by Iris Abbott
ENIGMA BUNDLE 4
Enigma, Maine Series
Books 11-13
Iris Abbott
Books by Iris Abbott
A VERY VEGAS CHRISTMAS
Montgomery Family and Friends Series
A MONTGOMERY HOMECOMING
AUBREY’S SONG
A MONTGOMERY MARRIAGE
CAROLINE’S SEDUCTION
EVAN’S SURRENDER
LAURA’S STORM
FAITH’S SHERIFF
Enigma, Maine Series
A VAMPIRE’S LOVING BITE
A GUARDIAN’S LOVING CLAIM
A PIRATE’S LOVING KISS
A SOLDIER’S CHRISTMAS HOMECOMING
LITTLE RED VALENTINE
OCEAN’S LOVING EMBRACE
A GUARDIAN’S LOVING CARESS
A WOLF’S LOVING VALENTINE
EAGLE’S EMBRACE
MAGIC’S EMBRACE
HUNTER’S EMBRACE
VAMPIRE’S EMBRACE
GUARDIAN'S EMBRACE
Rancher’s Bend Bride and Groom Series
ACCIDENTAL BRIDE AND GROOM
SECOND CHANCE BRIDE AND GROOM
EXPECTANT BRIDE AND GROOM
SURPRISE BRIDE AND GROOM
Island Medical Series
LOVE CURES ALL
ISLAND CHRISTMAS
Metal Cowboys Series
COPPER
MERCURY
STEEL
CHROME
GOLD
IRON
TITANIUM
Warm Hearts Series
GIVE ME HEART
GIVE ME LOVE
GIVE ME SHELTER
Table of Contents
HUNTER’S EMBRACE
ONE
TWO
THREE
FOUR
FIVE
SIX
SEVEN
EIGHT
NINE
TEN
ELEVEN
VAMPIRE'S EMBRACE
ONE
TWO
THREE
FOUR
FIVE
SIX
SEVEN
GUARDIAN'S EMBRACE
ONE
TWO
THREE
FOUR
FIVE
SIX
SEVEN
EIGHT
NINE
HUNTER’S EMBRACE
Enigma, Maine Series
Book 11
Iris Abbott
WARNING: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal.
HUNTER’S EMBRACE
Copyright © 2015 by Iris Abbott
First E-book publication: October 2015
Cover design by Iris Abbott
Photos obtained from bigstockphoto.com.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. This literary work may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without express written permission. All characters in this book are fictitious and exist only in the imagination of the author. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.
ONE
The hair on Zoe’s arms and at the back of her neck stood on end as soon as she drove by the heavy wooden sign that welcomed visitors to Enigma, Maine. After months of a wild goose chase that took her and her two sisters all over the country, Zoe was convinced she finally found the right place. Unnatural energy caused the air around her to vibrate. She’d bet every last dollar in her rapidly dwindling bank account that there was at least one vampire hiding in the small town. Vampire hunter extraordinaire, Zoe Myers, was going to smoke him out and take him down.
She kept going until she reached what was probably the center of town. She slowly drove up and down Main Street, looking for something out of place. Nothing stood out. On the surface, Enigma appeared to be a quaint New England town, but Zoe knew better. Her internal senses set off alarms galore, and her instincts were scarily accurate.
They aided her well in the often bloody fight between good and evil. Zoe’s intuition saved her life and probably the lives of countless others on more than one occasion. She knew better than to ignore the well-honed sixth sense she was born with.
She found an empty spot in front of a shop named Witch’s Brew and parked her car. Zoe bit her tongue to silence a snicker. Too bad she wasn’t a witch hunter. She laughed out loud. That would make things way too easy, and nothing about being a vampire hunter was easy.
Halloween was right around the corner. The irony wasn’t lost on Zoe. It also probably explained the popularity of the shop. A group of people walked out the door. All of them carried large bags.
Zoe shook her head, found her phone, and called one of her sisters. Tara answered on the second ring. “Hey, how’s New England?” the more serious of the twins wanted to know. “It might be fall, but I’m sweltering down here in the Deep South.”
“Weather’s perfect, but that’s not why I’m here.” If only she were a tourist on vacation. Regrettably, enjoying the crisp fall weather and the beautiful display of colorful leaves was not on the agenda. She was there to track and kill a cold-blooded murderer.
Her grip tightened around the phone she held to her ear. “I think this is the place. Some serious vibes are happening. I need you and Kara to join me. How soon can you get to Enigma, Maine?”
“Louisiana is too far away for me to drive straight through, but I can be there by tomorrow night at the latest.”
“Get here as fast as you can, but be safe.” Her voice got a little stern. “Stop at a hotel before you get too tired.” Tara was the kind of person who’d push herself to the brink of her limits to keep from letting anyone down.
“You worry too much,” Tara said with a laugh. “I’ll see you soon. Love you, stay safe, and don’t go looking for trouble without us.”
“I won’t,” Zoe promised. “I’ll call Kara and find a place for us to stay. That should be harmless enough.” The sisters said goodbye, and Zoe disconnected the call only to quickly hit the button for speed dial number two.
Kara, the bubblier one of the twins, answered on the fourth ring. “Speak fast!” The greeting was abrupt, and she was noticeably out of breath.
Zoe frowned even though she knew her sister couldn’t see her facial expressions. “What kind of trouble have you gotten yourself into this time?” she asked through gritted teeth. Of her two younger sisters, Kara was the one she worried about the most. She was the one who inherited all the impulsive genes in their family.
“Nothing I can’t handle, but I’m gonna need you to hold on for a second or two.”
“Kara! Kara!”
Her sister didn’t respond, and Zoe could hear a scuffle going on in the background. Times like this made the five-year age difference seem more like a couple of decades. She was more than a little relieved when she heard her sister’s voice about a minute later.
“Hate to fight and run, but this girl’s gotta fly.” A door slammed, and tires squealed in protest. A few seconds later, Kara was back on the line. “Whew, that was fun!” Her laughter filled Zoe’s ear.
“What happened?” It hadn’t sounded like fun to Zoe.
“I was following a lead and came across a fight in a back alley. I thought it was between a vamp and another hunter.”
“You thought?” Zoe didn’t like the sound of that at all.
True vampire hunters were few and far between. In her thirty years, she’d only ever met one other hunter that wasn’t a member of her immediate family. When your occupation was as dangerous and secret as theirs, people tended to keep to themselves.
“He engaged the vampire in hand-to-hand combat without any wea
pons.” Hunters tend to be stronger than the average human, but not strong enough to defeat a vampire with his bare hands. They depended on tools of the trade to even out the score and keep them alive.
“Crap! You should not have engaged, Kara! It could have been two vamps in a territorial dispute. If they’d ganged up on you, you’d have been a goner!”
Their current hunt seemed to be dragging on forever, and Zoe’s frustration level was reaching an all-time high. She couldn’t imagine a life without her twin sisters in it. It drove her crazy when one of them, usually Kara, did something risky.
“Don’t be such a worrywart. It all worked out. Whoever the guy was, he kicked ass before I could even break a sweat or a nail.” She laughed. “I would have liked to find out more about him, but I didn’t stick around long enough to do it.”
“Thank goodness for small favors,” Zoe muttered under her breath. “Glad you had sense enough to get out of there.” She sighed. “Look, the reason I’m calling is that I need you in Maine as soon as possible.” Her voice was harsh, but she needed her sister to know she meant business.
“What luck, I got a tip yesterday evening and spent most of the night on the road. I’m in Boston. Give me a location, and I’ll be there before you know it.”
“Enigma. That’s all I’ve got for you right now. I just got here myself, so I’m working out the details. I’ll text you when I find somewhere for us to stay.”
“Are you sure that Enigma’s the place?” Kara’s voice was a disgruntled mixture of hope and doubt.
Zoe understood her sister’s frustration. She definitely shared it. After all, she was beginning to feel like a dog that’d been chasing its tail for days. “My intuition tells me this is it. Something life changing is going to happen here, I know it.”
“Sounds promising, maybe we can finally wrap up this hunt and try to get back to some semblance of a normal life.”
“Yeah, that would be more than nice. If I don’t teach some self-defense or martial arts classes soon, I’m going to be dead broke. The lease on my space is up next month, and I probably won’t be able to renew it.” And that really made Zoe sad, because she loved the discipline associated with her training. It gave her an inner peace nothing else could, and she enjoyed sharing that with other people.
“Any word from Tara?” Her sister’s question snagged Zoe’s attention. Which was a good thing, because there was no need to dwell on things she couldn’t change.
“Yeah, she’s on the way, but it’s going to take her until tomorrow to get here. She’s in Louisiana.”
“Good, can’t wait to see her, and you too, Zoe.”
Zoe shook her head and hid a smile. The three of them were very close, but the twins shared a special bond that only twins could understand. It had been weeks since the sisters were in the same place at the same time, and Zoe figured the twins were feeling the strain of separation.
“Drive safe, and I’ll see you soon.” Zoe disconnected the call and breathed deep. It would feel good for all three Myers sisters to be together again.
Finally, she took the time to study her surroundings. Her eyes kept landing on the shop that was all decked out for the upcoming holiday. Black and orange were definitely the colors of choice. “Why the hell not?” Zoe muttered under her breath.
She got out of the car and walked toward the shop. The closer she got surprisingly the less tense Zoe became. A crystal bell chimed when she pushed open the entrance. The sound was soothing and calmed her frazzled nerves.
Zoe was immediately greeted by a beautiful redhead with striking blue eyes. “Welcome to Witch’s brew. What can I do for you today?” The woman gave her a full and friendly smile.
Her voice was kind and motherly. It was also clear as a bell and reminded Zoe of the gentle tinkling sound that greeted her when she opened the door. A familiar ache in the region of her heart reminded Zoe of how much she missed her mom. She squashed the pain before it mushroomed out of control and concentrated on the woman standing in front of her.
“I’m not sure,” Zoe honestly replied. She returned the shopkeeper’s welcoming smile with one of her own. The gesture came a lot easier than Zoe thought it would. For some reason, she felt at home in the cozy shop. “I’m just not that into Halloween.” She tempered the rejection with another smile.
“Oh, that’ll change if you hang around Enigma long enough,” the woman promised. “This is a Halloween kind of town,” she said with a wink.
Zoe shrugged. “Kinda doubt it, I’m just passing through anyway.”
She tensed her muscles to suppress a shudder. She had reason enough to dislike the holiday that celebrated all things dark and scary. Monsters weren’t just the things of nightmares. They were real. She’d seen them kill innocent people, including her parents. She’d hunted, fought, and slayed too many creatures of the night to ever revel in Halloween.
“Hmm, maybe. A lot of people just passing through our fair town end up staying,” the shopkeeper warned with a twinkle in her eyes. “Enigma calls to certain people, grabs hold once they’re here, and doesn’t let go.”
The way the woman spoke of the town, almost as if it was a living, breathing entity, made Zoe shiver. “Maybe?” was all she could think to say. After all, what kind of response would be appropriate for such a statement?
“Actually, I’m in need of short-term accommodations, any suggestions?”
“Inn Enigma,” the woman instantly answered. “It’s right around the corner on Main and Third. A friend of mine bought and renovated the place a couple of years ago. Most of the tourists stay closer to the National Park. I’m sure the inn will have something that’ll fit your needs.”
It was good that there wouldn’t be too many tourists hanging around. They cramped a vampire hunter’s style. “Sounds perfect, I’ll definitely check it out. I could do with a walk after being cooped up in my car for several hours. Thank you for the suggestion.”
“You’re welcome, dear.” She held out a hand. “I’m Brianna Sheldon. It’s nice to meet you.”
“Zoe Myers,” she introduced herself, took the offered hand, and shook it. A comforting warmth spread from her hand to the rest of her body. It was the kind of feel-good vibe she’d only ever associated with her sisters until now. She was so shocked by the unsuspected sensation, she barely managed to disguise her surprise and not snatch her hand away.
“Thanks for the friendly welcome.” Due to her occupation, she didn’t always get them. It made her want to hang around a little longer. “If you don’t mind, I’m going to look around for a while. Maybe something’ll strike my fancy.”
Brianna waved a hand around the shop. “Help yourself, dear. There’s usually a little something for everyone inside the Witch’s Brew.” She laughed.
The crystal-clear sound was light and seemed to float away on the air. It reminded Zoe of magic. She smiled and wandered off just as the bell above the door jangled. Another beautiful redhead came inside the store. The visitor looked a lot like Brianna right down to the striking blue eyes. They had to be related. Mother and daughter was Zoe’s first thought.
“Hey, Grandma,” the newcomer hugged Brianna and kissed her on both cheeks.
Zoe snapped her gaping mouth shut and turned toward the nearest display to keep from staring. Brianna didn’t look old enough to be anybody’s grandmother. The woman definitely aged well.
“Zoe,” Brianna called her name. “Come meet Brittany.”
Zoe put a smile on her face and slowly walked over to join the other two women. She took the extra time to study Brittany. The vibes coming off of her were good ones, and Zoe had a feeling she and Brittany could be good friends. Too bad Zoe was only passing through.
The two of them shook hands and exchanged pleasantries. “Wish I could hang around,” Brittany said with a regretful sigh, “but I have to teach another self-defense class in about twenty minutes, so I need to get back to work.”
Zoe perked up at the tidbit of information. “I used to
teach basic self-defense lessons, kickboxing, and Judo to women and children.” Sadness overwhelmed her for a second. She was also proficient in Krav Maga and Taekwondo too, but she kept that tidbit of information to herself. “I had to close my studio indefinitely, due to a long-term family issue my sisters and I are dealing with, but I hope to find a resolution soon.”
Brittany gave her a long, searching look. “Oh no! That’s too bad. I have the best family and friends a woman could ask for, but I’d go crazy without my business. It’s a great outlet for pent-up energy.”
“Ain’t that the truth!” Zoe agreed. Her sentiments exactly, and she probably was going to go crazy soon if she didn’t get back on a mat.
“My studio’s right across the street. You’re welcome to come in anytime and participate in a class, free of charge, of course. I give free demos all the time.”
“Thank you, I might take you up on that.” It was just one more thing for Zoe to like about Enigma.
“Before I forget.” Brittany reached inside the mini backpack that was slung over her shoulder, pulled out a gilded envelope, and handed it to her grandmother. “Scarlet and Rose were in my last class getting a refresher on self-defense. Mitch picked them up and dropped off my invitation to the Halloween party. I told him I’d be more than happy to save him a trip and deliver yours for him.”
Brianna took the envelope and gently tapped the corner against her chin. She gave Zoe a thoughtful look. “I wasn’t planning on going this year, but maybe I can make use of my invitation after all. Zoe, how do you feel about costume parties?”
Zoe’s faded attention perked up again. She loved to dress up just like the next girl. She hadn’t bothered to dress up for Halloween in almost two decades. It was starting to sound like fun. Zoe silently reminded herself that she was in town to do a job, but a large get together of residents would be an excellent opportunity to observe people and look for signs of vampires.
“If I’m still in town I’d love to go.” But not without her sisters. “Um, there’s one problem, though.”
“More than one,” Brittany spoke up, sending her grandmother a strange look that Zoe couldn’t quite interpret.