Annie Nicholas: Hunting Colby

I wasn’t used to thinking like an outsider. My whole life had been within the vampire nation. As a human, Red had some rights, but we’d have to prove that a vampire held him against his will. He’d need someone inside the nation to petition for his return. “I can call my master. He’ll get him released. What did he do?”

Jerking his head back, Colby let his arms fall to his sides. “He was doing his job!” He began to pace the room. “We’d heard some shady stories about increased vampire population in the city. I sent him to investigate. He never came home.”

“Vampire procreation is strictly monitored by the Nosferatu.” Unsanctioned making of new vampires would be punished by death. “If you have proof, we have to report it at once.”

“That’s the point of finding Red.”

I grew still. Would have thought Red being his friend was a good enough reason to find him, but apparently not for Colby. “How do you know it’s that vampire?” There were literally hundreds of them in a city like New York. All of them fed from humans, but none were allowed to kill one or turn one into a vampire without permission. If they did, it would compromise their secret existence. The Nosferatu monitored their people closely. Even vampires had something to fear.

Colby tossed a look of exasperation. “He’s the last vampire Red reported on before he went missing.”

I nodded. “And the girl was to lure him to you for questioning? Before or after you staked him?”

“Gwen.” He used my name as if swearing. “Did Rose get hurt?”

I hoped he missed my sharp intake of breath at the mention of her name. Searching his face, I detested the concern evident in his gaze. “She seemed fine.” I took a step closer to him. He’d best not think to replace me with a weak mortal meat sack. “Why?”

“Soldiers are a dime a dozen. Good bait is hard to find.” He made a sour face.

I trembled from the effort not to snarl. Colby made it impossible for me to be civil. Every chance he had, he tossed hurtful things in my direction. It was like listening to a porcupine shifter, each word stinging. Rose could make any male happy, but she wasn’t allowed around mine. “Are you sleeping with her?”

His eyebrows furrowed. “I don’t like damaged goods.”

The muscles in my shoulders twisted into such taut knots, I had trouble easing my arms back to my side. I was damaged. Clearing my throat, I kept from meeting his gaze. Jealousy gripped me in its tight claws. “We should return to the vampire’s trail.” I needed to change the subject before I took a bite out of him. Colby wound me up so tight I feared if I sneezed I’d break apart. Hunting sounded like an excellent release. “Only a few hours of dark remain, and his scent should still be fresh enough to follow.”

The wind blasted out of my lungs as Colby slammed me against the wall, his forearm across my throat and his thigh between my legs, preventing me from kicking. “No, you and I have unfinished business.” His dirty blond hair stood up in odd angles as if he ran his hands through it constantly. Piercing green eyes bore into mine. They were what I’d noticed the most about him the first time we fought.

His forearm dug into my throat, and I gasped for air, clawing at his arm. I couldn’t budge it. Mates didn’t hurt each other. Maybe I’d been wrong about us all along.

“Stop following me.” He drew closer until his nose was buried in my hair and inhaled deeply. “Go back to your life with Tane and your pack. I’m not what you want.” With a jerk, he released me and paced to the door.

I rubbed my throat. “How would you know what I want?” My voice came out rough. From bad handling or emotion, I couldn’t tell.

He stopped before exiting and glanced over his shoulder. “What do you know about shifters who can’t shift?”

The blood drained from my face. How did he know? Only my parents and brother were privy to my deepest secret, my darkest shame. I’d never been able to shift. It was a hereditary trait that had inflicted a few of my ancestors. I had all the shifter strength, speed, and senses, but only my eyes changed color.

“I can see you know enough.” Sadness touched his gaze for a split second, so fast I wasn’t sure if I’d seen it. “Leave me alone.” With that parting sentence, he left me.

My knees gave away. What a rock troll could not do, a few words from Colby had succeeded. I was crushed. All my instincts cried that he belonged to me. Pretending to doubt would only hurt me more. I would follow him to the ends of the world. I couldn’t stop thousands of years of evolution, but if he couldn’t accept me as I was, then we were doomed.

I stared at the open doorway. What would I tell my parents, my pack? My brother was already furious that Colby had rejected me. He’d go berserk about this. Shifters only had one soul mate. There would be no others for me. Or Colby.

It sometimes happened that mates lost one another. Accidents occurred, since fate could be a cruel mistress. My thoughts turned to the only shifter I knew who’d lost his shifter wife ages ago—a shadow of a male who existed within our pack but did not seem to live. Was this my future? At least he’d had the chance to love and be loved by his mate before losing her. Colby had rejected me from day one.

A tear spilled unchecked down my cheek.

“No, no, no. Don’t get all girly on me.” A pair of worn running shoes filled my vision until someone squatted in front of me and wiped the tear from my cheek. “Shit, I suck at this stuff.”

I smacked Mutt’s hand away. “Stop touching me.”

He wiped the tear’s dampness on his worn, dirty jeans. “That’s better. Is he dead?” He rose to search the empty bathroom. “Guess not. Where’d the bastard go? Did he hurt you?”

Mutt bore the trademark bald head, pointed ears, and the palest of pale skin of his brethren. Unlike them, however, he also owned the sweetest of hearts. I feared for him. Compared to the Nosferatu I’d worked with and others I’d met, Mutt was a newborn baby, a street kid from the 1980’s gone vampire. A few years ago, when Rurik had killed Dragos, the old ruler of the vampire nation, Mutt had undergone the transformation from regular vampire to Nosferatu badass.

I eyed the young appearing male leaning against the bathroom’s door frame and shook my head. It would take at least a few more centuries before he could stand up to the others in his clan. Until then, he was fresh meat.

“Colby left.” I got to my feet and stretched the cramped muscles in my lower back. How long had I been sitting there? “Took you long enough to return.”

Mutt frowned. “I was on the other side of town. Contrary to common belief, I can’t fly. Not yet.”

I snorted. “None of you can.”

“A little respect.” He waved at his appearance. Mutt’s clan might make most supernatural beings shiver in fear at just the mention of their name, but not me, not anymore. I’d helped kill one not long ago.

I snorted once more. “Respect is earned, not given. You’re still…too inexperienced.” He had lots to learn besides fighting. As a human, Mutt had grown up alone in this country’s foster home system. Then he’d been turned vampire to work as a soldier in Cesio’s nest. So I had my work cut out for me when it came to teaching Mutt about honor.

He grinned from ear to ear. “You know I’ll make you eat those words one day.”

“I look forward to it.” I met his gaze directly. “Did you find your friend?”

His smartass smile faded. “No. I spent more time trying to find his scent than following it. My nose isn’t as good as yours.”

“The skill comes with practice, and you’ll get more tonight. We’re going back out on the hunt. I want to question this vampire now, and I always catch what I track.”