Page 12 of Hunter

“Saving your ass? Yes, it was. I’m definitely questioning that course of action.”

“Ah, but you care. Should we hug it out?”

“No, I’m good. I care about her. You? Not so much.”

“You risked your life for me.” Viktor put his arm around Hunter, who immediately shoved it away.

“I did that for Quintus. And you? Jesus, what is your issue?”

“Fine, but you’d better pay attention to the steaks because you’re about to overcook them. They taste better mooing. Nice and bloody.”

“Tell me more about Ilsbeth.” Hunter caught sight of Willa crossing the room toward the kitchen.

“I didn’t want to keep her here, around you and the girl. As much as she helped me down there,” Viktor gestured to the ground, “I can’t risk it. As soon as you wrap up things with the she-wolf, we can go back to New Orleans and deal with her.”

“New Orleans?”

“You gotta admit, we could have a good time.”

“Plenty of good times here in Jackson Hole. I need to stay with my pack.”

“Don’t be salty about me letting Ilsbeth go. You’ve got your hands full here. She’s a complication you don’t need.”

“That fucking bitch. Let me tell you. Going into Hell? I sure as shit never expected to find her. I was only goin’ in for you. But when I saw her. Fuck.” Hunter shook his head and locked his gaze on Viktor. “You know Ilsbeth. I knew her back when. Long before she was the High Priestess . People who know her say she is a double-edged sword. She was never all bad. Maybe yes. Maybe no. I say it depends which side of the sword you’re looking at and if she’s shoving it through ya. But man, I could have killed her myself for what she did to Dimitri. And hey, I still get it. People didn’t want her to be guilty. A million stories about the others she’s helped over the years. Just because she fell for D. I don’t know. She’s a cold bitch in my book. Ah, fuck. I don’t know. Down there in Hell, knowing you, knowing Ilsbeth, suspecting she’d helped you? I didn’t think twice. Saved her ass too. But still, I’ve gotta know what she did with Dimitri. I want to ask her myself. And more importantly, I wanna know how and why she was in Hell.”

“She helped to save your girl in there. That part is true,” Viktor said.

“So you say, but I have some questions for her.” Hunter forked the steak onto a plate and glanced to Willa who stood in the kitchen, her eyes on his. “There’s something about her, yeah?”

“Ilsbeth? Well, she’s certainly a force to be reckoned…”

“Not the witch. I’m talking about Willa. She’s a doctor.”

“Doctor, huh?” Viktor dragged out his comment with a cheeky smile. “I bet she has a good bedside manner.”

“You’re an asshole,” Hunter snapped. He reached for the grill and switched off the gas. He stopped and glared at the vampire. “Look, Vik. Can you go easy? Willa isn’t shifting. Like you said, she’s traumatized. I want to give her some time to….” The Alpha glanced to her once again. His rogue she-wolf had begun peeling a banana and he silently counted the seconds as she slid the firm fruit between her lips. Jesus, what is she doing to me? “It’s just she’s not really ready to…”

“She looks plenty ready to me.” Viktor laughed as Willa bit down hard onto the banana.

“She, uh, she…” Hunter caught sight of Willa smiling at him, her tongue brushing over her bottom lip. Holy shit. His hand shook as he lifted the plate.

“Oh yeah. She’s ready all right.”

“Shut the fuck up, vampire,” Hunter responded, keeping his eyes on Willa.

“Stop being all sappy. You’re going to make me sick. Move along. I’ll come watch you eat meat. Doesn’t seem right, cooking it so thoroughly. With you being wolves and all, I’d expect you to eat it raw.”

“Quintus cooks. He eats. You know you might like it. Get with the whole ‘I live among humans’ program. I know it might be torturous for you, but you might want to at least try it.”

“Quintus has gone soft. Not me. I’m a purist. It’s been way too long for me to ever consider food. Sex and power. Now those are two things I can’t give up.” He laughed.

“It’s not a pick one or the other scenario. The human experience is expansive. For us, even more so. I’m talking life. Be well-rounded, man.” Hunter held the plate up to his face and sniffed. “Ah yeah. Now, that’s what I’m talking about. Nothing like it. Go on. Smell it.”

Hunter shoved the food toward Viktor. “Tell me you don’t miss it. Don’t lie.”

“Fine. Fine.” The blond vampire leaned over and sniffed briefly, then rolled his eyes. “Sorry, does nothing for me. Absolutely nothing.”

“Don’t just pretend to smell it. Go on,” Hunter insisted.