Page 9 of A Hunter Turned
Archer barked out a laugh at the unexpected question. “Actually, I was thinking I’d help younotfall in. The terrain can be a bit tricky at night, even with the extra light from the fires.”
Another genuine smile from her that had his gut clenching and his thoughts wandering down paths best left unexplored before she took his arm with a resounding, “Well, in that case, lead on.”
Jamie still wasn’t too sure about the company, but she was far too grateful she was finally outside to care. Travis’s house was big with its super-high ceilings and open floorplan, but the longer she’d spent inside, the more the space seemed to close in around her. She’d needed this walk. And the scenery? Well, slightly creepy, she had to admit, with the mist crawling over the surface of the water and curling around the exposed roots of trees. Trees that looked like they might house a creepy swamp witch, complete with a bubbling cauldron and an evil cackle. This place, she had to admit, would be great at Halloween. It was a fantasy landscape and she greedily drank it all in.
She was so absorbed as Archer led her down to the tiny wooden pier that it took her a moment to realize that they weren’t alone. What felt like a multitude of eyes were currently watching them. Her neck prickling, she glanced around nervously as she informed the alpha, “We’re being followed.”
He hadn’t been so distracted, was perfectly aware that they had company. “The pack is curious about you. They knew you were brought in injured but they’re forbidden to enter the dragon’s lair.”
“Why? I know you don’t trust vampires but we wouldn’t hurt them.” Her voice held a hint of offended pride and she wanted to kick herself. Knowing Archer, he’d assume his attitude toward them had hurt her feelings and the last thing she wanted him to think was that she was so easily hurt. He already thought she was babying her injuries. She didn’t need to add weak character to his most-likely long list of complaints against her.
“St. John’s rules,” he told her with a careless shrug. “I’d never been inside his domain either until your being here made it necessary.”
Well, that was unexpected. “But he lives in your territory.”
“Which I allow. But I also respect his need for privacy.”
Which reminded her of something else she had been pondering. “Why did you let him onto pack lands? I mean, you’re so concerned about vampires but he’s a frigging dragon and from what I understand, not a little lizard, butGame of Thronessize dragon. Way more dangerous than we could ever be.”
Another shrug. “I’ll have to take your word for it on his size. I’ve never seen the beast myself, but regardless, he’s still a shifter, no matter the species, and the bayou is shifter territory.”
“You’ve never seen him?” Jamie asked with no small amount of surprise, coming to a halt. “But I thought he used this sanctuary to shift.”
Langley stopped as well, his expression hidden from her in shadows with the nearest fire situated behind him. “He does.” Nodding his head back toward the way they’d come, he added, “There’s a reason why his house looks like two stories from the outside but is actually only one.”
“He only shifts inside where he can’t be seen,” Jamie said quietly.
A nod. “It’s necessary. If a tourist happens along and sees a wolf, they might take a picture to post on social media, have a story for their friends, but that would be the end of it. If they see a dragon…”
“You’d have every reporter, scientist, and would-be dragon slayer all up in your business.”
“Exactly. There are only so many humans I can eat in a day.”
He’d said those words so matter-of-factly that the loud snort of laughter escaped before she could stop it.
She caught the white of his smile as he turned back toward the water and once again offered his arm for them to continue. Taking it Jamie nudged her shoulder into him in a teasing manner, remarkably at ease with the male who had, prior to this, only put her on edge. It was nice. Unfortunately, that ease didn’t last.
A howl split the air quickly followed by another. More and more of the pack joined in, creating a haunting symphony that added to the creepy atmosphere and sent chills down Jamie’s spine. Looking up at the man who had gone preternaturally still beside her, she saw his eyes were glowing silver. Her throat went dry.
“Are we under attack?” And here she’d left the house without a weapon. How stupid of her. She was a trained Hunter and a Hunter was never without a weapon close at hand.
“I need to get you back. Something’s wrong.”
Jamie nodded, “Go. I’ll be fine.”
Chapter Seven
He hadn’t wanted to leave Jamie. The way she’d laughed with him so freely, nudged her body into him playfully like he’d seen her do so many times with her friends. They’d shared a moment there in the firelight, a moment that had made his heart beat faster and his breath hitch in his chest only for it to be broken by the alert sent through the pack.
The bodies had been found by the wolves on patrol. Five of them. Three women and two men. All of them witches. All with their throats torn out before they’d been dumped as a message to the former Hunter that now controlled the sprawling territory of Louisiana.
Growling, Archer pulled out his phone and called Kane. Three things were blindingly clear. One, an unknown quantity of Turned vampires were challenging the new leadership. Two, by granting the Born access to pack lands, Archer had inadvertently invited the war to creep right up to his door, which meant, three, Kane Fletcher needed to go.
“We have a problem, vampire,” was Archer’s snarled response to Kane’s good-natured, “Sup?” when the call connected.
To give the Born his due, Kane didn’t dally, was at the scene in a matter of minutes, proof that he’d understood the dire situation and used his preternatural speed to reach them. His uttered, “Ah, fuck,” was exactly what Archer’s first thought had been upon seeing the macabre display.
“I’ll have to call Jourdain.”
