Hunter's Prey, A

by Cameron, Sarah

  You are being paranoid.

  Still, if anyone got word of the fact that she was his mate, or that he'd fucked her, MedFuture's CEO, she was going to swiftly become leverage.

  Or if they smell me on her, in her. Fuck. Did she even bother to take a shower?

  He realized he almost didn't want to know. Groaning as he pushed a leg into dark jeans, Damian growled into the receiver.

  “Jackson, I don't care what you do, but I want you to be behind Miss Jameson's car right now.”

  “Sir, don't be unreasonable. I am a shifter, not a space warper, or how you call it. Not able to teleport just yet.”

  “We're working on that, damnit. Shit,” he cursed, missing the arm of his blouse. “Listen, get your best men and put them at her disposal, stat. I want no excuses, and I want full security for her.”

  “May I ask what is the suspicion, sir?”

  “There's no suspicion.”

  “Then why do you sound so desperate?”

  “I'm not desperate, damnit, just do what I said.”

  “Shit, all right, don't kill me when you see me.” His head of security sounded reasonably put off by his temper, as he should, because this time he wasn't fucking kidding.

  “If she's properly shadowed, I'm happy, which means you're happy. Trust me, Jackson. You want me fucking happy.”

  “I know, sir,” the man said, before checking out.

  Damian barely breathed at the beautiful sight that awaited him as soon as he left the house, jumping from the top of the front stairs and transforming into a sublime wolf midair, sturdy paws hitting ground and taking off at a crazy pace. Unlike most of the time when he took in the beauty of the nature that surrounded him, this time he was focused. He jumped the high fortress-like walls surrounding the estate, the security system recognizing his biology and not zapping him full of electrical shocks, as it was designed to do with any organism alien to its database.

  In roughly five hours of relenting running he was back to MedFuture headquarters, waiting for her, praying this would be the first place she would come to. He'd taken a shortcut, one sh had no way of knowing, but he would have to settle a few things with her before completely ignoring her. She couldn't continue being so reckless with her life. Not now that she held his sanity in her dainty hands.

  Jeez, can you be any more of a selfish prick?

  Silencing his meddling conscience, Damian tried to immerse himself in his work, as always, finding it wasn't happening this time. Instead, he grabbed a bottle of bourbon and heading to her office, finding that her lingering scent soothed him. He'd ignored her PA's shocked gaze at finding him charging into her boss's office, but she hadn't dared comment. He'd also heard the call she'd made, informing her boss of his arrival. He didn't give a shit. In fact, he wanted her to know beforehand.

  Shit, he wanted her.

  ***

  Zoe tried to pretend it wasn't getting to her, but it was no use. Marissa's warning that Damian Hunter was expecting her in her office with a bottle of something strong had had her blood pressure rising dangerously, and she was still recovering, three hours later. Images of office sex came unbidden, dirtying her mind unnecessarily, not that she needed it clear and spotless.

  This was the night. She was meeting Newman.

  He'd had his PA call Marissa and set up a meeting. Zoe had made it back in the US just in time for it, leaving the estate early in the morning to be able to arrive punctually.

  As expected, Luke Newman had proved both flexible and unrelenting. He'd agreed to The Forest and her request of joining her for a relaxing meal, but he'd requested it be dinner instead, and that very same day. Marissa had said yes. Now Zoe was dressed for an elegant dinner, ditching her masculine business outfits for a stylish plum dress that said I'm-sexy-and-confident-but-I'm-not-showing-you-anything-unless-you-work-for-it. It was the dress to wear when you met your arch-nemesis, the shallow V-neck showing just the tiniest hint of cleavage, while the hem kissed the skin above her knees. She felt empowered, safe. The fact that her security had been updated was a bonus. The Hunters had informed her she had been tailed all this time – she'd had no idea – and that as a CEO and a HUNTER Club member she needed much more protection, which they would provide. Maybe their security teams had been the ones giving her the feeling she was being tailed that she hadn't been able to shake in quite a while.

  Entering the lavish restaurant she knew so well for conducting business meetings there, she wondered at the imposing sight of Luke Newman. For a man in his forties he looked positively lively and dangerous. Stray white hairs brushed his temples, hinting at stresses unimaginable. He had a lean face, but a robust body, as undeniably male as any of the Hunters. A beautiful woman was sitting at his side – an expensive accessory, Zoe was sure. They looked in love, speaking to each other avidly and holding each other's attention in a way she wished Damian and herself would one day be able to. As she walked toward them from behind, she noticed they looked to have been sitting there for quite a while.

  Just before she reached them, his head cocked to the side just slightly and he turned his head toward her in an eerie fashion that reminded her too much of the Hunter brothers' reflexes. She wondered if Luke Newman was human, and if she would ever trust anyone to be who they said they were again.

  For a moment, she let her mind get distracted with the speed at which Damian had gotten back. He'd reached the US before her and he had arrived at the estate some time after her departure. Reason suggested he had used an aircraft of some sort, but then she remembered that reason was no longer needed when she thought of the Hunter brothers, who apparently weren't even brothers to begin with.

  He's not human, her mind supplied, then became curious. What else can he do?

  Shaking her thoughts away she rounded the table and pasted a radiant smile on her face, assuming her best business casual persona. She needed to be imposing, confident, business smart. She needed to impress him and put him in his place if he thought he could intimidate her.

  Well, he can.

  “Miss Jameson,” he greeted, a menacing smile stretching his thin lips. Both he and his girlfriend had gotten to their feet – or was that his wife?

  “Mr. Newman,” she nodded, shaking his hand with vigor and strength, knowing that first impressions were everything. Then she looked at the woman, her eyebrows lifting slightly. “Miss?”

  “Carla Giacomo,” she provided, extending her hand to shake Zoe's outstretched one. The woman was gorgeous – one of the most exotically beautiful women Zoe had ever encountered, and she found herself longing for the olive skin and healthy, full hair Carla had, complete with Mediterranean looks and a curvaceous body. And if anyone ever missed her name screaming I-am-Italian, her slight accent betrayed her origins. “Pleasure to meet you,” she said and Zoe answered, “Likewise.”

  “Excuse us for a second, Miss Jameson – Carla was leaving.”

  “Oh? That's fine, take your time. I'll take mine to think about what to order.” She made a point of not touching the menu laid before her, indicating she knew it by heart.

  “Vi lascio, amore. Ci vediamo stasera,” she told him, giving him a chaste kiss on the mouth before grabbing her purse, greeting Zoe politely and walking away from them, defined calves showing with every step she took, making Zoe envious of the woman's shameless charm.

  Focusing on the meeting at hand, she looked Newman in the eyes as the waiter took her order after pouring her a delicious complimentary Shiraz she got every time she went there.

  “I have to say, I'm quite surprised you asked to meet with me, Mr. Newman.”

  “Why should you be, Miss Jameson?” he asked, a brazen smirk on his face. “It's not every day that the Hunters choose a woman for a CEO. It's a first actually, I felt I must congratulate you.”

  “Thank you, I appreciate it quite fully.”

  “And I must admit,” he continued as though uninterrupted. “I was intrigued. To say the least. I know how... particular the Hunters are.�
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  “Oh?” she asked, eyebrows lifting as the waiter came to bring something else to the table in preparation for her meal.

  “Yes, and I venture to assume you might know what I am referring to.”

  “Well, Mr. Newman, I might know, but if you're not specific, how can I be sure?”

  “How do you feel about eagles?” he asked, making her pause, her brain scrambling to discern hidden meanings. Was any of the Hunter brothers an eagle? Were they not all wolves? She'd assumed they were. Maybe they count turn into different animals, given that they weren't truly brothers. Suddenly, Zoe felt stupid for not asking each of them what animal they could morph into. She'd spent hours questioning them about different aspects of their lives, businesses, and the HUNTER Club, but she'd forgotten to ask for the most basic information, such as their respective species and longevity.

  “They're beautiful,” she said. “Majestic.” Is he one? She assumed he was and decided to take a gamble with that.

  “What about wolves?” he continued. There was a knowing twinkle in his eyes that made her shiver. Does he know something?

  “Vicious animals,” she replied, hoping to relay a message. Damian will take you down if you so much as breathe at me. Or so she hoped.

  “Quite the contrary, my dear,” he argued. “Eagles often prey on wolves. Wolves, specialists find, are quite the peaceful creatures. Now an eagle – they have a much better perspective of things, don't you think? They see the larger picture. Your beloved wolves may go about their businesses and suddenly an eagle snatches their prey mid-hunt.”

  “That's right, isn't it?” she agreed, smiling calmly. “But then, a wolf has a much larger space to rest, don't you think? An eagle has to nest at high altitudes in weird places, confined and isolated, but not wolves. Yes, their environment is much harder to control, and yes, there are a lot of dangers that can fall from the skies, but they're ultimately freer, I find.”

  Smirking, Luke nodded with respect shining in his eyes.

  “Touché, Miss Jameson. I can see you are going to be much more of a challenge than Mr. Herrero ever was, but I'm actually looking forward to it. I see you are not kept in the dark and I also see you are entrusted with big secrets, as it should be. In our world, Miss Jameson, you will find that betrayal is often paid for with one's life.”

  “If you're trying to scare me, Mr. Newman, you're not doing your job properly.”

  A flicker of something evil shined in his eyes and she was tempted to allow herself to lose her poise for a mere second.

  “I can assure you, Miss Jameson: I'm not trying to scare you. If I was, you would probably be scarred for life.”

  “I don't doubt it, but perhaps you're underestimating my ability to cope with things, as well as my flexibility.”

  “Well, well, well. It's good to know that the kitten is sharpening her claws.”

  “You like animals a lot, don't you?” she said with a smirk, biting into a plump mushroom she'd brought with a fork to her plump lips, noticing his undivided male attention to the motion. So he wasn't immune.

  “I do. I think they're... superior, somehow.”

  Lifting an eyebrow, she nodded. “Well, superior species have a much greater responsibility to provide for the lesser species, don't you think?”

  Smirking, Newman swallowed a bite of rare venison.

  “Are we discussing my work ethics, Miss Jameson?”

  “Well, Newman Pharmaceuticals are facing quite a lot of lawsuits for unsafe medical trials performed on improperly informed patients, as far as I know.”

  “Let's talk about that then, shall we?”

  ***

  Damian was getting impatient. Impatient was actually a light term for the trips he'd been giving himself, picturing all sorts of scenarios that tied Zoe to Newman, his Nemesis. He knew Newman like the back of his hand and he didn't trust him with Zoe. He trusted her with him, though, which was exactly why he hadn't had The Forest burnt down with Newman in it before Zoe had arrived to the meeting. Besides, he loved that place – had been the brain behind the design.

  The security team he'd assigned to tail her were apparently doing their job brilliantly, informing him about her every move. They're exceeding my expectations. And her PA, Marissa, was taking her sweet time announcing the arrival of her boss, as she'd told him she'd do. Not that he needed to be informed of Zoe's proximity. He could scent her from a surprising distance and feel her from even further, his molecules weirdly connected to hers in a way that made it hard for him to not think of her all the time. He desired her completely, still thought about being inside her, about spending every single day in her delicious body. When he should work, all he could do was think about her and stress about her. She would become his obsession, he knew – but he wouldn't transform her into a weakness, a target. She was already too tantalizing a prey for all his business enemies, not to mention his other enemies – the less known enemies of shifters.

  His attention moved to the entry to the building, instinctively realizing Zoe was heading inside. Heart suddenly racing, Damian moved on the swiveling chair, facing away from the door. When she entered she would not see him immediately, which would give him a few seconds to cope with the potency of her scent without betraying his lust for her. He had a hunch she knew it, though.

  As predicted, the sharp points of her heels hitting marble floor alerted him of her presence. Her scent, though disguised by a thick coat of perfume, made him shiver with unrestrained lust and he wondered how he would be able to refrain from taking her again.

  Steeling his shoulders, he decided he would employ all his control to keep himself away from her. The wooden door opened and the creak resounded much louder in his ears than it would have in a human's.

  “You have a lot of explaining to do,” she announced before he even faced her. Even tired as she clearly was, her voice was a sweet siren song.

  “You stole something from me,” he said, placing the now empty tumbler on the small end table beside the chair before smoothly standing to his feet, turning around to face her. He noted her increase heart rate and the beautiful scent of arousal that seemed to permeate her skin. What he hated was that Newman's stench was also noticeable. The ferocity with which he wanted to wash it away and replace it with his astonished him. Then he realized with full horror that she still smelt faintly of him, of sex and wilderness. Newman must have picked it up and it was clear that she was in much greater danger now.

  If he suspects...

  “Yes, I did,” she admitted shamelessly, then patted her bag. “I have it right here.”

  “Didn't you take a shower?” he asked harshly, his eyes glued to her cleavage, unable to draw away. She noticed it, but the outrage on her face had nothing to do with that.

  “Excuse me?!”

  Stomping her feet as she walked, she was suddenly in his face, nearly breathing fumes in anger. He had a feeling she wanted to throttle him.

  “What the hell are you talking about?” Her eyes turned dark with liquid rage. “I took a long and pleasurable shower in your bathroom eating your strawberries and using your things. If you dare saying I stink, then you can go fu-”

  Her breath caught when he grabbed her wrist, flicking it expertly to pull her against his muscular body in a whoosh. Her nipples hardened when her chest hit his and she couldn't help but tilt her head backwards, two sets of orbs passionately entangled.

  “It drives me crazy,” he said with a gruff voice, “smelling myself on you. In you. Newman must have picked it up, too.” Zoe nodded, realizing the purpose of Newman's conversation about wolves and eagles.

  “He's an eagle, isn't he?”

  Pulling away from her with both eyebrows raised in surprise, he grabbed the desk behind him to keep himself from grabbing her.

  “What the hell did you two talk about?”

  “He asked me what I thought about eagles,” she said cautiously, “and wolves.”

  “Damn it!”

  Turning around, he obs
erved the beautiful night view through the floor-to-ceiling window, his mind reeling with the possibilities, each scenario worse than the previous one.

  “He knows.”

  “I now realize that,” she said begrudgingly, walking over to him to stand in front of him. When she touched his chest he exhaled loudly, looking her in the eyes.

  “I don't want you hurt. I've assigned a level six to you.”

  She scowled, not liking the idea of being followed any more than when she had been first informed of it. “You all told me I was going to have level four protection, just like the rest of your CEOs.”