Masters of the Hunt: Fated and Forbidden

by Sarra Cannon

  If I had doubted how I was feeling before this moment, seeing him again made everything clear. I wanted him. There was no denying it. I didn't even care if he did want my blood. I wanted him anyway.

  And I couldn't tell him.

  Not here in front of all these strangers.

  I waited for him to walk to me, each step agonizingly slow. When he made it over to where I stood, he lifted his hands as if to hug me, then lowered them.

  “Are you okay?” he said, his voice shaking.

  “I'm a little shaken up, but I'm okay,” I said. “I thought you were dead.”

  “I know,” he said. “I should have explained to you how the club's entrance worked when you first started there, but it never seemed like the right time. After work last night, I was going to...”

  His voice trailed off and he looked up to find half the room staring at us. They all quickly turned around and went back to what they were doing, but we knew they were listening in. They were probably wondering what was going on just as much as I was.

  The corner of Rend's mouth lifted into a smirk. “We can talk about it later,” he said softly.

  I pressed my lips together hard to keep from smiling like a complete dork. “Okay,” I said. A shiver of anticipation rippled up my spine at the thought of what else might come later. Would we have a chance to be alone?

  God, I hope so.

  “What about Lyla and Marco?” I asked, trying to shake the thought of him possibly kissing me again out of my mind. “Have you heard from them?”

  “They made it to Las Vegas, but I haven't heard from them since they landed,” he said. “Marco's family is there, so I think they'll be okay. At least for a while.”

  “Thank God. I don't know if I can handle anyone else getting hurt.” I licked my lips and looked down at the floor. “Selena's dead.”

  “I know,” Rend said. He put a hand on my shoulder. “She did what she had to do to keep all of us safe.”

  “None of you would have been in any danger if it wasn't for me.”

  “You can't blame yourself,” he said. “There is evil all around us. You can't hold yourself responsible for that.”

  “What's your plan?” Harper asked. She leaned against an island in the kitchen. “What else can we do to help?”

  “You've already done so much,” Rend said. “Just giving Franki a place to stay until I could get to her was help enough.”

  “Where will you go?” Jackson asked. He stood behind Harper, his hand resting on hers, their pinkies entwined. “You guys are welcome to stay here as long as you need to.”

  “We wouldn't want to put you in any more danger than you're already in,” Rend said. “I was planning to take her back to my place. Through the hall of doorways.”

  “No,” Mary Anne said, standing up from her spot at the dinner table and walking over to us. “It's not safe.”

  I hid a smile and glanced toward Rend. I knew he wasn't used to someone telling him no or questioning his judgment. I was liking my cousin more and more, just for having the guts to speak up.

  “It's probably the safest place there is,” Rend said. He shook his head, his shoulders tense. “There's a spell on my door keeping everyone out.”

  “What about your Brotherhood?” Mary Anne asked. “All of them are barred from your home?”

  Rend's eyebrows came together in a pinched expression. “No, not all of them. But I trust them.”

  “Do you?” she challenged. “Isn't the Devil himself one of the Brotherhood?”

  Rend cleared his throat. “Yes, but he is banned from my home, as is anyone working for him.”

  “Anyone you know is working for him,” she corrected. “But from what I understand, a lot of the Brotherhood of Darkness is upset with you for your decision to stop drinking blood. Any chance someone you once considered a friend would be willing to betray you? Someone who was maybe looking to teach you a lesson?”

  “Shit,” Rend said. He ran a hand through his thick black hair. “You have a good point.”

  He paced the floor in front of the island.

  “We could place another spell on the door,” he said. “Something that would keep everyone else out even if they originally had passage through the door to my house.”

  “Can you cast something strong enough so quickly?” Harper asked.

  “I don't know,” Rend said. “The barrier spell that's on there now is very strong, but it took me weeks to gather the power and items I needed in order to create the binding.”

  “Besides, the Devil will expect you to take her there,” Mary Anne said. “He's already seen how far you're willing to go to keep her safe. Bringing her back to your place is the most logical response.”

  Rend nodded. “We'll have to run,” he said.

  “He'll follow you,” Harper said.

  “Yes,” Rend said. “But we can't very well hide out here forever. This isn't your fight. You have important work of your own to do right now.”

  “You can stay as long as you need to,” Harper said. “Any fight against evil is our fight.”

  “I know where you can go,” Mary Anne said. She put her hand in mine again and squeezed. “We'll take you to the crow village.”

  Chapter 9

  Sweet

  Excitement and fear buzzed across my skin.

  The crow village. The place where my mother grew up. I was dying to see it, but I was also afraid of what seeing it would make me feel.

  “Is it safe there? What about the crows?” Rend asked.

  “No one would go back there,” Harper said. “We used it as a staging ground for our army when we were fighting the Order of Shadows. It's safe.”

  “If no one can get in besides crows, how did you bring all those people up there?” Rend asked.

  I could tell he wasn't completely sold on the idea. I stayed silent, not knowing whether I wanted to see it or get as far away from that place as I could.

  “We had Essex make ribbons that were infused with a drop of Mary Anne's blood,” Harper said. “Anyone wearing the ribbon was able to pass through the barrier.”

  “Do those people all still have their ribbons?”

  I was touched Rend was grilling them so hard. The fact that he wanted so badly to keep me safe was a great comfort. I just wished I knew the real motivation behind his desire. Our late-night meeting to talk it through had been canceled when Venom's entrance exploded, but I hoped we would still be able to find time to talk about it.

  Was it weird for me to care about things like that at a time like this? His kiss should be the last thing on my mind, but it wasn't. It was all I could think about.

  “We collected the ribbons from everyone after the battle, and burned them,” Mary Anne said. “It's been abandoned since the fall of the blue gates. You'll be safe there, I promise.”

  Rend nodded, then met my eyes. “How do you feel about this?”

  I raised an eyebrow, surprised he was even asking for my opinion. “I'll go wherever you think is best.”

  I just want to be with you.

  Rend's eyes flashed with hunger, as if he'd heard that last part. I hadn't said it out loud, but maybe I'd said it with my eyes.

  He cleared his throat. “Show us where to go.”

  Mary Anne nodded and started toward the back door.

  “Wait,” I said. Everyone turned to look, and I laughed nervously. “Do you guys have anything to eat first? I'm starving.”

  Rend relaxed and nodded. “Of course, I didn't think about that.” He punched Mordecai in the shoulder. “You didn't think to stop and get her something to eat?”

  Mordecai held his hands up in surrender. “All I could think about was getting her here as fast as possible, man.”

  “Thanks for that,” Rend said, his voice growing more serious. “I owe you big time.”

  Mordecai patted Rend's hand. “No worries. Seriously, anything you need, you just let me know.”

  Harper and Zara rummaged through cabinets and the fridge
and within fifteen minutes, an entire buffet of food was spread out on the island, along with a stack of paper plates.

  “Help yourself,” Harper said.

  “Thank you so much.”

  I piled a plate with fried chicken, baked beans, biscuits, and cole slaw. Real southern food. Mary Anne even poured me a glass of sweet tea. I nearly choked on it, not expecting something so sweet.

  “Wow, that's sweet,” I said with a laugh.

  “That's how we do it down here in Georgia,” Mary Anne joked. “Besides, Zara made it. She always puts in too much sugar.”

  “I do not,” Zara said, sticking her bottom lip out in a pout. “It's delicious.”

  “It's great,” I said. “I've just never had sweet tea before.”

  Mary Anne shook her head. “You have so much to learn.”

  I laughed, knowing just how right she was.

  I took a seat at the big table in the kitchen and soon everyone joined me. I almost forgot to eat, watching them interact with each other. It nearly brought tears to my eyes. My whole life, I'd never had what these people have. True friendship. Family. They loved each other in this house. I wanted to be a part of something like that someday.

  Then Rend caught my eye from across the table. He hadn't even made a plate of food. He just sat there, watching me with that same hunger blazing in his dark eyes.

  That's when I realized I was a part of something. I was part of the Venom family, and now I had ties to this new group in Peachville. I had a real cousin who could tell me stories about the family I'd never known. And it was all because of Rend. If he hadn't chosen to save my life that night in the alley, I never would have had any of this.

  Yes, this new life was terrifying, and dangerous, and confusing, but it was also real and beautiful. It held the promise of finally belonging to something—or someone—for the first time.

  Staring into Rend's eyes, my stomach fluttered and my heart beat faster. My body warmed at the thought of those lips on mine again.

  I forced my gaze away and concentrated on finishing my food so we could get out of here and get to the village where we might finally be alone.

  Footsteps pounded on the stairs, and I turned to face the door to the kitchen. Aerden rushed in.

  “Rend, Franki, you guys have to go now,” he said. He was out of breath from running.

  “What’s going on?” Rend asked, standing.

  “Azure just checked in and sent a message,” Aerden said. “She said the group tracking her in Paris destroyed her glamour. They know you tricked them and now they’re tracking Mordecai’s vehicle. It won’t be long before they figure out where he was.”

  “Is Azure okay?”

  “Why was she in Paris?” I asked.

  “She was a second decoy,” Rend said. “We sent Lyla to Vegas and Azure to Paris.”

  “She’s fine,” Aerden said. “She managed to dodge them and get back through the Venom door before they could get to her.”

  “Someone just reported four dead witches from a coven near Nashville,” Lea said, coming around the corner. “The vampires could be here in less than an hour.”

  “And if they’ve just fed, they’ll be nearly impossible to track from there,” Rend said. I was still trying to wrap my head around the fact that Azure had agreed to glamour herself as a fake me and put her own life in danger. I knew she would do anything Rend asked of her, but I’m sure it killed her to have to wear my face for a while.

  As hard as she’d been on me so far, though, I was still thankful she was safe. I didn't want her blood on my hands, too.

  “We should just stay here and fight them,” Lea said. “We can take them. I've been wanting a good fight, anyway. Things have been way too calm lately for my taste.”

  “He'll just send more,” Rend said. “I'd rather not get you guys involved.”

  “We're already involved,” Lea said.

  She had a definite attitude on her, but I liked the fact that she didn't seem scared of anything.

  “You haven't fought them directly,” Rend said.

  “Mordecai killed a few of them,” I said, remembering the way his silver dagger had sliced through the skin of the vampires back at the safe-house.

  Everyone grew quiet and I realized after a few beats that they were all looking to Harper for an answer.

  Harper finally looked up and met Rend's eyes. “I think you should go,” she said finally. “If it comes down to a fight, we're behind you. But if we can avoid bringing a fight to Brighton Manor, I'd at least like to try.”

  Lea grumbled and turned away, shaking her head. But Rend nodded. He took my hand in his and my entire body lit up at his touch.

  “I understand,” he said. “Mary Anne, can you show us where to go?”

  Mary Anne nodded. “Do you know how to shift?” she asked me.

  I bit my lip and shook my head.

  She scrunched her nose in disappointment. “Okay, what's the best way to get them both up there without leaving a trail?” she asked. “They'll track Rend if he casts, unless you've had something to drink lately.”

  His hand tensed against mine and I swallowed nervously, realizing the bites on my neck were still visible to anyone paying enough attention.

  “No,” he said.

  My face warmed. I knew I should keep my mouth shut, but we were in danger and running out of time. “You can drink from me,” I said.

  Mary Anne's eyes grew wide and she looked from me to Rend, questioning our relationship.

  Rend tensed and dropped my hand. “Absolutely not,” he said. “Who here has the ability to fly us up there without being tracked?”

  I backed away, hurt that he had been so quick to dismiss my offer. It wasn't like I was telling him to drain me and leave me for dead. One little drink and we would be up in the safety of the crow village in minutes. Instead, he had to be difficult. As usual.

  Zara stepped forward. “I can float you up there,” she said. “Come on.”

  She and Mary Anne led us out the back door. Mary Anne nodded to Zara and shifted, her body shrinking and transforming in the blink of an eye. A black crow with bright blue eyes cawed at us, then flew into the air.

  Zara nodded to us. “Ready?”

  Rend took my hand. “Let's go.” He turned back toward the door and nodded to Harper and the others. “Thank you.”

  “Let us know if you need us,” Harper said, waving as Zara lifted her hands into the air.

  Our feet rose off the ground. I clung tightly to Rend's hand, feeling unbalanced as my body flew forward and up, above the trees. He pulled me close to him and over the sound of the wind in my ears, I was sure I heard him laugh.

  “A crow afraid to fly,” he said.

  If we had been on solid ground, I would have smacked him. Instead, I held on tighter.

  “I'm not afraid to fly,” I said. “I'm just new at it.”

  We flew over the tops of the trees. I couldn't believe how many trees. Miles in every direction. Growing up in the city all my life, I'd never seen anything like it.

  In the distance, the sun had started to set. I breathed in the beauty of it as Zara and Mary Anne led us toward the village where my mother was born.

  Chapter 10

  Surrender

  The place where we landed was nothing more than a platform of air and nothingness. I couldn't see a village here, or a landing zone for that matter, but Mary Anne shifted back to her human form and landed in mid-air.

  Zara joined her, setting Rend and me down next to them.

  I knew as a natural crow, I shouldn't be scared, but I was seriously about to pee my pants. We were literally standing on nothing, at least twenty feet above the tallest pine tree.

  “I'll wait here,” Zara said.

  “Thanks for your help,” I said, wondering how exactly we were going to get back down without her. I really didn't want to fall from way up here.

  Mary Anne motioned for us to join her. I stepped carefully, unsure what we were even standing
on, much less where it started and ended.

  “Follow me,” she said. “Hold his hand as you come in.”

  She stepped forward and her body disappeared completely. I gasped. I knew I had to trust this, but I was learning more and more that I could no longer trust my eyes. It was a weird feeling.

  I squeezed Rend's hand and raised an eyebrow. He smiled and nodded. With a deep breath, I followed Mary Anne, trying my best to place my foot exactly where she had stepped.

  My body buzzed with a peculiar energy, similar to the static shock I'd felt when I touched Harper's hand, but more intense and all throughout my body. I shook my head, shivering from the strangeness of it as it pulsed through me.

  Then I looked up and truly opened my eyes.

  I dropped Rend's hand and brought both my hands to my mouth. Holy crap. The forest of tree-tops was gone, replaced by a small village filled with colorful houses. A real sidewalk—just like in a normal neighborhood—wound around the whole village. Houses lined the walkway on one side and in the middle of the entire village was a large covered pavilion with a stone altar in the middle. I shivered, thinking of what that altar must have been used for. Had the Mother Crow performed dark rituals here? Blood sacrifice?

  How was she tied to the Devil?

  I looked around, trying to picture what it must have been like when the entire family of crow witches lived here. Some of them were evil like the Mother Crow, but many of them had to be more like Mary Anne and me. There might be darkness inside us, but we were always fighting for more light. We couldn't be the only ones.

  Mary Anne gave me a brief hug. “I'm sorry to bring you up here and leave, but I have to go,” she said. “If we're going to face the vampires and prove to them that you were never here, we all need to be there. Especially me. If I'm gone, they might suspect where we've hidden you.”

  “Thanks for everything,” I said. “You have no idea how much meeting you means to me.”

  “I feel the same way,” she said. “I’ll be back, if I can, when things blow over. We still have so much to talk about.”

  She gave us a small wave, then shifted back into the form of a crow and flew down into the cover of the trees.