She inhaled his soothing musky scent. She swallowed hard. He was touching her again. When he stepped away she said, "Thank you. It was the only thing my father ever gave her. In all my life, I'd never seen her take it off. I almost let them burn her with it, but in the end, I just couldn't." Redlynn ran her fingers over the locket engraved with a Volkzene flower.
"My father once gave my mother something similar. She said it was her most prized possession. She used to carry around a lock of my hair and my father's hair in it."
He watched her for a moment with an expression she couldn't read. and then walked out of the room.
After he was gone, she took a deep breath. What the hell was that? She hadn't even asked him who he was. Lying down on the pillow, Redlynn closed her eyes. His scent lingered on the pillows. The bed had to be his. Panic stirred inside her. What if his plan was to try and force her into sex? She eyed the knife he'd taken from her, and then grabbed it and pulled it under her cape. He'd said no one would hurt her, but who was he? Why should she trust his word?
But his eyes. His deep brown eyes had held desire for her, when he'd caught her. And he smelled so good. Just the thought of his tightly bunched muscles surrounding her and carrying her to the bed was enough to make her want more. Somehow when he touched her, all she'd wanted was more. Warmth between her legs that was both uncomfortable, and begging to be satisfied. She twitched in her breeches and rubbed her thighs together. Redlynn grumbled. That was not helping.
It's the blood loss, she decided. It had to be. No woman in her right mind, especially this woman, would ever want a man at first sight.
Sucking in a deep breath, she gripped the handle of the knife tightly. Tomorrow would be different. She'd be on her way. Back to the forest to hunt the beasts she'd come for, and leave all thoughts and desires for her captor behind.
Chapter Five
Her eyes are gold. Adrian couldn't wrap his head around it. Her eyes were golden like his, when he changed. How was it possible? And how was it that they were golden? Obviously it was a trick of the light. It meant nothing. But the way she'd looked at him; so desperate, and defiant, but no fear. He would've smelled her fear. She was strong. The strongest he'd met. And full of pain, both physical and emotional.
Adrian rushed down the stairs to the kitchen. She needed liquid and food, something to nourish her. He wished he could find her something that he'd killed himself for her to eat, but there was no time. He stopped abruptly. What if she lied? What if she's sneaking out to the forest right now? Stop it! What was wrong with him? She was a female. So what. He moved again, slower this time. He'd refused every other female that had shown up on the castle steps. He refused to take a mate and become king. He wouldn't allow himself to be broken the way his father had.
But when he'd caught her in his arms, the connection had sent chills up his neck and warmth through his thighs. His inner wolf was alive for the first time, and it only wanted her.
He passed through the dining hall. It was sparse at the late hour, except for a few of the older pack members. Angus, a close friend of his father's, stared at his mug of ale, as several others joked and told stories.
"Prince Adrian." Angus nodded.
"Evening, Angus. And you know it's just 'Adrian.'"
"Heard there was a new female."
"Yes. A member of the Sisterhood. Her name is Red."
Angus breathed deeply and his eyes widened. He breathed in again, his eyes scanning the room.
Adrian looked around. "Something wrong?"
Angus stared at him mutely, and then went back to his mug of ale. "Nope."
Adrian's heart went out to Angus. To have lived so long and still he hadn't found a mate.
Entering the kitchen, Adrian was surprised to find the wooden table full of food. Jale and his brother Juda sat hunched over in a low conversation. Upon spotting Adrian, they went silent. He stood in the doorway, watching the pair. Jale and Juda made no bones about telling everyone who would listen their views on his refusal to go to the Sisterhood and reclaim them. He'd have thrown them out years ago, but to do so would mean their death sentence. There was nowhere else for them to go.
Adrian grabbed a platter from a shelf and headed for the larder. "Jale. Juda." He acknowledged them with a nod.
"Adrian," they replied in turn.
Inside, Adrian found cheese, grapes, bread, mead and dried meat. He piled them high on the platter and turned to leave.
"That girl gonna live?" Juda bit into a piece of chicken.
Adrian stopped moving. The hairs on his neck stood on end. "She'll be fine in a few days."
"Well, that's good. Means one of us might get the chance at some happiness," Jale said.
"Not many chances come into the woods for us anymore," Juda finished.
Adrian gritted his teeth but refused to answer them. It was always the same with those two. Every male in his pack had suffered at one time or another from loneliness. It was true that in the years since the Sisterhood had abandoned them, only a handful had returned, but Jale and Juda made it seem like they were the only ones.
Grabbing a goblet, fork, and knife, he walked out of the kitchen and almost smashed into Dax.
"You hungry again already?" Dax asked.
"It's not for me. But be warned, Jale and Juda are in there."
Dax's gaze shifted to the kitchen. "They givin' you any trouble?"
"No more than usual."
"I can take care of that problem for you."
Adrian laughed lightly. "Thank you, my friend, not today."
Dax nodded. "Whenever you need it dealt with, I'm there."
"I'll see you in the morning." Adrian gave him a slight smile. Dax was a good man. It was too bad he had no idea who he was.
***
The door opened with a creak and Redlynn tried to sit up. It was more difficult than she would've thought. Her sudden attempt at escape had weakened her, and possibly done more damage, and she was paying for it now. She wished she had her bag and some white willow bark for the pain. She clutched the knife tightly from under her cloak.
The curtain pulled aside. He held a large tray piled high with food. Easing the tray onto the bed, he pushed it toward her. She'd never seen that much food at a meal in her life. Again she tried to sit up, but was unable. He moved in to help her, but she stiffened. "I can do it."
He folded his sinewy arms across his broad chest and a small smile played on his lips. After watching her struggle for several minutes, he threaded his arm behind her, lifting her into a sitting position without asking. She clutched the knife tightly, ready to strike if he did anything inappropriate.
His gaze travelled to her cloak and then back to her face. "I'm sure you could've managed, but I figured you wanted to eat before morning."
Redlynn relaxed a bit. The nearness of him caused her to warm again.
"Thank you."
He walked to the foot of the bed and pushed the tray of food up next to her good hand, and then spread out on the other side of the bed.
She eyed the fork. There was no way she'd be able to feed herself with her cloak buttoned. But she wasn't about to bare herself in front of him either.
"Would you like me to feed you?" His voice was husky. She gave him a stern look and he lifted his hands. "Right, you can do it. I forgot." Adrian rolled on his back and stared at the ceiling.
Red watched him, not sure if he were making fun of her or not.
"I'm Redlynn."
"Redlynn. Good name."
She slipped the knife into her left, reached out, and grabbed the bottle of mead. She tried to pour it into the goblet, but the heavy bottle wobbled in her grip. He glanced over, and just as he lifted his hand to help, she put the bottle to her lips, taking several long draws from it.
The liquid was warm and sweet going down. After several swallows, she put it on the platter and took a deep breath.
"I was named after my great, great, great, grandmother."
"I was named after n
o one."
She sensed that he was trying to be funny, but it was awkward.
She picked up the bread and ripped a hunk off with her teeth, then bit a piece off the cheese and shoved it in her mouth. It tasted wonderful. She moaned at the taste of the crusty loaf.
"You must like bread," Adrian mused.
Redlynn stopped chewing. He still stared at the ceiling. "I haven't had bread since my mother died." Why had she told him that? She didn't know him.
Adrian's eyebrows knit together.
She shrugged. "I'm not very domestic."
"You don't trade with the baker in your village?"
"I'm not very social, either."
He chuckled. "Could have fooled me."
She picked up the knife and made a stab at cutting the meat. The knife stuck and she couldn't get it to release. Adrian reached over and placed his hand on top of hers, pulling the knife out. The warmth of his touch tingled and she jerked away from the sensation. She didn't like the way he made her feel.
He cut the meat for her, stuck a large piece on the end and held it out to her.
"How did you find me in the woods?" She reached for more bread.
"I smelled smoke and saw the fire while on patrol."
"Do you patrol against the Weres?"
He stared at her for a moment before answering. "We patrol against the beasts of the forest."
"Why do you live out here in Wolvenglen if it is so dangerous? Why do you and your family not live in the farmlands?"
Adrian shrugged. "I'm not a farmer."
She stabbed at another piece of meat. "If you aren't a farmer what are you? You seem to be doing well here in Wolvenglen, from the finery of this room. Are you a trader?"
"Sometimes, but not often. We like to keep to ourselves up here."
"Obviously. I hadn't even known this was here and I thought I'd been everywhere in this forest."
"We're pretty secluded. Unless you know where you're going, it can be tricky to find. When I was a boy my father took me out on a hunting trip. I got lost on the way back. At least I thought I had. Apparently it was a test. My father was only ever a dozen yards away, but I didn't know that. It took me two days, but I made it back. I'd never been so happy to see this place."
"Two days? Your father left you alone for two day in the forest?"
He shrugged. "Like I said, he didn't leave me. He could see me the entire time. It wasn't so bad. I've always been fine in the woods. I found a tree to sleep in and caught game to eat. I wasn't even scared, frustrated more than anything. He told me that when his father tested him, it had taken him five days to find his way home." He smiled.
"So if you aren't a trader, or a farmer what do you do all day?"
"Hunt, fish, read, whatever I feel like."
What ever he felt like? "But how do you keep yourself and your household?"
He snorted. "That's a bit forward of you isn't it? To ask me how I make my money."
"I've never been accused of being demure." She chewed another piece of meat.
"In Wolvenglen we all work together for the betterment of everyone."
"I don't follow."
"In Volkzene everyone has a profession do they not?"
She nodded.
"Here we don't. We all help cook, or clean, or hunt. We all fish and take care of the horses. We work together."
"How do you make money then? To pay for the things you need?"
"We have money enough to buy what we can't make ourselves, but that's very little. Here we don't barter for coins."
Money was everything in Volkzene. Those with the most, got the most respect. Like Lilith. Yanti's words about Lilith's mirror and jewels floated back to her.
"It would be interesting to live in a place that doesn't value money above all else. Probably because I've never had any."
"You grew up poor then?"
Redlynn shrugged. "My father was a terrible farmer and my mother was a healer. It was enough to put boots on my feet and food in my belly, but not much else."
"But your weapons are well made."
"They belonged to my grandmother. The sword fits me well enough, but the bow took some getting used to. And the string had to be replaced. I've learned to work it now though. Which weapon do you prefer when you hunt?"
Adrian pressed the pad of his thumb into his canine and thought for a moment. "I suppose sharp weapons are my specialty."
"Swords then?"
"Of sorts. I try to keep things as natural as possible."
What did that mean? "I don't understand. You like to use some sort of wooden sword?"
He grabbed a piece of cheese and stuffed it in his mouth. "So, what do you do, Redlynn, since you're not domestic? Are you a healer like your mother?"
"No. I can't." She shook her head violently.
"Why not?"
"It's…" She'd never told anyone but her mother the reason. She looked over at him. Oh what did it matter? She'd be gone in a day anyway. "I can't stand the sight of blood."
He laughed.
She frowned.
He threw up his hands. "Sorry, I'm not trying to offend. It's just, you had a bloodied sword when we found you. If you can't stand blood, how do you use a sword?"
"Blood doesn't affect me in battle."
He cocked an eyebrow.
"I know it sounds strange, but when I'm fighting all I can think of is the fight. I don't see the blood. When I have nothing else to focus on, it overwhelms me. The scent, the color, the feel." She shivered and took a drink of mead.
"So, no healing then?"
"I can heal. I know everything there is to know. I just… can't. The biggest thing to be done in Volkzene is deliver babies. My mother took me once." She looked at him hard. "Once."
"Okay, no babies. Got it. So what do you do?"
"I am a Were hunter."
Adrian's breath caught. He was very still for a moment. "A wolf hunter? Why do you hunt werewolves?"
"I am of the Sisterhood of Red, bound to keep my village safe."
"So you aren't a hunter then?"
Redlynn bristled. "I am now. Why do you call them wolves?"
Adrian pulled off a grape and popped it in his mouth, not meeting her eye. "Because that's what they are. I didn't think the Sisterhood still hunted the wolves."
"They used to. Ever since Sister Irina founded Volkzene Village."
His gaze fixed on Redlynn. There was a sadness about them that hit her. He stared for a long time before reaching over and taking a drink from the bottle of mead. His stare made a shiver run over her.
"But they stopped hunting, didn't they?"
"Five years ago, after Lillith took over as Head of the Order, she forbade anyone to enter into the woods."
"Ahhhh." Adrian gave a wry smile. "So you've rebelled?"
Anger boiled in Redlynn's gut and she clenched her jaw tightly. "Two nights ago, three beasts came into my village, stole a young girl, and killed—" Redlynn dropped her gaze to the plate. She sucked in a deep breath, refusing to show weakness. "Someone dear to me," she choked.
Adrian sat straight up on the bed, his body rigid. "A girl was taken?"
"Too many have been taken in the last months. I won't stand for it any longer." Her voice hardened. "I've come to find the Weres and kill them all."
Adrian eyes drifted down at the bedspread. She felt the compulsion to take his hand, but didn't. "Have you had girls go missing, too?"
"What?" He lifted his gaze.
"The Weres. Have they taken girls from you, as well?"
"No. We've lost no one to the wolves." He seemed distracted.
"Never?" Something about his manner made Redlynn uneasy. "Have you never had any problems with the wolves? I can't believe you live in the middle of their territory, and they've never bothered you."
He stood abruptly. "Finish eating and rest."
Redlynn watched him leave. Something had upset him. He stopped and turned.
"I'll return with Hanna in the mornin
g." Then he dipped his head and left without another word.
Redlynn spent a long time staring at the bedroom door, wondering what had rattled him. It didn't matter, it wasn't her concern. In the morning she'd meet the healer, and then be on her way.
She removed the hidden knife and shoved it under her pillow. Pushing at the tray of food with her foot, she tried to find a comfortable position to lie down in.
***
Adrian took the stairs two at a time down to the lower level of the castle. Someone was stealing females from Volkzene Village. Someone from his pack. He wanted to line them all up and beat every single one till they confessed. He'd find out who was doing this and why, and then he was going to rip them apart.
Upon reaching the lower level, he almost ran down the hall to the last room on the left. He tried the handle, but it was locked. He banged on the door with his fist.
"Blain. Blain!"
A muffled voice murmured inside. He pounded again and the lock slid. Blain stood naked, yawning.
"What's going on?"
"Someone's been stealing girls." Adrian burst in and pushed past his friend.
Blain rubbed his face. "Come on in," he murmured. "What time is it?"
"Did you hear me? Sisterhood females, from Volkzene. Someone from the pack is stealing girls."
Sleepiness retreated from Blain's face. "What? Who told you that?"
"Redlynn."
Blain's brows furrowed.
"The girl from the forest. She's of the Sisterhood, and came into the woods as a werewolf hunter."
"I thought the Sisterhood didn't hunt us anymore."
"She disobeyed." He grabbed his hair by the roots and tugged. This is bad. So very bad. Adrian's Alpha within howled. A ripple skittered over him and his nails lengthened.
Blain laughed. "Well, guess she won't be staying long."
"This is serious," Adrian yelled.
"I get it, Adrian. I get it." Blain sat his lean body down on his satiny bed. "Okay. Tell me exactly what she said."
"You think maybe…" Adrian gestured to Blain's nakedness.
"Huh? Oh! Really, Adrian? It isn't like you haven't seen me naked a million times, Prude." Blain pulled out a pair of breeches and tugged them on. "Better?"
Beyond The Veil: A Paranormal & Magical Romance Boxed Set Page 318