The Dark-Hunters (114 page)

She had no doubt about that at all. And it explained why he felt so free to talk about his “differences.” “Are you really a wolf?”

He nodded.

“Then how can you be human?”

“We’re a different breed than your people. My race was created about nine thousand years ago when my great-grandfather decided to save the lives of his sons by magically splicing their DNA with a few choice animals. Thus we were born. One son made two half-blooded creatures. One that held a human heart and one that held an animal heart. I’m directly descended from the animal.”

“So you have the heart of a wolf?”

Again, he nodded. “And the morals and the self-preservation instincts of one too.”

“Do you ever wish you were human?”

“No, never. Why would I?”

And yet she sensed he was hiding something. There was a lot more to his feelings than he was willing to admit and it was obvious he didn’t want her to delve into it.

So she changed the subject. “Does it hurt when you change forms? Is it like the movies where you get all hairy and bones crunch?”

He snorted at that. “No. That’s strictly a Hollywood dramatization. Since we’re born of magic, for the most part we wield it painlessly. I feel about as much pain transforming as you did when we bopped from Talon’s cabin to my bike. All you get is a little electrical frizz going through you. It’s actually kind of pleasurable if you do it right.”

“It must be neat to be able to do all that.” She tilted her head, squinted her eyes, and looked at him.

“What are you doing?”

“Trying to imagine what you would look like as a wolf.”

“Pray you never find out.”

She stepped back from him. “You know, I think you guys really get off on scaring people.”

“Sometimes we do.”

Not willing to investigate that any further, Sunshine continued to wait.

Unfortunately, Cameron didn’t show.

Vane tried to get her to go back to Talon’s but she refused. “Maybe he’s just late. Maybe he had a meeting or something. I can’t just leave.”

Vane gave a low, very wolf-sounding growl at that and took up a seat behind her stand, leaning back against the black iron fence while she sat on her stool, hawking her wares and sketching.

The afternoon dragged on, but nothing happened.

Cameron still hadn’t shown up.

Selena left at four for a brief break.

Vane was now sitting on the curb behind her. His long legs were stretched out on the street, and he had them crossed at the ankles. He was leaning back on his arms. The position pulled his cotton T-shirt tight over his impeccable body.

“You do this every day?” he asked.

“Pretty much.”

“Man, this is boring as hell. What do you do to keep from going insane?”

“I usually sketch or paint, and before I know it, the day has passed and it’s time to go home.”

“Well, I don’t get it.”

People who weren’t artists never did.

“Hi, Sunshine, you got anything new?”

Sunshine turned to see Bride McTierney approaching her on the opposite side of the cart. A tall, plus-sized type of voluptuous, Bride had the face of one of Botticelli’s angels. Her hair was so dark an auburn that it appeared black unless Bride was outside. Then it was a deep luminescent red. Bride usually wore it up in a clip with tendrils of it falling around her face.

A real sweetheart, Bride was one of her regular clients. She’d even taken some of Sunshine’s paintings and used them in her boutique.

“No,” Sunshine said, “sorry. I haven’t been painting the fantasy or Jackson Square stuff lately. I’ve mostly been working on commissioned pieces.”

“Rats, I just moved into a new apartment and was hoping you’d have something to make the drab walls tolerable.”

Sunshine frowned. Bride had loved her place on Iberville. “Why did you move?”

“Taylor doesn’t like coming all the way into the city at night so I thought it would be easier if I lived closer to where he works.”

“But
you
work in the quarter.”

“I know. It’s one of the sacrifices we all have to make for love.” She offered Sunshine a smile, but Sunshine could tell it was only a façade.

That was exactly what Sunshine was afraid of.

Why was it always the woman who had to sacrifice for love? Just once, couldn’t a guy do it instead?

Bride sighed. “Give me a call if you paint anything new that I’d like, okay?”

“I will. By the way, you’re looking really good. Have you lost weight?”

Bride beamed. “I’m down to a size sixteen. But I have to tell you that I am starving
all
the time.”

“Yeah, but you’re a knockout.”

“Thanks. Taylor signed me up for an aerobics class at his club that meets four times a week and that helped to get a lot of the weight off.”

“You don’t sound like you enjoy it very much.”

Pain darkened Bride’s eyes as she averted her gaze. “I just hate having to put on sweats and then walk into a room filled with size-two women in leotards—like they really need those classes. It makes me want to head to Krispy Kreme even more than the diet does.”

Sunshine laughed. “Tell me about it. I personally don’t think they should make anything except gunny sacks for anyone under a size ten.”

Bride smiled again. “Speaking of dress sizes and skinny women, I guess I better head back to the shop. You take care, okay?”

“You too.”

Bride wandered off in the direction of her store.

“Who was that?” Vane was now standing up, staring after Bride with a hungry glint in his eyes.

How did he do that? The man, or rather wolf, moved with an eerie silence.

“Her name is Bride McTierney. She owns a boutique over on Iberville.”

“She’s … very nice.”

Sunshine was amazed he thought so. Most guys were intimidated or just plain turned off by Bride’s height and Rubenesque build.

Vane looked as if he had just seen a supermodel in the flesh.

Now this could be good …

He blinked and returned to sitting on the curb.

“You know, I could introduce the two of you.”

He looked up at her, then glanced away. Still, she had glimpsed the regret in his green eyes.

“Wolves don’t socialize with humans. You guys tend to freak out when you learn what we are. Not to mention, your females are rather frail. I don’t like having to hold back for fear of bruising or killing my partner when I mate.”

“And people think I speak my mind. Jeez. You will just say anything, won’t you?”

“I told you, I’m not human. I don’t share your inhibitions.”

She supposed that was true enough. But it was a pity. Bride could use a man who accepted her as she was and didn’t put her on strict diets and exercise regimes all the time.

“So,” Vane said after a few minutes. “What’s between you and the Celt? Are the two of you just casually carnal or is there something more?”

“Why are you asking?”

“Because you’ve asked me for a full bio. I figure turnabout is fair play.”

Sunshine sat down next to him. “I don’t know. When I’m with Talon it’s like we fit. Like he’s a part of me that I didn’t know I was missing until I found him.”

“Does he feel the same way?”

She sighed wistfully. “Who knows? With him it’s hard to tell sometimes. I’m not really sure that
I
am the one he loves.”

“True. Emotions don’t appear to be his strong suit. Still, you must mean a lot to him for him to call me in.”

“How do you figure?”

“Going against Acheron’s orders isn’t a smart thing for a Dark-Hunter to do. That man has life-and-death control over them. Secondly, Talon was willing to barter with me to keep you safe. Again, not a smart thing to do.”

“Why, you’re not going to hurt him, are you?”

“Not at the moment, but when you consider the danger my people live in, obligating yourself to a Katagari Slayer is one step away from blatant stupidity.”

“A what Slayer?”

“The real term for what I am.”

Sunshine frowned at him. “Okay, and what exactly is a Katagari Slayer?”

“Someone who kills without remorse.”

A chill went down her spine and yet she found it hard to believe he could be capable of such a thing. He was feral, no doubt, but he didn’t seem completely without a conscience in spite of what he said. “Would you really do that?”

“Baby, I would kill my own mother and not think twice.”

She remembered what her grandmother had said about his siblings. “Yes, but would you kill your brother or your sister?”

He looked away.

She nudged his shoulder. “You’re not as amoral as you pretend, Vane Kattalakis. I think there may be more human inside you than you think.”

Sunshine returned to her cart and sat on her stool. She continued to scan the people around her, but as the sun set and Cameron didn’t show, she saw no one who even remotely seemed threatening.

Well, no one other than her guard.

*   *   *

Talon was up and dressed before sundown. He was pacing the floor of his cabin, dying to leave and find Sunshine.

Anxious, he dialed Vane.

“She’s still alive and unharmed,” Vane said without greeting. “Sunshine,” he called, “it’s the Celt wanting a little reassurance that I haven’t eaten you or anything.”

Talon rubbed his head at Vane’s odd humor as he waited for Sunshine to reach for the phone.

“Talon?”

“Hey, baby, you okay?” Talon asked, instantly relieved to hear her smooth Southern drawl in his ear.

It was the most blessed sound he’d ever known.

“I’m fine. Absolutely nothing has happened. It’s been really boring today. Except for Vane. He’s interesting in a very Cujoesque sort of way.”

He smiled. His mood was instantly lighter just knowing she was okay. “I’ll bet. You be careful and I’ll be out there as soon as I can.”

“Okay. See you soon.”

His heart clenched as she made a kissing noise to him, then handed the phone back to Vane. Gods, how he loved that woman.

“Ahh, Tally, me lub you too.”

“Shut up, crotch-sniffer. You’re not allowed to make lovey noises at me, only my honey is.”

Vane snorted. “You know, I’m really going to make you pay one day.”

“Yeah, I’ll bring along a few extra kibbles for you.”

Vane laughed good-naturedly. “For that, swamp rat, you owe me an extra nice plate of prime rib.”

“You got it. How are you doing, by the way? You holding on to your human form without any problems?”

“I’m just peachy. Even managed to keep most of my clothes on and everything.”

“Yeah, you do that. Don’t want your scrawny body making my Sunshine go blind or anything.”

“Trust me, if she hasn’t gone blind looking at your fat, hairy ass, mine’s not going to hurt her any.”

“Hairy? Excuse me, but you definitely have me confused with your brother.”

Vane laughed again.

“Seriously, though, the sun’ll be down in about fifteen minutes. I’ll head out immediately.”

“I’m holding down the fort, Custer. Don’t worry.”

“Thanks, Bull. See you in a bit.”

Talon hung up and waited until he could feel the tingling on his skin that always alerted him that the sun was gone and it was safe to leave.

*   *   *

It was about forty-five minutes after dark when Sunshine asked Vane to walk the short distance around the corner to the Coke stand and get her something to drink.

He balked, but she finally convinced him that she would still be in full sight and wouldn’t wander off until he returned.

As soon as he got in line, she heard Selena’s low whistle.

“Now that man looks scary with a capital
S.
He has serial killer written all over him.”

Sunshine turned to see an extremely tall, dark-haired man rounding the corner. The horses that lined Decatur Street snorted and pranced uneasily as he passed by them.

It was as if they sensed something evil about him.

He looked so incredibly sinister that her stomach drew tight. “Should I call Vane back?”

“I don’t know.” Selena got up from her card table and moved to stand beside Sunshine. “If he makes a move on you, I’ll grab him and you scream.”

“Okay. Maybe he’ll just keep on walking right past us.”

He didn’t.

He glanced at her cart as he came even with it, then paused.

Sunshine’s gaze fell to the vicious-looking silver claws on his left hand.

He didn’t speak a word as he approached her cart. She swallowed and instinctively moved closer to Selena. The man would be incredibly handsome if he didn’t look so ferocious.

She exchanged nervous looks with Selena.

His dark, deadly gaze was focused on the bowls she had fashioned after a Greek design she’d seen in a museum catalog. With a gentleness she wouldn’t have thought him capable of, he ran his hand over a red-figured bowl.

A flash of longing darkened his eyes, as if the design brought back some bittersweet memory for him. “You make these?”

She actually flinched as his intense black gaze met hers. He had a deep, provocative voice that was so heavily accented, it took her a minute to understand his question. “I do.”

“Nice work.”

She couldn’t have been more stunned had he taken a gun out and shot her. “Thanks.”

When he reached into his pocket, she braced herself to scream for Vane until she realized he was just pulling out his wallet. “How much?”

“What are you doing here?”

She looked past the man to see Talon approaching. His long, angry predatorial strides brought him to her side. Fast.

“None of your friggin’ business, Celt,” the stranger growled.

“Get away from Sunshine, Zarek, or I swear I’ll put you down.”

Zarek tucked his wallet back in his pocket and turned to face Talon. “Try it, Celt, and I’ll have your heart in my fist.”

Talon lunged and shoved him back.

Zarek swung at him, but Talon ducked and shoved him again.

Vane came out of nowhere to break them apart. “Hey, hey, hey!” he snarled at Talon, forcing him away from Zarek. “What is this about?”

“I better not ever catch you around her, Zarek. I mean it.”

Zarek flipped him off with his claw, then turned around and stalked angrily toward the Presbytere building.