Page 9 of Hunt for You

He grunted again. “So you’d give your life up in search of the ultimate thrill?”

“No,” I said. “Giving my life upisthe ultimate thrill.”

He huffed. I couldn’t tell if he was laughing or disapproving and I caught myself about to turn to measure his reaction. My heartrate hit the ceiling.

“Do you have any questions for me?” he finally asked, still whispering.

“Why do you do this?”

I waited. The car jiggled as if he’d shifted his weight like he was squirming in his seat. But still he didn’t answer.

I licked my lips. “I’m not judging,” I said. “I’m just curious. Is it just the… the Erotopho-whatever it was?”

“I am notturned onby death. Or by killing,” he hissed.

I frowned. “Then why do you do this?”

He hesitated again, and every hair on the back of my neck stood up. It felt like myskinwas listening for his answer.

And when it came, it was a low grunt—almost his natural voice, which was still rough and deep, but warmer than I’d expected.

“For exactly the same reason you do,” he said finally. Then the car jiggled and eased up like a weight had been lifted.

Shit! He was leaving?

I sucked in a breath at the patter of quick footsteps on the cement outside, grabbed the arm of the car door, but remembered his rules and didn’t turn around. I made myself keep my eyes forward and started counting slowly, breathlessly to myself, my pulse threatening to lift the top off my skull.

30… 29… 28…

The second I got to the count of one, I whipped my head around, but of course he was gone. My heart was pounding mercilessly and my head was beginning to ache with it. But I deflated immediately.

He was gone. And that delicious scent was fading because the back door was wide open, allowing the morning air and sun to pour in.

Cursing to myself, I clambered out of the car on shaky knees, slammed the back door closed, then looked over the car to search the parking lot.

But it was empty, the morning sun cutting an angled shadow from the building, slanting across the cement.

Just as empty as my chest suddenly felt as the adrenaline from his visit began to ease from my veins and all the strength went out of my legs so that I had to sit in the seat for a few minutes more before I could turn the car on and drive.

But at least when I did, I was smiling.

Because he was real. And he was here.

I could smell him on my hair.

4.Consequences

~ CAIN ~

Watching her leap out of her car looking for me, then slap the roof when she didn’t find me made me grin.

It was less fun seeing her drop back into the driver’s seat a few seconds later, like her knees had given out, and watch her sag over the steering wheel. Was she just resting, or had she had a medical episode?

She stayed in that position long enough that I was just beginning to consider breaking my own rules and making a second appearance to check on her, when she finally pulled her head up and, with slumped shoulders, turned the car on and reversed out of the parking spot.

I stayed low in the backseat of the truck I was using to watch her. It had an extended cab and tinted windows at the back. I could look out at her, but she couldn’t see me as she drove past, shaking her head.

But even though she was frowning, I didn’t miss the high spots of color in her cheeks.