The Hunters - I'll Be Hunting You Part 1

I'll Be Hunting You.

by s.h.i.+loh Walker.

Chapter One.

"Do you have to go?"

The man once known as Declan O'Reilly looked at the woman cuddled up against his chest.

As far as the mortal world was concerned, Declan O' Reilly and his wifeTori were dead. Officially dead for eight years. They'd changed their names on a regular basis-if he remembered right, they were on their third new personas.

Her long, dark curls were tangled and a light sheen of sweat gleamed on her flesh. She tipped her head back up at him and said, "I miss you already. Don't leave."

Declan pressed his lips toTori's brow and murmured, "Have to, baby."

"Then wait for me. Eli andSarel will be here soon-tonight. Can't you wait until midnight? Dawn at the latest?"

He was tempted. WhenTori got that look in her eyes it was d.a.m.n near impossible to deny her. He did though. As hard as it was to deny her, ignoring the burn in his gut was even harder. Declan nuzzled her curls and whispered, "You know I can't." He shook his head. "This can't wait any longer. You have to stay here with these kids. They trust you. They feel safe with you."

Toriwas silent. He pressed his lips against her temple, lingering there and savoring the warm, soft scent of her skin. "This shouldn't take too long, baby."

Then he sat up. Before he climbed out of the bed, he tucked the blankets tightly around her.

Grumbling, she closed her eyes and said, "It's already too long."Tori didn't say anything else. Rolling onto her side, she pushed up on her elbow and watched as he walked around, picking up the clothes they'd practically ripped off last night. The bite on his neck had already healed-shapes.h.i.+ftershealed with miraculous speed. The faint light filtering in through the blinds fell across his body, highlighting his lean, muscled form.

Her heartbeat kicked up a notch. She licked her lips and wondered if she could coax him back under the sheets for a minute. Longer. She had a bad feeling in her gut.Tori didn't want him to leave. But before she could even push her blankets down, Declan gave her a narrow look. "Don't even think about it."

Toriarched her brows and asked innocently, "What?" She could feel her fangs sliding down. Normally she could control it a little better but Declan tended to shatter her control. He always had-they'd been married for ten years. They had known each other for fifteen years.

And hestill had this effect on her. Hunger, love and need swam through her. Rational thought became a thing of the past. Sliding out of bed, she moved toward him but before she could press her naked body against her husband's, Declan reached out and wrapped his hands around her upper arms. He eased her back and said, "Tori, come on, baby. Ihave to go."

The urgency in his voice broke through the haze of l.u.s.t that fogged her brain andTori let him usher her back to the bed. "You're no fun." A wicked grin curved her lips and she looked at him over her shoulderbefore crawling back under the covers. "I'll think about you when I take a shower later."

"Mean little brat," he muttered. She rolled onto her side and smiled up at him. Crouching down by the bed, Declan covered her mouth with his and kissed her smile away, his mouth rough and demanding. By the time he pulled away, they were both breathing heavily. "You do that."

He slid a palm down her side and gave her a light slap on her a.s.s. "I have to go."

Toriwatched as he finished getting dressed. Her smile faded and the l.u.s.t heating her veins turned to ice.

Something was wrong. She didn't know what it was but something was wrong. "Declan-"

He shook his head. His voice was brusque as he muttered, "Later." There was a far-off look in his eyes, like he wasn't even there with her.Tori understood that-he'd been edgy for a few days and she knew he'd be leaving soon. She'd hoped Eli would arrive before Declan left. She wanted to go with him.

But there were three young kids sleeping in a room down the hall andTori couldn't leave them alone.

She'd taken them out of their parents' home. The oldest had a talent formagick . The father had tried to beat it out of her. The girl would carry the scars from those beatings for the rest of her life.

She couldn't leave until Eli got there and that wouldn't be until nightfall. "As soon as Eli gets here, I'll be joining you."

Declan gave her a distracted grunt as he shoved his feet into a pair of running shoes and laced them up.

He came to the bed and bent over but all he did was kiss her forehead.Tori folded her arms over her chest and watched as he left the room.

In his mind, he was already on the run, chasing down whatever evil had been darkening his mind.

"Be safe,"Tori whispered. She stared out the window at the leaden gray sky. The wind started to whistle and she watched as brilliant yellow leaves went flying across the yard.

"Who could do this?" Eli muttered. The vampire had the face of a fallen angel-high cheekbones, a mouth that was almost too pretty for a man and eyes the color of old gold. His blond hair was tied back in a stubby ponytail.

He was p.i.s.sed. His eyes glowed with fury andTori could see a muscle jerking in his jaw as he stared at the kids who were gathered around his wife. The youngest one sat inSarel's lap, playing with the witch's braid. The middle child was lying on his belly, drawing a picture. "This is my mommy. She died. She got sick. There was a b.u.mp in her chest and it got bigger and bigger..."

"She had cancer." It was the first thing the oldest child had said since Eli andSarel had arrived. Her voice was soft and timid and she wouldn't look at anybody. The fear inside that child brokeTori's heart. Her straw-yellow hair hung in her face as she said, "She just kept getting sicker and sicker. I tried to make her feel better. I tried to help. But I didn't help enough. It's my fault she died."

"No."Sarel's voice was firm but gentle. She reached out and touched the girl's arm-one quick, light touch and then she pulled away.Tori still thought the woman was a b.i.t.c.h and a half but she had a way with kids thatTori envied. Kids adored her. "It wasn't your fault, Beth. Sometimes people just get sick.

And it's n.o.body's fault." Beth shook her head. "It was my fault. G.o.d took her because I'm bad. I'm evil." She looked down at her hands andTori could see they were shaking.

"You are not evil."Sarel's eyes were flas.h.i.+ng, burning with anger but no sign of her fury showed in her voice. "You're a kid. G.o.d doesn't punish little kids. He loves them."

Sarelcontinued to talk to them and by the timeTori left the room twenty minutes later, even the oldest one had a small smile on her face. Eli followed her out of the room andTori gave him a grin. "It's still hard to believe how good she is with kids."

Eli's lips curved upward in a smile and he arched a brow at her. "You know why the two of you don't get along,Torrence ?"

"Because you fell in love with a mean b.i.t.c.h?"Tori offered helpfully.

He just laughed. "Sarelcan be mean when she wants. Just like you. That is the problem, pet. The two of you are entirely too much alike. Stubborn, hot headed, willful and arrogant."

Toricurled her lip in a sneer. "Bite me."

"I already have." Eli laughed. "And as delightful as it was, any more biting on my part andSarel will rip my b.a.l.l.s off." He pa.s.sed a hand down her hair and then rested it on her shoulder. "Go on. I know you want to catch up with Declan. We'll take care of the children. They are in good hands."

She smiled faintly. "I know they are." She turned around and moved to hug Eli but as she moved toward him, she stumbled. Bent over. A deep, racking cough choked her.

Couldn't breathe.

Smoke. Choking her.

Fire. Searing her flesh.

"Declan..."

Distantly, she heard her name being called. Felt big, strong hands on her arms, shaking her. Another voice. A hand touched her face. She forced her eyes open, found herself staring atSarel . "Declan..."

Thick, black plumes of smoke choked the air. The stink of it filled her nose and stung her eyes. The farmhouse sat back off the road. It was nearly twenty minutes away from town. It was surrounded by firefighters but there was no way they'd be able to save the house.

Torimoaned.

Eli watched her as she wrapped her arms around her waist and rocked herself. He could smell Declan.

His old friend had been here recently. Very recently. "Dear G.o.d, this can't be happening," he muttered.

There were people inside the house. Dead now. Nothing could have survived that blaze. The heat of itreached them even back here and Eli had to fight the urge to retreat even farther into the night.

"It isn't happening,"Tori whispered. Her voice was rough and harsh. He watched as she dashed tears away and shook her head. "He's not in there. He isn't."

"Tori, love-" he reached for her but she evaded him, smacking at his hand.

"Don't!" She backed away from him, still shaking her head. "Don't. He's alive, d.a.m.n it. Hecan't be dead."

Eli saw the look in her eyes and he lunged for her. She almost got away. He had to fight to hold onto her and he finally ended up pinning her on the ground, using his body to trap her. "You arenot going in there."

"Let me go." She turned her head and snapped at his arm. Her fangs were fully extended and Eli felt her incisors slice against his skin but he didn't let go.

"If you go in there,Tori , you are dead. Declan wouldn't want that."

"No.Nonononono ..." she moaned and tears flooded her big blue eyes. Eli's heart shattered as she started to sob. He eased his weight off her and then stood. He picked her up and cradled her against his chest as he headed off through the woods. They had to get away. The place was crawling with firefighters and cops.

As he moved away, he paused to look back at the house once more. Only the skeletal remains of walls still stood. The roof had collapsed. Smoke flooded the sky.

Eli blinked against the stinging tears. Silently, he said,Goodbye, old friend.

Then he left. Declan had been his best friend-taking care ofDeclan's wife was the last thing Eli would be able to do for Declan.

The night seemed to glow.

Toristood with her hands hanging loose at her sides, watching as snow fell from the sky in fat, fluffy flakes. A good three inches lay on the ground and on the charred remains of the house in front of her.

The pure white snow looked almost obscene against the ugly, blackened walls.

"You shouldn't be here."

Torididn't look atSarel . "Where else should I be?" she asked, her voice hollow. She felt empty inside.

Declan was gone. "It's Christmas Eve. Time to be with your family. My family is here."

Or whatever remained of it.Declan's ashes were somewhere lost in the burnt ruin in front of her. There hadn't been a funeral, no coffin to bury-she hadn't been able to say goodbye. The memorial service had been an endless agony, all ofDeclan's friends coming up and saying trite, empty phrases that meant nothing to her.

"Declan isn'there anymore,Tori . Come home with me. You have a family. We are your family." Toriignored her. "You know, I never thought about it until this happened. But it really sucks not being able to have a funeral. I never really saw the sense in them, you know. It's not like a dead person really cares about all of that. But the funeral isn't for them. It's for us." She kicked at the snow and whispered, "I would have liked a chance to say goodbye."

"Tori, you can't keep doing this."Sarel reached out and caught one ofTori's hands, linking their fingers.

"Come home with me. Come back to West Virginia. Just for a while. Just for Christmas."

Torijust shook her head.

"He wouldn't want this."

"Wouldn't want what?" Finally,Tori turned her head and looked atSarel .

"Declan loved you. You meant everything to him. And I know he meant everything to you."

"Means,"Tori corrected her. "Hemeans everything to me. He's all I've ever had. He's all that has ever mattered to me. His dying didn't change that."

Sympathy darkenedSarel's eyes. "I know. But he wouldn't want this. Declan loved you but he also loved life. He wouldn't want you to stop living because of this."

"I stopped living the moment he died."

Chapter Two.

Three Months Later

Come to me...

Sleep didn't come easy toTori , not anymore. She rolled onto her belly and buried her face in the pillow, mumbling under her breath as the voice continued.Come to me...

She groaned. There was a sound, almost like a sigh, and then silence fell.Tori fell into dreams and she went willingly. In her dreams, Declan waited for her...

"I love you." She felt his arms come around her and he nuzzled her neck as he whispered into her ear.

She turned her head and pressed her lips against his arm.

"I love you too. I miss you."

"Miss me?" Declan laughed, his wicked green eyes gleaming. She turned around in his arms and stared up at him. "I'm right here." He reached up and pushed her hair back from her face. "You're so d.a.m.n beautiful. Kiss me. Kiss me,Tori ."