Page 46 of Orion: Galaxy Huntress

“You’re shameless.” I nudged Vice. Even though he deteriorated, he didn’t lose his imperious edge.

I both loved and hated the way he called me Hell Kitty or kitten, and the rising heat in my body that accompanied his syrupy voice like agave wine pouring down my throat dropped over my breasts and licked off. Damn demon made me think of all sorts of sinful, lustful thoughts around him.

I ignored Vice’s coaxing and said to Reznor, “We need to find a stream to cleanse the wounds,” prompting his nod of agreement.

Ace lifted his bent head to sniff. “Water’s half a mile that way.” He pointed east, down into the valley where I’d suspected we’d find it.

Half a mile. I wasn’t sure I could carry the demon’s weight for that long, but I had to try. He was weak and almost passing out. His wounds needed tending to or they’d fester. If demons even got sick like men.

Somehow, we managed to make our way down to the valley and set up a camp. My starlight molded a pot to boil water and disinfect the wounds. While Reznor collected what he called Eucalyptus leaves, I cleansed both Vice’s and Stormy’s wounds, delighting in touching their naked skin, especially the shifter’s, since I hadn’t touched him before. I couldn’t keep my hands off him and the demon kept grumbling, trying to drag me into his lap, demanding all the attention.

“Attention whore!” Stormy thumped the demon’s paws away and I giggled at the saying. It suited the demon. “You already fucked my mate. Now it’s my turn to get her ministrations.”

Vice grumbled and rolled over for a nap. “You deserved that kick to your seed sac, you grumpy bastard.”

Heat stung my cheeks, and I lowered my gaze. We weren’t a couple nor married, so I could do as I pleased. Back in my native land, I’d occasionally taken lovers, both men and women, to ease the ache between my legs that built up over time, desperate for release. That was how I saw my encounters with both the demon and vampire. Just because I wore the shifter’s mark on my breast—correction, all three marks—demon, vampire, and wolf shifter—didn’t mean I belonged to them. I was a free agent. Always had been, and that was the way it would stay. Tattoos didn’t equate to falling in love or staying. Once I finished my duty here, I was leaving this town, and off to find my sisters. The tattoos meant nothing … or did they?

Finding his mark upon me, Reznor viewed it as permission to take me in the most brutal, carnal way. Since then, he’d backed off and kept his distance telling me he regretted our interaction. For a while there, I had too. He’d kidnapped me, after all, and used me as collateral to exchange his freedom. I didn’t want to get my heart tangled with these three beasts when I had no intention of staying. Didn’t plan on sticking around to form a deeper relationship beyond our physical one. So why did my heart shriek with torment at the thought of leaving them?

Stormy rested a palm over my hands as I finished up with his wound. The weight of his palm and his expectant gaze suggested he wanted me to stay there forever.

“My shifter healing will take care of the wounds in a day or so and I can return to my pack,” he said. “Then you’ll be free of the mate bond.”

Once again, my chest stung at being separated from them, but especially him. My first mate. I’d never had one before. Not one willing to risk his life to rescue me. That had me choked up with gratitude when men hadn’t been kind to me. They’d taken what they could get, pleasure from my body. Stolen my treasures won in hunting competitions. Yet Stormy hardly knew me, didn’t owe me anything, and had extended me the greatest kindness in saving my life.

“It’s not safe to leave with the coven out looking for you,” Reznor advised from his position by the fire, staring into it, his red eyes lighting up like dancing flames.

“Don’t care,” Stormy growled. “I need to protect them from our enemies. On the blood moon, I’ll have the demon army at my disposal if they come looking for me.”

Blood moon. The night Vexlel planned to extract my power. I had to stay hidden until then so he couldn’t fortify his strength.

“Your funeral.” Reznor’s gaze cut away. Sullen. Brooding. Dangerous. “If you return, the coven will imprison you for taking the little star.”

Every time he called me that name I swooned. His fierce, frigid timbre chilled my insides and lowered the heat of my burning starlight.

By the gods. I had to get away from these men before I got into any more danger and they further grew on me. Before I did something crazy and out of character, like deciding to stay. Before I let my heart fall for them, and it made it impossible to leave.

I shot to my feet, framing my weapons from my starlight. “I need to hunt some food. Set up some traps to warn us of approaching intruders.”

“You’re not safe alone,” Reznor and Stormy both said, jumping to their feet.

“I wasn’t safe with you earlier,” I reminded Reznor for taking me into his vampire den, almost getting me killed. “You put me in harm’s way.”

Damn. I bit the inside of my cheeks for being so cold, but I wanted to be alone. Away from these three men twisting my insides, making me tingle and glow like a pale star coming into her own.

Ashamed, the vampire bent his head and rubbed his jaw between his thumb and forefinger. I still didn’t understand why he’d changed his mind. Why’d he made the bargain with the demon to activate his magick to get us out of the vampire den. Sacrificed his freedom so we could live. His longing for freedom burned in my breast. Longing to be free of the heartache that crippled him made him cold and unfeeling. Longing to make his own decisions rather than follow another’s rule. Longing to be loved and his heart warmed again.

“I’ll go with you.” Ace winced as he limped over to me.

“No.” The words spilled out too fast as my palm shot up at him. “Soothe your seed sac in the water. You can’t walk like this. You’ll make it worse.” They needed to take the hint that I wanted to be alone to clear my head. I worked better alone. Didn’t need a team of them trailing after me. Partners were trouble. Selfish. Cruel. Greedy. I was better off without them.

One day,I reminded myself. One day and I’d be free of the blood moon and the vampires seeking my blood. I’d leave town with the meager money I’d earned from Vice, and I’d find work hunting in another town.

“Way to take his man card, Hell Kitty,” Vice muttered, clearly not asleep.

Stormy nudged the demon with his boot. “Man card is still intact.”

“I’ll leave you to argue over your manliness.” I took off into the brush, desperate to clear my senses and focus on the one thing I knew best. Hunting. That was all that made sense to me.

But one of them disrespected my wishes and followed. I loaded an arrow, pulled it back, and spun.

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