Page 16 of Halloween Hunt

I don’t belong here anymore than he does. He might be the wrong man in this world…but when it comes to all things fairy, he is the right man.

I take his hand, accepting his offer. “I’m scared.”

“That is normal, but I won’t let you go. I’ll take care of you.”

“I think you need me to take care of you.” I force a smile, but the black lines snaking over his skin worry me. “You aren’t going to die, are you?”

“Only if I don’t return to Fairy tonight.”

I draw in a breath. “Okay.” I shake my head, not ready to leave yet. I only just found out about Fairy and halflings and trows. “Will I ever be able to come back?”

“Only for a hunt.”

My life isn’t that great. No one will miss me aside from my friends, but they will move on. I don’t want to return only to hunt vampires and catch halflings. “Will I be a prisoner?”

Kov hesitates. “No. You are my mate.”

“But?” I know there is something else that he doesn’t want to tell me.

He nods as though convincing himself it’s the right thing. “You will have a year and a day to change your mind.”

I lean in and kiss him softly. He’s my warrior. The one who saved me and answered all my questions with honesty. Why would I choose another? “How do we get to Fairy?”

“We rejoin the hunt. My horse is out the front.”

“Your horse?” Did I hear that right?

“Can you put out the flames?”

“I won’t cause a disaster?”

“We have already.”

I feel the air on my skin and pull it away from the flames. They wither and fade away, leaving only smoke. Kov takes my hand and leads me through the broken door and onto the patio, then down the stairs to the fake graveyard set up in the backyard. I shiver from the cold and the creepiness.

Kov whistles and a thunderous silver beast bounds over the fence. Its hooves spark on the pavers and its eyes glow with a red light.

I step back. That is far bigger than any horse I have ever seen, and hanging from the saddle is a horned skull.

The horse paces toward us then lowers its head and bumps Kov like they are old friends. Kov lifts off the skull and slides it over his head.

It’s a helmet, and now he looks every inch the fairy warrior he is. He’s fierce…and wounded, hardly using his injured arm at all.

Sirens are coming up the street. Cops and fire engines and probably an ambulance too. This isn’t how I thought the party would end, but there’s nothing I can do.

Kov puts his foot in the stirrup and swings up onto the beast’s back. I was wrong. On the horse he now looks even more like a fearsome warrior. Then he leans down, his good arm held out to help me. “Come on.”

“What am I supposed to do?”

“Get up behind me and hold tight.”

“I’m wearing a miniskirt. I’m not dressed for riding.” I’m barely dressed at all.

“I will make sure nothing happens to you.”

And when the poison spreads and he can’t take care of me? I will have to take care of him. I clasp his hand and he pulls me up onto his horse. My skirt rides up and I struggle to tug it over my ass.

“Hold on,” Kov warns.

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