Prey Read online

  My smile dropped. “You didn’t.” I was already flying up and diving toward his bag. A large arm wrapped around my waist, pulling me back to the bed. I laughed, feeling like we’d moved right back into being kids, not a thirty year old man and a twenty-eight year old woman. It all came in a rush of giggles while he tickled me. Weight settled on the top of my chest and Hunter’s serious expression had me blinking past the changing atmosphere. It only lasted for a few seconds, but our stares were locked and it was almost impossible for me to look away. The butterflies exploded back within while he eased up, looking at the window. I didn’t miss the way he pulled at the shirt around his neck.

  “I’ll just get them.” The smile was back and he didn’t take his eyes off me as he made it back to his bag and started digging through.

  Slowly, I pushed to sit. The previous excitement was gone, leaving me with a mix of uncertainty. Hunter and I had been here before. Shortly before he decided to go into the Army. It was the whole reason I thought he was running away. Taking my virginity hadn’t gone as we both thought it would. For months, we had avoided each other. It wasn’t until he wrote me after boot camp that we started talking again. We’d both agreed we hadn’t made a mistake. There was no one else we would have picked to be our firsts, but had it come naturally and not been forced on both of our parts from peer pressure, maybe it would have ended in something other than tears and distance.

  “There’s quite a bit, so you’ll have to bear with me.” Four packages were pulled out and placed next to me. One of the wrapping papers looked old and worn. It was even torn in a spot at the corner. The next three had two corners that were the same. I smiled as he sat down beside me, causing the bed to shift. “Here,” he said, picking up one with red and green older style Christmas paper. “Open this one first. I got it three years after I left.”

  My mouth parted. “That long ago? Why didn’t you ever send it? Or any of these?”

  His lips pulled back into a smile and his head dropped while he shrugged. “Maybe it was my way of making sure I made it back to give them to you myself. I’m not even sure that makes sense.”

  Reaching out for his hand, I brought it to my lips, forcing the tears that clouded my eyes not to spill over. Hunter had seen so much fighting during his time of service. I couldn’t even imagine all that he’d witnessed or been forced to do, but I knew whatever it was had changed him over the course of time. I’d felt it. Picked up on the troubles he held within while reading his letters.

  “You’ve been so brave. What you’ve done for this country—what you’ve all done—hasn’t gone without appreciation. Thank you.” My lips pressed into his knuckles and he looked up, turning my hand to place his own against mine. Our grips tightened and he let go, nodding at the package.

  “Open it.”

  All I could do was grin as I reached down and pulled at the tape that secured it. A small black box had my pulse jumping and I shot my gaze up, only to see his attention on the box. I swallowed hard, popping the top. A heart hung on a silver chain. What I saw wasn’t cheap. My hand rose to my mouth and I couldn’t stop myself from bringing it down and sliding my fingertips over the diamonds surrounding the pendant.

  “It’s beautiful. Hunter…I can’t believe you’d buy me something like this.”

  “What can I say, I saw it and it reminded me of you.”

  I pulled the necklace free and unclasped it. “Will you put it on me?” My voice almost gave out at the explosion of my pulse. I swallowed hard, not sure what had caused it. Sure, I was surprised by the gift, but I couldn’t help but feel like it was triggered by something more. Something…threatening.

  “You bet.” He stood, coming over and taking the ends. As I held my hair up, I shivered at his breath brushing against the back of my neck. It clashed with an odd prickling against my skin and I tried not to shift uncomfortably. My reactions had to be just nerves. It was Hunter who was with me. There was no reason to fear anything or feel uncertain.

  The width of his chest was eye level and I closed my lids at the smell of his cologne, trying to calm myself and focus on him. Was this really the boy I’d grown up with? Although the familiarity was there, our closeness felt off. Sure, I was attracted to him, but it didn’t feel right. Didn’t feel…real. I loved Hunter. He was my best friend, but could we ever be more? The unexplainable fear left me unsure.

  “There.” He stood and my hand came to my chest, feeling the weight that settled against it from the heart. The next box was placed before me and I nervously pulled at the paper. Seeing the keychain of New York, I glanced up at him.

  “You remembered,” I said, lowly.

  Fingers rubbed over his short hair and he laughed. “You always wanted to go there. You can’t imagine how guilty I felt going without you.”

  “I’m glad you got to see it. Maybe someday I’ll get to go.”

  Blue eyes rose to mine and he gave a sharp nod. “You will. I’ll take you. It’ll be fun. And, you’ll sing.”

  A burst a laughter came from me at that.

  “I’m serious,” he went on. “If I’m going to take you, you’ll stand up at one of those lounges and you’ll sing for me. And not one of those choir songs I used to get to listen to. You’ll sing my favorite and blow all those New Yorkers away.”

  Heat rushed to my cheeks and I reached out, pushing against his shoulder playfully. “You flatter me, but I’ll tell you what. If we ever do go to New York, I’ll sing you one song. One,” I emphasized.

  His eyes searched mine and I looked away at the uneasiness. I couldn’t stop the tingling in my stomach. My skin was practically vibrating at the intensity. The need to flee left me confused. I glanced toward the window before facing him.

  “I’m holding you to that.” Hunter rotated his shoulders and rubbed against the back of his neck, reaching out with his other hand to give me the next gift. As I opened it, I couldn’t stop the nervousness from stealing some of my enthusiasm. I loved each one and the more time that went by, the antsier I became. And I didn’t appear to be the only one. As I unwrapped the teddy bear, he stood up to pace. It didn’t take me long to follow.

  “Thank you so much. I love them.” My arms lifted and I pushed away the need to stop myself. Instead, I let him embrace me. Long arms pulled me in close, wrapping around me. Fingers buried in my hair while his other palm came to settle on the small of my back. I felt so small, yet safe, in those seconds. The moment he broke away, the tingling came back. Heaviness pulled at my stomach and I licked my lips, reaching over and collecting all the gifts.

  “I’ll just put these away. Would you like some coffee?” My smile lit up. “Actually, I know the perfect thing.”

  I raced in my room, setting the bear on my bed and the rest on my dresser. Mid-step to leave, I paused, turning to try to look outside. Adrenaline spiked and fear exploded, causing me to shake. I forced my feet forward until I was able to pull back the curtain. My reflection stared back at me and I cupped the glass, looking out. My fenced in backyard was empty from what I could see. My head shook and I turned around, nearly screaming as I faced Hunter.

  “You hear something out there?” He moved in around me, glancing out.

  “No, I just thought I’d check things out. That’s what you get for moving in with me. I spook over everything. You should know that. I have weapons hidden all over this house.”

  He laughed, wrapping his arm around my shoulders and leading me back to the living area. “You can stop worrying now. I’ll protect you.”

  Something in his words comforted me and I let myself try to relax as I headed over and pulled open the fridge. The cake sat at the bottom, still in the Tupperware I’d placed it in. It would never make it to the fancy tray I bought. If I knew Hunter, the cake wouldn’t last past tonight.

  “German chocolate?” His eyes were big and he was already walking forward.

  “Your favorite, just like my mother used to make.”

  A moan came from his mouth and the cake was sudde
nly gone from my grasp. “Oh my God, you have no idea how many times I’ve dreamed about eating this. Seriously,” he said, looking over from the small round table at the side of my kitchen. “When I was overseas, I’d wake up smelling chocolate. It was the oddest thing.”

  I reached over, bringing out two forks and joining him. The utensil was pulled from my hand and he didn’t even wait for me to get a plate. I laughed, digging my fork in for a bite, too.

  The mouthful brought out another moan and he closed his eyes, chewing slowly.

  “Good?”

  His finger rose silently, telling me to hold on. I took a bite, waiting.

  “Heaven. And you’re an angel for making this for me.”

  “I don’t know about that. I just know you.”

  Hunter’s head tilted as he glanced over. “You do know me. And I, you.” Silence grew between us and I tightened my grip on the fork as Hunter looked as though he wanted to say something, but was holding back. I wasn’t sure why that scared me.

  Knocking had both of us looking toward the door.

  “Are you expecting someone?” He stood and so did I.

  “No.” I took a step when his hand settled over my shoulder.

  “I’ll get it.”

  I felt myself following behind him, even though my legs almost felt like they were sinking through quicksand. Everything within told me to run. To hide. But another part of me kept going. Hunter looked out of the peephole only to pull back and pause. The hesitation sent my heart racing even more than it already was.

  “Who is it?”

  My whisper was drowned out by my pulse and I could feel my whole body inexplicably shaking. And those butterflies…they were back. I could even see Hunter trembling slightly as he reached for the knob. He turned to me, his brow creasing. “No one’s there. At least…not anymore.”

  Chapter 3

  Marko

  Pitch black surrounded me as my eyes snapped open. Just like the tides were pulled by the moon, I felt the gravity of its presence, bringing me out of deep sleep. The covers flew back at my throw and I jumped from bed. Light flooded the room from my silent order and I stalked to the closet where I kept my clothes, grabbing the first suit I came in contact with.

  Even in my dreams, I saw her. That smile, that intriguing look in her eyes as she stared at the stranger who’d suddenly became part of her life. Hunter. The interaction I saw between them in my mind had me snarling. From what I’d witnessed while looking through the windows, they’d known each other for quite a while. Prom. How old was a person when they went to one of those?

  My head shook, suddenly not caring. Those gifts. They didn’t come from just a friend. And I saw the way he looked at her. The man was gone. In love. The realization left me moving faster.

  Was he with her now? The curiosity between them had been a plaguing thought. Last night, I’d been unable to leave. It wasn’t surprising for our kind, but I thought I had better control over myself. One street over and I came doubling back, running as fast as I could like a gone man myself. To be denied something when I wanted it didn’t happen. It never took me more than a few minutes to connive my way into a woman’s home or bed. I couldn’t stand that I hadn’t had the opportunity yet. If I had, I’d have been allowed inside. Tessa would have sated me. And oh what a night that would have been. I could have drank her within an ounce of her life, leaving her flirting with the edge of death. Temptation to give her my own blood to bring her back so I could do it all over again teased me. Perhaps I would. Then I’d feed from her every night until I lost interest.

  I slid my shoes on, walked into the bathroom, and wet my face. As I combed my hair back, I blindly went through the motions, still seeing no one but her. Those lips. Her big green eyes. That fucking hair. How would she look, moaning and crying under me? It had been a while since I’d been with a woman. But I could see myself fucking her. Hurting her as I did so.

  A silent laugh shook my chest and I spun, leaving my quarters. The moment I broke from the tunnel that made up the hallway, I was faced with long tables and a shorter one at the end. Vampires fed while their blood slaves rested at their feet. It wasn’t tradition to drink from them in public. That would only be in private, and another way to put the slaves in their place. They weren’t worthy enough to display such a sacred act in front of the members. It just wasn’t done unless you were one of the leaders.

  Three from le Cercle still sat at the shorter table. They glanced up at me, pausing from their feeding of a woman, sprawled out nude before them. Blood stained the bottom of their pale faces and I nodded in acknowledgment as I continued. The markets and stores were open, but only a few of the slaves were actually shopping. It was still early, but life had already began in our world. How I had forgotten the ways so quickly? Months of not caring left me sleeping as much as I could, and now, here I was, eager to break into the world we spent the majority of our time trying to avoid. Not anymore. Soon, we’d all be one.

  “Where do you think you’re going?” The words were spoken slowly. I turned, spying Marie Bardot…my biggest enemy, if I were to have one. Her beauty was undeniable, her mask of innocence being the death of many men. My acceptance into le Cercle wasn’t taken lightly. Especially since she believed my place should have gone to her. For all intents and purposes, if one was counting years, perhaps. But my power outweighed hers and for her only having forty years on me, it wasn’t surprising. We all came into our strengths at our own time. Although I suspected she’d reached hers long ago.

  “I do believe I’m going out for a bite to eat. Do you have a problem with that?”

  She shrugged, swaying her hips as she walked closer. There was nothing seductive about the look she displayed—fangs elongated and she fixed me with a stare that held every ounce of contempt she harbored. “Maybe. More whores? I have to say, it’s becoming to you. Puts you right in your place.”

  My fingers locked around her throat and I smiled threateningly, moving in close. “If you don’t keep those lips closed, I might just bite them off. Watch yourself.”

  I let her drop to the ground, ignoring the four men who were suddenly at my side. They would have killed for her, or at least tried. And they wouldn’t have known any different. Their Mistress was their life. She owned them and they depended on her blood. Not only for their increased life span, but because they were bonded males. Three drinks from her and they were stuck for life. She’d be able to read their thoughts, speak to them internally, and command them to do her will. Unless she killed them, which happened a lot with Marie. All she had to do was whisper the word death and they’d drop on command. It was a system I was happy not to be a part of. One I tried to avoid at any cost. Yet…hadn’t I just teased the idea of giving Tessa my blood? One exchange would let me track her. Provide me glimpses into her thoughts. Not very clearly, but enough to give me some clue as to what she was thinking.

  I turned, ignoring the hiss behind me as I headed for the tunnel that would lead out. Usually I would have taken the stairs and gone through Kline’s home, but Tessa was closer to the south exit and I was growing impatient to get to her. It only made me wish to give her the first exchange even more. It would be so much easier than guessing whether she was home.

  My footsteps pounded into the cement flooring of the tunnel and the moment the fork appeared, I turned left, breaking into a dead sprint. I didn’t stop until moonlight shone through the grate above. I climbed the ladder, pushing up the metal and stepping through. The street further ahead was relatively silent and I scanned the darkness, putting the cover back down. Light was nonexistent here for a reason and our inside men made sure it stayed that way.

  Houses sat off in the distance and I walked toward them. Whistling filled the air and it took a moment to realize it was coming from me. Content…finally. A warmth rested within. I couldn’t remember the last time I was so excited about prey. Finally, a game I could get back into. It was easy if you had a target you were interested in.

  Will
I have her tonight? The plaguing question repeated continuously.

  A van went by and I watched the houses illuminate in front of me. A car was parked in my prey’s driveway and the whistling stopped as I noticed its headlights were still on. Was she leaving? Damn, the lack of control I had. It caused me to grind my teeth together.

  I came to a stop, stepping closer to the trunk of an oak tree resting next to the sidewalk. A bang had me turning to the side so I could listen. Although I was houses away, I could have been right next to them for how good my senses were.

  “I shouldn’t be gone long. An hour or two tops.” Hunter’s voice had my lip peeling back in aggravation.

  “Take your time. You haven’t seen Devon in a while. I’ll be here.”

  “You sure you don’t want to go? I bet he’d love to see you.”

  She made a sound of disbelief. “I don’t think so. I have a lot of things to do anyway.”

  “Okay…well, I’ll be back. Lock that door,” he said, stepping into view.

  A laugh I knew all too well echoed out. “I always do. You both be safe. See you later.” Hunter got in the passenger side and the door to the car sounded, followed by the house’s door. I waited while the sedan drove off in the opposite direction before I stepped out and continued forward. Had I thought my night would be good? It was only just beginning. Now…that invitation.

  I licked my lips, feeling my fangs retract. Music met me as I headed up the sidewalk. I kept my steps light to take it in. The piano was slow and haunting. Every stroke of the keys drew me closer and I found myself trapped in the tune. Just when I thought I couldn’t like it anymore, a voice broke in, rooting my feet to the top step. The lyrics were of love. Of loss. My hand grabbed the rail, suddenly noticing it wasn’t a tape or recording I was listening to, but Tessa. I blinked past the spell quickly wrapping around me. My hand rose and still, I couldn’t make myself ruin something so beautiful.