Hunter

by Jacquelyn Frank

  Kaia sighed. “You know, the problem with you and Ryce is you both think you have a right to know everything that goes on in this house. I can’t use Annali because she’s anemic. She has a long history of it, in fact. That’s why I never use her. Now that you know, maybe you can do me a favor in return. Help me convince Ryce to let me go get some blood for Asher.”

  “I’ll talk to him. Maybe if I convince him to send me with you it will make him feel okay about it.”

  “Great. I appreciate it.”

  “Meanwhile, can you get some sleep, Kaia? Maybe Annali can watch over him for you?”

  “Would you ask her?”

  “Sure. Hang in there.”

  Hunter left the private clinic at the back of the house. The medical setup had come in handy quite often over the years, he was certain. It serviced only the coven’s needs, and now that Kaia was licensed it was probably much easier to supply the mini clinic. The shortage of blood was merely a reflection of how critical Asher’s injuries had been. He didn’t envy Kaia working alone in there. She’d performed surgeries on Asher he was positive weren’t meant to be done singlehandedly. What surgery was? Nox’s stasis spell was the real advantage. It stopped all vital functions, suspending them until the spell ceased. It was what had made those impossible surgeries possible.

  Hunter walked into the rear section of the conservatory, making his way through the series of hothouses until he reached Annali’s office. He pushed open the door and spied her across the room. She was bent over her lab sink, washing her face and hands. He could see the remnants of a spilled potion on her lab table and dripping onto the floor.

  “Anything I’m going to have to duck and cover for?” he teased her, knowing how volatile her mixtures could be.

  “Hmm? Oh,” she smiled wanly, “no. Actually, I was just recorking some of my extracts and ... I dropped one.”

  “Butterfingers.”

  “Exactly.” She straightened up and grabbed a towel to dry her face and hands. Hunter could see the spattered mess across her pretty pink outfit and knew she was going to be peeved about that. “Did you need me?”

  “Actually, Kaia does. She needs relief in a bad way. Can you send her to bed and watch Ash?”

  “Of course. I’ll go as soon as I clean this up. The mess just reeks.”

  “I kinda thought it smelled like roses. Strong.”

  “Reeks,” she asserted. “And you’re right. It is a highly concentrated roses extract.”

  “You know, this reminds me ... I was going to ask if you wouldn’t consider helping me put together a small gift for Tatyana. A reward for when she really comes into her magic.”

  “Oh. I see.” Annali waved her hand at the strong odor of roses. “A personalized perfume?”

  “A little less complex. Maybe ... a little more umm ... provocative.”

  “Ohh, okay. Let me think about it. I’ll come up with something soon. Okay?”

  “Great. I—” Hunter cut himself off and looked up suddenly. Annali tensed. “Something is ... Tatyana is upset, I think. I’m going to go check on her. You’ll go send Kaia to bed?”

  “Sure thing, sugar.”

  Hunter barely heard the acknowledgment. He was already on his way out of Annali’s lab. He hurried up the stairs, following his sense of his apprentice witch. He found her in his suite, sitting curled up before the fire in a chair with a book open in her lap. Her eyes were closed, though, her head tilted back and lines of obvious pain etched over her face. He could see she had also been crying, her tears leaving marks in the foundation she was using.

  “Hey, honey,” he said with soft concern as he knelt before the chair she was in. “What’s going on?”

  “Nothing. Just my brother being a jerk and giving me a big headache, that’s all.”

  She sounded angry, but she welcomed his hug just the same and let him pull her close in a comforting hold.

  “Did you take something for this?” he asked, gently touching her temple near her closed eye.

  “A half a billion Advil. I’m waiting for them to kick in.”

  Hunter closed the book in her lap and set it aside, drawing her down completely into the cradle of his lap as he sat down cross-legged under her. “Are you going to tell me what Dimitre said to piss you off?”

  “I don’t think so,” she sighed. “It’s not worth repeating.” Especially not when Hunter’s present tenderness made her want to forget her brother’s dire warnings about her lover’s unlikely need for a long-term woman in his life. Besides, neither one of the Petrova siblings could claim to know this man well enough to guess what he really wanted. Unfortunately, for her, it was becoming a problem, all of this not knowing. “Can I ask you something?”

  “Sure, angel. Ask me anything.”

  “Are you really staying here?” She looked up at him, wincing at the firelight until he brought a hand up to guard her eyes. The gesture was so thoughtful, so sweet, she felt her throat closing up with confused emotion.

  “Yes. I am. This is where I need to be now. Probably for the rest of my life, Goddess willing. Hopefully, being older and wiser will make me appreciate the coven more. I think it makes me appreciate a great many things more,” he said softly, his thumb stroking over the bruises she was hiding.

  “Do you mean me?” she asked with a little sob. “Because I’d like it if you did mean me.”

  “Oh, honey,” he said, gathering her up tight to his chest, his lips brushing over her face, “of course I mean you. I’d be an idiot not to realize what a treasure you are. Do I look like an idiot to you?”

  “No.” She sniffed. “I don’t understand why I feel this way. I’m not an insecure person.”

  “Wanting to know how someone feels about you doesn’t make you insecure.” He sighed. “And honestly, I’m glad you asked. Because now I can ask you right back.”

  “You want to know how I feel about you?” Tatyana plucked nervously at the material of his shirt. “I feel confused.”

  “Why?”

  “Because I know I hardly know you, but”—she looked up into his eyes—“for some reason it doesn’t matter. I feel like I know everything that’s important. Which is childish, right? After only a few days?”

  “No, sweetheart, it isn’t childish,” he said firmly, staring hard into her eyes. “It’s called a blood bond, and it’s magic. It connects us, allowing us incredible shortcuts to familiarity. I imagine it’s why your brother and Annali became so close so quickly as well. And while the pull between us is supposed to fade over time, I am feeling just the opposite. I realized that it isn’t because the bond’s gone wrong ... it’s because it’s going right. Really right.” Hunter was unable to resist bending toward her mouth, kissing her gently. “I was afraid to say anything because you are so young... and I mean that in the sense that I can’t imagine why you would want to saddle yourself with a man like me when you have a whole new future ahead of you. Even so, I couldn’t bring myself to do anything that might scare you away or encourage you to come to your senses.”

  Hunter laughed awkwardly when she simply stared at him. “I need to know you more,” he said roughly. “I’ve barely tasted the surface of you. I certainly haven’t reached a satisfactory depth” He had to smile when she snorted out a giggle. “I like that your mind is even dirtier than mine. It’s very comforting.”

  “I’m glad to help. I’m thinking of moving in with you. I think you’d like that. I have a list of reasons this could benefit both of us, if you need them.”

  “Not at all,” he murmured. “For how long?”

  “Umm, until you kick me out?”

  “Sheesh, that long, huh?” He bit his lip and affected thinking about it, making her heart pound at the crazily offered compliments and sentiments. “Well, just so you know what you are getting yourself into. I’m going to be a huge pain in the butt when it comes to teaching you magic.”

  “Okay. But that means I get to be really demanding in bed,” she stipulated.

 
“Fair enough,” he growled softly. “So, I guess I should say something to Ryce, then?”

  “No need to rub it in that he isn’t getting any,” she said flippantly.

  “I meant that you are going to live with me. With us, I mean.”

  “With you.”

  “With me, in the coven. A definite us.”

  “I like being an us,” she breathed lustily.

  “Yeah, me, too.” He grinned down at her, his fingers unable to keep from stroking through her hair and across her skin. She seemed soothed by his touch, something that pleased him immensely. “How’s your headache?”

  “Mmm, this makes it better. It’s just been so noisy lately. Everyone is so jacked up with tension. Dimitre is in a bad mood because Annie is mad at him. Which, I partly don’t blame her for and partly feel bad about.”

  “The point she is missing is that the suggestion of your spell demanded he have no choice but to see the woman he wanted most. It was out of his control, on the one hand, and a compliment to his devotion to her on the other. He could have seen Angelina Jolie.”

  “Ooo, good point. I have to tell her that. And, ooo! You could have, too! But you saw me. How cool is that?”

  “Extremely cool,” he chuckled. “But you did make it reciprocating, and frankly, I don’t think I’m Angelina’s type. Don’t believe Nox’s claims to not want the girl at Raven’s shop. He’s determined to find a magic girl, but honestly, you can’t pick and choose who you fall for sometimes.”

  “Another lesson you are learning?” she asked softly.

  “More so every minute.”

  She sighed and smiled.

  “Honey?” he asked, his brows drawing down in a frown. “Are you thinking something specific right now?”

  Tatyana laughed. “That is such a girl question”

  “I’m serious.”

  “Not really. I’m just basking in the whole ‘us’ thing at the moment”

  “Okay.”

  Hunter cradled her tight and pushed up from the floor and onto his feet. He carried her into the bathroom.

  “What are we doing?”

  “Taking a bath”

  “Oh. That sounds nice.” She relaxed a moment as he walked past the mirrors and she abruptly jolted in his hold. “Wait!”

  “I knew it,” he sighed, stopping and putting her feet down on the ground. “I thought maybe I was imagining it.”

  They both leaned toward the mirror to check out her eyes. They weren’t bright, but they definitely had a soft glow to them that indicated she’d cast a spell.

  “What did I do this time? And why didn’t you say something?”

  “I was going to, but I figured you would notice for yourself if your eyes were different. You see, sometimes when I look at you, your eyes seem to glow from just your personality. Your wit and humor. Obviously, I’m completely biased.”

  “Oh. That’s very sweet, Hunter, but this glow means I’m using magic. Except, we don’t know what I’m doing. That has to be bad, right?”

  “No. The magic must be latent. Or rather, passive. Sometimes we have power that only we can see and interpret within ourselves. Your eyes would be a full-on neon green if you had cast magic again deliberately. I think the only reason the glow in your eyes wasn’t noticeable during the glamour was because the suggestion hid it. This is a minor alteration, something only those closest to you might notice. Even I wasn’t sure. So, let’s take a nice long bath and see if we can’t get rid of your headache and figure out what is going on all at the same time?”

  “Hey! Multitasking! That is very ‘now’ for a guy like you.”

  “And what does that mean?”

  “It means you spend an awful lot of time lusting after old and decrepit magic.”

  “Hey. Watch it, you.” Hunter spun her around, bouncing her back into the mirror harmlessly as he crowded her against the reflective surface. “Headache or no headache, you’ll get taught a lesson about respecting your—”

  “Elders?”

  “Betters, you brat.” Hunter grinned when she snickered, his fingers moving to make rapid work of her button-down dress.

  “Aren’t we going to need water?” she giggled, squirming between his body and the cold glass as he unbuttoned her to her navel and then reached inside to cup her breast in a warm, rough hand.

  “Eventually.”

  “I thought sex and headaches didn’t go together,” she whispered against his cheek, and his head bent to look at her as he pushed fabric aside.

  “I heard that was a myth. Sex can cure a headache.”

  “Mmm, I bet some male doctor thought that one up,” she laughed. Tatyana shrugged back with a wriggle that made her breast dance in his hold, and her dress slid down off her body. “I am always naked first,” she complained to him.

  “Isn’t it great?” he chuckled.

  “For you. Okay,” she amended when he bent to catch her nipple between his lips, “for me, too.” She released a little sound of pleasure, rising up on her tiptoes.

  ... isn’t anything you can say right now that will ...

  “Whoa.”

  Hunter felt her stiffen and murmur a halting command and he straightened to look at her. “Did I do something wrong? Are you okay?” he asked quickly.

  “No. Yes. I mean ... no, you were fabulous,” she assured with a sigh. “I think I need that bath, though. I need to relax. I’m thinking too much.”

  “At your service.” Hunter left her to turn on the taps and began to strip off his clothes. Tatyana watched him with blatant appreciation when muscles flexed as he bared his skin for her. The instant he was fully naked she reached to touch his aroused penis, stroking her fingers over him from base to tip. He was only half as hard as he could be, but she knew that would change quickly under her touch. So did he. He caught her hand up, kissing her palm. “Bath first. Once you feel better, then you can torture me all you like.”

  ... in the name of the light, the dark, the holy void ...

  Hunter stepped into the bath and drew her in after himself. Just like the day before, he settled her between his thighs with her back to his chest. He drew her soft hair over his shoulder, guiding her into laying her head back as well. She sighed as he petted her from the forehead down over her hair.

  “That feels good,” she purred softly, reaching up to touch his face with gentle fingers. She came across his lips and felt him kiss her fingertips. “Why didn’t you tell Ryce that Kaia needed blood?”

  “Hmm? Oh damn!” he swore, sitting up sharply. “I completely for—hey, how did you know ... ?”

  Hunter didn’t finish the question. Not that she knew the answer, but he suddenly thought that he did.

  “Tatyana! Tatyana?”

  “Stop telling me you’re sorry. It won’t change the fact that you didn’t trust me,” she murmured.

  “Tatyana, stop it,” he said sharply, giving her an attention getting shake. He watched her head wobble limply, her unfocused eyes glowing bright as blood ran down over her lips and chin from her nose.

  “I know what happened to me. I remember?. I don’t want them to know I was raped. They’ll never look at me the same way again,” she muttered.

  “Damn it!”

  Hunter didn’t know what was upsetting him more. Seeing her dripping blood from her nose into the bathwater or listening to the altered accents of her voice as she poured out the thoughts of his disturbed coven mates. First Annali’s Southern cadence, and then Gracie’s cockney lilt. Hunter decided to go with his gut and he suddenly plunged her underwater, jerking her back up again immediately. She gasped and coughed, flailing for a moment before realizing he was holding her tight and forcing her to keep still.

  “Stop,” she coughed. “I don’t...”

  “Then listen to me very carefully,” he said into her ear, his voice resonant and loud because it was so close. “Imagine you are in a prison cell. Cinderblock walls all around you, but no bars anywhere. No way in and no way out. Thick walls. Impenetr
able. Okay? Are you with me?”

  “Yes,” she said, aware of him grabbing a washcloth and wiping up her face.

  “Tell me what you hear in this place. This tight cell with nothing coming in or out”

  “Quiet. Silence. Just your voice when you speak and my own.”

  “That’s good enough for now. You have to maintain that silence, okay? While you do that, I’m going to tell you about your magic.”

  “I have a headache,” she groaned, touching her pained head.

  “Yeah, and I realize why now. Did you read about the Mentalist school at all, angel?”

  “No.”

  “Mentalist witches ... well, it’s all about the power of the mind. Empathy, telepathy, telekinesis, pyrokinesis. The power of suggestion. Holokinesis. Hallucinations.”

  “I’m having hallucinations?”

  “No, honey, but you can do it to another person. Holokinesis is projecting a lifelike 3-D image of something that everyone can see but it isn’t real. Sweetheart, this is one of the most powerful schools there is. But very few witches have the discipline to keep from frying their own brains. It’s like your brother. He has a massive potential for power, but also a huge risk factor for losing touch with reality. The nosebleed you have, the headache, are both very dangerous warning signs. You need to keep that wall around you or you will give yourself a stroke.” He swore at himself. “It came on so gradually. You probably didn’t even realize all the things you were sensing. You might have put half of it down to your usual psychic noise and the other half to intuition. I should have realized this was why you saw through Braen’s spell over Asher.”

  “I only saw it with hindsight. When it was happening to me, I didn’t even notice.”

  “You’re a novice. How are you supposed to know? I’m the one who is supposed to take care of you.”