The Huntress : The Alterealm Series Book 1

I brought us back with such enthusiasm that even Tim had to stop for a moment until things stopped spinning. When my eyes were able to focus again I was quite thrilled to see I’d landed us right where I’d meant to. Victor and Troy looked up from the map they’d been studying.

I grinned and walked over quickly. Looking over the map quickly, I stabbed my finger into the area we’d just come from. “There!”

Victor straightened. “You’ve found him?”

I nodded, and tried not to do the jig that was building up inside me. “We got close enough that we even have a rough idea of how many we’re up against.”

Troy glanced from Tim back to me. “Tim could see too?”

Bobbing my head again excitedly, I glanced over to see Tim smiling. “Yeah, he went to pull me back and discovered if he’s touching me he can see through the magic too.”

Troy’s eyes hardened and moved over me before sending a cold look in the guard’s direction. “Pull you back from what?”

I shrugged. “I got a little excited and almost went barreling right into their little compound.”

Raising one eyebrow at me, he straightened to look down at me. “You aren’t going to do anything on your own.”

I ignored the tone that implied an order and looked back down at the map. “It used to be a hospital that was abandoned years ago when they built the new one.” Pointing to the buildings on the map, I continued. “We cut their numbers down that night, but they still have at least thirty,” I looked up at Victor. “Only a few are from my side.”

Victor took a moment to consider what I was saying. “So he’s still making the devices?”

“He has to be.” Looking at Troy, I tried to see what he was thinking but found him watching me instead. Warmth moved through me and I had to give myself a mental smack, now was not the time to having those thoughts. Blinking, I broke his stare and turned back to Victor. “Do you have some way of getting a head count on who is missing from this end?”

Going over to the desk, he picked up some papers. “It’s not as exact as I’d like, some move between to be with mates, others may have just been elsewhere when we came calling…” He flipped through them briefly. “A rough guestimation, we have one hundred unaccounted for.”

Troy finally stopped staring at me and looked over at his brother. “Did you add those we sent back during the fight?”

Nodding, Victor looked tired suddenly. “Yes.”

“One hundred,” Troy said quietly, his tone betraying the situation was dire. When he looked back at me, it was all business. “And you figure thirty are in this old hospital?”

I nodded. “That we could see. There are a lot of buildings in that area though, most have underground tunnels joining them to the main structure, so there could be a lot more than we know of.”

Michael came in and glanced around at all of us. “This can’t be good.”

Troy turned and crossed his arms over his chest. “Daxx has found out where they are and it’s not good news.”

Frowning, Michael closed the door and moved over to stand in front of the map. “Why?”

I looked to Victor to explain it. He tossed the papers back on the desk and came over. Pointing to the spot I’d shown him, he looked up at his brother. “They’re holed up in this area; most likely using all the buildings to keep themselves spread out and so if one group is found the rest will escape. Daxx was able to see at least thirty.” He picked up the watch device off the table and turned it over in his hand. “Most are ours.”

Several emotions passed over Michael’s face as he stood there looking from us to the map. “We need more intel.” He finally said.

Troy crossed his arms over his chest, suddenly looking all alpha. “The problem with that is only Daxx can see to get that.” All three of the other males in the room stiffened.

I looked from Troy around at the others, and felt like I’d just missed the memo on something. “Why is that a problem?”

Tim moved a little closer, all while eyeing up Troy. “You can’t just stay there around the clock.” Troy sent him a look and for a second I could have sworn it was gratitude.

The idea of parking my butt in the same place for the next few days really didn’t sound like something I wanted to do. “Maybe Clairee can make up some of those charms again…”

Tim shook his head. “They didn’t help us see Marcus, only deflect his spell so I don’t think that’s going to help us this time.”

“What about your friend, huntress?”

I turned to look back at Victor. Chewing my lip, I debated on the options we had. The end result I didn’t like, at all. “I’ll talk to her, although she may want nothing to do with this.” I looked at all four of the men for a moment, taking in how lethal they would look on first sight. “If she agrees, it will only be so I can rest or take a break,” I held up my hand so they wouldn’t say anything, “and only Raf or Quinton are to be with her when she does it.” I motioned to all of them. “I don’t want to scare the hell out of her with all of the rest of you giants.”

Tim nodded, Victor and Michael did nothing to tell me if they agreed or not and Troy just stood there with his eyes roaming over me. Every nerve in my body twitched with the knowing look he was giving me. Before I could do or say anything embarrassing, I spun toward the door. “I’m going to find Quinton then go over to see Crissy.”

I felt like a coward as I practically fled from him, but it was either that or make a really big heated scene right there in front of the others. He avoided being anywhere near me, and made sure we were never alone, it was so totally not fair that he stand there and undress me with his eyes when I couldn’t do a damn thing about it.

I rounded the next corner and almost walked right into Chase’s hard chest. I hadn’t seen him since he was being held in the shower.

“That’s what I like, kitten, you running right into my arms,” he drawled, but winked as he said it so I wouldn’t take him too seriously. He paused and held me at arm’s length studying my face. “What’s wrong?”

I made an odd noise of annoyance. “Your brother is an ass!”

He smirked and rubbed the back of his neck. “I’m afraid I may need a few more specifics. I have several brothers that fit that description.”

I shoved away from him and started walking. “The one that looks like you but makes no sense.”

“Ah. Great seeing you, kitten. I’ll catch up with you later when you’re not on the war path.”

I still could hear his laugh as I turned down the next hallway.

****

Crissy not only agreed, she seemed pumped to help out. For her, it confirmed all the things she had always seen. Being a part of stopping the ultimate evil, her words, was something she wanted to do. I wasn’t worried about her staying hidden, as long as her new bright hair color was covered, hiding was one thing she had mastered a long time ago, and I trusted Rafael and Quinton to keep her out of harm’s way but my stomach would tighten when I knew she was there.

My first watch had been the longest day of my life, there was only so much you could do while hiding out on a shed on top of a building. Tim even seemed bored and antsy, confirming that we were both people that liked action. For the second shift I brought cards, but the interest in that wore off after the first hour.

We’d only managed to discover a few things, whatever was going on down there they were keeping most of it inside. Arius, Troy and Chase were busy trying to find someone they could get set up on the inside. The problem multiplied because the plant needed to believe in Marcus’ goals or he’d know.

When Criss and Quinton arrived, I was so tired from doing nothing I wasn’t sure if I had the energy to get Tim and I back home. Quinton nodded to Tim and waited until Crissy filled me in on her search for the missing brother, which was an endless trail of dead ends. When she settled into the corner by the small window, he pulled me aside.

“They found someone to go in, but you’re not going to like it.”

Eyebrows drawn together I looked at him. Anyone on the inside was a good thing. “Who?”

“Shelby,” he practically whispered.

My spine stiffened. “Shelby as in the crazy Shelby that tried to break my face?”

He nodded.

My first thought was I hoped Marcus caught her, then that was replaced with jealousy. Had Troy gone to her and asked for her help? Had she volunteered to redeem herself to him? “Well, it’s not my decision.”

Quinton looked at his boots more than my face. “It was Victor’s idea.”

That didn’t make me feel any better. “They better not expect me to cover her ass when all hell breaks loose.”

Rubbing a hand over his jaw, he glanced at me briefly. “When I get word that she’s in, I’ll take Crissy back to the apartment.”

I nodded. With a quick wave to Criss I left the little shed, feeling suddenly like the walls were closing in on me. It was ridiculous, what difference did it make to me who went in and who asked them? As long as we stopped Marcus, that’s all that mattered to me. Yes, I was lying to myself but that was fine too just as long as no one else knew.

By the time I reached my room, my mind was distracted by other things and I was past jealous and onto aggravated. How long was I supposed to hang back and wait for Troy to decide what he was doing? He may have millennia left, but I was a mere mortal gal and my years were numbered.

Every time we were in the same room together I smoldered. He watched me constantly, the look in his eyes made me want to climb him. I was sure he knew the effect he had on me, and he still did it anyway.

Tossing my jacket at the couch, I watched it slide to the floor. Taking a deep breath, I glanced over at the clock, there was a good chance they’d be at practice now. I should try to sleep.

Before I finished that thought, I was heading out the door to the gym, there would be no sleep for me. If I could go beat on someone and get rid of some of this frustration, I might feel just a little better.

****

I spotted Quinton as soon as I stepped through the door. Shelby must be in place inside Marcus’s domain if he were here. The mere thought of Shelby started emotions churning with a desire to throttle anyone that got in my way. Most of the brothers were engaged in mock fight with a sibling, the only one not fighting was Chase.

I zeroed in on him as I went to the weapons board. His eyebrows went up and his eyes widened. Grabbing one of the wooden swords that was half my size, I swung it a few times. If it had been metal I would have fallen to the floor right along with it when I’d pulled it off the rack.

Turning to Chase, I swung it a few more times. His eyes lit with understanding and he inclined his head and motioned to the mats. I had to give the guy bonus points there, letting me take my frustration out on him. When he stopped, he glanced over at his twin and sent me a daring grin. “The things I do for my siblings.”

He stood ready and I swung. I felt myself pull back just before our weapons connected, but still loved the vibrations that traveled up my arms.

“Come on, kitten, you’ve got more than that in you,” he goaded.

I came around with more force behind it this time. He deflected it without much effort.

“You know,” he side stepped to throw me off, “I could always help in other ways if someone else won’t man up.” He gave me a cheeky grin, a glint in his eyes.

It was just the right thing to say and he knew it as he grinned widened. The frustration inside me came to a boil and I lunged at him, swinging without pause between strikes. The more I went at him, the faster the adrenalin pumped and I found strength I didn’t know I had. At one point I advanced enough to wipe his smile right off his face. Lose the goatee and it was the very face that was driving me insane.

I could hear the men around us, most cheering for me, one or two laughing at Chase’s expense. I don’t know how long we were actually at it, but Chase wasn’t smiling at all now.

He sidestepped me twice, throwing off my balance and pissing me off all over again. Avoiding my swing, he turned and tossed the sword in the air to Troy. “I believe this is your beating I’m fending off, brother King.”

Pausing with the sword in the air, I glared at Troy. A serious look crossed his face. He lifted the sword and took two steps toward me. Somewhere in the back of my mind I realized that beating on the man I wanted to kiss speechless didn’t make any sense, but neither had my life lately.

I didn’t even have to take the first swing, he did. Well at least he wasn’t going to let me win. One of his swings connected and it rattled me up to my teeth.

I missed twice and grew more frustrated. Changing the angle of my swing I remembered the mad woman with the bat. Never let anger enter a fight.

I waited for him to swing and stepped back, rolling to the side and came up swinging. The sword connected with his hip.

With a determined look, he came at me again. I waited until he was closer and used the long piece of wood to vault myself into the air, landing a kick against his chest.

He stumbled back two steps, but before he could recover completely, I landed a blow against his hip again. His sword hit the mat as he staggered and dropped to one knee.

I stood ready, and then realized he wasn’t going to get up again. When he lifted his head and looked at me, his eyes were glowing red.

Heat shot through me. Dropping the mock weapon, I stood there fighting to catch my breath.

Troy dropped down and leaned back onto his elbows. He lay there, his chest heaving and eyes bright.

When I looked away from him I saw everyone was walking out the door. Quinton looked back long enough to grin at me. Chase stood there for a moment holding the door; he wasn’t smiling but still inclined his head and gave me a reassuring look. Then he went through the door and let it swing shut.

I looked back over at the man on the floor, watching me with a heated stare. This was the first time since he’d kissed me that he wasn’t walking as fast as he could in the other direction.

Hesitantly I went over to him, when I was close enough he reached up and grabbed my hand as he stood up. Without a word, he turned and pulled me along as he headed out the other door.

I almost had to run to keep up with him as he wound through the long maze of hallways that led to his room.