Page 53 of Hunter

“Indulge me.” He released her hand and glanced to the brush she’d been attempting to clear with her feet. “That over there. Start with the enemy at hand.”

“You’re joking, right?”

“Do you want to get what you need or what?”

“Okay, fine. But we’re just wasting time. You could just flash and get me a machete. I’ll be fine while you go. It’s not the first time I’ve spent time out here by myself. It is, however, the first time I’ve been completely unprepared and didn’t have my gear with me.”

“You’ve got everything you need. Now focus. Reach for the weeds and move them. Whack them.”

Willa stretched out her hand towards the brush. She attempted to concentrate but the thought of doing so struck her as funny. She bent over, laughing. “This is ridiculous.”

“What are you doing? Have you gone mad?”

“This is crazy.” She raised her palms up toward the sky. “Do you hear that, Goddess? Julian says that after years of running around glowing, I’ve got a superpower.”

“Not technically a superpower.” He shrugged. “More of an enhancement to your current power.”

Anger boiled inside her chest. Sick and tired of running, hiding from evil, she yearned to live her life in the open with her family. Hate for the wolves who’d kidnapped her burned deep in her belly, and her eyes went wild with rage. Tortured, used as bait for rabid vampires, she’d suffered at the hand of demons. A lifetime living a lie. Discovering she had a mate….one who’d left her alone with his violent beta. And now, trudging through a hotter-than-hell jungle, sweat drenching their bodies, they had no choice but to manually clear a path.

Fuck this. Fuck all of it. She spun around toward the brush and sent her energy sizzling through her body. With nothing left to lose, she stretched her hand out. Rage tore through her mind, a jolt searing through her fingers. An invisible force whipped through the air, the plant stems snapping as if on cue.

Willa stumbled back into her brother’s arms, stunned.

“Fantástico, Willamina!” Julian clapped his hands together. “I told you you could do it!”

Willa’s heart pounded in excitement. She stared at her hands, realizing the implications. A new power. She smiled, hope sparked. Retribution would be hers. The wolves who sold her to the demons would pay.

With a flick of her wrists, she whipped her hands toward the path. The scent of fresh cut greenery filtered through the air. She turned back to Julian who stood with his hands crossed in front of his chest, smiling.

“You coming?” she asked, with raised eyebrows. The leaves crunched underneath her feet as she strode ahead.

“Lead the way, princesa,” her brother said, allowing his Brazilian accent to blend into his words. “A majestade.”

“Yeah, that’s me. Royal as fuck,” she joked.

“Don’t take this the wrong way, Willa, but I gotta say,” Julian stared up into the jungle canopy, “this is a little anticlimactic.”

“I’m sorry this incredible, mostly unexplored lost civilization has disappointed you so greatly, irmão,” she said, sarcasm lacing her words.

“All I see is trees. Snakes. And bugs. Don’t get me wrong. I love bugs.” Julian flicked a buzzing mosquito away from his face. “Where the hell are we anyway?”

“Petén. Northern Guatemala. What are you complaining about? We grew up exposed to the rainforest. You always wanted to trek when you were a kid.” Willa smiled, recalling how Papa had warned them to stay in certain areas. She and Julian always pushed further and further, often getting in trouble.

“Brazil is different. It’s home.” He sighed. “Besides, I’ve spent a lot of time in the city. I guess you could say I’m more of an urban wolf. It’s more my style.”

“Oh, really, city boy. Where’s that?” She laughed, having a hard time picturing him without open land.

“Miami. South Beach, baby.” Julian followed his sister as she continued to cut a path through the jungle.

Willa turned to her brother, stopping but only for a second before delivering a fresh whack to the weeds. “We’re almost there.”

“I know that look. I’m not crazy. The weather’s nice and warm year-round. None of that snow bullshit your boyfriend likes.”

“He’s not my boyfriend.”

“Nightclubs. Beaches. Parties. Boats. Did I mention beaches?”

“And where does a wolf like you run in the big city?”