aHunter4Trust

by Cynthia A. Clement

  “How long has this place been abandoned?” Darrogh glanced up at the ceiling. Bright lights glowed at regular intervals.

  “Years.” Peter started to walk along a curved tunnel.

  “You mentioned trespassers.” Tamsin stumbled against a coil of wire. “Do they still monitor it?”

  Peter shrugged. “They keep it locked and over time, people forget that these tunnels ever existed.”

  Tamsin reached out and took Darrogh’s hand. He sensed her unease and sent her reassurance. The sooner he had her above ground, the better. Huge cables ran down both sides with a wide area for walking down the middle.

  “We need to move fast.” Darrogh turned to Tamsin. “Can you keep up?”

  She nodded and took off at a jog ahead of them. Peter followed and Darrogh brought up the rear. They covered the distance in about ten minutes, passing metal switching stations, an abandoned cafeteria, and a nursing station along the way. The tunnel forked at a juncture with a set of stairs and a lift on one side.

  “This is where we go up.” Peter leaned against the wall wheezing. “The lift takes us up to the train platform at Chancery Lane station.”

  Peter used his key to unlock the metal cage that covered the lift. Once inside, the same key started the elevator’s ascent. When it came to a stop, Peter raised his hand before opening the door.

  “We exit onto the end of the platform. If we move quickly, no one will notice. Ready?”

  Tamsin nodded.

  Darrogh readied himself for a possible attack.

  The door opened and they exited just as a train whizzed by them. They’d been lucky. The platform was clear, and no one had seen them. Peter locked the lift and then moved with them to the edge of the platform to wait for the next train. When it arrived, Peter stepped back.

  “Aren’t you coming?” Tamsin asked.

  Peter shook his head. “It’s best I go into hiding for a while. When the dust settles I’ll be back for that job at Creighton’s.”

  “You deserve it.” Tamsin smiled up at the man. “Be careful.”

  Peter nodded. “Good luck. I’ll be waiting to hear what happened once everything has cleared up.”

  Darrogh nodded and then got into the train with Tamsin. There was an empty seat and they both sat. He kept an eye on the platform until the train left and then he scanned the passengers in the car. No one had followed them. He eased back against the seat and pulled Tamsin close. She put her head on his chest and closed her eyes.

  A surge of protectiveness raced through him. She trusted him to keep her safe and he was not going to fail. It had been close back at her house. He could not allow that to happen again. Tamsin’s life was more important than defeating the Albireons. When he was certain that they were not followed onto the train, Darrogh contacted Kerm through mind connect.

  “Did you get the vehicle?”

  “It is parked across from Epping Station. It is blue with a white stripe along its side.”

  “Did the Albireons follow?”

  “No.” Kerm hesitated a second before continuing. “Firbin and Breanon killed a number of them before they had a chance to pursue you.”

  A nerve tightened in Darrogh’s jaw. “Were there any repercussions?”

  “They used silencers and the bodies have been dealt with.”

  “I will contact you once we arrive at the safe house.”

  Forty-five minutes later they pulled into Epping Station. Tamsin let Darrogh lead her out of the building, and she waited while he looked for the vehicle that Kerm had described. He saw it immediately and they walked over to it. The key was hidden under the wheel well and once it was unlocked, he and Tamsin climbed into the small car.

  There was a map on the seat and the GPS had been set up. Within seconds, he was driving north. There was silence in the vehicle until they had reached the M1. That’s when Tamsin reached over and touched his arm.

  “It seems like forever that I’ve been waiting for us to be alone.” The huskiness of her voice sent a shiver of awareness through Darrogh. Every nerve in his body tingled at her nearness. “Now we can talk.”

  “What about?”

  “What happens to us after we’re safe?” Tamsin stretched her legs out in front of her.

  “That is your decision.”

  Darkness surrounded them inside the car. The only illumination was the blue glow of the dashboard light and yet Darrogh could see every nuance of Tamsin’s surprise as she sat up straight in her seat. She turned to him.

  “You weren’t kidding when you said that women rule on the planet you’re from.”

  “Hunters do not lie.” Darrogh looked over his shoulder before passing the vehicle in front of him. After that, the road stretched empty before them.

  “I’m just realizing that now.” Tamsin clasped her hands together. “What if I want you to stay with me forever?”

  “I will always be with you.” Darrogh cleared his throat. “It would be an honor if you chose me for your mate.”

  “Is that the same as marriage?”

  “There is no formal ceremony.” Darrogh had difficulty breathing. “There is only one mate for a Hunter. I know it is your custom to marry.”

  “That is how we make the commitment between two people, binding.”

  Silence followed her words.

  Darrogh sensed that Tamsin was expecting something more from him. He wished that he had paid more attention to his fellow Hunters when they had mated. It might have given him some idea of what a woman expected. Instead, he’d been fearful and doubtful. He knew nothing about women or matters of love. What he did know, was that he could not lose Tamsin.

  Darrogh’s heart started to race. It felt like he was on the edge of a cliff awaiting orders to jump off. Tamsin was his pair bond. He was connected to her on every level and trusted her completely. Whatever her decision, he would abide by it.

  “I feel your essence with every cell in my body.” Darrogh’s looked at Tamsin. “It would be an honor to spend my life with you as your mate. Will you marry me?”

  “I thought you’d never ask.”

  He could see Tamsin’s grin in the muted dashboard light.

  “Yes, I will be your wife.”

  Chapter 24

  Tamsin was thankful when they pulled up to a small farmhouse after four hours of driving. It was a moonless night, and darkness enveloped them. They were miles from the main motorway and had reached their destination on roads that were narrow and winding. It was isolated and private.

  “Will we be safe here?” Tamsin undid her seatbelt.

  “We were not followed.” Darrogh turned the engine off and looked at her. “It is only a matter of time before the Albireons know the general area we are hiding in, though.”

  “So the answer is no.” Tamsin opened the car door. “How long before they find us?”

  “There are other Hunters coming to help us. They should reached us before the Albireons do.” Darrogh opened the house door and switched on the lights. “I will drive the car into the barn. We do not need to advertise that we are here.”

  Tamsin nodded as she looked around the small house. It was sparsely furnished with a couch, two easy chairs, and a dining table with six seats. There was a small kitchen off to the side and three doors exiting from the main room. She opened the closed doors. Two were bedrooms with a double bed in each. The third opened onto a bathroom.

  She rubbed her arms at the slight chill in the air. The far wall of the house had a small fireplace that was set with kindling and logs. She longed to light the fire, but she thought it best to wait for Darrogh. There might be a concern about smoke coming from the chimney. She looked around the walls to see if there was some kind of thermostat for heat. She found one near the entry to the kitchen, and she cranked it up. They might be fugitives and in hiding, but that didn’t mean they couldn’t be comfortable.

  She turned back to the main room when she heard the door open. Darrogh was standing there with her pack in one hand. H
e shut the door and then pulled her close. It was as if he sensed her unease and was trying to comfort her. With a sigh, she snuggled into him, letting his body heat warm her.

  “You need to sleep.” Darrogh’s voice was a low rumble. “I will stand guard.”

  “You’ll be exhausted tomorrow.” Tamsin looked up at him. “You said we’d be safe tonight. This may be the last opportunity for us to be alone together for a while.”

  Darrogh didn’t speak for several seconds.

  She held her breath.

  She wanted to stay in Darrogh’s arms all night long. Even in the midst of danger, all she craved was him. She longed to make love with this man whose very presence drove her crazy; to be one with him.

  Darrogh nodded. “You can take the main bedroom. I’ll take the other one.”

  Tamsin’s mouth dropped open. “You can’t be serious.”

  Darrogh frowned. “Do you want the other bedroom?”

  She swatted his arm. “I want you and me in the same bed.”

  Darrogh’s eyes widened. “Tonight?”

  “Is there a reason why we can’t? We’re officially engaged now.”

  “Do you not want to wait until we are married?” Darrogh cleared his throat. “Is that not the custom in your country?”

  “Seventy years ago.” Tamsin shook her head. “You can’t expect me to wait that long.”

  “It is as you wish.”

  “We’ll take the first room.” Tamsin grabbed his arm. “I intend to spend the rest of the night in your arms.”

  She pulled open the door and dragged him in behind her. His reluctance was giving her doubts. “Do you not want to be with me?”

  Darrogh closed the door. “I desire it more than anything else.”

  Tamsin kicked off her shoes and pulled her sweater over her head. “Aren’t you going to take your clothes off?”

  Darrogh nodded and threw his jacket onto a nearby chair. He started to unbutton his shirt with fingers that fumbled and missed. Tamsin undid her jeans and let them slide to the floor. She stood in front of him in bra and panties, and he still hadn’t finished undoing his shirt. She pushed his fingers away and unfastened the buttons before pushing it off his shoulders.

  He was magnificent.

  Every inch of him was muscle and sinew.

  She let her fingers brush across his chest, noting the numerous long scars that criss-crossed him. He trembled beneath her touch and a sweet ache twisted deep inside her. This was the man she was meant to be with. She’d known it from the first moment they’d met. She’d fought the attraction, tried to run away and ignore their connection, and still he was there for her. Protecting and defending her, no matter what she did.

  Overwhelming love filled her.

  Wanton need consumed her.

  Her lips roamed over his chest, kissing each scar as she made her way up to his neck. She stood on her toes and reached for his mouth. He pulled her close. As their lips met, a deep moan rose from Darrogh, and Tamsin found herself lost in the sensations that he stirred within her. Time and place were a blur as together they tasted and savored each other.

  When the kiss ended, Tamsin rested her forehead against Darrogh’s shoulder. “You have too many clothes on.”

  “Is it your wish that I undress?” His voice was a husky whisper.

  “That’s usually the way it’s done, unless you’ve some strange custom on your planet for making love?”

  “I have never done this before.”

  Tamsin’s breath caught in her throat. “I thought you meant that you only committed to one woman. I just assumed that you had made love before.”

  Darrogh eased away from her. “Until I came to Earth, I had never even been close to a woman.”

  Tamsin’s eyes widened. “Never?”

  Darrogh shook his head before undoing his boots. He kicked them off and then unzipped his pants. They dropped to the floor and he stepped out of them. Tamsin inhaled a sharp breath. If she’d thought he was gorgeous without his shirt, she’d been mistaken. The full glory and beauty of the man was now evident.

  “Should you not also undress?” Darrogh slipped the straps of her bra over her arms.

  Tamsin unhooked it.

  Then, she slipped her panties over her hips and kicked them off.

  Darrogh stood as if frozen. His chest rose and fell in rapid motion and his fingers were clenched into fists at his side. She sensed his hesitation, so she reached for his hand and brought it up to her breast and moved it against her sensitive skin. She moaned as a pulse of need went through her.

  “You like that.” Darrogh brushed his thumb across her nipple.

  Her knees went weak.

  “It might be safer if we continued in bed.” Her voice was low.

  Darrogh wrapped his arm around her back and picked her up in his arms. She could feel his heavy arousal against her body, and moist heat bathed her inner core. He gave her a lingering kissed that promised the world, before he laid her on the bed. She reached up and stroked a hand down his engorged member, enjoying the shock of reaction that shook his body.

  He was her mate.

  Tonight, they would be one.

  Darrogh joined her on the bed. His fingers caressed her skin, tantalizing and exciting her with each stroke. His lips followed. Shivers of ecstasy raced across her body as she struggled to breathe. Darrogh’s tongue licked across her abdomen and she arched her back so that she was closer. It was crazy. It was devastating.

  “I thought you’d never done this before?” She barely recognized her desire-filled voice.

  “I’m a quick learner.”

  He continued his exploration of her body with his fingers, lips, and tongue, moving lower until he reached her inner thighs.

  He paused.

  Her fingers clenched the sheets tight as her body waited at the precipice.

  He didn’t disappoint. He licked and stroked until she shattered and convulsed with ecstasy. She floated down from the heights of pleasure to find herself held close within Darrogh’s arms. He was looking down at her with adoration.

  “More?”

  “Much more of that and you’ll kill me.” Tamsin reached up and stroked his face. “It’s my turn.”

  When Darrogh opened his mouth to speak, she quietened him with a finger. She sat up and pushed him onto his back so that she could have complete access to him. She began with small kisses on his forehead, eyes, and cheeks. She was gentle as she caressed him with her lips, moving across his neck and down his chest.

  Her fingers stroked and kneaded his muscles while her tongue tasted the deliciously salty essence that was Darrogh. Lower and lower she went, revelling in the groans of pleasure that escaped from him. Excitement pulsed through her as he shook with need. Her hand stroked down his thigh and then moved up to the long length of his manhood.

  Soon they would be one.

  Darrogh jumped when her tongue circled the tip of his penis. She pushed him back onto the bed when he would have moved away. This was her time to enjoy him, and she meant to taste and lick every inch of him. She kissed down his one thigh and up the other, ending at the juncture between his legs.

  He was more than ready.

  She ached to feel him inside her.

  She straddled him so that the tip of his penis was touching the entrance to her inner core. She paused and looked at him. This was the moment that they had been building to all evening. They would now be joined.

  “I love you.” Her voice was hoarse. “I need you.”

  She eased down, letting her body encircle him. “I trust you with every cell of my being.”

  Then she moved.

  Bliss shot through her. As much as she wanted to take this first time with him slow, she couldn’t control her hunger. She had to feel him deep within her. She set a pace that sent them both swirling toward completion. Her body exploded with wave upon wave of ecstasy. She collapsed on top of Darrogh and it was several minutes before her breathing had returned to normal.
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br />   Darrogh was stroking her back. “I want to do that again.”

  Tamsin had never experienced anything like their lovemaking. They were still connected and she could feel Darrogh’s renewed arousal deep within her. She looked up and gave him a lazy grin.

  “I should warn you that men exhaust quickly.”

  “A Hunter never tires.”

  His arm tightened around her waist and with an agility that took her breath away, he flipped her onto her back. His hips thrust deep, touching at her sensitive inner core. She spiraled into another orgasm.

  Darrogh took control of their lovemaking. He was definitely a quick study and she clasped his shoulders as he took her to heights of pleasure that she had never guessed existed.

  Dawn came too soon.

  Tamsin stretched her arms above her head and moaned at the delicious ache in her muscles.

  All night long, Darrogh had made love to her. He was inexhaustible. He was also very inventive. She smiled as she remembered their lovemaking. She had never been so satiated. She ran her hand down the arm that still held her close to him.

  “More?” His voice was sleepy.

  “Please.”

  Darrogh pulled her close and brushed her hair from her face. “I think our connection is deepening.”

  “Making love with someone has that effect.” Tamsin kissed the tip of his nose.

  “Can you hear my voice?”

  Tamsin’s eyes widened and she nodded. His words were clear in her head.

  “Know that I will always be with you.” Darrogh captured her mouth in a kiss that touched her soul. “You are my mate. My one and only.”

  They moved as one, just as their minds spoke of love. They reached for the heights of ecstasy and together they fell over the precipice as their bodies exploded with rapture. The spark of passion and devotion mingled in their touch and kisses as they continued to make love throughout the morning. Only when the rumbles of hunger were too loud to ignore, did Darrogh get up.

  “You need food.” He pulled on his pants and shirt. “I will bring you something.”

  He was gone for several minutes before he came back with coffee and a box of cereal. “There is not much in the house. Once the others have joined us, we will get food.”