Hunting Colby Read online

  “Alcide? He’d kidnap a nice pair of shoes, but not a slayer. They’re after the wrong vampire.”

  I glanced up at him. “Are you sure?”

  “One hundred percent? No. Maybe the slayer was wearing nice shoes.” He gave me a crooked grin. “You’re really not any good at this getting-your-mate-to-like-you stuff. I’d love to hear about how you both met.”

  I punched him in the arm. “Stop it. You’re making me feel worse.”

  He laughed harder. “Is this why we’re going back out again?” Placing a hand over his big smile, Mutt tried to stifle his mirth. He did poorly.

  At this point I couldn’t care. Whatever pride I’d owned had vanished when I’d bared my trodden heart to this young vampire. “No.” I rose to my feet and pulled my suitcase from under the bed. Unlocking it, I exchanged my weapons from those used to capturing vampires to things suitable for killing. Mutt might still trust his friend, but I didn’t. “If we find Alcide first, he’ll have a better chance of surviving. Colby is close to the missing slayer and might beat the shit out of your friend before asking questions.”

  “This is a terrible idea.”

  “How?” I stuffed a wooden stake in my back waist band. “It’s my fault he escaped. If Red dies, Colby will never forgive me.”

  “So you’ll hunt a vampire to make him happy and not to save the human’s life?” Mutt’s smile turned weary.

  “You’re picking at details. The point is, we all want the same thing, and I’ll make Colby happy. For once.” I stopped at the open doorway. “Aren’t you coming?”

  He shook his head. “I don’t want to get between the two of you. Like you said, I don’t understand shifters and I understand you even less after this.”

  “You need more combat training. This should technically be your job. To keep the existence of your kind a secret, you need to make sure vampires are following the laws.” I raised an eyebrow. “Or did you sleep through that lesson?”

  “Yeah, yeah, I’ve heard it every time one of my big brothers shows up uninvited.” He pushed passed me into the night. “What’s your plan?”

  I tapped my nose. “His scent should still be fresh at the motel as long as it doesn’t rain.” I stared at the clear night and watched a falling star flash across the sky. There was only one thing I’d wish for, but I’d make this wish come true on my own.

  Chapter Four

  On hands and knees, I sniffed the parking lot at the motel where we’d encountered Colby. The scents of gasoline and asphalt masked the natural smells of the world. I filed them away, like background noise, and searched for Alcide’s cologne-drowned tracks.

  “Why don’t you shift? Wouldn’t your senses be more acute in wolf form?” Mutt sat on the curb, smoking a cigarette. He blew small rings in the air above his head and watched them float.

  Twisting, I tossed a daggered glare at him. “You just want to see me naked.” I’d never confided my physical inabilities to him. The fewer who knew, the better I could work. Pity would get in my way.

  He held up two fingers. “Two birds, one stone.”

  “My senses are just as good in this form.” Returning my attention to the ground, I growled under my breath. Some help Mutt was turning out to be.

  “What do vampires smell like? I mean, to you. I know what I smell.” I could hear him take another long drag.

  “That’s a nasty habit, Mutt. Why would anyone want to kiss someone with tobacco breath?” I didn’t care to give him more information on my kind than he needed. My offer to teach him was for combat, not shifter 101.

  “Are you thinking of kissing me?” He chuckled at my sharp snarl. “It hides the blood aftertaste.”

  “They make mints for that.” I caught a whiff of something faint, perfumed flowers mixed with spicy wood. The human female, Rose, had smelled of blossoms.

  “Mints aren’t strong enough and they upset my stomach. I need something more pungent.”

  “Cigars would work better and smell nicer.” I tracked back and forth until I found the path away from the motel that smelled of only spicy wood. “Got you.” I rose to my feet and left Mutt to flood the air with his poisoned mouthwash. Now that I had the trail, I didn’t need to be so close to the ground. The trace was fainter than I’d expected.

  “Hey!” I heard the heavy footfalls of Mutt’s steps follow. “You found his scent?” He sniffed the air. “I can’t smell anything special.”

  I rolled my eyes. “Get closer to the ground.” He needed to learn to use his more enhanced senses. Vampires tended to lean toward their hearing instead of smell. I’d teach Mutt to use them all.

  He crouched, almost kissing asphalt. “I smell tar, old gum…” He inhaled deeply then gagged. “And piss.” Rising to his boots, he shot me a disgusted look. “You’re faking.”

  “I’m a shifter. This is my natural skill. I don’t need to fake.”

  He rubbed his chin as we walked down the street and around the corner. “What are vampire special skills?”

  “Causing trouble.” The trail went into a subway entrance. “He’s using public transit?” Vampires tended to avoid crowds. It pushed at their self-control over the bloodlust. Not to mention in close quarters it was easier to notice their pale flesh and a flash of fang. I shook my head and pushed past the humans in my way. Glancing over my shoulder, I noted that Mutt had pulled his winter hat over his head and ears. If only the humans knew that one of the greatest predators strolled among them. I gave him a small grin.

  It vanished when I saw the turnstiles. I stuck my hands in my pocket and came out empty. In my hurry to capture the vampire, I’d left my wallet at my hotel. I gave Mutt a sheepish expression.

  He handed me a token from his pocket and slid his own into a slot in the turnstile.

  I followed suit but couldn’t keep my curiosity under reins. “Why do you carry subway tokens?”

  Gesturing to his clothes, he shook his head at me in disbelief. “Do I look like I can afford a car?”

  “Don’t you get a stipend or—”

  “No. My brothers think I should learn to fend for myself. ‘Make my own fortune’ is how they put it.” He now led the way to the subway platform, as if he knew where the trail went. “They don’t seem to understand that I can’t just get a job at McDonald’s or even have a GED. That doesn’t leave me with much legal options.”

  “Oh.” I’d never met a poor vampire, let alone a poor Nosferatu. It was another blatant reminder of his age. Such a confession from Mutt could leave me in trouble. We barely knew each other, and legal options could mean so many things. Not that Master Tane would care if Mutt broke human laws, but he’d be furious if vampire ones were even bent, and I was beginning to like Mutt. “Maybe you shouldn’t tell me anymore.”

  He stopped by the tunnel’s exit and sighed. “Don’t worry. I wasn’t planning on it.”

  I inhaled deeply. The scent trail grew more solid. “How did you know the vampire came this way?”

  “Because a lot of us use these tunnels to travel, especially close to daybreak.” He checked the almost empty platform before grabbing my hand and jumping off.

  The tug contained unexpected strength, yet I landed on my feet with some of my usual grace. Not all of it, but some. I took off after the trail until the illumination from the exit faded, leaving us in the dark, but both of us could see relatively well without light.

  All sorts of sordid smells assaulted my nose. Good thing I had a strong gag reflex. I swallowed with a dry throat and fought through the sensory overload until another familiar scent caught my attention.

  I jerked my head as cold, sharp metal caressed the flesh of my throat. My gasp echoed in the silence. A hard body pressed against my back, sending shivers along my spine.

  “Gwen.”

  The muscles in my legs wanted to melt at the whisper. “Colby.”

  “What are you doing here?” He twisted so his back was against the wall while still holding me to his chest.

  I stared at the
empty spot where Mutt should have been standing and considered my options. Lying to my mate seemed like a bad place to start. I’d already attacked him in Rio and abducted his unconscious form earlier this evening. My stomach cramped and I tried to take a deep breath. “Uh, vampire hunting.”

  Colby made a frustrated noise.

  “Wait a minute, you stole my idea. You tracked the vampire’s scent like I’d suggested.” The bite of steel on my flesh kept me from facing him with my accusation. Mate or not, I didn’t like being at anyone’s mercy. Was he really capable of harming me? I didn’t know which hurt more, the knife or his distrust.

  “I would have done that without you voicing it.” His grip loosened just the slightest bit on my throat.

  Not expecting any second chances with Colby and sort of surprised I was getting this one, I jabbed my elbow into his stomach hard enough to connect with his spine.

  He let out a sharp gasp but clutched me even tighter; the edge of the blade dug into my skin, and blood trickled from a small knick. “Nice shot.” His voice cracked on the last word. He eased us slowly down the tunnel, keeping the wall to his back.

  Cold claws of fear ran over my spine. I couldn’t break out of his hold. Not many could boast that kind of power. “I’m not the enemy. Let me go. I can help you.”

  “Bullshit, you’re with a Nosferatu. What’s the game you’re playing?”

  “Mutt? You’re worried about him?” I rolled my eyes to the ceiling and pleaded with the full moon to give me patience. Where had that vampire disappeared to anyway? “Looks like you scared him off.” I sensed the hesitation in Colby’s steps. “You’re a big bad slayer who helped take down Dragos. He’s just a baby Nosferatu who can’t even buy himself a car.”

  “Baby…”

  “Yes, he was made after Dragos died. Something about keeping their power in balance.”

  The blade eased away from my throat but did not leave Colby’s grip. That hurt my feelings more than the attack. His gaze darted from me to the surrounding area, and he sniffed the air.

  I inhaled as well. Mutt’s scent was fading. He’d gone. I glanced at Colby once more. Perfect.

  His gaze tracked back to mine and stayed locked on. “What do I have to do so you’ll listen to me?”

  Crossing my arms over my chest, I ground my teeth. “Stop running, start making sense, and deal with this like an adult would be a good way to start.”

  “I can’t believe you came down here with a Nos by yourself. He could have drained you dry and left your carcass in these tunnels, never to be found.” He sheathed his knife and ran his hands through his hair again.

  A wave of dizziness struck me as my heart skipped beats. He cared? Pressing a knife to my neck was a heck of way to show it. Then again, I wasn’t much better at showing my affection, considering that some of the bruises on Colby’s body were from me.

  He grabbed me by the upper arm and leaned in close. “You should know better.”

  I blinked. “I do know better. I grew up with Nosferatu, remember? Mutt was tagging along to learn about hunting vampires. It’ll be his job one day.”

  The silence around us grew thicker. Colby’s gaze trailed to where he held me, touched me, and a bead of sweat trickled from his forehead. The oxygen in the tunnel seemed to have vanished because I suddenly couldn’t find enough to breathe.

  “I want to help.” My voice was husky with the lack of air. “It’s my fault Alcide escaped.”

  “Why do you care?” His gaze boomeranged to mine.

  “It’s important to you.” I refused to take a step forward into his arms. I was done bending and tossing myself at him since it hadn’t done anything except provide proof that I was ruled by my instincts. This male obviously wanted more.

  “That’s your only reason?” He released his hold on me. “The vampire might kill more humans.”

  “I know.”

  His frown grew deeper.

  “Th—that would be wrong.” Why did he give such a shit about another race? He bent backwards to save them, yet ignored his shifter nature. Maybe if I were human he’d want me.

  “I can’t have you wandering these tunnels by yourself. So—”

  “I’ll accompany you and act as back-up. I am trained in multiple forms of hand-to-hand combat. And weapons.”

  He grimaced and rubbed his stomach. “Trust me, I remember.”

  Chapter Five

  Colby kept pace with me as we tracked through the tunnels. Not many could have run at my side for so long without respite. I'd trained long and hard to be the fastest and strongest in my pack, even though I couldn't shift. The fact that no sweat marred his skin made me wonder if maybe he could outlast me.

  The vampire's scent grew stronger. We were getting closer to our quarry. My heart raced. Not with exertion but exhilaration.

  I now understood the connections mates held during the hunt. Even though Colby refused to claim me, I could sense every motion his body made, the way his eyes traveled to each shadow as he searched for danger, and hear the strong pounding of his heart. Without words, we moved in unison, complementing each other’s actions.

  A distant sound reached my ears. Metal grinding on metal, a slight squeal piercing the air.

  Colby hesitated and glanced over his shoulder.

  The sound grew louder, and I stopped, crouching on the track, to face what followed us. Light bloomed ahead and shattered my night vision. I could see nothing but blinding brightness as the metallic noise filled the tunnel.

  "Gwen, what are you doing?" The alarm in his voice struck a raw chord in my soul.

  I twisted in time to witness Colby leap toward me, his fingers digging into my shoulders as he rolled backward over the filthy ground.

  In one smooth motion, he lifted me to my feet and pressed me against the concrete wall as a subway train squealed past us, inches away. He covered his ears with his hands.

  The floor and walls shook with the force. I tried to cover my sensitive ears as well, but my hands were pinned between our bodies. The power that drove this metallic monster pulsed in the air and sang in my blood. Just as quickly as it came, it vanished down the tunnel.

  Colby spun me around and scanned my form.

  I blinked the dust from my eyes and realized his lips were moving but I couldn’t hear his words. The ringing in my ears was too loud.

  He gently took my chin in his hands to turn my face from side to side. With a finger, he touched just under my ear, and it came away with blood. Even in the wash of darkness that trailed the subway train, I could discern the frown on his face. Hand in hand, he led me back along the track.

  “It won’t take me long to heal.” Speaking when I couldn’t hear myself felt odd. It was like drawing with my eyes closed. I could only hope I made sense.

  Colby flinched as if I had yelled. At least he’d heard me.

  “Can you smell the trail?”

  He grimaced and sniffed, then shook his head.

  “Let me try.” Each time I tried to crouch to find the vampire’s scent, he’d stay close, watching the dark, almost like he guarded my back. These mixed cues he sent were twisting my guts in a knot. “I can’t find it. All I smell is train.” I rubbed the thick smell of fuel from my nose. The ringing began to fade.

  Colby’s frown deepened with worry before he tugged me by the hand again. Part of me wanted to yank it out of his grasp. I was alpha; that meant I led. The newer part of me that had awakened when I first met him, wanted to skip along. He pulled me through a doorway with a ladder, which brought us to the surface and the streets.

  Soft orange sunlight gleamed on the wet surface of the buildings. A downpour had started with the dawn.

  “The vampire won’t travel far now.” I assessed our situation and location. From the avenue numbers, I’d guess we were in Manhattan now. Far from my car or my hotel. Exhaustion weighed heavy on my shoulders. I’d been awake and hunting for over twenty-four hours. Shifter or not, that would wear out anyone. A shiver ran down my spi
ne as the cold fall rain soaked my clothes and hair. “I should head back and get some sleep.” I could finally hear my own voice faintly. I cleared my throat. “Maybe we could meet here before sunset and restart the search. He can’t be far.”

  Colby stepped closer and checked my ears again. “It never stops amazing me how fast our race heals.” The heat from his body radiated over mine, and my shivers vanished.

  I retreated from his touch. My dignity fluttered in the wind, but I managed to piece some of it together. I’d given Colby two chances to be my mate, and both times he’d turned me down so fast I had whiplash. If only there were a button to set me free of my shifter desire. My pack contained worthier males who would have been honored at my attention, not toss it to the ground like unwanted trash. For the first time in months, my mind cleared of emotion.

  Maybe it was an effect from the near-death experience with the subway train.

  He shook his head as if to toss off unwanted thoughts. “By the time you return to your hotel, you’ll have to turn back.”

  “I’ll take a cab.” As I reached into my back pocket, I hesitated. My wallet still sat on the table of my room. Swallowing a frustrated noise, I glanced at him. “I could use a run.” Not really. My legs were like blocks of lead and my head pounded with every heart beat.

  “I have…” His gaze wandered to his feet before meeting mine again. “I keep an apartment not far from here.” The intensity with which he stared gave me the impression he was trying to gauge my reaction. “I might have food.” He shrugged. “You can dry off and rest. Then we can continue hunting at sunset.”

  My stomach betrayed me by growling. It echoed in the emptiness of my gut. He had me at food. I nodded, unable to speak and unwilling to voice my concerns. Just last evening he had attacked me when I’d confronted him with our mutual destiny. All I’d known from Colby was running. This kindness was throwing me off.

  Without another word, he spun about and marched through the early morning crowds.

  I strolled behind, never losing sight of him but allowing myself a moment to spread my shifter senses around me and absorb the city. Raised in a jungle, I’d never truly lived in an urban setting. Rio had always been within reach, but I’d never cared for it.