“Hypocrite?” he croaked.
“I thought you were asleep.” She chuckled softly, sucked in a breath, blew it out. “He refused to join with the Order, or serve his time as he put it. The vows he took were the same ones you did, just with a different agenda. Protect the humans from the beasts…if the price is right.” She ran her hand over her face, stifling a yawn she thought he didn’t see. “There’s an underground order, rogue Hunters who train as mercenaries, killers for hire kind of thing. My father was one of them, taking his vow as a Hunter as serious as the dollar dictated.”
“No way!”
Lance could barely believe what he was hearing—a rogue group of mercenary Hunters that the Order knew nothing about? With how things had splintered after the Burning Times, it wasn’t unlikely, just hard to swallow. Questions pounded through his head, his fatigue snapping away as his thoughts revved through the new information. Where were these mercenaries located? How did they get contracts? Who organized them? But he pushed them back, reining in his fascination. This wasn’t about him—it was about her, her story. The questions could be answered later.
“Yeah, you have no idea.” She barked a laugh. “He was brutal to Mother as well. Like she was his to own and use. He beat her if she stepped out of line or asserted herself in any way.”
“A Hunter beat his mate?” Lance was appalled. He’d never stood behind any view of the Huntress being less than equal, or less important than the role of the Hunter. He’d never condone any action against them. Ever. “And other Hunters stood by and allowed that?”
“Yes, they allowed it. They didn’t like it, or at least that was my perception as a child, but Father was from an old world way of thinking, and he was respected, his powers to manipulate fire were coveted. He had a lot of wolf kills under his belt. Or rather, my mother had a lot of kills. He took the credit though. Just like many of the old school Hunters, the accolades went to the male. Huntress be damned.” She blew out a long breath before continuing. “Like any domestic violence, nobody wants to really step in, you know? Everyone thinks it’ll take care of itself or something.” She shook her head, bushed some hair behind her ear, her fingers shaking ever so slightly as she did. “Anyway, when they fought together, Mother and Father, like side by side, on a wolf hunt, they were glorious. They were united in those moments. A solid team. I remember it well, even craved that kind of connection.” She cleared her throat. “Those moments were great but few and far between compared to the other reality. When he got drunk or pissed off and then he’d beat the living shit out of her. And me too.”
Lance felt rage. He wanted to beat the shit out of her father, protect his mate from any more hurt. “I’m sorry you went through that.” He hugged her tight, his body quivering. Now he understood, or was starting to anyway. How could she trust anyone bearing a Hunter mark if she’d lived in that kind of world growing up? She’d be ingrained to mistrust, to fear.
“Yeah well, he’s dead now, so…”
That only gave him small comfort. “And your mother?”
“Dead too.” Her voice cracked. She cleared her throat. “When I was thirteen. Somehow on a hunt, she was struck down. Father was never clear on the details. It changed him though, made him harder, meaner, if that was even possible. Everything he’d given to her he put onto me. He trained me hard, schooled me severely when I didn’t perform.”
“How did he know you were a Huntress? I thought that it wasn’t possible to tell unless the Hunter comes to claim.”
“Any child born of a Huntress is a candidate. And there’s a ritual, like a blessing request that can be done. I was marked from birth, it was inevitable. And anyway, when you live around other Hunters and Huntresses, the traits come out a little easier and earlier, as if being around like people tricks your body or something. Anyway, I was really young when I started showing signs. I can’t even imagine what would have happened if I didn’t exhibit Huntress traits. That kind of failure would have been intolerable to Father.” She shrugged. “The Order has lost touch with the mythical side of things. You all don’t honor the Goddess anymore. The Order seems to have forgotten all about the magic and the rituals.”
“The scholars follow the texts.” Lance hadn’t ever bothered much with the Order’s idea of the way things were supposed to be. “They try to decipher what the hell is going on.” Which usually resulted in a total clusterfuck.
“The scholars don’t know shit. They’re stuck in an old world way of thinking. Gaps in their legacy, their knowledge, their training. It’s a decadent and deadly way of running things. Dangerous. Like Kelly’s Andrew, he knows enough that he’s a fucking disaster waiting to happen, total time bomb in the wrong hands. If he gives up any…” She shook her head, chuckled a bit. “Never mind that.”
Before he could do or say anything more, or even think too hard on what she’d just said, she’d somehow flipped around to face him. With her legs dangling on either side of the branch, straddling so that she was spread wide, she leaned forward, the cleavage display impressive, her breasts threatening to pop right out, nipples budding right before his eyes. She looked up at him from beneath her lashes. He knew that smile.
“Keep an eye out for beasts, will ya?”
She quickly moved her hands to his pants and popped the button, zippered down and had his cock in her hand within seconds. He moaned as he watched her dab her tongue to her top lip, licking around in a circle, promising to do the same to his cock as she stroked gently down his shaft.
“Are you watching?”
He nodded, his eyes sliding closed for a moment when her wet lips touched his cock and then parted to suck him down. “Yes, I’m watching.”
You.
She slid back up, smiling as she ran his cock along the seam of her mouth, then bypassed his shaft altogether in favor of his balls. Kissing him tenderly, reverently almost, a far cry better than past treatment of his sac. She gently enveloped one then the other into her mouth, rolling her tongue, flicking, teasing. He held her head as she stroked him with her hands, her tongue, her lips, even the slightest graze of her teeth. She was masterful as she played him, making him groan and buck.
With her hands gliding and her mouth sucking, he couldn’t help the rise of his climax, his orgasm shattering him once again as he came hard.
She wiped her lips and smiled as she put him back into his pants and zipped him up. “Now get some sleep and let me do my job,” she joked as she snatched the bow and an arrow once again. She turned her back to him, nestling against his chest somewhat, her body alert, her head moving as she surveyed the forest below.
As the afternoon progressed, they took turns watching over the others. Sharing snacks, avoiding conversation. She’d opened up to him and he could tell she was uncomfortable. Too much information shared on her part, a lot of information to digest on his. The silence was good though. Gave him time to think.
And sleep did come, three hours of broken fitful tree sleep. It wasn’t enough, his body still beyond exhausted, but it would have to do.
When they finally climbed down the tree and rallied the rest of the group, it was nearing sunset and almost time for Kelly to seek her beastly mate.
Chapter Fourteen
The Call
I was pacing. Nervous? No. Irritated with myself? Hell yes.
“Ugh.”
I shook my hands out, my body shuddering like I was trying to dislodge some parasite. I’d opened up to Lance. I’d let him into my head. He was seeping into my heart. It was making me feel…what? Angry? Vulnerable. Weak.
To make matters worse, I wanted to do it more. I wanted to tell him everything about my life. Share the most intimate details, my feelings, my fears, everything.
This is why the bond was bad. I could just kick Greer for the suggestion. For what I’d gained, okay, so maybe I’d experienced more of a power boost than I’d realized I would. Maybe it was
nice to have gotten only three hours sleep but feel like it was eight. Maybe I could accept that bonding with Lance hadn’t been a total waste.
But, and it was a huge but, I was falling for him. For fuck’s sake, I’d almost told him about our plan to get rid of Andrew. I’d almost gone down a path of letting him in on the grand scheme of enticing Kelly away from the Order. And why would I do that? To sabotage our mission? Could only be. No good would come from him knowing anything.
“You wanted to see me, Ariana?” Melonie came up the path to the small clearing where I waited ahead of the others, who were still lagging behind.
“How are things coming on the…ah…mixture?” I glanced over her shoulder, only catching a flash of Lance’s blond hair as he moved closer to us.
Melonie chuckled. “I’ve one more ingredient to collect.” She tapped the side of her backpack. “But I will get that in a matter of minutes now. In fact…” She reached over and picked something off my shoulder, holding up a strand of blond hair that seemed to shimmer gold in the last of the day’s rays. “Got it.”
I snorted, shook my head. “How long will it take you to mix it up?”
Melonie shrugged. “If you give me some quiet time? About an hour.”
“Okay, why don’t you go off and do that somewhere private? Things are under control here.”
“You’ll need more of this.” Melonie slipped her hand under the leather lip of her bag and pulled out a satchel of herbs. She shrugged at my cocked eyebrow. “I’m a quick study, been watching Ella while she works.”
“Like an apprentice. I’m pleased with your initiative.” I took them, the smell of clove strong. “We’ll summon Artemis first—see if she’ll speak to Kelly before we begin the ritual to call her beast.”
Melonie nodded. “I’ll work as quickly as I can.”
“Well, don’t rush. This potion needs to work properly. If there are problems when we call her beast, if we need backup, we’ll call for you.”
Melonie smiled and touched my shoulder before she moved off. Within seconds, she’d disappeared around a huge tree in search of a quiet place to mix a lust potion.
I rubbed the heel of my palm against my chest, right about where my heart was. It burned. The feeling of betrayal, even if it was just a thought in action now. As Lance came fully into view, the burn spread, twisting up my gut something awful. Once the bond was broken, once he realized I was behind it, he would hate me. And then I could go back to my bitter, solitary life, serving the humans, loyal to my tribe.
It was simpler that way and no one else got hurt. Lance would move on. Perhaps he would find another Huntress or even a human who could make him happy. There was no way it could be me. He was sunshine and I was darkness. My past haunted me, poisoning anything remotely resembling happiness in my future. At least when it came to relationships.
I was craving something that I couldn’t really accept. Love from Lance. God, I wanted it, but it just couldn’t be. I would never give myself fully to him and he deserved better.
“This the place?” Lance swung his sword over his shoulder, ready to slide it into the sheath on his back.
“Hang on.” I raised my hand and motioned him to pass the sword to me. Ever since we’d bonded, I’d had a weird itch to pick up his weapon and do a little sword play.
With a shrug, he passed it to me, swinging it around so that he offered the hilt. I grasped it with my right hand, testing its weight as I pulled it away from his palm.
“It’s heavier than I thought.” I took a swing, my balance a little off as it pulled me forward. I didn’t like it. It felt awkward…and yet…
“It’s the bond,” he said as he came around behind me, his hands on my hips, shifting me into a better position. “With a little practice, you’ll be able to use it just as well as I can.” He pushed his crotch against my ass, his cock hard as usual. His lips brushed my ear, breath fanning my hair slightly. “Maybe better.”
He ran his hands along my arms as if to guide my body through a swing. The sound of the others approaching had me pushing back, then turning on him, forcing the sword back into his hands with a hasty shove.
“I prefer my sickles.” I pulled both out, sliding them easily from their scabbards and came at him in a mock attack.
His eyes grew wide but being the warrior that he was, he recovered quickly. The sound of metal clashing with metal had the rest of the group rushing forward, weapons at the ready.
“Lance!” Kelly came running up as if she was going to throw her arms around him.
I launched another mock attack. Well, it was meant to be mock but suddenly I felt a little on the pissy side. He sidestepped Kelly, then deflected one sickle along the length of his sword, attempting to twist me away as he did. I spun in the opposite direction and came from above with the other, aiming for the side of his head. Could have taken his ear off for sure if I’d wanted. Instead, I sideswiped with a smirk, hacking off a bit of his golden locks as I did. “See, way more versatile.”
“Everything okay, Ariana?” Paige asked as she leveled her own sword at Lance.
Lance looked stunned, Kelly downright shocked.
I pursed my lips as I looked from her to him. “Of course it is. Stand down, Huntress. Lance and I were just playing.”
Kelly frowned as she watched me.
Take him if you want him, I wanted to say, but I couldn’t actually utter the words. This jealousy, it had to stop. I hated feeling this way.
“Just testing out the benefits of our bond.” I resheathed my weapons, smirking when Kelly flinched. She needed to toughen up but that would come with her beast’s bite.
Lance shook his head, then slid his sword into its scabbard as he walked toward me. With his hand on my hip, pulling me closer so that his mouth was next to my ear, he said. “Next time, I don’t hold back.”
I pulled myself away slightly, glancing at him with a cocked eyebrow and a smirk. “Neither will I.”
He smiled and winked. “Your fire makes me hot, Huntress. Let me see you burn.”
I disguised my surprise as best as I could. Totally not what I was expecting. So much for pissing the guy off—somehow I’d only managed to turn him on.
I shook it off and moved away from him. “Pack lines bisect here.” I motioned toward a cluster of trees twenty feet ahead. “Since Lazarus’s death, there’s been no replacement leader found who is strong enough to rule the vast numbers. His Lieutenants have been heading their own packs, branching off.”
“That’s better for us,” Lance said as he crossed his arms, back to all business. “They’re splintered, confused.”
“Yes and no. It’s hard to pin down exactly how many packs there are now, at least ten that we’ve tracked. Some are disorganized, some highly structured. All are being led by the strongest members of the pack, typically those who were turned by Lazarus himself, ones marked with the yellow eyes. But even among them there are variants of power. Those who are deemed weak or stupid don’t last long as leader. It’s pretty cutthroat, lots of transition, many injured wolves. That’s good for us.”
“We won’t know what to expect with each pack. That’s the problem, isn’t it?” Kelly stepped forward. “With Lazarus, we understood the limitations. His pack was ruled by his abilities and cycles, his rules.”
“Exactly.” I nodded. “The rules have changed. Each pack is transitioning to whatever their new leader demands. It’s seems chaotic right now. Might be for a long time. Unless they appoint a new Lazarus, but I don’t think there’s a wolf strong enough for that.” I pointed to the ground. “The new pack territory lines meet in this area. This is where we do the ritual to find your mate.”
Kelly’s eyes grew wide. “What, that’s going to happen right now?”
“We’re going to call to Artemis first for guidance.” I pulled the satchel Melonie had given me from my pocket and handed it to
Paige. “The Goddess may have some last minute advice.”
Lance snorted and I frowned at him. “You’re going to get high and call on a Goddess. Come on, Kelly, you don’t really think that Artemis is going to speak to you, do you?”
“And that is why we feel that Hunters are irrelevant.” His attitude didn’t surprise me, it was the attitude shared by most Hunters, even some of the renegades my father used to work with. “You men have lost touch with the most important aspect of our existence.”
“A Goddess? Come on.” Lance scoffed.
I shook my head. “The power of faith.”
I motioned for Kelly to walk with me, moving to a very small clearing where Paige had used her smokeless flames to start a ritual fire.
“What do I do?” Kelly’s hands were shaking as she rubbed her fingers over her mouth. “I mean, I’ve never spoken to Artemis. What do I say?”
Paige shifted out of the way to make room as we settled to the ground. I crossed my legs and reached out, palms up and beckoned Kelly to take hold. “All you need to do is breathe, deeply and often.”
Lance had trailed behind us and snorted but said nothing.
I shot him a dirty look before refocusing on Kelly. “When Paige drops the herbs into the flames, the smoke will be hard to take at first. It’s important that you inhale, though. You’re not getting high, but you are cleansing your mind to receive the Goddess. She’s been keenly interested in you. All you have to do is be open to her. Leave the rest to me.”
Kelly squeezed my hands and nodded. “I’m ready.”
“Good.” I nodded at Paige, who bent down and used both hands to crumble the contents of the satchel as it fell into the fire. The perfume of herbs rose immediately and I sucked it in, my mind taking it like a wallop, a wave of dizziness causing my upper body to sway. “Goddess great and good, strong, all knowing, guardian of the Huntress, we seek your guidance, we ask your advice. Our sister needs to find her beast, needs the power of its bite. Guide us, Artemis, lead your woman to find her true power.”
Valiant Heart Page 11