Hunted Read online

  Sylvan looked down at his hands. “Normally it isn’t but right now…ever since the trip we took in the transport tube…”

  Sophie thought of the warm, spicy scent that seemed to go to her head, the way it made her react to him… “It’s your mating scent, isn’t it?” she asked in a low voice, not daring to look at him.

  “Yes.” He sounded ashamed.

  “But why…” She risked a sidelong glance at him. “Why is it coming out now? I, uh, thought it only happened during the claiming period. But you’re not, um, claiming me or anything. I mean, we’re not… you know.”

  “I know.” He shook his head. “I don’t understand what’s going on either. We haven’t even been dream sharing. Well, that is, I mean…” He cleared his throat. “I’ve had a few dreams of you. But nothing out of the ordinary.” He glanced at her. “Have you…had any strange dreams?”

  “No.” Sophie shook her head and a look of mingled disappointment and relief passed over his stern features. “I have been, uh, having problems with my art, though,” she admitted in a low voice.

  “Problems with your art?” He frowned. “What do you mean?”

  “I paint,” Sophie explained. “You know—with a paintbrush and easel?” She made a painting motion in the air and his eyes widened.

  “That was what I dreamed. That you were painting a picture of…of me.”

  Sophie nearly choked. “But I have been! You’re all I’ve been able to paint lately. Even when I try not to, you always sneak in there. It’s so annoying.” Then she realized what she’d said. “Uh, I mean—”

  “It doesn’t matter.” Sylvan cut her off, shaking his head. “So we have been dream sharing, in a way.”

  Sophie felt herself go cold all over. “Does…does that mean you’re going to try to…to claim me? The way Baird claimed Liv?” Oh my God, if he does, if he claims me, then he’ll want to bite me! That’s the way his people do it. She had horror-movie visions of being held down under his muscular bulk, held down and pierced multiple times and in multiple ways. God, his teeth in my throat at the same time he’s inside me, filling me, holding me down and biting and thrusting. He’s so big, so strong—I’d never be able to get away.

  The horror she felt must have showed on her face, because Sylvan’s voice was rough when he spoke. “Don’t worry, Sophia. Even if I wanted to claim you, I couldn’t.”

  “Oh right.” She felt a small measure of relief. “Your vow.”

  “My vow,” he agreed.

  “Sylvan,” she said softly. “It’s…it’s not you. It’s just…I don’t want to be claimed by anyone. And the whole biting thing…” She shuddered. “I’m sorry, I can’t handle that. I mean, I get faint every time I have to get a shot.”

  “As I said, you don’t have to worry.” His face was an unreadable mask now and his tone was perfectly bland.

  I’ve really offended him, Sophie thought unhappily. And after he was so good to me. Getting me out of the crash and carrying me for miles and miles. He must think I’m such a horrible, ungrateful person. “I’m so sorry,” she whispered.

  Sylvan shook his head. “You have no reason to be. I just…don’t understand why this is happening. Why my body is reacting this way. I took my vow before the Mother of Life in the sacred grove and I know she would never wish me to break it. My body as well as my mind and spirit should be bound by my oath.”

  “Maybe…maybe there’s a reason you can’t see,” Sophie offered. “I mean, I don’t know much about your religion but on Earth we have a saying—‘God works in mysterious ways, his wonders to perform.’ Could it be…something like that?”

  A look of dawning comprehension lit Sylvan’s face. “You know, you could be right. Perhaps the Mother knew we would be in this situation. That I would have to protect you by masking your scent with my own. Only my mating scent would be strong enough to do that, so…” He nodded decisively. “Yes, that must be it. That must be why my body is reacting to yours so strongly.”

  “Of course,” Sophie agreed. “And probably when this is all over and we get out of here, everything will, uh, go back to normal.”

  “I’m sure it will.” He looked relieved.

  “So…” Sophie looked at him uncertainly. “Nothing we’re…I mean, you’re feeling is real?”

  “I suppose not.” But the look he gave her seemed real. Very real.

  “Uh…okay.” Sophie nibbled her bottom lip and squeaked with pain. She’d forgotten about the small wound on her lip from the Luck Kiss. God, it seemed a hundred years ago now, but it had only been earlier that day. Unless it was past midnight now. She had no idea since she’d left her cell phone at home, wanting no distractions during Liv’s wedding.

  Sylvan was staring at her lower lip with an unreadable expression on his face. “I wish you’d let me heal that for you. Your palms too.” He nodded down at the scrapes she’d gotten when she fell. “And your knees and temple.”

  Sophie put a hand to the side of her head self consciously and realized that her hair on that side was stiff with blood. Must have really hit that rock hard!

  “Will you let me?” Sylvan’s deep voice was filled with longing. “Will you allow me to heal you, Talana?”

  There’s that word again—what does it mean? And how in the world is he going to—oh! The memory of how he’d healed the gash across her breast sprang to her mind and she suddenly felt hot and cold all over. He means can he lick me. That’s how he wants to heal me. Oh my God…

  “I…uh…I wonder if there’s any power in this cabin,” she said, looking down at her hands to avoid his burning gaze. “I mean, if they have a working hot water heater. Because I would kill for a shower.”

  Sylvan rose. “I’ll see what I can do.”

  “No, no, it’s all right.” Sophie tried to get off the bed and nearly fell over when she felt the stabbing pain in her ankle. “Ouch!”

  “Are you all right?” Sylvan looked at her anxiously.

  “Fine, it’s just my ankle.” It was true that her twisted ankle was still throbbing, but she could stand to put some weight on it now. And she was going to have to if she didn’t want him carrying her everywhere. Her eyes had adjusted to the dim light coming through the windows and she could see a small room to one side. “That must be the bathroom. Think I’ll go check out the hot water situation.”

  He reached for her. “I’ll carry you.”

  “No, no! It’s better already—see?” Sophie put her foot flat down on the floor and tried to smile despite the pain.

  Sylvan frowned. “If you’re certain you’re all right. I must have misjudged the severity of your injury.”

  “I’m perfectly fine,” Sophie said, trying to make her voice cheerful and light. “I mean, aside from being chased by evil cyborg dogs from hell who want to drag me back to the Scourge overlord, I couldn’t be better.”

  Sylvan’s eyes were suddenly dark. “Don’t even joke about that.”

  “Sorry.” She shrugged. “I was just trying to lighten the mood. I’ll just…” She motioned at the bathroom and he nodded. Because he was still watching her, Sophie forced herself to walk without limping, even though her ankle was still so tender and it felt like someone was sticking a knife into it with every step. Finally she got to the bathroom and breathed a sigh of relief as she closed the door.

  * * * * *

  Sylvan sat in the darkness for a long moment, listening to Sophia rustle around in the bathroom. So now I know why my body has been reacting to hers, despite my vow. It is the will of the Mother. She knew I would need to protect Sophia. Knew that we would be put in this situation together. He wasn’t zealously religious but he did believe, as most Kindred did, that the Goddess they worshipped had a hand in even the smallest details of her children’s lives. So it wasn’t hard to believe that she had placed them together like this for a reason. And hadn’t the priestess on the Mother ship warned him that they would be in danger? Should have listened to her, I guess. But I was so angry at the way she w