Obsession

it, but Luc…

Yeah, Luc wasn’t normal.

Not even in the world of Luxen, Arum, and hybrids. He was something else entirely and knocking him over wouldn’t be like kicking a kid on a playground, because this kid could knock just about anyone and anything into another galaxy. Sometimes it was hard to remember that when talking to the little punk.

Luc smiled broadly. “What brings you here? I hear this ‘little fuck’ owes you.”

“You know you owe me. And if you need a reminder, all I need to say is Sharpe.”

“Ah, yes. That does remind me of a lot of things.”

“Sharpe?” Serena murmured, her eyes bouncing back and forth.

I let go of her hand and found myself stepping in front of her. Luc noted this with a mischievous glint. “I need my money.”

Luc leaned slightly to the side, as if he was trying to see Serena. Man, this kid loved to push buttons. “You can have your money whenever you need it. Paris could’ve gotten that for you. So I doubt that’s the only thing you need.”

“I also need a piece of opal.”

His brows rose as he leaned onto his side completely, supporting himself on one arm. He smiled at Serena. “And why would you, an Arum who works for the lovely DOD, be in need of a piece of opal? Don’t they hand that out with their ‘I was bought out by the man’ badges? Oh! Wait…wait a second, Hunter.” Luc’s wide eyes blinked innocently, and I had a strong urge to knock those eyes into the back of his head. “Are you no longer playing with the DOD?”

“What do you think?” I stepped to the side, blocking Serena.

“Interesting.” He sat up, putting him right back in front of Serena. “And who’s this?”

“None of your business,” I growled.

Luc slid me a sideways glance. “She’s in my office, in my club, therefore she is my business.”

“This is your club?” Serena asked. “How old are you?”

“Old enough to appreciate a good-looking woman.” Luc winked.

Serena’s mouth dropped open.

“Are you trying to get yourself killed?” I asked, my hands curling into fists.

Paris stepped forward, the perpetual bodyguard, but Luc just laughed. “Oh, simmer down, Hunter. You’re too testy. How many times have I’ve told you that you need to chill out, take a vacay. Disney World is really fun this time of year. You should check it out.”

I drew in a long, deep breath. “Luc.”

He was focused on Serena. “So how did you get mixed up with this lump of joyful personality?”

Serena glanced at me, questioning, and I shook my head. The less Luc knew, the better.

Luc tapped his fingers on the desk. “Al’ right, kiddies, you don’t want to play, then I don’t want to play. Paris will get your money and you can get the hell out.”

“Whoa. Wait a sec. You owe me, Luc. I need a piece of opal—”

“And I’m assuming you’ll also need a Luxen or a hybrid to feed off, too. And you’re right. I do owe you. You took care of a problem for me and I’ll be forever grateful for that. I can help you, but I want to know who she is and how she ended up with you.”

Son of a rat bastard.

Serena stepped forward. “My name is Serena Cross. My best friend was killed by a Luxen after she witnessed them take their, um, true form. I saw it happen and Hunter was brought in by the DOD to keep me safe.”

I turned to her slowly.

“What?” She raised her hands. “We weren’t getting anywhere.”

Anger flashed through me, but I stamped it down. Serena didn’t know Luc, didn’t understand what the kid was capable of. Hell, there was a lot I didn’t know about him, but I knew enough.

Luc’s gaze traveled to a very interested-looking Paris. “Keep you safe from the Luxen?”

She nodded as she worried her lower lip.

“All because your friend witnessed a Luxen do their shiny thing? They killed her for that?” A calculating look appeared in his amethyst eyes. “That sounds drastic.”

“This sounds familiar,” Paris interjected. “This wouldn’t happen to have anything to do with Senator Vanderson, would it?”

“Ah…” Luc murmured.

Serena became very still and the aura around her turned a deeper shade of blue.

“How do you know about that?”

“Good question,” I said.

Paris shrugged one shoulder. “I keep my ear to the ground. The senator flipped his shit because the DOD hauled in one of his boys and then the other. The Luxen are in a tizzy over it. Getting re-assimilated is like walking the green mile, baby.”

My eyes narrowed.

Paris grinned as his gaze slid back to Luc. “But that doesn’t explain why they would come after you, now does it? I mean, you’re not the first to see us in our true form.

You won’t be the last. You seem like a smart lady. You know to keep quiet. So…”

“So there has to be more,” Luc finished. He clapped his hands together. “And there is always more to a story. Spill it.”

Serena had wisely gone quiet, but it was a little late for that. I folded my arms. “Her friend overheard the brothers talking about something called Project Eagle and children in Pennsylvania. Whatever it is, it seems like it’s worth killing to keep a lid on it.”

Luc blinked slowly. “And does the DOD know about this?”

“Yes,” Serena answered, and cleared her throat. “I told them what my friend had said, but…”

“But you two are here and Hunter is without his opal, which means he’s without his nifty tracking device. How did that happen?” Luc asked. “Don’t be shy, Serena. I’m not the bad guy here.”

I snorted. “Yeah, and I’m fucking Santa Claus.”

“Okay.” Luc flashed a winning smile. “All things considered, I’m the least of your worries at this point, eh? There are three things in life that I just cannot stand and, in no particular order, they are: the DOD, the Arum, and the Luxen. Humans are pretty damn okay in my book.”

Serena glanced back in shock at a grinning Paris, and I rubbed my temple. I was starting to get a headache.

“The DOD decided that what Mel overheard isn’t important,” I said.

Luc cocked his head to the side. “And do you believe that?”

I barked out a short laugh. “Hell no. I’m sure they’ve been trying to dig up everything on this Project Eagle bullshit, but they don’t know about Pennsylvania.

Serena remembered that after she’d spoken to the officers.” The letter in the PO box was staying a secret. “The senator and the community of Luxen raised all kinds of shit about the exposure risk and pushed for Serena’s death. The DOD caved.”

“Exposure risk?” Paris headed to the desk and sat in the chair behind Luc. “Does the senator honestly believe that the DOD will release his sons if Serena is gone?”

“I don’t think so,” I admitted. “I think that whatever Mel overheard and may or may not have said to Serena is worth them killing to keep it quiet. Even if Serena doesn’t know anything, they don’t want to take that risk. The DOD came to take her out and, well, I didn’t agree with that.”

“I wish you guys would stop talking about people wanting to kill me,” Serena said, but she was staring at me in a way that said we’d be talking later. “It’s really starting to freak me out.”

“True,” Luc said, shaking his head. “So you stopped the DOD? Protected a human even knowing that they’d put price on your head that even I couldn’t afford?”

I shifted my weight from one foot to the next. “Yeah.”

“Interesting,” Luc murmured.

“He doesn’t know why he did it, so don’t even ask him.” Serena sent me a tight smile, and I couldn’t even find it in me to be measurably annoyed. She turned back to the kid. “Do you know anything about Project Eagle?”

Luc met her stare. “I know a lot of things, Serena. I also have a lot of suspicions.

Some people think I’m paranoid, but I like to say I’m realistically prepared for when the shit hits the fan.”

Serena frowned. “That really didn’t tell me anything.”

“I don’t know about Project Eagle,” he said, “but I’d be curious to learn more.”

“Okay, well now that we’ve done the whole caring and sharing routine,” I interrupted, “you owe me.”

“I do.” Luc hopped off the desk. “Come back tomorrow and I’ll have something for you.” He glanced at Serena and winked. “And make sure you’re in a more pleasant mood. You’re killing my happy vibe.”

“Tomorrow?” I moved my neck to the side, trying to ease out the tension. “I wasn’t planning on this trip to be an overnight one.”

“But I’m sure you’ll find a way to pass the time.” Luc wiggled his brows suggestively, and even I was a bit disturbed by that. He walked around his desk and opened a drawer. Pulling out a key, he tossed it to me. “You can stay at Paris’ place for the night. He won’t be there and it will be safe.”

Paris’ face screwed up. “What the hell, Luc?”

He smiled sheepishly. “What? He’s not staying at my place.”

I pocketed the key, pleased by the anger creeping across the Luxen’s face.

“Address.”

Luc scribbled it down on a pad of paper and handed it over. “Be back here tomorrow, a little before noon.”

I gathered up Serena and headed for the door, but Luc stopped us. “And Hunter?”

I turned, already not liking the odd look on the kid’s face. I prepared myself for whatever fuckery that was about to come out of his mouth. “Yes?”

Luc’s smile was mysterious. “Humans aren’t as frail as you think they are.”

Chapter 24 I’d expressed my concern about trusting Luc the moment we got in the Porsche, but Hunter didn’t seem to think we had anything to worry about. Apparently, the strange kid was the least of our problems.

We stopped and got fast food on the way to wherever Paris lived , and I ended up eating my food before we pulled into the secluded house in The Woods resort. Even at night, I could see the glitter in the driveway and corners of the two-story structure.

“Beta quartz,” Hunter explained, snickering. “Very smart. There are no natural deposits around here, so he brought it in. It blocks us from seeing them, disrupts their wavelengths.”

Stepping out of the car, I frowned at the tiny flecks glittering in the moonlight. How many times could I have seen something like this and disregarded it? I turned, eyeing the thick trees crowding the driveway, as Hunter pulled our luggage out of the trunk.

Once inside, I realized Paris’ flavor could easily be seen. Gold paint on the foyer walls. A golden chandelier hung from the ceiling, and all the doorknobs were painted a golden color; even the grand staircase had golden treads.

“Gah,” I said, shaking my head.

Hunter’s lip curled as he looked around. “Wow.”

I cracked a smile. Hunter relatively speechless, and all it took was really gaudy interior design. We did a little investigation of the downstairs and then we headed up.

It was obvious which room was the main bedroom.

Hunter headed right for it.

“I’m sure there are extra bedrooms.” I nodded down the hall. “Maybe we should take one of them.”

He glanced over his shoulder, grinning. “What fun is that?”

I laughed softly. “You’re terrible.”

But I followed him into the lavish master bedroom. It was huge and in the middle was a four-poster canopy bed. Hunter dropped our luggage on a settee as I checked out the bathroom.

“Holy garden tub,” I murmured. “This thing is huge.”

“That’s not the only thing that’s huge.” Hunter wrapped his arms around me from behind and tugged me back.

I flushed as I felt him against my lower back. Need swelled in me, warming my body. “That’s pretty low-grade.”

Hunter chuckled as he brushed his lips over my cheek. “It was.”

Then he backed off, and I leaned against the large sink—painted in gold, of course —and watched him. I was breathless already, and all I had felt was his erection.

Ridiculous.

His lips curved up like he knew what I was thinking. I ignored the warmth flooding through my veins and between my thighs.

“Are you tired?”

It was late and we hadn’t gotten much sleep last night, but I shook my head.

Hunter’s gaze turned knowing. “I know you want it.”

My belly tightened as desire swirled through me. “You do?”

He nodded, but then he did the unexpected. He stepped out of the bathroom. “You want to enjoy that tub. Go ahead. I’m going to check out the place, make sure it really is secure.”

I gaped at him as he shut the door. His deep chuckle from the other side of the door made me want to find a blunt object and throw it.

Bastard.

Sighing, I turned to the tub. The thing was glorious, round and deep with several faucets at the front. I turned them on, cranking up the hot water as I searched the bathroom for something to add to it. There were a ton of products in the linen cabinet and I settled on something that smelled like peaches. Adding that to the tub, I was quickly in a frothy heaven.

I stripped off my clothes and slipped into the water. The scrapes still stung a bit, but I stretched out, resting my head on the back of the tub as the bubbles grew around me, covering my chest.

“This is the absolutely most beautiful thing I’ve seen.”

Squeaking, my eyes popped open as I jerked up. Water and bubbles sloshed over the sides. “Oh my God…”

Hunter stood by the tub, completely nude. All the chiseled, rippled goodness on display, and he was hard. Really hard. I followed his gaze. He was staring at my breasts. “You’re such a guy.”

He shrugged. “I think you need help bathing, and I’m in a real generous mood.”

“I am feeling a little dirty.” I wanted to stick my head under the water, but the way Hunter’s eyes flared, I knew I had no reason to be embarrassed.

He liked it.

I scooted up as he climbed in behind me. Steam rose from the tub and the water stirred, causing bubbles to tickle my sides as he slid his legs on either side of my hips, his skin wet and smooth against mine.

Hunter brushed my hair over my shoulder, and then I felt his lips against the space between my shoulders. The kiss…I don’t know what it was about it, but it turned my insides to mush.

It was official. No denying it. I wasn’t falling in love with Hunter.

I was already in love with him.

Knots filled my tummy as the realization shuttled through me. Loving Hunter was absolutely insane, but the heat blossoming in my chest wrapped around the knots, unraveling them. My life was in absolute ruins. The government and another alien race were after us, but none of that mattered to my heart. Loving him was wrong in all the right ways.

His arm snaked around my waist and he pulled me back between his legs. I turned my head toward him. “Did you check out the house?” I asked.

He pressed a kiss to my cheek, and I melted even more. “The place is like Fort Knox.” He lowered his head and nipped at my jaw as he reached around me, picking up a bar of soap. “Let me wash you.”

That was as much of a request as I’d ever heard from him. He lathered his hands up and then curved one down my arm, to the very tips of my fingers and in between them.

“You’re very thorough,” I said.

Hunter chuckled as he slid his hands back up, bringing water along with him.

“That’s my middle name.”

I laughed. “I just realized I don’t even know your middle or last name.”

His cheek rose against mine in a smile. “I don’t have one.”

“None?”

“None.” He moved on to my other hand, and his knuckles brushed the swell of my breasts. I jerked at the contact and he did it again as he washed away the soap. “You like that?”

I bit down on my lip. “What do you think?”

“I think you do.” He ran his hand down my back and over the flare of my hip. “My real name isn’t pronounceable, and when we came here my family never adopted a last name.”

“Coming here had to be overwhelming.” Words left me as his soapy hand slid over my stomach. “Right?”

“It was at first.” His hand smoothed up my stomach, brushing my breasts once again, and I found it hard to concentrate. “I was with my own kind—a pretty large group. We landed in the Baltic Region.”

“Landed?” Then I laughed. “Sorry. Picturing spaceships and stuff.”

He chuckled again and cupped water in his hand, rinsing away the soap. I held my breath as he moved a soapy hand over my right breast and then the left. My nipples tightened into aching points and I bit down on my lip.

“My family eventually came to America. I was still young.” Both of his hands were involved in the cleaning process now and his thumbs moved over my tips. I guessed he was being extra sure about my nipples being cleaned. “We’re very adaptive creatures, and it’s also in our nature to wander. So I traveled a lot.”

“What about schooling?”

He plucked at my nipples before his hands left them and dipped into the water. “I never went to school, and knowledge isn’t always gained from a classroom. Besides, our adaptability allows us to pick up things quickly.” Water cascaded over my breasts, causing my muscles to flutter. “The assimilated Luxen went to human schools, but our process was never like that.”

I wondered how many more old classmates were actually ETs. “So the DOD released the Luxen and they live like humans, but you all…?”

“Not so much.” His arms circled me. “We weren’t treated the same. I think they saw us as something lower than the Luxen, than them. When they find us, we aren’t given the option of playing human.”

“That’s not fair,” I whispered.

“Life’s rarely fair, sweetheart.” He slid his hands over my thighs as his lips brushed the curve of my jaw once more. “We’ve always been seen as a weapon. That’s what we are.”

“No.” Heat unfurled inside me, spreading sizzling shivers. “You’re more than a weapon, Hunter. So much more.”

“With you?” His voice was thick. “I am more, but not with anyone else.”

I didn’t have a chance to process that because his hand slipped between my thighs.

Pleasure thrummed in a heady dance as his fingers brushed my sex.

“I’m still being thorough,” he said.

My head fell back against his chest. “I see that.”

“I don’t want you to think I’m not taking this seriously,” he continued. His fingers moved slowly. “Because this is the most fucking serious thing I’ve ever done.”

“I believe you.” My hips jerked as the pressure of his touch increased. I wiggled, trying to get him where I wanted him. “Hunter…”

His other hand rose, cupping the back of my neck. He guided my head back and to the side. His lips hovered over mine. “I love hearing you say my name.”

The exact moment his lips closed over mine, he thrust his finger, capturing the moan as my hips rocked forward and then back against his erection. I reached up behind me, wrapping my arm around his neck. The kiss deepened and I was restless, wanting so much more. The steady pumping of his finger drove me crazy and close to the edge, but it wasn’t enough.

He knew it.

He was teasing me.

His mouth left mine and then his lips moved against my throat. The wet flicks of his tongue as he tasted my skin followed and I groaned. “Hunter.”

A low sound of approval hummed through his chest and in the next second, he grasped my hips, lifted me up, and turned me. Water splashed everywhere, but I was centered on him and not all the potential water damage.

Hunter lowered me, my knees sliding on either side of his hips. His thick manhood waited as he captured my mouth in a deep, searing kiss. I held on to his shoulders, soaking in the taste and feel of him. God, I couldn’t get enough of him.

“I need you,” he growled. “Now.”

My blood was on fire as I reached down, wrapping my fingers around his thick base. I lowered myself onto him, gasping as his thickness spread me. I placed my hands on his chest, running my thumbs over his nipples as his fingers dug into my hips.

He stared into my eyes, and his gaze was a heady mix of lust, yearning, and something far deeper as he thrust up and I cried out. He took me fully, sealing us together. The distinct pulse in my core hammered. I rolled my hips, moaning as I found a rhythm that reached every spot of me. He cupped my ass, pulling me down as he pushed up.

Quickly, the slow rolls and thrusts weren’t enough for either of us. He was panting and I was gasping. Our lips mashed together. My hands were on his cheeks, holding him there as our bodies moved together in a fast, almost frantic pace. A luscious wave of intense pleasure rolled over me. I was completely overwhelmed by him, but I had been since the beginning.

This was just more, so much more.

“You feel perfect,” Hunter grunted, slamming up and wringing a strangled moan from me. “You are perfect for me, only me.”

Those words sent me over the edge, tumbling into a release that shattered every part of my being. He was right, so damn right. I was perfect for him, only him.

Chapter 25 We lay together in bed, legs tangled and our bodies flush and damp. Her head rested on my chest while I traced lazy shapes along her hip and waist. The figure eight made her shiver and wiggle closer, so it was my favorite.

When we’d left the tub, water had been everywhere and as Serena had bent to retrieve towels from the linen closet in an attempt to clean up some of our damage, I got an eyeful of that curvy, perfect ass. I’d jumped her.

I’d flipped her around and in one powerful surge, lifted her, and pinned her body between the wall and mine. As my mouth had covered hers, I slammed inside, all the way. Her body yielded in a way that made me want to stay inside her, but it hadn’t been a slow seduction of soft touches. Her legs had wrapped around my waist and I couldn’t stop myself. Our joining was fast and pounding and she matched every thrust. Her wetness drove me to the brink, and when she convulsed around me, I followed her within seconds.

I’d carried her to the bed once I’d felt confident my knees wouldn’t fold under me.

I’d had every intention of letting her be at that point, but seeing her on those damn golden covers, her hair a halo of light clinging to her bare shoulders and breasts, an insatiable hunger swelled.

Not the kind to feed.

I’d wanted her again.

And I’d seen the hunger in her eyes, so I’d taken her again, on her knees. That lovely ass pressed against my hips, my arm around her slender waist. It hadn’t been gentle, but neither had Serena. She had reached around, her nails digging into my hips, urging me on. There were only the sounds of our bodies, our moans, and panting breaths. It was a fucking beautiful chorus. I was hungry for her, starving in a way a man needed a woman.

A man—not an Arum.

Fucking blew my mind, but it had been the truth. That time, the stirrings of a darker need never outweighed the want to be inside her, near her.

The buildup had been almost painful. There had been a fire inside me, shooting down my spine, filling my groin. I’d curled an arm under her breasts, held her up as my thrusts lost the rhythm and my hips grinded against her ass. We’d come at once, a fucking explosion of bright lights.

We’d fallen onto the bed afterward, exhausted and sated. I’d cupped her flushed cheek in one hand, brought those plump lips to mine and kissed her slowly, leisurely.

And we hadn’t moved since.

“Did I break you?” I asked, half serious because I’d taken her hard.

Her hand curled against my stomach as her shoulders shook with silent laughter.

“No. Did you think you did?”

I smoothed her hair back from her cheek. “I was…rough.”

She lifted herself up, eyes sleepy as she stared down at me. “And I enjoyed it.”

“Oh, that I know.”

“You’re so cocky.”

“Ah, don’t say anything with the word cock in it.”

“What?” She giggled. “Will I wake the slumbering beast?”

“The slumbering beast is always awake around you.” And hell if the “beast” wasn’t stirring. Instead of indulging in it, I settled her back down beside me, liking the way she felt. I plucked up a piece of her hair and twirled it around my finger.

“Do you think Luc will come through tomorrow?” she asked, voice quiet.

“Yes.” I unraveled the silky strand of her hair. “He’s a man of his word.”

“Man?”

I chuckled. “He’s a kid of his word.”

“I don’t understand Luc,” she admitted as she snuggled closer. Snuggled? Snuggled had become a part of my vocab? Fuck. “He doesn’t like Arum, Luxen, or DOD, but Paris was Luxen and Luc’s helping you. Why? And what the hell is he? One of those hybrids you mentioned?”

“Ah, Luc is…different. There really is no explaining what he is or how his logic works. I think he’s half insane to be honest.” The truth was Luc claimed to be a hybrid—a product of when a Luxen successfully healed a human and mutated their DNA—but I had my suspicions. He was like no hybrid I’d ever met.

Serena was quiet for so long I’d think she’d fallen asleep if it weren’t for the nervous energy humming around her. “Then you’ll have to feed after he gets you a piece of opal?”

There was no reason to bullshit with the answer even though I wanted to. “Yes.”

There was another long pause. “Then what?”

The million-dollar question. “My brother—the one I claim—lives outside of Atlanta.

He’s got a pretty nice setup going on. It would be safe…for us.”

Us. There. I said it. No big fucking deal.

Serena stilled, and damn if my heart didn’t do a very human thing and jump against my ribs. “I can’t go to Atlanta,” she said finally.

Not what I was expecting to hear. My brows furrowed as I tipped my head down.

“And where do you think you’re going?”

She took a deep breath, causing her breasts to push against my side and my cock jerked. Now was so not the time for that shit. “I need to go to Colorado,” she said. “I need to get in that post office and find what Mel wrote down.”

What in the fuck? I swore I did not hear her right, but her words bounced around in my skull. She wanted to go back to Colorado? “Are you insane?”

She coughed out a short laugh. “Honestly? Sometimes all of this makes me feel insane.”

That wasn’t a good enough answer. “You want to go back to the state where a very powerful Luxen lives—a Luxen that wants you dead?”

She frowned. “I remember that the senator wants me dead.”

“Are you sure? Because I can’t come up with another logical reason why you’d want to go back there.”

Serena sighed. “I need to go back, Hunter. I need to know what was worth Mel’s life— my life. Maybe whatever is in that letter can somehow bring the senator to justice.”

I barked out a short laugh. “He’s never going to be charged or held accountable for what he did to your friend or you, Serena. So you might as well let go of that.”

“I know he won’t be, but maybe whatever he’s planning is enough to take him off the grid—get him in trouble. At least then he gets some sort of punishment. It’s better than nothing, right? Because I can’t live with the fact that Mel’s murderer—the person ultimately responsible for her death—gets to live his life like he’s done nothing.”

I didn’t say anything to that. I got the need for revenge, but if she went back to Colorado, she would be killed.

“I can’t allow that,” I said—and, fuck, I felt righteous in my decision. I couldn’t let her do this, because she would die, and I wasn’t okay with that. And if I was honest, I was fucking terrified of the idea. Somehow, in the relatively short time I’d known Serena, she had wiggled her way into my cold body. She was my light, my warmth, and I wasn’t ready to let her go.

Serena sat up, shyly holding the sheet to her breasts, but her eyes were a steely brown as she met my gaze. “You can’t stop me, Hunter.”

I almost laughed, because I could stop her. “I can.”

Her hand curled into a fist around the edge of the sheet. “You aren’t keeping me safe from the DOD anymore. It’s not like you have to do this job any longer.”

“Job?” I sat up swiftly, startling her enough that she scooted back. “Do you really think this is a job to me?”

“It is a job to you.”

“It was a job to me, Serena. Not anymore.”

She seemed to work that over and then shook her head. “I can’t walk away from this.”

All I could see was her pretty eyes, lifeless and fixed. Pressure clamped down on my chest. “The hell you can’t.”

“And you can’t stop me,” she said again, taking a deep breath. Her voice was strong and even when she spoke again. “I appreciate everything you’ve done to keep me safe. I will never…I won’t forget that, but I have to get that letter.” She stopped again and took another deep breath, holding the sheet higher. “Please, Hunter, don’t try to stop me. I know you can, but please don’t do that to me.”

For a moment, I didn’t hear anything as I stared at her. Part of me didn’t know if I was just brushed off with the expression of gratitude or what. Wasn’t like I laid my soul bare or some kind of shit like that, but her response stung like a bitch. I cared for her. Couldn’t deny that shit any longer, but she hadn’t even considered that any of my actions were anything more than a job. Obviously I’d put more into this than she had, and here I was, worrying about her, fearing for her, and she thought I was just doing a job?

Fuuuuck.

An odd feeling traveled up the back of my neck, more than a prickle of irritation. I didn’t like this feeling—this sitting back and watching someone run off to their death.

It was helplessness and the only other time I’d felt that was when my sister lay dead before me. A wild range of emotion whirled through me, because instead of my sister, I saw Serena.

Anger flooded me like a dam bursting. I dropped my feet to the floor and stood.

“I’m not going to be a part of this suicidal mission, Serena.”

Her eyes widened. “Hunter—”

“No.” The temp in the room dropped and little bumps raced across her skin. The windows in the room iced over. “Not only is it suicidal, it’s stupid. How will you get there? By plane? Do you have money or an ID that the DOD won’t see in use? No.

Didn’t think so.”

She flinched as she drew back. “I can’t let this go. I can’t—”

“I get it. Finding out what Mel overheard is more important than your own life and —” I cut myself off before I said anything stupid. “You want to go back to Colorado, then fine. After we swing by Luc’s tomorrow, I’ll get your ass on a plane.”

Serena scrambled off the bed, taking the sheet with her. She opened her mouth, but I held my hand up, silencing her. “This will be better, because you’re right. It was a job and that job is over. You want to get more caught up in this shit, have at it. None of this is worth ending up dead. There’s better shit I could be doing besides babysitting you.”

Her face paled. Guilt simmered in my gut, because I’d struck where it counted. I’d hurt her with words. That’s what I was built to do, to be cold and apathetic. Worrying about her, fearing for her wasn’t in my nature. And caring for her? Fuck that. This—

this coldness building inside was what I was used to, what I needed. It was what let me leave the room without looking back.

I wasn’t a human male.

I was Arum.

And it was about time I started to remember that.

Chapter 26 Awkward and tense didn’t even begin to explain the atmosphere between Hunter and me as we drove to Luc’s club a little before noon. I couldn’t wrap my head around how fast things went south last night.

Through the time we’d gotten to know each other, something had been growing there, becoming more than mutual attraction and red-hot chemistry. There had also been a change in Hunter last night. He was warmer, more relaxed and gentle. Even caring and protective and all the things he’d said his kind were incapable of feeling, but the moment I talked about finding Mel’s letter, he’d become the Hunter I first met: brutally cold and arrogantly withdrawn.

There’s better shit I could be doing besides babysitting you.

I closed my eyes and swallowed against the knot in my throat as the Porsche traveled the highway at breakneck speeds. He’d said staying with me had been more than a job to him and then he goes and says that? That had sliced deep and was still cutting away every time those words replayed in my head.

I hadn’t expected him to be overjoyed with the idea of going to Colorado, but I’d thought he’d understand and support it. Deep down, as stupid as it was, I even thought that he’d cared enough to go with me.

As he coasted the Porsche down the exit, I forced my eyes open. They felt wet and I felt stupid for wanting to cry. Take out the fact that Hunter was an alien and all that jazz, falling for someone like this was just plain begging for heartbreak. High-stress situations amplified emotions. I knew this, and yet I’d allowed myself to fall for the extraterrestrial asshole.

Pushing my hair back from my face, I inhaled deeply. The light scent of his cologne invaded my senses, but so did the fresh air rolling in from the crack in the window.

I needed to prioritize.

There was too much to worry about than to fixate on my hurt feelings, no matter how badly I wanted to crawl into a bed and pull a blanket over my head. I needed to find money to get on the plane, pray that my name hadn’t been flagged, and get to the post office.

And then…?

I had no idea. I wasn’t stupid enough to think I could slide back into my life like nothing happened. All I could do is find the letter and hopefully there was something in there that I could use as leverage with the DOD to provide me with some sort of the future. It would be risky taking that information to them, since they obviously wanted me dead, but they were the lesser of two evils. But what if the letter was gone?

Then I was totally screwed.

“Ready?”

Hunter’s voice drew me out of my thoughts and I glanced at him. His profile was stoic and the dark sunglasses shielded his eyes. There was nothing left of the man who made love to me repeatedly the night before.

I sighed and nodded. The makeshift parking lot was mostly empty, with the exception of a few random cars. I climbed out, tugging on my shorts as the humidity immediately clung to my skin.

Stealing another peek at the silent male as we made our way to the front door, I felt my stomach tighten and then drop. No matter what happened from this point on, whether I lived another dozen decades or survived just the week, I would be leaving him soon—very soon.

And I wouldn’t forget him. Ever.

My chest and throat burned as the bouncer opened the door before we could knock.

There wasn’t any small talk this time. He let us in and ushered us through the darkened club floor toward the office, closing the door behind us after grumbling something about Luc being on his way.

And then Hunter and I were alone again.

Awkward.

I sighed as I sat on the edge of the couch and thrummed my fingers on my knees.

Hunter slid his shades into his back pocket as he paced the length of the office, eyes glued to the door we’d come through.

I couldn’t stand this silence. Clearing my throat, I smoothed my hands along my legs. “So you’re going to Atlanta after this?”

Hunter stopped in the middle of the room and looked at me. His pale blue eyes were like bottomless pits—vacant and cold. “That is the plan.”

I shivered. “Does he live in Atlanta or…?”

“No. Marietta. Big cities do not appeal to us.” He cocked his head to the side. “The noise, smells, and lights are too much.”

With how sensitive his eyes were, I could understand that portion of the statement.

“Why the noise and smells?”

His hands opened and closed at his sides. “It’s too…human.”

And that was as much of an answer I got from him on that front. His eyes seemed to blaze as he started pacing again, making me edgy. “Would you stop?”

“What?” He passed me a cursory glance as he passed me.

“The pacing. It’s making me nervous as hell.” I wiped my sweaty palms along my jeans again. “I know you’re jonesing to get out of here, away from me and on your way, but do you think you can sit down for a few moments?”

Hunter stopped then, facing me fully. “You think that’s it?”

I met his stare, and he shook his head. “What?” I demanded.

He stared at me long and hard, as if he were peeling back layers of skin. “You are a foolish woman, Serena.”

My mouth dropped open and irritation raged through me like a hot summer storm.

“I’m a foolish woman? Well, you’re a complete asshole.”

“So I’ve been told,” he replied calmly. “But that doesn’t change the truth.”

I shot to my feet, my own hands forming fists. A half smile appeared on his full lips, like I amused him. That just pissed me off more. “You are a dick, Hunter. You know that? An emotionless dick, and you tell me I’m foolish? And stop smiling at me!

It’s not funny.” I was like a volcano about to spew fire and ash in his face. “I’m about two seconds from knocking that smile off your face, you ass!”

That half smile had spread during my tirade, changing his features and warming his eyes. “Sorry.”

He didn’t sound or look sorry at all. “I didn’t ask you for any of this, you know? I didn’t ask you to keep me safe or to bring me here or to do anything—” Within a heartbeat, Hunter was in front of me, so fast that I jerked back and would’ve toppled onto the couch if he hadn’t grasped my shoulders. He lowered his head so that his lips were inches from mine. Unwanted, edgy desire sent my hormones racing.

“I like you like this,” he said in a low, deep voice.

I sputtered as I ignored the heat building between us like an overworked furnace.

“You like me angry? You’re disturbed.”

“Possibly,” he murmured. “And I know you didn’t ask for any of this. I know—” Hunter let go of me suddenly and went ramrod straight, eyes wide and nostrils flared. I swayed unsteadily as he turned to the door, his head cocked again. The unnatural stillness of him caused knots to form in my belly.

“What is it?” I asked, wrapping my arms around my waist. The temp in the room had dropped fast.

He glanced back at me. “There is a Luxen here.”

“Paris?”

Hunter shook his head. “No. It’s not Paris.”

Icy fear slithered through me and into my chest, where it wrapped around my heart.

He turned to me quickly, placing his cool hand on my cheek. A moment passed before he spoke. “I’m going to check this out.”

“But—”

“I’ll be back,” he said, eyes like burning chips of ice. “If things go south…”

He didn’t finish, and I didn’t have a chance to say anything. He was out the door before I could blink an eye. The temp in the room rose a little, as if he took the coldness with him. My heart pounded against my ribs like it wanted to jump out of my chest and run screaming.

I waited about three minutes and couldn’t do it any longer. Mind made up, I darted toward the door and inched it open. The narrow hallway was dimly lit by the track lighting. I made it halfway down the hall when a flash of intense white light tinged in red lit up the club.

My heart dropped. I recognized that light. What had Hunter called it? The Source?

There was a Luxen here and it wasn’t a friendly one.

Male voices rose, and then I heard Luc say, “I wouldn’t do that if I were you.

Hunter is very, very hungry.”

What the…? Luc didn’t sound too concerned about what was happening, so I rushed forward. Coming to a halt at the end of the hall, my mouth dropped open.

Luc was standing off to the side, wearing a shirt that said something about zombies, and Hunter was in his true form, a thick solid mass with pale eyes. On the other side of the room was another man. One that was younger than me, maybe eighteen or so.

Unruly dark brown hair fell in careless waves across his forehead. He was almost as tall as Hunter, which would make him gargantuan, but not as broad. His face…wow, there really were no words, and I felt like a creeper for even allowing my mind to go there for half a second.

The stranger was attractive in a mind-blowing way.

His eyes were glowing spheres of white as static crackled down his arm, followed by the intense light. Fear tripped up my heart as the stranger zeroed in on Hunter, but Hunter did nothing but cock his head like he was daring the younger Luxen to do something.

Was he insane?

“Hunter,” I said, my voice sounding too loud.

His head snapped toward me, as did the Luxen’s. The light around his arm fizzled out and I swore the stranger’s mouth dropped open.

YOU SSSHOULDN’T HAVE COME OUT HERE . Hunter’s voice filtered through my thoughts.

Everything isss okay.

Everything did not look okay. Weird? Yes. Everything looked weird. “But he’s one of them.”

The Luxen’s eyes widened and the eerie glow faded, revealing eyes that were an extraordinary green color, so bright and deep it reminded me of spring grass.

Hunter’s head swung back to the Luxen and his chest rose as he took a step back. A second later, he was in his human form. “Serena, go back to Luc’s office.”

Jesus, did he get off on bossing me around? “Excuse me?”

His eyes narrowed on me, and an instant later, the bouncer appeared out of nowhere and strode across the dance floor, wrapping an arm around my shoulders. “This really ain’t where ya need to be right now.”

I dug in. “But—”

“Come on, I got some stuff to show you.”

Hunter’s dark brows furrowed. “What stuff?”

The bouncer winked over his shoulder. “Stuff.”

I wasn’t given much of a choice. Seconds later, I was back in the office, angry at being bossed around, but also worried about what was happening out there.

Taking a spot in front of the door, the bouncer folded his arms across his massive chest. “Those two ain’t gonna hurt each other, so you can relax.”

Relaxing was the last thing I was going to do. “They don’t look like they’re about to hug.”

He cracked a toothy grin. “That might be the truth, but that boy has got bigger problems than messing with an Arum. Bigger problems than you, to tell the truth.”

“Like what?” I challenged. Considering how messed up my life was right now, I doubted that.

The bouncer unfurled his arms and scratched at his chin. A couple of moments passed and then he said, “They took his girl from him, and getting her back ain’t going to be easy. Probably impossible.”

Not expecting that, I took a step back and plopped down on the couch. “Who took her?”

“The government.”

My head churned that over. “Why?”

One large shoulder rose in a shrug. “Why not? The gov does what it wants. So do the Luxen. So do the Arum.” He paused. “We’re in their world, babe. Don’t ya worry about the Luxen boy in there with Luc. Worry about yourself.”

I didn’t have a lot of time to mull those happy, happy words over. The door swung open and Hunter stalked in, totally unscathed. I started to get to my feet.

He held up a hand. “I’m fine.”

“I can see that. What was going on out there?”

“Nothing really,” he answered. The bouncer left the room and Hunter faced me.

“He’s here to talk to Luc. It has nothing to do with us.”

I felt guilty for the amount of relief that coursed through me. “It’s about…a girl?”

Hunter nodded, seeming distracted. “That’s what it sounds like.”

Thinking about what the bouncer had said, I leaned back against the surprisingly comfortable cushion. “Why would they take her away? Did she find out what he was?”

“I don’t know why, but I’m thinking it’s more than that. Maybe he mutated her.”

Hunter rubbed at his forehead. “Either way, if they’ve got her, then he has little hope of getting her out.”

I sucked in a soft breath, saddened by the situation, even though the boy outside was a Luxen and I didn’t know them. Another life in shambles, and for what? I really didn’t know. Honestly, I didn’t know anything anymore.

“You’re so human.”

Lifting my head, I found Hunter watching me with a curious expression. “Yeah, that’s me. Human through and through.”

He took a step toward me but stopped. “I didn’t mean that as an insult. I can see your sadness for them. You care for them even though you never met them. It is very human of you.”

I really didn’t know what to think of that. Empathy wasn’t something abnormal to me and I didn’t think it was such a strange notion to Hunter, either. “You’re more human than you realize, Hunter.”

He looked like he wished to argue, but the door opened once more and Luc prowled in, sending Hunter a sidelong glance. “You should’ve stayed in here, Hunter.”

“Call me crazy, but I didn’t like the idea of a Luxen being here and me not knowing what was going down.”

Luc walked behind the desk and sat down. “You are crazy, but that has been established already. Anyway, let’s get this show on the road before I have more unexpected visitors crawling out of my ass.”

My brows rose, but I wisely said nothing.

Luc opened up a door and pulled out a slender silver cuff. In the middle was a black, oval-shaped piece of opal with a red streak down the middle. He tossed it over to Hunter, who snatched it out of the air with a flick of his wrist. I’d swear the moment Hunter slapped that cuff around his wrist, his cheeks brightened.

Weird.

“You know I don’t give these over easily. I’ve turned better allies away when they needed one.” Luc paused. “Therefore this counts toward your one favor.”

“Fine.” Hunter’s gaze darkened. “That’s all I need.”

“Not true. You need a Luxen to feed from.”

Hunter cracked his neck to the side. “I can find a Luxen elsewhere.”

Luc smiled. “That would be unnecessary. I can work that out for you, provide a willing snack, but you’ll owe me.”

“Willing?” I glanced back and forth. “There’s Luxen willing to be fed off of?”

“There are Luxen willing to do anything for me,” Luc corrected. “And this way it will be much safer and quicker. Not to mention, you’re getting someone’s permission.

That’s good karma, Hunter. You could use that.”

Hunter scowled. “Yeah, and then I owe you. I know how this game works. No thank you.”

“Aw.” Luc feigned hurt. “My favors aren’t that bad.”

“Yeah, and I’m secretly a cuddly rabbit.”

A broad grin crossed Luc’s face as he propped his elbows on the table. “Look, all I would ask is for you to help me out in a time of need. That’s all. Agree to that and then I’ll bring someone in here. Easy. Painless. You’ll be on your way.”

Hunter opened his mouth, but I stepped in. “Wait. So you’d just need help one day?

Help with what?”

“Whatever I may need help with,” he replied.

Hunter sighed.

“And this Luxen seriously won’t have a problem with Hunter feeding off him?”

“Seriously.”

I looked at Hunter. Granted, I had no idea what kind of whacked-out favors Luc could call in, but forcing a Luxen, no matter what their race had done, didn’t set well with me.

Hunter met my stare and then cursed under his breath as he turned back to a positively beaming Luc. “Fine. Whatever. I’ll help you in your time of need.”

I let out a breath as Luc rose and clapped his hands. “Great.” He pulled a phone out of his pocket, his fingers flying over the screen. “This shouldn’t take long at all.”

“Is it that punk ass from outside?” Hunter started to smile. “Because I really would enjoy that.”

I thought of the young man with the fierce green eyes and doubted he’d agreed to that.

Luc laughed. “No. He’s got his hands full right now.”

Hunter looked disappointed, but a few moments later, he stilled and I knew a Luxen had arrived. The two headed to the door.

“You should really stay in here this time,” Hunter said.

For once, I listened. Watching the unlikely duo leave the office, I dropped my head into my hands. Witnessing Hunter feed wasn’t high on my to-do list. There was already enough that reminded me of how different we truly were.

Chapter 27 The Luxen Luc had brought in had been the typical arrogant fuck, but was surprisingly accommodating when it came to the feeding. Methinks he got off on the pain. Whatever.

Raw and pure energy coursed through me, amplified by the opal. If I didn’t do anything crazy with the borrowed energy, I’d be riding this wave for a long time.

When the Luxen scampered off, I turned to Luc. He leaned against the bar and folded his arms, giving me an arched look. “What?” I asked.

He shrugged one shoulder. “So what’s the plan now?”

The plan—the fucking plan. I turned, shoving my hand through my hair. “I’m heading to Georgia.”

“To your brother?”

I nodded.

“Sounds like a good idea. He knows how to stay off the radar.” He paused. “And what about Serena?”

Facing Luc, I wondered why in the hell I was even considering talking to him about this. Then again, it was Luc, and weird shit always happened around him. “She wants to go back to Colorado.”

He raised his brows. “And for what?”

“There’s something her friend left behind. It might be important.”

“I’m assuming it has to do with what her friend overheard and the Luxen’s nefarious plans?” When I didn’t answer, Luc laughed softly. “If there’s evidence of that, it is important. Though, I doubt bringing such things to light would change anything.”

“So you think Serena should go back there? Risk her life?”

Luc hopped up on the bar and let his legs dangle off. “I think it’s all rather pointless.

Evidence is important, but like I said, it ain’t going to change a damn thing. The DOD will shove their heads further into the sand or they’ll just go after Luxen who don’t have anything to do with this Project Eagle.”

I frowned. “Is there really anything such as a good Luxen?”

“Is there really such a thing as a good Arum?” he challenged. “I’m sure you would’ve considered your sister a good one.”

My jaw locked down. “If you value your life at all, you will not ever speak of my sister.”

“Hey.” He raised his hands. “All I am saying is that there are innocent baby aliens on both sides. Anyway, that’s neither here nor there. You aren’t planning on accompanying Serena to Colorado?”

I snorted. “I don’t have a death wish.”

“And you’re seriously going to let her go by herself?”

I opened my mouth but said nothing. I wanted to say yes, because that would be the easy and smart thing to do, but that one damn word wouldn’t come out of my mouth.

But I already knew the truth. I wasn’t going to let her go without me. I never would have.

Luc pursed his lips. “Well, maybe I read it wrong.”

My irritation resurfaced. “Read what?”

“You and her.”

“And?” When he said nothing, I forced myself not to punt-kick him off the bar.

“Fuck. What about us?”

Luc shrugged again. “I just didn’t think you’d let her go off by herself. That you’d be more, I don’t know, concerned about her well-being.”

“Why would you think that?”

He raised his brows.

“I’m an Arum, Luc. I’m not a fucking human, a Luxen, or whatever the hell you are.” I stalked over to where he sat and he just smiled at me. “I’m not—”

“Fooling me,” he cut in with a fucking wink. “You went against the DOD to protect her. You killed two officers, which is a death sentence for you if they ever catch you.

Call me crazy, but that means something.”

“Means what?”

Luc cocked his head to the side. “You never struck me as the stupid type, Hunter.”

My eyes narrowed. “And you never struck me as the suicidal type, smartass.”

He laughed. “All I’m saying is that you know what it means. You just don’t want to acknowledge it yet.”

“Why don’t you enlighten me, you little tool.”

Casting me a sideways look, he hopped down and started back toward the office.

“Arum are pretty thick-skulled.”

For a brief moment I entertained the idea of throwing him across the club. “Luc.”

He spared me a quick grin as he opened the door. Beyond him, Serena jumped up from the couch, her gaze moving from me to Luc.

She clasped her hands together. “Did everything go…uh, smoothly?”

“He’s fed like a fat baby,” Luc replied, and I rolled my eyes. “So you’re heading to Colorado?”

Serena glanced at me. “Yes.”

“How are you getting there?” he asked.

She shifted her weight from one foot to the next; the air around her humming a faint blue. “I really don’t know.”

Luc smiled. “Well, flying will be too risky. You can’t do that. But I have a few spare cars you can borrow, plus some money for gas and food. It’s about a twenty-three-

hour drive, so you’ll—”

“Wait a sec,” I interrupted as I moved between them. “You’re going to give her a car and money to go there?”

Luc blinked innocently. THAT LITTLE FUCK.

“I gave you a piece of opal and a Luxen to nom-nom on.”

“That’s not what I meant,” I growled. “It’s dangerous—”

“Then go with her,” he threw out as he turned back to Serena. “That is, if she even wants you to go with her. I would totally understand if she didn’t.”

Oh, for the love of fuck. “She’s not going to Colorado by—”

“She is standing right here, buddy.” Serena got right up in my face, and it was almost laughable. “You don’t have a say in this at all, if I remember correctly.”

I stared down at her. The chick was insane. Eyes more green than brown, fiery and alive, and her chin stuck out stubbornly. She looked like she wanted to throttle me.

Fucking hot.

“Maybe I’ll let you two talk this out.” Luc began backing up toward the door.

Serena crossed her arms. “There’s nothing to talk about.”

I shot Luc a look and he bowed out, much to Serena’s displeasure. She huffed.

“There seriously isn’t anything to talk about.”

Leaning against the desk, I fought to keep a stupid smile off my face…and kiss her, because I really wanted to get my hands all over her right now. Doubted she’d be up for that right this second. “I can’t let you go there by yourself.”

“This conversation is stupid.” She turned away, tugging a hand through her hair.

“You’ve already said your piece last night and so did I. You can’t stop me.”

“I’m not planning on stopping you.”

Serena faced me, brows lowered. “Then what are you saying?”

Good question. “I’m going with you.”

Her mouth dropped open and, yeah, the statement surprised me. Up to three minutes ago, there was no way in hell that I’d go there, but Luc was right about her

“well-being” and all that shit.

She shook her head slowly. “You said that going to Colorado was stupid and suicidal.”

“And also pointless,” I added. “But I can’t let you do this alone.”

Her eyes widened. “Why? You seemed pretty damn sure about your decision last night.”

I really had no idea what to say to that.

“Is it because Luc was giving me a way to go? Do you actually feel guilty now?” She laughed then. “Do Arum even feel guilty?”

“Typically? No.”

Her eyes rolled. “Look, I don’t want you going with me because you feel you have to.”

“I do feel like I have to.”

Serena’s lips thinned, and then she shook her head again. “This is not your problem.”

“You are my problem.”

Now she stared at me like I asked to hump her leg. Perhaps I was saying the wrong things and should shut the fuck up.

Serena blinked rapidly and then she started for the door. “I’m not your problem, Hunter. Not anymore. You did your job. It’s over. Go to your brother. I don’t expect you to risk your life for something that has nothing to do with you.”

“Wait.” I moved so I was in front of Serena and placed my hands on her shoulders.

“I’m saying this the wrong way.”

She arched a brow. “You think?”

I took a shallow breath. “I’m going to be honest with you. I don’t know what’s going on in my head, Serena. I’ve been thinking things I’ve never thought before, so all of this is new to me. I’m saying the wrong shit, so let me start over?”

She stared up at me and then nodded slowly. “Okay.”

“I wouldn’t have let you go there by yourself. I thought—fuck—I thought if I said that, you wouldn’t go without me. I wanted you to go to Georgia so you’d be safe, and so that you’d be with me. Not because I thought it was my job. And I didn’t want you to go to Colorado because I don’t want you to get hurt. It is dangerous, and I…I don’t like the thought of that.” Shit. Next I’ll hold her hand and start talking about butterflies and rainbows. Fuck me. “Look, I get why you need to do this. I don’t agree with it, but I’m going to…be there with you, and afterward we will go to Georgia together.”

Her throat worked. “All of that is…so very human.”

I winced.

A soft laugh escaped her. “It’s not really a bad thing, you know?”

“Your opinion.”

Serena tipped her head back and several moments passed before she spoke. “What does all of this mean? You’ve already risked so much and you’re going to do it again.

And you want me to go to Georgia with you.” Two bright pink spots appeared on her cheeks. “If I didn’t know better, I’d say you had feelings for me.”

It felt like a python had wrapped itself around my chest. Even though I didn’t know what it felt like to have “feelings” for someone that went beyond wanting to fuck them or kill them or get away from them, there was so much truth in her words.

She laughed at what was most likely a fucked-up expression on my face. “Baby steps,” she said. “We’ll take baby steps.”

Chapter 28 I used to believe that Colorado was in the middle of the United States. I’m not sure why I thought this, but I discovered that Kansas was indeed the middle of the United States.

How did I know this useless factoid?

We stopped to fill up on gas in Lebanon. While Hunter did the car thing, I headed in for some snacks. Their signs proudly proclaimed itself as the middle of the United States. Awesome.

Arms full with the kind of food that would add ten pounds to my ass in a heartbeat, I headed across the cracked pavement as a county cruiser rolled in. It slowed down as it passed me, windows up and tinted.

I shivered in spite of the heat as I hurried to where Hunter was shutting the latch on the gas tank. “See the police car?”

He glanced over his shoulder as he unloaded half of my fattening goodies from my arms. “Yeah. What about it?”

Maybe I was being paranoid? I shrugged. “I don’t know. Just gave me the creeps. It was like I could feel him…watching me.”

Hunter opened my car door as he eyeballed the cruiser. With the leather pants and dark sunglasses, he looked pretty badass doing it.

I slid in as the police car door opened. A portly, older cop hauled himself out and headed into the convenience store without a backward glance in our direction.

Letting out the breath I was holding, I smiled up at Hunter. “I guess he was just staring at the junk food I was carrying.”

He smirked and then closed the door.

Back on the road, the creeped-out feeling vanished as we dug into the food. I also learned that Hunter only needed one hand to drive. I got real intimately familiar with the other hand. Hunter was…very talented.

A few times throughout the trip, he picked up on the passing presence of Luxen and Arum, but we didn’t have any problems. Though his alien senses were going off about a mile outside of Denver. As we traveled further on South Broadway, drawing closer to the post office, acid was chewing a hole through my stomach.

Hunter squeezed my knee. “You’re nervous.”

“I can’t help it.”

“Then maybe we shouldn’t be doing this.”

I shot him a look. “Too late now. We’re almost there , and who could we seriously trust to do this?”

“We need to be quick about this.” He coasted into the right lane. “Implants are everywhere, and with a huge community of Luxen nearby, I won’t be able to sense them until they are right on top of us.”

My heart turned over. “I know.”

Silence descended as the post office came into view, and I couldn’t help but ask myself if I was doing the smart thing. I wasn’t, but sometimes the smart thing wasn’t the same thing as the right thing.

Hunter parked the Porsche behind the post office, near a large delivery truck and loading dock. He looked over at me. “Let’s do this.”

Wishing I could sound and look half as ass-kick as he did, I fished the little key off the ring stashed in my purse and then opened the door. No more than a heartbeat later, he was beside me, taking my hand in his.

I expected a SWAT team consisting of DOD officers, Arum, and Luxen to descend on us as we hurried around the side of the building and through the automatic doors, but no one was around. The lobby and rows of post office boxes were empty.

“What number is hers?” he asked.

I glanced down at the key just to confirm what I already knew. “Eight-hundred and fifty-two.”

Hunter craned his neck and sighed, spying the rows in the back. I could tell he didn’t like this, but I headed forward, determined to get into that damn box. Hopefully this wasn’t for nothing and someone had canceled her box and all the mail had been removed.

With little difficulty, I found her PO box and after wiggling the key a couple of times, the metal door swung open. Envelopes of all colors and sizes, magazines, and junk mail spilled forth and onto the floor.

“Holy shit,” Hunter said.

I couldn’t help it. I laughed. “Mel…well, she rarely checked her PO box and, when she did, she left stuff in it, and I’m sure a lot of this came after she…she died.”

“She didn’t die.” Hunter knelt down and began sorting through the mail on the floor. “She was murdered. There is a difference.”

He was right. There was a huge difference between the two. Throat thick, I reached inside the box and pulled out what was left. A lot was postmarked after she was murdered.

Tossing the junk back into the box, I tried my best not to get affected by seeing Mel’s name on every letter, or the overdue bills that was so her, or the half dozen animal cruelty organizations she belonged to.

It was almost too much going through these things.

Hunter stood and wrapped his hand around my arm, drawing my attention. Blinking back tears, I looked up and cleared my throat. “What?”

“Would you like me to go through them? Or we can take all of this out of here.”

The offer meant a lot to me, it really did, but I shook my head. “No. I can go through these, and I don’t want to take it with me.”

He looked like he wanted to say more, but went back to thumbing through his pile. I stopped on an Adam and Eve catalog and then my breath caught. “Hunter, what is it?”

His head had jerked up, eyes narrowing, and then he turned, scanning the bits of the lobby we could see. “I sense another Arum. Close.”

Unease exploded in my stomach. “Would an Arum be working with the senator or any Luxen here?”

“Not likely.” He placed the mail back in the box. “But one could be working with the DOD. I’m going to check out the front. Whoever it is, they’re outside. Stay here.”

I nodded and Hunter started off, but then he spun around and clasped my cheeks.

Tilting my head back, his eyes locked with mine. “I’ll be right back.”

“I know.”

A half smile appeared and then he was gone in a stir of icy wind. Letting out a shaky breath, I turned back to the mail and lifted the catalog, revealing a hand-scribbled note on notebook paper.

“Oh my God,” I whispered, dropping the rest of the mail.

This was it. The freaking letter Mel had written herself. It was her handwriting, starting off with describing the Vanderson brothers as light bulbs. This was so it. I almost couldn’t believe it.

My hands shook as I scanned the letter quickly, and then I had to read it again because I couldn’t believe what I was reading or that Mel wouldn’t have remembered this when she spoke to me.

Or maybe she had been too scared to even speak it out loud because I almost wanted to be able to unread what I had seen. Not knowing…dear God, not knowing was almost better. There wasn’t anything new about Pennsylvania, but what was in here…

Project Eagle was in response to the government organization known as the Daedalus. What Mel had overheard really wouldn’t have made any sense to her, but it did to me knowing what I did.

Project Eagle was world domination.

It was a plan to contact the Luxen who hadn’t come to Earth yet—an honest to God invasion from within the Daedalus, using the origin. There was nothing explaining what the “origin” was, but those hundreds of thousands of Luxen Hunter had spoken about? Project Eagle was about bringing them here.

I shook my head. “I don’t believe it.”

“Neither do I,” said an unfamiliar voice. “But then again, seeing is believing.”

My stomach dropped as I whipped around, holding the letter close to my chest. A man stood at the entrance of the row Mel’s post office box was in. He was tall, dark haired, and had extraordinarily bright blue eyes. The faint light outlining his body gave away what he was.

A Luxen.

Air punched out of my lungs and I took a step back, bumping into the metal boxes behind me.

“Wondering how I’m here?” He spread his arms out to his sides. “We have eyes everywhere, sweetheart. That little podunk gas station in Kansas? Didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out where you were heading.”

That fucking cop! I knew it. I forced my tongue to work. If I could keep him talking, it would hopefully give Hunter enough time to get back, unless something happened—I cut myself off there before panic took root. I couldn’t afford to even think about that. “How did you find me here?”

He tsk ed softly. “Did you think we didn’t know about that letter?”

“What?” I gasped.

The Luxen laughed jovially. “We checked everything of your friend’s and discovered the note. We kept it there, hoping that it would draw you back. The letter isn’t the lost link, sweetheart. It isn’t the last chain of evidence that we need to take care of. After all, we know she talked to you. About how much? Anyone’s guess. So you were the last link in this chain.”

Oh.

Oh crap.

He stepped forward, tipping his chin down, and I pushed away from the boxes.

“Now, don’t try to run. You’re not going to escape. And your Arum friend? He won’t be coming to your aid.”

My chest seized.

“You should never trust an Arum .” The Luxen’s smile was almost as blinding as the light radiating down his arm. “They only care about themselves.”

Refusing to believe that Hunter would’ve betrayed me in such a way, I held my ground as I eyed the lobby behind him. “You’re lying.”

The Luxen shook his head slowly, still smiling. “Silly human…”

Around his arm, a light flared and pulsed brightly. In a split second, every instinct I owned roared to life. My legs moved before my brain caught up with them. I twisted at the waist and started to run. A scream built in my throat and my fingers tightened around Mel’s letter.

Bright light burst through the entire room. White-hot pain exploded along my spine before I could take a step, frying every nerve ending. Pain stole my breath and tripped up my heartbeat. My legs folded under me like an accordion…and then there was nothing.

…

The moment I stepped out into the thick night air, I realized it was a mistake—a stupid, motherfucking mistake. I turned to go back inside when a dark shadow pulled away from the side of the building, materializing as he grew closer.

It was the Arum from the airport, the day I had received my orders to watch over Serena and retrieve her.

“Interesting seeing you again,” I said, squaring my shoulders.

He wore his sunglasses, at night, like a total tool. “Is it?”

“I think so.” I took a step forward, and then felt it. Others. Luxen. My entire being focused not on what was in front of me, but on Serena. I’d left her unprotected in there. “Working with Luxen?”

“I wouldn’t say I was working with them, more like freelancing.”

My brother—Lore—freelanced like a mofo, and even he didn’t work with Luxen.

“Yeah, whatever.”

“It’s best to just walk away from this, brother.”

I didn’t even bother responding to that. Reaching behind me, I gripped the handle of the obsidian blade and pulled it out of its protective sheath. The Arum caught sight of the glowing red blade and shifted. I wasn’t wasting time with this shithead, though.

Moving lightning fast, I shot forward and slammed the obsidian blade deep into the Arum’s chest. He shuddered as I withdrew the blade, and then he rose up, blocking out the dim entrance lights before the mass splintered and broke apart.

I made it to the door when a ball of fucking light slammed into my shoulder, knocking me sideways. I threw out my hand, catching myself on the brick wall. Holy shit, they were using the Source in the wide open? They weren’t fucking around.

There wasn’t much time to think.

A seven-foot glowworm barreled out from inside the post office and crashed into me. I skidded back several steps and then dug in, pushing the glowing bastard back.

Glass shattered as he hit the door. He rebounded, shaking it off, and charged me.

More prepared this time, I spun out to the side and then saw two more coming straight at me. I didn’t have time for this shit. If the Luxen had been inside, it meant they had gotten in from another entrance and they had been inside with Serena.

My heart thundered in my chest.

Cocking back my arm, I let the obsidian dagger fly. It hit the Luxen straight in the chest. Obsidian wasn’t deadly to Luxen, but a blade in the heart sure did the trick.

Another slammed into me and we went into the air, spinning in and out of our true forms as we hit the roof of the post office and slid across it. The Luxen was on top and there was a flash of a red-hot blade swinging down.

Blocking the downward attack, I rolled the Luxen onto his back and wrenched the obsidian from his hand. Without the leather handle, the blade burned, but I ignored it as I shoved it deep into the Luxen’s chest. Then I shifted and fed.

Immediately I tapped into the Luxen’s last thoughts. He blocked most of them, but I saw through his eyes Serena’s wide eyes filled with fear, heard his taunts. Saw Serena on the floor, eyes closed and face contorted in pain. She had been handed off to someone, taken.

I drained that fucker dry.

Dropping his body, I sprang to my feet as the other Luxen rushed over the ledge.

With the last feeding, this one, and the opal, these fuckers were absolutely no match for me. I caught him around the throat, slamming him into the roof with enough force that the cement cracked.

I latched on to the Luxen as I shifted into my true form. Where isss ssshe?

The Luxen slipped into his human form, eyes wide as his back bowed off the ground. “I-I don’t know.”

Bullssshit. Tell me where they took her and I’ll let you live.

When the Luxen didn’t answer, I reared back with my free arm and slammed my fist into his jaw, cracking his head back. I CAN DRAG THISSS OUT FOR AN ETERNITY. DO YOU underssstand me? Tell me where ssshe isss and you will walk away from thisss.

It took a few more minutes of convincing, and by then dark red blood that shone a shimmery blue spilled across the roof. The Luxen started singing like a canary.

“They took her to the senator. He…he has her.”

I withdrew my hand a fraction of an inch. You will take me to her.

The Luxen shuddered and a gurgling sound rose in his throat. “It’ll be too…late.

She’s already good as dead.”

My heart stopped, literally fucking stopped at those words, and then I rose, bringing the Luxen with me as I shifted into my human form. “For your sake and everyone you ever cared about, you better hope that’s not the case.”

Chapter 29 I floated through the darkness, void of pain or any conscious thoughts until a sharp tingle invaded the blissful oblivion. It started in my toes and traveled up my legs and torso, spreading to my arms, and by then the tingle had turned into a deep throbbing.

My awareness came back to me in pieces. My cheek was pressed against something cool and damp, as was my entire body. Cement? Made sense as it was hard and unyielding.

Every part of my body ached as I forced my eyes open and took in the unfamiliar surroundings. A dim light flickered above, casting long shadows over the exposed wood in the walls. I was in a room, maybe a warehouse? I didn’t know for sure.

But I wasn’t dead.

And I knew that I would probably wish I were dead very soon, because that meant the Luxen had me. Panic unfurled in the pit of my stomach, suffocating like thick smog. My chest wheezed on the next choking breath I took. A cold sweat broke out across my forehead.

All kinds of crazy stuff flooded my thoughts—torture, alien probes, death by panic attack. Christ, the possibilities were endless, and each one had my pulse pounding, but I couldn’t afford to lose it. I needed to get up, to get out of wherever I was before it was too late—and nothing was scarier than too late.

Drawing in several deep breaths, I slid my hands along the floor and pushed with arms that shook so badly I wondered if there was permanent nerve damage.

“You’re awake. Good. I don’t have all night.”

My heart turned over heavily at the sound of the smooth, cultured voice. I’d heard it before, never in person, but on the TV and local news countless times.

Senator Vanderson.

There was a deep chuckle, as if he could hear my racing thoughts. I sat up, wincing at the sharp spike of pain radiating from my temples. “What did…?”

“What did we do to you?” His voice sounded closer. “You were hit with the Source.

Not enough to kill you, of course, but I imagine the feeling could only be compared to getting hit with an extremely high-powered Taser.”

I lifted my head and my vision swam for a moment before clearing.

Senator Vanderson stood only a few feet away, legs widespread and arms at his side. He wore a tailored, dark gray suit, and for some reason, I focused on the red hanky in his suit pocket before dragging my eyes upward.

The senator was an extraordinarily handsome man. I’d always thought that had helped him in the polls. He looked like something straight out of the Yacht Club of the Month magazine, complete with light brown hair, grayed at the temples, and vibrant, clear blue eyes.

Right now, he was smiling like he had in many interviews. Before, I hadn’t noticed how practiced the smile was or how cold it came across. I did now.

I struggled to get the words out. “Where am I?”

He knelt down, one lip curling in disgust as his knee brushed the dirtied floor.

“Does it matter? Let me answer that for you. It doesn’t. No one will find you here. No one will come.”

I thought of Hunter and his name burned through me. “Hunter will come for me.”

Senator Vanderson tipped his head back and laughed. “Do you really think an Arum will risk his life for you? An Arum is only concerned with what benefits him, honey.”

“He’s not like other Arum.”

“An Arum is an Arum when it comes down to it,” the senator replied. “He would’ve had to go through my best men, and even if he put the effort into it, which is doubtful, he would’ve needed to make them talk and that won’t have happened. He’s not coming.”

“You’re wrong.” I slid my legs away from him. “You’re so wrong.”

“You put so much faith in an Arum? Repulsive,” he sneered, his face suddenly inches from mine. “The Arum are nothing more than what a human would call a parasite. They are not worth the filthy floor you lie upon.”

Anger rose so swiftly it nearly choked me. “Do you think you’re better than them?”

I tossed back. “You’re not. You’re worse—” His hand shot out so fast I didn’t have a chance to stop the blow. Pain exploded along the side of my face as the crack of his hand against my cheek echoed through the warehouse. Eyes watering, I gasped at the metallic taste pooling inside my mouth.

Senator Vanderson grasped my chin in a painful grip, forcing my head back to meet his brilliant stare. “Don’t you dare compare us to them. Ever. They are not even on the same scale as us, and neither are humans. We are not at the top of the food chain, Miss Cross. We own the food chain.” He let go and stood. Yanking the hanky out of his pocket, he wiped his hand off and then tossed the scrap of silk to the side. “See, that’s the problem with humans. Your kind has no common sense or ability to recognize your superiors. Your whole race consists of nothing but followers , and you always align yourselves with the weakest link. You’re more pathetic than the Arum at their lowest moment, when their entire race knelt before us and begged for their lives.”

I pressed my palm against my aching jaw. The pain, anger, and fear were a bad combination, but mix that in with the bone-deep knowledge that I was going to die, it was all a dangerous grouping. My filters were absent from this party. “I’m pretty sure you’re also at the top of the arrogance chain, too.”

The senator smirked. “We just know our place, Miss Cross. You may deem it arrogance, but in reality it is just superiority.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out the slip of paper. My stomach sunk. “Your friend has proved to be a problem long after her untimely death.”

The fury propelled by Mel’s loss raged through me. “You bastard. You had her killed.”

“So?” His brows rose as he unfolded the letter. “It’s just one human life and from the looks of hers, it wasn’t even a drop in the bucket.”

Sickened, I stared at him. “A life is a life.”

“No. It is not. That’s another funny thing about humans. They think all lives are equal.” He laughed, and the sound was repeated from behind me. The hair rose on the back of my neck as I realized for the first time we weren’t alone. “Lives are not equal, Miss Cross. Some are more important than others and some do not matter at all.”

“You’re wrong.”

“And you bore me with your protests.” He scanned the letter and another near perfect smirk appeared. “I knew that your friend overheard more than what you told the Department of Defense. My sons told me what they had spoken about. Foolish as they were, I knew you’d prove to be even more so. I just had to wait.”

The soft whisper of movement behind me drew my attention and I stiffened. Two hands landed on my shoulders and a second later I was standing on my numb feet. I twisted to get out of the hold, but the grip tightened. Fingers dug in through my shirt and flesh, and I clamped my mouth shut, but a whimper escaped.

“I figured you’d be back to exact your revenge.” Senator Vanderson walked toward us, holding the letter between two elegant fingers. “If anything, humans are ridiculously predictable…and stupid, but I am curious. What exactly did you think to accomplish by retrieving this letter?”

Out of nowhere, a calm acceptance washed over me like a rolling wave. I knew I wasn’t walking away from this. There was nothing I could do to get away from them —they were faster, stronger, and deadlier.

I was going to die.

But that didn’t mean I had to make this easy for him.

Senator Vanderson laughed softly. “Now you’re quiet? Interesting.” He stopped in front of me. I pulled away, but the Luxen held me in place as the senator trailed the edge of the paper down my cheek. “You’re a very pretty woman, Miss Cross.

Although our women are infinitely more attractive,” he continued, moving the letter to the other side of my face. “I’m sure there are many of my men who would love to spend their night entertaining themselves with you.”

My stomach roiled at the implication, made worse when the Luxen behind me leaned in and slipped his hands down my arms. “I’d gladly take him up on the offer,” the Luxen said, and then chuckled when I shuddered. “After all, she’s so defensive of the Arum. Perhaps she’s been fucking him?”

Senator Vanderson arched a brow. “Revolting.”

“And what do you say about humans who sleep with Luxen?” I challenged.

“Blessed,” he replied with a half smile. “They’re blessed.”

In any other situation I would’ve laughed, but I was scared out of my freaking mind. It took everything to stand there and not collapse.

“Were you planning on turning this letter over to the Department of Defense?”

Senator Vanderson’s eyes widened. “You were, weren’t you? How quaint. Did you think they’d give you shelter at that point? Did you think they’d do anything other than silence you?”

My heart was racing so fast I couldn’t answer if I wanted to.

Senator Vanderson tsk ed softly. “Let’s say you did turn this letter over and they learned about our little Project Eagle. Do you really think they’d let you live with such knowledge? You could go to the press and cause a panic. They would’ve silenced you, and then what do you think they’d do to us? Oh, they may try to round us up and keep us under their thumb, but they’d fail. There are tens of thousands of us here and they could never stop us, but there are hundreds of thousands waiting out there.” He tipped his head up and smiled broadly. “Your government couldn’t do a thing against us.”

He shrugged. “But that’s neither here nor there, is it? This letter will go nowhere.

You’ll be dead soon and, well, use your imagination for the rest.”

This was it. I could feel it in every cell. Were they going to kill me quickly or drag it out? My muscles tensed.

Senator Vanderson held the letter up. There wasn’t so much a flicker of flame, but just a soft white glow over the tips of his two fingers. Heat warmed my face and the frail slip of paper wilted and then caved into itself, leaving nothing but ashes within seconds.

The letter was gone—the proof that the Luxen were conspiring against the government and mankind destroyed. The knowledge was in my head, but who’d believe me? And that was if I did make it out of here.

Which was highly unlikely.

And I knew Senator Vanderson was right—Hunter had been right. If I brought that info to the government, they’d kill me just to ensure I didn’t run my mouth to the press and incite panic.

I’d been stupid in thinking I could somehow bargain my life back, but I didn’t regret what led me here. I’d rather fail than to have sat back and done nothing to bring Mel’s murderers to justice, even as fruitless as it turned out to be.

The Luxen behind me pulled me back against his chest, and as my gaze darted around the room I saw there were more waiting in the shadows. Dozens of Luxen.

I tried to take a breath, but it got stuck. The calm acceptance I felt earlier had abandoned me. My eyes locked with the senator’s and I knew—oh God—I knew this wasn’t going to be quick. Fear emptied into me like an icy downpour.

The senator’s slow smile chilled me to the marrow.

My muscles tensed painfully and then my brain clicked off. I twisted to the side, desperately trying to break the Luxen’s hold. I felt his grip slip and I tore free.

A Luxen appeared in front of me, out of thin air it seemed. “Hi.”

I whirled around, crying out.

Another stood behind me, his eyes orbits of white light.

Darting to the side, my feet left the ground as an arm went around my waist.

Someone laughed, and then I hit the floor so fast and so hard that I slid on my side several feet. My body burned from the impact, and for a moment I was stunned into immobility. Air rushed around me and I was shoved onto my back. My head cracked on the floor. Starbursts exploded behind my eyes. The Luxen was on top of me, a knee on either side of my hips and his hand wrapped around my throat, each finger pressing in my skin with the slightest pressure.

Over his shoulder, Senator Vanderson stood there. “Who else knows about this letter or its contents, Miss Cross?”

Besides Hunter’s suspicions, there was no one else that I knew of, but obviously the senator feared I’d told more.

The senator dragged in a deep breath. “I’m getting very tired of this game, Miss Cross.”

I forced my throat to work around the punishing grip. “Go…go fuck yourself.”

Senator Vanderson’s eyes went from blue to white in a heartbeat. “That was really not a polite thing to say. And for that, I’m going to make sure you—” He cut himself off and his head tipped up toward the ceiling. “You have got to be kidding me.”

The Luxen above me had stilled, his head cocked to the side. His nostrils flared as if he scented something in the air. All around us, I heard the sharp intake of breaths and the flicker of bright, white light.

I didn’t feel anything, but I knew. In my very soul, I knew who was here. Forcing my gaze up, I met the senator’s brilliant stare. I smiled even though it made my lips ache. “Told you.”

Chapter 30 Less than half a football field away from one of the senator’s storage warehouses, the dull, translucent bodies of the Luxen guarding the building lay dead at my feet. It was like crushing fireflies between my fingers, without all the glowy mess.

But Mr. Talkative wasn’t among them. He brought me here. So I did let him go and he ran like he knew he should’ve.

Raw energy undulated through my veins, buzzing like a hit off the purest drug out there. Feeding from so many Luxen was dangerous to anyone who would cross my path. The power hummed under my skin, splintered my cells.

Luxen were like galactic Pringles in a fucked-up way. Once you popped one, you just couldn’t stop—like stop at all. No one would be safe around me when I was through.

Not even Serena.

But she was in there and they were doing God knows what to her. She was still alive —she had to be. I couldn’t allow myself to consider any other outcome.

I moved across the empty parking lot, sensing a cluster of Luxen on the first floor and the roof. Stopping along the side of the building, I focused on the roof. Becoming a part of the dark shadows, I rose up to the ledge and crouched.

Three Luxen stood in the center. Their heads whipped toward me like prairie dogs.

“Arum,” one of them called.

Clever. I slipped down from the ledge, feeling the borrowed energy reverberate through my form as I spread out. The night around us turned darker. I didn’t give them a chance to fight or run. I was on them in a second, slipping behind the first and slamming my hand through the Luxen’s chest. My other arm extended and I speared the second. I spun, tossing the first on the third. They went down like a pile of bricks.

I drained the second until he was nothing more than an alien prune.

Tasty.

The other two were getting up, both turning into walking light bulbs. My laugh carried like smoke. You ssshould’ve ssstayed down.

Focusing on the two Luxen, I drew them in like I was taking a big old breath of air.

They skidded over the roof, their glowing arms flailing like beacons. There was nothing to hold on to, nothing to stop them. Within a second, I slammed my hands through both of their chests.

It was over like red rover.

Leaving their bodies on the roof, I went to the door of the emergency exit. The steel door nearly came off its hinges as I tore it open. I flew down the stairwell, silent as I drew the shadows into me.

They waited on the bottom floor, at least a dozen of the fucking glowworms from outer space. I searched out Serena, not seeing her but knowing she was in the middle of them. I could feel her.

I also smelled blood—human blood. Serena’s blood.

Rage rose like a savage, black wave. It rolled across the warehouse floor, becoming a living, breathing entity clawing at release.

I took my human form as the air turned stagnant. “For daring to even touch a single hair on her head, you all will die.”

One of the Luxen rushed me and I caught the SOB around the neck. He went Lite-

Brite on me, but I twisted my wrist, snapping his neck cleanly and I kept twisting, until bone erupted through the skin.

Another one grew balls and shot forward and I spun to the side as I kicked out, aiming my big-ass boot into his glowing stomach. He doubled over as static crackled in the air. Dipping around, I shoved my hand through the light. The Luxen flickered into human form for only a second, but it was long enough. My hand was inside him and I wrapped my fingers around the slender length of bone. I yanked my arm back and the Luxen howled.

He fell into a boneless mess on the floor.

I tossed the spine aside and whirled around, slamming my fist into the jaw of another Luxen. His head snapped back and on the return, I grasped the sides of his face, and slammed my head into his, and then I twisted. The darkness inside of me howled at the sound of cracking bone.

Light pulsed around the nearest Luxen a second before a bolt shot across the distance, slamming into my shoulder. It knocked me back a step, but not down.

I laughed. “I kind of liked how that felt.”

The Luxen reared back, releasing another blast of supercharged power. I dodged the blow this time, then shot forward, mowing him down before he knew what was coming.

As I straightened, I caught sight of Serena’s terrified face. A Luxen had ahold of her. A fucker in a suit was beside her, who I assumed was the senator. My focus went right back to Serena. There were bruises on her face and her lip was bloodied.

The Luxen holding her jerked her back roughly and her answering whimper sliced through me like nothing else could.

I lost control of my human form.

My mass grew with the absorbed power of so many feedings. The walls of the warehouse rattled like tin cups. A lone chair in the corner skidded across the floor.

Storage cabinets shook and then toppled over, sliding across the floor. The chair reached the dark tendrils surrounding me first and then the cabinets. Each item spun into the air, whirling around me in a vicious cyclone of debris and dirt.

Thisss isss going to be painful, I promised.

The items stopped, suspended for a flicker of a moment, and then they collapsed into themselves like a giant hand crumbling paper. There was nothing left of the cabinets or the chair. Not even dust.

I drew the power in again, focusing on four of the Luxen standing between Serena and me. Fighting this way would expel energy more quickly, even with the opal cuff, but I was beyond pissed, beyond controlling myself. I wanted them all dead in a painful way.

The Luxen flew toward me, flipping back and forth between their true forms and their human facades. Someone yelled, but it was lost in the vacuum. The moment they touched the darkness surrounding me, their screams became a chorus. The pressure clamped down on them as they were caught in the shadows. They were gone, too, and like the chair and cabinets, nothing remained when the air settled.

It wasn’t that I was necessarily stronger than them. Luxen were formidable opponents. I was fighting differently than I ever had before. It wasn’t about the age-

old battle of Arum versus Luxen. I wasn’t fighting to feed or to work off aggression. I wasn’t fighting because I was told or was obligated.

I was fighting for Serena.

She meant everything to me.

Knowing that, fully understanding what that meant, I was on a motherfucking warpath.

The remaining Luxen rushed me, and blasts of the Source lit up the room, cutting through the shadows pooling in from outside through the cracks in the wall.

I took a hit but barely felt it. I fed again and rose up. A Luxen followed. We twisted along the ceiling. Light. Darkness. Light. Darkness.

Darkness won.

The Luxen’s lifeless body dropped to the floor with a heavy thud. I mowed through each one that came after that. I could feel the energy seeping out of me and shit was going to hurt like a bitch, but I grabbed the nearest Luxen and speared him through the chest.

I brought the dying Luxen to the floor, preparing to finish the glowbug off.

Serena’s sudden shrill scream stopped me when nothing else in this world could. I rose up, immediately finding her in the chaos. Only one Luxen remained—the senator, and the bastard had his hand around her fragile neck.

I took my human form, breathing raggedly. My body ached, but I ignored the pain.

“If you have an ounce of intelligence, you’ll let her go now.”

“Or what?” the senator said, backing away, dragging Serena along with him. “You come after me, she dies.”

The air darkened and charged around me. I focused on the senator’s glowing eyes, because if I looked at Serena right now, I’d lose my shit. “You’re not going to get out of here, especially if you hurt her.”

Senator Vanderson’s lips quirked up at the edges. “Is that so? I’m sure I’m the one in the position of power right now.”

“I’ve killed all your Luxen and I’ll kill more if they come.” I took a step forward, but stopped when Serena whimpered. My hands curled into fists.

“That may be true, but I have this feeling you’d do anything to make sure she walks out of this situation.” His grip tightened, and she gasped. “Isn’t that right?”

My gaze flickered to Serena’s. I didn’t hesitate. “I would.”

“Good,” he replied, taking another step back. Over his shoulder was the exit. “Get on your knees, Arum. Where you belong.”

Oh, yeah, that made me want to put my hand through his face. I stared at him, barely able to rein in the dark rage that made me want to obliterate everything in the room.

“Get on your knees or she dies right now,” the senator repeated.

I took a deep breath. I wasn’t stupid. If the senator did what he thought he could do to me, it was doubtful he’d let Serena go. And even if he ran, Serena wasn’t safe.

She’d never be safe with him alive.

That left me only one choice.

“No, Hunter, don’t,” she begged, and those pretty eyes filled with tears. “Don’t listen

—” Her words were cut off by the senator’s grip. The sound that came out of me would send demons scurrying. Senator Vanderson’s eyes widened a fraction, but he kept ahold of Serena.

“Do you want to see what her insides look like lit up?” he asked. “I’m running out of patience.”

It went against everything in my nature not to rip into him right then, but he’d snap Serena’s neck before I’d take a step. She was worth more to me than my pride. That was the truth.

I went down on my knees. “What?”

The senator took a step to the side, keeping Serena directly in front of him. I knew any movement I made at this point would mean her death. He was caged with all the dead bodies lying around him and he knew it. “How’s it feel to be where you should be? On your knees before your superior?”

I arched a brow. “Feels the same way it will when I’m standing over your dead body.”

My response seemed to unnerve him. “Your arrogance is rooted in stupidity.”

“And your lifespan is getting shorter by the second,” I promised, my eyes meeting Serena’s. The look in that stare let me know she was ready for anything. “You’re wasting air and space.”

The senator sneered. “You’ll see. You and the humans will soon see.”

In a second, Senator Vanderson slipped into his true form. The sudden light was blinding for a moment. I rose, losing sight of Serena in the glow. Her scream echoed through my soul, and at that moment, I knew I had one. Human or not, it rocked me to my very core.

The senator shoved Serena to the side with such force her feet came off the ground.

She was a distraction for him to escape, because the senator thought I’d go after her.

He was right.

I caught her around the waist before she hit the ground. She twisted in my embrace, gripping my arms as she lifted her head. “Hunter…”

I pressed a quick kiss to the bruise on her cheek and then I sat her down. She called my name again as I turned, spying the senator almost to the door.

He wasn’t going to make it.

Launching into the air, I shifted into my true form. I landed on the senator, flipping him onto his back. His hand rose and something black and shiny glinted.

I caught his arm, twisting until he dropped the piece of obsidian he held. Yeah, that’sss not going to happen.

Senator Vanderson struggled, but I pinned him down. I could kill him cleanly and be done with it, but for what he’d stolen from Serena, he was going to suffer.

“We will rise,” the senator gasped out.

I slammed my hand deep into his chest. His back bowed off the floor as I leaned in.

I DON’T GIVE A SSSHIT WHAT YOU WILL DO. THISSS ISSSN’T ABOUT OUR WAR.

I inhaled, drawing the Source out of the senator and into myself. Thisss isss about her.

The flame of his essence invaded my body, pouring warmth into me. I took him in as his body flickered wildly under mine, and I drew it out so that every scream, every spasm of his body was an apology to Serena.

Dropping the senator to the floor, I rose and stepped around his lifeless form as I turned. Serena was on her feet, her face pale, the bruises standing out in stark contrast, but she was alive.

And I loved her.

We stared at each other for several moments, neither of us speaking or moving, and then I was in front of her, pulling her to my chest, breathing in her scent as I went down on my knees, bringing her with me. Her arms went around me and she held on just as tightly as I held her. It was then when I realized I was still in my true form. She was light against my darkness.

Serena hadn’t backed away or hesitated. She accepted me, all of me. She always had.

I slipped into my human form, cradling her against me. The words, they came out easier than I ever thought they would. “I love you.”

Chapter 31 I slept most of the twenty-hour drive to Atlanta and when I woke, we were just outside of Marietta. I still felt like I hadn’t gotten any rest in days. My body and face ached relentlessly, but it was a small penance to pay compared to the fact I honestly shouldn’t be alive.

The senator was dead—the creature ultimately responsible for Mel’s death. It might make me a terrible person, but I was glad. The law hadn’t laid down the punishment, but he wouldn’t be ordering anyone’s death again. He got what was due to him in the end.

A cool touch brushed over my hand, and I turned to Hunter. Concern pinched his face. “You hanging in there?”

I nodded and all I heard in my head was those three words: I love you. A tired smile pulled at my lips. “What about you? We haven’t even stopped, have we?”

He shook his head. “I’m fine.”

I didn’t see how that was possible with all that he’d done. It had been awe-inspiring to watch him battle it out, but he’d taken blows that would’ve killed a human. He had to be tired and in pain, but I knew he wouldn’t admit to it.

Turning my hand over, I threaded my fingers through his and squeezed. He glanced at me again, his expression strangely vulnerable. “Does your brother know we’re coming?”

He smiled slightly. “No. Didn’t want to risk using a cell linked to either of us.”

“Do you think he’s going to be okay with us coming there?”

Hunter nodded again. “He will. You don’t need to worry.” He brought our hands to his mouth and placed a kiss there.

There was a lot to worry about, but with Hunter’s hand wrapped securely in mine, I felt grounded. I closed my eyes and when they reopened Hunter was coasting the Porsche up a long, narrow driveway crowded with thick, leafy maples. The same strange designs I’d seen in the gazebo were etched into many of the sturdy trunks, a seamless, twisting loop with four dots in the middle.

“Those designs,” I said, pointing toward a tree. “They’re a symbol of your kind, aren’t they?”

“Yes. The four dots represent the family and the knots are endless.” He followed the bend in the road. “It means that family is endless no matter what.”

Surprise bubbled up through me. “That’s so…”

“Human?” He laughed. “Yeah, it is. Never really thought of it that way, but it is.”

He didn’t seemed bothered by it, not like he would’ve been when I first met him.

My gaze traveled over the firm line of his jaw and I knew I couldn’t even begin to count how many things had changed in such a short amount of time.

Hunter coasted to a stop in front of a large three-floor stucco home. My mouth dropped open. “He lives here by himself?” I asked. The place could fit a family of eight easily.

“As far as I know.” He pulled the keys out as he looked at me. “He already knows I’m here, so there’s no point in delaying this.”

Nervous energy built in my stomach. I couldn’t help it.

Turning to the passenger window, I stared up at the large house. This would probably be my new home for the foreseeable future.

If I survived all that I had, I could survive meeting Hunter’s other brother. Taking a deep breath, I opened the car door and stepped out into the sweltering heat of the late Georgia afternoon sun.

Hunter appeared at my side, and I didn’t even jump. If anything, that proved how accustomed I was getting to all the weird alien stuff. He slid the wraparound sunglasses down, shielding his eyes.

He extended his hand.

I smiled tiredly as I wrapped my fingers around his. He led me up the cobblestone sidewalk, around the neatly manicured bushes and creamy flowers that carried a faint sweet scent.

My heart kicked up as we reached the sprawling portion that was rather…quaint with its wooden swing and overstuffed wicker chairs. There was a straw wreath on the door. Never would I have guessed that an Arum lived here.

Hunter raised his hand to knock but the door opened first, revealing a mirror image of Hunter.

I knew that he and his brothers were identical. I had seen Sin, but it was still a shock to be staring at a replica of Hunter. But like with Sin, there were minute differences that set each brother apart from one another. While an icy haughtiness surrounded Sin, there was a warmth to Lore that even Hunter didn’t have.

Lore’s pale eyes moved from Hunter to me and then down to where our hands were joined. “A human?” he asked in a voice huskier than Hunter’s.

Hunter responded with a twist of his lips. “Yeah, so what?”

“Oh, nothing.” His brother leaned against the door jamb, folding his arms. “Just don’t know what to be more surprised about. That you’re here or that you’re here with a human female.”

“I’m sure more surprising things have happened.”

“Doubtful,” Lore murmured, and then those shockingly pale eyes settled on me. He extended a hand. “And you would be?”

“Serena Cross.” I took his hand, ignoring the possessive, deep rumble that emanated from Hunter. “It’s nice to meet you.”

“Well, darling, it’s a pleasure to meet you.” He sent his brother a half grin that was wicked enough that I felt my cheeks brighten. “How in the world did you end up with my brother?”

“Um, that’s a long story.”

Lore’s grin spread. “I’m all ears.”

Reaching out, Hunter separated our hands with a dark look. “Why don’t you stop touching my female, invite us in, and then I’ll tell you all about it.”

His brother chuckled deeply as he stepped aside. “My life would not be complete if I didn’t hear this story.”

I headed through the doorway, feeling the tips of my ears burn. Hunter slid his sunglasses up and both the brothers’ eyes were on me. I had the strong urge to run and hide behind something.

Hunter wiggled his fingers free from my death grip and put his hand on the small of my back as Lore moved in front of us. The foyer was virtually empty with the exception of a few leafy, potted plants. We passed an archway leading to a spacious kitchen and then a spiraling staircase. Lore led us into a large living room with a massive sectional couch wide enough to fit three people lying down side by side. I sat in the middle and it sucked me in the way all comfy couches do.

“So,” Lore said, standing in front of a large picture window overlooking the driveway. “I’m assuming you’re no longer with the DOD?”

“You assumed right.” Hunter sat beside me and leaned forward, dropping his elbows on his knees.

Lore arched a brow, a mannerism so like Hunter that it made me do a double take.

“Did you part on happy terms?”

“If leaving two dead officers behind is considered ‘happy’, then yes.”

I shot Hunter a look.

He grinned.

“Well then…” Lore sighed. “What’s going on?”

As Hunter told Lore everything, I settled back against the couch and listened. Even though I lived through all of this, it sounded crazy insane to me, like something from a bad science-fiction movie. When he finished, Lore looked floored.

“Do you think the Luxen are going to try to carry Project Eagle out?” he asked as he paced. “On a full scale?”

“I’m not sure,” I spoke up. “The senator never mentioned how many were behind it and the DOD…well, they didn’t think Mel overheard anything important. They’ve totally disregarded it.”

“Of course,” he said. “No offense, but I’ve found that when it comes to humans and Luxen, the humans tend to foolishly believe that they have the upper hand.”

“No offense taken,” I replied, because really, he was right. The DOD thought they had the Luxen community under their control and could appease them. They were wrong. “There has to be something we can do.”

“What?” Hunter asked, turning to me, his eyes narrowed. “There is no one within the DOD that I’d trust enough to relay the information to. Any contact could put you in jeopardy. I refuse to do that.”

“But—”

“He has a point, which is rare.”

Hunter shot his brother a look. “And besides, there is no proof. The only thing we had was the letter and that was destroyed. It’s doubtful that the DOD would believe it anyway.”

“So we do nothing? There has to be something! I know humans don’t mean much to you—”

“You mean a lot to me.” Hunter tilted his head to the side. “So fuck the rest of them.”

My eyes narrowed on him. “Well, if I mean a lot to you , then you’d understand there are billions of humans on Earth and you wouldn’t say fuck it. If they are serious about Project Eagle, then we need to do something.”

Hunter was unfazed. “I’m not doing anything that will put you in danger.”

Frustrated, I took a deep breath. “I get that you’re trying to protect me.”

“I don’t think you do.”

“And I appreciate it, really I do.” I held up a hand when Hunter’s mouth opened again. “But we have to do something, even if it’s a risk or even if Project Eagle flies straight into a mountainside and nothing comes from it. We can’t pretend like we don’t know about this.”

“Serena—”

“Hunter,” I snapped.

“All right, lovebirds, as entertaining as it is to watch you two argue, there just might be something that I can do.”

Both of us turned to Lore. “What?” Hunter demanded.

“I know someone in the DOD that I trust—and don’t look at me like that, Hunter.

How do you think I stay off their radar?”

Hunter leaned back. “Luc owed you and he took care of it.”

I frowned. “Why does everything in the world come back to Luc? A fifteen-year-old boy?”

Lore snickered. “Luc…well, he’s Luc.”

“Yeah, I’m getting that.” I pushed that aside. “What can you do?”

“I can let my friend know,” he said. “Can’t promise it will cause the DOD to go on red alert, but it’s something.”

It wasn’t much, but it was a start, and it gave us time to come up with something more substantial. If Project Eagle happened, all of mankind was at risk.

“The only other option is contacting Dex to see if he can dig up anything or get the word out, but that is too risky right now.”

“It is. I don’t even know how I’m going to get his car back to him,” Hunter said.

Lore glanced out the window. “Is that his Porsche?”

Hunter nodded.

“And you drove that baby from West Virginia to Denver and then back here?” He cracked a grin. “He’s going to be so pissed.”

“Hey, there isn’t even a scratch on the thing.” Hunter paused, and a mischievous spark lit his pale eyes. “Just a couple of thousand extra miles.”

Lore laughed. “Well, now that’s settled. You two are more than welcome to stay here as long you need to. It’s safe and more than big enough.”

“I was hoping you’d say that.” Hunter flashed one of those rare, beautiful smiles. “It will give us time to figure out where to go from here.”

Us. Such a small and simple word, but it was probably the most powerful thing right now. “Us” meant we were in this together, whatever the future may hold.

Lore gave Hunter and me a tour of the house, basically giving us free rein of the second floor. Afterward, Hunter followed Lore downstairs to scrounge up something for dinner. At the top of the stairs I heard Lore ask, “Have you heard from Sin?”

“Yeah,” came Hunter’s reply. “He’s up to the same old let’s-make-war bullshit…”

Their conversation faded as they reached the bottom floor. Turning from the staircase, I quenched the wiggle of unease building in my stomach. I’d worry about their less than friendly, mostly psychotic brother tomorrow.

Right now all I cared about was that shower that adjoined our newly acquired bedroom. That baby had multiple showerheads.

I headed into the bathroom, a little amazed at the size of the room and the shower stall. What the hell did Lore do to pay for all of this?

Hell. Did I even want to know?

It took an embarrassing amount of time to figure out how to get all the showerheads working. I stepped back and started to pull my shirt off when I stopped. I turned, finding Hunter leaning against the doorway.

“Don’t stop on my account.”

I smiled. “I need to put a bell on you.”

“That would ruin all the fun.” He swaggered up to me. “But you seemed to know I was here.”

“I did. Not sure how, but I did.”

“Hmm…” He bent down, capturing my lips in a quick kiss that sent my pulse pounding. “Interesting.”

My eyes drifted shut as his fingertips skated over my cheek, tucking my hair back behind my ear. “We’re really in Georgia, aren’t we?”

“Yes.”

I pressed my cheek against his palm. “And your brother is really letting us stay here?”

“He is.” Hunter paused. “We’ll find our own place soon. And I know none of this is perfect. You deserve more than this—a life, a real home, a future. Normal, human shit, and I promise that you will have all of that. I swear to you.”

I opened my eyes and blinked back tears that came out of nowhere. In Hunter’s own way, he was a making a promise I knew he would die before he broke. There was so much I wanted to say, but all I could get out was, “I love you.”

Hunter went incredibly still, and then he was clasping my cheeks. His mouth was on mine again, the kiss deeper and longer. I swayed into him, clutching the front of his shirt as his tongue swept over mine, staking claim on what was already his, only his.

He helped me out of my shirt; so gentle that those damn tears became ever harder to hold back.

“Again,” he said, dropping onto his knees in front of me. He unbuttoned my jeans and tugged them down. “I find myself wishing for something I never thought I would.”

“What?” I stepped out of my jeans and then watched him rise.

He reached around, unclasping my bra. “I wish I were a Luxen.” Sliding the straps down my arms, he let the material fall to the floor. Then he bent and kissed a sore spot on my shoulder. “I wish I could heal you with my touch.”

Moved by the admittance, I placed my hand on his cheek. He kissed my palm and then hooked his fingers under my panties. A second later, they joined the rest of my clothes. I helped him out of his, nowhere near as graceful as him, because every time my fingers brushed his bare skin, I lost a little bit of myself.

We stepped into the steamy stall, under the steady pour of water. I ran my fingers along his smooth jawline. Our eyes met, and my throat tightened with emotion.

He dipped his head as his hand slipped down my throat, between my breasts and further down, over my stomach, stopping just above my core. “I would do anything for you, Serena. You know that, right?”

I lifted my head, brushing my lips against his. “I know.”

His hand moved another inch south, and hot, sweet darts of fire sped through my blood as his hand slipped between my thighs. He kissed me and then pulled back. His tongue slid over my lips, then inside, matching the slow, languid thrust with his fingers. Tremors started in my stomach. Muscles quivered. He tormented me until I moved my hips against his hand. A small, keening whimper escaped me as my release came out of nowhere.

Hunter pulled me to his chest as my body shuddered. Water slicked his skin, muscles taut and rigid from holding back. And then he turned me around, placing my palms on the tile wall. He circled an arm around my waist as he used his thigh to separate mine.

“I thought I lost you when they showed up at the post office.” His cool breath danced over my cheek.

I closed my eyes. “You didn’t. I’m here.”

“It doesn’t change the taste of fear.” He cupped my breast with his free hand, running his thumb over my hard nipple. “I’m never going to let you out of my sight now.”

My breath was coming in quick, short bursts. “That’s kind of hard.”

“Not impossible, though.” Hunter slowly slid into me, inch by inch. Moving so deep that I felt like I’d come apart in a shower of sparks. The steady friction sent my body blazing. Slow and steady strokes soon became not enough. I moved back against him, and his low growl had my blood pressure skyrocketing.

“Harder,” I whispered. “Please.”

Hunter thrust into me, each stroke harder and faster than the one before. Every rocking movement mounted my pleasure and deepened my cries. Powerless to do more than wiggle against him, I tossed my head back against his shoulder and let him take me. The arm circling my waist was like a band of steel, holding me where he wanted, keeping me in place to receive the long, delicious strokes. And when my body started to spasm around him, he caught my chin and forced my head back, claiming my mouth with his as he spent himself.

I don’t remember much of the shower after that. I was lost in the heady buzz of pleasure that only sparked alive again when he took his time drying me off afterward.

Somehow, we ended in the bed, his large body poised over mine. I was ready for him again, hot and achy.

He ran his thumb over my cheek in a feather-light touch, but I stirred restlessly. Lust pricked my skin. He moved his fingertips down my throat, over my shoulder. A small sigh escaped me. “Want to know a secret?”

“Depends.”

He chuckled. “It’s about the moment I knew I wanted you, that you’d be mine.”

Slowly, he moved his hand to the swell of my breast. “That I’d fall in love with you.”

Hearing him say that affected me deeply. It took a moment to speak. “When?”

“Sooner than you’d think.” Using his thigh, he parted mine, and then lowered himself, moving against me in a slow, undulating grind.

“When?” I asked.

“The first day you were in my cabin.” He rocked his hips again. “When you threw the statue at my head.”

My hips tipped up as surprise washed over me. “That soon?”

“That soon.” He lowered his head, moving his lips across my cheek. “I didn’t realize it then.”

“I didn’t throw the statue at your head.” I spread my thighs, cradling his.

“My bad.” His other hand slid up the flare of my hip, up my stomach. He stopped just below my breasts, his thumb brushing over the swell. My breath caught as his kisses reached the corner of my mouth. I turned my head slightly. Our lips brushed and it was electric. “It was my thigh.”

A giggle escaped me a moment before he lowered his head to the space between my neck and shoulder. Sliding his hands to my hips, he nuzzled my neck. He let his hand stray higher, nearly reaching the peak of my breast.

I wanted him to move faster and yet keep this slow, torturous pace. “I have a secret to tell you, too.”

“You wanted me the moment you saw me in the parking garage?”

My laugh was cut off when he cupped by breast. “That wasn’t it.”

“I bet that’s the truth though.” His eyes remained latched to mine as he teased my nipple. I moved my hand down his chest, and my stomach muscles tightened. “I wanted you then, too. Wanted to strip you bare and fuck you on the hood of your car.”

His words sent a dark shudder through me. “Wow.”

He chuckled deeply and then lowered his head, flicking his tongue over one pert nipple. I moaned as both of my hands flattened against his lower stomach, and his muscles bunched. “So what was it?”

“Huh?” I had no idea what he was talking about.

He pressed down, moving his hand to my other breast. His tongue swirled over the nipple. “You said you had a secret.”

“Oh. That.” My head went back as my breath came out in short gasps. He drew the rosy peak into his mouth as he caught my other nipple between his thumb and forefinger. “God,” I moaned. “Hunter…”

“Focus.”

My lower body started to move in tiny circles. “I was totally turned on when you threw me on the bed.”

“Knew it.” His mouth tugged on my breast and his tongue rasped over the tip, driving me insane.

“It was hot.” My hands slipped over rock-hard abs that dipped and rippled.

Masculine perfection. My hips rocked against the thick muscle pressed against me.

“You are hot.” His voice was thick, smoky; his lips moving against my breast. “You turn me on. You make me care about things I never cared about before. You make me think. You make me warm.”

He caught my nipple between his teeth as he shifted his hips forward, sliding deep inside me. I cried out, thrusting my fingers into his hair as he moved slowly, deeply. It felt like I would burst into flames as he sank into me, again and again. I wrapped my legs around his hips and we met each other, thrust for thrust. His mouth was everywhere, trailing kisses down my throat. His hands cradled my hips, holding me still as he grinded against me. He whispered something in a language I didn’t understand as he buried himself over and over again.

Something was different about this time. Each touch seared me and seemed to break him. I realized slowly that we were making love. It didn’t mean that the other times meant any less, but this time, this was what making love felt like.

Lost in the blinding pleasure, I looked down when he lifted up far enough that I could see where we were joined together. The sight of him moving in and out of me was erotic and intimate, but no more powerful than what the act symbolized. Higher and higher I went, until I threw my head back. Spasms rocked through me.

My gasping moans quickly escalated, and once again his lips were on mine, silencing my hoarse screams as I came apart. Hunter quickly followed, his hips pumping furiously until he stilled, pressed against me, inside me.

Hunter rested his forehead against mine, and I could feel his heart pounding just as fast. His body jerked and he groaned. “That was…yeah, that…”

“Agreed.”

He pulled out and rolled onto his side, pulling me into his arms as he pressed a kiss to my cheek and then my lips. And well, that led to other things equally amazing.

Later, much, much later, I stood in front of the window overlooking a patio below.

Hunter and I had only been able to ignore the lure of food for so long and, after eating a hefty dinner, both of us had fallen asleep the moment we hit the bed for a second time.

But I hadn’t stayed asleep for very long.

So much was running through my head. My future was one big fat unknown, but with Hunter by my side, I knew we’d make it. Things might not be orthodox or how I pictured spending my life, but I was alive and I was with someone I loved. However, I did know that things wouldn’t be easy.

I pulled the sheet around me as a shiver raced down my spine.

Mel’s death had been avenged and the knowledge she had unwittingly gained would be passed on, but I had a feeling it wouldn’t be enough. In the end, everything would change even more so than it had already.

Out there, there was a secret government organization working with and against two alien races that not only had infiltrated mankind, but also had become an intricate part of society. There was a whole alien race potentially planning to make war and the good guys…

There was a whisper of movement and then I felt Hunter’s arms wrap around me from behind.

Well, the good guys really weren’t typical. They really weren’t the good guys at all, but if I discovered anything, there was no such thing as white and black. There was a lot of gray in the middle.

“Couldn’t sleep?” he asked.

I leaned back, closing my eyes. “I didn’t mean to wake you. I know you have to be exhausted.”

“It’s fine.” He lowered his head, pressing his cheek against mine. His breath teased the corner of my lips. “Are you okay?”

The question was rather large, all things considered. My life was forever altered and would never, ever be the same. Maybe one day I could go back to a job like I had before. Maybe a million aliens would descend on Earth tomorrow. But right now? I had to live in the right now.

Hunter pressed his lips to my temple. And right now wasn’t so bad. I turned in his arms, loving how they immediately tightened around me, fitting me to his chest. I tipped my head back and smiled. “I’m okay.”

His eyes were a deeper blue as they locked on to mine. “I know.”

“Then why did you ask?”

“Figured it was the human thing to do,” he replied.

I grinned. “You’re getting better at that kind of stuff.”

Hunter laughed deeply. “No I’m not. But that’s fine. You like me like this.”

Yeah, I did. He was still like the damn panther. If anyone got too close, he’d rip them apart—anyone but me. Emotion clogged my throat as I stared up at him. My gaze memorized every inch of face, and I rose onto the tips of my toes. He met me halfway, sweeping his lips over mine. His lips and embrace were cool, but all I felt was a wealth of warmth.

So right now would do just fine.