Page 63

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

HUNTER

Although Hunter’s suggestion about a nap had been a joke, Neri had shrugged out of her clothes and had almost fallen asleep a few minutes after they flashed into their bedroom. They both enjoyed the joke she played on Kai, but when he teleported them home, her body sagged from exhaustion.

Tired from their run in with Zahava’s minions and worry for her mother, Hunter savored the chance to take care of Neri. He removed their clothing, flinching in disgust as he noticed all the blood, both dried and viscous over both of their shirts and jeans. Without looking at them, he threw them into a trash bag to dispose of later, ignoring Neri’s chuckle at his reaction.

Since they’d met, he’d spent most of his time at Neri’s place and he grew comfortable enough to make himself at home. He caught Neri smiling whenever he dropped on her couch or made his way upstairs to her bedroom as if he owned the place.

He’d found the pictures she took before she remodeled and the difference was stark. All of her kitchen appliances were new, and she had created and installed the cabinets in the kitchen and bathroom herself. Despite building the couch, the coffee table, and dining room tables and chairs, she bought several of the leather reclining chairs scattered throughout the main floor. On top of all she created herself, it was the built-in and filled floor-to-ceiling bookcases that made it feel like home.

“I have the materials for three more bookcases in the bedroom and two for the dining room, but I haven’t gotten around to it.”

In the bathroom, she built and replaced the cabinets for the sink and the storage armoire with dark wood and in the shower; she used lodge stone and hearth tiles matching the wood. The shower could fit at least twenty, with built-in benches and along with three ceiling showers, one main shower head, and six body sprays.

As he switched on the water, the cascading sound caused Neri’s eyelids to droop and she leaned against him. Guilt swamped him. He should have realized sooner she was running on fumes, after their unsuccessful tracking expedition and then another thought crowded his mind, adding to the feeling.

Today was Neri’s birthday. She turned twenty-five.

Fuck!

His mind raced as plans for celebrating the day solidified in his head. He would recruit the others to organize a part and get Thalia, Tajo, and Jack to agree to come at the last minute. Humans needed more time to adjust than immortals, so he planned on stopping by to see Neri’s mother first.

Neri pressed against him, and he scrubbed their bodies and washed their hair, before he shut off the water and reaching for the fluffy towels on the heated rack. He dried them in record time and pulled down the sheets. Hunter hesitated before he lay her down and rushed toward the dresser, grabbing a pair of panties, pants and a long-sleeved tee for Neri to sleep in. He dressed her in record time and covered her. She didn’t even stir when he kissed her on the forehead.

Not wanting her to freak out if she woke up and found him gone, he wrote a quick note and placed in on the nightstand. He set the alarm and checked the windows before he locked the door and stepped outside, ready to run to Kai’s and borrow a car.

Then he remembered, he could teleport. He found an old listing for Tajo’s address and flipped through images of the inside, planting a picture in his mind. He closed his eyes and felt a pull and blinked open his eyes when he heard a gasp.

Tajo stood in the doorway of his kitchen with his gun pointed at Hunter’s head, one hand behind him as he held Thalia back from his sudden appearance.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you. I’m still getting used to this teleportation thing.”

Hunter held his hands up to show he wasn’t a threat, but it still took Tajo a few moments before he holstered his gun and allowed Thalia to pass into the kitchen.

“Is Neri okay?” Thalia asked.

“Yeah, she’s sleeping now after the fight and being up four days on a scouting mission. But I forgot until a few minutes ago, it’s her birthday and I want to celebrate it. Do you think if I got everything together in an hour, you can come to her party?”

“Party? Will there be cake?” Jack asked.

Mental note, cake.

“Yes, Hunter. We’ll come and help decorate. What else do you need us to do?”

“No clue, to be honest. It’s been decades or more since any of us celebrated a birthday, but Neri’s stressed with everything going on and I want her to relax and enjoy herself without worrying for once. What else should I get?”

For the next fifteen minutes, the three of them discussed decorations, the cake, which Thalia agreed to decorate if Hunter found one and brought it to her. With a promise not to forget anything on the list and a plan set to teleport them to Kai’s house when it was time, Hunter popped out to talk to the rest of the family.

Hunter had a good laugh when Ax jumped at his arrival, taking the time to bend over, grabbing his stomach as he lost his breath laughing so hard. Ax punched him in the shoulder, but Liv arrived with a chastising look and he sobered.

“A body on my coffee table, Hunter?”

He shrugged, not about to tell her it was Neri’s idea. Instead, he remembered the reason he was there. “I forgot that today is Neri’s birthday. Thalia will decorate a cake and she’ll come over to help with the decorations along with Tajo and Jack, but is it okay to throw a party here?”

Liv’s expression softened. “Yes, but we need buy presents. I can go into Snowfall and see what I can find.”

“We have a caterer. They were great at Cole’s wedding.” Seth said and Aubrey pulled out a phone, already dialing.