Alpha Hunter (6 page)

A shockingly cruel smile parted Porffer’s lips and she finally looked at Sevrin. “They are chaotic and unpredictable.
Today’s setback was unacceptable. Wouldn’t it be nice to eliminate them from the equation entirely?”

“You have no idea.” The Shadow Assassins were a necessary evil or so she’d thought.
If they could… Reality intruded on her flight of fancy. They’d yet to produce a successful transfer
with
the Shadow Assassins’ cooperation. How did Porffer hope to accomplish the ultimate goal with a synthesized version of the bonding agent? Still, she didn’t want to discourage the doctor from trying. Control was the key to success in any project and the hunters were almost impossible to control. “Keep with it. I would love to dial back the chaos in this project more than anyone.”

* * * * *

“Is this supposed to be funny?” Angie wiggled out of Blayne’s arms and looked around. They were back in the desert. She’d had less than ten minutes with her sister and then Lor flashed out of sight with Tori, and Blayne brought Angie here—wherever the hell “here” was.

“This is a quick layover. Our destination is much farther away.” One corner of his mouth quirked and secrets shimmered in
his silver-blue eyes.

She crossed her arms over her chest and glared. Why did he have to be so
damn cryptic?

“I
’ll explain everything, in minute detail, once we reach our destination.”

Taking another step back, s
he unfolded her arms and widened her stance, instinctively preparing for a confrontation. “I told you to stay out of my mind. I will not—”

“I
’m not in your mind. Your annoyed expression said it all.”

She wasn’t sure she believed him. She did have a terrible poker face. “Then tell me where we’re going.”

“The name would mean nothing to you, but everything to Nazerel. Stop arguing with everything I say.”

“I’m not arguing with everything you say, just the parts that piss me off.”

He chuckled and turned to the side. “Then you’re easily angered.” Spreading his arms wide, he raised his face to the sun and closed his eyes.

“What are…
”

Thunder rumbled in the distance as clouds materialized above their heads. She felt her jaw drop and barely managed to
shut her mouth before lightning branched out across the sky. He could manipulate weather? But why—clouds shadowed the area all around them while sunlight hallowed the gloom. Then six bolts of lightning struck at exactly the same time. The ground shook and Angie gasped, holding out her arms as she struggled for balance.

An opening formed in front of Blayne, rotating outward in a
smoothly expanding circle. Angie pressed her hand over her pounding heart, awed and horrified by what she was seeing. He’d opened some sort of portal, just commanded it into being with the power of his mind.

Her insides turned to Jell-O and her knees went weak. What had Tori gotten them into?

Inside the opening colors swirled and stretched, blending into hypnotic patterns. Angie forced her gaze away from the spectacle and looked around. As before, there was nowhere to run and no one to help her. Did she even need help? Tori obviously trusted these men. She hadn’t been happy about the separation, but she’d done nothing to prevent it from happening.

Blayne turned his head and lowered one arm. “
Our host knows we’re coming. Let’s go.”

“Go where and who the hell
is our host?” She motioned toward the portal, hand trembling. “You expect me to go through that thing without any more explanation?”

“I don’t expect you to do anything.” His expression grew stern, voice reflecting his frustration. “I’m offering you a safe place
to plan your next move. If you want your life back, this is the only way.”

“How do I know Nazerel is as much of a threat as you claim? Maybe he just doesn’t like you.”

“Trust me or don’t. I won’t force you to go, but consider this. You are endangering everyone you care about by remaining on Earth.”

There was no way Tori would have agreed to this unless the danger was real.
Angie fueled her determination with the thought and moved closer to Blayne. “I don’t give my trust easily. Don’t screw this up.”

Warmth melted his expression and brightened his gaze.
“I won’t.” He took her by the hand and pulled her into his arms. “Hold on tight.”

The warning seemed ridiculously insufficient as soon as they stepped into the portal. Even with his arms anchoring her to his chest, she felt as if her body were
being torn apart by the momentum. Her hair whipped around her face and clutching his back still left her suspended in midair. It was terrifying and yet exhilarating, like a carnival ride on steroids.

Gradually the rushing sensation slowed and she began to relax. Watching the streaking colors made her feel nauseous, so she buried her face in his throat. His hair tickled her check and he adjusted his arms, pulling her more snugly against his body.

“You okay?”

His voice barely penetrated the cacophony surrounding them. Rather than try
to shout loud enough to be heard, she nodded. His scent filled her nose as the warmth of his body surrounded her. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d had someone to depend on, someone to protect and shelter her.

She smiled against his
skin, knowing he couldn’t see the expression. There was still so much she didn’t understand, so much she would need to learn, but her guide was certainly appealing.

The painful roaring lessened, becoming crackling static and then a subtle hiss. She raised her head and blinked into the light
, watching as shadows became shapes. Blayne moved forward, walking on air until the ground solidified beneath his feet. He loosened his hold and she slid down his body, standing on the ground as well.

“Welcome to Bilarri.” He eased her back without letting go.

Her legs trembled and her surroundings tilted as she fought for equilibrium. Green blurred with blue and she instinctively closed her eyes against the vertigo.

“No. Keep your eyes open.” Blayne slipped his arm around her waist and held her steady. “Breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth. This will pass. I promise.”

“First-time traveler?” The speaker’s deep voice was laced with humor and oddly accented.

She tried to look at the newcomer, but moving her head renewed the spinning.

“I’ll make the introductions once she recovers,” Blayne told the other man. “Would you please send for a beverage?”

“Of course.”

Blayne swept her up in his arms, causing Angie to gasp. “My legs are fine. It’s my head that’s gone all wonky.” His warm chuckle penetrated the dizziness and sent a tingle down her spine.

“When’s the last time you ate anything?”

“Awhile,” she grumbled. Unless she counted the bag of chips she’d bought with the last of her money, she hadn’t eaten since the night Jordan abandoned her.

She only had a vague impression of trees
, sunshine and a sky more green than blue, then Blayne carried her into a building and her vision began to clear. They passed through a cavernous entryway with three staircases leading to different parts of the house, or was it a hotel? Constructed of unpolished stone and exposed timbers the building was both rustic and elaborate.

“Take her into the library
. I’ll arrange a light repast.”

Blayne turned into the library and Angie only caught a glimpse of the other man. He appeared tall and lean with dark hair, but a more detailed impression would have to wait until he returned.
Instead, she looked around, amazed by the timeless beauty of the room surrounding them. Floor-to-ceiling shelves crammed full of books dominated two walls while a massive stone fireplace was centered in another. The outer wall was made up almost entirely of windows and a large transparent door.

A trestle table with six matching chairs
had been arranged at one end of the rectangular room and a grouping of high-backed armchairs faced the fireplace. Blayne lowered her into one of the chairs, his gaze narrowed with concern. “You’re still really pale. Has the vertigo stopped?”

“
I’m fine. Stop hovering.” She shooed him away even though she’d enjoyed his embrace far more than she cared to admit. He straightened without retreating, obviously as determined to baby her as she was to reassert her independence. “Who is our host and where are we?”

“
This is Hautell. It’s the largest region on the planet of Bilarri.”

He was right. The names didn’t mean anything to her.

They were on another planet! The rest was incidental because her mind was still reeling from that fundamental fact.

Beyond the windows stretched a breathtaking view of rugged mountains and towering trees. If it weren’t for the turquoise sky, she could almost pretend she was in Montana or Colorado. “Is the sky always this green?”

“The Bilarrian sky is more reflective than the sky surrounding Earth. All the trees in Hautell make it appear green, near the ocean it’s sapphire blue, and over the San Adrin desert it takes on a golden cast. It’s really quite lovely.”

She dragged her gaze away from the scenery and looked at Blayne.
One side of his hair was tucked behind his ear, the other brushed against his cheek. The wavy fall drew her attention to his slashing cheekbones and the sensual fullness of his lips. She knew how those lips felt as they moved over hers, hungry and demanding, yet soft. She generally preferred her men clean-shaven, but his goatee fit his style so well, she’d let it slide.

Clearing her throat, she forced her gaze back to his eyes.
“Are we close to Ontariese? Why didn’t you take me to your homeworld?”

“Because that’s exactly what Nazerel expects me to do.”

“Is this a conference center or something? This place seems huge.”

He glanced beyond her, as if deciding what to say.
“In a way. It’s the primary residence for our host, but he and his mate are seldom the only inhabitants.”

Before she could unravel the implications of Blayne’s response, their host returned. Dressed in intricately tooled brown leather pants and a loose white shirt, he looked as if he belonged to another time rather than another planet. His features were refined, yet his eyes were somehow savage. Endlessly black and ringed in red, she’d never seen eyes…no, if the rings were blue rather than red, he would have eye
s like Nazerel. Tension gripped her belly and she sank deeper into the chair’s padding.

Blayne snapped to attention as the other man entered and swept his arm toward her. “This is Angie Logan, Lord Drakkin. We
’re grateful for your hospitality.”

Lord
Drakkin. Should she stand and bow or something?

Drakkin smiled and his voice gentled as he said, “Just Drakkin is fine. I don’t stand on ceremony in my own house.” He handed her a glass filled with a ruby
-red beverage. “Sip this until the food arrives.” His tone rang with authority and the confidence of one used to being obeyed.

Feeling awkward and stunned, she took the glass from his hand and drank. The beverage tasted more or less like wine, yet it
had a spicy heat as well.

“So fill me in.” Drakkin moved to one chair and motioned Blayne toward another.

“Angie has only recently become involved in this, so don’t be surprised if she has lots of questions.” Blayne offered her a quick smile as he took his seat. Then he turned back to Drakkin. “As you likely know, the Shadow Maze was liberated with the help of one of their sweepers.”

“What’s a sweeper?”
Angie didn’t set out to prove Blayne’s point, but if she was the target of one of the Shadow Assassins, she needed to understand what all of this meant.

Blayne didn’t seem annoyed by her question. He looked at her and explained, “The sweepers were Shadow Assassins with the ability to manipulate minds. When a female was ready for release, they would ‘sweep’
her mind, erasing the memory of everything that happened in the Shadow Maze. It kept them from returning and was supposed to make their transition back into the world above easier. This is all according to them, of course.”

“Got it.”
She crossed her legs and tried to appear relaxed. “Can I ask another question?”

Blayne smiled, clearly amused by her politeness. “You may ask as many as you like.”

She looked at Drakkin, who had been following their exchange with a lazy sort of humor in his gaze. “Why can you speak English? Have you been to Earth?”

“I’ve been to Earth many times and speak seven Earth languages. My mate is not human, but we met on Earth. Can Blayne continue now or do you have more questions for me?”

“Just one more.” Their courtesy was starting to border on condescension. Angie scooted to the edge of her chair and met Drakkin’s gaze. “If Nazerel is the bad guy, why does he look so much like you?”

His head tilted and the rings in his eyes brightened. “Nazerel is one of the Shadow Assassins?”

“An alpha hunter who has set his sights on Angie,” Blayne explained.