“Well, well, well,” Shane murmured. “You must be Bella.”
The girl’s eyes flicked to Shane briefly and she looked annoyed, as though his greeting was unwelcome. Bella floated closer, the fluttering sound whispering around her, and Maya leaned back against Shane. The ghost girl flicked her gaze to Maya’s necklace and then back to Maya’s face, studying her closely. She raised one delicate hand, pointed to the pendant at Maya’s throat, and whispered, “Vanator.”
Maya’s hand instinctively grabbed the pendant and held it to her chest, while the girl continued to float in midair and stare at her.
“Here we are.” Xavier’s excited voice boomed into the room, and Bella vanished like a candle blown out by the breeze. He stopped a few feet away and smiled. “Was that Bella?”
“Yes.” Maya handed the gun to Shane and went to Xavier. “What does vanator mean?”
“She spoke to you? That’s the first time she’s spoken to anyone other than me.” He handed Shane a black leather bag that undoubtedly contained the throwing weapons. Running a hand through his unruly white hair, Xavier turned and walked back into the lab, waving for them to follow. “What was that word again?”
“Vanator,” Shane said.
The doors to the armory slid shut behind them, and the smooth stainless-steel wall slid back into place, hiding the stash of weapons.
“Get Maya suited up with those,” Xavier said, waving absently at the bag. “I’ll look up that word. I bought a Romanian-English dictionary once she started talking to me, but she talks so fast that most of the time it doesn’t help. Usually she just hangs around and watches me work.”
Shane placed the bag on the counter before pulling on his leather gloves. Maya watched him carefully remove sterling-silver ninja stars and a few daggers from the bag.
“Stand still and hold your arms out to the side.”
Maya did as he asked. “Like this?”
“Yes.” Shane picked up two sterling-silver ninja stars and must have seen the look of concern on her face. He stepped closer. “Do you trust me?”
The pungent smell of silver filled her head and burned her nostrils, and she could only imagine the pain she would feel if it actually touched her skin. Holding his dark stare, Maya nodded, almost imperceptibly.
“I’ll be gentle,” he whispered.
Then with the speed and agility of a seasoned sentry, Shane slid each of the weapons into the secret compartments that lined the long, leather duster coat Maya wore. Though it felt heavier, she knew she’d still be able to move around easily and that she was protected from the silver by the layers of leather. She dropped her arms, thinking they were finished, but he shook his head and held up two throwing knives. Each had a leather handle and was about six inches long. They looked like they could cut through a vampire or a werewolf like butter.
“Almost done. Take off the coat.” Shane stood only a few inches from Maya and watched while she did as he asked and carefully draped the weapon-laden garment on the table. He leaned closer. “Raise your arms,” he whispered, “and no matter what happens…don’t move.”
His rich, male scent filled her head, a welcome relief from the strong stench of silver. With a dagger in each hand, Shane stood face-to-face with Maya and reached around her with both arms as though he was going to wrap her up in a hug. She felt a slight tugging on the back of her catsuit when he slipped the daggers into some kind of compartments.
She turned her face and her cheek brushed his shoulder while his scent grew stronger and filled her head seductively. Closing her eyes, she allowed herself to simply feel the effect of having him so close to her. His hands slid down her back and stopped along the top of her ass. His body tensed against hers and his fingers gripped her hips while her breasts crushed against the broad, muscular plane of his chest.
“Can I move now?” Maya asked and opened her eyes. She tilted her face to look him in the eye, and a smile played at his lips. “Is it safe?”
“Yes.” He took a step back, his fingers trailing along the curve of her hip. “You’ll always be safe with me.”
“I found it!” Xavier exclaimed.
Maya and Shane looked away from one another, the intensity of the moment broken. She pulled on her coat and gloves, and Xavier flew over with a book in his hands. Shane shouldered his bag, and when Maya went to carry hers, he took it from her and slung it over his other shoulder.
“Get used to flying with the extra weight of the weapons first, and then you can add the bag.”
“Thanks.” Maya smiled at him and then turned her attention back to Xavier, who was looking at Maya with genuine curiosity. “What does that word mean? I think she was pointing at my necklace.”
“Interesting.” Xavier snapped the book closed, removed his glasses, and nodded toward Maya’s necklace. “Where did you get that?”
“It was in my family.” She fiddled with the stone. “I think it was my grandmother’s, but to be honest, I really don’t remember much. Why, Xavier? What does vanator mean?”
“Hunter.”
Chapter 8
Shane knew Maya was exhausted, but to her credit, she didn’t utter a single complaint, not a peep out of her the entire trip south. They used the intricate network of underground passages to travel the entire day, not taking time for so much as a nap, and they took to the sky when the sun set. She remained alert, focused, and silent. Even when he took out some bottled blood for her to drink and told her that they wouldn’t be hunting that evening or anytime soon, she didn’t utter a complaint or roll her eyes. She simply thanked him and drank it.
Flying over the swamps of the Louisiana bayou in search of Lottie Fogg’s house, Shane sliced a glance in Maya’s direction. Her blue eyes, usually smiling and full of life, were flat and rimmed with dark circles, and he could tell she was completely spent—both physically and emotionally.
They were both tired from not having slept during the day, but the events of the past twenty-four hours were what had them both spinning. Maya was clearly unnerved by what Bella had said, and when they left, she zipped her catsuit all the way up to her neck, effectively covering up her necklace. He couldn’t blame her for feeling uneasy because Bella’s comment about the necklace was all he could think about.
Vanator. Hunter.
What was Bella trying to say? Maya was a hunter? That didn’t make any sense to Shane, but she’d clearly pointed at Maya and her necklace. Maybe Xavier had gotten his translations mixed up and she’d said something totally different. Damn it all. Shane’s brow furrowed and a growl rumbled in his chest. She could have been saying “necklace” or “emerald” or something.
The only thing he knew about the necklace was that it was some kind of family heirloom. Maya’s inability to recall specifics about her past was beyond frustrating, but Shane hoped that Lottie Fogg would be helpful in more ways than one. Gypsies were known for their psychic abilities, and maybe she would be able to help Maya get in touch with more of her past.
Safe houses for vampires were scattered throughout the United States and most were occupied by human familiars. Olivia selected one owned by a gypsy, and if there was one quality Olivia had, it was deliberateness. She didn’t do anything without a crystal-clear purpose. She could have chosen any number of other houses, but she picked the gypsy. He wished he knew why.
When they approached the location of the house, Shane motioned for Maya to follow him. Obviously deep in thought, she blinked rapidly when he interrupted her but nodded her understanding. He descended cautiously, reaching out with his heightened senses to look for any other supernaturals in the area, but he found the air around them clean. He was relieved to see that the house was on several acres of property and in a remote area of the bayou. Other than a few pesky swamp creatures, he should be able to train Maya undisturbed while they waited for word from Olivia.