Page 73 of Hunters and Prey

As he piloted north, a companionable silence fell over the cab of the glider. They had a three-hour journey back to their base near Cyrene, and he’d yet to discover anything the general and MIRAGE didn’t already know about Atlantian society despite spending the past ten days alongside them.

Fuck. He hated to go back empty-handed. He also hated the idea of betraying their kind hosts.

“What’s troubling you?” Elpis asked, the sudden question intruding on his thoughts. He jerked, blinking away from the viewport to stare at her.

“Nothing’s troubling me.”

“Your shoulders are tense and you’ve been frowning at the ocean floor for ten minutes.” Her red brows slid higher. “There’s enough indecision pouring off you to choke a meg.”

Matteo grunted. “Nothing big,” he replied. “Was just thinking about what I’d catch up on once we’re released home. This six-week training session cut into my leave. On one hand, I’ll have a pile of bonus pay. On the other, I’m missing time with my family,” he said, hardly needing to lie. When dealing with empaths, it was always best to respond with shades of the truth, because a decent one could detect an outright lie easier than a toddler sniffing out his mom’s chocolate stash.

Something flashed in her eyes, though he couldn’t tell if it was only interest. “You have a family? A wife and children?”

As if he had time for a family when he’d devoted the last years of his life to the military as Cartwright’s lead special forces officer. Then again, Antonio lived the very same life and had for just as long, but he’d managed to find the woman perfect for him. Their three children never seemed to suffer for lacking his presence in their lives seven days a week. If anything, their family was closer. And those kids loved their Uncle Matteo, as thrilled to welcome him home from an operation as they were to greet their own father.

And Antonio’s wife was the very definition of angelic, a sweetheart who balanced motherhood and entrepreneurship with the efficiency of a drill sergeant. Nothing could convince Matteo that Lanie and Antonio weren’t meant for each other.

“A brother, and a younger sister in college. Ma just recovered from breast cancer. We almost lost her a couple times along the way. Never knew our father.”

Her eyes softened. “I’m sorry to hear that—on both counts—but I’m glad to hear she’s well now. Never met him even once?”

“My mother said he wasn’t a good person. I like to think we grew up better for not having him around, you know? Gramps made up for him.” There was never a shortage of amazing male role models for Antonio and Matteo, the pair of them surrounded by a host of uncles, older cousins, and family friends. “What aboutyou?” His heart stuttered when he considered the possibility of some musclebound merman waiting for El back in Atlantis. “Got a husband or a family?”

“Me, married? No.” She laughed. “I’ve had nothing but bad luck in that department. One could even say I’m cursed since breathing the word ‘relationship’ seems to send the other sex fleeing from me.”

“Family then?”

“I’m an only child, and neither of my parents show any inclination toward having another.”

“Busy lives?”

El rolled a shoulder and chuckled low while relaxing into the bucket seat. Her hands had dropped from the steering column onto her lap while Matteo piloted them back to base.“My mother is the chairwoman of Saint Hestia’s Orphanarium, and far too busy patting herself on the back each time she completes a charitable act alongside her high-society friends. When my father retired from the Combat Medic Corps, Regent Aegaeon promoted me to his place as commander. Now Dad divides his days between fishing and instructing the magical healing arts at the Temple of Thalassa.”

“How long did he hold the position?”

“Two centuries.” Her smile widened when she looked at him, and he wondered how evident the shock had been on his face.“So…are you the older or younger brother?”

Matteo cleared his throat. “Older, technically. I was born first.”

“How is that a ‘technically?’ You’re either older or not.”

“We’re fraternal twins, El. Mama said I was born two minutes and thirty-nine seconds before Antonio, so that makes me the older brother even though we were born the same day, you know? We don’t look alike, but we grew up and went through everything together. When I decided I wanted to go to the military and apply to the Naval Academy, he did the same, but to West Point—that’s a top-rated military school. Busted our asses to make it.”

“It must have been difficult separating from your twin for so long.”

“Sometimes.I graduated top of the class, moved up in the ranks, and it was like a competition broke out between us. I’d promote, then he’d do the same not long after. He’d earn a commendation or a medal, and then I’d earn recognition for another achievement. That was how we coped with the distance. When I got this job at MIRAGE, I knew I had to bring him into the team. Cartwright trusted me.”

The warmth of her chuckle wrapped around him like a hug, sensual in the cramped space of the glider. He stole a glance at El and watched her, bathed in the controls’ soft blue glow. “You make me wish I’d have a sibling.”

“I wouldn’t trade it for all the world.”

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