Hunter Hunted

by Arthur, Keri

  Oh, fuck.

  It’ll attack us the minute we attack him.

  Which won’t matter if you can reach his thoughts and freeze him.

  I can’t. There’s a barrier between us.

  Magic?

  Electronic. It has the same feel as the barrier I felt around Hart and Blume when they came to investigate the vampire kills.

  Can you get past it?

  Probably, but it’ll take a little time. She paused. The demon might just attack the minute I try.

  I doubt he’d set the demon onto either of us until he has control of the wellspring. I’ll distract him—you start pulling that barrier down.

  Her mental energy surged as I stepped in front of her. If he did attack, then at least I’d be in the immediate firing line rather than Belle. “You’re wasting your time here, George. Or should that be Jonathan? The wellspring has already been claimed.”

  “What has been done can be undone.” His voice held little in the way of concern. “Now, remove that spell of yours.”

  “Not until you release Ashworth from that nasty little rebound spell.”

  Jonathan raised an eyebrow, amusement evident in his scarred features. “And why would I do that when we both know you don’t have the power to in any way hurt me?”

  “If you truly believed that, I’d have been attacked by now,” I replied. “At the very least, you would have set your pet demon onto me. That neither has happened suggests you’re uncertain about my magic and control of this place. So, release Ashworth, let him walk free, and we’ll talk.”

  Magic stirred around me, a distant thunder that sent a tremor racing across my skin and my heart into overdrive. He didn’t release the gathering energy, however, and after a moment, said, “Deal.”

  The leash around Ashworth’s neck snapped free and he dropped to his knees with a pain-filled grunt.

  “Are there any other leashes or spells on you, Ashworth?” I asked, my gaze not moving from the heretic’s.

  “No.” It was little more than a hiss.

  “Then get up and get out of this clearing.”

  “But I can’t leave—”

  “You can and you will. Trust me, we’ve got this covered.”

  The heretic snorted but didn’t otherwise comment.

  Ashworth studied me for a moment then nodded once and pushed to his feet. After a huge intake of air, he gripped his broken arm with his battered left hand and staggered away.

  “Let him through the barrier,” I said.

  The heretic’s mouth twitched. Energy surged again and, after a moment, Belle said, He’s on the other side and safe.

  At least one of us was. Are you making any progress past that electronic barrier?

  I’m partially through. I’ll need another few minutes, at least.

  A sharp sound echoed across the night. The barrier encasing this wellspring’s clearing rippled, and flashes of blue, purple, and black were briefly visible.

  The heretic chuckled. “So you truly thought it would be that easy to take me out?”

  “I have no idea what you’re talking about,” I said, even though I knew what that sound had been—and what it meant.

  The barrier had been spelled to divert any kind of attack. Unless Eli could figure out a way to create a small gap in the magic, Aiden wouldn’t be able to shoot the heretic. Belle and I were—for the moment—on our own.

  I flexed my fingers. Energy surged and sparks danced around my fingertips.

  “Release your spell,” the heretic said.

  “No.”

  He shook his head, and then flicked his fingers—a very simple motion that unleashed hell.

  The distant thunder surged and a storm of darkness hit. It pummeled me, tore at me; it was thousands of tiny claws ripping at my flesh, drawing blood, seeking access to my soul, seeking to control.

  Belle screamed. I flung an arm out; wild magic surged from me and around her, protecting her. The storm continued to batter me, a force unlike anything I’d ever felt before.

  Reach, something within me said. Call.

  I closed my eyes. Reached. Not to the power of this place, because to do so this close to such a large wellspring would have indeed torn me apart. Instead, I reached for the other—for the one protected by a soul and a witch.

  Both answered.

  Strength poured into my limbs even as my senses sharpened—not so much my physical senses, but rather my magical.

  I opened my eyes. Saw the haze of purple surrounding the heretic. Saw the slight haziness around the lower part of his torso suggesting he was protecting his head and his heart over the rest of his body.

  Saw the demon standing behind him, a twisted, scaly creature with yellow eyes and razor-sharp teeth and talons.

  The storm continued on unabated. Blood was now running down my face, my arms, my torso. But the claws were getting no deeper; there was a barrier inside me now, and it was as fierce as the magic that was keeping Belle safe.

  “You will not defeat me.” My voice was remote, mine and yet not. “Cease your attack, heretic, or I will consign your soul to the hell you deserve.”

  “You do not have that power,” he growled.

  And unleashed his demon.

  The creature flew at me. I raised a hand; the wild magic immediately responded, capturing it, containing it even as a spell rose unbidden through my mind. The demon screamed, writhed, and fought within the confines of its prison but there was no escape. With a howl of desperation, it was sent back to fires from which it had come.

  A glint of movement caught my eye and reflexes cut in—reflexes that came from the wolf who was, for the moment, a part of me. I flung myself sideways, rolled to my feet, and then lashed out with a booted foot. Caught the heretic side-on and sent him staggering—away from me, away from Belle.

  Raising a hand, I caught the threads of wild magic that were flickering like angry snakes all around me, and flung them at him. They wrapped around him, cocooned him, and then raised him high above the ground. He screamed in frustration and the intensity of his dark storm increased. It felt like I was being shredded, felt like I was becoming nothing more than bloody muscle and bone.

  Belle?

  Through the electronic barrier. He’s mine.

  A heartbeat later, the heretic’s storm stopped and then he stopped. Not because of anything Belle had done, but because a bullet tore through his head and ended his life.

  I dropped to my knees and sucked in deep breaths even as I thanked the forces that had saved our lives and helped end the threat. Katie’s energy kissed my skin, then she, Gabe, and the wild magic itself left, leaving me weak, disorientated, and bloody.

  Belle dropped to her knees in front of me, her expression filled with fear. “Lizzie? Hang on—don’t you dare leave me. Not now.”

  A smile touched my lips even as the siren call of unconsciousness got stronger. “Won’t. I have a date with a hot shower.”

  And with that, the darkness claimed me and I knew no more.

  * * *

  They kept me in hospital for a week this time, which meant I not only missed New Year’s Eve celebrations, but also forced us to hire in a temp, as the café remained flat out.

  The heretic’s magic had ripped multiple wounds into my skin, and while the hospital staff had no idea of their true cause, they were nevertheless worried about the extent of blood loss and the possibility of infection.

  At least there’d been a constant flow of visitors to keep me company—not just Belle and Aiden, but Eli and Ashworth, who’d been plastered up yet again, Jaz and her husband Levi, and a good portion of the gossip brigade. Mrs. Potts, I was pleased to learn, was now a regular visitor to Millie’s house alongside the not-so-errant Henry, and she was currently in the process of spoiling rotten the grandchildren she’d never thought she’d have.

  When I was finally given the all clear, Belle came to pick me up. Thankfully, it coincided with the one day the café was closed and at least meant I didn’t hav
e to get straight back into the hustle and bustle of things.

  The plastic sheet that had been protecting the café from all the dust was finally down, and all the repair work was finished. I scooted up the stairs to drop my bag off then headed into the bathroom. Hospital showers, I’d learned, had truly shitty water pressure.

  Once clean, I stood in front of the mirror and studied my reflection. In all truth, I’d been lucky. There were very few scars left despite the multitude of wounds I’d had over my body. Of the five that were evident, the most visible was the inch-long scar that ran along my hairline. It would fade with time, but right now it was a pink reminder of just how close the heretic had come to taking me out.

  The other visible reminder was the fact that my eyes were no longer green. They weren’t even green ringed with silver. They were pure silver.

  I now looked like the blueblood witch I was supposed to be.

  Which was a lie, of course. Magically I was no different now than I had been before—except for the wild magic. It was in me now, a presence—a pulse—that was as steady as my heartbeat.

  I was a part of this place, and it me. How and why that could happen, and what it meant for the future, I had no idea.

  But one way or another, I needed to find out—though how I was going to do that without alerting my family to my presence, I had no idea. Especially when the new reservation witch was due here within days.

  “You want coffee and cake?” Belle shouted from downstairs.

  “Is the sky blue?” I shouted back, and hurriedly got dressed.

  I bounced down the stairs to find both waiting for me. I grinned, kissed Belle’s cheek, and sat down to happily consume the overly large portion of chocolate mousse cake she’d cut me.

  I was just contemplating a second piece—I had a week of bad hospital food to recover from, after all—when the small bell over the front door chimed and Aiden stepped in.

  “Hey, lovely ladies, how are you both feeling this morning?” He strode toward us, one hand tucked behind his back.

  “I’m good,” Belle said cheerfully. “But I’m guessing you’d like me to disappear?”

  “Not at all.” He bent, kissed me soundly, and then, with something of a flourish, produced what he’d been hiding—a box wrapped in Christmas paper. “I figured I’d better present it to you here in case fate intervened again and prevented you coming back to my place.”

  “Or you got sidetracked by hormones and forgot again,” Belle murmured.

  His grin flashed. “That too.”

  I quickly and ruthlessly tore open the wrapping.

  “So much for all the care I took,” he murmured, amused.

  “Word to the wise—don’t bother.” I picked off the tape holding the lid down and then opened the box. Inside was something wrapped in tissue paper.

  I picked it up and, with a whole lot more care this time, opened it. It was a cup. A shell-ribbed teacup with a pretty blue-and-white pattern and a gold rim. Even as I carefully gripped the handle, I knew it was old. Old and valuable. But it wasn’t that that had tears stinging my eyes—it was the vibes rolling off it. They spoke of life and happiness. Of contentment and love. Of commitment. Those who’d used this cup—and the matching saucer that no doubt still lay wrapped in the box—in the past had all been involved in long and happy relationships.

  “I saw it, and thought of you,” he said softly.

  I swallowed heavily and blinked back tears. This was a gift, not a commitment. “It’s beautiful. Thank you.”

  I carefully wrapped it back in the tissue paper and then rose, wrapped my arms around him, and kissed him more thoroughly.

  “Oh, for heaven’s sake, go get a room,” Belle said, voice dry.

  Aiden laughed and pulled away. “That sounds like a damn good idea. Want to come home with me, Liz?”

  “You’re not working?”

  “Arranged to have the day off the minute Belle said they were releasing you.”

  “Excellent work there, Ranger.”

  He grinned. “There is the outstanding matter of shower sex to be dealt with, remember.”

  I grinned. “So there is. Give me five minutes—I need to tuck this somewhere safe and grab some clothes.”

  I was down in four, anticipation beating heavily through my veins and other regions.

  And it had to be said—the man did good work in a shower.

  About the Author

  Keri Arthur, author of the New York Times bestselling Riley Jenson Guardian series, has now written more than forty-one novels. She’s received several nominations in the Best Contemporary Paranormal category of the Romantic Times Reviewers Choice Awards and has won RT’s Career Achievement Award for urban fantasy. She lives with her daughter in Melbourne, Australia.

  for more information:

  www.keriarthur.com

  kez@keriarthur.com

  Also by Keri Arthur

  in series order

  Unlit (Kingdoms of Earth & Air, 1)

  Blood Kissed (Lizzie Grace Series, 1)

  Hell’s Bell (Lizzie Grace Series, 2)

  City of Light (Outcast Series, 1)

  Winter Halo (Outcast Series, 2)

  The Black Tide (Outcast Series, 3)

  Fireborn (Souls of Fire Series, 1)

  Wicked Embers (Souls of Fire Series, 2)

  Flameout (Souls of Fire Series, 3)

  Ashes Reborn (Souls of Fire Series, 4)

  Darkness Unbound (Dark Angels Series, 1)

  Darkness Rising (Dark Angels Series, 2)

  Darkness Devours (Dark Angels Series, 3)

  Darkness Hunts (Dark Angels Series, 4)

  Darkness Unmasked (Dark Angels Series, 5)

  Darkness Splintered (Dark Angels Series, 6)

  Darkness Falls (Dark Angels Series, 7)

  Full Moon Rising (Riley Jenson Series, 1)

  Kissing Sin (Riley Jenson Series, book 2)

  Tempting Evil (Riley Jenson Series, 3)

  Dangerous Games (Riley Jenson Series, 4)

  Embraced by Darkness (Riley Jenson Series, 5)

  The Darkest Kiss (Riley Jenson Series, 6)

  Deadly Desire (Riley Jenson Series, 7)

  Bound to Shadows (Riley Jenson Series, 8)

  Moon Sworn (Riley Jenson Series, 9)

  With Friends Like These (Stand Alone Novel)

  Destiny Kills (Myth & Magic Series, 1)

  Mercy Burns (Myth & Magic Series, 2)

  Circle of Fire (Damask Circle Series, 1)

  Circle of Death (Damask Circle Series, 2)

  Circle of Desire (Damask Circle Series, 3)

  Beneath a Rising Moon (Ripple Creek Series, 1)

  Beneath a Darkening Moon (Ripple Creek Series, 2)

  Memory Zero (Spook Squad Series, 1)

  Generation 18 (Spook Squad Series, 2)

  Penumbra (Spook Squad Series, 3)

  Dancing with the Devil (Nikki & Michael Series, 1)

  Hearts in Darkness (Nikki & Michael Series, 2)

  Chasing the Shadows (Nikki & Michael Series, 3)

  Kiss the Night Goodbye (Nikki & Michael series, 4)

  Lifemate Connections: Eryn (Novella)