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

by Suzy Shearer

  Matei suddenly realised he felt others linked in his mind. Those Hunters scattered throughout the world who were awake had listened in both awe and dread as Matei had invoked his revenge. They had added their voices when Michael and Louisa had tried to tell him Charlotte lived and now they added their strength as the fight to save Charlotte continued. They were calling to Charlotte with love, telling her she must not go, pleading with her to fight, to live.

  Matei could hear his family, hear Hunters all around the world adding their energies to his. The support and love that was filling him almost overwhelmed Matei and he found a deep reserve of strength to fight for the woman he loved more than life itself.

  Michael left off giving Charlotte more blood. He felt she had enough now in her system to keep her alive.

  “Do you think it is safe enough to get her back to the house, Matei? The poison from the strigoi will have to be removed or she will surely die still and I would rather do that at her home where we can send her to sleep once we have finished. It will be a long process.”

  Matei wearily entered her body once more, checking on her heart. It was still very weak but it was now beating regularly. He nodded to Michael.

  “Are you strong enough to carry her, Matei?”

  Michael watched as Matei struggled to his feet. He stumbled then stood erect.

  “Yes.”

  “You and I will need to feed, we will not have the strength to cleanse her body after all we have done,” Michael said wearily.

  Louisa spoke quietly. “I can feed heavily on the way and then feed you both. I can take more if you need it as the night progresses.”

  She was so fearful that even with all their work, Charlotte’s body would not be able to cope with all the stress.

  “A sound idea, dragostea mea. I’ll also feed once we are close to her home.”

  On their private path he said, “Once I am sure Matei will not falter.”

  They took to the air. Matei had transformed into a large raptor and held Charlotte firmly but gently in his talons. Louisa knew it was only a fifteen-minute flight to Charlotte’s home but it seemed to take forever. She and Michael peeled off when the house was in sight to feed then re-joined Matei, who had taken Charlotte into her bedroom.

  She was deathly pale. Louisa could not believe that she was alive still. She could feel the tears falling as she looked at Charlotte held gently in Matei’s arms. She held out her wrist to Matei, telling him he must feed.

  Louisa could not bear to look at Matei’s face, the fear of losing his beloved was etched so deeply. Every Hunter instinctively knew the ritual was only postponed until Matei knew Charlotte’s fate.

  Michael took charge and directed Louisa to give Charlotte more blood while he and Matei began to track down and destroy the toxins that were infesting her body. They would also remove the marker Vasilecu had placed, although no other strigoi could read it now that the vampire was destroyed.

  When Louisa had given Charlotte enough blood she went out to feed once more. They would all need blood to keep up their strength in the fight. When she returned, she joined the men in removing all the poison that had rapidly spread to every part of Charlotte’s bloodstream. Finally, when the sun was just cresting above the horizon they all withdrew, their work finally finished. Michael took a small amount of blood from Louisa then went quickly to feed before the sun rose too high.

  Matei had sent Charlotte into a deep sleep with the command that she would not wake until he ordered her. They would wait until the evening before attempting to bring her from the induced coma. Arranging her comfortably on the bed, Matei got to his feet and went to Michael.

  Wordlessly, he grasped his friend’s shoulders. No words passed between them, both knew how perilously close they had come to losing both Charlotte and Matei. Louisa flung her arms around them both and laid her head on Michael’s arm, sobbing softly.

  Matei then sank to his knees. He bowed his head in prayer to Mother Earth, asking for her forgiveness and pleading with her to save Charlotte. Michael and Louisa walked from the bedroom to leave Matei in private prayer. They went into the spare bedroom to rest and sleep.

  When Matei finished his prayers, he lay on the bed. Gathering Charlotte into his arms, he listened to her heart slowly beating stronger with each passing hour until finally sleep overtook him.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Matei woke.

  His first thought was Charlotte. He entered her body to check on the tear Michael had repaired in her heart and the puncture in her lungs. Both looked fine. There was a slight scarring on the lung but that would heal over the next day. Her heart seemed much stronger, beating steadily. The bone was knitting well in her ribs and she would be able to put weight on her leg tomorrow.

  He checked to make sure no toxins had escaped their hunt then withdrew. He examined her leg where the break had been. The skin was still a little red and that too would heal within the next day but he licked it still.

  Getting to his feet, he stood at the foot of the bed looking down at Charlotte. He shuddered when he thought how close he had come to destroying himself and the others in the process.

  Michael and Louisa were in the kitchen talking softly together when Matei walked out to them, Louisa gasped when she saw him. The hair at his temples was now grey and grey was streaked throughout the rest of his hair, something unheard of in his people. He looked haggard and his face drawn.

  Michael clasped his arms and greeted him then said, “How is she?”

  Matei rubbed his hands over his face. “Her heart is beating stronger. She will survive”—his voice cracked—“but I am not sure how she will be mentally after what has happened.”

  “If she sees you as you look at the moment, my friend, she will worry. It would be best if you fed, then cleaned up and put some clothes on. Look at you.”

  Matei looked down and saw he was still naked, dried blood covered him, both his and Charlotte’s. He hair was matted and bloodstained.

  “No offense, Matei, but you stink also.”

  Matei gave a half-hearted grin. The smell of ozone and burnt flesh hung about him.

  “You need to feed again, my friend.”

  He left them both and walked in to shower. Washing the stink and blood from him made him feel more human, and slowly he was coming back to life. Once he felt clean, he dressed and vanished to feed. He and Michael would decide if Charlotte needed more blood when he quickly returned.

  Louisa was holding Charlotte’s hand when he arrived, and she looked up as he entered.

  “She is moaning in her sleep, Matei, I think she is coming around despite your command not to wake.”

  “I’ll wake her. It is almost six o’clock and her body has rested and healed for over twelve hours. Louisa and Michael, we will need to give her much reassurance as she surfaces and remembers.”

  Both nodded as Matei climbed onto the bed and took her in his arms, and they began filling Charlotte’s mind with comfort and love. He heard his sister and his parents add their warmth. Charlotte would wake to a feeling of belonging.

  “Charlotte, come to me now. Wake!”

  He felt her tentative movements first then slowly her breathing increased, her heart beginning to race as she became more alert. Suddenly a terrified rough scream erupted from deep within her as she opened her eyes without seeing.

  “Hush, Cara, hush, Iubită. You are safe, Iubită,” Matei crooned, rocking her back and forth.

  Charlotte could not stop screaming, her eyes were open but all she could see was the vampire. She felt arms around her and tried to push them away, screaming, fighting against their strength.

  “Iubită. Look at me, Cara!”

  Louisa, Michael and the others were calling to her in her mind, filling her with reassurances.

  Finally, she stopped screaming and actually looked around herself. She saw Louisa and Michael and looked down. There were strong arms holding her, thick black hair hung across her body and she took in the scent o
f lilacs.

  “Matei,” she choked, her voice raspy and thick with emotion, “Matei!”

  She sank back into his arms, crying convulsively.

  “It is all right, Cara. You are safe. It is all over.”

  He was trying to comfort her, wanting her to relax, to give her heart a chance to calm. He paced her heart with his and slowly it began returning to a normal rhythm. Charlotte turned her head to look at Matei. Afraid it was a dream, she grabbed his hand and squeezed.

  “It’s over? Is it truly over?”

  Louisa could not stop crying as she burrowed her head in Michael’s chest.

  “Yes, Iubită, it is over. He is destroyed.”

  She looked up into Matei’s face, uncertain as to whether to believe him, she then looked over at Louisa and Michael who nodded their reassurance.

  Taking a deep breath, she flung herself once more into Matei’s chest and cried, this time in relief. Matei stroked her hair and muttered nonsense. He let her cry until he felt his heart would break with her distress but he did not stop her. Soon he knew she would remember all that had happened and would have to come to terms with it. Crying would cleanse this first stage of the journey.

  Slowly her flood of tears became whimpering sobs until at last she lifted her head with red-rimmed eyes to take in his face.

  “You look as bad as I feel,” she croaked and then grinned weakly.

  “Oh, my Cara.” Matei could not contain his tears any longer and unashamedly let them fall.

  In her mind, she could hear woman’s voice welcoming her, wrapping her in love and she opened her eyes wide in wonder. Somewhere she had heard her before.

  “I can hear another voice. Who is it? I’m sure I’ve heard it before, it’s a woman and she told me I wasn’t to leave. She is happy.”

  Charlotte was amazed as she asked the room in general.

  Matei answered her, “It’s my sister, Ştefania. My family and many Hunters joined to hold you to this world. My sister will be here soon. She travelled most of last night and will be here soon.”

  Charlotte could not believe that so many people would help her, and her eyes filled with tears again. Ştefania started crying too. Charlotte tried to tell her not to cry but Ştefania whispered through the tears that she was glad Charlotte was healing well, then said she would be glad to see her new sister very soon before saying good-bye.

  Charlotte sat back in Matei’s arms, still amazed by Ştefania’s contact.

  “How do you feel, Cara?”

  “Sore. My body aches, it hurts when I speak. I feel very tired too, and so dirty.”

  She whispered, her throat still rough and bruised from where the vampire had choked her. Matei entered her and soothed her throat.

  Suddenly her voice started to rise in panic. “Matei, I have to wash his stink from me!

  “Get it off me!”

  She started frantically clawing at her body.

  Matei grabbed her hands. “It is all right, Cara. Come, I will wash you.”

  Michael and Louisa left them alone while Matei gently removed the few tattered remnants of her clothes. Her body was bruised from head to toe, but Matei thought it wiser to wash her first than try and ease her aches. Her heart was beating rapidly again, thinking she could smell the vampire on herself.

  Her bloodstained clothes were only shreds, tattered and torn. Matei tried to hide them from her eyes as he lifted her and carried her into the shower. He sent a message to Louisa asking her to throw them away while they were missing from the room. He asked her to remove the blood soiled sheets and any traces of Charlotte’s ordeal.

  Once more, he washed her gently, holding her up so she would not put strain on her leg. They had not spoken of her injuries and he would wait until she was ready to talk. He washed her hair, then wrapped her in a towel and carried her back to the bedroom.

  Laying her on the clean bed, he bent his head and began to lick the worst of her bruises. He paid special attention to her neck. He would not be able to ease them all but he would do whatever he could and then block any other pain she had. He quickly entered her body and eased the swelling and bruising inside her throat. She lay listlessly and he began to worry that she was going into shock.

  “Cara, talk to me. Tell me where you hurt.”

  She lifted her head to watch him. “My leg hurts.” Matei turned his attention to it.

  “I feel so weak. Will I truly be okay? Is he really gone?”

  Matei nodded. “Yes, Iubită, he is gone. And you will recover fully.”

  “He broke my leg didn’t he? I remember seeing the bone and the blood.”

  “Yes, Cara, but we repaired it. It will take a day before you can walk on it, when you wake next it will be fully healed.”

  He dressed her carefully and propped her in the middle of the bed.

  “Tell me all the damage he did, Matei. I know I was dead,” she whispered.

  Softly he told her of the tear to her heart and the puncture in her lung.

  “Michael took over the work of your heart while he repaired the damage. He saved you, Cara.” He stumbled over his words. “I thought you were dead, I thought I had lost you.” He began sobbing and laid his head on her breast.

  “I thought you were dead.”

  Matei moaned as he remembered how he had felt when he thought she was dead. “I wanted to die. I could not live without you, Iubită.”

  Both cried, their tears mingling. Charlotte lifted his head to look in his face. “I’m alive, thanks to you.”

  “No, it is Michael who deserves your thanks, both our thanks.”

  Matei hung his head in shame. “Without him I would be dead.

  “I was lost, Iubită, I…I…” He could not go on.

  Charlotte had no idea what he was talking about but she could tell how distressed he was. Both had suffered and now both would have to heal but they were together. They would share their pain to make it easier.

  Louisa came into the room quietly. She brought tea for them both. Michael followed with one for her and his own. They sat on the edge of the bed. Matei raised his tear-stained face. He could never thank Michael enough for saving them both.

  “I was lost, Mihăiță,” he said simply.

  “I know, my friend, but in the end we found you.”

  Charlotte looked confused. She did not understand what they were talking about. She had felt Matei nearby so how could he have gotten lost?

  Louisa looked at her with compassion. “Remember when I told you what happens sometimes when a Hunter loses his partner?”

  Charlotte nodded and looked at Matei, suddenly afraid. “Did you think you were going rogue?”

  Matei did not answer her immediately.

  He took a deep breath. “No. I knew that would not happen.”

  “There is something you aren’t telling me.”

  He looked at her then at Michael.

  How could he tell her what he had done?

  How could he tell he how close he had come to killing himself?

  Worse, she, Michael and Louise would have been caught in the conflagration that would have followed if he had called down the final curse of the Ritualul de Distrugere and they too, would have been killed.

  He was ashamed but he had no control over what had happened.

  Michael stood and went to his friend’s side. “My brother, know this. Never would I blame you for what may have happened.”

  Charlotte realised something terrible had almost occurred.

  Michael spoke quietly.

  “Matei thought you lost, we all did. In fact, when I found you, your heart had ceased to beat. A Hunter can invoke a ritual, although to my knowledge, none has dared, for not one had the strength. That is, until last night when Matei did. In truth, I thought it just a fable.”

  He put his hand on Matei’s shoulder and gripped it before he walked back to sit beside Louisa. He kissed her cheek then continued.

  “He invoked the Ritualul de Distrugere, it is a call t
o the gods to destroy the enemy but it is also a call to destroy the one who invokes it.”

  “I thought you dead.” Matei took her hand.

  “I could not live without you,” he whispered in such agony Charlotte felt her heart miss a beat.

  Michael looked at Matei in awe. “I would never have believed it if I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes.”

  Matei shook his head. “You, Charlotte and Louisa may have been killed.” He whispered, “I was lost, inconsolable, unreachable.”

  “I don’t understand. I mean I sort of understand that this, this ritual destroys the vampire. I guess I understand that Matei would have died but I don’t understand why Michael and Louisa were in danger. Not that I want him dead, but how does he still live?”

  Charlotte looked at the other three in total confusion.

  Michael answered, “When he invoked the ritual to finish Vasilecu he channeled the energy of at least one hundred lightning bolts. Now imagine a thousand lightning strikes in one place, and then add a tornado and torrential rain. That would have been the finale of the invocation. The explosion that followed would have levelled out an area the size of a city block. Louisa and I were in the cave with you. As close as your kitchen.”

  Charlotte’s jaw dropped. She could not even imagine such power.

  How was it that Matei had been able to channel that much energy to destroy the vampire and still be alive?

  She looked at him in wonder. No one could survive a direct lightning strike yet he had channeled more than one hundred through his body. She took his hands in hers and studied them, turning them this way and that. There was no mark on them, nothing blemishing his skin. She looked into his face, traces of pain and weariness were there. Suddenly she realised that he was now grey at the temples, the grey streaking through the long locks.

  “Your hair! What happened to your hair?”

  Michael replied, breaking the tension, “Now he looks like the old man he really is.”

  Charlotte dissolved into giggles as Matei glowered at his friend.

  He tried to smile. “I think it makes me look distinguished.”

  It broke through their sorrow and they began to laugh, albeit slightly hysterically.