Deadly Pursuit (A Blood Hunter Novel, #2) (78 page)
Read Deadly Pursuit (A Blood Hunter Novel, #2) Online
Authors: Nina Croft
Tags: #blood hunter, #nina croft, #break out, #deadly pursuit, #space opera, #sci-fi romance, #science fiction romance, #vampires, #werewolves, #aliens, #space
A
spark
of
answering
amusement
flashed
in
Callum’s
eyes.
“He
had
them
amputated,
but
each
time,
they
grew
right
back.”
“So
where
did
they
come
from?”
Callum
hesitated
then
shrugged
again.
“We
might
not
have
been
entirely
truthful
about
the
nature
of
Meridian.”
“And?”
Rico
prompted,
the
impatience
clear
in
his
voice.
“And
it
seems
it’s
not
an
element
after
all
but
a
living
organism—one
we
had
never
seen
before.”
“Fuck
me,”
Rico
said.
“You’re
a
goddamn
alien.
You’re
turning
into
a
real,
honest-to-God,
goddamn
alien.”
“Maybe.
In
part.”
“Hmm,
and
I
guess
that
makes
you
abominations,
doesn’t
it?”
Rico
grinned.
“Aiden
Ross—staunch
supporter
of
the
Church—an
abomination.
Brilliant.”
He
glanced
toward
Skylar.
“Hey,
are
you
going
to
grow
a
pair
of
those?
That
would
be
so
damn
hot.”
Skylar
appeared
slightly
alarmed
at
the
idea.
“Am
I?”
“Probably,”
Callum
replied.
“In
a
few
hundred
years.”
Jon
turned
back
to
the
window,
as
a
blaze
of
lights
trailed
across
the
night
sky.
“The
Cazador
’s
here,”
he
said,
tightening
his
grip
on
Alex
before
heading
for
the
door.
Rico
followed
him
but
paused
as
he
passed
Callum.
“You
know,
you
don’t
seem
particularly
concerned
about
us
leaving—why
are
you
really
letting
us
go?”
Callum
shrugged.
“While
you
might
be
a
bunch
of
misfits,
you’ve
successfully
managed
to
evade
my
entire
army
for
over
a
week.
Soon
we’ll
reveal
this”—he
gestured
to
the
huge
wings,
now
folded
neatly
against
his
back—“to
the
world.
And
it
occurred
to
me
that
at
some
point
in
the
future,
I
might
find
it
useful
to
have
some
friends
in…low
places.”
“Well,
feel
free
to
call—our
rates
are
very
reasonable,”
Rico
drawled.
“I
will.
Now
piss
off,
before
I
change
my
mind.”
“Good
idea.
Right,
we’re
out
of
here.
Tannis!”
Jon
glanced
back.
Tannis
stood
rooted
to
the
spot,
gazing
at
Callum
Meridian—her
cold
yellow
eyes
filled
with
wonder.
“Tannis,
move.
This
is
no
time
to
get
a
crush.”
Rico
grabbed
her
shoulder
and
hustled
her
through
of
the
door.
Outside
in
the
courtyard,
Jon
gazed
up
at
the
star-filled
sky
as
a
shadow
passed
overhead.
A
minute
later,
El
Cazador
touched
down
gently.
“Hold
on,”
he
whispered
to
Alex
Her
eyes
fluttered
open.
“I
want
to
go
home.”
“I’m
taking
you
home.”
He
carried
her
up
the
ramp
onto
El
Cazador
and
through
the
docking
bay.
“Get
her
to
the
sickbay,”
Tannis
said.
“It’s
too
late
for
that.”
Instead,
he
headed
toward
the
heart
of
the
ship,
and
into
the
large
conference
room.
“You
know
what
you
have
to
do,”
Rico
said.
“I
know,”
he
growled.
Many
years
ago,
he’d
been
attacked
by
a
werewolf
and
NINA CROFT
changed
by
force.
That
day,
he’d
sworn
he
would
never
do
the
same
to
another.
Now,
for
the
first
time,
he
was
about
to
try,
and
the
thought
terrified
him.
If
only
it
wasn’t
Alex.
But
then
it
was
only
for
Alex
that
he
would
do
this.
“I’ve
never—”
“You’d
rather
I
try
and
change
her?”
Rico
asked.
Horror
flashed
through
him.
“God,
no!”
“What
are
you
two
talking
about?”
Tannis
asked.
“Nothing,”
Rico
replied.
“Come
on,
let’s
leave
them.”
“Why?
What’s
going
on?
We
need
to
try
and
save
Alex.”
“Jon
will
save
her.”
Jon
heard
the
conviction
in
the
vampire’s
voice,
and
his
fear
left
him.
He
could
do
this.
“Go,”
he
said.
“And
lock
the
doors.”
He
was
only
dimly
aware
of
them
leaving
as
he
laid
Alex
gently
on
the
floor.
After
stripping
off
his
clothes,
he
willed
the
change
to
come
over
him,
shivering
as
energy
enveloped
him.
A
minute
later,
he
stood
on
all
fours.
The
scent
of
scorched
flesh
was
much
stronger
now,
and
beneath
that,
he
sensed
the
closeness
of
death.
He
padded
toward
her,
his
claws
clicking
on
the
metal
floor.
He
leaned
in
close,
then
nuzzled
the
soft
skin
where
her
shoulder
met
her
neck,
licked
her
face.
Her
small
hands
fluttered
in
the
fur
at
his
nape,
and
he
drew
back.
Her
eyes
were
open,
filled
with
loss.
“I
don’t
want
to
leave
you.”
At
her
whispered
words,
the
last
of
his
doubts
vanished.
He
drew
back
his
head
and
lunged,
his
teeth
sinking
into
the
warm
flesh
of
her
throat.
Epilogue
A
month
later…
They
ran,
weaving
between
the
gnarled
trunks
of
ancient
trees,
their
feet
making
no
sound
on
the
soft
forest
floor.
All
her
senses
acute,
her
ears
catching
the
small
animals
that
scurried
from
their
path,
her
nostrils
scenting
their
warm
flesh.
Then
they
were
out
in
the
open,
racing
under
a
fat
yellow
moon,
and
she
drew
ahead,
reveling
in
the
stretch
of
muscle
and
sinew.
A
sense
of
freedom
filled
her
to
overflowing,
and
she
came
to
an
abrupt
halt,
threw
back
her
head,
and
howled
to
the
heavens.
Beside
her,
the
huge
dark
wolf
sat
on
his
haunches,
amber
eyes
laughing
in
the
dim
light.
He
nipped
her
on
the
shoulder
then
looked
up
at
the
skies.
She
followed
his
gaze,
and
high
up,
amid
the
stars,
the
lights
of
an
approaching
spaceship
blazed
a
trail
toward
them.
Loss
mixed
with
anticipation
as
she
turned
and
loped
after
the
dark
wolf
heading
back
to
the
clearing
where
they
had
left
their
clothes.
Normally,
they
would
shift
back
and
make
love
out
in
the
open
air
and
afterward,
she
would
lie
in
Jon’s
arms,
stare
up
at
the
stars,
and
wonder
about
all
those
places
she
had
never
been.
Tonight,
she
shifted
back
and
pulled
on
her
clothes.
El
Cazador
had
dropped
them
off
on
Jon’s
home
planet
and
told
them
they
would
be
back
in
a
month.
The
time
had
been
magical,
the
happiest
of
her
entire
life,
and
if
Jon
wanted
to
stay,
she
would
stay
with
him.
They
hadn’t
talked
about
the
future,
just
lived
in
the
present,
but
she
knew
he’d
found
peace
here,
had
at
last
come
to
terms
with
his
past.
He’d
even
told
her
of
his
pack
and
she
understood
his
fears.
But
she
also
knew
that
peace
came
from
within,
and
some
part
of
her
would
always
yearn
for
the
stars.
“What
are
you
thinking?”
he
asked.
She
fastened
her
weapons
belt,
crossed
the
clearing,
and
kissed
his
mouth.
The
now
familiar
heat
welled
up
in
her
body,
and
she
melted
into
him.
“That
I
love
you
and
just
wondering
if
we’ve
got
time
for
a
quickie.”
He
laughed
and
pulled
her
tight
against
him
as
the
clearing
lit
up
around
them.
“Looks
like
that’s
a
no,”
he
murmured
against
her
hair.
He
kissed
her
again,
and
for
a
minute,
she
forgot
about
the
future.
“
Dios
,
I
hope
you
two
have
been
using
protection,”
a
voice
drawled
from
behind
her,
“because
I’m
not
having
my
spaceship
overrun
with
goddamn
puppies.”
Alex
drew
away
and
turned
slowly
to
face
the
shuttle
that
had
landed.
Rico
lounged
in
the
open
hatchway.
Tannis
appeared
behind
him
and
sauntered
over.
“The
honeymoon’s
over,”
she
said.
“We’ve
got
a
job,
and
we’re
on
a
schedule.”
Alex
looked
at
her
closely.
Beneath
her
deadpan
exterior,
Tannis
was
buzzing
with
excitement.
“What’s
the
job?”
Jon
asked.
“Legit?”
Rico
grinned.
“Hell
no.
At
least
I
hope
not.”
“Dangerous?”
“Well,
we’ve
been
employed
to
protect
the
most
powerful
man
in
the
whole
universe.
I’m
guessing
there’s
danger
involved.”
“Callum
Meridian?”
Jon
asked.
“Protect
him
from
what?”
“We
don’t
know,
and
Tannis
doesn’t
care.
She’s
got
a
crush.”
Tannis
elbowed
him
in
the
gut.
“Hey,
it’s
true,
and
she’s
in
a
hurry
to
get
to
him.
So
get
on
board
before
she
flies
away
without
you.”
Alex
waited
for
Jon
to
speak.
To
say
it
was
too
dangerous
and
they
were
staying.
She
held
her
breath.
Finally,
he
wrapped
his
arm
around
her
shoulder.
“Come
on,
let’s
go
home.”
And
he
led
her
toward
the
waiting
shuttle.
Alex
hugged
him
tightly
to
her
side
as
joy
filled
her
soul.
They
were
alive,
Jon
loved
her,
and
they
were
heading
back
to
El
Cazador
and
the
stars.
Maybe
God
didn’t
hate
her
after
all.
