A Hunters Promise Read Online Free PDF Page A

nothing more than to go home and drag her to their room. The need for her was like a fever in his blood and in his brain.
    “Point?” Reaper asked.
    “Why would a vampire hunt here? There’re so many humans that are more readily available. So why come here? And why not put her in thrall? She obviously wasn’t since there’s a weapon down the hall with the vamp’s blood on it. She got him. So why? How?”
    Reaper looked slowly around, taking the scene in again. “You think she’s like Joelle?”
    Talon shrugged. “I don’t know. But what if she is and we leave her here?”
    Reaper ran his fingers through his blood red hair. “They’ll come back, and next time, she probably won’t be as lucky.”
    Talon nodded. “We can’t take that chance.”
    “Fuck,” Reaper said, “you’re right. But what do we do with her? I mean, she’s here so that obviously says something.”
    “Charon knows her, so we let him handle things.” Talon didn’t add that he doubted if Charon would allow anyone else near her. Charon’s actions were all too familiar. Talon recognized them; hell, he’d lived them until connecting with Joelle again. Could the girl be Charon’s Liaison? Talon shook his head, deciding not to worry about it. If she was, then it would be Charon’s situation to deal with, and if not, then his decision to bring the girl into their world was still his to deal with.
    He and Reaper moved off as the PIA team came in to begin clean-up.
     

 
     
     
     
    Chapter Three
     
    Charon carried an unconscious Irish into his rooms. He didn’t know what had happened in the hospital hallway, and he really didn’t want to think too much about it. The growling and the overwhelming anger was something he didn’t normally face. Of all the Ancients, he considered himself the most stable. He was younger than all the other Hunters, so if someone was going to crack, he didn’t think it would be him. Or, at least, he hoped it wouldn’t be him, but now, he wasn’t so sure.
    He laid her on the bed and stepped back. He wasn’t sure what to do for her. The only human he’d been around was Joelle and never in a situation like this. Hell, if he had been, Talon would have killed him or anyone else by now. The man was calmer than he had been, but when it came to Joelle, he was like a rabid animal. A rabid animal trained to kill in too many ways to count.
    A knock came, and he spun to face it, putting himself between the woman on the bed and the threat. The door opened, and Joelle stuck her face in. He felt himself instantly calm when her scent washed over him. She was no threat. He knew it, but whatever was inside him that wanted to kill knew it, too. Fuck, what was going on?
    “Hey,” Joelle said, “I thought you might need some help.”
    She was a small woman, only coming up to about mid-chest to Talon, the Ancient who had claimed her. Her hair was a heavy curtain of mahogany that brushed her shoulders and her eyes a wide green. She looked delicate, but Charon knew that was a lie. She’d pulled Talon back from the brink and apparently loved the crazy bastard. Charon didn’t understand the relationship, but had to appreciate it. Whatever made Talon easier to live with was good by Charon.
    Joelle looked at him and turned to study the woman on the bed. “Damn, she looks like she’s been through some shit. Do you have something else she can wear? I’m sure she doesn’t want to wake up in blood-stained clothing.”
    Charon moved to his closet and opened the door. A row of black shirts met his gaze. He reached in and pulled out a t-shirt and handed it to her. “That’s all I have. Black doesn’t show blood.”
    Joelle nodded slowly. “Okay, well, this will do for now.” Holding the shirt, she watched him for a long moment. “Are you going to help me get her cleaned up?”
    Charon moved into the bathroom and came out with a damp washcloth and towel. He handed them both to Joelle, uncertain what else he should be