Hunt: Exiles of the Realm Read online

  Except, overthinking was what Adele did best. She did everything in her power to try to control the chaotic nature of her brain—medicine, diet, exercise—but some days not even that was enough. Some days the bad thoughts still found their way in, running rampant and making her doubt everything—her abilities, her safety, even her own worth.

  But today wasn’t going to be one of those days, she reaffirmed. Not if she could help it. Adele closed her eyes and gripped the counter tight. She drew in a long, slow breath…and then another.

  Everything’s fine.

  Just fine.

  She lifted her chin and pulled her shoulders back, opening her chest as her lungs filled with air. Some of the vise-like tension around her rib cage eased. After a few more exhales, Adele felt calm enough to open her eyes.

  Just in time for the breath to hitch in her throat.

  Someone was out there…staring at her from the edge of the alley across the street.

  A shiver of trepidation ran up her spine as her gaze clashed with a pair of ice-blue eyes.

  At least she thought that’s what they were.

  But they couldn’t be. These were no ordinary eyes. They shone with their own light.

  No, that wasn’t right. Something glowed just beneath them. An odd silver light that sparkled through the surrounding grey gloom and lit up his face. Adele shook her head and did her best to peer through the near-solid curtain of rain falling on the pavement.

  Her mind had to be playing tricks on her. She was just misinterpreting the lights on a keypad or gadget…or something.

  Anything.

  She leaned closer to the window. She didn’t see anything with electric lights, but she would have sworn she caught the outline of lanky legs and a long torso right below those pale eyes.

  Except, her poor, overworked brain was probably just fusing together a few random items. She’d done it before. A flash of an old broom and a couple of cardboard boxes became a person ready to jump out at her.

  But this was no quick glance from the corner of her eye. The longer she stared, the clearer the slender figure became. Now, she would swear that she saw his arms, and the subtle sway of his body as he shifted his weight from one foot to the oth—

  A hand clasped the curve of her shoulder. Adele jumped, swallowing a yelp as she straightened up.

  “Easy,” a rich accent purred. “I didn’t mean to frighten you.”

  Adele sucked in a steadying breath before turning around. It was just her gorgeous stranger, and now he was carrying two cups.

  “You didn’t scare me. I was just…” When she glanced back out the window, there wasn’t so much as a shadow in the alley. “…Acting like an idiot, apparently.”

  He put a cup down next to her. “I thought you might like something sweet.”

  Adele smiled at the swirl of whipped cream and chocolate drizzle on top. It was the kind of indulgence that she’d never order for herself.

  “I’ll pay you back,” she said.

  He shook his head. “It’s a gift.”

  Her smile widened. “That’s very kind of you.”

  “It’s practical, not kind,” he said, pulling out one of the stools at her side and sitting. “You need the warmth.”

  “Well, either way, thank you.”

  She wrapped her cold fingers around the cup and took a long sip. The mix of hot coffee and dark chocolate tasted like heaven, and she felt the warmth radiate down her throat and into her belly.

  He nodded in acknowledgment. “You should take your clothes off.”

  Adele nearly choked on her mocha. “E-Excuse me?”

  “Your shirt, at least,” he said flatly. “You’re never going to warm up as long as you’re wearing wet clothes.”

  Adele let out a laugh. He was joking. Right? She gave him a long look, waiting for him to say he was just kidding.

  The guy didn’t so much as blink.

  Okay…

  Apparently, he wasn’t kidding. Judging by the hard set of his jaw and the even harder look in his eyes, he might never kid around.

  But he also wasn’t leering at her like he was hoping to get a free show out of this. All she saw in his expression was logical concern. Still, he had to know that wasn’t enough to get her to strip.

  “Yeah, I’m not going to take off my shirt in public,” she said.

  His brows pulled down in honest confusion. “Why not?”

  “Because I’m not wearing much underneath.”

  “That’s the point. You’ll warm up faster.”

  “Not if I die of humiliation first,” she countered.

  “No one has ever perished from shame.”

  “And no one’s ever dropped dead from being damp under an air conditioning vent either.”

  His eyes narrowed slightly as his gaze intensified. “You’d rather feel physical discomfort than slight embarrassment?”

  There was nothing slight about it.

  “You wouldn’t?” she asked.

  He shrugged. “I can’t say. Embarrassment isn’t an emotion I’m overly familiar with.”

  Adele couldn’t stop another chuckle sneaking out. She didn’t mean to laugh—and God knew, he didn’t look like the kind of guy who was used to being laughed at—but she just couldn’t help it. Who the hell was he?

  “That must be nice.”

  “Nicer than shivering to death,” he answered.

  “Well, it’s hard to argue with that,” Adele said, her smile growing.

  “Here,” he said, standing up from his seat. He pulled his coat off and held it out to her. “At least put this on.”

  Adele shook her head. “I don’t want to ruin your clothes.”

  “And I don’t want to watch you shiver.” He whipped the light canvas jacket around her shoulders before she could refuse.

  Adele pressed her lips together tight before telling him, “Thank you.”

  The jacket was so big she could have wrapped the front around her twice if she wanted to, but it also felt wonderful—dry and warm with his body heat.

  And damn, what a body it was. Now that he was standing in front of her in a simple black T-shirt, she could make out nearly every muscle that stretched across his chest and arms. Masculinity practically poured out of him. And it wasn’t just his size, there was also the frighteningly efficient way he moved—that dangerous grace that set off Adele’s warning bells as much as the butterflies in her stomach.

  This guy reminded her of a caged tiger at the zoo. You could spend hours appreciating its beauty and raw strength, but that didn’t mean that you wanted to pet the thing. Not if you wanted to walk away with both your hands.

  So why was she extending hers out to him?

  “I’m Adele,” she said.

  “Bron,” he said simply, wrapping his fingers around her palm. His hand enveloped hers…and he didn’t let go.

  A wave of awareness rushed through Adele as she felt every detail of his touch—the rough feel of his fingers, the heat of his skin, the power of his grip. She’d never thought of herself as the me Tarzan, you Jane type before, but she couldn’t help thinking that was the direction her fantasies would go when she climbed into bed that night.

  “So, do you come here often?” Adele flinched at the words coming out of her mouth.

  She pulled her hand away and grabbed on to the edge of the counter instead.

  What the hell was she doing? Blushing, flirting, staring slack-jawed at his body—if she didn’t get a grip quick, next she’d be asking the poor bastard his sign.

  “I’m only asking so I know where to find you,” she rushed to say. Yeah, that was much better. “To pay you back for the mocha.” She pulled at the front of his coat, which was now nearly soaked through. “And the jacket, of course.”

  His lips lifted, a flicker of a smile showing on his face, but his magnificent green eyes didn’t leave hers. His gaze stayed steady as though there was no one else in the whole world he would rather be looking at. No one had ever looked at Adele
like that before in her life…and she didn’t exactly know what to do with the swirl of emotions the force of his attention brought up.

  “I told you,” he said, “you don’t owe me anything. I helped you because I wanted to.”

  Adele turned toward the window, doing her best to hide the blush she felt burning in her cheeks.

  The move didn’t help. Instead of giving her a chance to catch her breath, her heart pounded even harder.

  It was back. The figure in the alleyway.

  A break in the rain formed just long enough for her to see two long legs stepping out of the shadows, a stark face catching the muted light of the street, and a pair of blue eyes so pale they appeared almost completely white.

  There was no doubt this time. There was someone over there.

  And he was staring straight at her.

  Adele hissed in a breath and recoiled from the sight. Bron grasped on to her shoulder, steadying her so she didn’t fall on her ass.

  “What’s wrong?” he asked, his head snapping toward the alley.

  But it was too late. The torrents of rain had returned, and she could barely see past the sidewalk.

  “Nothing,” she said, shaking her head, but her tone must not have been very convincing.

  “Tell me.” Bron’s commanding voice dipped even lower.

  “I-I thought someone was watching us from the alley across the street earlier,” she said. “And I think I just saw him again.”

  “Are you sure?” he asked.

  “No,” she answered honestly. “Sometimes my eyes play tricks on me.”

  But Bron didn’t seem to be listening anymore. His attention was pointed out the window. All the intensity that had been focused on her a second ago was now aimed at the mouth of the alley. His body went unnaturally still. Adele could feel the power radiating out of him.

  “Is everything okay?” she asked.

  “It will be.” He didn’t even look her way as he stood up. “I’ve been waiting for this.”

  Adele’s mouth hung open as Bron strode out the cafe door.

  Well, that was…sudden. So much for being the only person in the world.

  She instantly felt ridiculous. She’d only known the guy for ten minutes. He’d helped her out in a bad situation. He didn’t owe her anything. Certainly not a handshake and a formal goodbye. Especially not after she’d misread the situation across the street so terribly.

  Bron knew the guy. Of course he did. Why else would he be looking at them? Not them, Adele corrected herself. At Bron.

  He was probably a friend, or maybe a client taking shelter in the alley while he waited for Bron to show up. That made a lot more sense than some random malicious creeper glaring at her from the darkness.

  She wondered what kind of business Bron would be in. Something physical, no doubt—personal training or bodybuilding.

  Adele let out a small sigh and took another sip of her coffee. She didn’t like the sting of disappointment because he was gone. Of course, it had been a long time since she’d felt an immediate connection with someone.

  Connection? More like gut-level attraction. After all, connections were two-sided affairs, and, while Bron had been incredibly kind to her, she didn’t get the feeling that he’d been waiting around the cafe all morning hoping that an awkward, anxiety-ridden redhead would crash into his life.

  Adele kept one hand wrapped around her cup and slid the other into the jacket pocket for warmth. Her fingers smacked against something hard. They traced over a familiar, slim rectangular shape.

  A phone.

  Damn it.

  Borrowing Bron’s jacket was one thing, accidentally stealing his phone was another. She couldn’t make it through a day without hers. She didn’t know anyone who could.

  Adele cursed under her breath as she stood up. She had to find Bron and return his phone. There was no way around it. That meant going out in the storm. She only hoped she could catch him before he disappeared.

  This once, luck was on her side. She stepped onto the sidewalk just in time to see Bron disappear into the mouth of the alley.

  Adele called out his name, but the sound was swallowed up by the roar of passing cars. She lifted the jacket above her head, shielding her face from the worst of the blinding downpour, and waited for the wave of traffic to pass before scurrying across the street, but her feet paused at the edge of the alley.

  Somehow, the clouds seemed darker here. There wasn’t a single light lining the narrow opening. Adele couldn’t see a soul, or a door they might have stepped through. Then again, she could only see about halfway down.

  “Bron?” she squeaked.

  No answer. Her heart hammered in her chest, but somehow she found the courage to take the first step into the alley. A second later, she took another, and then another.

  See. She could walk down dark, deserted alleyways. Nothing to it.

  Okay, so it was nine o’clock on a Saturday morning, and she was only doing it for one of the hottest men she’d ever met in her life, but still, this had to count as progress.

  At least, she hoped it did, because halfway down the alley she still hadn’t spotted Bron or where he might have gone…but she did hear the sound of shuffling coming from around the corner.

  Adele froze. Probably just dumpster mice, she thought.

  The patter of feet grew louder.

  Or not. Those would have to be some damn big mice.

  Adele bit into her lip and risked a peek around the corner. She instantly stopped short.

  Bron was there and so was the other guy—the one whose stare had sent shivers down her spine—and in that instant, Adele knew that she hadn’t been imagining a thing about him.

  There was something vaguely unnatural about the gangly man. His features were sharp and severe—his nose thin, his cheeks sucked in and hollow, his mouth far too wide. Every part of his body was stretched and out of proportion. His limbs were lean, but they practically vibrated with strength.

  Whoever this guy was, he wasn’t Bron’s friend. There wasn’t an ounce of kindness in his gaze. Only violence… and all of it was focused on Bron.

  At least it was, until Adele gasped. Both men snapped their heads her way.

  Shit.

  Adele thought she knew everything about fear, but it turned out she didn’t know a damn thing until the pale man’s eyes met hers. A vicious smile spread across his lips…and kept going. His mouth widened to grotesque proportions, swallowing up more than half his face. A seemingly endless row of sharp white teeth gleamed inside.

  Adele tried to scream, but terror clogged her throat. The best she could manage was a breathy whimper. The weak sound seemed to please the freakish man. His icy eyes twinkled with malicious delight as he turned toward her completely. Panic flooded her brain as he took a step toward her.

  “No,” Bron shouted, but the thing ignored him. It came at her, moving faster and faster with each step.

  Adele knew she needed to run, to get the hell out of there, but she couldn’t. There was a strange disconnect between her brain and her body. She could barely breathe, couldn’t make her legs move, couldn’t even lift her hands to defend herself. Everything inside her shut down.

  Dear God. This wasn’t possible. There was no way this could really be happening.

  But it was.

  “Stay away from her.” Bron’s deep voice echoed off the close alley walls. He rushed at the back of the creature coming toward her. Bron wrapped a thick arm around the man’s neck and pulled hard—hard enough to drop any other man to his knees. But somehow the thing kept on his feet.

  The man swiveled around in Bron’s grasp and tore him off. With a single flick of his wrist, the monster sent him flying. Adele’s heart sank at the sight of Bron—enormous, brawny Bron—tossed like a rag doll. If this thing could do that to him, what chance did she have?

  The creature turned back to her, his needle-like teeth glistening in the low light.

  The low, glittering silver light.
r />   The same one she’d spotted from inside the cafe, glowing at the base of his neck.

  Somehow the sight broke Adele out of the paralyzing grip of fear. Suddenly, she remembered the lessons from the half dozen self-defense classes she’d taken over the years. She knew the moves might not do much good, but a little voice inside her head told her she had to at least try.

  So, she did.

  Adele thrust her hand out, aiming the meat of her palm at his nose, but the creature was too tall. Her blow came up short and connected with the underside of his chin instead. His head snapped back, and she raked her nails down his throat. Her fingers caught on something, and she pulled hard, using the extra leverage to thrust her knee into his groin. She put her whole body weight into the move, knocking him off balance. The thing sucked in a harsh breath at the contact, but more importantly, his heels slipped on the wet pavement and he fell to the ground. Whatever hung around his neck snapped off in her hand.

  Adele didn’t take a moment to see what she held. She just ran—hard and fast out of the alley and onto the sidewalk. And she didn’t stop there. Ignoring the wind and rain, she pumped her legs until they burned. She kept going until the sky cleared and the rain stopped. Only then did Adele risk a glance over her shoulder.

  That thing wasn’t behind her. He hadn’t followed her.

  Which meant he was still back in that alley…with Bron.

  Oh God.

  She needed to call the cops. Now.

  She tried to pull Bron’s phone out of her pocket but something was tangled around her fingers. She looked down and discovered a gold chain bunched in the center of her hand. An amber-colored crystal dangled from the center.

  At least, it started out amber.

  The color changed as she stared down at the crystal, shifting from amber to blue to silver. Adele couldn’t take her eyes off the necklace as she dialed 911. The moment the operator answered, she wrapped her fingers around it tight.

  And that was when something truly strange thing happened.

  Adele Grayson began to relax.

  Chapter Two

  There wasn’t much they could do.

  That’s what the police had been telling Adele all day, from the first officer who pulled up in a squad car to the uniform at the desk who typed up her statement. It felt like they were all reading from the same script.