Hunter Circles Series Complete Boxset: An Urban Fantasy Adventure

by Jessica Gunn

  I rolled my eyes. Avery and Krystin had some weird shit between them. As far as I knew, they’d never really liked each other but had been forced to at least tolerate the other’s presence for years. “That’s about what I thought.”

  “That’s good, then,” she said, rocking onto the balls of her feet. “We’ll have the backup we need.”

  “We’ll definitely at least stand a chance. Assuming she and her horde are actually still in Vermont.”

  “You think they already left for Alzan?”

  I shook my head. “I have no idea. I’m so far out of my depth here.”

  “You and me both.”

  Silence fell like bricks between us. Krystin looked around my room, her gaze not staying on me or any other object for too long.

  “So,” she said finally, “Sandra’s here.”

  I sighed heavily, then scooted over on my bed to make room for Krystin in case she wanted to sit. I’d known this was coming, but I thought it could wait until after the fight. So that maybe if I died there, I’d never have to face the truth. “Yes. Hydron threatened her and Jaffrin didn’t seem too keen on protecting her from them. I took matters into my own hands.”

  “And were forced to explain everything she didn’t already know?”

  I nodded. “Yeah. I mean, she knew about most of it from before when I talked to her in the hospital. But so much has changed since then.”

  “She seems to be handling it okay. I mean, as okay as someone on the outside might.”

  “Seems like she’s on the inside now.” Whether Sandra liked it or not. “Thank you for letting Rachel take her to your mother’s. I didn’t want to leave her here, especially now that we know Jaffrin’s… something else.”

  Krystin nodded and walked over to my bed. She sat—but almost entirely on the edge. As if she wanted to sit for the conversation but didn’t intend to stay long. That was fine. I wasn’t sure what I wanted. “No problem. It was a good decision and my mother can take on anything that comes her way.” Krystin paused and then, under her breath, said, “Except, apparently, raising a super-powered daughter.”

  I leveled her with a look. “She did the best she could. It’s not an easy thing.”

  Krystin’s eyes widened. “Shit, Ben. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean—”

  I lifted a hand. “Not your fault. Sometimes I forget how much I have in common with your mother.”

  “And now Sandra does too. I’m sure they’ll have some interesting conversations.”

  “I don’t doubt it.”

  Krystin looked up to me with weary eyes. “Is she staying? After, I mean. When we get Riley back.”

  “No, probably not.” But something told me that wasn’t the real question Krystin wanted to ask. “We’re not together anymore, Krystin.”

  “That’s not what I—”

  My lips twisted into a smile. “Yes, it was. And that’s fine. It’s fair. But we’re not.” I leaned back against the wall, locking my hands behind my head. “We’ll always be connected and in each other’s lives because of Riley. I can’t do anything about that, and I don’t know that I want to. I think I’ll always care for her.”

  “You should, on both accounts.”

  “I don’t love her anymore, though. I haven’t been in love with her for years.” Until I said it, I hadn’t realized how long that’d been true. For the longest time, I’d lived a fantasy where I’d find Riley and return him to her and we’d live together as a family happily ever after. But as month after month went by without any leads, my hope, along with any love I’d had for Sandra, had disappeared. I’d lost that long before I’d met Krystin.

  Krystin didn’t say anything right away. She nodded and stared straight ahead at the opposite wall. “And us?”

  My gut clenched at her question. “What about us?”

  She laughed nervously and it was enough to set me completely on edge. Krystin was never nervous, not like this. She was the one who’d kissed me out of the blue, not the other way around. “I mean, the world is about to end. I know things got way out of control. I went total dark side and nearly killed everyone, and I know there’s probably no coming back from that.”

  This was insane talk. How we’d gone from making battle plans to talking about where we stood romantically, if there was any room to stand at all, was a jump my brain couldn’t handle. Sure, I’d cared about her a lot once. I still did, I thought. Maybe. But right now? “Krystin—”

  She held up a hand but didn’t look away from the wall. “No, let me finish. Please. I know it’s not exactly the happiest story ever, but I did really like you, Ben. Those feelings were real. And on account of the world about to end and us diving into a final epic battle, I was kind just hoping you’d let me tell you that—just in case—that I still care for you after everything, even if you might never be able to feel that way about me again.”

  She looked to me with those beautiful blue eyes. No words formed on my lips. They were caught somewhere between my brain and my throat, lost in a confused fog of feelings I couldn’t untangle.

  Krystin sucked in a deep breath. “I mean, if you wanted to. Obviously, that’s your—I shouldn’t have said anything. I’m sorry. That was pretty damn forward and out of the blue—”

  I leaned in and kissed her, our lips crashing silently. She startled but didn’t pull away, so I brought up a hand to cup her face. She returned the kiss with fervor, her hands snaking around my neck. When we finally pulled away from each other, breathless, I looked her right in the eyes. “I promise you, Krystin, that if we survive this fight with Lady Azar, we can talk about this all you want. But this is too much on top of everything else. I can’t be worried about you like that while we’re in Shadow Crest’s lair.”

  “I can take care of myself,” she said, her eyes shining. Her cheeks were flushed as she breathed shallow breaths.

  I smiled. “I know. But I don’t trust myself to not be distracted. To not keep my head in the game—”

  She pressed a finger against my lips. “I will be fine.”

  I lifted her finger from me and held her stare. “Please, Krystin. After the battle, we can talk about us and everything that comes with it.”

  She smirked. My heart skipped a beat and I knew at that moment I might be done for. But instead of some witty remark, her smirk turned into a sweet smile that was gone in the next moment. She stood up and stepped toward the door. “I’m holding you to that, Sparky. No one dies this time. You and me will finish this conversation.”

  And then she was gone, leaving me with nothing but confusing thoughts about what might happen when this war was finally over—the good and the bad.

  Assuming we got a chance to fight the war in the first place.

  Chapter 23

  KRYSTIN

  Today would either be the first victory in a string of battles or the last I’d ever see. It was safe to say I wasn’t prepared either way.

  Before long, the rest of the team was up and ready to go. With Sandra at my mother’s, no one was surprised like she’d been when Avery and his team, followed by Cassie and hers, teleported into our living room. We all stood ready, some armed with knives and other weapons, others with magik.

  When everyone had arrived, Ben stood on the landing to the stairs and addressed the full living room. “We’ll teleport to right outside their lair, where our team led an incursion nine months ago.”

  His voice carried over the crowd, and for the first time, I saw Ben as a real leader. He’d always claimed to be one, but too often in the past his calls hadn’t lined up with his attitude. Today, it was like he was back on the football field in college, all confidence and strength. And I was glad to follow him into this fight.

  “There’s a shield surrounding the lair, but we’ll take it down. After that, we’ll advance until we find Lady Azar. Anyone who can take her out has my permission to do so. And I hope I don’t need to remind anyone that there’s a kid in there. My son is only three, and although he won’t have any idea
what’s going on, he does have the Power. Be careful if you’re the first to get to him. He might try to take your power away from you. He might also have someone else’s magik already.”

  He paused, looking into the crowd. His gaze found mine and I nodded. “Everybody ready?” A chorus of “yes” sounded. “Good. Join hands, then, and let’s take her out.” We did and soon we were nothing but one giant chain of hands. “Here we go. Teleportante.”

  The living room around us dissolved and was replaced by a clearing in a woods. The fifteen of us landed the teleport with ease. Early morning birdsong combined with the scent of pine and grass, settling my nervous bones. I inhaled deeply, pulling in what comfort I could from nature before we jumped into a nest of unnatural creatures. Demons.

  “Krystin,” Ben said, pointing toward the mouth of a cave. The same cave we’d entered into severely unprepared months ago. “Grab Shawn and check for a shield. Nate, go with them.”

  We all nodded and I walked forward toward the cave with the guys.

  “It’s there,” Nate said as he held a hand out in front of him. “It’s much stronger than last time. I can’t break this.”

  I looked to Shawn, who shrugged. Rolling my eyes, I pulled him forward. “Let’s try what you did at Headquarters.”

  Shawn took the knife in his hand and pricked the tip of his finger. I grabbed my three-piece sword and did the same before throwing it over my back into its sheath. We pressed our bleeding fingers against the shield and called forth our magik. I thought of the Pyramid Building and the power there, the marble city, and the goodness rooted in our magik. A white, fine ether surrounded my palms and crawled across the now-visible shield like water flowing over ice. Warm enough to melt, making it weak enough to shatter.

  The demons’ ether shield crumpled beneath our Alzanian magik, scattering into a million shards of magik that disappeared as soon as they hit the ground.

  I shot Nate a look over my shoulder. “That was easier than last time.”

  Nate’s eyes narrowed. “Almost too easy.”

  “Remember, demons haven’t seen Alzanian magik or ala-ether in centuries,” Shawn said. “It’s ancient magik. Magik that defies anything they can build.”

  “Enough talking,” Avery said, nudging his way through the crowd. “Let’s do this.”

  Ben met up with him and they flanked the entrance to the cave. “On me.”

  We followed Ben in, Shawn at my side. Although he’d never been here before because he hadn’t been on the team the first time we’d come here, Shawn moved as though he knew every small fault in the floor. But the farther into even the beginning of their cave system we got, the farther a chill crawled up my body, like a shadow creeping upward from the ground. Goosebumps broke out all over my skin, my brow slicking with sweat. Aura sickness.

  “Ben,” I said quietly.

  He nodded, walking ahead of me still next to Avery. “I feel it too. But if it’s not that bad out here, I doubt it’ll get worse. This compound isn’t that big.”

  “No, but it means we’re not nearly as alone as we were hoping.”

  Ben didn’t respond to that. He just kept his eyes on the hallways we walked down. Did he actually remember how to get to the main chamber?

  A vicious, sudden wind ripped through our party, knocking us all to the ground. I gritted my teeth as my knees and elbows scraped the dirt. Others stood before I did, as I was much slower to collect my thoughts after the surprise attack. The sounds of blades and magik crashing together spread through the air, but before I could look up, steel clanged against the ground as people were disarmed. I reached down and dragged Shawn up beside me. My hands were already awash in white ala-ether as four Shadow Crest soldiers attacked.

  I jumped into the fray against the closest demon, the air-elemental, sword held high. I slashed at him once, twice. On the third strike, he lifted a hand and my sword knocked off his wrist guard. With his free hand, he sent a tiny tunnel of wind at my face, knocking me off my feet and back against the cave wall. The hard rocks dug into my back, disrupting my still-healing ribs.

  Shawn appeared behind the demon and swiped at the air in front of him. He sent the demon flying with his newfound telekinesis, then turned and did the same to a demon two of Cassie’s Hunters were fighting.

  “I see you’ve gotten a quick handle on that,” I said.

  Shawn grinned. “No better practice than a real battle.”

  “Just don’t get too cocky.”

  As if on cue, another half dozen demons ran into the hallway, battle cries screaming as magik fought against magik, steel against steel. Shawn and I fell back to back and advanced that way toward the new group.

  A mixture of lightning and water twisting together into a tornado soared on ahead of us, dowsing the demons in water that also electrified them. Avery appeared next to Cassie, who joined Shawn and me as we lunged for the closest pair of demons.

  The scene became a stormy sea of blades and magik, and for the most part, the demons were outnumbered by the rest of us.

  At least until a massive wave of blue fire scorched down the hallway. Everyone scattered, demon and Hunter alike, and those near me took the chance to advance on the chamber room. I got down a few halls, Cassie, Avery, and Shawn behind me, before the blue fire appeared again, snaking around our bodies. The fire yanked us down, folding hard against the stone floor.

  I turned over fast, coming face to face with Giyano.

  “Not so fast, my dear.” He lifted his hand, in it a ball of blue fire, and threw it directly at me.

  “Teleportante.” I disappeared, blinking to right behind Giyano, and knocked the handle of my sword against his head as hard as I could. He stumbled, momentarily dazed, as the other demons and Hunters found us. We were all now squeezed into this tiny hall, at the end of which I could see the dancing, flickering flames of the torches in the main chamber.

  Giyano roared, spinning fast toward me and drawing his own sword. I parried his first attack but got none in of my own. We danced around the tight space, weaving around the other fights also happening, dodging magik as we went. Slash after slash, hit after hit of our swords until finally he stopped.

  I froze mid-swing, sure this was some sort of distraction tactic. “What? Finally realize what an asshole you’re being?”

  Giyano’s nostrils flared. “You shouldn’t be here.”

  “Screw you,” I said.

  “Where have you been?” he purred.

  I backed away quickly, putting a few paces between us. “You’ll soon find out.”

  “Tell me.” His words appeared genuine, not forced or faked in any way. Part of me still questioned why he’d go back to Lady Azar, or why, once he’d gotten stuck here, he’d continue to follow her every order.

  My eyes narrowed. “You want to know? Fine. I was learning about the Neuians.”

  Giyano’s eyes went wide and he dropped his sword to his side. “What?”

  “Yeah,” I said, holding my free hand before me. “I also learned to do this.” I pulsed out a wave of Alzanian magik. As soon as the pure white ether touched Giyano’s skin, it burned him.

  Smoke rose from his melting flesh until he stamped it out with his sword hand. “What is this?” he demanded.

  I lifted my sword once more, with both hands this time, and said, “Alzan’s magik.”

  There was a moment where neither of us did or said anything. But just as quickly as it came, the moment dissolved as a firestorm picked up around him. He roared again, the flames leaping out across the distance between us. I threw up a small shield made of ala-ether, but all I did was succeed in flowing the firestorm over me.

  “Enough!” someone bellowed right as a series of lightning strikes filled the hallway, electrocuting everyone, demon and Hunter alike.

  Only the voice hadn’t been Ben’s. And Ben’s lightning wasn’t red.

  I fell to my knees as the red lightning coursed over and through my body. My limbs felt heavy and useless, though I tried to
force myself back to my feet anyway.

  The others did the same, and only once I looked down at the end of the hall did I find Ben with his knife stuck into a demon’s heart. As the demon’s skin turned gray, the red lightning strikes around his fingertips faded. A demon with the same power as Ben.

  I jumped up while Giyano was still down and ran for the main chamber. I grabbed Shawn, Rachel, and Nate as I went and met up with Ben at the entrance. We rushed in together, Ben in the lead. But I didn’t think any of us was prepared for what we found.

  We watched from the doorway as, one by one, demons stalked down the center of the room, marching up to a platform that had three people standing on it. All three of them froze the moment Lady Azar spotted us. She stood up on the dais with Riley, his hands on a demon’s head as he took in their magik, and someone I’d never seen or met before.

  But as soon as we stepped into the room, I recognized more and more of this new person’s features.

  My heart dropped straight through to the floor, the shock of it so awful and confusing, that my brain couldn’t process what it was seeing.

  “Holy shit,” I exclaimed as everything suddenly made that much more sense.

  Lady Azar laughed as her demons chased us into the room. Giyano appeared at my side, casting me a sidelong glance as he took the stage to stand next to Lady Azar.

  “No need to stop on their account,” she said, addressing the room at large and the two figures on the stage. “Keep draining, my dear Riley. The time for you to ascend is coming.”

  She turned to the man standing beside Riley, his hands also outstretched. But the rest of his body… it’d been beaten—badly. Purple bags hung under his eyes and his clothes hung off his bones. The man’s narrow face had been made skinnier from what must have been hunger or some other type of abuse.

  Another demon approached the dais as the rest of us Hunters filed in. Ben had frozen, his eyes watching Riley as he finished taking power from the demon in front of him. No one dared make a move as a second demon was brought onto the dais, this one for the other man. A man who, even emaciated and covered in bruises, still shocked the absolute living hell out of me.