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Authors: Nina Croft

Tags: #blood hunter, #nina croft, #break out, #deadly pursuit, #space opera, #sci-fi romance, #science fiction romance, #vampires, #werewolves, #aliens, #space

Deadly Pursuit (A Blood Hunter Novel, #2) (63 page)

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“Painkillers,”
he
said.

Her
gaze
flashed
to
his
face,
and
she
nodded.
“Off
course.”
She
pawed
among
the
contents.
“I
don’t
know
what
a
painkiller
looks
like.”

“Give
it
to
me.”

She
slid
the
kit
across
the
floor,
and
he
studied
the
contents,
located
the
strongest.
“The
codinex,”
he
said.

She
picked
up
the
syringe
and
studied
it.

“Stick
it
straight
in
the
muscle
on
my
thigh,”
he
said,
but
she
still
looked
dubious.
“Darling,
one
more
hole
in
me
at
this
point
is
not
going
to
add
much
to
my
injuries.
It’s
the
quickest
way,
and
right
now,
I’m
hurting.”

That
obviously
clinched
it
for
her.
She
caught
her
lower
lip
between
her
teeth,
lifted
the
syringe,
and
stabbed
it
into
his
right
leg.
The
relief
was
almost
immediate,
a
delicious
numbness
spreading
through
him.
For
a
moment,
he
sat
back
and
savored
the
sensation.

“Now
a
stimulant.”
He
pointed
at
a
second
syringe.
This
time
Alex
didn’t
hesitate,
just
picked
it
up,
removed
the
cover,
and
jabbed
him
in
the
left
thigh.

Jon
took
a
deep
breath
and
rested
his
head
back
against
the
cool
metal
of
the
desk
while
he
waited
for
everything
to
work.
He
could
sense
Alex
watching
him.

A
few
minutes
later,
Rico’s
tall
figure
appeared
in
the
doorway.
He
took
in
the
bodies
on
the
floor
and
Jon
propped
against
the
desk.
“Hey,
you
look
great.”

Jon
choked
back
a
laugh;
he
didn’t
think
he
could
take
that
amount
of
movement
right
now.
Instead,
he
took
a
deep
breath.
“Thank
you.”

Rico
grinned.
“I
bet
that
hurt
more
than
any
amount
of
torture.”

“You
don’t
know
how
much.”

Rico
wandered
over,
his
gaze
running
over
Jon,
assessing
the
damage.
“Anyway,
I
didn’t
come
back
for
you.
I
came
back
because
Alex
would
have
made
my
life
a
misery
if
I
hadn’t.
Like
a
yapping
little
dog.”

Jon
glanced
sideways
at
Alex.
She
shrugged.

“Are
you
okay
to
get
out
of
here?”
Rico
asked.

He
nodded.
“I’ll
shift
as
soon
as
I
can
stand
up.”

“Good,
because
we
have
about
five
minutes
to
get
clear
before
the
place
is
overrun
with
Skylar’s
friends.”

Skylar
and
Tannis
appeared
behind
him.
“Are
we
ready
to
go?”
Skylar
asked.

“Just
about.”

Tannis
peered
down
at
the
headless
body
of
the
sergeant,
still
smoking.
“Dayam.”

Jon
grinned.
“Alex
did
that
one.”

Alex
scrambled
to
her
feet
and
brushed
herself
off.
She
closed
the
lid
of
the
medical
kit
and
stood
fidgeting
from
one
foot
to
the
other.
“Are
you
okay?
Do
you
need
anything
else?”
she
asked.

“Don’t
fuss,”
Rico
said.
“He’s
fine.
A
bit
of
bruising,
that’s
all.”

Again,
Jon
would
have
laughed,
but
it
hurt
too
much.
Checking
himself
over,
he
reckoned
he
could
make
it
to
his
feet
now.
With
all
the
drugs
inside
him,
he
felt
like
his
body
didn’t
belong
to
him.
That
would
clear
once
he
shifted.
He
pushed
himself
up
and
balanced
with
his
good
hand
resting
on
the
desktop
while
he
decided
whether
he
could
stand
alone.

Everyone
was
watching
him.
It
wasn’t
in
werewolves’
nature
to
shift
in
front
of
people,
a
hang-up
from
the
old
times
of
total
secrecy
on
Earth.
But
what
the
hell,
they’d
come
back
for
him,
he
could
hardly
tell
them
to
get
out.
Well,
he
could,
but
he
found
he
didn’t
want
to.

He
stripped
off
his
shirt.
Nakedness
didn’t
bother
him.
Usually.
But
now
he
hesitated.
Three
sets
of
female
eyes
watched
him,
two
with
curiosity,
but
Alex
just
looked
worried
as
though
he
might
crash
to
the
floor
at
any
moment.
Tannis
caught
his
gaze
and
raised
an
eyebrow.

He
looked
away,
straight
at
Skylar.
Amusement
glinted
in
her
eyes
as
though
daring
him
to
continue.

What
the
hell?

Keeping
his
gaze
locked
on
Alex,
he
kicked
off
his
boots,
peeled
off
his
pants,
and
stood
naked
before
them.

Alex
winced,
and
he
glanced
down.
His
body
was
a
mass
of
bruising
and
burns.
They
would
heal.
He
searched
inside
himself,
released
his
wolf,
and
sensed
the
rightness
as
the
change
flowed
through
him.


His
beautiful
body
was
battered
and
bruised.
They’d
hurt
him
so
badly.
For
a
moment,
she’d
known
real
hatred
and
rage.
When
she’d
killed
her
attacker
the
other
day,
she
hadn’t
felt
hatred…just
something
that
needed
to
be
done
for
her
own
survival.
This
time
she
had
wanted
them
to
die
for
what
they
had
done.

Alex
kept
her
gaze
fixed
on
Jon,
but
out
of
the
corner
of
her
eye
she
could
see
the
smoking
corpse
of
the
man
she’d
killed.
He’d
been
taking
aim
at
Jon
and
such
a
fury
had
built
inside
her
that
she’d
pointed
her
laser
pistol
at
him
without
thinking,
just
needing
to
obliterate
him.
Then
she
hadn’t
been
able
to
stop,
even
when
she’d
known
he
was
dead.

She
still
felt
light-headed
with
relief.
When
she’d
first
caught
sight
of
Jon,
she’d
been
sure
he
was
dead
and
such
a
mixture
of
emotions
had
beset
her
for
a
minute
she
hadn’t
been
able
to
think.
When
his
eyes
flickered
open,
relief
had
poured
through
her.

Now
she
watched
him
shift,
and
it
was
like
magic—the
change
flowing
over
him,
remaking
him.
When
complete,
Jon
stood
on
all
fours—huge,
glossy,
dark
coat
and
glowing
amber
eyes.

“Wow,”
Skylar
murmured.

“Hey,
it’s
only
a
big
shaggy
dog,”
Rico
replied.
“Now
do
you
think
we
could
get
out
of
here?”

The
wolf
approached
Alex,
coming
to
a
halt
in
front
of
her.
The
top
of
his
head
reached
her
shoulder.
She
stretched
out
her
hand,
dug
her
fingers
into
the
silky
fur,
and
a
tingle
like
magic
flowed
up
through
her
arm.

In
that
moment,
she
knew
things
were
going
to
be
fine,
and
despite
her
doubts,
she
sent
up
a
silent
prayer
of
thanks.

Jon
padded
beside
her
as
they
headed
out
of
the
house
and
back
to
the
speeder.
His
movements
were
stiff
as
though
he
was
still
feeling
some
of
the
pain
that
had
been
so
obvious
in
his
human
form.
He
settled
into
the
back
seat
of
the
speeder,
rested
his
head
on
her
lap,
and
closed
his
eyes.

Chapter
Seventeen

Alex
spent
the
journey
to
the
ship
expecting
to
hear
the
sound
of
pursuit
as
the
Collective
came
after
them,
but
they
got
back
without
incident.

The
engines
roared
to
life
as
soon
as
they
were
on
board
El
Cazador
.
They
hurried
to
the
bridge
and
strapped
in
for
takeoff.
Daisy
shifted
from
the
pilot’s
seat
to
copilot,
and
Rico
sat
down
and
started
the
takeoff
procedure.
They
were
off
the
ground
in
minutes.
Alex
could
sense
the
subdued
panic,
tightly
restrained.
Even
Skylar
appeared
on
edge.
She
got
up
as
soon
as
they
were
in
the
air
and
started
checking
the
console
readings.

“Nothing
behind
us
yet,”
she
said,
flicking
through
the
screens.
“But
you
know,
they’ll
be
after
us.”

“No,
I
didn’t
know
that,”
Tannis
snapped.
“I
really
thought
since
we’d
got
away
again
they
might
just
forget
all
about
us.”

Janey
appeared
in
the
open
doorway,
limping
slightly,
but
otherwise
she
didn’t
look
too
bad.
Her
eyes
widened
as
she
took
in
the
huge
wolf
sprawled
at
Alex’s
feet.

“How
are
you
feeling?”
Tannis
asked.

“Fine,
no
pain
at
all.
What
do
you
need
me
to
do?”

“Can
you
extend
the
normal
scanning
range?
Give
us
a
bit
more
time
to
get
away
if,
or
rather
when,
they
finds
us.”

“No
problem.
It
will
take
power,
but
we’re
juiced
up.
The
Trog
refueled
in
port.”
She
nudged
Skylar
out
of
the
way
and
sat
down
at
the
bank
of
consoles.
A
moment
later,
her
fingers
were
flying
over
the
boards.
“Nothing
yet,”
she
murmured.

“Good,”
Tannis
replied,
searching
the
bridge
as
if
needing
something
to
concentrate
on.
Her
gaze
came
to
rest
on
Alex
and
the
huge
wolf
curled
up
at
her
feet.
He
was
sleeping
now,
his
breathing
even
and
deep.
Occasionally,
a
slight
tremor
would
ripple
through
his
body.

“Go
and
get
him
some
clothes,”
Tannis
said,
frowning.
“You
know,
we’d
better
start
earning
some
money
soon—I’m
betting
our
boy
over
there
isn’t
cheap
to
keep.
His
clothes
bill
must
be
enormous.”

A
warm
feeling
stirred
inside
Alex
at
the
words.
Tannis
was
talking
as
though
Jon
was
staying
with
them.
Of
course,
that
didn’t
mean
he
would,
but
at
least
if
Tannis
had
accepted
him,
there
was
a
chance.

“You
might
as
well
go,”
Rico
said.
“He’ll
be
out
for
a
while.
It’s
the
best
thing
for
him
right
now.
He’ll
heal
and
be
as
good
as
new
when
he
shifts
back.
Well,
maybe
not
as
good
as
new—he
took
a
battering,
but
he’ll
be
okay.”

Alex
nodded,
then
took
a
last
look
at
Jon
and
hurried
away.
She
found
clothes
in
his
room
before
going
to
her
own
cabin,
where
she
showered
quickly
and
put
on
a
fresh
jumpsuit.
Standing
in
front
of
the
mirror,
she
studied
her
face.
The
bruising
was
gone
and
she
didn’t
look
different,
but
inside
she
was
changed
beyond
anything
she
could
imagine.

She
was
in
love.
Not
falling
in
love,
but
already
there.
She’d
known
it
the
moment
she
thought
Jon
might
be
dead.

And
he
had
feelings
for
her,
though
he
was
fighting
them.
He
didn’t
want
to
feel,
and
one
day
she
hoped
he
would
tell
her
why.

Clutching
the
bundle
of
clothes,
she
ran
back
to
the
bridge,
but
Jon
was
still
asleep.
She
lowered
herself
to
the
floor
beside
him,
rested
her
hand
on
his
head,
and
closed
her
eyes.


Something
woke
her.
She’d
been
in
the
middle
of
a
great
dream,
and
she
kept
her
eyes
closed,
hoping
to
recapture
it,
until
someone
nudged
her
with
a
boot.
Daisy
loomed
over
her,
holding
out
a
steaming
mug.
Alex
took
it
and
realized
at
the
same
moment
that
Jon
was
gone.

She
scanned
the
room
and
honed
in
on
him
immediately.
He’d
shifted
back
and
was
talking
quietly
with
Tannis
and
Skylar.
When
he
caught
her
gaze,
his
expression
was
wary,
lines
of
strain
bracketing
his
mouth.

He’d
dressed
in
the
black
leather
pants
and
shirt
she’d
brought
him,
but
his
feet
were
bare
and
his
hair
hung
loose
to
his
shoulders,
giving
him
a
disheveled
appearance.

Alex
wanted
to
go
to
him,
but
she
forced
herself
to
remain
where
she
was.
Let
him
do
the
chasing
,
she
cautioned
herself.

BOOK: Deadly Pursuit (A Blood Hunter Novel, #2)
10.74Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
ads

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