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Authors: J L Taft

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BOOK: Huntress
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She couldn’t let him. Somehow she was going to have to find
a way to make him understand they couldn’t be together. It depressed her to
know she had finally found someone she could open up to, only to have the
possibility of a relationship ripped away before it even started.

“Morning,” he whispered, his voice gravelly from sleep.

“Morning,” she replied and tried to untangle her limbs from
his lap.

His arms tightened and she stopped trying to get up.

“How do you feel?” he asked gently.

“I’m all right. Can you take me home?”

He hesitated and then said, “Let’s wait until Granny is
awake before we go.”

Trent stared down at her and she felt that same shiver of
awareness that had drawn her to him in the first place. His eyes dilated and
changed into a darker green as his arms got tighter around her.

His mouth lowered and he brushed his warm lips against hers.
Her tummy did a slow roll and her fingers went to his cheek. He groaned low in
his throat and deepened the kiss, his tongue slipping into her.

He slid his arms out from under her and one hand went to the
back of her head so he could tangle his fingers in her hair and pull her
closer. His other hand suddenly cupped her breast and her nipple immediately
hardened at his touch.

She noticed a couple things at once—the fact that she was
still wearing the sheer purple robe and she could hear Eve chattering on to her
cat as she came into the living room.

Fiona jerked back out of his arms and stood, hurrying out of
the room to change. Closing the door to the bathroom tightly, she pulled on
jeans and a shirt. She was so ready to go home.

When Trent was close she had a hard time thinking straight.
Just his presence made her forget all the other details of her life. Details
were what she lived for. They were what made her a good writer.

She needed time to process all that had happened in the last
week. She hated that she had no control over any of it. But she was who she was
and she would never disappoint her grandmother.

But Trent made everything difficult. Sure, she had dreamed
of finding the perfect man someday, she just didn’t think it would happen last
week.

Now she had a whole new life and she didn’t see how it could
work between them, as much as she wanted it to.

Stomping her foot in frustration, she took a couple calming
breaths before she went to join Granny and Trent in the kitchen.

She ate and made small talk. The whole time she was trying
to find a way to bring up the fact that she wanted to go home without sounding
rude.

She finally found an opening and it was on the tip of her
tongue when Eve looked at her and said, “There is a trunk upstairs that was
your grandmother’s. She left it here for you. But I want to speak to you alone
for a second.” Eve looked pointedly at Trent.

“I’ll just go for a quick walk,” he replied as he got up and
left the kitchen.

Eve stared at her for a long moment and Fiona wondered if
she was going to tell her to stay away from her grandson.

But she didn’t say anything at all. She had a knowing look
in her eye that put Fiona at ease.

“I just wanted to give you a few minutes to look through the
trunk alone,” Eve told her.

Eve handed her an old-fashioned skeleton key and pointed to the
stairs. Fiona didn’t hesitate. She headed for them without a word. She knew
Eleanor had left her important stuff here to be guarded by her best friend.

Fiona found what she was looking for in the corner of the
attic.

The trunk was large, covered in dust but still hard to miss.
It was a battered brown with a curved top. Fiona got on her knees before it and
inserted the key. It turned easily and she lifted the lid.

There was an outfit folded neatly and she pulled it out. It
was full-body leather and it reminded her of Catwoman. Underneath were several
weapons. The little silver stars she had seen last night in Grandmother’s
memories. Silver stakes, which were heavier than she expected when she held one
in her hand.

There were other things in there but the sword that was on
the bottom caught her eye. She lifted it out and stood, pulling it from the
sheath in one smooth movement.

The silver blade curved just a little and the morning sun
shining through the attic windows glinted off it. It felt…right.

She held it as if she had been holding it all her life. She
twirled and slashed it through the air. She knew how to use it. Her use of the
blade surprised her but it made her feel better.

She spun again and stepped sideways, bringing the sword
dangerously close to her hair as she sliced it back and forth around her. It
gave her an empowering sense of justice as she did so.

“Looks like you found what you were looking for.” Fiona
jumped when Trent spoke behind her. He was standing at the top of the stairs
with his arms crossed and his gaze was intent.

“How long have you been there?” she asked as she slid the
sword safely back in the sheath.

“Long enough.” He stalked his way across the room and she
held up a hand to stop him.

“I need to go home, Trent.”

Chapter Ten

 

Trent took her home in Granny’s jeep since she wanted to
take the trunk and its entire contents with her. Granny had helped them get it
down the stairs with her special talent. Fiona could have done it herself but
Granny had been too worried about her walls getting smashed into to let her.

The look on Fiona’s face had been more awe than surprise.
After that she had gone quiet and closed herself off. He had tried to get her
talking a couple times while he drove but she had hardly paid any attention to
him and only gave him one-word answers.

Granny had whispered to him before they left that he needed
to come clean with Fiona and tell her about their fate. Well, their fate as
Granny saw it.

It wasn’t going to happen. He wasn’t sure if he believed it
himself or not. There was definitely something there between them but he
doubted it was fate.

She wasn’t going to fall for a washed-up, wounded
ex-military man who had enough of his own problems. Even if he was afraid he
had gone and fallen for her.

He wanted to tell her she didn’t have to do this. She didn’t
have to be a hunter and put herself in danger. The thought of her facing some
vampire monster alone in the middle of the night made his stomach turn.

They pulled up in front of her house and he got out quickly.
He had a feeling she wasn’t going to let him stay. He helped her wrestle the
trunk into the garage since she didn’t want to explain a floating trunk to her
neighbors.

She stood staring at him for a second and then seemed to
come to a decision.

“Thanks for all the help, Trent,” she said quietly.

“So it’s going to be like that, is it?”

Her eyes widened but she didn’t say anything.

“Listen, I don’t like this. You don’t have to do it. Someone
else can take the spot and be the hunter.”

Her eyes narrowed and he knew immediately he had said the
wrong thing.

“This is a little more than a job position, Trent. It’s something
I have to do and I don’t think it’s your place to say anything one way or the
other.”

It cut deeper than he ever thought it would. Later he would
realize he had wanted to cut her just as deep.

He stalked to her and pulled her against his chest, hard. He
used one hand to hold her head still and with the other he gripped her ass. He
plundered her mouth before she could protest.

She pushed at his chest uselessly. He tightened his hold but
softened his kiss. She melted against him and he slid his tongue along her
teeth.

He ended the kiss abruptly, gripped her shoulders to steady
her and then growled down at her, “I think whatever is between us damn sure
gives me a say. Did you know that we met as children? That our grandmothers
kept us apart all these years because we are fated to be together and they
didn’t want you to feel the pain that they had?”

The haze of desire cleared from her eyes quickly. “It can’t
be true. We aren’t meant to be together. We had fun but it’s over now.” She
turned away and he saw her shoulders shaking.

He came up behind her and tried to offer her comfort. She
jerked away from his touch. “Damn you, Trent. Damn you for even bringing it up.
Just get out,” she told him.

He had expected her to be pissed but he hadn’t expected her
to just throw him out on his ear.

“Fine, I’m going. But this isn’t over. Not by a long shot.”

 

Fiona heard the slam of the jeep door and then the engine
starting. She didn’t turn around until she heard him pull away.

It hurt. Because no matter what he said it was over between
them. She wasn’t going to let him get in the way of doing what needed to be
done. And she sure as hell wasn’t going to let him get himself killed for her.

Closing the garage door, she then was able to use her
telekinesis to get her trunk inside. She didn’t have the control Eve had and it
made her determined to practice and get better at it.

The trunk came to a sudden drop in the living room and she
sighed. What she needed was a strong cup of coffee. Then she would decide what
to do with the rest of her day.

Grabbing the journal she had found in the storage unit, she
sat and started to read while she sipped her coffee. After a few pages Fiona
realized this was her grandmother’s last journal. It had a few encounters with
vamps that Fiona had never heard.

It was written a little differently from the others. In this
journal Grandma had written more about what she was feeling than ever before.
She had several close calls all within a short time period and Grandma had
written she was getting too old and slow to keep up with the hunting.

She wrote about her regrets with her daughter and how alone
she felt after her husband had died.

The last passage was written to Fiona. She read it with
bated breath.

 

Fiona,

I can’t tell you how sorry I am that we didn’t have the
time to talk about this in person. I know now that you suffered as a child
living with me. I was unprepared to raise another baby, especially since I was
living another life as a hunter.

The life of a hunter is a dark and lonely road to walk.
But it is necessary. My only hope is that you will take your place in the long
line of hunters and keep the balance between the humans and the world of
blood-drinking monsters.

The path before you will demand many sacrifices but I
can’t tell you how important it is for you to walk it. No one else can take
your place and have the skill that you will.

Always remember that I love you and no matter your
decision, I am proud of you and the woman that you have become.

Grandma

 

When Fiona was done she closed the journal and laid it in
her lap. It had been insightful and she knew now what she had to do.

After the coffee was gone, the whole pot, and she had
showered, all she could think about was the sword in the bottom of the trunk.
She took it out and moved furniture out of the way in the living room. She
pushed everything to the walls and it gave her a decent-sized area she could
practice in.

This time she took a few minutes to look it over better. The
handle was long. Long enough for her to hold it with both hands and it was
black with silver rings around it. The blade had a slight curve to it and
extended into a lethal-looking point.

It was a katana sword passed down through many generations
of hunters.

It felt so good to hold it and to go through the motions that
in her mind’s eye she could see her grandmother doing.

Before she knew it the shadows were getting long and she was
starving. She also needed another shower. She had worked her body to the
breaking point trying to get used to the motions of moving the sword.

She cooked a dinner for one and tried not to think about
Trent as she got around for bed. The shower was warm and heated her skin,
reminding her of him. It seemed everything did.

Climbing in her big bed all alone was disappointing. The
sheets were cold and took a few minutes to warm up. She wouldn’t have that
problem if he were here.

She wanted his hot body warming her bed and a hard chest to
cuddle against. The hair there would tickle her nose and his smell would take
over. She liked the way he smelled, dark and dangerous.

He didn’t fuck like a man who was holding anything back but
she knew he was. She knew his confidence had been shaken by whatever had
happened to him.

His scars told a tale she could only guess at. Now she would
never know what had caused them.

She knew so little about him and so much. It was a strange
situation and one she couldn’t help thinking about even though he was gone from
her life.

She didn’t imagine he opened up easily or took many women
home to his granny.

Sleep didn’t come easily and when she finally did doze off
her dreams were disturbed.

First she dreamed of Trent. His hard body above her, giving
her pleasure beyond anything she had felt before. Little things stuck out. The
smoothness of his back when she trailed her nails across it and the hardness of
his cock as he moved within her.

They came together, hard and deep. It was unrealistic. She
felt it in a place she had never touched before.

After that there was darkness. Long, consuming darkness.

Then she felt it. She jerked in her sleep and moaned but the
sight gripped her tight.

A vampire. One she had never seen before. He had dark hair
that was cut in a punk style to stick out all over his head artfully.

She saw him leave the bar with her, a young girl who had too
much to drink. She leaned into him and he held her easily. He led her down the
street and Fiona woke with a start.

She sat up in bed, knowing her dream for what it was—a
warning. There was no time to waste.

She raced down the stairs and grabbed the shiny leather
outfit. She worried for half a second that it wasn’t going to fit right and
then brushed it aside. No time to worry about it now.

The leather was special, strong, meant to give her body some
protection from a bite. It was also tight enough to not get in the way of her
sword. Since she didn’t have anything else that was even remotely close to it,
it would have to do.

She shoved her legs into the bodysuit, pulling and jerking
it into place. She hadn’t noticed before but it zipped in the front and not in
the back, eliminating the need for help. How convenient.

Once she had her arms in and stretched into the outfit, she
pulled the zipper up. Her grandmother had been a little fuller in one area but
that problem didn’t last.

She watched as the leather took on a mind of its own and
tightened and loosened in all the right places. It was magic and she had seen
too much in her life to doubt it. Probably some sort of spell that had been put
on the leather.

It cemented the idea that this was exactly where she was supposed
to be.

Grabbing her sword and shoving it in the built-in leather
holder on her back, she then stuffed a couple of Grandmother’s stars in the
belt at her hip.

Fiona loaded the four silver stakes on the thigh belt that
was in the trunk and threw it over her shoulder. She would put it on when she
got there.

She was ready.

She knew where they were. The dream had been very detailed
on that point. They had left a bar that was on the end of one of the major
streets in town.

But instead of steering her into the lighted area he had
taken her the other way. Toward the space that was dark and screamed danger to
most. He had his arm around her and was easily leading her into the darkness.
He was going to kill her.

Fiona headed for the front door without a backward thought.
She closed it and then locked it—all very deliberately. Her hands only shook a
little but she brushed it aside and took a steadying breath.

She removed her sword and laid it on the passenger seat
before climbing in and closing the door. Her car started and the buzz of the
engine struck her as odd. It would never do. It didn’t have that tough, grumbly
feeling that came with Trent’s motorcycle.

But she could fix that later. She backed out of the
driveway, quick but quiet, and headed swiftly to her destination.

She had a rush. The kind that came to her more and more
sporadically in life. But it zinged in her veins now and she used it. She drove
down the street with cool efficiency, taking the curves at high speed without a
blink.

Time was of the essence. Vampires could seduce their victims
within seconds. Victims who would never scream, never fight for their lives.

He would simply take her. Everything. All she was and all
the life that was unlived inside her.

Then he would leave her to breathe the few breaths she had
left on some cold and dirty ground. He didn’t give a thought to her parents,
siblings or any other family she might be leaving forever.

He would take what he wanted with no remorse and no shame.

Once a vamp had intent to kill, that was where she came in.
Young vamps tended to inject their venom into their prey by accident but it
didn’t do much good if the humans were drained. They still died. Most older
vamps took changing humans very seriously and didn’t do it often. They believed
humans were the lower species and not worthy to be vampires.

She had to get there. She was ready. The bar they left came
into view and she pushed on the brakes. It was brightly lit and there were
scantily clad people hanging about out front.

The light extended three streetlights down and then all was
dark. It was obvious now that she knew what to look for.

She stopped the car two lengths out of the light and killed
the headlights and engine. As she opened the door and got out she grabbed the
long, deadly sword from the passenger seat and slid it into the sheath at her
back.

She took a quick scan around her and headed in the direction
she knew the vamp was hiding. She was definitely going to need a glass of wine
after this.

 

Trent paced the span of his little-used apartment. She was
in danger. He could feel it better than a broken bone.

He could see some of it. He was getting better at tapping
into the flood that was inside him. Sometimes it came so quickly he was
helpless to stop it or even slow it down.

It ended up a jumble of images in his brain that he couldn’t
sort. He had no sense of a timeframe and it all just ran together. It was worse
when he was around groups of people.

It had been torture getting groceries over the weekend. Once
he realized the strange sense was there it was incredibly hard to turn it off.
Especially where Fiona was concerned.

He felt her fear when the nightmare invaded her in her
sleep. The next glimpse he got was when she had pulled up the front zipper on
her black leather bodysuit. He saw the leather squeeze her tits together
tightly.

BOOK: Huntress
8.63Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
ads

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