Dark Humanity

by Gwynn White

Raina shot her a glare. “No, Litha. I saved some just for you.”

  Like an arrow, Raina darted into Litha’s body, crashing through her protective aura, and wrapping a hand around the woman’s neck. Raina was only months from being Enlightened and fully capable of ending Litha’s life forever.

  Until then, she would use every ounce of her energy and skill to beat her into submission.

  Litha gasped, her blue eyes peering at Raina with shock.

  “I thought you were willing to die,” Litha hissed through clenched teeth.

  Raina squeezed her neck with all of her might, yet it seemed to be merely an annoyance to the Goddess of Law.

  “I lied,” Raina said.

  Chapter Thirty-Five

  It took every ounce of energy for Raina to keep her grip on Litha’s neck. Fueled by more rage than energy, she tightened her grip.

  Raina narrowed her eyes at Litha.

  “Why can’t you leave us alone?”

  Litha reached a hand around Raina’s arm and pressed a finger to Raina’s forehead, blinding her. A cry of agony erupted from Raina’s throat.

  The people of Rhene took this moment to flee. Screams of terror filled Raina’s ears.

  No one else had a chance to for Litha’s patience was thin. With a violent push to Raina’s face, Litha sent her back to the ground so forcefully that Raina found herself in a deep crater that broke through the stone of the courtyard and made way to moist soil.

  Raina cried out as she fell face-first on the ground, the dirt barely softening the impact. Weak from the drain on her power, she looked over her shoulders at Litha.

  Good job, Raina thought. All you did was make her angrier.

  If only she had reached Enlightenment, she could have had a chance. They were foolish to think they could win against a goddess that had been around since the beginning of time.

  The Goddess of Law lifted both arms, and a force of air rippled through the dusty ground. The power of that ripple sent all of the surrounding buildings outward.

  The sound overwhelmed Raina as she tried to pull herself from the hole in the ground. The destruction was unlike anything Raina had ever seen. Dust and debris rose from the ground, and upward to encircle Litha’s frightening frame.

  Enraged, Litha shot lightning into everything in sight.

  Raina’s hair whipped around her face as the world around her turned to chaos.

  She wished she could save the humans she had grown to love.

  She’d failed them all.

  Raina tried to climb to Allan’s body. She had to reach him and take refuge in the funnel she’d created. Together they could escape this world gone mad and walk into the land of the dead hand-in-hand.

  Something grabbed Raina by the hair, jerking her to the surface.

  “Don’t give up, Raina,” Desi’s voice said as she lifted to the surface.

  Raina grunted as her body hit the stone beside Allan.

  “Desi,” she cried as she watched the fairy stumble to her knees.

  “I can’t stay, Raina,” Desi said in between gasps for air. “This world cannot sustain me.”

  “Go back into the necklace!”

  Desi shook her head. “No, Raina.”

  Raina sucked in a breath as she watched Desi turn herself into a golden ball of light wrapped in black tendrils that increased her glow.

  “Live, Raina,” Desi said in her tiny voice. “Both worlds depend on you and Allan.”

  Raina held her tight to her chest. “What do you mean?”

  Raina cried out as Desi shot into the air. Her eyes followed the golden light as it cut through the destruction.

  Desi shot through Litha’s body, leaving a hole the size of Raina’s fist.

  “Desi!”

  Her hands shook as she reached for the fairy. She prepared to fly when Allan grabbed her by the wrist.

  “No,” he said in between ragged breaths.

  Torn between Allan’s awakening, and Desi’s actions, Raina turned back to watch as Litha’s body trembled.

  Within a blink, Desi exploded inside of Litha’s belly, sending blood, bone, and guts into the air.

  Allan kept a firm grip on Raina’s arm.

  “Run, Raina,” he shouted.

  Through burning tears, Raina made a fist. “Why? She’s gone. They are all gone.”

  Allan pulled her up to her feet.

  Stunned by his strength, Raina stared at him.

  “You can’t kill a godlike Litha, Raina,” Allan reminded her. “She will be back.”

  Raina wrapped her arms around her brother’s middle and sobbed into the front of his shirt.

  “And next time she will bring the Red Beast.”

  “No,” Raina said, her tear-soaked face set with determination.

  “Next time we will be ready. For her, the Red Beast, and any evil that comes our way.”

  Allan ran his thumb across her cheek. He looked at her with pride.

  “That’s right. That’s the Preeti I know,” Allan said. “Now, we need to find any survivors.” His eyes scanned the ruins, landing on Olia, who sat crouched behind fallen pillars.

  Prince Aric held her, shielding her.

  Allan sighed a breath of relief.

  “I have something to tell you,” he said to Raina, who started toward the prince and the woman that carried his child.

  Raina glanced back.

  “What is it? We have to hurry and get out of here.”

  “No matter what happens to me, promise me you’ll name my child…girl or boy, Desi.”

  Raina’s eyes widened. They filled with tears as she covered her mouth.

  She nodded, wrapping her arms around his neck.

  “Desi. That’s a beautiful name.”

  THE END

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  K.N. Lee is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author who resides in Charlotte, North Carolina. When she is not writing twisted tales, fantasy novels, and dark poetry, she does a great deal of traveling and promotes other authors. Wannabe rockstar, foreign language enthusiast, and anime geek, K.N. Lee also enjoys helping others reach their writing and publishing goals. She is a winner of the Elevate Lifestyle Top 30 Under 30 "Future Leaders of Charlotte" award for her success as a writer, business owner, and for community service.

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  Hunter

  Joanne Wadsworth

  Copyright: Hunter

  Copyright © 2014, Joanne Wadsworth

  Edited by Penny Barber

  First electronic publication: January 2014

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  Joanne Wadsworth

  http://www.joannewadsworth.com

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  eBooks are not transferable. All Rights Reserved. This book may not be reproduced, transmitted, or stored in whole or in part by any means, including graphic, electronic, or mechanical without the express written consent of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

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  PUBLISHER’S NOTE:

  This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writer’s imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to b
e construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locale or organizations is entirely coincidental. The author does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for third-party websites or their content.

  * * *

  Published in the United States of America

  About Hunter

  To love and protect…across worlds.

  Nineteen-year-old Lieska Alura, a Dralion warrior from the planet Magio, calls an Australian Outback station her home away from home. Hounded by her skilled hunter senses, she is on a mission to track down one man, her soul-bound mate.

  Peacian protector and hunter, Cole Cyrano, is driven by his soul’s demand to find his mated one, a woman he knows is his enemy. Dralion and Peacio are at war, and he ignores his soul’s call. Except Lieska shows up during a fierce training session inside his protectors’ arena, and his soul demands he protect her.

  Completely, yet impossibly matched, they decide to renounce their bond, only not all goes as planned when Lieska receives word bushfires rage across her Outback station. She leaves, and now nothing can keep Cole from the hunt. He joins Lieska in driving the station’s cattle toward the mighty river, and the chase is on…against both nature and each other. Can the mated pair find their place together in a world at war?

  Chapter One

  A LIGHT BREEZE swirled, scratching nettles against my face where I crouched within the bushes near the enemy’s battle-training arena. I swatted the brush aside, wishing it were just as easy to eliminate the protectors I could never get rid of.

  “Lieska, I can’t believe you did this.” Hope, my princess and friend, shoved a pesky branch out of her way. “Why’d you teleport us right into the enemy’s camp?”

  “My warrior hunter instincts are on alert, and this is where they led me.”

  “A little warning would’ve been nice.”

  “Shh, keep your voice down. If we’re found here, it’d look suspicious.”

  “Ya think?”

  “Hey, you’re the one always up for an adventure.”

  “This isn’t a flippin’ adventure.” She blew out a long breath. “Maybe if we acted like normal people, we’d be less likely to catch a second glance.”

  “Or you could consider this a training exercise. Your new skills could use the practice.”

  “And hiding out in a bush is called practice?”

  “It’s called scouting, and it’ll be a handy addition to your warrior arsenal.”

  “Yeah, but Silas is one of the enemy. I don’t need to be scouting here.” Hope peered through the bushes, her long blond hair snagging in the scrub. “He trains in this arena every morning. If he saw me without protection this close to his hangout, I’d be in big trouble.”

  “I am your protection. Huh, I can’t believe you’re mated to the enemy, and your twin is soul-bound to their prince. What is this world coming to? Next thing you know, they’ll be no protectors on Magio left for me to fight.”

  “Actually, the few protectors Faith and I’ve met haven’t been all that bad.” Hope squeezed my arm. “Sorry. Don’t hate me for saying that.”

  “Your opinion is skewed. Silas ensures you don’t meet any of the protectors outside his inner circle. Prince Davio does the same with Faith.”

  “Yeah, which means they’ll be hundreds of protectors in there I don’t know, and shouldn’t know.” Her gaze narrowed, and the deep violet denoting her strong Wincrest line, targeted on me. “That is danger times hundreds in case you weren’t counting.”

  “You’ll never be in any danger with me. And you can telepath Silas in a heartbeat if you have to.”

  “Did you not hear me say big trouble?” She sighed and rubbed her neck. “You’ve gotta tell me. What’s really bugging you? I’ve never seen you this anxious.”

  “I don’t know.” Those with the hunter skill had to hunt their prey, whether we knew who they were or not. The urge ate at us until we did. “All I can say is my hunter instincts are blaring at me like never before. Although this time it’s different. I want to hunt, but not hurt.”

  “Well, that’s a bonus.” She knocked her shoulder against mine. “It would’ve helped if you’d said that in the beginning. How long has this blaring thing been going on?”

  “Five days, but my senses are narrowing in on one. That’s why I decided to bring you.”

  “So I’m like your wing-woman?”

  “Yep, I need you to keep me sane.”

  “Ha. Give me the easy job why don’t you.” She tweaked my chin. “Seriously, what happens next? You intend to hunt then what?”

  I rolled the cuffs of my loose black shirt to the elbow, exposing the sheathed daggers at each wrist, weapons I was never without. The pointy tips sparkled under a sliver of sunlight trickling through. Hunt and fight. The desire always fired my blood, but today it was hunt and… Hmm, yeah hunt and something else. “I’m not sure. Be prepared for anything.”

  “Anything isn’t good. You can hunt, but not hurt. Wing-woman’s orders.” Hope plunked her tan Stetson on her head. “Unless we can ditch this joint? Wing-woman really wants to do that.”

  “You wanna get back to the roundup?”

  “I’d rather roundup cattle than have Silas find out I was here.”

  “Nope, the outback can wait.” Wincrest Station in the Australian outback was King Donaldo Wincrest’s off-world holding, and where I spent my time when not in Dralion. Goldie and Hope Wincrest ran the place.

  “You are one stubborn hunter, Lieska. I wish I could ’port. It’d make my life a lot—”

  Chains cranked, and the solid paneled iron gates at the entrance rolled open. This was what I’d been waiting for. Finally I’d be able to see inside the three-story high open-aired arena. It was a beauty with its ancient circular architecture.

  “Wow. Do you see that?” Hope whispered.

  I shoved the brush farther aside, and we both poked our noses in. The protectors’ arena was close in size to our fighting force’s in Dralion. Their blocked seats were layered back and up and able to hold thousands of spectators. Groups of protectors trained on the central sandy floor with swords and spears and axes, with likely more beyond. Some of the men wore red tunics with leather-flapped skirts, and they lunged and parried, as accurate with their brutally sharp weapons as any warrior would be. The women trained in their battle leathers. So close. This was the chance I’d been waiting for. It had definitely been right to bring Hope. Hopefully she’d be able to help me keep a level head.

  “Let’s go.” I gripped Hope’s hand and ’ported us. Everything darkened as I made the short jump through space.

  Hope wobbled as we arrived near the wall. “Lieska, what the heck are you doing?”

  “You saw the gate open. It’s an invitation I can’t turn down.” I plucked the sides of my hip-hugging black leather pants. “Look at us. I’m dressed no differently to any of the protector women, and you’re completely unassuming in jeans and a t-shirt. Except for this. The Stetson has to go. It screams Earth.” I nabbed it and tossed it behind a flax bush growing beside the wall. “Now no one’s going to suspect we’re from Dralion unless we announce it. We’ll be normal people, not catching a second glance.”

  “Geez, I hate how my own words come back to bite me.” She shook her head. “Just make sure you don’t announce our arrival your way. No throwing any daggers at the protectors, because that would be announcing it, in case you weren’t aware.”

  “I’m aware, and I’ll try and keep them sheathed, maybe.” I couldn’t stop from rubbing my hands together. Finally I’d have a chance to sort this problem. The hunt was on. I strode in and the breeze lifted my long brown locks and swept strands across my face. Two men battled close by and one of the men’s blade’s struck flesh and bone. Blood spurted in a wide arc. My blood thrummed to join the fight. Oh yeah. I wish I’d been the one to inflict that wound. The injured man grasped his arm, holding the edges closed. His blood ceased running and his skin began to knit t
ogether. A fast-healer. Damn. What a shame.

  “Ew.” Hope puffed as she caught up. “Are your senses still on fire?”

  “Burning bright. So stay close in case I need to ’port us out of here quick.” I followed the safety rail around the perimeter. My senses flared. There. A man in black jeans stretched as if readying himself for training. The denim molded his butt. Mm-mmm.

  He selected a two-handed sword from the rack and twirled it in a precise figure eight. Slowly he built up speed, and moved through a series of fluid training moves. He held the battle skills, and only those who had such an affinity for their weapon did.

  “Is that him? The one you’re after?” Hope hauled me to a stop.

  “Yes, and it appears he needs a battling partner. Wait here.”

  “I’ll wait provided you agree not to kill anyone.”

  “We’ll see, just don’t draw any attention to yourself.”

  “Huh, I can’t believe you’re telling me not to draw attention to myself. Hello. Give yourself your own pep talk.” With a harrumph, she snuck under the railing. She plopped onto the wooden bench and grasped the edge under her knees, squishing her knuckles.

  “I would take my own advice, except I don’t think I’m up for listening. That’s why I have you.” She was one of my best friends, even though she’d accepted a protector as her mate. I could deal. Stroking the hilt of my ever-present side sword, I walked toward the one my senses had flared on. “Hey,” I called out. “You look lonely.” Good, keep it casual.

  He jerked around, his gaze landing on me.

  Whoa. I missed a step. His eyes were to die for. Stunning gold flickered through the darkest shade of brown. The pinpointed gaze of a hunter. My eyes. He had my eyes and my skill.

  “Who are you?” He stood an impressive hand over me, and I was close to six feet. Not intimidating, but tall enough I notched up my chin.