Page 9 of Haunting the Hunter

“What are you doing here?” I ask in a clipped voice, sitting at the far end of the room.

He sits down next to me, his long pale-blue hair cascading down to the floor. An ugly grin stretches across his too-perfect face.

“How about you come back with me, and we can team up again? You used to be so much fun.”

“I am disinclined to acquiesce to your request. I have no interest in going anywhere right now.”

“You better be careful, Kai. Don’t want to end up like Ashur.”

Ahh yes. The scary story all of us are told to keep us in line. The big bad Ashur who fell in love with a human and went mad after she died—like they tend to do.

Dumb bastard.

Then there was that whole thing with him taking immortals and trying to fuse them with his wife’s spirit to bring her back. But what the fuck did the guy think was going to happen?

Humans are flesh-bound. We exist beyond that limitation. Our essence is not confined to a vessel. We move between the physical and metaphysical as easily as breathing. Humans have to die to be free, but we were never caged to begin with. And without a body, they are nothing more tangible than smoke. Anyone who knows anything knows the price you pay for love is loss. Ashur couldn’t handle it and lost himself. I’m nothing if not self-aware, and I don’t need the reminder.

Ashur was an idiot, and I’m not falling for a damn human.

“Let me have my fun and leave me be,” I say, brushing him off.

“Ah, and here I came all the way to this miserable cesspool of a planet to see you. And, of course, to see what has you so occupied.” He glances over at Callisto.

I reach for his throat and shove him onto the ground, his horns clacking against the wooden floor.

I hear Calli gasp, and she turns in our direction. I catch the look of horror on her face before she runs from the room. I hover over him, rage boiling in my eyes.

“Oh look, you scared away the human.”

“This one is mine—you do not get to look at her,” I say, venom seeping from my words as my claws dig into his neck.

I know what would happen if he decided to follow her. We tend to hyperfixate quite easily. Immortality will do that to you. But Alok is known for his brutal ways when handling humans. He has little restraint, and I’m not in the mood to share.

He laughs through his sharp teeth and shoves me off. Standing, he offers his hand. I smack it away. He’s only slightly shorter than me, but he’s older, and stronger. I know he could tear me apart if he wanted to—but I don’t care. He looks me over with a glint of authority in his glowing white eyes.

“Find me when you’re done with your new plaything.” The air vibrates around him, and he waves his arms. His form fades away in a spiraling mist, leaving behind a faint shimmer in the air.

So dramatic.

I’m surprised he didn’t put up much of a fight—but I’m glad. The fun is just beginning, and no one needs to know why I’m here. Not yet at least.

That goes for you, too—you’ll take what I give you. Now go back to your hunter, little pest.

CHAPTER 4

CADE

The seat of the truck squeaks beneath me. An F-250 highboy. Such a beauty. It will be missed by its owner, but I couldn’t resist. My phone vibrates in my pocket and I roll my eyes, shifting to grab it.

Calli.

Again.

I silence it. She can wait another thirty minutes until I’m home.

Outside, the mountains roll by like they’re trying to calm me down. It’s beautiful here, but none of it gets through. Not really.

The unease hasn’t left since last night. Since the party.