With how sensitive his eyes were, I could understand that portion of the statement.
“Why the noise and smells?”
His hands opened and closed at his sides. “It’s too…human.”
And that was as much of an answer I got from him on that front. His eyes seemed to blaze as he started pacing again, making me edgy. “Would you stop?”
“What?” He passed me a cursory glance as he passed me.
“The pacing. It’s making me nervous as hell.” I wiped my sweaty palms along my jeans again. “I know you’re jonesing to get out of here, away from me and on your way, but do you think you can sit down for a few moments?”
Hunter stopped then, facing me fully. “You think that’s it?”
I met his stare, and he shook his head. “What?” I demanded.
He stared at me long and hard, as if he were peeling back layers of skin. “You are a foolish woman, Serena.”
My mouth dropped open and irritation raged through me like a hot summer storm.
“I’m a foolish woman? Well, you’re a complete asshole.”
“So I’ve been told,” he replied calmly. “But that doesn’t change the truth.”
I shot to my feet, my own hands forming fists. A half smile appeared on his full lips, like I amused him. That just pissed me off more. “You are a dick, Hunter. You know that? An emotionless dick, and you tell me I’m foolish? And stop smiling at me!
It’s not funny.” I was like a volcano about to spew fire and ash in his face. “I’m about two seconds from knocking that smile off your face, you ass!”
That half smile had spread during my tirade, changing his features and warming his eyes. “Sorry.”
He didn’t sound or look sorry at all. “I didn’t ask you for any of this, you know? I didn’t ask you to keep me safe or to bring me here or to do anything—” Within a heartbeat, Hunter was in front of me, so fast that I jerked back and would’ve toppled onto the couch if he hadn’t grasped my shoulders. He lowered his head so that his lips were inches from mine. Unwanted, edgy desire sent my hormones racing.
“I like you like this,” he said in a low, deep voice.
I sputtered as I ignored the heat building between us like an overworked furnace.
“You like me angry? You’re disturbed.”
“Possibly,” he murmured. “And I know you didn’t ask for any of this. I know—” Hunter let go of me suddenly and went ramrod straight, eyes wide and nostrils flared. I swayed unsteadily as he turned to the door, his head cocked again. The unnatural stillness of him caused knots to form in my belly.
“What is it?” I asked, wrapping my arms around my waist. The temp in the room had dropped fast.
He glanced back at me. “There is a Luxen here.”
“Paris?”
Hunter shook his head. “No. It’s not Paris.”
Icy fear slithered through me and into my chest, where it wrapped around my heart.
He turned to me quickly, placing his cool hand on my cheek. A moment passed before he spoke. “I’m going to check this out.”
“But—”
“I’ll be back,” he said, eyes like burning chips of ice. “If things go south…”
He didn’t finish, and I didn’t have a chance to say anything. He was out the door before I could blink an eye. The temp in the room rose a little, as if he took the coldness with him. My heart pounded against my ribs like it wanted to jump out of my chest and run screaming.
I waited about three minutes and couldn’t do it any longer. Mind made up, I darted toward the door and inched it open. The narrow hallway was dimly lit by the track lighting. I made it halfway down the hall when a flash of intense white light tinged in red lit up the club.
My heart dropped. I recognized that light. What had Hunter called it? The Source?
There was a Luxen here and it wasn’t a friendly one.
Male voices rose, and then I heard Luc say, “I wouldn’t do that if I were you.
Hunter is very, very hungry.”
What the…? Luc didn’t sound too concerned about what was happening, so I rushed forward. Coming to a halt at the end of the hall, my mouth dropped open.
Luc was standing off to the side, wearing a shirt that said something about zombies, and Hunter was in his true form, a thick solid mass with pale eyes. On the other side of the room was another man. One that was younger than me, maybe eighteen or so.
Unruly dark brown hair fell in careless waves across his forehead. He was almost as tall as Hunter, which would make him gargantuan, but not as broad. His face…wow, there really were no words, and I felt like a creeper for even allowing my mind to go there for half a second.
The stranger was attractive in a mind-blowing way.
His eyes were glowing spheres of white as static crackled down his arm, followed by the intense light. Fear tripped up my heart as the stranger zeroed in on Hunter, but Hunter did nothing but cock his head like he was daring the younger Luxen to do something.
Was he insane?
“Hunter,” I said, my voice sounding too loud.
His head snapped toward me, as did the Luxen’s. The light around his arm fizzled out and I swore the stranger’s mouth dropped open.
YOU SSSHOULDN’T HAVE COME OUT HERE . Hunter’s voice filtered through my thoughts.
Everything isss okay.
Everything did not look okay. Weird? Yes. Everything looked weird. “But he’s one of them.”
The Luxen’s eyes widened and the eerie glow faded, revealing eyes that were an extraordinary green color, so bright and deep it reminded me of spring grass.
Hunter’s head swung back to the Luxen and his chest rose as he took a step back. A second later, he was in his human form. “Serena, go back to Luc’s office.”
Jesus, did he get off on bossing me around? “Excuse me?”
His eyes narrowed on me, and an instant later, the bouncer appeared out of nowhere and strode across the dance floor, wrapping an arm around my shoulders. “This really ain’t where ya need to be right now.”
I dug in. “But—”
“Come on, I got some stuff to show you.”
Hunter’s dark brows furrowed. “What stuff?”
The bouncer winked over his shoulder. “Stuff.”
I wasn’t given much of a choice. Seconds later, I was back in the office, angry at being bossed around, but also worried about what was happening out there.
Taking a spot in front of the door, the bouncer folded his arms across his massive chest. “Those two ain’t gonna hurt each other, so you can relax.”
Relaxing was the last thing I was going to do. “They don’t look like they’re about to hug.”
He cracked a toothy grin. “That might be the truth, but that boy has got bigger problems than messing with an Arum. Bigger problems than you, to tell the truth.”
“Like what?” I challenged. Considering how messed up my life was right now, I doubted that.
The bouncer unfurled his arms and scratched at his chin. A couple of moments passed and then he said, “They took his girl from him, and getting her back ain’t going to be easy. Probably impossible.”
Not expecting that, I took a step back and plopped down on the couch. “Who took her?”
“The government.”
My head churned that over. “Why?”
One large shoulder rose in a shrug. “Why not? The gov does what it wants. So do the Luxen. So do the Arum.” He paused. “We’re in their world, babe. Don’t ya worry about the Luxen boy in there with Luc. Worry about yourself.”
I didn’t have a lot of time to mull those happy, happy words over. The door swung open and Hunter stalked in, totally unscathed. I started to get to my feet.
He held up a hand. “I’m fine.”
“I can see that. What was going on out there?”