Hunter Circles Series Books 1-3: An Urban Fantasy Box Set

by Jessica Gunn

  “Nate says you must have been going to see him for a while if you’d withstood the amount of elemental magik inside you today. Which means you have this plan with him to neutralize your magik. I’m not sure why you want to do that, but—”

  Krystin hopped off the cot on shaky feet and rushed to the glass separating us. “What the hell are you even talking about?”

  I rose from my chair and stalked over to her. “Giyano, that’s what.”

  Her face scrunched up and she banged a fist on the glass. It didn’t so much as buckle, having been fortified with magik. “If what you said is true, if his magik really is balancing mine out, then he saved my life tonight. And yours. All of Boston. And honestly, that hypothesis of Nate’s makes a ton of sense. I haven’t been able to figure out what he meant.”

  Rage flared inside me as my entire body went rigid. I wanted to punch something. Needed to. But my rage froze me in place. “So you admit to seeking Giyano out on your own, knowing full well what and who he is? What he could do to you?”

  Her blue eyes flashed with her own anger. “Giyano’s the only person I could think of that might know what Kinder’s ultimate agenda is and what exactly the Power means. Because she still has it and Riley is going to—”

  This time, I did punch the glass. My knuckles cracked and blood seeped out around the edges. “Don’t you dare mention Riley in the same sentence as Giyano ever again.”

  She slapped her palms on the glass and turned to pace away. Her shoulders rose and fell as she inhaled a deep breath, then she circled back to me. “You realize he saved Riley, right? Back in Shadow Crest’s lair? Attacking Lady Azar was stupid as hell, Ben. Even if that wasn’t the plan because we thought they’d be gone, before you go throwing that in my face. We shouldn’t have done it and we sure as hell shouldn’t have survived. It was lucky enough that Nate both knew asanak and was able to use it. That ether-shaper spell saved our asses. But there wouldn’t have been anything left to save if Giyano hadn’t attacked Lady Azar first.”

  I left my fist against the glass, the barrier slightly dented but otherwise no worse for wear. The glass hadn’t even shattered or splintered. Blood trickled down from my pulsing, aching knuckles and fingers, dripping onto the floor below in an almost rhythmic stream. “Riley wouldn’t have needed us to go there if Giyano hadn’t stolen him. We wouldn’t have needed him to save”—I spat the word—“us if he hadn’t followed Lady Azar’s command two and a half years ago.”

  Krystin’s expression faltered, softening into an emotion I couldn’t identify past the rage coursing through my veins. Which, unlike hers, looked perfectly normal.

  “It’s not like he had a choice.” Her voice was so low, I almost didn’t catch it. The quarantine chamber wasn’t exactly soundproof, though it was close. A microphone and speakers were placed on each side of the wall, with the ability to turn off audio on my side. “Until that night in the cave, Giyano had no choice but to follow Lady Azar’s every order. He’s been a slave to her for almost his entire demonic existence.”

  “A slave. Him? Doubtful anyone that powerful can be manipulated.”

  “Everyone can… for the right price,” she said, her eyes daring to meet mine. “To save someone you love, any cost is worth it.”

  Giyano loved someone? I laughed. How in the hell was that even possible? Monsters didn’t love—they destroyed. Like Giyano had done to my family. Like what he’d done to Krystin’s father and Nate’s parents and god-only-knew how many other victims in his hundreds of years as a demon.

  “Ben,” Krystin said, drawing my attention back to her for the briefest of moments.

  I tried to ignore the beauty of her blue eyes, the flush on her cheeks, as she tried to get me to see reason where I knew there was none. When Krystin believed in something, when she stood up for it, she was intimidating as hell—and just as beautiful. But what she’d done… I couldn’t move past it. Not now and probably not ever.

  “Giyano’s lover had the Power,” she said softly. “Giyano knew what Riley was capable of when he kidnapped him. And he knew what Lady Azar was going to do with Riley after she’d stored up enough magik inside him. He knew, Ben. He just needed help getting free. And to save Riley.”

  I dropped my gaze, mouth hanging slightly open. Too many words warred to get past my lips, but none came. Even if that were true, even if I could for one single second forget that wrenching, twisting feeling of my heart being gutted from my chest when I’d seen that empty stroller on the day Giyano had kidnapped Riley, I’d never forget the body in the alleyway. Without her tongue. Or the man in our house without eyes. Or the sound of Riley crying when Giyano had attacked us in the park. Or the sound of Sandra’s wails when I’d told her I’d lost our newborn baby boy. The words she’d use to kick me out of the house—and out of her life—for good.

  I’d never forget. And therefore, I’d never forgive.

  I moved my fist from the glass wall and backed up a few steps. Two last drops of blood fell from my fingertips. Krystin’s eyes watched my hand, but she said nothing.

  “I don’t care.” I paused, letting that sink in for me, the revelation quickly becoming one of the most glorious things I’d ever said. “I don’t care why he did what he did. Or if Giyano told you the truth. If Riley posed so much danger to Alzan and to the cianza there, if Giyano knew what magik Riley had, he never should have kidnapped him in the first place. Similarities to his lover or not.”

  “Ben—”

  I held up my uninjured hand. “I may not be able to kick you off the team. And I realize how stupid that decision would be at this point anyway. But us, you and me? It’s done. Whatever it was, it’s over now.”

  Her eyes wrinkled. “Are you serious?” she asked, flabbergasted. “Over this, the fate of someone who saved Riley?”

  “Enough!” I shouted. “I can’t stomach looking at you knowing you gave your magik over to that monster. However you want to hunt demons, that’s your style. Go for it, as long as it doesn’t affect the Fire Circle. But that’s not me. And I’d never, ever side with any demon that had had a hand in your father’s death, no matter how much information they had, or whether that information was about Riley.” I shook my head. “I’ll tell Jaffrin you’re awake. Goodbye, Krystin.”

  “Hey, Ben!” she shouted through the glass as I flicked the audio switch to turn off her mic.

  But when I turned to leave the room, two dozen armed Hunters and people in business suits rushed by, their footsteps echoing into the quarantine chamber and back out again. My brow furrowed and I rushed to the doorway as another dozen or so people ran by, all headed to the stairs.

  One of them paused long enough to say, “Grand hall.” But he was gone before I could ask what was going on.

  I looked back at Krystin, who wore a pissed-off expression accompanied by crossed arms and a cocked eyebrow.

  “I’ll be right back,” I said to her and left the room, chasing after the other Hunters.

  CHAPTER 18

  KRYSTIN

  Several long minutes passed as I pressed my face against the glass. The chamber didn’t necessarily bind your powers, but some sort of magik was at play that was blocking mine. No telekinetically breaking the glass. No teleportante would get me past the magik. I had no other option but to wait until Ben came back, or someone else showed up who could let me out.

  And oh, my god was it torture.

  I’d never seen that many Hunters in Headquarters before unless a big meeting was happening, never mind that many in one corridor. Something had happened, something big. But because the earth hadn’t shook again, I had to assume it wasn’t related to the cianza.

  Frustration welled up inside me. I spun, grabbed the cot I’d slept on by the front legs, and hoisted the lightweight metal frame at the glass, hoping to break it open.

  The cot’s legs bent against the glass, which didn’t give even a single centimeter.

  “Dammit!” I roared as I backpedaled and slid down the quarantine c
hamber’s wall, my hands running through my hair.

  I caught sight of Giyano’s mark on my hand. Disgust flowed through me, much like his magik now did. Too bad I couldn’t remove my hand the way this room had gotten rid of my magik. I wanted to forget what Giyano had done, even if it’d saved us. I wanted to forget and move on so far from here that the Fire Circle was just a blip on my radar.

  Out of the Circle. Out of New England. That was my goal.

  But first, I had to get out of this room.

  I brought my knees to my chest and wrapped my arms around my legs. Maybe Ben was right. Maybe I shouldn’t have gone to Giyano for answers. But at the time, he had been the only person I could think of who might know Kinder’s weakness—besides Aloysius. And if Ben’s reaction to me seeing Giyano had been that volatile, I couldn’t even imagine what he would do if I’d requested an audience with Darkness’s Emperor.

  Right or wrong, I’d done what I’d thought needed to be done. Just like I’d done for years before being placed on a team. And maybe that was the real lesson here: Krystin Blackwood didn’t belong on a team. I didn’t belong anywhere.

  “Hey, Krystin,” someone said.

  I looked up. Ben.

  He stood in the room, juggling keys in his hands. When he found the one he was looking for, he stepped toward the chamber on quick feet and unlocked the door. It slid it open.

  “Something big is up,” he said, all trace of the anger from before erased from existence. “Jaffrin wants everyone to be there. But if you do something again, Krystin, I’ll stop you.”

  I wanted to remind him that I hadn’t done anything. Giyano had done this to me. But I didn’t. “I’m good.”

  He nodded. “Then let’s go.”

  Ben led the way down to the first floor of Fire Circle Headquarters, where a line to get into the grand hall had formed. Once inside and seated next to the rest of our team down in the third row, I found a sight I hadn’t expected to see: a wave of pale yellow robes. Ether Head Circle.

  I gulped, looking anywhere but at them. The absolute last thing I needed right now was these douchebags on my case. Had Ben and Nate told Jaffrin about Giyano and me? Did the Ether Head Circle know too?

  Oh, god. Was this my execution or something, the old-time Fire Circle way?

  I gulped and reached for the edge of the marble bench I was sitting on, anything that’d help me get a grip on reality. Now that I was out of that quarantine chamber, I felt the rush of my magik, a flush just underneath my skin. I had my powers. If this was the end of me—as a Hunter or as a person—I’d be able to teleportante out of here. Off the entire continent.

  I gulped again.

  Jaffrin took the stage and motioned for the room to quiet. The grand hall was meant to fit the entirety of the Fire Circle, though it rarely did, so seeing it half full tonight took my breath away. And not necessarily for any good reasons.

  “Thank you all for coming on such short notice,” Jaffrin said as he greeted the room. “As you’ll see, we have some guests visiting us this day.” He pointed to the Ether Head Circle representatives and my stomach rolled over itself. “I have called together the top teams in the Fire Circle at their request that we handle a situation that has been developing within the city’s limits for a few days now. We received word that Landshaft is running an operation near the center of the city.”

  Fucking fantastic. You’d think they’d know by now, especially after today, how dangerously unbalanced Cianza Boston was at this moment.

  “As such,” Jaffrin continued, “and as a result of today’s White Flame visit, I am ordering a raid of the facility they’re rumored to be using. That raid will happen tonight. Avery, your team will lead the incursion. Ben and Cassie, your teams are to act as flanks with the rest of the Hunters currently present. I want this operation shut down before the cianza is put in more danger than it’s already experienced today.”

  “And also,” said a man, one of the Ether Head Circle representatives, “we need to send Lady Azar a message. This will act as our message.”

  I tightened my grip on the bench below me. It’d send her a message all right. A giant “fuck you!” but also, “hey, we’re panicking, so please don’t take this the wrong way.” All anyone had to do was get out of the area. Return Boston to the normal humans who already thought they owned it. It wasn’t hard.

  Except it would be. Because even with a very real threat of them tipping and exploding the cianza, Darkness would take the opportunity to move in and sweep the city. And that was unacceptable.

  Jaffrin lifted his gaze to our team and settled it on me and Shawn. “I want you two to still go, even if we’re a bit too close to Cianza Boston.”

  I elbowed Ben, hoping he’d ask the question for me despite our argument and probable non-future.

  Ben nodded, then stood. “Isn’t that risky after today?”

  “Riskier than a Landshaft operation collecting too many demonic magik users? They’re maintaining a steady feed for Autumn Fire, and if they were to hold their transformations here next August…” Jaffrin shook his head, a small smile on his face. “This mission will put a stop to that. So yes, I’m sure.”

  “It might be okay,” Shawn said, mostly to Ben, but he’d said it loud enough that Jaffrin gave him an odd look.

  “Something to say, Mr. Jacques?” Jaffrin asked Shawn.

  He nodded. “Yeah, actually. Krystin’s mother bound my powers again. I’m relatively safe for both Krystin and the cianza.”

  The man from the Ether Head Circle leaned over to Jaffrin and whispered something. Jaffrin nodded, then stood tall. “You are to unbind your powers, learn them, and try to unlock the Alzanian power you both have. Either for this battle or Darkness’s inevitable retaliation—we’re going to need it.”

  Jaffrin returned his attention to the rest of the room. “Individual notes will be handed out over the next few hours. We’ll leave tonight with hopes of wrapping this up within a few minutes. Everyone needs to bring their A-game on this one.”

  You think? It wouldn’t be the same as all the other missions. And more than just innocent normal humans might have been involved.

  “We will meet in this room in three hours,” Jaffrin said. “You are all dismissed.”

  So, too, was my appetite for any more answers. Depending on how prep work went and any conversations with my teammates I was about to have, this whole operation might be over really soon.

  SHAWN TOOK off the crystal around his neck and dropped it to the training room’s floor, then shattered it with his foot. His magik returned to him in a glow of orange that encapsulated his form.

  I sighed. “I’m starting to run out of those.”

  “We can go shopping for more.” He sat across from me on the training mats in the basement of Fire Circle Headquarters. “There’s a shop downtown that sells them for pretty cheap, like souvenirs instead of the tools they really are.”

  I cocked an eyebrow. “Oh, downtown. I’m thinking I’ll have to take a rain check for that excursion, Shawn. But thanks.”

  “Why?”

  “Seriously? I can’t even leave the house without someone crying about cianzas.” Okay, that was unfair, and I knew it. But everywhere I looked, it was like something would set the damn thing off. Like even a bird shitting in the center of it.

  Shawn leaned back and kicked his legs out, stretching them. “I have a hypothesis about us and cianzas, too, by the way.”

  “You have one for everything, it seems.”

  He shrugged. “I’m thinking that whenever we unlock this Alzanian power—”

  “If we do,” I amended.

  “Right, if we unlock it, I think it’ll nullify our effects on the cianza in Alzan, possibly in Boston, too.”

  I squinted, as if that’d help me see the connection I was so obviously missing. “What’d be the point of that?”

  “I’m not sure yet.” Shawn held out his hands. “In any case, are you ready to try this again?”

 
I grabbed on to his fingertips and tried not to think too much about what this power would do to us, or what Giyano had tried doing to me.

  But instead of feeling even a glimpse of that warm, white light that seemed to emanate from somewhere deep within me, the light I associated with Alzan, nothing happened. Like whatever progress we’d made before, small as it was with Shawn healing me with our shared power, it meant nothing now.

  Like Giyano’s magik had undone it all.

  “Shit,” I said.

  Had that been his goal all along? Not to help me avoid becoming a weapon for the Fire Circle, but to eliminate the threat Shawn and I posed to Darkness? The whole point of Alzan’s Son and Daughter was to stop Darkness’s advance on the city for some unspecified reason. It obviously had to do with much more than simply “saving” the city because Darkness was “bad.” Which meant Giyano was probably right about Lady Azar wanting the power of Cianza Alzan, the biggest of all known cianzas. And with Riley, she might have succeeded.

  “What’s wrong?” Shawn asked.

  I ripped my fingers from his grasp. “This is pointless. Whatever power we have is blocked—by Giyano’s magik, by yours, by God Himself, if he exists—”

  “Krystin.”

  “What?” Frustration itched its way up my spine. “You knew it couldn’t be as easy as waiting for Lady Azar to make a move against Alzan and then going there, hands waving, and magically poof her and her army out of existence.”

  “Well, yeah, that’d be pointless,” he said.

  “Would it be, though?” I shook my head and stood. “Maybe there’s more to the prophecy than the version Jaffrin has. He might not know everything about it.”

  Shawn stood too and rubbed the back of his neck. “You think there’s a chance we might not actually have the power already?”

  I shrugged. “It is the only explanation I can think of. Maybe we weren’t born with it, or at least not with immediate access to it, and only after who-knows-what will we be able to access it. Or maybe the Powers got it wrong. Or maybe it’s a hoax. Either way, we’re not unlocking anything before tonight’s raid. Jaffrin will have to deal with that.”