Page 71 of Midnight Hunt

“I’m going to kill him,” Griff seethed beside me, trembling almost violently now. His hold on me had tightened, just short of becoming painful. “I’ll tear his arm and legs off. Then hisdick. Then I’ll tear off his head but not before cramming his puny cock down histhroat.”

I nearly choked on my spit. I’d never heard Griff talk like this before, each word laced with pure hatred.

I should have eaten him, Sable growled, equally furious.

That’s disgusting, I told her.I don’t care how evil he is. We’re not carnivores.

Kolton pressed the speaker button and said in a deathly soft voice, “Knock him out, Jag.”

Faster than I could blink, Jagger punched the hunter, so hard that his head violently snapped to the side. As the hunter slumped forward unconscious, Jagger stormed toward the exit. On his way, he knocked aside the metal chair he’d vacated, and it soared through the air, crashing against the far wall with a loudbang.

Kolton moved to unlock the thick door, and when Jagger emerged from the room, his eyes went straight to me. He stared for a moment, then strode forward with purpose. As he approached, Griff’s hold on me tightened even more.

“Hand her over, Griff,” Jagger demanded.

A possessive growl rumbled from Griff, making me blink in surprise.

“I’m nottakingher from you, idiot,” Jagger growled back. “I just want to hold her. Ineedto.”

Something about the words resonated with Griff, and with a begrudging sigh, he loosened his grip on me. The second he did, Jagger pulled me into his arms, hugging me so fiercely that I released a tiny squeak.

“Not a word of this to the others,” he gruffly said.

A small smile trembled on my lips. “Promise.”

He held me a moment longer, then abruptly let go. When he did, another pair of arms swooped in and took his place. Recognizing them as my brother’s, I squeezed my eyes shut and hugged him back.

“We won’t let them take you,” he said and pressed a kiss to my hair.

“I know,” I whispered, feeling tears sting my eyelids.

When he finally pulled back, Griff took me into his arms again. I didn’t complain, more than happy to soak up their attention. It kept me from freaking out over what the hunter had said.

They wanted to breed me.Breedme. What the actual hell?

23

VIOLET

“I still can’t believe they’re kidnapping females to breed them. That’s so twisted.”

I softly snorted at Brielle’s comment, then looked up when my mom came bustling into my bedroom with a glass of milk and a plate of freshly baked cookies.

“Here you go, honey,” she said, handing them to me. “Do you need anything else? I could make you a sandwich too. You must be starving.”

“Thanks, but I’m okay, Mom,” I replied with a small smile. “These cookies smell delicious.”

She returned my smile, but it wobbled a little. “Okay. I’m just down the hall if you change your mind.”

As she leaned over the bed to kiss my cheek, I soaked up her scent and warmth once more. It helped anchor me to the present, to the reality that I was finallyhome.

“Love you, sweetie,” she whispered, sniffling a little. “I’m so glad you’re safe.”

“I love you too, Mom,” I replied, but my tears had long since dried up. We’d arrived back before dawn, but Nora, Brielle, and my mom had all been up to welcome us home. The second I’d felt their loving arms around me, I’d burst into tears. I’d cried and cried until I couldn’t cry anymore and then had spent the next hour snuggled between Nora and Brielle on my bed.

I’d told them everything, including the breakup with Reid, the hunters’ reasons for kidnapping females, and what had happened between me and Griff. They were still digesting all the shocking news, but Nora had seemed less shocked about the profession-of-love part. She’d even bitten her lip to hide a smile. I was too tired to question her about it, though.

Kolton and Jagger had promptly left again with the one-armed hunter. We didn’t have anywhere to keep him long term, and since he could still be used for questioning, Kolton had decided to contact the Supernatural Containment Agency.

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