A million dollars will buy a lot of designer

  couture—if she lives to wear it….

  Dirty Little Secrets

  Julie Leto

  Love her, love her handcuffs.

  Great storytelling just got a new attitude.

  Visit the Naughty Girls at www.downtownpress.com.

  12919-2

  Want it ALL?

  Want to read books about stuff you care about?

  Want to meet authors?

  Heck, want to write stuff you care about,

  want to be an author?

  Want to dish the dirt? Sound off? Spread love?

  Punk your boss? Out your mate?

  Want to know what’s hot? Want to be what’s hot?

  Want free stuff?

  Want to do it all at once, all in one place?

  18-34 year olds, there’s only one stop…one spot.

  SimonSaysTheSPOT.com

  Visit us at http://www.simonsaysTheSPOT.com

  He’d switched off all the lights but one, the lamp on the nightstand washing him in magical gold.

  For a moment, she couldn’t breathe. Her heartbeat picked up speed, wild, primal. She was naked. He could see every inch of her, every flaw. But her feet were rooted in place, preventing her from striding back into the bathroom for a towel.

  “What are you doing here?” she croaked.

  His hot gaze slid over her, down…down…then back up again, landing on her hardening nip
ples and staying. His pupils dilated, and he swallowed. “I came to, uh, talk.”

  “My breasts are flattered,” she forced herself to say, “though I doubt they can answer any of your earlier questions.”

  Red stained his cheeks, and his eyes snapped up to hers. “You’re the one walking around naked.”

  “You’re the one sneaking into other people’s rooms.”

  He pushed out a sigh as conflicted as hers had been in the shower. “You’re right. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have looked.”

  He meant it; the embarrassment was proof of that.

  “I don’t regret it, though,” he added.

  PRAISE FOR

  THE ALIEN HUNTRESS SERIES

  Enslave Me Sweetly

  “Showalter first demonstrated her skill at blending sizzling romance and nail-biting suspense set in a convincing futuristic society in Awaken Me Darkly. She now continues the rollercoaster-like adventure in an equally entertaining tale that will please a wide cross section of readers.”

  —Booklist

  “This well-written book will appeal to all readers.”

  —Romantic Times

  Awaken Me Darkly

  “Mia Snow is perfect as the alien hunter with the secret.”

  —Booklist

  “It’s hard to resist such a heady mixture of speculative fiction, romance and chick lit.”

  —Romantic Times

  “Sizzles with intrigue….Similar to Laurell K. Hamilton’s Anita Blake series…. Brilliantly written…. Amazing.”

  —Fresh Fiction

  “A fantastic read…. Fascinating characters…. Gena Showalter has created a very interesting world that readers will enjoy visiting over and over again.”

  —A Romance Review

  “The final spin will shock…. Mia is a fabulous ‘bad girl.’”

  —The Best Reviews

  MORE PRAISE FOR GENA SHOWALTER

  “One of the premier authors of paranormal romance. Gena Showalter delivers an utterly spellbinding story!”

  —Kresley Cole, USA Today bestselling author of Wicked Deeds on a Winter’s Night

  “Talented.”

  —Romantic Times