Hunter by Night Read Online Free PDF Page A

resisted the urge to slam his fist on the guy’s hand. Or bring out the Taser.
    Someone popped up to the far right. A female Lee didn’t recognize. She must have ascended only recently. “What of Elder Grayson? Why have we been unable to visit him to see about his well-being or to have our private Council meetings?”
    Because he’s a scummy piece of shit who tried to kill a member of the royal family. That would be, as Alexia would say, “a big freaking duh.”
    “What the fuck is wrong with these assholes?” Lee muttered beneath his breath.
    Siddoh cleared his throat. “You want me to give you the list alphabetically, or by age?”
    Lee cut his gaze to Siddoh but didn’t respond. “Elder Grayson is under house arrest for the assault and attempted murder of the king’s half sister,” he said with his voice raised again.
    The din of voices swelled around them again. Siddoh leaned over. “I suggest now would be a good time to blow this lemonade stand.” For once, something on which they agreed.
    Lee bowed quickly to Siddoh’s uncle and stalked out of the room. It was the best he could do without making his neck and back ache more from tension. If the elders thought hard, they could make the leap: the queen had been pregnant eight months. Vampire pregnancies lasted for eight and a half. The king suddenly wasn’t available, and not everybody in the room was stupid enough not to do the math, even though they acted dumb as cattle.
    For fuck’s sake, Isabel and that baby had better survive.
    He and Siddoh eyeballed each other when they reached the parking garage. “I need to get back to the hospital,” Lee said. “You know what this means.”
    “Yep.” Siddoh jammed his hands into his pockets. “Tippy-top of the totem pole.” His fingers combed through his too-long hair. “Take care of them, yeah? And hurry the hell back so I don’t have to be Dad anymore.”
    Lee nodded. “Bet your ass. Keep an eye on the human news for signs of Haig and his dirty work. I can only assume the fact that he hasn’t attacked after leaving that message means he’s trying to make us squirm.”
    “Or he’s cooking something really fucked up.”
    Lee had no doubt.
    ***
    St. Anne’s Hospital made Lee’s eyes burn. The bright lights, the smells, the sanitizers. Seriously, the lights. He’d held a spotlight in a wizard’s eyes during interrogation that had lower candle power than the shit blazing in these hallways. Wasn’t this the place where vampires came to get well ? No way a little pale-green paint on the walls and a few pictures of flowers were going to help perk up the infirm with all that fucking glare.
    As he headed up to guard Queen Isabel’s room, someone walked past with objectionable-smelling greasy food and stale coffee. Burning acid shot into his throat. Again.
    With a nod he took the post over from the soldier stationed at the door. Down the hall, Lexi and Anton sat close in a set of wood and vinyl chairs, talking with their heads together. The deserter wizard had his hand on the small human’s leg.
    You do not deserve to touch her.
    Alexia acted as if the hand on her leg meant nothing, but Lee remembered. Accident or no, she’d passed out once when Anton had dared to touch her and use his healing powers. Clearly the wizard had gained better control over his ability, but it had taken weeks—months—for Lexi to return to her usual self after that night. Whatever Anton had done to her, how could she allow herself to get close again?
    It defied logic.
    The air beside Lee stirred. An arm brushed his. In his next sideways glance, the king’s sister stood by his side. She must have just teleported in. “You still don’t trust him,” Tyra said.
    Lee faced forward again. “If I truly distrusted him, you’d both have been out on your asses by now. Or he’d be dead.”
    She crossed her arms over her chest. “I love you, too, Lee.”
    “I do love you, Ty.” Down the hall Anton brushed a tear from