by Jessica Gunn
Kian held my stare for a moment before I said, “Fine. You’re right.”
Kian then told Ben the truth about how we’d met, about him unmasking me in the arena and what that’d meant both for my champion title and for the demons in attendance that had known who I was.
And that Midnight—and possibly Crimson too—were run by Talon. And that I had magik—that I had had it all along, and that was how I’d survived the attack on my team.
“So let me get this straight,” Ben said, looking between us like we both had several heads. “You both lied about when you met to hide the fact you both fought in illegal underground fighting leagues?”
Kian and I glanced at each other. “Yes,” we both said.
Ben roughly ran a hand through his hair. “And I thought my team did shit backward.”
I frowned at my hands. “The point is that Talon was running an operation beneath Midnight, one that involved a ton of poisons and a very specific plan.”
“Veynix said something about targeting the Fire Circle,” Kian said.
I nodded. “They had enough of Veynix’s venom to take out our whole roster, then power up their demons with Demon’s Blood to deal with any stragglers.”
“And the poison he injected Will with and which I suffered from had to do with Ember witches,” Kian said. “Or I guess now that Will’s got magik, almost giving people Ember ether magik?”
“There’s something more going on there,” I said. “It was like the poison they both had in their system was looking for something to transform, like a demonic transformation during Autumn Fire. And yet, something was missing.”
Ben flinched at the words “demonic transformation.” It was only then I remembered that his son had been turned into a demon last year.
Finally, Ben spoke. “Looks like you three have a lot of explaining to do when Hydron shows up.”
“They’re finally coming?” I asked. Took them long enough. Dacher had called them about coming to work on an antidote for everyone infected with Veynix’s poison a day or two ago.
Ben groaned. “Now they’re coming to figure out how to cover up what happened without it being another building-collapsing gas leak in the Northeast.”
“At least it wasn’t Boston again,” Kian said dryly.
Ben nodded. “It’s going to be a long road to recovery for all of us. But at least Veynix isn’t a threat to you anymore.”
“But Talon still is,” I said. “And now with this weird magik of mine, I’m probably more of a threat. Veynix said it was vital that I had this magik, that I’d survived his venom despite it.”
Ben’s eyebrow cocked. “He did?” I nodded. “Interesting. I’ll let Krystin know. My other teammate, Nate, has been recalled from his training in Tibet. He’s the Fire Circle’s most powerful ether-shaper, so he’ll be here to consult with all three of you about what happened, as well as your new magik. Kian’s reports about how the poison gave him and Will glowing eyes is scary enough.”
“Dude, you weren’t even there,” Will said to Ben. “It was terrifying.”
I squeezed Will’s hand. “But you’re safe now.”
“I am.” He leaned down and hugged me. “And so are you.”
I hadn’t thought we’d be, not while we’d been nearly melting inside that protective metal ball I’d thrown together with zero experience. If Kian hadn’t gotten us out of there when he had, we’d have died.
Ben stood, groaning with the pain in his limbs. He’d be feeling it for weeks now, even if Bria worked with Hydron on an antidote.
I wouldn’t be much better off. At least I knew what to expect from Veynix’s venom this time around.
“I’m going to go talk to Dacher and Krystin again and see where we are regarding Hydron and Nate,” Ben said as he made his way painfully toward the door. “Take it easy. And you two, let her rest. You’ll all probably be confined to Headquarters until after the Hydron delegation arrives to coordinate between hospital victims and those here at Headquarters. Not to mention for the duration of whatever investigation they’re going to open. So stay inside the building and let Ava rest. That’s an order.”
“Er,” Will said, looking up at him, “I’m not a Hunter.”
Ben waved back at him over his shoulder as he left. “You might as well be after all of this. Congratulations. You’re a Hunter, Will.”
Will sputtered, but Ben was gone before he formed a legit response.
I looked to Kian. “Can Ben do that? He’s not Leader yet.”
“Might never be if he keeps doing shit like that,” Kian commented.
“Wait a minute!” Will stood up and followed Ben out the door. “What do you mean I’m a Hunter now?”
Kian chuckled once Will was gone. “He’s a strange guy.”
I smiled, looking at the door. “The strangest. But he’s my best friend.”
Kian regarded me with a small half-smile. “You saved him. Good work, Ava. It’s been a pleasure.”
“Right back atcha, Blood Hunter.”
He leveled me with a look. “Hey, it’s still a better name than Masked Hunter,” he said, exaggerating every syllable. “I mean, come on.”
“It was the best I could come up with at the time!” I protested.
He lifted his eyebrows, nodding. “Uh-huh.”
I swiped the closest thing I could find—Will’s phone that he’d left behind—and chucked it lightly at Kian. “You like it. Shut up.”
Kian caught the phone and shrugged, grinning from ear to ear. “Maybe I do.”
An easy silence fell between us for a few long moments. It was nice, relieving even, to sit here in the quiet, knowing that, for the moment at least, we’d dealt a blow to Talon that’d allow us to rest. Even if just for a short while before they returned.
It was the most at peace I’d felt since Thanksgiving dinner with my team last year, the night before it had all gone to shit.
“I do have one question,” Kian asked, looking over at me.
“Oh yeah? What’s that?”
“You promised you’d let me make it up to you if we survived,” he said. “For my lying and all that.”
A rush of warmth bloomed in my chest. “Yeah. I did.”
I’d forgiven him for lying about not knowing the truth about me and not saying something to the Fire Circle on my behalf. And I was pretty sure that forgiveness had occurred the moment I’d thought we were all going to die inside that metal ball. Better late than never, I guessed, right?
Kian grabbed something from behind his back and sat down in the chair at my bedside. He held out a brand-new Fire Circle knife, the hilt all red and shiny, a golden flame dancing across it. His smile reached from ear to ear when he asked, “Are you ready to have a Hunting partner again?”
Thank You For Reading!
Ava’s fight against Talon continues in Embers in the Blood, Book Two of the Deadly Trades Series, available for pre-order now!
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The Hunted
Hunter Circles Series: Book One
Bound by duty. Marked by fate.
I’m Krystin Blackwood, and I’ve only ever been good at one thing: killing demons of Darkness.
But at twenty-four, I’m about to face my toughest challenge yet: shifting from working alone to joining a team of three other Hunters. Newbie Hunters. They don’t know their magik, they barely know their place in the world, and when they find out the secrets I’ve been carrying, they’ll definitely decide it’s safer if they don’t know me.
But unfortunately for them—and me—Darkness has other plans. Lady Azar, Darkness’s heir, stole my new team leader’s son two years ago. Now, she and her lackeys are rallying to exch
ange Ben’s son for me because of the power I wield. I’m one-half of a prophecy to save an ancient city the Powers of Good lost centuries ago. And if I fail or die before that happens, the destruction of that city will be felt across all planes of existence.
If we can’t find Ben’s son before All Hallows’ Eve and somehow save him without putting my life at risk, that existential explosion will absolutely happen. But it’ll be nothing compared to the destruction wrought if Lady Azar changes Ben’s son into a demon… and her minion.
Because the only thing more dangerous than me with a blade is a father’s wrath.
Grab your copy of The Hunted today!
Also by Jessica Gunn
The Hunter Circles Series
The Hunted
The Traitor
The Changed
The Hero
The Power
The Atlas Link Series
Gyre
Landlocked
Driftwood
Riptide
Countercurrent (TBD)
About the Author
Jessica Gunn is an avid science-fiction and fantasy fan. Her favorite stories are those that transport the reader to other, more exciting worlds. When not working or writing, she can be found binge-watching Firefly and Stargate, or feeding her fascination of the ancient world’s many mysteries. Jessica also holds a degree in Anthropology.
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www.jessicagunn.com