The Hunters Series

by Shiloh Walker

  “So you’re judge, jury and executioner?” she asked, her voice wobbling a little. This wasn’t the first time, it seemed. He had done it before.

  “We do not make mistakes, not the way a jury of humans could. I’ve never killed a man who didn’t deserve the death I dealt him. And I’d wager Eli hasn’t taken an innocent life, well, not once he passed the madness of the first days after he had changed. We know the smell of evil, and even if we didn’t, such a scene as this cannot be interpreted wrong. Eli doesn’t pick his kills carelessly, and neither do I.”

  He flexed his hands and Tori saw, for the first time, his long, graceful hands weren’t quite…normal. His nails had started to darken and lengthen, and as she watched, the muscles in his arms and torso started to ripple before smoothing out when he gritted his teeth and closed his eyes. “I do not like death, Tori. I do not enjoy killing, regardless of the circumstances. But I do like knowing that these men will never harm another creature.”

  Tori swallowed, her throat tight and her belly hot. Tears had started to trickle down her face, but she recalled the young girl she had seen. “So do I,” she said softly, dashing one tear away. She scrubbed her face with her hands, unknowingly smearing the blood, before she met Declan’s eyes and asked, “What do you do now?”

  He smiled and traced one hand down her cheek gently. “Go back to Eli’s. You need to rest, and you need to think. I will take care of this,” he told her.

  She caught his hand and tugged until he turned his face back to her. “Take care of it how?”

  “His body needs to be disposed of. I’ll hide the drugs, make it look like this one,” he indicated the man whose blood had finally stopped flowing from his neck, “had taken the drugs and it was all a fight over that. Eli will take care of the girl. Rescuing the innocent is his favorite pastime. All neat and tidy.”

  “Tidy,” she whispered faintly.

  “Go back to Eli’s.”

  She did.

  The buzzing had returned and Tori wondered dimly if vampires could go into shock. She wandered down the midnight dark trail, following the signs of their earlier passage easily and unconsciously, her mind in turmoil.

  She stood on the porch later, staring into the night, watching as the horizon started to lighten. One of Eli’s people had panicked and attempted to drag her inside and Eli had been forced to leave the safety of his home. They had remained outside as long as Eli had been able, trying to coax Tori inside before Eli had given up and led Nina in, promising Tori would be fine.

  Fine, well, that may have been pushing it. She didn’t feel fine.

  “You will be fine,” that old familiar voice whispered softly.

  Tori had an image of an old woman settling down in her rocker for a long chat and she suppressed the urge to scream. This? Now? “Who are you?” she thought wearily, trying to direct her thoughts down the path where she sensed the old woman.

  “A friend. Just somebody trying to help.”

  “Why didn’t you step in before this happened?”

  “I didn’t know it was going to happen. Only after Manuel came for you did I know about you. He is the one I follow. His death is the one I need for peace.”

  “Manuel. He is the one who bit me.”

  “He is.” A shuddering sigh filled Tori’s mind and she felt the enormous weariness that rode the old woman. “Five centuries I have waited, Tori McAdams, five long centuries, waiting for one who would not only survive the change, but survive with her humanity intact.”

  “You know what I am, knew what I would be? That’s why you came to me, isn’t it?”

  “Yes. You will find him. You will kill him. And I will finally be at peace.”

  “Who is he?”

  A sad, mournful cry came floating along the path and the old woman said sorrowfully, “My son.”

  And then her presence was gone.

  Tori stood in the early morning light, struggling to find peace. She didn’t know how to handle the emotions inside her. She had killed. She had witnessed cold-blooded murder.

  But she didn’t feel wrong. She didn’t feel guilty. And she was worried it was because she was becoming a monster. Her emotions hadn’t seemed to change, but she was certain that killing a man, and watching while an injured man was killed, should have been wrong, should have been evil.

  But it felt right.

  She forced her mind to think back to how she would have felt if she had stumbled upon the scene before she was changed. And she finally came to the conclusion that she would have killed that man just the same. With a gun, most likely, but he would be just as dead.

  And the other man deserved it as well.

  Men like that weren’t really men, but animals, sick animals. And Tori didn’t believe in trying to rehabilitate a sick animal. Jail wouldn’t have been good enough, even if they had been able to force such an ending. A jail term would have been too short, and too kind.

  She grew aware of the lateness, or rather the earliness, of the day when her skin started to itch. Glancing down, she saw her hands were lobster red, blisters forming, and a look at the sky told her it was probably close to seven. She retreated to the soothing, cooling darkness of Eli’s home, and the wide, confused eyes of his people.

  “The Master requested I care for you when you came in,” Nina said hesitantly, staring with confusion at Tori’s nearly burned face and the blisters that were starting to form. “Mistress—”

  “Don’t call me that,” she said wearily, fatigue making her limbs heavy.

  “Mis—ah, well. How can you take the sunlight?”

  She grew aware of Declan’s presence slowly, first his scent, which was ripe and hot with anger, and then his voice, which was harsh. “She’s a hybrid, Nina. She can tolerate sunlight, but damn it, Tori, did you have to bathe in it?” he snapped, appearing in front of her, the door behind him wide open and letting in more of the sun that was becoming far too painful for her sensitized nerves.

  “She’s not spoken, Mr. Reilly. Not a word since she returned and the Master said to leave her be. But how can she tolerate sun? Isn’t she newly turned?”

  “Nina, I don’t have time for questions,” Declan said harshly, gently lifting Tori up, taking care not to touch her face or blistered hands and forearms. “Go run a cool bath, and find me something to treat sunburn.”

  Tori giggled. “Sunburn?”

  “Have you seen yourself?” he snapped, carrying her upstairs and depositing her in the bathroom where Nina was indeed running a bath in the darkened room. Tori could see herself, even in the nearly dark room. Her face was red and blistered. Studying her hands, she saw more blisters. And on her fingers, some of those blisters were turning black. “Silly little fool, what were you thinking?”

  She made an attempt to tug her clothes off, craving the soothing, cool water, but her vision grayed, and then darkened.

  And she was out, unable to resist the heavy pull of sleep with the sun riding higher and higher in the sky.

  In sleep, she bore more resemblance to the vampires Declan knew. Her heart slowed and her breathing was minimal. But the sleep and the nourishment she had finally taken were working magic and her reddened, blistered skin was clearing and smoothing with every slow beat of her heart.

  He shouldn’t have used the methods he had used. Tori hadn’t been ready and he knew damn good and well it had been shock and confusion that had caused this. He should have had Eli deal with cleaning up the mess and brought Tori back here.

  Hindsight, after all, was twenty-twenty. Grimly, he hoped her hunger had been sated. He wasn’t certain he could get her to feed again tonight. He was also certain that tonight she was going to be full of questions. And he doubted he had the right answers.

  It was nearing twilight when he heard Eli wake.

  A great shuddering sigh left the old vampire as he climbed from his bed, his current companion still snuggling there, snoring softly. Declan could hear the woman’s soft, sighing breaths, and even her heartbeat, be
yond the sounds of rushing water as Eli showered.

  Later, the vampire appeared in the room, padding on silent feet to stare down at Tori. “Nina and I tried to bring her in before the sun rose, Declan. But she wouldn’t leave. I was worried that she might remain out there but I couldn’t stay any longer. And I did not think she would let herself burn to ashes.” He traced a gentle finger over a nearly healed blister and said with a sigh, “I should have forced her to come in.”

  “She has had a little too much forced on her of late,” Declan said, shaking his head. “Do not blame yourself. I should have come back with her, but I went about cleaning up as usual and didn’t think ahead to what it would do to Tori.”

  “She is still human in her heart,” Eli said softly. “I do not know if that is a weakness, or a strength.”

  “Neither do I.” Declan stared at his friend. “I do not look forward to the coming night. She will have questions, and she may be angry.”

  “Ah, I wouldn’t count on it,” Eli said, stifling a smile. “And…well, her mind was troubled when I first went to her outside. I sensed none of that turbulence when she crossed my threshold, only weariness. And then pain. I couldn’t understand that, but now I do. I would dare say that she was working this out in her mind. It would have been less painful if she hadn’t chosen the early morning sun as her confidant, but I believe she is at peace with last night.”

  “Maybe with her feeding, but not with me killing a man who was unconscious,” Declan muttered.

  “Hmm. Well, that aside, I recall when I was younger, after gorging, there was only one thing I wanted.”

  “More blood?” Declan drawled sardonically. “It may be mine she’s after.”

  “Well, she will be after you. But it is fucking she will want, not feeding. She is starting to wake. A word of advice—she is going to want to dominate. If you were human, you’d have no choice. But to let a vampire near mad with the urge to fuck dominate isn’t going to set a good precedent for your relationship. If I were you, and I rather wish I were, I’d do the dominating tonight.”

  “I don’t relish the master and servant role, Eli,” Declan said, watching Tori’s still face. How could the vampire sense she was waking?

  “It isn’t a role you need to play, and I am not suggesting a new lifestyle. But do not let her take you, Declan. These first nights are integral for who she will become. No matter how human her heart is, she is vampire, and her ways will be that of a vampire. If she gets used to taking and taking and taking, it will not be easy to change that.”

  Declan arched a blond brow at Eli and reminded him, “I am familiar with the vampire, Eli. You made certain of that, remember?”

  “Then you should know I am right,” Eli replied, his voice aggravated. He shoved a hand through his hair. “You are in love with her; I see it. But you will never be happy as anything other than her equal. She will be a Master, Declan. And the vampire Master cannot help but try to control everything around him. Can you tell me, old friend, that you would be happy under her control, for all your long years?”

  Declan sighed, pressing his thumb and forefinger to his eye sockets, trying to relieve the headache that was building. “I’ve no wish to dominate Tori. I do love her, and she will not be happy under anybody’s control, no more than you or I would be.”

  “For pity’s sake, Declan, I’m not suggesting you bring out the whips and handcuffs. But do not tell me you are sexually passive, or submissive. Do not tell me you haven’t taken control while you’re fucking her. I will not believe it, I know you too well.”

  Declan’s lids drooped and his mouth curled in an unconscious smile as he recalled the previous day. No whips or handcuffs, certainly. Not that the handcuffs didn’t hold some appeal.

  “There’s a difference between dominating her for this, and dominating her. You aren’t trying to control her, Declan. I doubt you could. Even her sire is having difficulty with that.”

  “Will her sire try for her tonight?”

  “I imagine so,” Eli said broodingly. “All the more reason for you to climb in that bed and take her. Your bond with her is proving to be as strong as the bond between sire and offspring. I would suggest you take advantage of that. She wakes.”

  Eli whirled, his open shirt and hair swirling around him as he left the room in swift silence. Declan remained seated a few moments longer, and then he shot to his feet, following Eli. He found him a floor down, with Nina caught up in his arms, intent on freeing the tiny redhead from her dress and shoving her hair aside.

  “A minute, Eli?” he asked as the vampire started to slide her skirt up.

  “Fuck, Declan, can you go away?” Eli muttered, glaring at him as he stroked the silky strands of hair from Nina’s neck. “I haven’t even had breakfast.”

  Leaning against the wall, Declan said, “Is breakfast the only thing you want right now?” He slid his eyes up the stairs, following the scent and sound of Tori.

  Eli’s eyes narrowed and he straightened. Smoothing Nina’s dress into place, he lifted her chin and kissed her softly before whispering in her ear. Nina left, not quite pouting, but very unhappy.

  “What did you have in mind?” Eli asked, cocking his head and staring at Declan with narrowed eyes.

  They parted a few minutes later and Declan returned to the room. Watching Tori’s still and silent face he settled back to wait, his mind running in circles.

  If her sire tried to call, Tori had to be protected. Take advantage of it, Eli had suggested.

  Aye, he’d take advantage, all right. Of her, of Eli, of every weapon he had in his arsenal, so long as it kept Tori safe.

  Chapter Seven

  Some five minutes later, Tori’s eyes started to move behind her eyelids. Her face grew more animated and her heart rate picked up. Several moments later she started to breathe steadily and finally her lids lifted and she stared at Declan, wide awake and alert.

  “How do you feel?” he asked, slumping lower in his chair and staring at her face. Only a faint redness remained and Declan imagined that would fade after she fed.

  Pressing one finger to her flushed cheek she winced and answered, “Sore. And silly. I never even paid attention to the sun.”

  “You’re lucky you didn’t kill yourself, Torrance. You can tolerate sunlight, yes, but that it was uncomfortable after a few moments tells me that you cannot walk in it as you once did. At least not yet.”

  “I figured that out.” She sat up, the sheets pooling in her lap. Declan’s eyes landed on her full breasts and rosy pink nipples and his mouth started to water, his jaws aching. “I needed to think.”

  “And…?” he asked with only half a mind. The other half had fixated on her naked torso, and with some reluctant curiosity, on the conversation with Eli.

  “They deserved it,” she said, lifting one smooth, pale shoulder. “Some people deserve death, you told me. I understand that, and they did deserve it.”

  A soft knock sounded at the door and Declan’s eyes closed as he whispered a silent prayer of thanks. “Come in,” Tori called, drawing her knees to her chest and arranging the sheets to cover her body.

  “We’ve brought some food,” Nina said softly, wheeling in a cart. “We will be leaving shortly and didn’t want you to go hungry. The Master said we should ask if you, ah, wanted food or…ah, hmm.” Her voice trailed off while she stared at Tori, obviously trying to understand this additional peculiarity, a vampire who could eat.

  “If you wanted food or me,” a soft baritone said from the doorway.

  Declan’s lids lifted minutely and he studied the tall man in the doorway. Well, man might not be accurate. A wolf. “Watch yourself, pup,” he said quietly, not straightening from his slouch as he watched the man cross the threshold.

  “I only seek to please the lady, Inherent,” this new shifter responded, instantly dropping his eyes. Inherent. A respectful, proper title, a polite way of letting Declan know that the new wolf was aware of their differences, and that he was the we
aker.

  “Her pleasure is my concern,” Declan said. “But if she is hungry, then by all means.”

  Tori’s eyes were wide, and Declan could see the slight bulge behind her upper lip as her fangs started to emerge. The wolf, a muscled brunette with the strong, sculpted physique of a weightlifter, asked quietly, “May I, lady?”

  Tori’s eyes flitted to Declan and he shrugged. “You’re hungry, you may as well.”

  The shifter didn’t so much as wait for her to open her mouth but crossed the floor and dropped to his knees beside the bed, facing away. His face was just a few feet from Declan’s but the man kept his eyes averted. “What’s your name, pup?” Declan asked.

  “Jonathan,” he responded as Tori shifted behind him, drawing the sheet and wrapping it around her before sliding to the edge of the bed. With him kneeling, she was right at his shoulder level. Licking her lips, she trailed her fingers over his neck.

  Jonathan shuddered, his eyes—a soft warm brown—were glowing gold and his cock was pressing firmly against his low-slung jeans. Tori flushed and Declan knew just when she had caught scent of the wolf’s arousal and he smiled when her own scent started to flare. Feeding was nearly a sexual thing for many vampires, and Tori wasn’t going to be much different on that.

  He was half aware of Nina setting up the food on the table—he smelled bacon, eggs, steak, potatoes—and though his belly growled insistently, he ignored it. He didn’t bother telling the girl not to mess with it, because he’d need to eat later.

  Tori threw her hair over her shoulder with one hand, the other gripping Jonathan’s arm and curling her fingers into his bicep. Declan watched as she struck, Jonathan flinched just slightly before his eyes closed in pleasure, his heart pounding heavily in his chest.

  Declan could smell the blood in the air, mingled with the scent of hot, hungry bodies. Nina stood just behind him, panting slightly, her body becoming damp and ready as she watched. Before Tori had come into his life, the little redhead might have tempted him. But Tori changed everything.