Page 82 of Fanged Desire
Her mouth, riddled with pointed teeth, twitched faintly, her voice a hoarse, grating snarl. “Addison, you’re not serious.”
“Dead serious.” My own voice shook, but I lifted my hand cautiously, resting it lightly on her bare chest. She was taller now, all sharp angles and teeth, but the flesh beneath my fingers was warm, alive.
I kept my eyes on hers, and this time my voice didn’t shake. “I’m not afraid of you, Hunter.”
Her shoulders sagged, and something in that twisted expression turned sullen, moody – comfortingly familiar. “But you weren’t expecting… this.”
“It’s a shock, sure. But it’s still you. And I–” I shook my head, stepping closer until her wing curled faintly around me, sheltering me. “I want to know you. All of you. Claws and all.”
The aftermath of the tumultuous evening was a blur. The chaos had died down, the masked elves subdued and bound. Penelope and the other human captives had been loaded into ambulances under the watchful eyes of what I came to learn were armed Leyore vampires.
I stood off to the side of the mansion entrance, my arms crossed tightly over my chest as my gaze followed the retreating vehicle; the ambulance carrying Penelope to safety, to a human world free of mythical creatures lusting for her blood. My throat felt raw from the screams I’d swallowed during the whole ordeal, but at least I could breathe again, knowing she was safe.
Hunter had promised I’d see her soon, that I could head to the hospital the minute we were done here, but I hated letting her out of my sight for even a moment. My body was torn between staying planted where I was and running after the ambulance, but Hunter’s voice snapped me back to the present.
“You’re not going to lose her again,” she murmured as she stepped up beside me.
I turned to face her. She looked human again, though her tattered clothes and disheveled hair betrayed what she’d been through, what she had become. Her shirt was barely holding together, and her pants looked like they’d been through a shredder, and still, her sharp eyes scanned me, searching for any semblance of fear behind my pupils.
“I know,” I said quietly, my voice far steadier than I felt. “Thanks to you.”
Before Hunter could respond, a new voice interrupted. “So,thisis Addison.”
I turned to see a group of women approaching – beautiful, confident, and wreathed in a power that made the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. Maxine led the charge, bounding over in a streak of pink, somehow looking completely unruffled despite the scuffle she’d endured trying to keep me out of Cathy’s grasp.
The woman at her side radiated authority, discerning eyes sweeping over me. She was dressed for battle, a far cry from the crisp suit jackets I’d seen her wear on TV, but I knew who she was. “You’re Jordan.TheJordan.”
The woman’s lips quirked into a wry smile. “The one and only.”
The other two women stepped forward, their features just as striking. One of them, tall and lean with a razor-sharp smirk, extended a hand. “River. Nice to meet you.”
The last woman, shorter but no less imposing, offered a nod. “Dylan. And judging by the fact that you’re still standing, I’d say you’re tougher than you look.”
“Uh, thanks?”
Maxine clapped her hands together, her grin as bright as ever. “Oh, she’s adorable. Isn’t she adorable?”
“She’s definitely something,” River agreed, her smirk deepening as her gaze shifted to Hunter.
“All right, lay off,” Hunter grumbled, stepping forward slightly to shield me from their fawning.
“Protective, are we?” Dylan chided.
Rather than respond to the rampant teasing, Hunter’s head jerked to the mansion doors and she grinned at a small figure emerging. “Oh, you’re still here. Thank God you’re not dead.”
Ethan sidled into view, his suit rumpled and his expression harried. “Yeah, no thanks to you!”
Hunter shrugged. “I had priorities.”
The banter continued, light and teasing, and a breath of fresh air after so much carnage, but eventually the group dispersed and Ethan set out to fetch the car we came in.
As the others drifted away, I turned to Hunter. The earlier adrenaline eddied from my body, the tension of the night thoroughly diffused, leaving only a heavy, expectant silence between us.
I opened my mouth, but no words came. Now that we were alone, I realized I didn’t even know where to begin. And so, without a word, I stepped forward and threw my arms around her, burying my face against her chest.
“Thank you,” I whispered, my voice muffled against her skin. “For everything.”
I pulled back just enough to look up at her. Her face was right there, her dark eyes searching mine with an intensity that made my heart stutter. My gaze dropped to her lips, and all I couldthink about was closing that small distance between us, about what it would feel like to finally admit–
