by Calinda B
“I suppose. It overwhelmed me, to be honest.”
“Make use of it. It won’t last forever, any more than my connection with you will. You’d have to bring me more blood offerings and I may or may not be in the mood to consume them. There are no guarantees. It depends on the day and the quality of chocolate.” One of his eyebrows arched. “Splurge a little. And on your reasons for offering—they’d better be good ones. I will not be bought.” Again, his long hand lifted in a dismissive swish.
“Understood. So how do you think I should use it?”
“How should I know? Scout around. You can hear things like I hear things, I assume, am I right?”
“I guess so. I hear things far away. And my vision seems sharper.”
“There you go. Restore yourself from this paltry repast, then go and have fun.”
“Fun? This situation I’m in is more a matter of life and death. How is that fun?”
“I’m not going to explain everything to you. It’s like a game. It’s fun to hunt. Think like a boy for once.”
“If you say so.” She reached for another cracker, added three more to her palm and proceeded to wolf them down. “Oh. We’re going to have yard guests for a time.”
“What kind of yard guests?”
“Local dog pack. They’re serving guard duty.”
“Mmm, tasty.”
“Don’t even think about it. One of them is my friend. Speaking of which, I need to leave a t-shirt or something on his bed so he knows where to rest.” Better yet, Hung’s pants. “I’d better keep moving. Thank you for the nourishment.”
“Thank you for the blood droplet.” He lifted his glass to her once more. “And good luck saving Sultana’s existence.” The vampire’s demeanor swiftly turned from warm and friendly to cold and deadly. “I’d hate to have to kill you now that we’ve made peace.”
Chia stood, draining her glass of wine, but prudently not refilling. Not going to make the same mistake twice. “Yeah, me, too.” She giggled nervously. “I’d hate to think I got my hair all pink frosted and other places waxed for nothing.”
Chapter Twelve
Unable to come up with a better plan than the one D’Raynged suggested, Chia wandered outside to listen and observe. When she made new rules, she had a reputation for being cool, calm, and collected. She fought, she explained, she rationalized. In the end, everyone signed on the dotted lines. Never in all the years she’d been in charge, had she been faced with such a dilemma. They want me gone? They want to get rid of the shifters? And never in her life had she felt as weirdly high as she did right now. It was one thing to smoke a little weed now and then, or catch a tequila or wine buzz, but this high seemed bewildering.
She brought a thermos of hot chocolate to stay warm, an old waxed canvas piece on which to sit, as well as her revolver snug in a holster strapped to her hips. Best to be prepared. The minute she stepped outside, her senses were assaulted. “Augh! Too much.” She shielded her eyes and ran back in the house to get earmuffs. “How do you cope with this level of sensation, D?”
He looked up from the TV, then flipped to a news channel showing the logo for Lemming News.
“Hold on. Stop there.”
Red Mountainbear grinned from the television screen, talking about changes coming to the town of Charming. “All the industry locks, from fishing, to mining, to hunting, to building, currently in place by local town manager Chia Petit are about to come to an end. This is a resource rich region and we need to act, and act fast. Plans to bulldoze new roads into and out of Charming are in place, ready to roll. Once the leadership transition takes place, you’ll see a whole new Charming.”
“Oh, God,” Chia groaned. “I can’t deal with this right now. Tell me how to deal with the sensation assault. It’s all I can handle at the moment.”
“Imagine you’re channel surfing. Choose your channel.” He shrugged and focused on the screen. “Like this.” He pointed the remote and pressed, flipping it to another station. Another scene from The Matrix played—Neo dodging bullets in slow motion.
What, we’re begin treated to a Matrix marathon? Same as last time, Neo’s face loomed onscreen. He seemed to stare at her for a few intense seconds. She shook her head. Maybe I really am losing my grip on reality. “Splendid advice,” she grumbled, placing the earmuffs over her ears.
Once she stood outside again, she appreciated the muting the muffs provided. I had no idea so much life happened at night, she thought, crunching through the snow. This is incredible. She followed the iron fence for several yards until she reached the edge of a wide clearing that stretched for miles.
The burbling creek sounded like it was being piped through a loudspeaker, even through the fluffy padded ear warmers. The fence came to an end, punctuated by a solid wood post carved into a humungous bear standing on its hind legs, head thrown back, teeth bared. Her grandfather had been a true artist. She cocked her head and studied the giant totem.
Is it glowing, too? Sure enough, it shimmered as if infused with magic. She turned to study the land surrounding her home. This parcel of land, acres and acres, had been in her family since the 1800s when the gold miners swooped through Alaska in a lustful feeding frenzy of golden greed.
The acre surrounding the house and outbuildings glimmered in a delicate spider web cocoon of light strands heading toward the sky, connecting in a pyramid point. Huh. How could I have missed this? Some ancient protection spell? A Star Trekkie force field? Had my family known shamans? Had my grandfather known some sort of secret magic? Puzzled, she turned to the task at hand.
Big animal tracks, no doubt grizzlies or other bears, led from the creek into the clearing. She sniffed and wrinkled her nose. “Pee-ew. Bears stink.” Lifting her head, she caught more scents, but since heightened senses were new to her, she didn’t know what they were.
Resting on the waxed canvas, with her back between the carved bear’s legs, she tried her best to get a handle on all the sensations. With her vision, she caught all manner of shapes slinking through the night, and illuminations of every kind—glowing eyes, glowing beings, glimmers and glitters of light.
If she softened her gaze and didn’t try to look at anything in particular it became a kaleidoscope of color. Okay, this isn’t so bad, she thought, growing comfortable with the vibrant, shimmering world around her. Tiny sparkling lights appeared and twinkled around her head. She pushed her hood back to get a better look. A strange tingle, like feathers tickling her scalp, indicated the sparkly things settled in her hair, making a nest. “Great. I’d hate it if they were like head lice. I hope they don’t breed and lay eggs in my hair.”
Ready to see if she could handle the aural assault, she shifted one of the fake fur ear pieces behind her ear. Sounds were everywhere. As before, she heard mammals breathing in the distance. Animals’ paws crushing through the snow. Somewhere up stream, something filled its belly with water, accompanied by the slurp, slurp, slurp of its tongue.
Chia gently slid the muffs around her neck, disturbing the sparkles on her head, uncovering both ears, creating a richer, stereo sound. The glitter beings settled back into her hair. Grasping the thermos, she unscrewed the stopper and poured hot chocolate into the accompanying cup.
For a moment, she closed her eyes, savoring. Everything, from the taste of chocolate to the burbling creek, to the scents and smells around her, felt like a gift of exquisite richness. “I miss so much stuff in life,” she said in a low voice, “caught up in the business of running this town.”
“You do,” a masculine voice answered, just as her nose caught the scent.
She opened her eyes, dropping her cup of cocoa in her lap as she stared into the sun-kissed blue eyes of Hung Durand, bundled from head to toe in winter gear. “Shit!” She fumbled for her holster, desperate to get her gun out.
Hung quickly crouched before her, placing his broad, gloved hand on hers. “No gun. I’m here in peace.”
“What are you doing out here? How did you sneak up on
me? I have enhanced senses tonight.”
“Enhanced senses? How so?”
“I gave my…never mind.” She tried to pull free of his grasp. “Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t shoot you?”
“Well, for one, I’m holding the hand you shoot with.” He cocked an eyebrow at her.
“True but when you release this hand it’s going to grab the gun and plant a bullet in your chest.”
“You know you don’t want to do that,” he said. “Any more than I want to kill you. We’ll both only do it if we have to, with heavy hearts.”
“Is that supposed to make me feel all warm and cozy? ‘Oh, Chia, by the way, if you wake up dead, I’m sorry but I had to do it.’”
Ignoring her snark, he brought her hand to his lips and kissed the knuckles. “You look so pretty with sparkling sprites in your hair. It makes you look like the queen fairy.”
“How much have you had to drink tonight?” Chia squinted. Is he high? He’s giving me a compliment?
“Not a drop.”
“I don’t believe you.”
“Believe what you like. You do know how to accept a compliment, don’t you?”
She ignored this question. “You can see them? You can see this enhanced world around me? The world I can only see when a vampire has my blood in him?”
As fast as a strike from a cobra, he swiftly peeled off his glove, bringing his hand to her neck, pushing aside the earmuffs and coat to inspect. Appearing satisfied with what he saw, he moved his hand to the other side. “There’s no mark. Where did he get you? I’m going to kill the son of a bitch.”
Puzzled by his caring statement, she pushed his hand away. “Easy, it’s not like that. It’s a long story involving a truce. I gave him a weensy drop, that’s all. It turned on a light switch inside of me so I see and feel the world he sees and feels.”
Hung nodded, his handsome face pensive in the light of the moon sparkling along the snow. “Interesting.”
Feeling intimidated by the largeness of him looming over her, she got to her feet.
He did the same. He still loomed but she no longer felt small and helpless, like a child sitting innocently near the creek with her cup of hot cocoa. Now the hot beverage spread as a cold, damp spot on her jeans, soaking into her winter undergarment, fueling her sudden, pissy mood.
“What’s the real reason you came out here? Are you the owl?”
His eyebrows knit together. “The what?”
“Never mind. State your business, bounty hunter and be gone. You’re trespassing. This is my land.” And why, exactly are you talking so tough? The guy’s within reach, he’s acting all soft and squishy, he wants you, you want him…
“I see. We’re back to rough and tough, are we? That works. I actually like it more. It turns me on. Want to check?” His gaze flicked to his groin and back to her.
She glanced at the giant bulge. “No, thanks, I’ve got eyes. Doesn’t look all that interesting to me.”
His eyes narrowed while the corners of his mouth cocked upward slightly in a smile. “I see. Tough woman like you isn’t interested in sex…with me.”
Damn, damn, damn, she thought, as her panties moistened. She closed her eyes ever so briefly and opened them to see him smirking at her. “Your business?”
“Besides seducing you? I told you I might get bored waiting for the vamp to show. Thought I might check to see if she showed here. You know, see if she’s on a date with your roommate.” He grinned at her mockingly. “Doing what people do when they’re on a date.”
Kill him or kiss him? As usual, conflicting emotions swirled inside her, as annoying as her ghosts, which were now high overhead from what she could tell. “She’s not here. She’s away somewhere, or so my roomie said. And if you kill her, Hung, especially where my roommate sleeps, so help me God…”
“It’s important, woman. This is a big, big job.”
“Money isn’t everything.”
“True. But career advancement is. And this is my business, not yours.”
“It’s going to be everyone’s business if you kill the vamp! My roommate will go ballistic. You should see what he does when he’s merely doing practical jokes. Don’t think for a minute you’ll be safe from a vampire. Not even you with all your badass bounty hunter skills can defeat him.” She stepped away, feeling uncomfortably trapped between the fence post and his sexy body…the body she wanted…and really didn’t want to want.
“I’ll be long gone, sweetheart. Don’t worry about me.”
“Oh, thanks. Leave it for me to clean up. Nice.”
“It’s what you do so well…clean up after others.” He gave her a pointed glare, loaded with hidden meaning. “So, do you want to know the real reason I came out here?”
“Sure. Lay it on me.”
“Oh, don’t tempt me, woman.”
She blushed, realizing her faux pas. “Talk to me.”
“You’re in over your head.”
“What? You came out here to give me advice?” Her hands flew into the air, palms up.
“Think about it. You’re in a battle for power.”
“What do you mean?”
“You’ve had this job, what, maybe three years?”
“Yeah, so? I’ve made the town a better place. Done a good job.”
“You’ve made the town a better place for shifters. They’re like your pets. Everything you’ve done, all the rules and laws and ordinances you’ve put into place have been to protect them, am I right?”
“Yeah, but…”
“Yeah, but nothing, Chia. All you’ve done with your laws and foolish rules is set the stage for someone like Red to waltz in and assume real power. The shifters are lazy. Sure, some of them are good people, but they’re on vacation in your town.”
“How is that a bad thing? People love a good vacation.”
“They eat, they drink, they fuck…they sure as hell don’t have to worry about their survival, since you’ve made it so goddamned restrictive around here. They don’t have to watch their backs. An animal, even if it’s only part animal, needs survival skills. The world is not your personal zoo, love.” He swept his strong arm in a circle. “They’re like sitting ducks for Red and Dick. And since you’re the one who made all the laws, you’re the one who gets the blame when things start falling apart. And it’s only going to get worse.”
Coyote yips resounded, their gunshot-like sound blasting into Chia’s eardrums. Startled, she pressed her palms over her ears and closed her eyes, trying to ward off the auditory assault. Her hands were gently removed by Hung’s strong ones. She opened her eyes to see him inches from her face, clutching her wrists, staring into her eyes with a seductive, hypnotic gaze.
“It’s only going to get worse.” He repeated the words soft and low, like a caress. “Unless you make it better.”
Ignoring the double entendre, she said, “No, it won’t. I promised to resign in twenty-four hours…only now it’s more like half a day…if I don’t get results.”
“Foolish woman. You walked right into their trap. You’re merely handing them what they want.” Hung released one of her wrists and stroked the side of her face. “You don’t want to do that. I don’t want you to do that.”
“What’s wrong with the idea? I could hang out here, at my home.” She waved her one free hand at her surroundings. “I’ll work at the crab factory or the fish processing plant. I’ll learn pottery or dressage or permafrost gardening like my grandpa.”
“You’ll be miserable. You like being in charge. You like being in control. As much as I don’t like to admit it, I like you being in control. I wouldn’t have you any other way.”
“You sure you’re not drunk?” This true confessions side of Hung unnerved her. Here he stood, getting soft and mushy gushy with her, and instead of prompting desire, she felt unease and suspicion.
He slowly turned his head side to side, his gaze never leaving her face.
“Well, you’re not going to have me, anyway.” She
dropped her eyes away from his soulful gaze.
“Think I won’t?” He dropped his head until he was so close she could see the fine lines around his eyes. His warm breath puffed against her face. He still held one of her wrists while his other hand caressed her cheek. “Make them work for it, Chia. Don’t simply hand over the reins to Red and Dick. They’re nothing but assholes.”
Chia swallowed. Licked her lips. “What should I do?” The words came out in a whisper.
“You don’t have to worry about Dick. He’s a manipulator. He uses people to his gain. You’re strong. You’re assertive. He’s no match for you.”
Chia puffed with pride.
“Red’s the aggressive dick. He’ll have no problem exploiting you for his own needs. He won’t even bat an eye to finish you off.”
“How do you know all this?” She wrenched her hand from his grip and pushed away his other hand from her face.
“What do I do for a living? I’m a professional hunter. I hunt. I kill. I watch people. I observe. I’m an alpha,” he said, leaning toward her. “Top of the food chain. I need a strong woman, not a willing whore. I need a woman who matches me.”
Oh, Lord. I want him so badly. “I still don’t get why you’re telling me all this.”
“I’m offering some of my experienced wisdom. I want to give you a fair shake. I want to keep you around. You’re fun to spar with.”
“Seems to be my best asset. My roommate likes me because he can play his practical jokes and I, at least, retaliate. That and my ‘cuteness’ and sex appeal.” Chia rolled her eyes.
“You’ve got fire.” He took a step toward her. “But you and your rules have my hands tied around here. I’m going to be tried for crimes I didn’t commit. The shifters are pissed because Ruby ratted on me when you showed up. Setting off the alarm brought major attention to their ‘secret’ club. If you hadn’t shown up, all would be well. She’d be happy and satisfied, I’d have scratched my itch at least…” He paused, his gaze slicing through her. “If I can’t have you…”