The Huntress : The Alterealm Series Book 1

I tried sitting and waiting which lasted about two minutes before I paced while waiting for Troy and Chase to get here. They were off giving orders or whatever, planning the next step.

Out of all the beings we sent back during the fight, not one of them could tell us where Marcus might be. When the few that were willing to co-operate tried to recall facts and information, they would suddenly be hit with jabbing pains through their skull. It wasn’t that they didn’t want to help; they couldn’t.

After a quick looksee inside a few heads, Troy informed us that their minds were muddled and vague. Obviously, Marcus had thought of how to cover his ass in the event anyone was caught. So all we had were indistinct details that would take forever to piece together to create a list of places to look. Of course, having to cover two realms and not just one made it all that more tedious.

Stopping, I stared at the floor. The image of Javis and his crazy girlfriend kept coming back to me. They both settled down nicely once we had them in the same space. She clung to him and he held her gently like she was the most precious thing in his world. Their left arms wore matching tattoos from shoulder to palm, or so I saw when he was waving his hand around.

It wasn’t the tattoo that was freaking me out, or even that no one had told me about it. The thing that had me ready to jump ship, or in my case realm, was that I knew there was a very real possibility it was going to happen to me. The mated part and the tattoo.

I stood there allowing myself three minutes of total honesty, then it was back to denial. I knew I was going to end up mated to one of the Kings. Never before in my life, in a sober state at least, had I been so drawn to a man. Or men and that right there wasn’t going to happen.

Yes, I was attracted to both of them, they are identical twins, but there was no way in this or any other millennium I was doing the tag team scenario. I was a one on one kind of girl and planned to stay that way.

Which left me right back at a decision I was trying to avoid, having to pick one. What if I just stayed clear of the physical bits with both of them? Can’t mate if we don’t touch, even though all I think about when ever they’re in the same room, or even not in sight was to touch … and several other actions, none at all innocent.

Sitting down, my mind jumped on the train of thought and wandered further. Did I feel the exact same thing for both of them? I’d only been close to Troy a few times but each time, the heat between us had been instant and hot enough to boil water in less than a minute. With Chase, it was more of a smoldering flame that got hotter. So my choice was a slow simmer and then burn or just go up in flames.

Shaking my head, I stared at the door wishing they would hurry up so I could stop thinking about this. We had other things to do than mate. There was an uber bad magician to take down, and I wanted my piece of that ending. I had to find the missing brother; probably in some insane asylum on my side thinking he’s completely wacko. Maybe I should just join him and take the easy way out of all this drama.

The door opened and I almost jumped up to hug Chase as he walked in. Yes, I wouldn’t be stuck inside my head now.

Troy came in behind him and closed the door. Both of them looked grim and I wasn’t sure if it was some new piece to the hunt, or if it was because we were going to talk. In my experience, there wasn’t a male of any race that liked hearing that word.

“Sorry we took so long.” Troy said quickly and then sat down on the couch across from me.

Chase settled on the arm and then looked me over once or twice. “You look more pissed off then you did earlier.”

Of course, I do you left me alone with my thoughts. “I’m past the anger part.”

He gave me a look that said he doubted that. “Again, Daxx, we’re sorry you weren’t told everything sooner.”

Troy crossed his legs and leaned back. “Even though you’ve handled everything up to this point reasonably well, can you honestly say it would be the same if we’d dumped all of it in your lap that first day?”

I hated that he made sense. “I don’t know, but I have dealt so far and think that maybe I should have been told more, long before now.”

Chase flashed me smile. “In our defense, we’ve never had to deal with the Huntress, so you can’t hold any mistakes we’ve made against us.”

Troy looked at his brother for a moment and then back to me. “What would you like to know about being mated?”

“How come I haven’t seen anyone with the tattoo until today?” It wasn’t one of my original questions, but my mouth spewed it before I could ask any others.

“It’s quite rare to find your mate,” Chase supplied quietly.

I looked from one to the other. “But there are couples all over the place.”

Troy smiled. “We are capable of falling in love and marrying someone else.”

Frowning, I quickly processed that information. “And if you come across your destined mate after you married another, then what?”

“Just because you find a mate doesn’t mean you have to accept them. A heart wants what it wants despite fate’s dictating.”

I studied Troy for a minute, he was trying to answer, but my brain was still stuck. Turning to Chase, I made a motion in the air with my hand. “How does it happen?”

He smirked. “Well, think about last night and I’m sure you can put the pieces together.”

Troy straightened. “So it’s true then? You almost marker her?”

Not even hesitating, Chase turned to his brother and nodded. “Yes and I had no control whatsoever for several minutes, I still don’t know how I managed to stop.”

Troy looked down at the floor, a hesitant expression on his face. “I wasn’t sure when I felt something like I never have before.”

“Imagine it from my end,” Chase said a little too enthusiastically for my taste.

Feeling like I needed to remind them I was still in the room, I leaned forward in the chair. “What’s the difference between marking and the blood rite?”

Slowly Troy looked away from his brother and directly at me again. “Marking is the tattoo, it marks you as mated, but without the blood rite it isn’t completely binding.”

Were there simple rules to this? “So, you don’t have to stay with them?”

Thinking about it for a moment, Troy answered while Chase sat there looking at me. “I don’t recall any that haven’t, so I can’t say for sure, but many have stayed together without the blood rite being done.”

Did I really want to know? Yes. “And that’s what it sounds like, exchanging blood?”

“Yes.” There was no hesitation when he answered. I had to admit at least Troy was trying to be as up front as he said he would be.

“So how does this marking happen?” Chase sent me a heated look, I felt my cheeks flush slightly. “I got that part, Chase, but it has to be more than just sex for it to happen or there would be a lot more marked Alterealm inhabitants I’m sure.”

Clearing his throat, Troy glanced down at his jeans and flicked some imaginary lint from them. “There’s a release, outside the sexual pleasure, a complete trust and connection. I can’t go into great detail because I’ve never experienced it, obviously.” He held his left arm out and twisted it over like I wouldn’t have noticed he didn’t have a tattoo.

Despite them answering anything I asked, I still wasn’t getting the answers I needed. Getting up, I paced over to the fireplace and turned to look back at them. “I still don’t see how it happens.” My voice held a whiny note I hoped they wouldn’t pick up on.

Chase got up and was in front of me before I could say anything else. Stepping close enough that our bodies almost touched, he reached down and took my hand in his, our palms melded together. I tried to ignore the look in his eyes, the same one he always got before he kissed me. Leaning into me, he boxed me in by placing his other hand over my shoulder to brace against the wall. If his twin hadn’t been sitting there watching us, I would have given into the urge to grab him and kiss him. My body started tingling when he was close to me, another few seconds and I knew I’d be in simmer mode. His eyes held mine with an intense gaze, then he looked down at our hands, squeezing mine lightly.

All the veils lifted in that moment and I understood how the connection was made for the marking to happen. I let go of his hand like it had just burned me and tucked both into the back pocket on my jeans. “I get it,” I said softly, feeling a little silly.

Chase continued to stand close to me for a few more seconds, his eyes moving over my face and pausing on my mouth.

“May I ask if you felt it last… night?” Troy’s voice interrupted our silent stares.

Moving away from Chase, I shrugged. “I can’t say, honestly I have been feeling things I’ve never felt since I got here.” Like wanting two men all the time, I thought.

“I’ve felt the pull since the time I walked in to find half my brothers crowding around her.” Chase said softly as he moved around me and went back over to the couch.

Troy nodded. “Yes, I felt it the very second she stepped into my office and threatened to slice Welsley a whole new life-style.” Again, he looked carefully at me before returning his gaze to his sibling. “What happened last night? I don’t mean to pry, I am just trying to understand this beyond reading it in books.”

Chase dropped down off the arm and sat on the cushion. “Daxx offered to let me feed from her, she was curious I suppose.” I blushed, Troy’s face filled with envy, but he didn’t say anything. Chase continued. “It was like nothing I’ve ever experienced, I was damn near intoxicated in no more than the span of a few seconds.”

When Troy looked at me, his expression had softened. “Yes, I can relate quite well to that.”

I remembered when I helped Quinton.

“And then I was consumed with her, every pore in my body drove me and I couldn’t seem to stop myself. I still don’t know how I did,” Chase finished in an odd tone.

“Nor I,” Troy replied.

Shaking my head, I went back over and stood behind the chair. “Well, I for one am very happy you managed it. I just thought it was …” My brain kicked in and I immediately stopped talking. Chase grinned, but Troy once again looked down at the floor, his jaw tense.

“Are there any other questions you need answered, my queen?” Looking weary, Troy got up.

I didn’t know what to ask first. “Thousands, but I can’t seem to find just one.”

“Feel free to call me anytime you like if you need an answer to anything. I have to go deal with a few matters.” He looked around at Chase, who nodded his agreement.

A phone rang out, with a sigh, Chase pulled his out of his pocket and got up and moved to the far side of the room before he answered it.

When I looked back, Troy was standing only a few inches away from me. Several emotions crossed his face before he spoke. “Are you still planning to come back and see more of my realm?”

“Yeah, why wouldn’t I?”

He looked over at Chase and then back down at me with a pained expression in his eyes. “I don’t see my brother handling that well.”

I couldn’t say I hadn’t thought of the blood bond being a factor when I went back, I was actually hoping it would wear off with a little space. “Hey, we had a deal. I spend time here with him and then with you.”

His eyes held mine with a look so serious I couldn’t look away, “And then what, little Huntress?” His voice was soft and low, making shivers crawl all over my skin. I wasn’t sure if that was a good or bad thing.

I shook my head. “Honestly, I don’t know, Troy. My head is all over the place, I’m not even sure if it’s attached most of the time lately.”

“I can assure you it’s still exactly where it should be.” He touched his finger under my chin for a moment, something soft but unreadable in his eyes. “I will see you tomorrow.” With a final glance at his brother, he turned and left the office before I could say anything else.

The door closed as Chase hung up the phone. I didn’t even have to ask if something was wrong, I could feel what he felt.

“I’m afraid I may have to leave you on your own for your last night here, kitten. It seems I have restless followers to calm.”

The sad note in his voice made me feel like I should go over and comfort him, again not something I generally did. “That’s okay; you do have some pretty serious obligations attached to you.”

With a grin, he leaned back against the desk. “Like a fungus at times.” He sighed. “I had hoped for a few quiet hours with you before tomorrow.”

“It’s those quiet times that could get us into trouble.” I tried to joke, but couldn’t pull off the carefree tone as well as I had hoped.

Raising his eyebrows at me, he walked over toward me. “A little trouble can be a good thing.” His gaze moved over my face.

Like a coward, I looked down at the carpet. “Until it turns into tattoos and blood rites.” When I glanced back at him, he was only a foot away, the chair between us.

“I’ve promised to behave.” There was a wounded tone in his voice.

“I know, but I think we should give ourselves a little space until this blood bond thing wears off, it could be the factor that’s making things …” I motioned between us, not sure how to say it.

Chase chuckled. “You think it’s the bond that almost made me mark you?”

I nodded.

“Hmm, it could be a small factor, but let me assure you, kitten, with or without it I’ll still want you.”

Butterflies took flight in my stomach with the way he was looking at me. What could I say to that?

Tucking his hands in his pockets, he offered a small smile. “We’ll put your theory to a test then? Keep our distance for a few days and see how it plays out after.”

I wanted to breathe a huge sigh of relief, but thought it might somehow be an insult to him. “Okay.”

Kissing his hand, he blew me a kiss and then motioned to the door. “I really must go. Tim will take you back to your room or to watch a movie, whatever you choose.”