aHunter4Life (aHunter4Hire) (2 page)

“We
are in.”
Partlan’s
voice echoed in
his head.

Within
seconds, the rest of the team was beside him. Partlan took the lead. They crept
down the hall until they reached a large foyer. A massive crystal chandelier
hung in the center of the ceiling. The walls were covered in a soft green silk
material and the dark marble floor was glossy enough to reflect their feet. The
entry screamed elegance and money on a large scale.

Voices
were coming from a room on the left. They moved along the wall and crossed in
front of a staircase that wound in a curve to the second floor. A matching set
of stairs was on the opposite side of the entryway.

“You
can’t risk it.” A male’s voice shouted. “It’s too dangerous. The FBI has
procedures in place for a reason.”

“It’s
not your son.” The words were a sob. “I want my baby home.”

“We’re
doing the best we can Ms. Nevins.” The man’s voice was conciliatory. “You have
to trust us. We’ve done this many times before.”

“How
many times have you been successful?” A different man’s voice, husky and low
asked.

“We
win more than we lose.” The man’s gruff answer was barely audible.

Footsteps
alerted the team that someone was coming to the door. They retreated to the
wall, hiding in an alcove below the staircase. The door opened and a tall,
slender man exited. He was dressed in a dark suit, and after he closed the door
behind him, he straightened his tie and smoothed his jacket. With a deep sigh
and a shake of his head, he moved to the opposite side of the vestibule and
went into a room leading off a side hall.

“Let’s
go.”

They
hurried across the foyer. Catal and Partlan stood on one side of the door while
Firbin
and
Ranon
took the
other. Their guns were drawn. When everyone was in place Partlan nodded and
opened the door. He entered first. Catal and
Firbin
were next, with
Ranon
bringing up the rear.

It
was a room designed for comfort. A dark brown sectional couch was situated in
front of a fireplace. Above the mantle was a huge flat-screen television. There
were a couple of chairs upholstered in soft beige opposite the couch. Pillows
of all shapes and colors were strewn on the furniture and floor. A long, narrow
table rested against the far wall, its top was covered with liquor bottles and
glasses. This was the room where all pretense was dropped.

A
man and a woman were the only occupants.

Their
faces were well known to anyone who went to the movies or read magazines. Nikki
Nevins and Steve Walker. The darling couple of Hollywood. He was dark and
brooding. She was blonde haired and blue-eyed innocence. They’d been married
for almost ten years with only the odd rumor of a problem. Steve stood when
they entered the room.

“Who
the hell are you?”

“We
are here to help.”
Partlan’s
voice was low. “Someone
called us.”

Nikki’s
eyes widened as she scanned them. “Are you some kind of private security
group?”

Catal
smiled. She wasn’t as dumb as the press made out. “You could say that. We’re
called in when all else has failed.”

“We
didn’t ask for anyone’s help.” Steve Walters crossed his arms and flopped back
on the couch. “You can leave.”

Nikki
held her hand up. “Not so fast darling. These men look quite capable.” Again
her eyes scanned them, lingering on Partlan with a slight smile.

“Size
doesn’t mean they can be trusted.” The actor’s voice was scornful.

Nikki
went and sat on the edge of the couch’s arm. She draped an arm over her
husband’s shoulders. “Somehow they managed to get inside the house. The FBI
have everything monitored, not to mention our own security. They must have some
talent.”

Steve
shrugged. “We’ve decided to let the police handle this.”

Partlan
cleared his throat. “If you did not request us, who did?”

“Me.”

They
all turned to the voice coming from the door. A slender female, with dark black
hair pulled back into a ponytail stood there. She was no more than five feet
tall, but her eyes dared anyone to come near.
Catal’s
heart stopped for a second before starting back at a furious beat. Joy and
relief leapt through his body. He thought he’d never see her again.

Selena.

The
one woman he couldn’t forget.

Catal
took a step toward her, but stopped when she put her hand up. Her eyes widened
with recognition. A flicker of desire came to life deep within their brown
depths. His mouth went dry and his breath halted in his throat.

She
remembered.

The
color drained from her face and she shook her head in slow denial. The next
instant her eyes blazed fury. Her jaw clenched and she chopped the air with her
hand. Catal was thrown back by the rage and hatred in her glance. He swallowed
his words of greeting. She didn’t want him here.

He
pushed away the agony that settled in his chest and focused on the others.
There would be time to talk with Selena later.

“Why
the hell would you call someone else in?” Steve sat forward on the couch, his
arms dropped between his denim clad legs. “We’re taking care of everything,
including the ransom money.”

“You’re
forgetting my son was also abducted.”

Selena’s
words ripped through Catal. She had a son? That meant she had found another man.
His chest tightened and his breathing stilled. He knew it was the most likely
reason she’d blocked him, but it still pierced his soul. She was the only woman
he would ever love. To know she had turned to another was the worse pain he had
ever experienced.

“We
haven’t forgotten
Tarrin
.” Nikki’s voice was low and
soothing. “The FBI thinks it’s best if we follow their procedures.”

“The
boys have been gone a week.” Selena crossed her arms. “
Tarrin
would have come back if it were possible.”

“Are
you suggesting that Gates can’t handle himself?” Steven stood and took a step
forward.

Nikki
touched his arm. “Selena was only speaking about her son. We all know that
Gates would escape if it were possible.”

“
Tarrin
would never leave Gates alone.” Selena walked into
the room. “We need help.”

“And
you think these men can find the boys?” Steve shook his head.

Selena
nodded. “I know they can.”

“How?”
Steve’s tone was belligerent. “You’re the nanny for Christ’s sake. How would
you know anything about them? They look like soldiers.”

“I
didn’t always live in the United States.” Selena’s voice was defensive.
“Besides, they advertise on the internet. If you have a problem, they help.”

“We
can’t take the chance that they’ll mess things up.” Nikki’s voice was
conciliatory. “It’s best to leave this to the authorities.”

“We
do not fail.” Partlan crossed his arms. “Our help was requested and we are
here.”

“What
do you know about kidnapping and children?” Nikki’s eyes narrowed. “It looks
like you’d be more comfortable in a gun battle.”

“We
have handled these situations many times. We are Hunters. Searching for people
is what we are skilled at.”

Nikki
frowned. “Like bounty hunters?”

Partlan
looked back at Catal with a raised eyebrow. Catal moved forward to interpret.
“No. We are warriors, but part of our training is finding what is lost.”

“Warriors.”
Steve’s voice rose to a shout. “Are you kidding me?”

“They
are the best.” Selena’s voice was firm.

“What
right did you have to call in men like them?”

“The
right of a mother.” Selena clenched her hands into fists. “Your efforts are
going nowhere. I want my son returned before it’s too late.”

Steve
lunged toward Selena. Catal jumped in front and grabbed the man by the throat.
He lifted him off the ground and shook him. Nikki screamed and rushed to defend
her husband, but Partlan blocked her.

“Put
him down.”
Partlan’s
voice was a low demand. “He will
not harm the woman.”

Catal
threw the actor to the ground. He crossed his arms and blocked access to
Selena. His eyes narrowed as he continued to watch Steve. The man was rubbing
his neck and glaring at him with hatred. He didn’t care. If all Selena wanted
from him was protection, then that would be his role. She might reject him, but
he would never betray her.

“By
Cygnus and Warrior, I will not have any human threatening my pair bond.” Catal
forced his breathing to slow. “That is the code by which every Hunter lives.”

He
was the last person she had ever expected to see again.

Her
heart beat in a furious staccato as she let her eyes roam over him. Catal
hadn’t aged a day since she’d last seen him. Tall and broad shouldered with
dark hair and eyes, he stood out in a room. He always had.

Her
mouth went dry and she started to tremble as she remembered the feel of his
arms around her. She still woke up in the middle of the night restless with the
memories of their lovemaking. After all these years, she still craved his
touch.

Then
she remembered his betrayal.

Selena’s
body tensed and her fist clenched as she motioned for him to stay away. She
lifted her chin and glared at him. How could she forget his betrayal? The love
she thought they had shared had never been real. He’d only been stringing her
along so he could infiltrate her brother’s defenses. He’d succeeded once, but
never again would she trust him.

Now
he was making a claim that he was her pair bond. She didn’t know what that
meant, but he’d given up any rights to her eight years ago. All she needed now
was for her son,
Tarrin
, to
be found. She tried to move, but Catal blocked her.

“It
is the code.” The man who looked to be the leader nodded.

Selena
inhaled as three of the warriors surrounded her on all sides. Catal still stood
in front of her with his arms crossed. All she wanted was her son back. That’s
why she had contacted aHunter4Hire. The name of the organization was different
from the old days in Columbia, so she thought that Catal would no longer be
involved. Back then, they had just called themselves Hunters, so Selena had believed
she’d be safe.

Her
hands clenched into fists and she gritted her teeth together. “What do you mean
pair bond?”

“You
are my pair bond and we did mate.”
Catal’s
tone was
gravelly and low.

His
voice had always sounded like that after they’d made love. A shiver of desire
curled deep in her womb. She pushed it away.

“That
was before you betrayed me.” Selena moved past the giants who surrounded her
and turned to Nikki. “I called these men in because they’re the best.”

“They’re
mercenaries.” Nikki’s eyes narrowed. “Where would you have heard about them?”

“I
had a life before coming to the United States.”

“Can
they be trusted?”

Selena
shrugged. “We’re out of choices. The boys are running out of time.”

“We’re
doing everything possible.” Steve picked himself up off the rug. “The FBI say
the drop information should come soon.”

“They’ve
been gone for a week.” Selena fought back the panic that was twisting in her
gut. “There’s something wrong. I feel it in my bones.”

“My
son was taken too.” Nikki’s tone was cool. “I know the FBI has everything under
control.”

Selena
threw her hands up in the air. “This isn’t a contest. Our boys are in danger.”

Steve
went to Nikki and put his arms around her shoulders. “That’s not a reason to
hire thugs.”

“We
are Hunters.” Catal moved to her side and crossed his arms. “Our training makes
us the right people to call in.”

Selena
battled between approval and revulsion. To be standing so close to the only man
she had ever loved was torture. To know he had betrayed her was hell. He was unparalleled
as a soldier. The sooner
Tarrin
was found, the easier life would be.

“Where
did you find these guys?” Steve’s voice was contemptuous. “And what is a
hunter.”

The
man in charge stepped to her other side. “We are warriors. I am Partlan. These
are Catal,
Firbin
, and
Ranon
.
We have two others outside. We are well equipped to find the boys, but we need
to know the details.”

“You’re
not the police. You have no authority in this matter.” Nikki tilted her head.
“Why should we trust you?”

Partlan
crossed his arms. “The kidnappers will be dealt with according to our code.”

Steve
raised an eyebrow. “What’s that supposed to mean? You let them go?”