The Huntress (An Olympian Fallen Shifter Novel)

by J. A. Culican

  “Thanks are not in order by any means, but a hot meal sounds really nice. I am guessing I am far enough from my campsite that I won't have time to fend for myself at this stage of day. I can see the sun is beginning her descent.”

  “What did you want to ask me, Selene? I am still happy to help you find what you are looking for.” She grunted under her breath.

  “A deer. One that is very special to me. He has golden horns and his hoofs shine of bronze. I have to find him by the end of the day tomorrow.”

  “A golden-horned stag? Sure, I don’t know where it is, but I have heard the guys talking about hunting it. They said that the horns would be the prize of a lifetime.”

  “What guys? Guys at the diner, or that low life Borus?”

  Xander nearly got to his feet, but I eased him back with the palm of my hand.

  “Didn’t I tell you to stay away from him and those assholes who hang around him?”

  “You did, Xander. But…”

  “I don’t want to hear it. One of the stipulations of me coming to help you was that he is not part of the picture. You already told me he said he wanted no part of you or the baby. I will find another safe haven for you to raise those cubs if I have to.”

  “He is still the father, and he has a right to see his children. I can’t leave. Besides, this is where we belong, with the other bears. There are no other dens that I know of. At least not in this country. I still don’t understand why you left in the first place.”

  “Xena, the gods won’t be able to save him if he puts a single hand on you or your children. I won’t tolerate it for another second. You are lucky your pregnancy has made it full term. I should have challenged him as soon as I found out how he was treating you.”

  The severity of the situation was sinking in fast. My rage boiled up to the surface as I squeezed the edges of the leather straps hanging from my waist. Xander and Xena’s relationship was unclear at that point, but he obviously wasn’t the father of her babies.

  That wasn’t what enraged me. The thought of a man putting his hands on Xena, especially considering she was bearing his seeds, would not stand in my book.

  My place may not have been with them, or in their town, but I would hunt down that man and shoot him square in the eye if he hurt her again.

  Uncertainty plagued her droopy eyes. I could almost feel her shaking from across the room. Did she love this Bruno or had he manipulated her and forced himself on her and into her life? It sounded as if he’d used his hands on her with intent to harm.

  He better pray that is not the case.

  “Excuse me, Selene.” Xander stood without any other warning, still holding the small pillow in front of his manhood. “Xena, you are my sister, and I will defend you to the ends of the Earth. I am sorry I didn’t know what was going on between the two of you sooner. I would have come back sooner.”

  “It isn’t your fault or responsibility. I do appreciate you coming home and letting me stay with you.”

  “You are always welcome in my home, Xena. We will get through this. I promise you. Just for the love of all things pure and true, stay away from him. He is dangerous and volatile. I love you too much to see you get hurt.”

  “I love you too.” She ran over and was about to hug him when she stopped short and made a face at him as if she had just gotten a whiff of rotting flesh. “You need to go put on some pants. I am not hugging you like that.”

  “Fair enough. You shouldn’t be such a prude. We used to run around this forest naked.”

  “Eww. That was when we were maybe five years old, or when we run as bears. That doesn’t count.”

  I couldn’t help gawking at Xander as he limped and hopped his way to the door to the left of the bathing room. One of us should have helped him, but he seemed to manage fine on his own.

  “I am so sorry about that.” Xena rushed over to help me clean up the trash. “Our family affairs are usually kept much more private. This is very embarrassing.”

  Putting a hand over hers as she reached for some of the bloody rags, I stopped her. “You have nothing to be embarrassed about, especially not in front of me. No man should ever put his hands on another without consent or mutual agreement.

  “I feel as though I should be staying behind to help both of you now. You with making sure you have a safe delivery, and your brother to make certain that leg of his doesn’t fester.”

  Brother! Her protective and seemingly jealous reactions made a whole different level of sense to me. It must have been very off-putting, walking in to find a nearly naked woman lip locked with her brother as he bled out on the couch.

  “What do you mean by stay behind? Where are you from exactly? Letting an outsider know about us and where we live is very scary. The town folk would not be pleased to know you are hunting in our woods.”

  “I am only staying for two days. I might be able to pull some strings to stay longer and see you through your birth. It would give me great pleasure to do so.”

  “You have to get off work, huh? Probably some executive business lady from one of the big cities.”

  “I wouldn’t say that, but I guess one could interpret where I hail from to have some of those characteristics.” I wasn’t sure where I would say that I would be staying. The fact was, I didn’t even have a camp site or any clothes that resembled hers to change into.

  “Can I ask you a personal question? Are you and Xander twins as well?” Maybe changing the subject would sidestep her questions.

  “How did you know?”

  “Well, for one thing, you mentioned being five together. Also, your names start with the same letter sound, and the connection between the two of you is profound. Almost tangible. Twins and multiples tends to run in a family’s bloodline. Although, maybe it is more common in bear shifters. I don’t know.”

  “We don’t get that a lot. Our coloring is so opposite. I am fair and light haired while he is darker on both accounts. Most people don’t even believe we are siblings.”

  “True, but now that I know, I can see the resemblance. You have the same eyes.”

  “So, what are we having for dinner?” Xander bellowed into the room.

  Xena and I looked up. Xander hobbled out fully clothed. His hair, now combed back away from his face, exposed more of his strong wide set jaw and nose. I had an overwhelming eagerness to run my fingers through his thick, shiny black hair.

  “Why don’t I go out back and pick some vegetables so we can get dinner started? When I come back in, I can get you a change of clothing if you would be more comfortable in regular clothes.” She may have been trying to be nice, but a look of annoyance and borderline disgust still showed on her face. I let it slide.

  “Thank you, Xena. I would appreciate that.” If changing my clothes made her feel more at ease, I would gladly wear something she found more appropriate. It sounded as if she had been through enough, and I didn’t want to cause her any more stress.

  “Perfect,” Xander said, hobbling back into the small living space. “I will get started in here.”

  Xena shook her head as she walked out the front door but didn’t challenge him on the fact that he should be resting.

  “I know I said we would cook, but would you want to give me a hand in the kitchen?”

  In the kitchen? Preparing meals was not something I had experience with. I didn’t even know where to find a kitchen on my compound. Handmaidens and kitchen moms took care of those tasks, not a goddess of my standing.

  “I’m not much of a cook, but I am good with a knife. If you want something cut then I am your girl.”

  He flashed a grin at me, and his eyes lit up.

  “If you tell me what or how to do something I am a quick learner.” I walked the short distance over to the kitchenette area. The cabin was small, and under any other circumstance, would have made me feel claustrophobic.

  Xander opened a few cabinets and drew out jars of dried herbs and spices before opening the ice box and pulling out a wrapped a
nd plucked bird. He turned and put them on the kitchen table.

  “Don’t be shy now. Come on over here. You said you were good with a knife. Do you think you can break this chicken down into eight pieces?” He slid a large knife onto the table beside the bird.

  “That I can do.”

  “I will get you the cutting board.” He took two steps in my direction, and his leg went out from under him.

  With sharp reflexes, I reached forward to catch him, but the weight of his body came right down on top of me—sending us both to the floor.

  A wide range of emotion flooded me. Stunned by the fall, I had an overwhelming urge to start laughing, but I didn't want to be rude and have him think I was snickering at him.

  “Hi,” he said, his voice soft but still deep and rugged. Something hard and rough clung around the edges, but he possessed a tremendous amount of tenderness and compassion inside of him.

  It oozed out in the way he cared for his sister. The fact that he trusted me to do the right thing by not being frightened or threatening to cause him harm. He could have run from me, but he’d allowed me to help him.

  “Hello.” For as big as he was, I didn’t feel crushed under him. Instead, I felt as if an unspeakable warmth was covering me. It flooded down to my toes, flaring between my legs the most.

  The tiny bursts of tingling, followed by a throbbing need, was an unfamiliar sensation. I now understood how easy it was for people to become addicted to wanting more, and I began to understand the chemistry that drove lovers together.

  His eyes peered into my soul as if he could unlock all my secrets with just a look alone. If he had asked, I probably would have poured my heart out to him. Thank the gods he didn’t.

  “We may have had one of the most unusual of chance encounters today. And even though you shot me in the leg, I am really glad our paths crossed.” Brushing the hair away from my face with such tenderness I nearly melted, he added, “I hope it isn’t really out of line, but I have this driving need to kiss you.”

  Pulling my lips into my mouth, I rubbed them together nervously. I suddenly felt young again and vivaciously eager to learn more about him and what a man like him had to offer a woman like me.

  My muscles tightened with the fear of saying yes, but saying no felt even more terrifying. What if this is my one chance to feel his lips pressed against mine again? If only he knew that our lips had been locked when he had passed out.

  “Not as out of line as it is for me to say how badly I want you to.”

  His eyes narrowed and a serious and feral expression took over. I should have pushed him off me. I should have run out of his cabin and not stopped until I found my Ceryn. Before I had time to change my mind, his lips were covering mine.

  It wasn’t just his lips that took me by storm. It was his tongue as it pushed past my exterior and dove deep into my mouth. The taste of him, unlike anything on Olympus, was wild with the promise of ecstasy.

  He swelled against my thighs. I silently thanked my Gods that he was more clothed than I, as I didn’t know how I would have been able to restrain my desires if our bodies were any closer together.

  A rough, guttural growl hummed against me as he deepened the kiss. Our tongues dancing, probing, and exploring, we nearly devoured each other.

  A kiss to end all kisses.

  Chapter 6

  His mouth took me somewhere I wasn’t comfortable being, even though I had never wanted anything so astutely. Pulling back my lips, I closed the kiss and started to wriggle free from under Xander.

  My hands pushed against his soft shirt, and I realized his hard body seemed to be pulsing with energy. “I can’t. I’m sorry. This just isn’t me.”

  “Oh, I didn’t mean to disrespect you. I thought the vibe between us was mutual.” His eyes widened slightly as his brows came together with surprise and disappointment.

  Rolling onto my side, I pushed up so I could get back to my feet. Xander didn’t make a move to follow my lead. Instead, he sat there, staring at me. Having eyes of admiration on me wasn’t something foreign, but it was usually women who viewed me as more of a maternal figure and not a mate.

  Xander’s lips curled up to the left, forming a smirk. His eyes hungrier than before. I was no stranger to the look of a wild animal, and the way he assessed his prey before he went in for the kill. Only I didn’t think he intended to cause me harm. Instead, he seemed to want to explore all things pleasurable and satisfying.

  “What is that look on your face?” Even though I asked, I didn't expect an answer—at least not a truthful one. Even the gods were liars and twisted the truth so that it would suit them or protect their innermost desires. That was how we protected ourselves.

  “This look on my face? You mean the one that says I respect you but have every intention of making you mine? I don’t have that look on my face, do I?” The smile grew more devious.

  Before I could retort or even process the meaning behind his desire to claim me, the front door swung open—which was laughable at best. No mortal had the capacity to make any god or goddess their own. It just didn’t work that way.

  “I can’t believe how well the garden is growing this year. I swear, since last night, everything in there has doubled in size. It is as if the gods are looking down on us with great fortune. I mean look at the size of this zucchini!” Xena held up a fat vegetable at least a foot long.

  It was impressive, and my mind wandered to a place it had never gone before. The size of a man’s penis had never concerned or interested me. Now, I found myself remembering how much of a bulge I’d felt growing against me as Xander and I had kissed.

  By the looks of it, Xena had picked enough vegetables to feed half of my maidens at once. Maybe I looked very hungry. She carried them in the front of her dress until she managed to dump them out on the small counter beside the sink.

  “What the hell are you doing lying on the floor?” she asked, half amused and half concerned.

  “You’ve never seen a grown man take a rest on the kitchen floor?” He smiled playfully at her.

  “Did you fall? Are you hurt? Maybe you should be resting instead of cooking. Let the women serve you. The way it should be,” Xena said as she started to wash the zucchinis.

  “Is that what that asshole told you? That your place as a woman is barefoot and pregnant? Serving him and his every whim with no regard for your own needs or wellbeing? This is the shit that I am talking about, Xena.” He got up and heaved toward her.

  “You look at me and listen to me.” He softly took the zucchini and turned her to face him. “It is a man’s job to serve his woman and to provide a good life and a safe and happy home for her. It is his job to create an environment where they can work together as a team to do and be better every step of the way. Not to go backward or to stomp all over anyone who gets in their way.

  “You deserve everything that is wonderful in this world, and in a few days, you will have more than just yourself to think about. You will have two babies who will look to you to teach them how to treat others and how to be expected to be treated.”

  Looking down at her feet, Xena nodded.

  “Look at me, sister, and tell me that you understand and believe what I am telling you.” Xander lifted her chin with the tip of one finger.

  “I understand, and I want to believe you.” Her eyes darted around as if to look anywhere except directly into his.

  “We can work with that.” Grabbing either side of her head, he pulled her in closer and pecked her on the forehead with a quick kiss.

  My heart melted like a piece of chocolate left out in the sun—sweet, gooey, and dripping all over the place. By the other gods, I might have shed a tear at how beautiful his words were to her.

  He got it. He understood what a woman wanted or needed. I was colored impressed, and I really admired the way he spoke up about it to her. He didn’t let the bullshit ride out. His intentions with her were genuine and true. I could feel it resonating inside of me, and I hoped th
at it resonated with Xena.

  How a man treated me was an afterthought and not something my future depended on—other than the fact I only had another day and a half to find Ceryn and someone to mutually fall in love with. Even if I did find that kind of love with someone, it didn’t matter. I would be going back to Olympus to live out the rest of my immortal life with Ceryn while my lover remained on Earth to grow old and eventually rot in the earth.

  From what I had witnessed, love seemed fleeting and usually was only as good as the moment in which a person lived it. Nothing like that ever seemed to last, at least not with the Olympians. Whether it was my nature or not, I was a cynic at heart.

  “Owe!” Xena yelped, pulling me from my inner thoughts. “Uhh!”

  She nearly went down to her knees as she turned and grabbed a hold of the back of one of the dining chairs.

  “What is it, Xena?” Xander rushed to her side.

  “I don’t know. It was a very sharp pain. I have never had a pain like that.”

  “Let me take a look at you.” I joined Xander at her side. “Let’s get you to lie down first. I think it best we get you all the way down and not just in a chair. Where do you lie your head at night?”

  Looking at me sideways, Xena asked, “My bedroom? It is to the right of the bathroom.”

  “Okay, let’s help her to her sleeping chamber.”

  Each holding one of her arms for support, Xander and I led her back to her room.

  “I am going to go get the bird cut up and start prepping dinner while you take a look at her. I’m sure she is just hungry,” Xander suggested once we eased her onto the bed.

  “That’s a fine idea. Once I get her situated, I will come assist you.” Before I could say anything else about it, he had already backed out of the doorway.

  “Let’s get you to sit up at an angle and get those feet up nice and high. Is this the first sharp pain you have had?”

  “Well, I had one earlier, but not this bad. I have more pillows in the closet behind you.” She pointed to the far corner of the cozy room.