She purred and meowed.
I chuckled and watched the city roll by. We soon pulled up to a warehouse a few blocks from the club. “I live in a converted loft on the top floor,” Hunter said to me, passing Carrot over to my waiting arms. We got out, and Bryce and Hunter insisted they’d take my bags, letting Gerald go off to grab a bite to eat for himself and then wait for Bryce in the Benz. Hunter ushered us into a huge, industrial elevator with an eager look on his face.
He stared at me, as if wanting to make sure I approved of my temporary lodgings—I was sure I would—as I stepped off the elevator and took it all in. “It’s amazing,” I breathed out softly. Towering ceiling and varnished beams, expensive-looking rugs—each of them easily covering more space than my whole motel room—Hunter had a gorgeous home, filling his place with an eclectic mix of modern décor, sprinkled with antiques that had me fascinated.
It smelled like Hunter too, a more subtle scent than Bryce’s,but just as appealing—woodsy and masculine. I inhaled deeply, wanting more of it, especially after the night I’d had. And it stirred something needy inside me. Something that ached, making me desperate to be closer to this man, his scent and strong arms. Something I’d thought dead.
“Make yourself at home,” Hunter said, grinning at whatever dazed look I must have had on my face as he and Bryce set my bags down.
I let Carrot down and wandered farther into the huge space. Among the antiques, Hunter had a pirate cutlass in an ornate scabbard displayed on the wall beside rows of packed bookcases made from rich, chestnut-colored wood. I couldn’t believe he had even more books here than in his office, and I didn’t spot any duplicates.
But the sword really caught my eye. I stopped and stared, taking in its fancy design and woven steel basket guard wrapping around the handle. “What a beautiful piece. It looks expensive.”
“It should,” he replied with a gentle snort, as he bent down to pet Carrot who hadn’t strayed far from him and was begging for his attention. “That sword belonged to Henry Avery. A pirate of legend. You don’t want to know what I paid for it.”
I knew a few famous pirate names, but that one didn’t seem familiar. I just smiled and nodded. “He had good taste in swords, that’s for sure.” I turned to sweep my eyes across the spacious, open-plan living room. “You have such a nice home. Thanks so much for having me and Carrot.” I paused and my nerves rose to the surface a bit. “Hopefully we’ll be out of your hair soon.”
His eyes flashed yellow for an instant, so quickly, I almost thought I imagined it. “I’m not having you living in fear with vamp scum on the street.” His shoulder muscles tensed then relaxed. He took a deep breath. “Please, I want you gals to stay as long as you’d like.”
“I really appreciate it. But only until we get this thing with Conrad handled.”
Hunter looked agitated. “You can stay—”
“No need to worry about that now,” Bryce said as he eased himself onto one of the ruby-red sofas. “Anyhow, I’ll start that digging tomorrow. I know the NOPD chief personally. I’ll be making my feelings to him on this very clear. There’s also someone else I know who’s very good at rooting out bad guys. I already sent off a text.”
“I’m so thankful,” I said softly, giving Bryce a warm look, not knowing how else to express how grateful I was to both of them.
Bryce must have been fully recovered now as he suddenly stood and asked both me and Hunter, “Mind if I whip us up a late dinner? For Carrot too, of course.”
“Go for it. You know where everything is.” Hunter gave a bemused smile, sweeping a hand toward his large corner kitchen.
The CEO cooked? “Yes, please.” Now the nausea had disappeared, I felt my stomach rumbling. I’d been so nervous about dancing, I’d barely eaten all day.
Bryce rolled up his dress shirt sleeves and got to work, letting me help by chopping up some vegetables. Then he pan fried them with fish that filled the air with wonderful scents of garlic and spices. He even dug some long, fancy candles out of a cabinet and lit them with a flame he conjured directly from his fingertip.
I tried not to wonder, at least not aloud, just how big of an inferno he and other fire elementals could make. The thought didn’t exactly put me at ease, but my first delicious bite drove it from my mind.
After we ate, I changed into pajamas, too tired to shower, ready to turn in for the night. The room Hunter had shown me to had its own huge ensuite bathroom and a king size bed with soft pillows and crisp sheets. The room itself was so big it had a dresser too and a lazy boy armchair in the corner. While the place was so nice, and Hunter’s home felt safer than anywhere I’d been in years, I didn’t think I could sleep alone tonight. Luckily, when I went back out tothe living room, I convinced Carrot, full of fresh salmon, to leave Hunter’s lap. After one more cuddle with him, of course.
Carrot was in love. I wanted to roll my eyes at her, but I was feeling some pretty clingy feelings toward Hunter myself. So I just scooped her up and said goodnight to him and Bryce, feeling their eyes on me as I went back to my room.
The next few days felt like a vacation. Hunter’s shower had piping hot water which fired out in jets of strong water pressure, unlike the lukewarm dribbles of the motel’s shower. Or worse, the cold sponge baths I’d had most times in the feeding den.
And I ate so well. Bryce clearly loved to cook and came over at least once a day—for breakfast or lunch, sometimes both—to whip something up and share a quick meal with us before he had to go racing back to his office. He usually worked late into the night and apologized he couldn’t make it to see us at the club in the evenings, though it wasn’t like he was a regular patron, so I didn’t understand exactly what he was apologizing for.
Hunter and I walked to work together each afternoon, laughing, joking, him telling me quirky and funny little things about the city’s history and how it had changed after the New Nebraska Agreement.
That was ten years ago—when the Agreement was signed—but he and Bryce had actually already lived here. They were born here.
When the existence of paranormals came to light, everyone learned that Nebraska and several of the other mid-western states were already home to the majority of paranormals; one reason Nebraska was chosen for resettling others from the rest of the world. And humans living in Nebraska that didn’t want to remain—which had been most of them—had been given stipends, mostly coughed up by the Fae Royal Family in England, to help them relocate.
Fae were the only ones still living outside New Nebraska now because the Fae royals had managed to negotiate their race’s ownspecial status about the Agreement. Fae weren’t completely exempt from restrictions across the rest of the US, or the world, of course, but apparently, their immense wealth and influence had given them a much easier time than other paranormals.
Hunter explained all this to me and also how he and Bryce had had a somewhat idyllic, middle-class upbringing here. Free of drama before the Agreement, just boys getting into trouble together. They grew up together, their parents being friends, and careful and mindful Hunter had been one of the only playmates Bryce’s parents allowed because of his condition.
It was so nice to learn more about them both. I could listen to Hunter’s deep, soothing voice all day.
Most importantly though, Hunter made me feel safe. I was disappointed when he said he didn’t want me dancing again, but I understood. He was worried Conrad might have some unknown friends among the club members. And anyway, since he was insisting I stay rent free in his beautiful place, I was doing okay, for now.
