The sun rarely set here. His feeding choices would be limited; the human population was only around thirty-five hundred people. Wasn’t like there was a happening nightlife crowd here.
Pounding a fist on his door, she waited until he opened the ramshackle thing before she finally released her pent-up exasperation and spat out, “You have got to be one of the strangest creatures known to man. You have next to no prey here. The sun hardly ever sets, and there’s nothing to do.”
Malachi lifted a bronzed brow at her.”Is that what you’ve been tracking me over half the bloody continent for? To tell me that, little witch?”
“How can you possibly Hunt here? I’ve seen a handful of people. What is there to Hunt? Deadbeat dads? Jaywalkers?”
“I’m on vacation,” Malachi drawled, leaning against the doorjamb, folding his arms across his bare chest as the sun shone down, painting half of him a cool gold. His face was in shadow, but Kelsey saw no pain, no fear.
Sweet heaven, it’s all true.
“Vacation? You’re here on vacation? In the middle of nowhere?”
“Yes, the middle of nowhere, where I’m not bothered by a bunch of thugs, murderers…mouthy little witches who won’t mind their own business.” His eyes dropped to her mouth and his lips curled up mockingly. “Though, of course, there is something to be said for having people ‘round. I do miss having a woman in m’ bed, pretty little Kelsey. Care to join me?”
Kelsey snorted.”Not hardly. I need to talk to you.”
Malachi shrugged, not looking the least bit put out.”Either way, darlin’. Talk away.”
“Inside?” Kelsey asked, arching a brow.
“Weelll, I don’ know ‘bout letting you come inside. Unless I can come inside of you,” Malachi murmured wickedly, trailing his eyes over her, heat flashing through his dark, midnight eyes.
And for the first time in decades, Kelsey felt it, the sexual pull of a vampire. And his was like no other she had ever felt, running over her skin like a hand covered in raw silk, tweaking her nipples, dipping between her thighs to pluck at her clit and thrust inside her cleft. A ragged sigh left her lips and she blinked, once, twice, slowly.
“Don’t,” she whispered. He’d done it on purpose, dropping the shields he always kept up, those he had to keep up, otherwise, women would flock around him in droves. As a witch, Kelsey was more immune. As a powerful witch, even more so.
No vampire, not Eli, none had done this to her for more than three decades.
Malachi’s eyes remained on her face as he reached out and stroked his thumb across her lip. Kelsey shuddered, her entire body going liquid and soft as moisture gathered in her pussy. Gathering her focus, she reached up and flattened her hand in front of her, just an inch in front of the rather magnificent chest he displayed as he moved closer, lowering his head, his mouth hovering just above hers.
“I said don’t,” she said, more harshly.
An unreadable smile curved his lips. What drove him, she didn’t know. But Kelsey wasn’t about to fall into bed with this vampire. She wasn’t getting addicted to him. She had too much going on, too much and too many depending on her.
Heat flooded from her, through her. Sunlight may not affect him, but fire would.
Malachi disappeared.
Reforming on the other side of the room, his eyes wide and furious, his fangs down as he glared at her. Fire still hovered over her palm.”I said don’t. I don’t say things I don’t mean, Malachi.”
“I’ve killed for less than that, witch.” The menace rolling off of him had the blood in her running cold.
“I don’t believe you’re willing to kill a fellow Council member,” she said softly, tossing the ball of flame back and forth in her hands, eying him warily.
“I’ll kill any damn soul who tries t’ touch me with fire. I don’t bloody care who he or she is.” He studied her as she tossed the flame in her hands, as though trying to figure out if she was going to lob it at his face. “Council member o’ not. Woman or not. I’ve done it before, and dealt with the consequences later.”
Kelsey had no doubt he meant it. None at all. But showing her fear would only further arouse the creature in him that craved blood and battle. No matter how good his soul, he was a predator. “Perhaps you should keep your hands to yourself, then. A woman wouldn’t be forced to defend herself.”
His face went blank. It was almost comical.
“Are ya telling me that I was forcing my advances on you?” he snapped, stalking closer. Like a door was slammed, the menace he exuded was sucked back inside him, along with the sexual call. All he exuded now was pure and simple anger and righteous indignation.
“Damn right.”
“And you would burn me, even though fire is death to a vampire, for daring to touch that pretty mouth o’ yours?” Malachi asked, his eyes narrowed.
His accent could go from being untraceable to pure Scots in seconds. And it was pure Scots when he was angered, she mused, shaking her head.”Get over it, Malachi. I knew you’d get away. I didn’t believe for a second you’d burn. And you were doing more than touching my mouth. With the call you have, you were all but stripping my clothes off of me. And I already told you to stop. I don’t want to sleep with you. I don’t want to have sex with you. But with you touching me, how much choice would I end up having? It’s about the same as date-rape.”
Malachi snarled at her.
Smiling angelically, Kelsey said, “I’m not wrong. Am I? Wanting to have sex with you, would be me coming to you with you still shielding, and me asking you. Which, of course, is not why I’m here. I don’t even know you.”
He eyed her narrowly.”I believe you are quite the biggest bitch I’ve met in a very long time.” After a moment of silence, a slow smile curved his mouth and he decided, “I think I rather like you.”
Kelsey arched an eyebrow and said, “Well, I’m still not sleeping with you.”
Heat rushed into Malachi’s gaze and he studied her with hot intense eyes. “You will.” Then he settled down on the chair behind him, watching her as she slowly pulled the flame back into her hand.”Okay, then. That decided...why in the hell are you here?”
“I’m seeking information on the Scythe.”
Chapter Three
The Underground
“You let him get away.”
“Mistress, there was a witch. Strong, and she’s got the feel of the Council to her magic. She shielded him and there was no way we could get to him. Otherwise, we would have had him.”
She did not give voice to the doubt in her mind. The one of the man’s power, of the strength of his will. The Mistress was so certain of this man, of the wolf, certain she could command him, and control the power of the wolf. But Leandra was not so certain. Not at all.
“I do not care if there were a thousand witches. You let my prey get away from me.” She paced away from the three witches gathered in front of her, her hips swaying under the beaded belt she wore over her naked hips. Her long hair, blonde, lush and thick, fell in loose waves to her ass. Over her shoulder, she said coldly, “You shall have to find a way to compensate me for this loss. If not with his body, then with your blood. I shall give you time to think of a way to deliver him. If you fail this time, prepare to offer up your blood in payment.”
Her voice was the pure, clear bell of a young girl’s, sweet, innocent, charming. Gazing around the room, she beckoned to one man and then curled against his chest after he came and pulled her to him, cuddling her. She rolled her hips against him, pouting a bit. They needed more strong ones.
She had Leandra. There were a few others. But most of her followers were sheep. She needed lions and wolves.
And she really wanted that wolf.
Her ladies-in-waiting had failed her. Leandra had never failed her before, so she’d give her another chance, but damn it. She wanted Jonathan.
Directing them a chilly look from her icy blue eyes, she said, “Go now. And prepare to fetch me my wolf. Do not fail me again.
”
The oldest of the three ladies bent low, her long black braids caressing the leader’s feet before she turned, her trim, naked bottom swaying as she led her two sisters away.
Turning her eyes to the man who held her, she licked her lips and smiled, a sweet, pleasant smile that belied the evil in her eyes. “I ache.”
He smiled in return as she pushed him to his knees in front of her. “I’ll soothe all your aches, Mistress. All those, and more.”
Jonathan stalked out of the house. The effects of the mark on his side weren’t lessening.
All he had to do was think of her and he could feel her, almost see through her eyes what she was doing.
He had thought of her just now, and what she had been doing had shaken him to his core. She had been in the shower, but her mind hadn’t been on hygiene. Unless she was very concerned about washing her sweet little cleft extremely well, since she was holding the handheld spray full-force against her pussy. The pulsing and pounding of the water on her clit had her sighing raggedly as she trembled through her climax.
Hunger, lust, and power shuddered and slid through him, a dangerous mix with the full moon not far away. Flexing his hands, Jonathan waited until he was sure he could control it before he opened his eyes. The werewolf, the animal inside him, hadn’t controlled him since he had been young, not since his teens. Eli had seen to that, had saved him from becoming one of the ferals.
With the power of the wolf being as strong in him as it was, the wildness could have overpowered Jonathan at some point, if he hadn’t learned the precious gift of control.
Jonathan had a monster in him. The monster was the creature that just want to hunt, run, chase, feed. But he also had the wolf. The quiet, calm animal that whispered to him, spoke with him...guided him. He’d connected with the wolf and learned control.
He wouldn’t lose it now.
Lori studied the vampire in front of her with wary eyes. He had been here before. She’d had little contact with him then. He’d avoided her. Right now, he was studying her with dark, ancient eyes. Yeah, she had heard stories about him, but the actual vampire was something she couldn’t have prepared for.
Intimidating wasn’t quite the word.
His eyes were wise, deep and ancient like nothing Lori had ever experienced.
And sad. Sadder than anything Lori had ever known. Shaking that feeling off, she turned and looked back at Kelsey—the safer of the two—and tried to throw off the odd discomfiture that being around Malachi caused. Kelsey smiled easily.”Don’t worry, honey. He has that effect on a lot of people. You actually are handling it better than most,” Kelsey said, tossing Malachi a bland look.
Lori arched her brows. She would have said something but an odd ripple raced down her spine. Jonathan. He was coming.
Turning her head, she eyed the door. “Jonathan’s coming. They’re looking for him, for some reason. They want a wolf, but not just any were. Him in particular.”
Malachi eyed her appraisingly. “How do you know he is coming?”
“I can feel him. I took their mark away, but it wouldn’t completely heal. I had to leave something else in its place. My mark.”
Kelsey nibbled her lip.”We can’t be sure this is the same sort of people that Malachi wiped out before.”
“Either way,” Malachi said slowly. “If they are tracking down ours, they are a problem. We deal with problems.”
Something flickered in Mal’s eyes and he glanced at Lori. “I hear your wolf now. Odd, he is just now approaching the house. I can smell him. He is disturbed, hungry, frustrated. Yet, you knew he was coming before I did. Remarkable.”
“I can feel him. I’ve been able to feel him since the mark. I don’t know if it will last, but all I have to do is think of him.” She wondered what would happen if they thought of each other at the same time, and then she decided it would be wise if they didn’t find out as Jonathan came into the room and his gaze moved to hers, slid over her face, down her neck and roamed over every visible inch of her body, tightening her skin.
I can’t do this now, damn it.
Blood rushed to her cheeks as Jonathan’s gaze locked on hers and try as she might, she couldn’t look away from him.
He stalked over to a chair and dropped his long, lean body into it. His eyes never left her face until he had settled into place. Once he had claimed his spot, he flicked his eyes briefly to Malachi before looking at Kelsey.
“Milady,” he murmured, inclining his head to her gallantly and smiling warmly. “You’re looking gorgeous as always. I hate that my sorry tail is what had to bring you for another visit.”
“I’m not,” Kelsey replied cheekily. “You’ve got such a fine one. I never regret having a chance to check it out.” She wagged her brows at him teasingly before leaving her perch on the window seat and walking over to him. Kneeling in front of him, Kelsey grinned up at him. “Jonathan, I swear, you’re about the sexiest thing I’ve laid eyes on in ages. I’ve just got this thing about being a cradle robber.”
He flashed her a wicked grin.”Doll, nobody needs to know you’re more than twice my age. I wouldn’t know if you hadn’t told me. Maybe you can teach me a thing or two.” As they flirted back and forth, she intertwined hands with him, her eyes going cloudy as she read him, searching inside him.
He had a darkness inside him, but it was his own darkness, his own demons, nothing evil. Nothing treacherous. There was no sign of anything evil taking root in him, like Lori had described.
But there had been. As Kelsey searched inside him, she found it, the empty, hollow core where something had been forced into him the night he had gone patrolling. Kelsey relived it, forcing him through it with her, the Hunt, the kill, the trap, the fight. A woman all in black launching herself at him, a grim, blank look in her exotic amber eyes as she lashed at him with a knife, not to kill but to cut.
And a tattoo on the outer corner of her left eye.
A Scythe.
Opening her eyes, she smiled into Jonathan’s and murmured, “So, when are you going to talk me into it?”
“Baby, I’ve talking my best talk for years. And you keep turning me down flat. I just can’t handle that kind of rejection anymore.” Both of them were breathing slightly harder, and smiling raggedly at each other.
Tossing Lori a look, Kelsey said, “You did a good job, hon. No trace, no sign of them anywhere. They won’t be able to take him, mark him, call him at all. I’m sure that is going to infuriate them. They’ll try something else, and soon.”
“I want to know who they are.”
Malachi asked quietly, “Isn’t that why Kelsey dragged me here? I thought you had some questions for me, young witch. If not, I’d just as soon leave.”
“Yes,” Kelsey said, rolling her eyes. “He was in the middle of a fascinating vacation.”
Lori slid Malachi a look and asked, “Who are the Scythe?”
Malachi’s entire face went cold and blank. He gave Kelsey an odd look. “The Scythe?”
“She’s the one who asked me, Malachi.” Kelsey shrugged. “I know the laws. I told her nothing of them. She asked, so I would think it would be wise for you to tell her.”
“The Scythe were destroyed a millennia ago. Their knowledge and how they were formed, their history and all they knew were eradicated with them. I saw to it. Now, how did you even hear of them? Who told you about them?”
“They marked Jonathan. Nobody told me. He just had a mark on him—a Scythe. I was researching it and couldn’t find much, but...” She shrugged. “There are always rumors. And we’ve been having problems. Attacks. Poison. Other shit. Plus I’ve heard somebody has been striking out and taking down masters at some of the smaller territories.”
Malachi looked at Kelsey. Slowly, he rose from his seat and moved over to where she still knelt by Jonathan. Going to one knee beside her, he laid his palm on her face and stared into her eyes, his own eyes glowing with an eerie, pulsing blue light as he looked into hers.
Kels
ey opened her mind to him and shared what she had seen in Jonathan’s mind.
And by the look in Malachi’s eyes, she knew he was not happy.
Chapter Four
Malachi sat on the roof of Eli’s house, staring at the moon, his mouth grim. The wind tugged at his hair, blowing his clothes around his large frame as he listened to the night.
A shadow slipped away from the house—Jonathan.
Why did they want him?
Anger and resignation vied for control inside him. Malachi had hunted down the last of a dark mess of witches and vampires ages ago. But even then, he’d known there was a possibility the Scythe weren’t dead. Evil never wanted to die, after all.
But why had they focused on Jonathan?
He was a powerful were. Was that all it was?
No. He was a powerful were with a streak of darkness in him. He’d been Changed young. Too young. Still a boy, only thirteen when he’d been attacked and the ones who’d Changed him and thought to make him into a plaything.
Instead, he’d killed two of them during his first Change.
Their deaths still haunted the young wolf. The first kill was always the hardest, Malachi knew.
That, perhaps, was the draw. The power...and the darkness. The guilt.
Malachi jerked himself out of his reverie and watched as Jonathan disappeared into the woods. That had been just a handful of years ago. Seconds in Mal’s eyes, but a lifetime for one as young as Jonathan.
Still, the boy had changed. Aged. Gotten stronger. Yet he still carried the darkness. He had fully achieved his potential and then some.
His body had the witch’s scent through and through. And he watched her with the eyes of a wolf guarding his mate.
The part of Mal that just liked to pull a tiger’s tail, or in this case—a wolf’s, made him want to find the pretty little witch and see just how easy it was to make her purr. And he imagined she purred rather nicely when stroked the right way. A gleam made his eyes glow brightly in the night for a moment as he pondered it, watching the spot where he had last seen Jonathan.
The Hunters Series Page 36