The Huntress : The Alterealm Series Book 1

“What in the name of all that’s holy is going on?”

Opening my eyes, I looked over to see a very angry looking Chase filling the door. He looked from Rafael to Troy and then zeroed in on me sagging in his twin’s arms. With loud steps, he moved toward us.

“I pass Quint sitting in the damn hall, crying—crying and holding his hands over his face. Then I come in here… Raf, you have fucking blood all over your mouth and I don’t need to ask what the hell you’re working on brother King.” With a gentle grasp, he pulled me free from Troy’s hold and cradled me into his arms. “Wipe the blood off your face, Troy.”

Tipping my chin up as he walked to the bed, he shook his head. I stared into his yellow eyes.

“And you look like a kitten high on catnip, Miss fierce huntress.”

I giggled, yes actually giggled and dropped my head down onto his chest. His big hand nestled it against his warmth. I felt when he sat on the bed, keeping me in his lap and only then did I peek from under my lashes at the other two men.

Rafael stood there with blood smeared across his face, his eyes were glowing and he was panting like he’d run a race. Troy was worse. Even with a fuzzy head and foggy vision I could see him shaking, his eyes still shining a hot red.

Chase sighed. “Would one of you care to get some juice or refreshment for our Huntress Queen before she passes out?” He sounded more exasperated then angry now.

Troy jolted and then briskly walked from the room.

“Raf, please go pick up Quinton off the hallway floor and get him to his room.”

Rafael nodded and bolted out the door.

Bright yellow eyes roamed over my face slowly. “And you, silly kitten, I don’t know what you did to my brothers but I’m jealous as fuck and just a little hurt.”

Reaching up, I touched his cheek softly. “Sorry.” I didn’t know what I was sorry for, but it seemed to be the most appropriate thing to say.

He smiled, so I traced his mouth. “That’s all I get? Not even a little taste then?”

His tone was teasing, but I wasn’t sure if he was. Dropping my hand, I turned my head so my neck was open to him.

Chase chuckled and leaned down to place a soft kiss over the tender spot on my neck. “I almost wish I could that way sweetling, but that’s not how it works for me.” He whispered against my throat.

Lifting his lips away, he smiled down at me. “As stoned as you are, I’d probably pass out if I even touched your emotions.” His yellow eyes caressed my face. “You could be mine, Huntress Queen. I hope I am your choice,” he whispered so softly I wasn’t sure if he’d said it at all.

I had no idea what he was talking about but the tone he used was so soft compared to the usual sarcasm tone, I smiled at him.

“I should be shot for even thinking this, but it may be a rare moment to have you alone.” His face was close enough to my own now that I could feel his breath against my lips. “If I can’t appease one taste, may I another?”

I grinned at him again and tugged gently on his goatee.

His mouth brushed against mine and my head that was already spinning felt like it was floating. Through the fog I knew I shouldn’t kiss him like this, but a small part of me didn’t care.

Shifting me in his arms, he grasped the back of my head and deepened the kiss for several heartbeats. I clung to him like a starving woman, not feeling the least bit ashamed for my actions. I had never been one to play timid when I wanted something and I wanted this man with the yellow eyes to kiss me senseless. As it turned out it wasn’t hard for him to do at all.

Breaking the kiss slowly, lingering over my mouth he licked my lower lip and then lifted his head. “Are you going to stand in the doorway all night, Leone, or are you going to bring Daxx her drink?”

Turning, I looked over to see Leone standing in the doorway blushing and holding a tray.

Chase stood up and set me down on the bed against the pillows. His eyes had returned to hazel when he smiled down at me. “You may be the ruin of both thrones, kitten, at the rate you’re disarming the eight of us.”

I watched his mouth smirk at me. “I haven’t done anything.”

He sighed loudly and sat down. “I don’t think you need to.”

Leone hadn’t said a word, he set the tray beside the bed and then stood there looking down at the floor. I watched Chase look at him out of the corner of his eye. “How did you get elected to bring the juice?”

Leone cleared his throat, his eyes darting to me like I was going to jump on him and then back to the floor. “I passed Raf and Troy helping Quinton to his room.”

“Is he alright?” I tried to shift upright in the bed, but the room spun.

“He’s in shock mostly.”

“Shock?” Would anything ever make sense again?

Chase chuckled. “You didn’t realize he hasn’t tasted essence again since, well almost a hundred years?”

My mouth dropped. “No. Yes. He said he didn’t, but I thought it might help him.”

Leone snorted. “I don’t know if it helped, but you took out three of my brothers in one swing, so if it’s all the same, please keep whatever you have as far from me as possible.” With that, he turned and walked out of the room.

I gave Chase a shocked look. “What did I do?”

Chase laughed. “You managed to scare the hell out of our fierce enforcer.” Grabbing my face, he kissed me hard on the mouth. “You amaze me.”

“Daxx!” Quinton stumbled into the room.

Chase jumped up and just stood there not moving, his stance told me he was prepared for a fight.

Leaning around him, I looked over at Quinton. Only it wasn’t the same Quinton that had left a few minutes earlier. Crawling to the end of the bed, I hit the floor and almost landed on my face. With shaking legs, I staggered toward him.

“I’m so sorry,” he managed a few more steps in my direction.

A strong arm wrapped around my waist from behind and I found myself held against Chase’s body instead of collapsing on the floor.

Quinton stumbled again and stopped in front of me, tipping my head to the side he looked at my neck. ’I’m sorry, Daxx, I don’t know…”

“It’s fine.” I brushed his hand away and reached up to touch his smoother cheeks. “Look at you, you’re healed and barely a wrinkle. You’re as beautiful as your brothers again.”

“Beautiful?” Chase inquired against my ear.

Troy and Rafael ran into the room and then stopped. “Jesus, Quint. You didn’t have to deck us, we weren’t trying to stop you from seeing her.” Rafael rubbed his jaw.

“Sorry,” Quinton said in a clear voice, with no trace of a lisp.

Troy huffed out a breath and turned him by placing a hand on his shoulder. “I can’t believe all these years you only needed the one thing you avoided.”

“Actually,” Chase said, still holding me tight into his body. “I believe it was because it was Daxx and not just some sustenance.”

Troy’s eyes moved over me slowly, pausing briefly on the arm that held me up. “What are you saying?”

Chase chuckled against my hair, his other arm wrapping around me. I wasn’t about to complain with my knees made of jello.

“I’m saying, Quinton, Rafael and you Troy, hell myself as well. She intoxicated the lot of us like we were all twenty-year-old virgins.”

The room went silent.

“What is going on here?”

Everyone turned to see Mitz standing in the door looking like an angry den mother.

Her eyes narrowed, as she looked at Rafael and then Troy. “Out.” Turning, she scowled at Quinton. Her eyes widened and then she squinted at him. “Do not think for one second that pretty smile will save your hide. Out.” By this time she was standing in front of me, her eyes softened. “A bunch of Neanderthals, you’d think they’d never been in the presence of a woman before.” She brushed aside my hair and touched the side of my neck. “I imagine Quinton released a little too much glamour into your system to hide the pain of the bite, you’re completely wasted—he’s just a little out of practice.”

Stopping she turned and looked at the three men still behind her. “What part of out didn’t you understand?”

I leaned back against Chase’s shoulder and closed my eyes, they were too heavy to hold open. I heard mumbles and footsteps on the floor as they left the room.

“Chase, help her to the bed.”

He swung me up into his arms and nestled me into his chest. I sighed and relaxed into him. “Chase?”

“Yes.”

“What did you mean when you said you hoped you were my choice? Choice of what?” I struggled to open my eyes and look at him.

Mitz made a sound of exasperation. “You boys haven’t told her?”

Chase sat down and kept me cuddled into him. “Troy felt she had enough to come to terms with right now.”

I looked from Mitz to eyes that were starting to turn to yellow.

“You will control yourself, Chase.” Mitz snapped.

He grinned, even though he didn’t look away from me. “I’m fine, Mitz. I would never harm our Huntress Queen.”

She sat down and held a glass of juice in front of my mouth. “You’re as smitten as the rest of them, Chase.”

I sipped slowly and couldn’t believe how thirsty I was.

“Yes, Mitz, I am. With good reason too. For two hundred and sixty years I’ve had to wait and wonder if this huntress existed at all. Now she’s here and turns out to be more than any of us could have imagined.”

Mitz helped me take another drink. “She has a good heart and will be a just hunter, for sure.”

Pushing the glass aside, I grasped Chase’s goatee to get his attention. “Stop talking about me like I’m not here.” I said in clipped words.

“Ah, damn, kitten, your head is clearing. I was starting to enjoy holding you so complacently in my arms.”

The fog was lifting a bit but I still felt shaky. Keeping my hold on his goatee, I smiled. “Thank you, by the way for coming to my rescue.”

He smiled a genuine smile, “any time.”

“You need to drink the rest of this, love.” Mitz held the juice in front of me again. “As soon as you’re able to hold yourself up right, well send prince charming packing and you can soak in the tub while I tend to dinner.”

“I can see to her if you need to be elsewhere, Mitz.”

Mitz lowered the glass and studied Chase. With a curious look she turned to me. “Did you let him at your emotions, Daxx?”

I shook my head. “No. He joked about it but said I was too high.” I glanced at him; he was looking at my mouth as I spoke. I felt my face flush and couldn’t help the smile that followed. “We only kissed, nothing otherworldly.”

Mitz cleared her throat. “I see.” She patted Chase’s shoulder. “Let’s sit her up and see if she’s found her balance.”

Chase hesitated and then nodded and shifted me off his lap to sit on the bed. With a firm hold on my shoulders, he squatted down in front of me.

I nodded and he slowly released me, but kept his hands ready in case I wasn’t able to stay that way. “I’m good.” My head was still a little fuzzy, but the room wasn’t moving like a tilt-a-whirl now.

Chase signed. “If my chivalry is no longer required, I will remove myself before Mitz kicks me out too.” He brushed a soft kiss over my lips and stood up. “I’ll see you at dinner, kitten.”

I watched him go out the door and close it behind him. Turning to Mitz, I shook my head. “Mitz, what the hell is going on I don’t know about?”

She held out a hand to help me up. “They should have told you, love. It’s not right to be a pawn in a game when you don’t know the rules. Let’s get you settled in the tub. While you’re soaking, I’ll go get the book.”

With slow steps, I moved toward the bathroom. “I don’t think I’m going to make the dress party.” Her words sunk in. “Book?”

She made a soft worrisome noise. “The book of prophecies for the King with the sons numbering nine.”