A Hunter's Heart [The Hunters 1] (Siren Publishing Classic)

by Suzy Shearer

“Regardless I’ll search all the databases in a two-hundred-kilometre area,” Louisa remarked, “then if I haven’t found anything useful I will broaden the area.”

  Both men nodded. It made sense to consider a reasonably large-sized area but start with the two hundred.

  “I’d like to see his old lair. Probably won’t do us much good as you would have searched it well, my friend, but still.” Michael shrugged his shoulders.

  “Okay, we’ll go now and the girls can talk about us while we are gone.”

  Charlotte stuck out her tongue.

  “My, my, you are misbehaving tonight, Cara, you will have to be prepared to face your punishment.”

  Charlotte heard his sexy voice in her head and blushed. Both men kissed their partners heartily and then vanished.

  Charlotte gave a shiver. “I doubt I’ll ever get used to that.”

  Louisa laughed. “It’s amazing how quickly you adapt to every part of their world. I imagine you have a great many questions, Charlotte. I’ll do my best to answer them for you.”

  Charlotte was not sure where to start. She got up and made them both another tea. Settling on the couch, she looked at Louisa.

  “Did it hurt?”

  “Hell yes!” Then she clarified her statement. “Michael took the brunt of the pain once it started but I won’t deny it hurt. It hit me about thirty minutes after we made our final exchange, I felt so sick and the pain came in waves. Not sure how long it lasted, I think around four hours, then Michael commanded me to sleep.”

  Four hours seemed a long time to be in pain and Charlotte grimaced. “Is it worth it? Honestly, Louisa, do you ever regret converting?”

  “Never! It is wonderful. To be with someone who adores you, there is nothing they wouldn’t do for you. They act all macho and bossy but they’d never intentionally do anything to upset you. They would give you the moon or at least try to if you asked them.

  “I guess we are like two halves of a whole, complete. Someone who fits like an old slipper but who excites you every day. It’s only been nearly one hundred and sixty years for us but it astounds me each time I wake. I think I am more in love with the man and he with me. It just keeps getting better and better.”

  “Honestly, Charlotte, it doesn’t take long to accept what you are and what you have gained. Matei told Michael that you told your children and they are accepting. That’s wonderful. It means you can be with them without hiding.”

  Charlotte thought carefully before replying, “That’s my only real stumbling block, Louisa, not being able to see the children through the day. My son and his wife think it is great that they will never lose me but it means instead I’ll lose them someday.”

  “Charlotte, the truth is we never know when we will lose someone. My sister and I lost our parents when we were very young. Even if you did not convert, there is no guarantee that you would die before them. I am sure we all know people who have lost their children. The only thing that matters is to enjoy each day as it comes. Don’t forget you’ll also have the great joy of seeing your grandchildren and great grandchildren and so on.”

  “My daughter is living in Italy at the moment, studying. She is living with a descendant of my sister. It’s so wonderful to know that even though my sister has long returned to the earth she is still with me in her children’s children’s children.”

  “Gee, I never really thought of it that way.” She laughed ruefully. “Guess I’m still thinking in human terms. It’s just such a big decision.”

  She was silent for a while then said, “Now that you are a Hunter does that mean you go out hunting vampires too?”

  “Not really. I mean Michael has taught me how and I have killed but if we fight together, I’m more of a distraction. Michael gets worried that I may be hurt so he doesn’t concentrate fully on the strigoi, which leaves him vulnerable. But I fight in other ways, like my computer-hacking skills.” She grinned. “Comes in very handy.”

  “I don’t have any skills except painting,” Charlotte said. “Doubt I could paint a vampire to death, maybe I could stab one with a paint brush.”

  Both women had a giggle, and then Louisa said, “Matei will teach you how to defend yourself and then you’ll have time to learn whatever skills you want. Don’t forget you have eternity ahead of you.

  “Seriously, though, I know of very few converts who hunt with their partners. As I said, we are a distraction. A few times over the millennia, a Hunter has become lost in his rage and went rogue when a vampire had killed his partner. When it had happened, the other Hunters were forced to hunt them down and kill them.”

  Charlotte shuddered, thinking of how it must feel to lose one’s other half. “No wonder Matei was so upset when I was taken. I could feel his anger toward the vampire even when I was about to pass out.”

  “Michael told me of a Hunter who lost his partner, he went crazy with his grief and it took two Hunters fighting him before he was slain. One of the Hunters was seriously injured and it took three days to heal him.

  “I know that sounds fast in mortal terms but a Hunter can heal in a few hours, so for it to take three days his injuries must have been horrific.”

  “I haven’t really considered that Matei could be hurt. Do they get hurt often when they fight?”

  “Not usually, at least not our men. It is usually younger Hunters who get hurt. Our guys have been alive for millennia and perfected their skills. Both are considered some of the most experienced. Sometimes Michael comes home with a gash or two but certainly he has never been hurt seriously since we have been together.

  “However, we must all learn to defend ourselves and to learn to perfect the skills that come automatically to a Hunter like shape shifting and dissolving, although once you do each once, you just instinctively know how to do them.”

  Charlotte considered Louisa’s word then asked something that had been puzzling her.

  “Do they go instantly from one to place to another when they vanish?”

  “No, unless it is very close. Mind you, they can run at super speed and cover the distances very fast. Usually they change into an animal that will help them cover the distance without being noticed. It makes sense to choose a bird if they have a distance to travel. It’s usually an owl because it is normal to see them at night. Therefore, it then takes them the time to fly to wherever they want to go. An owl can fly at forty kilometres an hour. Of course because they are only mimicking an owl they can fly faster but generally keep to around a fifty kilometres an hour to conserve energy.”

  “When I was taken by the vampire Matei said if we had exchanged blood he could have materialised at my side, but he still would have taken some time to arrive.”

  “Yes, that is true, but if he knew what happened as soon as you were approached he would have left to find you. He would have been linked all the while, been at your side very quickly. Michael told me you were taken only five or ten minutes from your home so he would have been at your side in less than a minute or two. They can transport themselves about five kilometres almost instantaneously. He could have also added extra strength to your mind and helped to block the vampire’s thoughts while he was travelling.”

  Charlotte considered this and realised that if she had been able to contact Matei as soon as she felt the vampire he would have been able to reach her either before the vampire had bitten her or just after. With all she had learnt Charlotte was feeling much better about conversion. It had done her good to talk to Louisa without Matei being near. Much as she loved him, she needed to hear things from someone who had been through it.

  “I’m glad you can talk to Louisa, Iubită. She can set your fears to rest.”

  Charlotte jumped. She had forgotten that they could now talk over the distances.

  “Will you get out of my head, Hotshot? Stop listening to conversations that you are not invited to.”

  She heard him laugh then tweak her hair. “We’ll be back very soon.”

  Louisa was watching her with a grin
on her face.

  “Make sure you get Matei to teach you how to stop broadcasting. It is really easy once you have converted, it sort of happens automatically. I found that hard to do beforehand but once I had converted, it came rather naturally, thank goodness. I would hate to think I was talking to Michael with every Hunter in the room hearing me.”

  Shaking her head, Charlotte said, “I keep forgetting.”

  Suddenly Harley sat and Louisa said they were there, just as the two men materialised.

  Both walked to their respective partners and kissed them.

  “Nothing to see but I feel better for going,” Michael said. “Let’s leave these two, dragostea, and go. You can play with your computer while I play with you.”

  He winked outrageously to Charlotte.

  “Heavens, you’re as bad as Matei!” Charlotte said.

  He bowed to her then took Louisa’s hand. Charlotte stood, and Louisa and he came and kissed both her cheeks. Matei kissed Louisa on both cheeks and said, “I hope you haven’t encouraged her to disobey me, sister of my heart.”

  She laughed and said, “I doubt she needs any help in that area.”

  Matei and Michael clasped arms then Matei said, “Live şi lupta cu onoarea, Mihăiță,” to which Michael replied with the same words.

  “Ready?” Michael asked Louisa and once she nodded, they both vanished.

  “That takes some getting used to,” Charlotte admitted. “What did you say to Michael as they left?”

  “Live şi lupta cu onoarea? It means ‘live and fight with honour.’ It is a warrior’s greeting and farewell.”

  Charlotte went to lock the back door, making sure the dog flap would swing free for Harley. “So tomorrow night you’ll hunt for the vampire?”

  She felt a sudden chill, a tingle of fear that quickly disappeared.

  “Yes, once I know the area I’ll leave as early as possible to hunt him down.”

  He walked over to her and took her hand. “Come Iubită, let us go to bed,” he said, leading her into the bedroom.

  He sat her on the bed and stood before her, “I believe some punishment is due, you have been rather disobedient tonight, Cara.”

  With those few words, Charlotte felt breath quicken in anticipation.

  “What should I do to chastise you? Should I tie you to the bed again and take my enjoyment? Or maybe I should place you over my knee and spank you.” Charlotte drew a gasp, the thought of him spanking her, a sudden turn-on. He narrowed his eyes.

  “You will remove all your clothing now.”

  She stood and stripped off. Matei leaned down to whisper in her ear, “You remember our safe word?”

  Charlotte nodded.

  “Stand there,” he ordered and removed his own clothing then sat on the bed. “Turn around so I can see your back.”

  She did as told. “Now lean forward with your legs apart.”

  Charlotte felt a hand run across her buttocks and then slide between them.

  “Are you wet?” he demanded.

  “Yes.”

  “That is ‘yes, Sir’. Remember that or I’ll be forced to add an extra punishment for each time you forget.”

  “Are you wet?”

  “Yes, Sir.”

  She felt his finger slide further between her cheeks to rub against her lips.

  “Mm,” he purred. “Very wet. Good.”

  “Come here.”

  She turned and moved closer to him. He pulled her roughly face-down onto his knees.

  “I’ll teach you to disobey me, Cara, you’ll accept your punishment. Hold on to my ankle.”

  With shaking hands, she grasped his leg. Suddenly she felt a smack on her bottom. It was not hard but it came as a surprise.

  She wriggled a little and Matei said, “You will not move and you will make no sound, unless you want extra.”

  Another smack landed on her buttocks, this time a little harder. Charlotte tried hard not to move. A third smack landed. This time it stung a little but she felt his hand rubbing across her as soon as he had had struck her. Then a fourth smack stung her and she felt his fingers pushing against her cheeks. With one hand, he spread her legs apart and pushed his fingers between her wet lips and into her dripping pussy. She tried to move onto his hand but he withdrew his fingers and said no.

  The fifth slap made her moan and she felt his fingers pushing into her again. When he had his fingers wet from her juices, she felt him rub them between the cheeks of her bottom.

  “Will you disobey me again, Cara?”

  “No, Sir,” she said, her voice muffled against his leg.

  She could feel his erection on her stomach and wanted nothing more than for him to sink it into her. When the sixth came, she tensed her buttocks but he spread her cheeks again and ran his fingers between them. Again, he pushed them into her wet lips and then rubbed them between her cheeks. She felt him rubbing against the ring of her anus and was surprised at how exciting it felt, then he slipped a finger moistened with her juices gently into her tight rosette.

  Her groan escaped before she could stop it and he withdrew his finger. Lifting her, he laid her on the bed on her stomach with her legs spread and dangling off the edge.

  “You moaned. I told you to be quiet.”

  Matei’s voice was husky with his arousal. He flipped her onto her back and lifted one leg to rest her ankle on his shoulder. He smacked her again but this time it landed on her soaked lips and her clit. She tried not to flinch, and then his fingers invaded her channel again. He took her clit between two fingers and tweaked, and Charlotte could not stop the moan escaping.

  He leant forward to grip one nipple between his fingers and squeeze. Charlotte was panting with her excitement. Removing her leg, Matei climbed onto the bed and took the nipple into his mouth, biting and sucking.

  With his other hand, he pushed two fingers into her slit and began to circle inside. She tried to push against them but he stopped and shook his head.

  “I’ll stop if you move.”

  His erection was pressing hard against her and Matei reached down and grasped his cock in his hand.

  “Watch.”

  He began to pump with his hand along the length of his shaft. The eye seemed to be watching her. She licked her lips as a bead of moisture spilt down the head.

  Matei pushed his cock to her mouth. “Lick it off,” he demanded.

  She licked across the head and down around it. She wanted to take it into her mouth but he moved back again. Suddenly he thrust into her, and it was all Charlotte could do not to come on the spot, her excitement so high. Standing between her legs, he pumped into her body with hard strokes. She spread her legs wider to give him more entrance but he pulled out of her.

  Roughly, he pushed her up further onto the bed and then continued to thrust into her. Both were panting, their hearts racing. He looked into her eyes and saw his answer. His fangs lengthened and he sank them into her breast. Charlotte screamed in frustration, as he drank her blood all the while pumping into her. She needed to bite him, she desperately cried out. He heard her thoughts and licked her breast to stop the blood flow.

  He pulled her onto him while still thrusting. With a lengthened nail, he cut across his chest and Charlotte pounced onto it, delighting in the blood running down her throat. She felt his fangs bite into her again, her neck this time. Her orgasm was beginning as she drank, Matei close behind her. He felt her muscles grip his cock as she was swept up in her climax and he exploded within her.

  She felt drained emotionally as her climax slowly subsided. Feeling Matei lick her neck, she lifted her head. He kissed her mouth, licking his blood from her lips, and then licked across the wound on his chest.

  His voice choked with emotion as he whispered, “Te ador, te sunt întreaga mea lume Iubită. I adore you, you are my whole world, beloved.”

  Charlotte could barely answer as she shakily replied, “I love you, Hotshot.”

  Had it only been six days since she had met him? It seemed li
ke he had been in her life so much longer. Never had she felt this way. The depth of feeling for this man frightened her at times. What would she do if she lost him?

  “Cara, I am with you till the end of our days. Never will I leave. You are my whole world, Iubită. I could not live without you.”

  Snuggling deeper into the safe circle of his arms, she drifted off to sleep.

  Chapter Twenty

  Charlotte woke with a dead weight across her. Matei had an arm and leg across her, his breathing and heart rate barely noticeable. She realised it must be daylight for him to be so deep asleep.

  Glancing at the clock, she was surprised to see it was close to eleven. Still considering the amount of sleep she had in the past few days and the stress of it all, it was hardly surprising that she had managed to catch up.

  Carefully sliding out from underneath Matei’s limbs, Charlotte showered, dressed and wandered to the kitchen for something to eat. After cleaning up, she made a coffee and went into the studio intending to work but instead sat curled up on the sofa, drinking and thinking.

  She had made four exchanges with Matei, which meant the next time they took each other’s blood she would convert. In the solitude of her studio, she realised that there was no going back now. Either she made the last exchange or else she would have to be very careful whenever they made love for the rest of her life.

  Charlotte snorted. It would be impossible to resist the temptation to bite when they were in the throes of passion, and especially now that they shared each other’s feelings during sex, it was impossible to separate her own desires from his. She realised that subconsciously she had already made up her mind to convert, probably after talking to Stuart and Katie.

  What Charlotte did realise was they would have to be careful and time the final exchange thoughtfully. Matei had said it took around twelve hours with up to the first five hours being painful. It would be silly to make love at seven in the morning and have him fall asleep in the middle of her conversion.

  Finally, she had accepted that it was going to happen. She actually felt better for deciding, even though the question was moot after four exchanges. At least when her children came back from their holiday it would all be over, and they could plan for their “mortal” wedding. As if Katie had heard her thoughts, the phone rang and Charlotte quickly answered it. Katie asked how she and Matei were.