Masters of the Hunt: Fated and Forbidden

by Sarra Cannon

  Judge, jury and executioner, Gaby hissed as she closed the distance between them. What would it be? In the end, she chose a well aimed kick to the back of his knee to bring him down. She waited for the blood to roll onto his back before putting her boot to his throat.

  He was sweating profusely. The stuff dripped off of him. His large chest heaved. The blood made a choking noise. Both of his hands gripped the shoe, trying to pry her off. His nails were extended but useless against the thick leather. His lips peeled back exposing long, gleaming fangs. Sure, he was over six feet and heavily muscled but that didn’t mean anything. She was after all a demon skin. He was so dead.

  She removed her boot, letting her hands drop to her sides. “This is the part where you start to beg.” She smiled. “Maybe you want to insist that you didn’t do it or try and bargain your way out.” Gaby folded her arms and the soft leather bodysuit that encased her body squeaked softly.

  The blood spat as he rose to his feet. A little unsteady, he almost fell before righting himself. Like she would fall for that one, she knew that he would be perfectly fine by now. Any damage would be healed and his composure would have returned. He was a demon after all.

  “No,” he breathed the word. “I did it.” He chuckled. “Enjoyed it.” His eyes slid down the length of her. “Pity you’re not human. I love that they take so long to heal. It meant I could slice them and dice them. Watch them bleed.” He let his eyes drift closed. “Smell the sweet scent of their blood.” He made a sound of rapture. “Hearing them beg me to kill them was so rewarding. The begging and begging…on and on…” When his eyes opened, they were glowing. “I loved every minute of it.”

  When he didn’t say anything more. “Are you done?” She asked, feeling her stomach churn with disgust for the lowlife in front of her.

  He smirked, nodding. “Kill me. It won’t bring them back.” He smiled a feral grin. “Nothing will ever bring them back.”

  She shook her head. “At least you won’t be able to hurt anyone else. Are you ready to die?”

  The blood smiled at her, looking arrogant. So evil that it caused a shiver to run up her spine. “Funny…” His smile widened. “That’s exactly what I asked them in the end. I already knew the answer of course.” It took everything in her to stop from launching herself at him. The blood was too smug. He should be on his knees begging round about now. Why wasn’t he begging? Hearing of how he had hurt those innocent women caused her blood to singe her veins.

  Gaby hissed, the sound would be deafening to the blood. She threw herself at him, pretending that she was acting out of pure rage. Only, she sidestepped at the last moment and actually felt the air displace. The blood had thrust a silver knife into the place that she would’ve been standing.

  Gaby hissed as she knocked the blade from his tight grip.

  The blood’s eyes widened and his skin turned pale. “No!” he shouted. His eyes narrowed as he lunged for her in a final attempt to save himself. Gaby was far quicker though. She punched the blood square in the jaw, loosening a few of his teeth.

  The dull thud from the blow resonated around the alley.

  “Please.” Blood sprayed from his mouth. “No, don’t.” He cringed as she punched him a second time, the blow brought him to his knees. His face crumpled as he started to cry. Why was it that the worst perpetrators were always the biggest babies?

  “God no, please. You can’t do this to me. No…” He covered his face with his arms.

  “You didn’t listen when you tortured and killed those helpless women. When they begged you for mercy.”

  “I’m sorry.” He yelped when she smashed another blow to his face. He almost fell from the impact. More blood sprayed. When he spat, several teeth landed on the asphalt in front of him. “It won’t happen again.”

  “You’re right, it won’t.” Putting her serrated teeth to good use, she ripped his head from his body, enjoying how his bones crunched and his blood sprayed. Warm and oh so good for the complexion.

  His body fell to the floor with a dull thud, followed closely by his head. Using her slightly less bloodied left hand, she removed her cell and dailed DCA. After identifying herself, she said, “I need a clean-up team at my current location.” After getting the confirmation she needed, she disconnected.

  Next, she dailed Phoenix.

  “It’s my favorite mate.” His deep voice penetrated through the device at her ear.

  She had to smile. “I had better be your only mate, buster.”

  He chuckled, the sound causing goosebumps to rise all over her body. “No other woman would do and you know it.”

  She made a sound of acknowledgement. “I need you to do me a little favor.”

  “Name it,” Phoenix answered without hesitation.

  “I need you to run me a nice hot bubble bath.” The skin around her mouth felt tight as the blood began to congeal.

  “Busy day at the office?”

  “Very.” She smiled.

  “The twins are asleep, so I might be able to throw in a little backrub.” His voice had turned husky.

  “I’m on my way.” It was her turn to sound a little breathless. Gaby pressed the disconnect button, stashed her phone, and waited impatiently for the clean-up team to arrive. There was a bubble bath and a sexy wolf waiting with her name written all over them…

  The End

  *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

  Thank-you for reading Demon Chaser: SKIN. There are three more stories in the Demon Chaser series: OMEGA, ALPHA and HYBRID. If you enjoy reading about vampires…with a twist…you can sink your teeth into my bestselling serial Chosen by the Vampire Kings.

  I live on an acre in the country with my gorgeous husband, three sons and an array of pets including a ball python. I believe that it is the small things that matter, like that feeling you get when you start a new book or a beautiful sunset.

  Find out more:

  Website: www.charlenehartnady.com

  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorhartnady

  Latest Release newsletter: http://mad.ly/signups/96708/join.

  *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

  Donor (Dresdan Coven)

  By Amber Ella Monroe

  Heat rating: Steamy

  Paranormal Romance

  When District 5 discovers that Elaina has taken sides with the Dresdan vampire race, they put out a bounty—payable to anyone for her live capture. Elaina wants nothing to do with the organization’s immoral experiments and she has since denounced all ties with them. Her vampire lover, Vicq, helped her prevent capture before, and as a result of aiding her, he is caught and forced to appear before Master Vampire Russo and sentenced to die for his violation of putting the Dresden race at risk. Elaina is left with no choice but to remain hidden using a fake identity. But she can only run so far. When her location is compromised, the countdown begins in the fight for her life.

  Introduction

  GLOSSARY

  THE DRESDAN COURT

  Dresdan: an ancient race of vampires whose origins date back to 2 BC. They are the most deadliest and ruthless of all vampire species in the world.

  Master: Head vampire that leads his race or coven. Possesses great knowledge, experience, and power.

  Superior: High ranking member of the Dresdan Court. Assists the Master in his duties. Possesses great knowledge, experience, and power.

  Soldier: Carries out the duties of the Master and the Superior(s). Possesses experience and power based on the number of blood kills and age.

  Fledgling: A young vampire who is immature and inexperienced in his abilities and powers. They can later become a Soldier but must earn that ranking through years of service and sacrifice.

  Donor: A human whose only purpose is to serve the needs of a specific Dresdan indefinitely or for an undetermined period of time.

  Blood Slave: A human whose only purpose is to serve the needs of the Dresdan.

  DISTRICT 5 INC.

  District 5: an underground secret organiza
tion whose mission is to create a new species of human (hybrid between vampire and human DNA).

  Host: A human capable of sustaining the vampire agent without a complete transformation or dying (aka, Human-in-Stasis).

  Recruiter: Employed by District 5 to recruit those who will sign a lifelong employment contract to serve the mission of the organization.

  Tracker: Employed by District 5 to hunt down, capture, and/or execute the Dresdan.

  The Five: A mark emblazoned in the flesh of District 5 members who’ve pledged their life to serve the mission of the organization. It usually appears on their necks, arms, or shoulders.

  Chapter 1

  Without her Glock 43, Elaina was no match for a bloodthirsty vampire.

  Her tracker intuition told her one was following her. The vampire made no attempt to mask its presence. Dark shadows loomed over the pavement around her as it hastily shifted from one area to the next, but it never fully materialized. Revealing their true form to a human wasn't something vampires were known for...unless they planned to kill said human.

  Elaina kept her gaze on the ground and quickened her pace. Although the parking garage wasn't that far away, it seemed to take her an eternity to reach it. The worst thing she could do at this point was run. There was no escaping them, and no point in fleeing once you became a target. Death was the only outcome. Theirs or yours. One shot to the head or a clean slice through the neck proved to be the quickest way to destroy these creatures. But tonight was her unlucky night. Mid-day, she'd left all weapons in her SUV. The metal detectors at the Courthouse would have immediately exposed her if she hadn't. As a tag and title clerk at the local government office, her position never required her to go beyond the onsite metal detectors. However, two of the clerks had called in sick in another department and she was chosen to cover for one of them. It was also the reason she was working late. She never stayed out past evening.

  But here she was with nothing to defend herself with. Not even a damn razor blade.

  Something told her the vampire would not allow her to make it to her SUV, but it was worth a try. Continuing toward the covered garage, she contemplated her limited options.

  The tall wrought iron street lamps gleamed on the sidewalk, and her heels echoed into the night as they hit the asphalt. Gusty winds blew against her exposed face, lifting the hair off her shoulders. She caught the scent of two more presences directly behind her on the breeze, but these two weren't vampires. One smelled of cheap aftershave and the other of pine-scented soap. They were human. Both were men. And they were the only ones between her and the vampire.

  Customarily, vampires didn't discriminate when it came to a feeding. Blood was blood. The nourishment that kept them alive. Maybe he or she was just hungry. Could the men be the decoys she needed to make a clean escape? Or would her plans backfire?

  If this thing were one of the greedier, younger vampires, then more than likely he'd chase all three of them down and feed until their bodies were lifeless.

  Resisting a vampire was like struggling to stay awake when fatigue had set in. Sooner or later, the body succumbed. There was no denying these creatures a feeding. Death came swiftly to those who opposed them.

  Elaina had once been a vampire tracker until she had made one false move that had cost her the job. Now, she was being hunted by both the organization that had employed her and the very beings she'd been contracted to kill, but not for the same reasons.

  Both sides would have to put up a good fight if they wanted her because she refused to become a research rat and would never welcome death.

  Tonight was no different...

  She stopped cold on the pavement...and so did everyone else. Elaina spun around. At that moment, she had confirmation that she was the one being tracked this time around. She stared directly at the barrel of the gun that was being pointed at her by one of the humans. The next events happened like flash animation in rapid succession right before her eyes.

  The vampire caught the men who had been following her by surprise, rushing up behind them and grabbing them both by the throat. They were stunned and—like her—unprepared for the ravenous predator.

  Just as she was about to make a break for it, a gun fell from one of the victims' hands and skidded across the pavement. The other man gripped a rope. Had these two actually been pursuing her?

  She scurried backward, nearly tripping over her own feet, yet her eyes would not leave the scene.

  The vampire must have held them in a death grip. All she saw were the whites of their eyes and a large dark shadow behind them. The creature honed in and struck the first victim in the jugular, sucking the life right out of him. The second victim's arms and legs began to shake and then he was completely still.

  Damn. The Dresdan had drained one while choking the other.

  It tossed their limp carcasses onto the grass along the sidewalk. From deep within the shadows, it eyed her—the main course. Deep crimson eyes burned bright like fire. The ends of the trench coat it wore fanned outward with the breeze. It was moving toward her.

  Her legs finally obeyed and she fled, the wind whipping across her ankles as if urging her to hurry. She shrugged off her long pea coat in an attempt to run faster. Her heels clicked the pavement, echoing against the stone walls.

  She parked on the same level every day, but tonight it seemed like she had to cross mountains to get to her SUV. Taking the elevator was not an option, of course. Standing still for even one second would be disastrous.

  Elaina heard the familiar swooshing sound the vampire made just before they shifted from one place to the next. The sound was closer than before. He was gaining on her.

  Her heart pumped frantically and her lungs burned from exertion. She picked up her pace, pushing herself to reach her destination. Her Tahoe sat in the corner. The last one on the right within what was now a desolate parking garage. If she died tonight at the hands of a vampire, it was likely that no one would find her body until morning when it was cold and rigid with death.

  The moment she thought she'd reached her SUV successfully, the vampire unfolded in front of her, blocking her path. He was huge, and her eyes leveled with the lower portion of his chest.

  Before she could raise her gaze higher to confirm that the killer had caught up to her, he reached for her. He grasped her by the waist and lifted her off the ground. She opened her mouth to scream, but a gloved hand clasped over her lips.

  Elaina kicked her feet, connecting sharp-heeled pumps to her captor's shins. She might as well have been fighting with a sumo wrestler. His grip was firm. His grainy leather glove muffled her cries, and she focused on wriggling out of his grasp. There was no mistaking what type of vampire he was now. The ancient spicy aroma gave him away.

  Dresdan, for sure.

  There was only a handful of vampire species, but Dresdan were one of the most powerful, and the most ancient of the group.

  Her captor lowered her heels to the pavement and his massive frame pushed her back into the metal pole behind her. The hard beam felt alien digging against her spine. Her eyes turned left and right, looking for a savior. Someone. Anyone. Still, he pressed his palm to her mouth, preventing her speech. The SUV was only a few feet away, but she'd failed to reach it.

  Elaina strained to peer up at him, but the height of her captor prevented this. Only the black shirt stretched over his taut chest muscles could be seen from her line of sight. He bent down farther, so close that his chin touched her forehead, and then he inhaled deeply.

  Oh, my God. She would die. But why tonight?

  "When I let my hand up, you keep your trap shut," her captor hissed into the side of her face.

  She sucked in another breath and clasped her fingers onto the chilly metal behind her. Her heart drummed with the consistent cadence of a marching band. Dammit, she was stronger than this! Had she turned into a wimp after all this time?

  "You got that?" it demanded when she didn't answer.

  She squeezed her eyes shut
and nodded her head.

  "You scream...we'll both be executed."

  His harsh, warning tone frightened her, but she bounced her head in agreement once again.

  Executed? Those were the only words that had registered.

  He straightened his posture and slowly lifted his hand from her mouth. She parted her lips, taking a gulp of fresh air. It burned her lungs as she recovered from lack of oxygen.

  Gradually, she lifted her chin, then her eyes to identify the brute. He wore a black leather hooded cloak. Sleek hair framed and covered most of his face. The blood from his last snack had leaked from one corner of his mouth, and some of it had settled on his chin. His fangs were exposed, and they were a good three inches long. Red glowing orbs glared down at her. The rest of him—a black shadow in the night.

  On her next exhale, she released a belated scream.

  Chapter 2

  The high-pitched scream wrenched from Elaina's throat and echoed through the atmosphere. The Dresdan's palm clamped over her lips, this time with more force.

  It was over for her. She had no chance of escape. Should she even try? Once a Dresdan got ahold of something, anyone could bet on destruction and death. Always in that order.

  He'd discarded two grown men like a dissatisfying snack. There was no doubt that the Dresdan was ready for a meal. Female blood gave the male Dresdan an instant high. Many human females had been captured and carted away by the most ruthless of Dresdan. There was something about an excited, scared, or aroused female's blood that appealed to them. An abundance of fear mixed with the adrenaline running through her system was sure to appeal to him.