The Dark-Hunters (672 page)

He laughed even though the very thought of it horrified him. “I’d really rather you didn’t. But I don’t want to see you hurt either. I’d rather you be safe and me stay here than for something to happen to you.”

She took his hand into hers. The warm gentleness of that touch radiated through him. His body ached for a real taste of her.

Oh, to have one minute in the human realm.…

“We got three of them tonight.”

Fang nodded. “I know. It’s why my wounds have healed as much as they have.” It was also why he was so much stronger now. “Thank you.”

She kissed his hand. “You’re welcome. We’ll have you back soon. I promise.”

Gods, he hoped so. It was hard to stay here, day after day. He felt so alone and out of touch. But at least she was here with him and for that comfort alone, he’d never be able to repay her. “How’s Vane?”

“We haven’t really heard. He’s staying with one of the Dark-Hunters for now to help protect his mate.”

“Which one?”

“Valerius.”

Fang cursed at the name. Had that bastard done his job in the swamp, Anya would still be alive. Why in the name of Olympus would Vane have gone to him given that? What was he thinking? “The Roman?”

Aimee grimaced and nodded. “I’m sorry, Fang. I didn’t think that would upset you.”

Yet it did. Not just because of the fact that Valerius hadn’t been able to help them protect Anya, but because Fang wasn’t there to help Vane when his brother needed him most. He couldn’t stand the thought of Vane having to turn to someone who’d already let them down.

“Do you know who in our pack is hunting him?”

“Stefan is the only one we’ve seen. He’s come into Sanctuary a couple more times—no doubt trying to get a shot at you.”

Fang cursed. “I’ve got to get out of here. Vane can’t stand alone.”

“He’s not.”

Fang froze at her unexpected contradiction. “What do you mean?”

“Fury’s with him.”

“Fury?” He gaped in indignation. Obviously Vane had snapped a serious wheel since Fang had been injured. What the hell was his brother thinking? “That guttersnipe? What’s Vane doing with him?”

Aimee pulled back as she realized the mistake she was making. What was it with Fang that every time she drew near him, she stuck her foot into something? It was like she couldn’t say or do anything right where he was concerned. “I should be going.”

He refused to let go of her hand. “You know something.” His tone was one of complete accusation.

She hesitated. This wasn’t her place. “Fang, I shouldn’t be the one telling you this.”

“Telling me what?”

Aimee couldn’t do it. Vane should be the one to tell him. Or Fury. But not her. “I have to go.”

“Aimee,” he said in an agonized tone that tore through her. “Please. I need to know what’s going on with him. He’s the only family I have left. Don’t leave me here not knowing.”

He was right. That would be even more cruel and he’d already suffered enough.

Taking a deep breath, she braced herself for his reaction. “Fury is your brother.”

His handsome face went white. “What?”

She nodded. “It’s true. Like Vane, he changed forms at puberty and became Katagaria. As your father did with you and Vane, your mother called her pack out against him and they beat him down, then left him for dead. Now he’s teamed up with Vane to fight against them and to protect Bride, Vane’s mate.”

Fang shook his head in disbelief. But it was the torment in his dark eyes that tore her apart. She hated hurting him more.

“Fury is my brother? Gah, what’s next? Is Mama Lo going to end up being my long-lost sister?”

She rolled her eyes at him. “That’s a little far-fetched.”

Lying back on the bed, he covered his eyes with his hand. “I feel sick.”

Aimee popped playfully at his belly. “Oh, stop the dramatics, Fang. You have another brother. You should be grateful.”

Fang was stunned that she’d touched him like that. Anyone else would be missing an arm. But her warm tone actually succeeded in lessening his anger and feeling of betrayal. “And if I said that to you?”

“In case you haven’t noticed, my cup is running over with brothers. But you … you should be glad to have more family.”

Maybe.

“Yeah, but it’s Fury.” The last creature on earth he’d want to be related to. He couldn’t stand that SOB.

Aimee laughed at his dire tone. “We all have a Remi in the bunch. Deal with it, you crybaby.”

Fang gaped at her insult. No one ever dared to insult him. Not even Vane. “Crybaby?”

She nodded. “If the term fits…”

He reached to tickle her.

She squealed and tried to escape, but he tackled her to the bed and held her under him. She squirmed playfully, her eyes dancing in humor as she reached to return every tickle to him.

Fury went completely still as he realized what was happening. He was locked in hell and Aimee was making him laugh.…

Sobering, he looked down into those celestial eyes that seared him to the core of his soul. To that tantalizing dimple that haunted his dreams. How could she make him feel like this? His entire life had fallen apart and yet she made him laugh. Made him forget that he was trapped in a realm with demons who tortured him every chance they got. That he had sold his soul to keep her safe.

How was this even a little possible?

Aimee shivered at the look on Fang’s handsome face. His hair fell forward into his eyes while he looked at her with an expression that was hot and deadly.

What was he thinking?

Then slowly, he lowered his lips to hers. She groaned at the taste of him as she wrapped her arms around his body and held him close. She closed her eyes as she inhaled the scent of his tawny skin and let his tongue dance with hers.

This was so wrong. She had no business here. With him. Yet she couldn’t imagine anyplace else she’d rather be.

It’s not real.

This was a dream. She was only here in spirit. Did that count?

Maybe.

Reluctantly, she pulled back. “I have to go, Fang.”

“I know.” He nuzzled her neck, sending even more chills through her as his whiskers tickled her skin. “I just needed to feel warm for a minute.”

Those words broke her heart. He was still grieving and he was lost in this nether place with no one to trust.

“Here,” she said, taking off the locket she never went without. She fastened it around his neck.

Fang scowled at the heart-shaped locket that was engraved with interlocking vines and swirls around a skull. There was nothing masculine about it at all. He should be horrified by its presence.

Yet he wasn’t.

Aimee placed her hand over his as he held it. “I’m just a shout away if you need me.”

I need you now.…

But he couldn’t bring himself to say those words out loud. Instead, he leaned in to breathe her lilac scent in one more time. “Be safe.”

“You too.”

And then she was gone. It was almost enough to make him whimper. But at least her scent lingered on his skin like a phantom whisper. If only he could hold on to her warmth the same way.

Sighing, he pulled her necklace off and opened it. Inside was a picture of her as a cub with two men he’d never seen before. They were holding the small black bear between them and smiling with pride. These must be her brothers who’d died and that made him think of Anya. It felt like a knife was twisting deep inside his gut.

Even now that pain was raw and biting. Worse was the fact that he knew it would never ebb. He would miss his sister for the rest of his life.

Running his finger over the picture, he realized there was a poem hidden inside as well.

Where I am always thou art. Thy image lives within my heart.

He choked back a rush of emotions that left his eyes cloudy at words that touched him. Blinking fiercely, he cursed the sensation. He was a warrior. A wolf with a capital
W.
He wasn’t some old woman to cry at Hallmark commercials.

And yet this one tiny bearswan made him feel like he’d never felt before.

Like he was human.

More to the point, she made him feel wanted.

How stupid was that? His brother and sister had always wanted him … well, maybe Vane didn’t want him right now because he was useless in the human realm, but Vane and Anya had always been his shelter. They loved him and he loved them.

But what he felt for Aimee …

It’s wrong, wolf. You shouldn’t even
think
about her.

Where I am always thou art. Thy image lives within my heart.

That was exactly how he felt about her.

Closing the locket, he kissed it lightly and returned it to his neck. Yeah, it was girly enough to make him want to puke. Still it was Aimee’s and it was obvious she treasured it.

And so would he until he was able to give it back to her in their realm.

Now he couldn’t sleep at all. Flippin’ figured. It was the first time in months that he’d actually felt safe enough to do more than combat nap as he waited to be attacked. If that wasn’t bad enough, he also had the erection from hell. One that was painful and demanding.

Banging his head against the bed, he growled.
Yeah, I am in hell.
But at least he wasn’t starving or having to fight the demons off. Plus he was stronger now.

Almost whole.

Soon he’d be back to himself and back in the world where he belonged and all of this would be behind him.

He hoped.

*   *   *

“You’re not serious about recruiting that wolf, are you?”

Thorn didn’t bother to move as he heard Misery’s voice coming out of the shadows behind him. He swilled his wine in the large goblet as he continued to stare into the fire before him—a fire that reminded him of a home he never wanted to claim. “Is there a real reason for this annoyance?”

She came to stand just beside his chair. Draping one arm over the back, she cocked her hip, and looked down lazily at him. “I want to know why you sent your goons after us.”

“You broke the law.”

She made a sound of disgust before she draped herself in his lap. It was all he could do not to shove her to the floor.

Tracing a fingernail over his cheek, she smiled flirtatiously. “You’re not really going to go there, are you? Come to the dark side with me, love. You know you want to.”

Yes, he did. The seductive lure was always there and his father continually sent demons like Misery out to help sway him.

But he refused.

He’d made a vow and by the tiny part of him that was decent, he would not be tempted. Using his powers, he flashed himself out of the chair, causing Misery to spill to the floor, so that he could stand by the fire. “Get thee behind me, Misery. I’m in no mood to deal with you.”

She pushed herself to her feet. “Fine. But think about this … we gutted your last soldier on the ground in New Orleans. Just wait until you see what we have planned for your wolf.”

CHAPTER 16

Every day seemed like forever as Fang trained to fight demons in human form and cursed the Daimons who continued to live. At least Aimee was able to bring him up to speed on what was happening out in the real world, but he was tired of being trapped here. He was tired of demon stench.

Most of all, he was tired of being alone. Aimee was the sole contact he had for the world he’d left behind. That was the hardest part of it. Why wouldn’t Vane talk to him? Was Fury that much better a brother to him that Vane didn’t even remember him anymore?

It was a stupid thought. He knew that and yet it persisted. Probably because he felt betrayed and abandoned by his brother. How could Vane simply dismiss him as a dream and not listen?

How could he not help him when he needed him most?

“Hey, wolf … here’s something I think you need to see.”

Fang paused as Thorn came into the room where he’d been training. He took the staff from Fang’s hand as images began to flicker on the walls around them.

Uncertain over what to expect, Fang watched as the images became clear and he saw Aimee Peltier in a club that was under construction. There were ladders and paint buckets everywhere, as well as saws and equipment. But the peculiar part was the fact she was surrounded by Charonte demons while her younger brother, Kyle, was standing with her.

A tall, dark-haired Charonte with mottled blue skin shook his head as sound came in. “There’s not a one of us dumb enough to do that.”

Aimee flashed him a sweet smile. “C’mon, Xedrix … surely one of you is homesick?”

He snorted. “Have you ever actually met the Destroyer?” His tone was acerbic and cold. “You know, there was a time, granted, it was before recorded history, but there
was
a time when she was like a second mother to me. Then the humans had to slaughter her only son, and since the day he was resurrected and she was sent back into her hole, she’s been just a little cranky and I had to suffer with perpetual PMS from her for eleven thousand years. No offense, but there’s not enough beer, meat, or beignets in the world to make me go back there.”

The demons around him sent up a cheer of agreement.

Aimee sighed. “I have to get into Kalosis.”

Xedrix gave her an unsympathetic sneer. “Go eat a Daimon.”

Kyle laughed. “That won’t get her in since they tend to turn into dust when they die and torture doesn’t work either. We tried that last night. Little boogers are highly uncooperative.”

“And so are we.” Xedrix reached for a hammer so that he could return to work.

Aimee turned a pouty look to Kyle that made Fang want to hold her.

Kyle winced, then put himself in front of the demon to cut off his path. “Xed, c’mon. I’ve done a lot for you guys. Can’t you help a brother out? One demon to get us in and out of there. No one has to know.”

Xedrix tossed the hammer back into its toolbox. He looked at Aimee. “Why is this so important to you?”

“Fang saved my life. I want to return the favor.”

Xedrix scoffed. “Bullshit. People and especially Were-Hunters aren’t that altruistic. Trust me. I’ve been around them since the dawn of time. You little bastards are self-serving to the end. Give me a reason to be suicidal.”