Page 13 of Hunter's Game
Eden absorbed this as they dealt with the last of the attackers. Through her scope, she caught glimpses of more vehicles approaching—real federal response teams this time, judging by their movement patterns.
“If what you’re saying is true...” She felt something inside of her stir again as pieces clicked into place. “Then my mother didn’t just find evidence of criminal activity. She found proof of something bigger.”
“Something Romano’s been trying to control for years.” Hunter was already up and moving to their exit route. “Something to do with Mitchells specifically.”
Eden climbed to her feet, ignoring the little plucking tugs of her dress as the ground tried to keep hold of the fabric, and followed him through familiar shadows, mind racing through implications. The glowing artifacts. The way reality seemed to bend around her intentions. The power she’d felt stirring in her veins since childhood.
“That’s why Thompson recruited me specifically for this operation.” Breathless understanding colored her voice as they reached Hunter’s bike. “He knew what I might be capable of.”
“Question is”—Hunter turned to face her, his eyes serious despite his dangerous smile—”did hetell Romano about your capabilities? Or is the good deputy director playing his own game?”
Eden felt reality shift again as more pieces tried to align. “Thompson was my mother’s handler too. Right before she disappeared.”
“Now that’s interesting.” Hunter’s hand settled on her hip as she mounted behind him. “Man seems to have a pattern of losing Mitchell women who get too close to certain truths.”
“Speaking of truth.” Eden pressed closer than strictly necessary as they prepared to move. “Want to tell me the real reason you’re helping me? Besides professional interest in glowing artifacts and inherited power?”
His laugh rumbled through her chest where she was pressed against his broad back. “Maybe I’ve got a thing for dangerous women with secrets.”
“Hunter.” Her voice carried warning despite the heat building between them.
“The truth?” He kicked the bike to life as federal vehicles appeared in the distance. “You’re not the only one with family history tied to Romano’s operation. Not the only one looking for answers about certain artifacts and their particular...properties.”
Understanding colored Eden’s voice as they sped off. “You and your friends have dealt with this kind of power before.”
“Which reminds me.” Hunter’s voice was thoughtful. “That curator from the Institute—Dr. Chen. King’s been tracking her movements. She’sbeen documenting every piece that comes through Romano’s operation with suspicious precision.”
“I’ve noticed.” Eden pressed closer as they took a sharp turn. “Her reports read like someone building a case. The way she highlights certain details, the questions she asks...it’s almost like she’s creating a paper trail.”
“A paper trail that looks perfectly legitimate on the surface,” Hunter agreed, “but tells a very different story if you know what to look for. Reminds me of someone else’s documentation style.”
Eden caught the implication in his tone and her breath caught slightly. She’d had the same thought while studying Chen’s reports. The curator’s methods were eerily similar to her mother’s own careful note-taking. But that was impossible. Wasn’t it?
Hunter’s voice carried dark promise. “Let’s just say that Romano isn’t the only one with interest in bloodlines rumored to reshape reality.”
Eden absorbed this as they wove through city streets, leaving chaos and federal response teams behind. Ahead lay uncertainty and the growing knowledge that she’d stumbled into something much bigger than simple artifact smuggling.
Behind them, Romano’s professional killers picked themselves up, already calling in resources for another attempt.
And somewhere in between, the truth about Eden’s inheritance waited like a loaded gun, ready to either save them or destroy them completely.
But for now, she pressed closer to Hunter’s solid warmth, letting herself feel everything she usually kept carefully contained. The fierce joy of combat. The dark pleasure of power humming in her veins. The dangerous heat building between them with every mile.
“So what now?” She pitched her voice to carry over the wind. “We just run while Romano sends more killers?”
“Now?” His laugh was pure predator. “Now we figure out exactly what that power in your blood can do. What your mother really found that got her killed.”
“And your friends help with that out of the goodness of their hearts?”
His voice turned serious. “They help because some powers are too dangerous to let someone like Romano control them. Some truths need to stay hidden in shadow.”
“And some shadows need to be burned away.” Eden felt that power stir again as she made her choice. “You really want to help me figure out what I can do with this inheritance?”
“Baby,”—his smile was dangerous in the darkness—”I can’t wait to see what you’re capable of.”
They rode deeper into night, leaving federal agents and professional killers in their wake.Ahead lay uncertainty and the growing certainty that whatever was building between them would either save them or destroy them completely.
But Eden found she didn’t care which outcome they were hurtling toward. For the first time since finding her mother’s body, she had someone who understood the darkness in her blood.
