“Well, that’s interesting. You don’t have fangs and your skin is cool to the touch, which doesn’t happen to any of the others. You don’t drink blood, but you also can’t shift…”
Neri shrugged. “Pretty much.”
“What about before the men captured you at Standard? Do you remember a successful shift?”
“I have no recollection of my past besides the memory I showed Hunter when I was on the table.”
Neri flinched back when she heard gasps around her. Her heart beat calmed when her back pressed against Hunter’s chest. She scented him and it was becoming as familiar as his touch. It was if he imprinted on her. So it was more touch than anything else that kept her grounded. She relaxed back when he wrapped his arms around her waist.
Being this close to Hunter, a rumble passed through her, taking her by surprise. It was almost as though he was purring, or his panther was.
“Are you purring?”
Hunter huffed out a laugh. “I’m happy and so is the panther.”
“Neri?” Liv pulled her attention away from Hunter. “Have you ever run into another shifter or vampire after your transition?”
“No.”
A beautiful auburn-haired woman, leaning back against a giant blond man, spoke next. “What did you do after you escaped?”
Neri flinched as she thought about the first few months by herself. She needed to survive, but saying anything in front of this group of immortals was embarrassing.
“You don’t have to answer Jade.”
Neri shook her head. “No, it’s fine.” She knew it would be without knowing how.
“For the first couple of weeks, I observed people in town at a distance. I learned about money and stores, cars, homes, well, everything. I have to admit, I stole food and a change of clothes during that time. About a month after I escaped, I found an abandoned farmhouse and barn. I wanted to make sure no one was coming back for the property, so I checked to see anyone had a claim. It was a foreclosure, and the bank thought it a lost cause, so they didn’t even have the land on its books, so I found out the city owned it.”
Neri glanced around and she had their attention. She continued, even though she tried not to panic around so many at one time.
“The barn contained tools and woodworking equipment. I needed to keep busy and make money, so I checked out several books on how to use the machines and I found I had a talent for it and fixing things around the place. Whatever I didn’t know, like plumbing in the old place or electrical issues, I went to the library. But there were never many people around.”
“What did you fix?” Jade asked.
“Well, I didn’t have the money to do anything, so I figured I would create furniture from the wood surrounding the property and sold the pieces online. There is a market for original designs, so after I sold a table and two rocking chairs, I had enough money to put into the farmhouse and the barn.
“I purchased the plot of land with little fuss and I paid back everyone I stole from, without telling them it was me. The first thing I fixed was the plumbing throughout the entire farmhouse. I figured that I would need to reinforce the structure, so I moved onto the outside. I have to admit I put a lot of windows surrounding the house and the barn before I fixed up the rotting boards on both buildings.”
She didn’t know if the way she had got the land and the buildings stunned or disgusted them. To shake the dread settling in her stomach, she continued.
“I took about a year to learn everything I needed to start a successful online business, to set up a supplier for the materials, and purchase a used truck to take the shipments into town. Other than the occasional run into town to mail out the pieces, I stay to myself.”
Liv cleared her throat.
“Oh, and I searched for Dr. Stevens and even went back to Standard to see if there was anyone else, but they abandoned that division and destroyed the records. I don’t think Stevens is even his last name.”
Jade’s brows drew down. She glanced at the bright red haired man at the corner of the group, the one who had been with Hunter when she ran into them, before looking back at her.
“Have you tried to find out about your past? Before Standard?”
“I did, at the library. When that was fruitless, I hired a two PI’s on each coast and they found no one missing in the States or the world matching my description.”
“It could be the same asshole that cleared evidence of Ara’s past? But he’s dead, and I never found out how he made that happen,” Xander said.
A huge honey blond man sauntered toward her and Hunter and for a reason she couldn’t contemplate, set her teeth on edge.
“He could have hired himself a hacker that isn’t dead.”
The man winked at her and she snarled at the outright flirting coming from the man. It didn’t make him pause, so she spoke.
“If you come any closer, I’ll rip your fucking balls off.”
Neri, used to being alone, was becoming overwhelmed by the bodies pressing in on her. The words came out harsher than they otherwise would have. But if she had one more person come closer, she would run. The only reason she hadn’t fled was Hunter’s hold on her.
“It’s been a long day. I’ll take Neri home so we can talk.” Hunter stated.
Liv bit her lip at Hunter’s statement and Neri, sensing she wanted to ask something, reached for her arm. “What is it?”
“I hate to ask?”
“It’s fine. The worst thing that could happen is I say no.” Neri smiled at the woman she realized she liked after their short acquaintance.
“Can I draw your blood to study sometime?”
“Oh, yeah. I don’t have to do it down in your glass prison, do I?”
Liv laughed and the tinkling sound had Neri smiling. “Wherever you’re most comfortable. Hunter will let me know when you’re ready and I’ll come see you.”
“Okay.”
Although she should have expected it, Liv pulled her in for another hug.
“It was nice to meet all of you.” Neri, while overwhelmed, choked out the words.
There was a chorus of goodbyes as Hunter walked them to an expensive-looking SUV and help her into the passenger side. When he slid into the driver’s side, she couldn’t help glancing at him, taking him in.
“I figured you would want to go home after the overwhelming afternoon. I know I invited myself, but is okay we head to your place?”
“No, I don’t mind you coming to see where I live. Thank you.”
Hunter huffed out a laugh. “At the best of times, the group can be too much and if you aren’t used to them, even more so. And it was funny as hell when you threatened to rip Axel’s balls off. You took him by surprise.”
“I don’t think it was him as much as the day. Today I’ve been around more people than the entire four years on my own. You’ll find I’m as different as they come.”
“I would say unique and beautiful.”
Neri blinked at him and searched Hunter’s face for the truth, and when he turned to catch her gaze, she could see nothing but the truth.
“You are beautiful, and brilliant, resourceful, and fast as all get out.” Hunter chuckled.
“I don’t know what I look like. I haven’t bothered purchasing a mirror. It seemed unimportant while I was trying to survive.”
In her world, she never thought about beauty much. She took a moment and gazed at Hunter’s long tanned arm draped over the steering wheel, over his wide shoulders, down to his taut stomach and chest defined in the tight black tee he wore. Along with his piercing green eyes, she thought Hunter was spectacular. If something attracted him to her and her quirks, then she was lucky they’d met.
“Thank you.”
“It’s the truth.”
Neri, now safe with Hunter, closed her eyes and leaned her head back against the seat. She tried to figure out a reason she felt this pull toward Hunter. She wanted to touch him and thinking he might have read her mind, not that it would
have surprised her anymore today, laced their fingers together.
Her normal reaction would be fear and self-preservation, but with Hunter, she could relax for the first time since she could remember. Knowing she would never solve it without spending time with the panther shifter, opened her eyes and pointed out the road that led to her place.
“The dirt road isn’t smooth, but I make it okay with my forty-year-old pickup.”
“Was it in good condition when you bought it?”
Neri laughed. “No. There was rust in the tire wells and one fender, all of it I replaced. I had to reupholster the seats and purchase a new battery, starter, alternator, and spark plugs, but everything else worked. It’s a tough little truck and I love it.”
Hunter searched her face. Then he shook his head as if to clear it. “When you’re not building furniture, fixing up your house and barn, or fixing your truck, what do you do?”
For reasons unknown to her, Neri warmed at the thought Hunter wanted to get to know her.
“I read. Anything I can check out of the library or download and read on my laptop. I love fiction, biographies, how-to manuals, anything as long as I can learn about the world and how it works.”
She clenched her teeth as the road jostled them back and forth and she cringed at the sound of metal scraping against a rock. Before she could suggest they walk the rest of the way, Hunter powered through and soon they parked in front of her house.
Neri watched Hunter’s gaze as he looked over at her barn, where she built the furniture she sold and drifted over to her home. His eyes were wide as he held his breath. Curious, she looked over her land with fresh eyes, but all she sensed was peace and home.
“The barn was already a sound structure. But I found after I escaped I needed to see outside, to be close as I could get to the wilderness which is why I installed the sliding doors that open an entire side of the barn.”
“Can you show me your work?” Hunter asked.
She smiled and nodded.
Neri opened the door and hopped out of the SUV, waiting at the front until Hunter came around the hood. He surprised her again by holding his hand out, this time allowing her to make the first move. Without hesitation, she slid her fingers between his and pressed their palms together.
It wasn’t until she showed Hunter her designs she realized how lonely and closed off she had become. Everything instinct inside her screamed at her to get closer to Hunter, and not only because he said she was his mate. She wanted to know everything about the man, his panther, and his life.
With her mind made up to go with her instincts, she walked toward the one space she felt safest with the man who was becoming integral to her life.
CHAPTER THREE
HUNTER
It took a lot to impress Hunter this far into his immortality. But the dark green structures that composed of Neri’s house and workshop fascinated him. He realized she hadn’t been kidding when she noticed the amount windows she had installed in both the barn and the farmhouse.
In the barn, the top third of the building was all glass, while the house had traditional sash windows painted in bright white, contrasting with the green of the house. There were a variety of bushes, potted plants and flowers, and tall pines insulating the area. As though the world outside was separate from this magical one he entered.
Neri scent surrounded the area. He detected lemongrass, orange, and a slight hint of oak and he relaxed for the first time since he spotted her.
He didn’t care she was part vampire. The more he learned about her and became immersed in her world, the less it mattered.
Hunter smiled when Neri didn’t hesitate to take his hand. But it faltered as he remembered how fast she’d been when she ran out of Liv’s laboratory and outside. If she hadn’t stopped… he didn’t let himself wonder further. But she’d stopped. Allowed him to touch her, to hold her close.
Whenever another immortal had found their mate, Hunter didn’t understand when they spoke of needing to be close to them. Aware of their physical presence and their emotional well-being. Hunter, not mated yet, had never understood and hadn’t wanted to. But he understood now, all too well, and inside was a swirl of happiness and fear.
Fear someone would take her away from him right after he’d found her, on top of the fear she would reject him. And fear he could kill her if he tried to mark her as his mate.
Would she want that? Would her bite be deadly? I would rather risk myself than her.
As he was deep in thought, Neri pulled him toward the barn that doubled as her workshop. The barn doors weren’t typical and when Neri walked to a side panel and swiped her finger along an access pad, it exposed a number panel.
She entered a sixteen digit code, no sounds coming from the box as she pressed the buttons. When she pressed a green button, Hunter heard hydraulics kick in and the two steel, not wooden, doors slid open.
The entire structure looked wooden from the outside, but it wasn’t until you stepped inside and glanced up that it revealed steel beams running through the place. There were thick windows near the ceiling surrounding the entire building, flooding the open space with plenty of light and when he glanced around, he could see the south side of the barn contained supplies; stacks of wood in various sizes, nails, screws, hinges categorized below a tool wall that contained some Hunter couldn’t identify. There were machines and although the smell of wood and sawdust was prevalent, the area was tidy.
His gaze found the area with finished tables, chairs, and stools already finished. Without realizing his actions, he pressed his palm against the cool surface and ran his hand over the varnished wood.
She created each piece with different varieties of wood, blending them together to make every piece distinct.
“They are beautiful.”
“Thank you.”
Hunter glanced up. “Are each one of them already sold?”
“I don’t start an order until it’s placed and paid for.” Neri paused and glanced at him. “You never told me what you did for a living. Is okay to ask you?”
Hunter took her hand and squeezed. “Why don’t we sit down and I’ll tell you everything.”
“Let’s go up to the house and I can get us something to drink.” Neri, without letting go of his hand, led the way out of the barn, taking time to close the doors and set the alarm, before she started toward the house.
The structure was even more beautiful than he’d imagined. There were plants and flowers in hanging baskets scattered around the windows, and pots filled with greenery in almost every corner of the huge bottom floor. She painted each wall a different bright, vibrant color that complimented the wooden furniture placed throughout the room.
Hunter moved his gaze toward the kitchen and noted the modern appliances, a huge refrigerator, ovens, two farmhouse sinks, and a walk-in pantry.
“It fits you.”
Neri gave him a smile that made his heart beat faster. She pointed to the dining room table. “What would you like to drink? I have coffee, tea, and soda.”
Hunter asked for a soda and she poured herself an iced tea before she joined him at the table.
“Well, I suppose I should start from the beginning. I was born in 1921 in California. There wasn’t anything spectacular about my upbringing or my parents. But by 1940, I grew restless in with my life and wanted to travel. My parents wanted me to get married and have kids, but I wasn’t ready. I visited Arches National Park in Utah and several smaller parks between California and Colorado. But someone attacked me one night after I pitched a tent in Rocky Mountain National Park.”
Neri’s eyes widened and her breathing came in pants. “Do you remember your transition?”
“Yeah, everything about it. The worst pain I experienced was when their teeth punctured my jugular vein. They tore through the sinew in my neck. I’m sure I’m being dramatic, but it felt like it, anyway. During the transition, all I thought about was the pain from the bite and I wondered if I would die.”
Hunter shook his head. “They attacked me when I was facing the tent, but then again, most of the shifters and vampires who transitioned wouldn’t recognize the face of their attacker. Ara, Liv, Seth, Frost, and Noah were all turned by their mate. Well, Noah was first bitten by Drew, Jade’s brother, and to prevent him from dying because his venom didn’t take, Jade bit him again. He pulled through because of Jade’s quick thinking.”
“Did they experience the pain of the transition like you had?”
“Yeah. Three days of torture for their mates. Since you don’t remember, they describe it as having the worst flu symptoms imaginable. Bones ache accompanied by a high fever controlled by cold, damp towels. The pain explodes throughout, even from a light brush against their skin. But being near their mates helped as they kept their skin cool with wet towels and cold baths.”
Neri shivered and her eyes became hard. “Why would they go through with it if it hurts so much?”
“Immortals, while we live forever, have found it rare to find their mates. If they are lucky enough to recognize their mate and commit, the one destined for them has been human. Frost was the exception; born half shifter and half human. To stay together, they will go through whatever pain they need to to be with the one person meant for them.” Hunter believed his words, now he found his mate.
“How do you know? I’m not human, but an immortal and a hybrid at that. You and every other immortal understands my venom is deadly to you. I think… well you made a mistake.”
Hunter shook his head. “I felt you before I spotted you in the trees. My body, well, my panther recognized you and every instinct inside me screamed ‘she’s mine.’ But there one true way we can tell.”
He watched Neri during his explanation and noted her silver eyes were wide and her pulse sped up, leaning forward to absorb his words. Hunter looked into her eyes and without hesitation, spoke to her.
Like this.
Her brows drew down in confusion. “What, you said like this, I don’t—” Neri’s eyes widened and she sucked in a breath. “In my head, you spoke in my head.”
Hunter (A Dark Assassins Novel Book Five) Page 3