Hunter Hunted Ch. 06

"We have to do something, she doesn't look good."

Mira sat next to Melody on the floor, carefully lifting the blanket to check her wounds. "She needs ASP," she called out to Hunter.

Hunter came into the living room, buttoning his jeans, two tee shirts tossed over his shoulders. "Not that I mind the outfit you're wearing, Mira, but I think others from ASP might find it a trifle distracting. I've called Shadow. He's sending a team."

She took the tee shirt he threw her and slipped it over her head before grabbing a hank of his hair and tugging his head so she could study his eyes. "Are you okay? You took quite a knock." She poked at the bump on his head, smiling when he growled and grabbed her hand.

"I'll be a lot better without your tender, loving care, Mira."

"Wuss," she teased.

"You're just pissy because now that your cleaning service is out of commission, you have to clean my apartment." Hunter grinned, watching Mira's eyes and waiting for the blow up. But she surprised him.

"I guess you're right. There's no way I'm going to be able to get anyone else out to clean it, not after rumors of this is spread around."

He starred at her, not sure if he was hearing her correctly. She was giving in? She was actually going to clean his apartment? He was almost afraid to ask. "You're not going to try to wiggle out of it so you can go after Braxton?"

"No, I figure if I clean your apartment, when I'm done, you can use some of those over rated tracking skills of yours to help me find him."

Hunter nodded for a second, then cocked his head to the side. "Okay, I know you too well, Mira. You're up to something. What is it?"

"Talk about untrusting," she said, shaking her head sadly. "A girl can't live up to a bet she made without you thinking there is some hidden agenda. I'm shocked, Hunter. I'm actually kind of hurt that you would feel this way."

"It's not going to work, Mira. You're cleaning the apartment today." He headed toward the door, hearing the sounds from the other side. Checking the peep hole, he hurried to undo the lock and pull open the door. "Shadow," he said in greeting.

"Kit and her Delta team are on their way up as well. Report."

Hunter stood at attention and crisply and concisely told Shadow of the things that had happened. He brought Shadow into the living room where Mirage had just zipped her jeans and showed him the men that were on the floor as well as the women who huddled next to Melody, each covered by a blanket or a coat.

"Mirage," Shadow said. "Where is the leader of these thugs?"

"He got away sir. We were trying to save the women from a Vampire, who also got away, sir."

"Damn I hate it when that happens," Shadow said. "Do you have any clues on how to find these rogues?"

"I do," Mirage answered. "I ran into one of them last night. I never thought he'd take rejection this far, sir."

"Maybe it's just your style of rejection," Hunter said then grabbed her hand when she went to hit him. "This being able to touch you is going to keep me from getting bruises," he said with a grin.

"You can touch her?" Shadow gaped.

Hunter pulled her into a neck hold, laughing as she slapped at his arms before biting him. "Ouch!"

"It's what you deserve. You could have just told him yes."

"She's right, Hunter. When did this happen?"

"Yesterday. It's still a little freaky on this end of things too."

Kit and her team came through the front door. Kiteria Demos is a were-lion, the queen of her pride. Her race could be seen upon her proud and beautiful caramel colored features. The position of queen was waiting for her when she tired of working for ASP. As far as she was concerned, someone else could take over that role and she'd be just as happy. Lelia Storm came next. Lee, as she was called, was a black witch and a "liner". She could tap into the lei lines of the earth, those magnetic lines that supposedly held magical powers and showed directions for those who could read them. Her hair was cut short, the red strands spiked around her delicate features. Her eyes were an eerie gold, cat's eyes as some have called them. They sparked now for she was riding a lei line now and it hit her like a cocaine rush.

The Tinman was next. Drakon Rubis had never known his parents. He'd found out at an early age that he could change the molecular material of his skin, turning himself into a man of steel, or Tinman as his lover, Lelia Storm, called him.

Mage was the last of the four. He was tall, incredibly skinny and wore a hooded cloak, one that reminded Lee of the Grim Reaper. Mage's powers were a bit freaky as well. He was an empath, but he could use those empathic powers to control some humans, to delve into their minds and learn their secrets. It was not a pleasant process for the human caught in Mage's web and usually left them with drool dribbling from the corner of their mouths. But he was a powerful force and one that Kit used, only when every other force had failed.

They burst into Hunter's apartment, coming to a halt when they spotted Shadow standing and talking to Hunt and Mirage. "You two okay?" Kit asked, coming up to the group.

"I would say. Hunter can touch Mirage, Kit."

Kit turned to look at the two of them. "Show me," she said simply.

Hunter held out his hand and Mirage, shaking her head and rolling her eyes, laid her palm in his. "See," Hunt said. "No drool, no running into walls, no screaming into the night."

"It's mid morning," Mirage interjected.

"That's not the point, Mira. I'm touching you and I'm not going stark raving looney tunes."

"I got it, okay? Remember, I'm the one you've been pawing on for two days?"

"She doesn't mean pawing like that, Shadow," Hunter said quickly.