Danger signs flashed in her brain.
“As in, you ash vampires?”
“It seemed apt when I chose it.”
“You’re a hunter.” Better than him being a bloodsucker, but not by much. All hunters were arrogant and controlling, but male hunters were the worst. With their lives constantly in danger, they tended to drink too much and sleep around even more.
“I’ve done my fair share.” He turned his attention to the body. “Vampires and assorted others.”
That stirred her interest. “Others?”
“Hmm.” Ignoring her question, he went to the body and yanked the bolt from Vlad’s chest. Not something she would have done until she’d burned the body. Then he reached inside the open wound and yanked out what was left of the heart before tossing it to one side. “That should speed things up.”
She’d seen a lot of things in her life, but never anyone quite like Asher. He wiped his bloody hand on the vampire’s shirt. Then he turned his attention to the dead human with the crossbow bolt in his back. The one the vampire had used as a shield. A quick tug and he’d retrieved it. He brought both back to her. “Best not to leave evidence.”
“I know that.” She wasn’t some rookie. “I’m going to burn the body. I’m tired of waiting.”
“Give it a minute.”
“I don’t take orders from you.” She didn’t take orders from anyone, least of all a man she’d just met.
“Call it a suggestion, then. It won’t take long, and a fire might attract attention.” He extinguished the candles one at a time, blowing gently on each one. He moved with an innate sense of grace which was mesmerizing and deadly, much like a cobra. By the time he was down to one candle, the remains were beginning to crumble.
“Finally.” She was more than ready to get gone. “I’m outta here.” The faster the better.
“I’ll walk with you.” The last candle went out, plunging them into darkness. Fortunately, she had excellent night vision and the moon was full.
“I don’t want you to walk with me.”
A low male chuckle skated across her skin. “I guess I’ll have to follow you, then. You know, to make sure you stay safe.”
“I can take care of myself.” This was getting really annoying. Arousing, too, which annoyed her even more. What is wrong with me?
“If I knew who you were, maybe I could believe you.”
No one knew who she was. Sometimes it got lonely.
Maybe she’d been on the road too long. She never let her guard down, couldn’t afford to.
He’d stopped beside her, a silent sentinel waiting for her to either reply or walk away. Taking a deep breath, she slowly exhaled and gave him what he wanted. “My name is Jo. Jo Radcliffe.”
Chapter Two
Jo Radcliffe was a name he’d heard whispered from time to time over the last decade. He’d mistakenly thought Jo was Joe, a male hunter of some renown. Being around as long as he had, he should have known better than to assume anything.
An exceptional hunter and beautiful. He’d never seen anyone like her. About five ten in her combat boots, she had a long, lean body that packed some muscle. Her chin was slightly pointed, her cheekbones high, her nose pert. Her hair was black as midnight and cut shorter than his. But it was her eyes that made her stand out.
Her right eye was green, her left one brown.
“You just gonna stand there and stare at me?” The belligerent tone of her voice was a sharp reminder that he was indeed staring.
“Pleased to meet you, Jo.”
“Sure.” She turned and strode from the building. He was right behind her, unwilling to let her out of his sight.
“What about the unfortunate human?” Not that he really cared. The guy had taken his chances when he’d come here of his own free will in search of immortality. But Asher was curious to see how she’d handle it.
She bent down as she passed a large oak and snagged a knapsack that had been tucked among some exposed roots. Tossing it over her shoulder, she kept on walking. “One of the people who fled will probably call the authorities. If in a day or two there’s nothing in the local news, I’ll send an anonymous tip.”
“Why?”
She stopped, causing him to almost ram into her back. “Why?”
The wind whistled through the trees and an owl hooted. They were isolated and alone, the others having fled as fast as their legs could carry them.
“You came to do a job and it’s done. The man who died was no victim.” As tall as she was, he didn’t tower over her, even though he had a few inches on her. “Why risk exposing yourself?”
Because anonymous tip or not, there was always a threat of her identity being uncovered by the authorities if they managed to trace it back to her. Unlike him, she couldn’t mesmerize a cop and make him forget her presence.
“It’s an unnecessary risk,” he continued.
She drilled a finger into his chest. “It’s the right thing to do. Maybe the guy was desperate. Maybe he had an incurable illness or something and was looking for a way out. Maybe he was an asshole. Doesn’t matter. He came from somewhere, and there might be someone missing him. A mother, daughter, grandmother, or sister. Maybe a girlfriend or wife.”
There was more to it than that. There was some serious heat behind her explanation. No, her reasons were far more personal.
“Who are you missing?”
All the color drained from her face. “Fuck you.” Spinning around, she stalked off.
“Shit.” He’d mucked that up. Better to have kept his mouth shut. “You can if you want,” he called as he started after her once again.
“Can what?” she called over her shoulder. “And stop following me.”
“Can fuck me.” Giving her a winsome smile, he held his arms out by his sides, enabling her to check him out. “I’m all yours.” He was hoping she’d smile and not pop him one in the face.
“You’re impossible.” She reached into her knapsack and pulled out a flashlight, using it to see her way down an overgrown path. Of course, she wouldn’t have come up the main road.
“I’ve been told that. Of course, I don’t believe it.” The light wasn’t necessary for him. She was so capable—he’d momentarily forgotten she didn’t have the same advantages he did.
“I bet,” she muttered under her breath, naturally assuming he couldn’t hear her. He’d much rather see her annoyed or even pissed off with him than see the stricken expression on her face, especially knowing he’d been the cause of it.
He might have just met her, but she captivated him. Plus, there was the whole mystery of them both being here at the same time. Call him paranoid, but he didn’t believe in coincidence. Not when an email from an unknown source had brought him here.
If he wanted to figure out who was behind the missive, he’d have to stick close to Jo. What a hardship. He grinned at her retreating back. Her strides were long and sure, without hesitation. This was a woman unconcerned about walking alone at night. She’d be the same, maybe even more relaxed, if he wasn’t with her.
They walked for about five minutes without talking. Around them, the forest was silent except for the wind rustling the branches and the occasional scurry of a small animal through the underbrush.
The air was crisp and the moon bright. A perfect night for a romantic stroll through the woods. Too bad she was determined to outpace him.
Jo stepped over a fallen tree and skirted around a rock. A truck rumbled in the distance. They were almost to the road.
“I’m not giving you a ride.”
Still grinning, he picked up the pace until he was alongside her. “You’re going to let me walk home by myself? This late at night?” He heaved a sigh. “Chivalry is dead.”
Again, she gave a quick laugh before her lips pursed. “I’m sure you can manage. You had to get here someho
w. Where’s your car?”
He shrugged. “I came on foot.” It would probably be better to lie but he stuck with the truth.
“Seriously.” She shook her head and ducked under a low-hanging branch. “You local?”
“Nope, hitched a ride part of the way.” Not a lie but not the whole truth. He’d hitched a ride on top of a transport truck for part of the journey, mostly for the fun of it. The driver hadn’t even known he was there. It was a great way to see the countryside, and the cold certainly didn’t bother him. The rest of the way, he’d run at top speed.
“You’re insane. You know that?”
“You’re the one who fought and beheaded a vamp,” he reminded her.
She whirled around, crossbow in hand. “And just what were you doing? Were you hoping to get turned?”
He placed his hands dramatically over his heart and shook his head. “After all we’ve been through together, you’re going to shoot me?” The odds were about fifty-fifty. Although given the glint in her eyes, it might be more seventy-thirty, and not in his favor.
He dropped his hands back down by his sides. “Look, I caught wind of the gathering and figured I’d check things out. Those people were idiots, but that’s not a good enough reason for them to die. If it was, a good chunk of the population would be in serious trouble.”
“You’re right about that.” She lowered the crossbow and sighed. “How’d you hear about it? You got a network?”
Many hunters kept in loose contact with one another sharing information. Just as many were loners. He’d bet she fell in the latter category. “Email.”
The woods thinned out and then abruptly ended as they stepped out onto the road. A dusty black truck was parked just off to the side. It wasn’t new enough or old enough to garner much attention.
“Now that is interesting.” She pulled her keys out of her pocket, unlocked the driver’s door, and tossed her knapsack into the cab.
“Why is that?” He suspected he already knew the answer.
“I got one of those. Unsigned? Sender unable to be traced?” She tucked her crossbow into the space behind her seat, then her sword. Not that she was unarmed. No, he’d bet good money she had several knives and a gun or two tucked away under that long coat of hers.
“The same. What do you think it means?” He stood by her door as she slipped onto the driver’s seat, keeping one hand on the metal frame so she couldn’t shut it without a struggle. Her choices were to talk to him or kick him out of the way, slam the door, and gun the engine.
She didn’t strike him as a runner.
“It means I need to get the hell out of her here and suggest you do the same.”
“Right.” Playing a gamble, he gave her a small wave and headed off down the dark road with his hands in his pockets.
Either way, he couldn’t lose. If she drove away, he’d simply follow. But he was betting on her to stop. Her innate curiosity, not to mention her sense of self-preservation, would demand she question him further, mine every piece of information. The only way to accomplish that was to talk with him.
An unknown informant, one that couldn’t be tracked, was something to be concerned about.
The door slammed. The engine revved. Gravel flew from the spinning tires as she pulled away from the side of the road. Asher whistled as he ambled along. The truck passed him and kept on going, the taillights winking in the distance.
About eighty feet down the road, the brake lights came on. “Gotcha,” he whispered.
He didn’t hurry, keeping to a slow and steady pace. Losing patience, she backed the vehicle toward him. Specifically, right at him. At the last possible second, he jumped out of the way, barely keeping from being clipped.
Yup, she was pissed with him. He quickly hid his grin.
The passenger door popped open. “Get in.”
“Since you asked nicely, how can I refuse?”
…
This was not a good idea. In fact, in the scheme of ideas that weren’t good, this was right near the top. Not all the way there, because she’d done some crazy things over the years, but darn close.
After seeing him in action back at the church, there was no doubt Asher was an experienced hunter.
He dressed like one—all in black, including a leather duster similar to hers. He moved like one—quick and soundless. And he certainly wasn’t squeamish. Not even she had ever reached into a vamp’s chest and yanked the heart out.
She’d been determined to be on her way—alone. It was safer that way. Her fatal mistake had been looking in the rearview mirror and seeing him stroll along as though he didn’t have a care in the world.
God, she wished she could be more like that.
Then there was the whole email thing. She didn’t believe in coincidence. They’d both been sent here. The question was why.
“Hurry up. Time’s wasting.” Sitting here on the side of the road was a good way to get seen by some late-night driver, or worse, a highway patrolman.
She had the truck moving before he had his seat belt on. Not that she relaxed any, even though they were heading away from the latest hunt. No way could she unwind with him beside her.
He smelled good. Not aftershave. It wasn’t strong enough for that. Probably his soap, some natural blend. It was earthy and woodsy and suited him.
Her sense of smell had always been excellent. Times like this, she wished it wasn’t quite as good as it was.
Needing something to distract her, she flicked on the radio. A country ballad blasted from the speakers. Cringing, she turned it down until it was barely audible. “Sorry about that.”
“No problem. I don’t mind music instead of talking.” He leaned back in the seat, seemingly content to let her drive. She wasn’t buying it. A man like him was used to being in charge.
But he was right. It probably was for the best to get this conversation over with. Then she could dump him in the nearest decent-sized town and be on her way. No motel for her. Best to put as many miles as possible between them. They were strangers passing in the night.
Her fingers gripped the steering wheel tighter. Why did she have to think of it like that? It wasn’t some romantic hookup. This was nothing more than two hunters sharing intel.
And she didn’t want more. Really, she didn’t. Ignoring her racing heart, she kept her attention on the road. “Tell me about the email.”
When he shifted position in his seat, the leather from his jacket creaked, and she got a fresh whiff of his woodsy scent. Her mouth was not watering because of him. She was hungry, that’s all. For food. Not for some hot guy she’d just met over a dead vamp’s body.
What is wrong with me?
She’d been on the road too long. Some downtime was definitely called for if she was getting all hot and bothered by a fellow hunter when she usually avoided them like the plague.
“Not a lot to tell. As I mentioned, I got an email. Not many details. Just what was going to happen and where. Normally, I wouldn’t have bothered to check it out. But the fact I couldn’t trace the message made me curious.”
“You wouldn’t have bothered?”
“No.” His voice hardened—all traces of easygoing male gone. “They wanted to be immortal. The creature claimed to be a vampire, and they still went. This is not some paranormal going after the innocent.”
He did have a point, but still. “Turning them just makes more,” she pointed out.
Asher snorted. “Trust me. Vlad was not going to turn any of them. He was going to drain them dry or kill them for fun.”
“How can you be certain?” She braked suddenly when a deer darted across the road. He didn’t even gasp though he was jerked forward. Their seat belts kept them from ramming against the dash. The deer, totally unconcerned by the near miss, looked at them and then leaped away, swallowed up by the trees.
�
�I’ve been at this a long time. I know the type.”
Such cynicism, but she was no different. She pressed down on the gas and kept driving.
He didn’t look much older than her. Maybe early thirties. And that estimation had more to do with the world-weary vibe surrounding him than his physical appearance. She was twenty-nine, her thirtieth birthday looming. Most women her age had a career, a home, maybe a husband or kids.
She had a small apartment in Brooklyn where she stored her stuff and landed between jobs. It might be cheaper to live elsewhere, but a surprising number of vampires settled in New York. It made perfect sense, since there were plenty of people for them to feed from, not to mention an active nightlife.
There was no boyfriend waiting at home. When she had an itch that needed to be scratched, she either handled it herself or contacted one of several hunters she’d met over the years.
“Why did you come tonight?” he asked.
“Because it was the right thing to do. They may think they understand what they’re getting themselves into, but they have no idea of the reality.”
“And you do?”
She clamped her lips shut, ignoring the tightening in her chest. She did not talk about her past. Not ever. It was over and done. To delve into it only brought pain and suffering.
Ten minutes passed before he spoke again. She’d kept one eye on the clock, wondering how long it would take. Most hunters had patience. Some were hotheads. She wanted to see where he landed, and it was somewhere in between.
“You couldn’t trace the email?” he finally asked.
“No. And I tried. I have decent skills but I’m no hacker.”
“I am.”
“You are what?”
“A hacker.” He tapped his fingers on his knee. “If it’s online, I can find it. That means whoever sent that message has serious skills.”
“What do you think it means? Maybe they want privacy, to fly under the radar. The information was good.”
“This time. Maybe it’s a ploy to get us to trust them. They can spring a trap later.”
His suggestion had merit.
Burning Ash Page 2