Alliance of Shadows, Book 3: HUNTER

Impending Urgency

After the third game, she sat back on her heels and yawned. Watching her rub her eyes, I noticed the way her little head dropped to her chest, her exhaustion finally overtaking her. “Are you sleepy, Diana?”

I knew she was. Judging by the strength I was slowly gathering from the growing darkness outside, it was nearing the early morning hours of twilight. The poor child was ready to drop, yet she remained determined to finish the game.

Yawning again, she nodded. “Yeah. I'm trying, but I can't keep my eyes open."

“Come," I tapped my lap with my hand. "I'll keep you warm.”

“You’re not going to bite me, right?”

“No,” I answered with a soft chuckle.

Relieved, she crawled over and curled up in my lap, her small body settling into the warmth I offered. I leaned against the post, my muscles loosening as the weight of the moment sank in. Sleep tugged at me, and though I tried to fight it, the steady rise and fall of her breathing lulled me under within minutes.

I didn’t know how long we slept before the sound of a scream tore through the silence, jolting me awake. Diana sobbed in my lap, her small body trembling as she buried her face in my shirt. Her fingers clenched into the fabric, gripping me like I was the only thing keeping her safe. She peered up at me, terror widening her green eyes. “Please don’t let him hurt me, Hunter.”

I turned my head toward the source of her fear and saw a Vampire with his hand wrapped around Ariel’s throat. It was the night my mother died all over again.

The memory crashed into me like a wave, but I shoved it aside, rising to my feet in one swift motion. “Stay put, and don’t look, okay? I do not want you to see what I’m about to do,” I warned Diana, my voice steady despite the storm raging inside me.

Without hesitation, I closed the distance and tore his head from his body, his grip on Ariel loosening as his corpse hit the ground. Ariel collapsed onto the floor, coughing and gasping for air as she looked up at me, her fear shifting from her attacker to me.

“How did you…” Her voice faded as she struggled to process what had just happened. Then, her watery gaze drifted toward her daughter.

I extended a hand, offering to help her up. “Diana untied my hands so that I could play a game with her. Was he the only one?”

Ariel’s response came in the form of a slap against my offered hand, the force of it sharp and unrestrained. “He is looking for my child!” she screamed, her voice raw with desperation.

My eyes locked on the little girl staring at me. It was then that I saw my chance to prove I could keep my word—not to hurt them, but to protect them. My chance to make things right.

“Is there a safe place that you can hide her?” I asked as I walked over to Diana and lifted her into my arms.

“Where the hell do you propose we go?” Ariel snapped, her voice raw with frustration. “Your father has devastated our once-great Coven. He reduced us to Nomads.”

“There will be others,” I said, turning toward her. My gaze landed on the blade in her hand, the tension between us thickening. “I’m not going to hurt anyone here, Ariel.”

A younger woman appeared in the doorway, her voice tentative. “Mother, is everything all right?”

Ariel’s expression flickered with uncertainty. “The one that attacked the Coven is dead, but this one is trying my patience in the worst sort of way.”

One of the men stepped forward, his gaze narrowing as it landed on me. “What’s he doing with Diana?”

The little girl turned her head toward the man, her voice unwavering despite the fear still lingering in the room. “He saved Mama, Daddy. He’s a nice Vampire. He won't hurt us, right, Hunter?”

"No, of course not," I replied. Looking at the older man Diana had called ‘Daddy’, I said, “I have a suggestion, but you may not agree with it.”

“What is it?” the other man asked, tucking his weapon behind his back, though his wary gaze never left me.

I swallowed, choosing my words carefully. “Come with me. The Ruby Fang Coven is no longer under the rule of my father, and we genuinely want to live peacefully with you.”

A tense silence followed as their expressions darkened, the weight of my words sinking in. They paled.

Continuing, I said, “By now, my brothers will be looking for me. When they find me, you will have seven more to deal with. Thankfully, they want the same thing I want: a peaceful co-existence.”

The younger woman recovered first, though her voice held a note of skepticism. “Are you saying that we'll no longer be hunted?”

I studied their reactions—slight shifts in stance, lingering doubt in their eyes. The wariness hadn’t disappeared, but for the first time, it seemed hesitation might be replacing outright rejection.

“The sooner I get you and the others to safety, the better it will be,” I answered, my voice steady but carrying the urgency of what was at stake. I looked down at the little girl in my arms and sighed. “I can take Diana and hide her within the Shadow Storm wolf pack. They will protect her. Once back at my coven, I'll gather reinforcements and return to help you.”

“Your brothers aren't going to try anything, are they?” Diana’s father asked, his voice edged with hesitation.

“Not at all,” I replied, shifting slightly before handing him his daughter. She clung to my shirt for a brief moment, her grip reluctant to let go, before finally allowing herself to be passed over.

“There are several Witches from around the world there, so it’s not as if your people will be the only ones,” I added, watching his expression closely.

He accepted Diana but didn’t respond right away. His fingers tightened protectively around her as he studied me, his posture tense, torn between trust and fear.

Ariel shook her head, refusing to believe I was telling the truth. “Liar!”

I exhaled sharply, shaking my head, frustration tightening in my chest. Then, a shard of guilt piercing my heart, I said, “I know of a Breakwater Witch who lives with the Shadow Storm pack. I can leave your daughter with her family if you want. Simone won't say no to guarding a child in danger.”

“We thought Simone was dead. It's been so long since we've heard from her,” the other man said. He eyed Ariel but said nothing more, though suspicion flickered in his gaze. I had a sinking feeling that Ariel knew more than she was letting on.

“I was talking with them just before I arrived here by accident,” I explained, watching their reactions closely.

Diana blinked up at me, her voice soft but unwavering. “I’m glad you came here, Hunter. You’re a lot of fun, and you saved my Mama.”

Her father stiffened, his expression darkening as he regarded me with trepidation. The next thing I knew, his gun was pointed at me. Again. “Explain! We were told Simone was dead! Killed by the wolf who took her from us!”

Shaking my head, I kept my voice calm despite the tension rising in the room. “I don't have it in me to harm a child. They are far too precious. As for Simone, that wolf was her Mate. She has thrived in her new home, not killed off by some imagined threat.”

The other man took a tentative step in my direction but didn’t move any further. “It doesn’t feel right to do this, Keith. I can’t hear when people lie, but I heard every word he said.”

I turned my head and leveled my gaze at him, studying his expression carefully.

“You’re a Soothsayer?” I asked softly, watching as his face flushed red.

He nodded. “I am.”

“Then listen to me carefully. If we don't do something soon, your people will become food for my father's forces,” I said.

The weight of my warning settled over the group. The air felt tense, thick with unspoken fears.

I could already feel the sun descending as the afternoon wore on. Like Hollywood’s version of Vampires, we relied on the darkness for concealment. Vampire bodies were attuned to the cycle of the sun and moon, allowing us to tell the general time of day without ever stepping outside. Unlike Hollywood, we could move around in direct sunlight. We didn't sparkle, hiss at lights and mirrors, look like decrepit old men or have perfectly flawless skin.

Our powers, however, were a different story. For me, the moon’s phases enhanced my affinity for water. For others, like my brother Vincent and our cousin, the daytime boosted their affinity for fire. Others were affected by the seasons or the emotions of those around them.

I glanced up just in time to see my family emerging from the dark passageway behind them. Jacob Grey was there, too, which meant Logan knew I was MIA.

Shit was about to hit the proverbial fan.

Taking a deep breath for both courage and to resettle my mind, I said, “It’s too late. You must make the decision quickly or perish in the aftermath of the coming battle.”

“Truth,” the Soothsayer commented, his voice a mix of disbelief and confusion.

“Darius?” Diana’s father asked.

“He’s telling the truth. There’s a battle coming, one we need their help to fight,” Darius breathed.

The other man paled, “Ariel… we need to act. Enough of this dilly-dallying, and move, damn you!”