Hunter Mourned (Wild Hunt Book 3) (23 page)

He caressed the corners of her mouth with his thumb. “Can you honestly say you would put our happiness above the innocents of the world?”

She stood, and the chess pieces scattered across the ground. She walked toward the lake. How could he ask such a thing of her? He knew her drive to protect humans was strong. Her vow to the Hunt demanded it. So did her conscience. She hated the feeling of helplessness that overcame her when she heard of the horrors happening around her, but the sense of failure that had cloaked her existence since Kai’s death had tainted her life. She would not go through that again. She couldn’t.

Trevor hooked an arm around her waist and spun her to face him. “Answer me.”

“Is it so wrong to want happiness?” She bent closer to him. “Or love? Is that something that should be denied to me because I was born to Arawn?”

“No, it’s not, but we have an obligation to the world.”

“I also have an obligation to you. I failed you once. I won’t do so again.”

“Yeah?” He raised a brow, triumph in his eyes. “Repeat what you said to me earlier. How did you fail me?”

She shoved out of his embrace and strode toward the boathouse. It, along with most of the outer buildings on the property, had been in shambles when they’d arrived. Rhys had taken it upon himself to clean it after he’d found Allie there a few times, sleeping. She’d told him it was too loud in the house. Rowan had to agree. Her brothers could be rambunctious. Since only a handful slept, there was always someone being rowdy.

She was glad Rhys had cleaned the place. It made swimming in the lake more convenient. She didn’t have to lug a towel and a change of clothes with her. Everything was right there in easy reach. Plus, she could shower before dressing.

A nice dip in the lake sounded wonderful. It would cleanse the salt from her skin after her little breakdown and ease the tightness that had settled into her muscles. Five minutes, ten minutes tops, then she’d call forth her horse.

She’d let Grief carry her into the city. As long as she held on to the power of the Hunt long enough to obscure her mare until she faded back into the Underworld, she could land in the park. There were enough trees in the spot that it wouldn’t seem as if they’d just appeared out of nowhere.

Rowan entered the building and tugged her top off, tossing it to the side. Trevor’s hand wrapping around her wrist stopped her from yanking the zipper down on her skirt.

“Tell me again how you failed me.”

He was going to use her words against her. Well, she could do the same. “I didn’t fail
you
. I failed
Kai
.”

He stared at her without speaking, but the demand was written in his eyes. He wouldn’t allow her to avoid the topic.

She shoved his hand off her and stepped back. Arms crossed over her chest, she gave him what he asked for. The only other option was to lie. She’d rather cut off her own hand. “I didn’t treat him as my equal.”

“Exactly. You didn’t listen to him when he said he wanted to join the Hunt. You embraced your fears and ignored his wants.” Trevor stepped closer. “You’re doing the same now.”

She clenched her jaw. The denial sat on her tongue. She couldn’t utter it. She shoved at his chest. “Move. I’m done with this conversation.”

He grasped her hands and twined their fingers. “Tough. I’m not done with you.”

The softer tone he used and the intensity in his gaze cut through her temper.

“Yes, okay, maybe you’re right, but what about
my
wants? You’re ignoring those.” She waited a moment to judge his reaction. Didn’t he understand where she was coming from? His lips pressed into a thin line. “We hunted Dar for a century without capturing him. That was with the ability to sense the Chaos he carries from miles away and all my siblings searching for him. You are one man. Unless we’re lucky, you’re not going to find Harley’s redcaps quickly. Or at all. With modern technology aiding them—”

“I get it. We’re both being stubborn.”

“Shall we compromise, then?”

He studied her for a moment, then nodded. “What do you have in mind?”

“We wait a couple of weeks. If you don’t find the redcaps in that time, you accept the mark.”

“Weeks?” He snorted. “You just said it might take a long time. How about five years? I’d only be thirty-five, and if I take after my dad, I won’t even look it. He still looks good, and he’s in his sixties.”

She didn’t care how he looked, but five years seemed as if it were an eternity. “Five months.”

He chuckled. “We could play this game all night. What about three years, but we reevaluate if your worry for me is stopping you from overcoming your challenge?”

She’d almost forgotten about her challenge. She pulled off the long glove. The mark had grown since the last time she’d looked at it, reaching to her elbow, but her tan skin showed through in spots. Tegan’s mark had done the same, appearing to crack as she got closer to making the choice that had saved Ian and their love.

She met Trevor’s gaze and grinned. “I’m making progress.”

“We make a good team, baby.” He kissed her, a soft brush of his lips to hers. “So, is it a deal? We give it some time but reevaluate if we have to?”

“Yes, it’s a deal.”

“Perfect.”

He captured her mouth with his and kissed her deeply. Completely. She arched into him, pressing her breasts against his chest. Need spiraled. Lust built. She wanted to feel him loving her, reminding her he was hers. She reached for the edge of his shirt. He grasped her wrist, preventing her from pulling it up, and broke the kiss.

“As much as I’d like to strip you and celebrate our little victory, we have a redcap to catch, and I want to get my hands on Craig before he decides to skip town. Without his stash of sluaghs, I don’t know if he has a reason to stay.”

Of course, he was right. Indulging in Trevor would have to wait. She stepped out of his embrace. “Then let’s get moving.”

She snatched her shirt, but Trevor’s hand on hers stopped her from tugging it on. She glanced at him, letting the question show in her eyes. He’d just said they didn’t have time for loving. The lust sparking in his appreciative gaze didn’t match his words, however.

“It’s going to be chilly tonight. You can’t walk around the city in summer clothes. It’ll draw the wrong type of attention.”

She fingered the edge of her short skirt. “But I’ve grown fond of my summer clothes.”

He slipped his hand up the back of her thighs and under the elastic of her underwear so he cupped her ass. “Wear them around the estate, then. I won’t complain.”

“You used to.”

“What can I say?” He shrugged. “I was a jealous, stubborn fool.”

“You’re not jealous any longer.”

“No. I’m not.” He pulled her close and kissed her again as if he too were fighting with his cravings. With fervent strokes, he caressed her, sliding his palms over her bottom and stirring her passion yet again. He eased back before she acted on them. “As much as I’d like to stay here and love you, duty calls. We’ve got a long drive ahead of us too, and I’m already tired.”

She licked her lips, uncertainty settling over her. A ride on Grief’s back would be quicker, but the Huntsmen’s horses rejected everyone besides their rider, even the other members of the Teulu. The only exception was for mates. Trevor had been hers in another life, but she didn’t know if Grief would recognize him the way Alana could.

“We can try to see if Grief will accept you. Riding on her back would be quicker.”

“Do you think your mare will? I thought the horses only accepted the mates of their riders. I’m not yours.”

“You’re my soul mate, though. That might count.” She worried her lip between her teeth. Maybe not knowing the truth would be better. She’d be disappointed, and it would give her another reason to feel guilty over Kai’s death. He’d often talked about how much he’d looked forward to riding with her.

“It’ll upset you if Grief refuses me, won’t it?”

She shrugged. “I’d understand. My horse might be bound to me, but she’s still an animal.”

Trevor held her gaze a moment more, then took her hand and walked with her to the door. “Tonight, we’ll take a car. I’ll approach Grief another night when we have more time to let your mare get used to me.”

“I’ll drive.”

He nibbled on her lip. “You sound eager, baby.”

“Mmm-hmm. I know just the car to take.”

“Do you?”

“Yes. Yours.” She couldn’t wait to get behind the wheel of Trevor’s sports car again.

“Is that what happened to it the other night? You took it.”

“Yes, and I’ll be taking it anytime I want.” She fisted the waistband of his jeans and pulled him closer. “It does belong to you, and you’re mine. Driving your car is my right. Do you have a problem with that?”

Trevor chuckled. “No. Can’t say I do.”

“Good.” She tugged her shirt on and followed Trevor to the door. The sooner he caught his prey, the sooner she’d be able to celebrate snagging hers—Trevor.

C
HAPTER
T
WENTY

Trevor spent the drive into the city sleeping. He hadn’t meant to doze off, but unlike the Huntsmen, he had to sleep. Unfortunately, life was getting in the way of his body’s basic needs. So was Rowan. He hadn’t been able to stop thinking about her long enough to grab some shut-eye earlier in the day. Whether it was concern for her safety or just the loss of her presence while she’d been in the Underworld, he didn’t know. The result was the same—he’d tossed and turned before giving up and prowling the estate. He was glad he had, though. Rowan had needed him.

“Are you awake?” Rowan whispered the question.

“Yes.” He didn’t sound too awake, however. More like groggy and worn down. He cleared his throat. “I’m sorry I fell asleep on you.”

“Don’t be. It gave me a chance to think.”

“What about?”

“Getting you naked and sucking your cock.”

That woke him up, clearing the last of the fuzziness in his head. He glanced at Rowan, focusing on her face so he didn’t get distracted by her body. After dropping a statement like that, it’d be easy to give in to his hungers.

Ever since finding her by the lake, he’d wanted to get his hands on her and thank her properly for her gifts—the chess pieces and her partnership. That was what he’d always wanted—a lover and a friend. The women he’d been with before Rowan hadn’t fit his personality, and his female friends hadn’t aroused him. Rowan accomplished both. For that, she deserved to be treated like his queen. Too bad the timing sucked.

“Saying shit like that is cruel, Rowan. You know we don’t have time for that.”

“Not now, but we’ll have plenty of time once we get back to the estate tomorrow.”

Of course they’d be wasting two hours in the car. He should’ve let her call Grief from the Underworld. If the way the horse always watched him was any indicator, it too recognized him as the reincarnation of Rowan’s mate. He’d never given the mare’s attention any thought, though. He’d figured it was a protective reaction since he’d stolen glances at Rowan whenever he could.

“How about we stay in the city today, then? We’ll have all day to enjoy each other without your brothers hanging over our shoulders.”

She turned her head, meeting his gaze for the briefest of moments before focusing on the road. It was long enough to see the excitement in her eyes. “Yes. I like that idea.”

So did he. He couldn’t wait to strip her. The outfit she’d worn, while covering most of her body, stirred him more than the skintight dresses she often wore. A loose, black, long-sleeved shirt drew attention to her breasts, even without her cleavage showing. Each time she moved, the cotton stretched over the full globes, teasing him with the knowledge of what lay beneath.

She’d paired a short gray skirt with the simple top, despite his warning to dress appropriately. He supposed the thigh-high, black, knit stockings covering her long legs were her solution. All he knew was that those socks had the same impact on him as seeing her in that schoolgirl outfit she’d worn.

He flexed his fingers before he gave in to the urge to slide his hand over her inner thighs, caressing her skin right above the edge of her stockings. He wouldn’t want to stop his exploration there, however. Temptation was too close. It’d be easy enough to slip his fingers under her underwear and stroke her, getting her as hot as him.

With effort, he yanked his gaze from her long legs. The sight of her right arm captured his attention. Another pair of black, fingerless gloves reached to her elbow, but the black mark of her curse showed above the edge. Seeing the jagged line indicating the status of her curse angered him. He couldn’t shake the feeling they were living on borrowed time. That pissed him off. They’d just gotten together.

No. Don’t go there. She’s making progress. Focus on helping her figure out the rest.

He not only had to see her through the unknowns of their new relationship, but he had to help her deal with the failures of a previous one that just so happened to involve him.

Talk about pressure.

He rolled his shoulders, easing the tightness that had settled in them with his thoughts, and studied their surroundings. Rowan had taken the shortcut he’d used the previous day, but a street band had set up in the middle of the road, diverting traffic back to the highway.

“Turn down that alley.” He pointed at the narrow lane between a bakery and an all-night Laundromat. “It leads into the residential district. We haven’t explored this area yet.”

They’d focused their efforts on getting information, but with his dagger strapped to his calf so he could feel the vibrations it gave off, simply walking might help them too. In those years he and Ian had hunted without the help of the Huntsmen, they’d known how close they were to the Unseelie creatures by the intensity of the tingles spreading through their bodies.

Rowan slid her hand over his thigh, making his dick twitch in response. The woman undid him without trying. “We’re lucky you know this area well.”

“I’m not so sure luck has anything to do with it. The more this plays out, the more I’m thinking the Triad has arranged things so that we would be given the necessary clues at the right time. Why else would we stumble upon Minerva’s maiden, here of all places?”