Mating Hunt

by Bonnie Vanak

  Arianna tilted her head at the incongruity of the rugged male beside her and the sweet garden scene. “Cherubs?”

  Kyle shrugged. “Hobby. I like to sculpt.”

  “But cherubs?” She carried Daisy on her hip.

  “Only for the garden. I’ve done others that definitely are not for children.” His eyes spoke volumes. Beyond the garden, set against the slope of the rugged mountain, sat a square storage shed, a miniature replica of Kyle’s log cabin.

  “How cute! Is it a playhouse?” she asked.

  Kyle gave a mysterious smile. “Of a kind. But also not for children.”

  They climbed the porch steps. After retrieving a key from a wooden planter beneath the wide bay window, he unlocked the door.

  “I’m checking the grounds. Bring them inside. Two bedrooms upstairs, with the master bath, and another bathroom off the kitchen. Cabin’s fully stocked with supplies.”

  Still carrying Daisy, Arianna herded the children inside and flipped on the wall switch. Warm, welcoming light flooded the cabin, the soft gold glow immediately soothing her raw nerves. The cabin was laid out in a large L-shaped room. A long, overstuffed couch sat before a river rock fireplace flanked by two oak cabinets. Beneath a bank of windows sat a dining table with six chairs, next to a small kitchen with gleaming marble countertops and stainless appliances.

  After hanging up her jacket and dumping her pack, Arianna settled the children at the table and then went into the kitchen. She found a box of instant cocoa and started boiling water. The Mitchell pack retained this cabin and others around the lake for members who desired to run wild on the mountain. Each cabin was fully stocked with supplies, even clothing.

  Arianna let the cocoa cool and set two mugs before the solemn-faced young. She poured Daisy’s into a cup, but the little girl did not touch it.

  Kyle came inside, stomping mud off his boots. He placed his pack down, hung his thick sheepskin jacket on a peg and then joined them. “You’ve never been here before.”

  She shook her head.

  His hooded gaze shot to a window above the dining table. “Stay away from the shed. It’s private.”

  A shiver slid down her spine. “What’s inside?”

  “Something I hope to share with you. But not until you’re ready.”

  He gently settled Daisy onto his lap. Throat constricting, she watched her guardian coax the girl to drink. This wasn’t the wild, feral beast who looked at her with hot lust. This was the same gentle Lupine who’d rescued her, who would fiercely defend a small, helpless child with his last breath.

  Arianna brushed at the moisture gathering in her eyes. She defrosted meat and began to make a hearty stew.

  “The solar panels are working fine. There’s hot water in the tank,” he said, glancing at the young. “Think they could do with a warm bath. We stock children’s clothing in all the cabins in case of emergencies.”

  Jessie straightened, looked dignified. “I’m too old for baths.”

  Kyle leaned back, set his hiking boots upon an empty chair, his posture relaxed as Daisy rested against his broad chest. “That you are. But your sisters aren’t, and it sure would help them sleep. Ari, why don’t you let me fix that while you bathe the little ones?”

  Jessie narrowed his eyes. “You would cook? Isn’t that a female’s job?”

  Hiding a laugh, Arianna concentrated on seasoning the stew.

  “If that were the case, every male on a hunt would starve. Cooking’s the duty of whoever wants to eat,” Kyle said easily. “Here, take your sister, Jessie.”

  When the boy lifted Daisy, Kyle went to the stove. His long, strong fingers brushed against hers, the spark of sexual awareness making them both jump. Arianna drew in a deep breath, struggling with a sudden surge of want. Clenching his teeth, her guardian went still. Arianna’s heart pounded hard as she remembered his earlier ferocity. But then he relaxed and stirred the stew, as if nothing had happened.

  Sighing with relief, she herded the young upstairs.

  A short while later, the children were bathed and put into clean, somewhat oversized pajamas, seated at the kitchen table with Arianna.

  After ladling the stew into bowls, Kyle replaced the pot on the stove. He gently scooped Daisy into his lap. Jessie looked at Kyle fiercely. The boy tensed, as if expecting the hunter to hurt his sister.

  In a gentle, crooning tone, Kyle spoon-fed Daisy like a baby bird until she finally took the spoon and ate on her own. Gradually Jessie relaxed and focused on his own meal.

  Suddenly ravenous, Arianna spooned her meal. “Kyle, aren’t you having any?”

  Something wild and dangerous flashed in his gaze. “I’ll satisfy my appetite later.”

  When the children finished, she hustled the older ones upstairs to a guest bedroom while Kyle carried Daisy. They settled the young into the queen-sized bed, tucking them beneath thick blankets.

  Humming a lullaby, Arianna sat on the bed, smoothing back Daisy’s hair and watching her eyes close. Hands stuffed into the pockets of his jeans, Kyle stood over them.

  Jessie watched with his careful, concentrated gaze. “Are my sisters safe here?”

  “As safe as I can make them,” Kyle assured him.

  “You’re not going to hurt us like the bad men?” Amanda whispered.

  Kyle closed his eyes momentarily. When he opened them, they glinted with resolve. “No, little one. We’re going to take very good care of you, until we can return you to your parents.”

  Then he smiled. “We need to find out from you what happened. I know it’s hard. But we need answers so we can stop these bad men from taking other children. So I’m going to ask a few questions. Okay?”

  Both children nodded.

  “Was it Skins who took you? Did they say why they wanted you?”

  Fierce anger burned in Jessie’s eyes, while his sister whimpered. Arianna’s stomach clenched hard. Memories swirled like iridescent colors, creating a pattern she did not want to see.

  “We were visiting the area, taking a vacation,” Jessie said. “Our parents wanted to take us hiking in the forest near the mountain. They got permission from the landowner. At least he said he was the landowner.”

  Kyle exchanged glances with her.

  “He said his name was Skip. He smelled like a Skin, but a Lupine, too. I thought it was weird, but our parents said a lot of Lupines douse their scents to fool human hunters.”

  The boy looked thoughtful. “He was at the lodge where we stayed, conducting private hunting tours, and he gave my dad a special invitation. He told us he could take us to places to get the best game.”

  Dread curled in her stomach as a memory tugged like a child yanking on her hand.

  “Skip came by the next day and took us in his truck. We were deep in the woods when Skip asked my parents if they wanted to hunt as Lupines. If they were like him, they needed fresh meat to shapeshift. They agreed. Mom and Dad told us to stay put on a fallen log, and they’d be back shortly.”

  Leaning forward, her heart pounding like a war drum, Arianna stared at the boy. “Did Skip shapeshift too?”

  “No. He said he had trouble shifting because he hadn’t eaten fresh meat in over a month. He asked my parents to kill a rabbit for him. He smelled Lupine so we thought he was one of us. My parents shifted, saw a rabbit and gave chase. He started after them, but came back to us.”

  “And then another bad man came out of the woods and grabbed us,” Amanda whispered. “He and Skip tied us up, put us in the truck and drove us to Mitchell Mountain. They made us march up the mountain to this cabin.”

  That explained why the worried parents hadn’t caught their scent, Arianna thought. They’d been searching in the wrong place all along.

  “Did you find out the other bad man’s name?” Kyle asked.

  Jessie shook his head. “But I’ll never forget their faces. He was lean and tall, while Skip was much shorter.”

  Tears glittered in the girl’s eyes. “They gave us a bucket to go to
the bathroom, and some water and food. They came back every few days and when they saw we refused to eat, they hit us. The bad men told us we had to be pretty and acceptable, or the man who wanted us wouldn’t pay.”

  Now her heartbeat thundered, blood buzzing in her ears. Nails digging into her clenched palms, Arianna forced out the question. “Why did the man want to buy you?”

  Jessie’s gaze turned cold. “I overheard the tall one talking. The man would only pay if one of us was close to puberty and we were healthy. He wanted our DNA. He wanted to keep us in cages and when we got older he would...” The boy’s voice cracked. “Force us to breed babies for him. He said we would never escape.”

  Gray pushed at the edges of her vision. A sickening feeling overcame her, as images swirled in her mind. Arianna stood, fear and panic clogging her throat as memories screamed in banshee voices, taunting, laughing.

  You will never escape.

  Then the darkness rose up, and she fell into its welcoming embrace.

  “Ari? Ari, wake up, little pint.”

  Gentle fingers slid around her neck, lifting her head. Arianna’s eyes fluttered open, her vision gradually clearing. Kyle’s handsome, worried face came into view. He held a glass to her mouth that smelled of strong liquor.

  “Drink.”

  She sipped and gagged.

  “Drink,” he ordered.

  She took another sip, the liquid burning as it slid down her throat. “What is that?”

  Kyle set the glass on the nightstand and helped her sit up. “Brandy.”

  On the bed, Jessie and Amanda stared with worried faces. Arianna managed a wan smile. “I’m fine, kiddos. Just a little weak from the long hike.”

  “You don’t look like a weak Lupine,” Jessie observed.

  Oh, he was good, this one. Definitely future alpha material. “Just need some fresh protein. I haven’t had fresh meat in a long while,” she lied, not wanting to scare them further.

  The answer seemed to satisfy him. Arianna struggled to her feet as Kyle grabbed the empty brandy glass. In the manner of their people, she nuzzled the young’s foreheads to bid them goodnight. Lupines needed touch, needed the connection. Their young thrived on it. And these children had experienced no tender words, no affectionate touch for two weeks.

  For her, it had been longer, oh, so much longer...

  “We’ll be downstairs if you need us,” Kyle told them, closing the door halfway.

  He followed her to the dining table, made her sit as he cleared the table and set the dirty dishes and brandy glass into the sink. Kyle joined her at the table, taking her hand.

  “You were right all along. The young were on the mountain. If you hadn’t caught their scent, we’d never have found them. Good job.”

  He gave her a warm, approving smile, but it failed to chase away old horrors.

  “Ari.” His voice was gentle. “Why did you faint?”

  Dry-mouthed, she shook her head, her stomach churning.

  “Sweetheart, you must tell me.”

  No, she must not. The memories remained firmly shut behind a thick door. “Please. I can’t talk about this.”

  “Ari? Do you remember anything? Anything that can help them?” His warm hands settled on her tensed shoulders.

  “No.”

  He regarded her with his keen gaze. “You okay here for a while?”

  At her nod, he continued, “I’m checking our perimeter, then going hunting for fresh game. Those Skins could be searching for the little ones. They’d better pray I don’t find them.”

  As the door closed behind him, tears pricked behind her eyelids. They splashed, one by one, onto her lap like raindrops.

  Chapter 8

  THE NIGHT FLOODED his senses.

  Paws scrabbling over rocks and dirt, Kyle clambered up the pathway behind the cabin leading into the woods. He ran for a long while, scenting the frightened creatures hiding in their burrows. He threaded through pine and oak, sniffing for intruders. Satisfied none were present, he hunted for prey.

  After a while, hunger satisfied, he shifted into Skin form. But his Satyr blood surged, renewing his anger. Kyle selected logs from the wood pile. He relished the hard pull of muscles with each crack as he split the wood with the ax.

  After, he carried a few logs into the living room and started a fire. Staring into the crackling flames, he jabbed the burning logs with the fireplace poker. Arianna came downstairs and sat on the leather sofa. Her intoxicating and delicate scent wove through the air, tightening his body with sheer male need. He set the poker back into the iron stand.

  “We got to them in time, Kyle. They’re going to be okay.”

  “The bastard who wants to experiment on them has to be an OtherWorlder.”

  “An OtherWorlder with a lot of power,” she said in a faint voice. “Someone so powerful, no one dares to stop him.”

  “I will. After I hunt down and exterminate the Skins threatening Lupine young.”

  A distant, haunted look entered her gaze as Arianna stared into the flames. “You can’t. Because if a Lupine shifts into wolf and attacks the Skin stealing his young and the Skin shoots the wolf, no one will arrest him. No one will do a damned thing.”

  Hellfire. Kyle’s heart dropped to his stomach. “Is that what happened to you, Ari? Is that why you’ve forgotten about your pack and your parents?”

  Arianna paled. Without words, she ran across the room, grabbed his jacket and headed outside.

  The past was a heavy weight on Arianna’s chest.

  Beneath a pale of gray moonlight, the lake sparkled like diamonds as water licked the stony shoreline. She stood at a ribbon of shoreline, selected a smooth, round pebble and skipped it over the lake. More memories surged. Tossing rocks, going for hikes, doing most things kids enjoyed. A normal childhood.

  But your life was never normal. Not since the day Mom and Dad left the pack, took you far away, so far away...

  Huddling deeper into Kyle’s sheepskin jacket, she inhaled his rich, spicy scent wrapping around her like two protective arms. But for too long he’d sheltered her. How could she have a life if she didn’t face what frightened her? It wasn’t sex.

  It was the nameless, faceless beast haunting her dreams, the bad man who wanted to hurt her. The bad man who’d done terrible things to her beloved parents...

  The cutting wind slapped her face. Her memories were far colder. She was too afraid to cull them out of the dark corner of her mind. But the young needed her to remember.

  I can’t do this, she thought, hugging herself. It hurts too much.

  The front door banged open. Arianna stiffened as Kyle joined her.

  “Come inside. The fire’s roaring, and I’ll confiscate Darius’ stash of Malbec. It’ll piss him off, knowing someone drank his favorite wine.”

  “I need to be alone.”

  “And I won’t let you.” In the moonlight, his eyes became two hardened emeralds. “You’re mine, Ari, even though we have yet to bond in the flesh. What I hold, I keep, and keep safe. I’m not going to leave you alone until I know you won’t faint again. Until I know you’re ready to deal with what happened to you.”

  “I don’t need to remember.”

  “You must. If you don’t, you’ll always be stuck in the past.”

  “And you’re such an expert,” she mocked. “You know what it’s like to have a rough childhood.” But Arianna knew he had. How many times had she seen it reflected in his eyes when someone mentioned happy times, growing up in a pack?

  Moonlight shadowed his expression. “I do. But this isn’t about me.”

  He rubbed a hand over the bristles on his lean jaw. “It’s about a scared, young girl I found on the mountain who was only twelve, who spoke a few words and then didn’t speak again for another three months. A girl so terrified she never slept, only screamed out in nightmares that would make an adult shiver.”

  “Stop it,” she whispered.

  “You were terrified of what some sick bastard wanted t
o do to you. Some sick bastard who wanted you for the same purpose he wanted Jessie and his sisters.”

  Throat closing, she felt bile rise from her stomach. Don’t fall apart. Keep it together, keep it together.

  “I can’t remember.”

  “All the searching we did for your parents, it was useless because they were dead. Right?”

  And then the memories burst forth like a breaking dam. Grief flooded her as she remembered blood streaking pure white fur, bright blue eyes clouded over as they died in wolf form, her father lying atop her mother as if to protect her.

  “Yes. They’re dead. Damnit, you have your answer, now leave me the hell alone!”

  Blood trickled into her mouth as she bit her lip.

  Kyle said nothing, but squeezed her shoulder, as if in silent understanding as she struggled to regain her lost composure. She’d learned long ago pretending to be strong was better than showing any weakness.

  After a few minutes, they returned to the cabin. Legs opened, arms braced on his muscled thighs, Kyle sat on the top step. Arianna joined him. Ice filled her veins, her breath, the space behind her eyeballs.

  “Did they love you?” he asked quietly.

  Somehow she managed to speak past the lump clogging her throat. “Very much. What I do remember is how happy we were. I was special to them, their only offspring.”

  Kyle’s gaze grew luminous in the moonlight. He ran a calloused thumb across her quivering cheek. “You are special, Ari. You have a tender heart, hidden behind a tough hunter’s façade.”

  Gone was his fierce sexuality, the intensity that took her breath away. This was her guardian, who protected and cared for her. Tension eased, the ice in her heart melting in little trickles. But his next words left her cold once more.

  “Such a tender heart, which is why you know you must help me protect those little ones. You’re the only one who can help us find the man who wanted to breed them. What happened to you all those years ago, Ari?”