Obsession

Hunter froze, and then a shudder rolled through his body. He twisted his head to one side and then the next, as if he were working out a kink. Then he was gone—

simply just gone. There was no sound, absolutely nothing. I was alone.

Chapter 14

I barely slept an hour without waking up and staring into the shadows that had invaded my bedroom. If Hunter was there, he didn’t make himself known. When dawn crested, the house was still colder than normal. After a quick shower, I threw on a long-sleeve shirt and jeans and went downstairs.

There was no sign of Hunter while I made a pot of coffee and took my mug out onto the deck where we’d eaten dinner last night.

Last night felt like forever ago and a dream.

I’d learned more than I’d thought I would about the Luxen and his kind, but even with the knowledge I gained, and with all that I had seen since the moment Mel told me about Phillip Vanderson, it could not have prepared me for what came over Hunter. I didn’t understand what triggered the change in him.

Tucking my legs against my chest, I sipped my coffee as I stared into the deep shadows the thick branches cast along the floor of the forest. I’d been scared last night, maybe not as scared as I’d been when the Luxen blew up Mel’s car or attacked me in my apartment, but pretty damn close. I had no doubt in my mind that Hunter had wanted to feed from me and, if he had, it could’ve very well killed me.

But he’d stopped.

I almost couldn’t believe it. I’d seen the look in his eyes. There hadn’t been an ounce of compassion or humanity knocking around inside him, but somehow he made himself stop. I had a feeling that was a first for him.

My thoughts wandered from one troubling thing to the next as I finished off my coffee. I needed to find out why the Luxen wanted to silence Mel and me so badly. If it really had to do with the threat of exposure, or if Mel had overheard something the Luxen didn’t want known. If the latter was the case, then maybe I’d have the upper hand somehow. Wasn’t much, but it was something.

I set my mug aside and rubbed my temples, thinking about what Hunter had said about the Luxen’s need for power and their history of dominating species.

God, it was almost too much to consider, but I forced myself to replay the whole conversation with Mel. It was painful—thinking of her and how I hadn’t believed her.

Project Eagle. Kids. Pennsylvania.

Those three things made absolutely no sense, but I was pretty sure that the kids were in Pennsylvania. Why that was such a big deal, I wasn’t sure. And Project Eagle?

Sounded like something straight from a James Bond movie. But I knew there was more—there was something Mel had said that was on the tip of my thoughts and every time I grasped for it, it slipped away.

“Damn it,” I muttered, closing my eyes as I continued to rub my temples.

“You look stressed.”

I squeaked at the unexpected sound of Hunter’s voice. Twisting in the seat, I saw him sitting in the chair on the other side of the table. “Holy crap, are you part ninja?”

One side of his lips tipped up slightly. No sunglasses this morning. The skies were cloudy and overcast, the scent of rain heavy in the air. “I can be very quiet when I want.”

“No shit.” I placed a hand on my chest, feeling my heart pound. “Being able to turn into smoke and shadows has its benefits, doesn’t it?”

“It does, among other things.” He tipped his chin up, squinting at the gray sky. “We need to talk, Serena.”

I wrapped my arms around my legs. “We do.”

He looked at me, his striking face impassive. “I almost killed you last night.”

Wow. Hearing him put it so bluntly didn’t make it easier to accept. I tore my gaze from his face, focusing on a little robin hopping from branch to branch. “You didn’t,” I said finally.

“I wanted to feed from you. I wanted to feed from you while I fucked you. I would’ve drained you completely.”

A shiver danced down my spine. I let out a low breath. What was I supposed to say to that? Yes to the fucking part, but please don’t kill me in the process? “But you stopped.”

“Barely,” he replied in a flat, emotionless voice. “Next time I might not.”

My head swiveled toward him. Whoa, buddy. “You think there’s going to be a next time?”

Arrogance poured into his face and his lips spread into a sardonic smirk. Go figure that was the emotion he showed. “There will be a next time.”

My brows rose. “That’s unbelievably cocky of you.”

“The longer we’re together, it’s inevitable.” He dropped his feet onto the deck and twisted to face me. “And you came harder than you probably ever have. You’ll want to do it again, to feel that again.”

I gaped at him. Okay. The attraction was still there. I couldn’t even think about what he did with his fingers and that wonderful mouth without wanting to drop panties, but I didn’t have a death wish.

He met my astonished stare. “You still want me even after what I did.”

“You just said you would feed on me and fuck me until there was nothing left of me. Exactly why would I want to do that?”

His pale eyes darkened. “You want to do the fucking part. Even now, I can see your arousal. It covers you. Makes it hard for me to resist it.”

I stared at him, torn between wanting to laugh and to punch him in the face. “Are you kidding me? You make it sound like it’s my fault!”

“You shouldn’t be attracted to me.”

“What?” I threw up my hands. “You cannot be serious.”

Hunter arched a brow. “Do I not look serious to you?”

“You look like an arrogant, pompous ass!” I jumped to my feet and headed around the lounge. I reached the door, but Hunter freaking popped in front of me. I was too pissed to be amazed by his super-special alien speed or to be scared. “Get out of my way.”

He grinned.

He freaking grinned at me.

I tried to sidestep him, but he just blocked me. I squelched a frustrated scream. “It is not my fault that I’m attracted to you and you wanted to eat my soul or whatever the hell that you do when you feed on me, you dick. If you think it’s too dangerous or whatever, then maybe you shouldn’t come on to me. Did you ever think about that?”

“Eat your soul?” Hunter burst into laughter, and it was a really nice sound, but hell if it didn’t make me want to kick him in the junk. “I drain you of your energy—all living things have energy in them. Souls? Who knows if that exists?”

I sputtered. “Who gives a fuck what you really do? It’s not my fault. It’s yours!”

His grin didn’t fade. “Damn, you have a mouth on you. I like it.”

Exasperated, I managed to get around him. I got as far as the living room before he ended up in front of me again. This time I did scream. “Jesus! Would you stop doing that?”

He crossed his arms. “I can’t. It’s too fun.”

My eyes narrowed.

“You’re right.”

“Huh?”

He sighed. “You’re right. It’s not your fault. It’s mine. You haven’t done anything to bring this on.”

“Damn straight.”

“But you shouldn’t be attracted to me.”