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CHAPTER THREE

HUNTER

It took a lot to impress Hunter this far into his immortality. But the dark green structures that composed of Neri’s house and workshop fascinated him. He realized she hadn’t been kidding when she noticed the amount windows she had installed in both the barn and the farmhouse.

In the barn, the top third of the building was all glass, while the house had traditional sash windows painted in bright white, contrasting with the green of the house. There were a variety of bushes, potted plants and flowers, and tall pines insulating the area. As though the world outside was separate from this magical one he entered.

Neri scent surrounded the area. He detected lemongrass, orange, and a slight hint of oak and he relaxed for the first time since he spotted her.

He didn’t care she was part vampire. The more he learned about her and became immersed in her world, the less it mattered.

Hunter smiled when Neri didn’t hesitate to take his hand. But it faltered as he remembered how fast she’d been when she ran out of Liv’s laboratory and outside. If she hadn’t stopped… he didn’t let himself wonder further. But she’d stopped. Allowed him to touch her, to hold her close.

Whenever another immortal had found their mate, Hunter didn’t understand when they spoke of needing to be close to them. Aware of their physical presence and their emotional well-being. Hunter, not mated yet, had never understood and hadn’t wanted to. But he understood now, all too well, and inside was a swirl of happiness and fear.

Fear someone would take her away from him right after he’d found her, on top of the fear she would reject him. And fear he could kill her if he tried to mark her as his mate.

Would she want that? Would her bite be deadly? I would rather risk myself than her.

As he was deep in thought, Neri pulled him toward the barn that doubled as her workshop. The barn doors weren’t typical and when Neri walked to a side panel and swiped her finger along an access pad, it exposed a number panel.

She entered a sixteen digit code, no sounds coming from the box as she pressed the buttons. When she pressed a green button, Hunter heard hydraulics kick in and the two steel, not wooden, doors slid open.

The entire structure looked wooden from the outside, but it wasn’t until you stepped inside and glanced up that it revealed steel beams running through the place. There were thick windows near the ceiling surrounding the entire building, flooding the open space with plenty of light and when he glanced around, he could see the south side of the barn contained supplies; stacks of wood in various sizes, nails, screws, hinges categorized below a tool wall that contained some Hunter couldn’t identify. There were machines and although the smell of wood and sawdust was prevalent, the area was tidy.

His gaze found the area with finished tables, chairs, and stools already finished. Without realizing his actions, he pressed his palm against the cool surface and ran his hand over the varnished wood.

She created each piece with different varieties of wood, blending them together to make every piece distinct.

“They are beautiful.”

“Thank you.”

Hunter glanced up. “Are each one of them already sold?”

“I don’t start an order until it’s placed and paid for.” Neri paused and glanced at him. “You never told me what you did for a living. Is okay to ask you?”

Hunter took her hand and squeezed. “Why don’t we sit down and I’ll tell you everything.”

“Let’s go up to the house and I can get us something to drink.” Neri, without letting go of his hand, led the way out of the barn, taking time to close the doors and set the alarm, before she started toward the house.

The structure was even more beautiful than he’d imagined. There were plants and flowers in hanging baskets scattered around the windows, and pots filled with greenery in almost every corner of the huge bottom floor. She painted each wall a different bright, vibrant color that complimented the wooden furniture placed throughout the room.

Hunter moved his gaze toward the kitchen and noted the modern appliances, a huge refrigerator, ovens, two farmhouse sinks, and a walk-in pantry.

“It fits you.”

Neri gave him a smile that made his heart beat faster. She pointed to the dining room table. “What would you like to drink? I have coffee, tea, and soda.”

Hunter asked for a soda and she poured herself an iced tea before she joined him at the table.

“Well, I suppose I should start from the beginning. I was born in 1921 in California. There wasn’t anything spectacular about my upbringing or my parents. But by 1940, I grew restless in with my life and wanted to travel. My parents wanted me to get married and have kids, but I wasn’t ready. I visited Arches National Park in Utah and several smaller parks between California and Colorado. But someone attacked me one night after I pitched a tent in Rocky Mountain National Park.”

Neri’s eyes widened and her breathing came in pants. “Do you remember your transition?”

“Yeah, everything about it. The worst pain I experienced was when their teeth punctured my jugular vein. They tore through the sinew in my neck. I’m sure I’m being dramatic, but it felt like it, anyway. During the transition, all I thought about was the pain from the bite and I wondered if I would die.”

“Do you know who did it?”