Page 51

Warmth spreads through me at her confession. I glance at her. Her strength ebbs to me as she stands firm despite the fear, despite all the unknown. It means more than I can say, because I know what I look like to her. To humans. To the witches. A predator wearing human skin. A monster full of controlled violence. Something to be hunted and used. Yet here she is, choosing me over them.

I swallow, and for a moment, I forget about the hunter entirely. My eyes are on her.

‘Are you sure?’ I murmur softly, offering her a chance to change her mind. To walk away, if she needs to, if she thinks that is what would be best for her.

She meets my gaze. There’s no panic there.

‘I’m sure,’ she says.

The hunter exhales sharply, almost a laugh, but more bitter. ‘They’ll come for you too. Once they realise where you stand.’

Tara’s jaw tightens. ‘Let them.’

He studies her a moment longer. ‘All right, then.’

I step in front of her, gently pushing her behind me. I hear the quiet rustle of her fingers sliding into her bag, most likely reaching for an additional knife. Her heart is thundering in her chest, but she is giving off a calm energy. Both of us know he isn’t going to walk away. The gentle approach was simply a tactic to separate us, and he failed.

He casually reaches for his belt, pulling out his own knife. The poison on it taints the air, indicating it is a lethal weapon designed to kill a vampire. Or more specifically, me. I scan him head to toe. His stance is solid, his gaze unwavering. I can tell he’s trained. For some reason, he poses more of a threat than the other one.

I speak low to Tara. ‘When I move, you run. Back toward the road.’

‘What about you?’

‘I’m not going to let him touch you.’

Before I get the chance to make a move, he lunges. He’s fast, but I’m faster. I duck beneath his swinging arm, feeling the knife whizz past my ear, and reach for his arm, putting enough pressure on it to make his shoulder pop. He grunts, tries to twist out of my grip, but it only makes his shoulder pop out further. He hisses through his teeth, but to my surprise, doesn’t release a sound, even though it must hurt like a bitch.

‘Stop fighting me, I’m not leaving without her,’ he growls as he drives his shoulder into mine, trying to knock me off balance. He throws a punch and it catches me off-guard. I haven’t had someone throw a punch at me in what feels like years. I manage to block it, knocking him back a good metre, and he loses his balance, scraping his good arm down the edge of a tree. The rough bark bites into his skin and his blood pours from the wound. My fangs drop down at the scent of it, even though the usual lure of blood doesn’t appeal to me anymore.

I only crave Tara.

His expression hardens in frustration and pain as he stands there, one shoulder drooping as he tries to catch his breath. He wipes his bloodied arm on his shirt, smearing it across the fabric. There’s a heavy pause, and then the quiet snap of string. An arrow whistles past me, fast and low, sinking into the hunter’s side. He releases a sharp gasp and staggers back in surprise, his hand instinctively moving to where he was struck. His eyes lift, locking onto hers.

Tara stands just behind me, bow lowered but ready. Her shoulders are tense, jaw set. There’s determination in her eyes and it is sexy as hell seeing her in action.

‘Good shot, Cupcake,’ I grin.

The hunter exhales slowly. ‘Didn’t expect that.’

His voice is flat, calm, but I see the shift in him. He seems to be taking this more seriously now, realising he may be outmatched now that there are two of us to fight. He pulls the arrow free and tosses it to the ground. He studies her, then me, calculating, trying to plan his next move, considering he is now bleeding from both sides of his body and one arm is out of action.

With a flick of his wrist, a small blade slips from his belt and he throws it right past me, straight to Tara. My heart drops into my stomach as I spin, trying to reach for it, even though I know the poison will melt my flesh the moment I touch it.

She moves fast, dropping low as the knife sails just over her head. It embeds in the bark of the tree behind her with a thunk. She stays crouched, steady and calm.

He didn’t aim to hurt her, I realise. He did it to distract me.

The bounty hunter is on top of me before I can blink. My hands move to his throat in a punishing grip. The tip of his poisoned knife stabs into my skin when he is wrenched off me.

A vampire has appeared, as if emerging from the shadows, the heart of the hunter clutched in his hand. The hunter gasps for breath, clawing at his chest as his wide eyes peer up at his attacker. He dramatically falls back, staring vacantly up at the night sky above us.

The vampire walks like the gods answer to him. He’s tall, with deadly sharp eyes and an unnatural stillness in his shoulders. His walk is precise, like every movement is measured. His eyes meet mine, and something inside me stutters. I know him, but I have no idea how. He stops a few feet from me. Looks me over, as though appraising me to see what damage has been done. Blood runs down his hand from where he holds the heart of the hunter.

‘Still standing, I see,’ he drawls, his voice deep and ominous.

His presence coils around me, like he possesses a deadly power and one wrong move could make him snap.

‘Who are you?’ I ask, still standing protectively in front of Tara.