The Hunters Series

by Shiloh Walker

  Every mind that was focused on harming Eli right now was destroyed, utterly and entirely, in that very instant. Screams of terror filled the air as Malachi jumped from the building again, uncaring of any who saw.

  He usually made some attempt to hide his abilities, but nothing mattered beyond Eli right now. What the fuck did it matter that Malachi possessed abilities that no vampire was supposed to have? He could attribute it to the fact that his mother had been a witch. Now he wished she had been a Healer and he had some more useful magic in his blood.

  The bullets had damn near destroyed Eli’s heart. If he had been human, there would have been nothing left to save. As it was, Malachi was amazed.

  He took Sarel’s wrist, relieved to find a pulse was still there. Fairly strong, even though she was unconscious now. Using his own fangs to rip her wrist open, he pressed the wound to Eli’s mouth.

  Thankfully, the blond vampire closed his mouth over the wound of his own accord after a few moments. Malachi slid his hand under Eli, to cover the gaping wound there and prevent more blood from flowing out.

  When Eli’s eyes finally opened, Malachi breathed out a ragged sigh of relief.

  And then he sent out a summons.

  Malachi was finally going to get to meet Tori Reilly.

  Chapter Ten

  Eli rolled onto his side, staring at Sarel’s still body. Malachi said gruffly, “Somehow you forged a bond without sex. Or without enough sex. Agnes saw it. I brought Sarel here.”

  “She doesn’t want this,” Eli said.

  “She was dying, as surely as you were,” Mal said softly. “I saw it with my own eyes. Even without tonight, you both would have died without the other in a matter of months.”

  Eli wrapped his cold hand around hers and called her. She was going to hate him.

  Tori arrived at the house four hours later and promptly offered her wrist. She joked with Eli tenderly, “I’m a walking blood bank, aren’t I?” She looked at Sarel who lay sleeping in the bed next to him, curling around him, needing his nearness even in sleep.

  “Bonded?”

  “She doesn’t want it,” he said.

  “Fuck that,” Malachi said harshly. “She loves you.”

  “She told me, plain as day, she doesn’t want to spend forever with me. And now, we’re both screwed.” Eli couldn’t fight off the urge to curl around her naked body, his own aching from the assault he had taken only hours before. That would all fade, thanks to Tori, within a week or so, instead of months, but for now, he hurt.

  “I’m sorry,” Tori whispered, sitting by his head, stroking her fingers through his hair. Declan stood behind her, wrapping her wrist with a bandage she wouldn’t even need in ten minutes as he had a stare-down with Malachi. The ancient one stared at Tori with gleaming, navy eyes, a hungry, appreciative smile on his lips before he looked back at Declan.

  He smiled slowly, moving his eyes from the wolf back to the wolf’s lovely mate who stood studying Malachi with curious eyes. Malachi let his eyes roam over her lithe little body, his thoughts clear on his face before returning his gaze to Declan.

  The devilish glint in the ancient’s eyes faded as Eli glared at him. “Time. Eli. Give it time,” Malachi suggested from his crouch in the corner, his long fingers weaving his damp, long hair into a braid. His naked chest still gleamed from the shower he had taken just minutes ago to wash the dried blood from his body. He had waited until the last, waiting to see that Eli would be fine before he had bathed.

  Even then, he had gone to check on Jonathan and Lori first.

  “Time,” he repeated absently, staring out the window.

  Eli laughed sourly. “I have all the time in the world now, don’t I?”

  Sarel woke to darkness.

  Eli’s bed—his scent surrounded her, filled her.

  He filled her.

  She remembered the brutal burning pain, and his memories assaulted her; she sat up screaming, her hands pressed to her temples. Gone. He was gone. Gone.

  Eli’s arms came around her and he pressed his lips to her brow and whispered, “I’m fine, pet. I am fine.”

  Her hands raced over him, feeling scars and wounds. He flinched and she jerked as an echo of his pain raced through her. “What has happened?”

  “We bonded.”

  “I thought it hadn’t happened yet.”

  “So did I,” Eli said softly, his hands falling away. She caught a faint glimpse of his golden eyes as her own eyesight adjusted to the darkness. He let her move away and he didn’t follow.

  She suspected he couldn’t just yet. She smelled another woman on him. “Tori fed you,” she said softly.

  “Her blood heals faster than others,” he replied. From the sound of it, he had lain back down. “Malachi called her. And frankly, I don’t see the point of suffering through weeks or months of weakness if feeding from her can change that.”

  “Do you love her?”

  “What do you care?” he asked bitterly, staring into the darkness. “You do not love me. This bond is nothing more than a bloody unfortunate inconvenience to you. A bloody cruel trick that God and fate played on you. I care for Tori. Very much. We still share a bond, and on some level, I do love her, but more as a friend. I think I could have fallen in love with her if I hadn’t met you. And been bloody miserable, because she belongs to my best friend.”

  “I don’t want you fucking her,” Sarel said harshly.

  “Bloody hell, what kind of bastard do you take me for?” He laughed but the sound was bitter. “I have no plans, now or ever, of fucking her again. Unlike you, I would not want to cause my mate pain.”

  Sarel flinched as the implication sank in. Damn it, what was she doing? He was going to think she really didn’t care.

  Laughing softly, he murmured, “That’s just it, pet. You really don’t.”

  She froze.

  Sarel hadn’t realized just how complete the bond had become. Eli could read her thoughts, but couldn’t yet see inside her soul. Because she did care. Damn it, she loved him.

  But when she turned around to tell him, he had disappeared—shifted into that damned insubstantial mist and left.

  He loved that fucking disappearing act of his.

  It was very possible for two people to co-exist in one house for days on end without seeing each other. To even sleep in the same bed. Eli waited until exhaustion had her dropping before he slid into bed. It took the edge off and he was able to function. Pressing his body to hers filled the hole in his heart, for the day, while he slept, even though he did wonder why she bothered to adapt her sleep pattern to his.

  And he wondered why she bothered to seek him out.

  He didn’t give a flying fuck if he looked the bloody coward. If he heard her footsteps, he simply shifted and left the room. Tori looked at him with raised brows and knowing eyes when he reformed in the game room, a room he never entered.

  Declan was out doing patrol, making sure all was at peace. Malachi had patrolled the previous night. They’d switch off until Eli’s strength had returned.

  Settling into a chair to watch Tori and Jonathan play pool, Eli wished he had never accepted Sarel as a student.

  “You can’t run forever.”

  “I find it hard to believe you run at all,” Malachi said, entering the room, his dark blue eyes narrow and cool. He tossed Tori a hot glance but she ignored him. Eli was rather satisfied to see that she was more immune to Malachi than either of the men had expected.

  “I’d prefer not to have my heart smashed to pieces again, thank you very much,” Eli said, staring up at the ceiling. Maybe he’d go for a ride. It was close enough to sundown. By the time he got the horse saddled, changed clothes…

  “You are hiding from the gun?” Malachi asked, confused. “Those men are of no danger. What few lived through the mental blast are mindless now, nothing but blathering idiots. Tis unlike you—you have never hidden from danger before. Has your mind been damaged?”

  Eli laughed while Tori snick
ered, sending the older vampire an amused look. “He’s talking about having his heart broken, Malachi. Figuratively,” she advised him.

  Malachi sent her a withering look. God forbid the ancient one be wrong, Eli thought with some reluctant amusement. Yes, a ride would be good—a slow easy ride. A few more days and his body would be mended and he would tackle the problem of how to deal with Sarel. Perhaps if she would be willing to spend two weeks a month—

  “Just take her to bed and keep fucking her until she realizes what a fool she is,” Malachi told him, ignoring the arch look Tori sent his way. Malachi wasn’t very pleased about a woman who wasn’t overly impressed with him. Granted, it was tiresome having a woman who fell over her own feet to please him, but a winsome, graceful woman who knew how to pleasure a man was a treat.

  “Yes,” Eli said sarcastically, smacking his hand. “That is exactly so. Do exactly what put me is this spot and all is well.”

  Tori smiled and shrugged. “Actually, it may be not a bad plan. But I’d replace the fucking with some loving. She does care for you, Eli. The bond wouldn’t have happened without it, no matter what you think.”

  Sarel glanced over her shoulder and suppressed a sigh. Exactly who she needed to see.

  Tori leaned against the railing, tipping her head back, soaking in the late day sun. “Eli’s going for a ride in a bit. By the time he has changed clothes and gotten the horse ready, the sun will have set. It will be a few hours before he is back, so I have a question for you. But before I ask it, I need to tell you something.”

  “He is in love you,” Tori said.

  “I know,” Sarel answered quietly, her belly flipping over. It did, every time she thought of it. She had come to grips with it, and in the past few days she had even accepted it. But every time she tried to talk to Eli, he disappeared. Oh, she knew he was there. She could feel him as he slid past her, or scent him in the air around her, knowing he had just vacated the room.

  He would be warm around her body right before she woke, and then gone. “I keep trying to talk to him. I’d like to say he won’t listen, but the bastard won’t sit still long enough for me to find him.”

  Tori asked, “Do you blame him?”

  “No.” Sarel groaned and let her head fall forward, missing it as Eli ran swiftly from the house to the stable, moving away from the still painful effects of the too bright sun. Within the next thirty minutes, it would be safe for him. But not yet.

  “Okay. Here’s my question. Do you love him?”

  “Yes,” she said. Something inside her broke free and tears seeped down her cheeks and she repeated it quietly, “Yes. I do.”

  “Want some advice?” Her eyes on the stable, Tori said, “Go to bed. Like as in now. When he comes in, pretend you’re already asleep. You’re a witch, meditate. You can fake it. When he comes in, as I’m sure he will, jump him. He won’t be able to say no. I smell him all over you. I know you share a bed. Once he’s inside you, he won’t be able to not listen to you.”

  A rather simple plan.

  Sarel wondered why she had not thought of it.

  Tori turned and was on her way out. Then she stopped and looked back. “One more question. Why did he send you away?”

  “I told him I didn’t want to live forever with him,” Sarel said, her face hot with shame. “I lied. I thought he’d get tired of me.”

  “You really don’t understand the bond thing, do you?”

  Sarel reached up and rubbed her aching chest, where her heart seemed to beat only half the time. Weakly, she smiled and said, “I didn’t until the past week.”

  * * * * *

  Eli slipped into the room.

  He really wasn’t certain how much more of this he could take.

  Shedding his clothes, he wrapped his body around hers, breathing in her scent. He had fed from Declan. His circle of meals was growing sparse as well. He’d have to start hunting soon just to find blood. It was impossible to feed from Tori without wanting to fuck her, and even that urge would hurt Sarel. If he didn’t give in, he feared that would hurt Tori. So he was screwed either way there.

  Her chest moved regularly in sleep so he cuddled a little closer, and stroked her hair, rubbed his hand over her hip, caressed his thumb across her satin skin. She looked better as well. The pallor had faded, replaced by the warm honey gold of health. He had seen her from the stable, talking to Tori. It hadn’t turned to violence, which satisfied him.

  His cock ached.

  Cuddling it against her butt, he ordered himself to sleep. The sun was riding dangerously high, so high, his skin was near tingling before he had come inside. Of course, Malachi and Tori were still out there. Lucky bastards.

  Malachi didn’t believe it.

  He was in for a surprise…

  Eli tumbled headlong into sleep.

  Sarel’s skin was humming with need. She had followed Tori’s advise all right. She had bathed in oil—honeysuckle, of course. She knew how much Eli loved the way she smelled. Then she had slept, lightly. When he had entered the room, she was aware. She rested for a while longer, and woke far earlier than he.

  Rolling to her side, she tossed the covers off and stared down at him, licking her lips. Lowering her head, she pressed a kiss to his mouth and whispered, “I love you,” just to make sure she was able to say it, at least once. Just in case he did his little vampire presto change-o once he woke.

  Of course, she thought as she shimmied down, she was going to make as sure as she could that he wouldn’t want to go anywhere.

  She licked his cock, his balls, then his cock again, taking the hardening shaft deep inside her mouth, working it until it was hard and firm, wet from her mouth. Wrapping her hand around the base, she picked up a steady rhythm, staring up his body. The room was still dim, so she loosed a low ripple of magic, and tiny balls of light bounced throughout the room—like candles—and she was able to see his body clearly just as his lids lifted.

  The fog was clearing from his eyes—eyes that were hot with lust—and she chanced a little more magic, a locking spell, in case he did decide to do a shift. She didn’t know if it would work, but she felt the spell in the air as it locked into place. If it worked, Eli may be able to shift, but he wouldn’t be able to reform anywhere outside this room.

  But he did not try to shift into mist.

  Burying one hand in her hair, he groaned and pumped his hips up into her mouth, the other hand going down to cup his balls. “Sarel,” he rasped, staring down at her face, his eyes swirling, glowing and burning hot.

  The muscles of his chest heaved with a ragged breath and his belly flexed as she slowly lowered her head back down, lifted back up, staring up into eyes all the while.

  The adoration she saw there nearly broke her heart. She had tried to throw that away. She was such an idiot. Swallowing the head of his cock down, eyes tearing, throat and lungs burning, she tried to take as much as of him as possible. Swirling her tongue around the rounded head, she stroked the furred sac of his balls with one, and pumped his cock up and down with the other.

  Eli cried out and his come shot down her throat in rhythmic waves. While he lay gasping for breath, she pulled away and straddled him. When he would have tumbled her to her back, she shook her head, snapped her fingers, whispered words of an entrapment spell.

  His wrists were pulled high over his head without his consent, his eyes wide, and then curious. She lowered her head and kissed him, licking his full lower lip, moving down to nip his neck. “You. Tonight is for you,” she murmured. “And there’s something I probably oughta tell you.” She straddled him, staring down at him where he lay pinned by her magic. The position caused the muscles in his arms to bulge and displayed his chest rather well, Sarel decided. Leaning down to kiss him just there she took his cock into her hand and slid down slowly, biting her lip as she worked him inside.

  The wet, warm clasp of her pussy hugged him tightly as she slid down on him and Eli groaned raggedly, his hands closing into tight fists as he
jerked uselessly against the unseen restraints. Ever so slowly, feeling his width carving through her, Sarel slid down until she’d taken all of him and then she leaned forward, planting her hands against the muscled wall of his chest, her hair falling around them as she stared into his eyes.

  Slowly, the action difficult after keeping her feelings hidden after so long, Sarel shoved the barriers to her emotions aside as she seated herself fully on him. Leaning over him, she took his face in her hands, gasping as it drove him just a little deeper inside her. “I do care, Eli. More than that, I love you,” she whispered, rocking against him, riding him slowly as the pleasure built.

  “Free my hands, pet,” he growled, his fangs dropping down as he pulled his mouth away. Arching his back, he pushed his cock deep inside the wet embrace of her pussy and shuddered as she convulsed around him, her head falling back as she moaned and whimpered.

  Then she shook her head. “No… This is for you…”

  And leaning over him, she lifted her hips up, and started to ride, taking his cock in slow, shallow strokes, then faster, steadier strokes, until he started to shaft her deeper, his eyes locked on her face as he twisted his hips and pushed the head of his cock over the spot deep inside her cleft that made her scream.

  She felt the soft, seductive push of him inside her mind as the climax washed over her and she whimpered as he started to wrap her in a web of seduction so tight, so hot she could barely breathe past it.

  “Let me go, Sarel,” he rasped. She released the spell and cried out when he rolled her under him, shoving her legs wide and high, brushing her hair back and nuzzling her neck. Pressing the back of his neck and arching her own toward him, she cried out as Eli struck.

  His fangs sank deep as he fucked her hard and rough and desperately. “Love you,” he told her silently in her mind as he rode her. “Love you, love you love you.”

  As she buried her fingers in his hair, his hot mouth at her neck sending shudders down her spine that merged with the ones his cock was sending upwards. “If you’d stopped…avoiding….me, I’d have told you…sooner,” she panted, driving her hips upward, taking more of him.