Symbiotic Mates 1: Hunter and the Hawk

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Hunter and the Hawk

Gale Stanley

Chapter One

Hunter centered his chin over the cue stick and

concentrated on his aim. The game-winning ball sat just in

front of his face, waiting to be dropped into the pocket. He

studied it, imagining where the cue ball would need to hit

in order to make his shot. Stick level, he took a few warm-

up strokes.

Perfect. This wager is as good as won—

"Dogfight!"

Fuck! A perfectly aimed shot gone to hell.

Disgusted, he threw down his cue stick and made

his way toward the bar where two men were arguing over a

spilled beer. As he got closer, the hackles rose on the back

of his neck. Only midnight and a fight brewing already?

One of the two wolves spotted him approaching and

nudged the other. They both stood and moved off toward

the exit, taking their argument outside.

Good enough. Why ruin the night by turning a

simple beef into a real brawl? If the men were smart

enough to settle things between themselves, Hunter

wouldn't get involved.

The Wolf Den always drew a rough crowd on

Saturday night. Rafe, the pack Alpha, encouraged the males

to visit the bar, enticing them with drugs and alcohol.

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Gale Stanley

"A lone wolf is a frustrated wolf and frustrated

wolves cause trouble." Hunter wished he had a nickel for

every time he heard Rafe utter those words; he'd be a rich

man. He didn't always agree with their pack leader, but he

gave him the respect he deserved and kept his mouth shut.

Their Alpha believed every wolf needed a mate.

And if he didn't have a mate, then he needed a fuck buddy.

With so few women available, the club had become a place

where unmated Lycans could find a sex partner.

Relationships had been forged in the Den, but for the most

part the club remained a haven for one-night stands.

The shifters, full of randy animal spirits, behaved as

well as could be expected. Dogs fight. It's the nature of the

beast. Anything could trigger it—a bump in passing,

jealousy over one man's attention to another, or jockeying

for dominance in the pack. Prevention was always the best

policy. Two or three pack enforcers, strategically stationed

around the bar, usually managed to maintain a testosterone-

friendly atmosphere, their mere presence a reminder that

the Lycans were being scrutinized.

But tonight, the air seemed supercharged with

tension. Utilizing extra enforcers had been a good call.

Hunter took one of the vacated seats at the bar and

the bartender slid a bottle of mineral water in front of him.

Tyler winked as he leaned over and rested his elbows on

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Gale Stanley

the bar. He smiled at Hunter seductively. "What are you

doing later, sweetheart?"

Heat traveled up his spine. Maybe he was crazy to

turn down a sexy wolf like Tyler. He knew the bartender

didn't have a regular partner, preferring serial flings to

monogamy. Relieving his sexual frustration with a man like

Tyler wouldn't be a hardship. Coward. Are you going to

hide behind your grief forever?

When he was just a pup, a few inexperienced

encounters had convinced him he preferred males. Then

Rafe had paired him with a female mate and he'd put those

urges to bed. Hunter could have taken lovers on the side—

many did—but he'd chosen to remain faithful. He hadn't

been with a man in twenty years. Hell, he wouldn't know

what to do with a man. Tyler would laugh him out of bed.

Hunter reached for the bottle. "I'm on overtime."

The bartender sighed regretfully. "You know what

they say about all work and no play."

"No. What do they say?"

"That it sucks." Tyler took his hand and turned it

over. "You're starting to grow hair on your palms." He

rubbed a thumb over Hunter's palm.

Hunter pulled his hand away and looked at it. It

wouldn't surprise him.

Tyler broke up laughing. "If you change your mind,

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Gale Stanley

you know where to find me."

Tyler's trim ass held his attention as he walked

away. Shit! Hunter washed a few aspirin down with a

healthy swallow of water and held the cold bottle against

his head. His temples throbbed along with the hot, pulsing

beat of the electronic dance music. Colored lights around

the dance floor winked in the mirror over the bar,

intensifying the pain in his head. He'd rather be on patrol

outside any day of the week.

A brawny wolf took the stool next to him and

caught his eye in the mirror. The man flashed a toothy

smile and leaned over to whisper in Hunter's ear. "Buy ya a

beer?"

Hunter wrinkled his nose at the stench of unwashed

dog and held up his bottle. "No, thanks." Doyle always

struck him as a cruel bastard, a yobbo, not someone he

wanted to get up close and personal with.

Persistent, the man laid a hairy paw on Hunter's

upper thigh and squeezed. "How 'bout a dance? They're

playing our song."

Hunter turned his head swiftly, his lip curling back

in a low, threatening growl.

Doyle backed off and put his hands up in surrender.

"Some other time."

Hunter ignored him. He was here to keep an eye out

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Gale Stanley

for trouble, not start it. Why prove the Alpha right? Rafe

would just try harder to find him a new mate.

He and Rafe went way back, more like brothers

than friends. Even though he knew the man had his best

interests at heart, Hunter didn't want him choosing his mate

again. Yeah, he was frustrated as hell, but this time he

wanted to go slow and choose his own lover.

Although Rafe was older by five years, they'd

always hung together as kids. Hunter had idolized him and

the older boy had enjoyed being put on a pedestal. He'd

been sixteen when Rafe challenged Ulric, the old bastard

who ran the pack back then. Rafe had won easily and as the

newly made leader, he'd been hot to show the pack what he

could do. Even then, their numbers had been decreasing.

Rafe swore he'd turn the tide and started conducting his

own breeding studies.

The men weren't happy when he chose their mates,

but they followed his orders for the good of the pack.

Hunter had mated with Tena willingly. Maybe there were

no bells and whistles but they had cared about each other.

In the twenty years they'd been together there'd

been no whelps. Yeah, Tena had conceived, several times

in fact. But she never carried the baby to term.

Rafe had suggested on more than one occasion back

then that it was time for Hunter to mate with one of the

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Gale Stanley

other females. A proven breeder, he'd called him. Maybe

he'd have better luck with one of the other she-wolves. The

Alpha hadn't cared if he stayed with Tena as long as he

spread his sperm around. Hunter had refused. Only on that

point had he defied Rafe. He might be old school, but he

believed in loyalty to one's mate.

With Tena gone six months, he knew Rafe wouldn't

let him hold off much longer. Guilt sat heavy on his

shoulders. He should be trying to help his people increase

their numbers, but he didn't enjoy fucking around. What if

he got someone else's mate pregnant? If he should be lucky

enough to father a child, he wanted to be the one to raise it.

And coming between a woman and a mate she loved didn't

sit well with him. A complicated situation for sure.

He would never want Rafe's position. The Alpha

had a lot of responsibility on his shoulders and had to make

some tough decisions. In the end, Hunter usually went

along with whatever Rafe decided.

Suddenly, a frisson of unease radiated up from the

base of his spine. Every hair on his body stood on end. He

hadn't seen or smelled anything out of the ordinary, but his

instincts were usually spot-on. Over the loud music, he

heard a series of low threatening growls.

His head snapped around, nostrils flaring and amber

eyes searching for the culprit. The wolves were gathering

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Gale Stanley

near the entrance and the crowd prevented him from seeing

anything. Suppressing his own growl, he straightened to his

full six feet, five inches and made his way toward the

disturbance.

The men stepped aside as he passed. They knew he

wasn't there just to shoot pool, and they respected his

position as lead enforcer.

At the center of the mob, a ginger wolf circled a

man he'd never seen before. A sweet, coppery scent wafted

off the stranger. Underneath it, a dusky hint of feathers

tickled his senses. Strangely enough, he didn't find the

vampire's aura repulsive.

From the looks of things, more than a few punches

had already been thrown. The black-haired stranger sported

a bruise along his jaw and one eye was swollen shut. The

right sleeve of his white silk shirt had been ripped off,

revealing a hawk tattoo on his bicep. Despite this, he stood

stock-still. You had to respect a man who took this kind of

punishment without hitting back. His assailant, a wolf

known as a bully and bigot, didn't have a mark on him.

This had to be stopped before the fight escalated.

Right now, the other wolves were content to watch and

enjoy a fight they knew their taller and heavier pack mate

would win easily. But if the stranger decided to fight back,

the other Lycans might feel compelled to help Toby. Then

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Gale Stanley

Hunter would have to deal with a bunch of dogs who

wanted in on the fight.

"Toby! Back down."

"Fuck off, Hunter!" The ginger-haired man didn't

even turn his head. "You gonna protect a bloody buzzard?

Maybe the same one that killed your mate and plucked her

eyes from their sockets?"

Hunter clenched his fists at his sides and tried to

contain his rage. He didn't know who he wanted to hit

more, the bloodsucker or Toby. He caught the vampire's

eyes over Toby's shoulder and saw that they registered

shock. Maybe a vampire-hawk had killed Tena, but it

wasn't this one.

Talking wouldn't work. Not on Toby. Not on the

others. The wolves smelled blood and they were in no state

of mind to think about anything except a kill.

He considered his options. One or two men he could

handle. And the other enforcers were standing by ready to

keep the drugged-up crowd at bay.

He moved in behind Toby. The Lycan snarled but

didn't acknowledge him. Hunter slid his right hand under

Toby's arm and up behind his head, pushing forward. At

the same time, he pulled Toby's left arm behind his back,

trying not to dislocate the man's shoulder. "It's not worth it,

man. Calm the fuck—"

Hunter and the Hawk

Gale Stanley

A blur behind the vampire slammed into the black-

haired man's back, knocking him to his hands and knees.

An immense gray wolf locked massive jaws on his arm and

pulled. Bones snapped like twigs, but the vampire went to

his stomach without making a sound.

"You don't want to do this, Doyle!" Hunter fixed his

eyes on the wolf. Everyone stilled. The gray wolf held tight

to the man's arm. A twist and a roll, and those strong jaws

would rip it off.

Tread carefully.

The stranger wasn't human and Hunter knew his

injuries would heal, but no species he knew could re-grow

a limb.

Toby spat at the man lying on the plank floor.

"You're protecting a fucking bloodsucker?"

"One who has every right to be here."

"Says who? A fucking treaty that's older than both

of us put together?"

Hunter exerted a little more pressure on Toby's

neck. "That treaty is the only thing standing between us and

a race war. Do you really want to be the one who breaks

it?"

Toby tensed. "He started it."

"Doesn't mean you have to finish it. I don't think the

Alpha is ready to do battle because you can't keep your

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Gale Stanley

temper under control."

Toby relaxed in his hold. "You can let me go. I

won't touch him."

"Go get a drink." Hunter shoved him toward the

bar, then looked around. "The rest of you follow him.

Show's over."

The men grumbled but they dispersed, and after a

few tense seconds the gray wolf backed down and released

the vampire's arm. He rolled to his back and cradled his

forearm to his chest.

The wolf shook its head from side to side and

baptized the vampire with bloody saliva. Doyle's furious

gaze held Hunter's and sent an unmistakable message.

Why did it feel like he'd just met his real enemy?

Hunter and the Hawk

Gale Stanley

Chapter Two

Aidan's arm throbbed, the pain of knitting bones

almost worse than the initial break. Still, it could have been

worse. If he lost his arm, he'd never fly again.

Somehow, he'd managed to keep his cool and not

fight back. Swallowing his rage had been the right thing to

do, the only thing to do. A display of anger would have

made the situation worse. And he planned on getting out of

this alive.

One by one, the hard faces around him disappeared

until only his dark savior remained. The man's face

revealed nothing. "Can you get up?"

"I could use a hand." Aidan winced as the Lycan

put a hand under his good arm and hauled him to his feet.

He had to raise his head to look in the man's eyes.

"Thanks." If the eyes are windows to the soul, then this man

means me no harm. It was a strange moment that

challenged all his assumptions about Lycans.

"I want to talk to you." The Lycan's voice held no

venom. "But not here."

Aidan might be crazy, but he trusted him. Of

course, he didn't have much choice. This was the enemy's

playing field and he couldn't fly off. Not yet, anyway. He

nodded assent. The Lycan scanned the room a last time and

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Gale Stanley

they walked outside.

They were in a heavily forested area. A long,

curving driveway snaked through the conifers and led to a

brick garage. At the far end, they entered what appeared to

be an attached workshop with kitchen facilities. Aidan

entered first and heard a lock click behind his captor. The

Lycan gestured to a ladder-back chair by a small table and

then stood over him, poker-faced.

"Your name?"

"Aidan."

"Don't even think about trying anything, Aidan. I'll

kill you without a second thought."

He believed a fair-minded man stood in front of

him. But he also had no doubt the man would kill if

provoked. It had never been his intention to cause a fight.

He had more important things on his mind. "You can trust

me." He hesitated. "I'm sorry for your loss."

The impassive face hardened. "My loss is not your

concern. And I have no reason to trust you."

"I didn't come here to start trouble. As far as I

know, there're no directives against vampires drinking in

your Club." The wolves and the Kindred didn't deliberately

exclude each other from their establishments. According to

the old treaty, he had every right to visit the Den, but the

bad blood between the two species guaranteed he wouldn't

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Gale Stanley

receive a warm welcome. Still, he hadn't expected the

situation to turn so ugly.

"You're right," the Lycan said. "We don't exclude

anyone. But then, most buzzards know enough to stay

away."

He winced at the epithet. "I came here to see your

Alpha. I didn't know how else to contact him."

"You have a death wish, vampire? Coming in for a

drink is one thing, getting close to the Alpha is out of the

question."

"I expected an interrogation, but I hoped it would

come from your leader. When I wouldn't give my reason

for wanting a meeting with him, your men decided to beat

it out of me."

He'd hadn't known just how powerful Lycans were.

They didn't have the advantage of flight but they were

physically stronger.

At least he'd been able to talk Abbi out of coming.

His twin had some great qualities, but tact and diplomacy

were not among them. Hell hath no fury like a female

vampire, and his sister had a temper worse than most.

If they had both been taken prisoner there would be

no chance of rescue. No one at the Colony knew what they

were up to. They were on their own. But if they were

successful it would all be worthwhile.

Hunter and the Hawk

Gale Stanley

Abbi, a hematologist, specialized in the field of

blood and blood-forming tissues. She'd been studying the

Kindred bloodlines for years, trying to figure out the

connection, if any, to the infertility in their women. Her

experiments had shown promising results. The research led

her to believe iron deficiency anemia might be the cause of

their problems. Several years ago, after massive infusions

of human blood, a few of the females had become pregnant,

only to suffer miscarriages a short time later. They were on

the right track but they needed stronger corpuscles.

The wolves were mortal but they possessed healing

powers that gave them a long life span. Their senses were

highly developed and they could shift at will. Transfusions

of Lupine blood might be the answer to the Kindred's

survival.

Getting samples of their blood was imperative. It

wouldn't be easy, but Abbi knew the Lycans also had

reproductive problems and their species might derive some

benefit from her studies. She hoped the possibility of a cure

would be too tempting for them to pass up.

Aidan believed in his twin, but cooperation was a

pipe dream. Vampires and Lycans had been enemies for

ages. They would never work together for a common goal,

especially one that required sharing blood.

Their own Sire believed in survival of the fittest, the

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Gale Stanley

fittest being the Kindred. He combated dwindling numbers

by turning more humans. As if born vamps could be

replaced so easily. The humans retained too much of their

mortal body chemistry. They were more human than vamp.

The Kindred grew weaker and their bloodlines more diluted

with the death of each true-born vampire.

Abbi wouldn't go to the Sire without concrete proof

that Lycan blood would be beneficial to the health and

fertility of the Kindred. Until that day, they were on their

own and taking a hell of big risk. Aidan had brought an

extra bargaining chip, one he wasn't anxious to use. But it

looked like they were destined for failure without it.

"You took a big chance coming here tonight."

"It's important that I talk to your Alpha." Damn, he

was dry. He forced the words through parched lips.

"You'll talk to me instead."

Aidan shrugged. "Okay, I don't have much choice."

He ran a dry tongue over his lips. He hadn't fed since early

morning. Licking his lips only made him thirstier.

"Want a drink?"

He allowed himself a ghost of a smile. "You

offering?"

The man bared his teeth and let out a low growl of

warning. Aidan regretted his attempt to lighten the mood.

"It was a joke."

Hunter and the Hawk

Gale Stanley

"I'm not laughing. Don't try it on the others. They'll

kill you for saying less."

"If it was anyone else, I wouldn't have said it."

"What does that mean?" Hunter said in a gruff

voice. "You think I'm soft because I didn't kick the shit out

of you when you were down?"

"No. I believe you're a man who listens to reason."

He'd always been taught that wolves were savage, feral

creatures. Looking at this wolf, it was hard to imagine

Hunter as the wild creature he'd been painted.

"Up to a point. And you've reached it." Hunter

retrieved a bottle of water from a small refrigerator and set

it in front of Aidan. Then he swung his chair around and

straddled it. He folded his arms on the back of the chair and

watched him drink.

It wasn't blood but it soothed his throat. "Thanks."

Those amber lupine eyes radiated intelligence and

curiosity, not hostility. Could he trust him with the

information he had? Wolves had a pack mentality. They

would band together to avenge their own. The last thing

Aidan wanted was a race war that neither side could afford.

But what choice did he have? If he didn't do something his

kind would die off anyway.

"Talk. What's this important information you want

to share with my Alpha?"

Hunter and the Hawk

Gale Stanley

"A Lycan woman was killed. I know who did it."

* * * *

Hunter snarled and threw his chair aside. He

grabbed the vampire by the throat and yanked him up to

eyelevel. "Whatever sick, twisted game you're playing, you

picked the wrong partner." He shoved the vamp back down

on the chair and took a deep breath to calm himself. If he

let rage take him over, he'd never learn the real reason the

bloodsucker had shown his face here.

"It's not a game. I have evidence."

What were the odds a bloodsucking leech would

finger one of his own? Not likely. "If that's true then give

me a name," he spat out.

"I'm here to make a trade."

His nostrils flared with impatience. "Go on."

"The identity of the killer for Lycan blood."

So that's it. They're planning an attack and

somehow having our blood will give them an advantage.

"Why do you want Lycan blood?"

"I need your word that you won't share this with

anyone other than your Alpha."

"You have my word."

The vampire hesitated.

"I'm a man of my word, no matter who I give it to."

"It's for research."

Hunter and the Hawk

Gale Stanley

I was right. "Researching the best way to kill us, no

doubt."

"No. To keep us alive. We're only concerned with

strengthening our numbers. You can understand that. Your

population is shrinking as rapidly as our own."

This is insanity. "I should kill you right now. You

want us to help you increase your numbers while ours

dwindle. Do you think I'm a fool?"

"Hear me out. My sister is a doctor. She's been

studying our reproductive problems for years. If her

assumptions are correct, we may be able to help your

people as well as ours."

"Vampires helping Lycans. You expect me to

believe that?"

"No. But I hope you'll believe me. If helping Lycans

means saving my people, then I'm willing to take any risk."

"Even death?"

"I'm here. That should prove something."

Hunter studied him for a few moments. "Do you

lead the Kindred?"

"No."

"Why didn't your leader come to see our Alpha?

Why did he send you?"

"He didn't. No one knows I'm here except my sister.

Our Sire is a stubborn man. He thinks he can fix our

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problems by turning more humans. After so many years,

most of our people are vampire-human hybrids, and their

blood is diluted and weak. Lycan blood might supply the

missing component that will allow born vampires to breed

again. Soon, there will be so few of us the opportunity to

try will be lost."

"I thought your people were immortal."

"There are still ways we can be killed. For the most

part our relations with humans are good, but not all of them

support us. Our Sire prefers to blame Lycans for any

attacks rather than bite the hand that feeds us. I'm not

suggesting he's right."

"Right or wrong, it just proves my point." But the

vampire makes sense. Science might be their only hope for

survival. He'd always assumed Rafe had someone

conducting studies for their own people. "There's too much

animosity between us. Lycans won't accept vampire blood

and I can't imagine the Kindred accepting ours."

"That's exactly why we haven't told anyone. My

sister wants to prove her theories. Then she'll go to our

Sire."

"What kind of proof will he accept?"

"A successful pregnancy. We haven't had one in

several years. If she can carry an eyas to full term we're

sure he'll be willing to negotiate."

Hunter and the Hawk

Gale Stanley

"And you trust someone to father a child in secret?"

"She'll use artificial insemination if she has to."

Hell, it could be a trap, or the answer to our

prayers. If I let it go, I might be dooming us to extinction.

"Tell me who killed my mate and I'll consider it."

"I can't. It's all I have to bargain with."

I can't make this decision myself. "You'll stay here

until I talk to my Alpha."

"Not a good idea. If I'm gone too long, my

disappearance will be noted. And if I'm tracked to your

Wolf Den, there'll be more fighting and we'll accomplish

nothing. Any chance of fixing our problems will be lost

forever."

Hellfire. "And if I let you go, I take the chance of an

attack."

"Trust me. I learned nothing here tonight that would

aid my people in an attack. At least think about what I've

told you. If your leader is as stubborn as ours, then keep

this to yourself. We only need a little of your blood to see if

there's any connection. If the results are successful, we go

to our leaders. If they're not, no one will ever know, and no

harm's been done."

"And the killer?"

"I promise you'll have the name either way."

Hunter and the Hawk

Gale Stanley

Chapter Three

Hunter stood at the window in Rafe's second floor

office, looking down at the empty Club and stalling for

time. He still had no idea what he would do.

"I can't believe I have to let these fucking leeches

into our club." Rafe paced, his booted footsteps making the

wood floor creak. "If only I could find a legal way to get

out of the treaty. I've had our lawyers working on it for

years, but they can't break it."

Down below, Hunter spied Tyler entering through

the front door. The bartender always came in early to get

things set up. Sunday nights weren't packed like Saturday

but it would still be a decent crowd. "I didn't know that."

"Sensitive information is passed along on a need to

know basis. The treaty doesn't concern you."

The words cast a chill that lowered the temperature

in the room. He'd always believed he had Rafe's

confidence. "The treaty concerns all of us."

"You only have to worry about following it. Let me

worry about proving it's a flawed document. It was ratified

so long ago, it doesn't apply anymore. Unfortunately, the

rest of the world thinks it's the only thing preventing a race

war between us and the Kindred. Public opinion has always

been against un-ratifying it—up until now."

Hunter and the Hawk

Gale Stanley

"What changed?" Hunter shoved his hands in his

pockets, but kept his back turned.

"Something that does concern you, the death of

your mate. I believe it's only the beginning. More attacks

will follow."

"So you really believe it was a vampire?"

"Don't you?" Rafe sounded surprised.

I'm not so sure. "Yeah. Yeah, of course I do. But

there's no real proof."

"You sound like the Council. That's what they told

me when I asked for a full investigation. The assholes

wanted to see a drained body. As if the mutilation wasn't

enough. But as long as it could have been peregrines or

some other predator, they weren't ready to stir the pot.

Personally, I don't need any more evidence. My gut tells

me a vampire-hawk killed her." A heavy hand landed on

Hunter's shoulder and squeezed. "Don't worry, we'll get our

proof and put the buzzard away for good."

Instead of offering reassurance, Rafe's words made

him uneasy. What else is he hiding? Hunter blurted out the

question that had been dogging him since last night. "What

about research? Doing that on the QT too?"

The pressure on his shoulder lifted and Rafe moved

away. "What are you talking about?"

"Scientific studies to find out why we have so much

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Gale Stanley

trouble reproducing."

"We've been through all that." Rafe's chair slid

across the wood as he seated himself. "Studies were done

years ago when I first took over the pack."

"Not since? That was twenty years ago. Things have

changed."

"Not that much."

"What kinds of studies were done?"

"I don't remember. That science stuff goes over my

head. I just know we didn't find anything useful. There's no

scientific basis for our infertility."

A knot formed in his stomach. "So nothing's been

done lately?"

"What is this, the inquisition? Come sit down and

let's talk current events. I want to know how that

bloodsucking leech got away."

Hunter kept his back turned. For the first time in his

life he planned to lie to his Alpha and he didn't want to face

him when he did it. "I'm sorry, Alpha. I take full

responsibility for the vampire's escape. I never should have

questioned him alone." There, it was done. Now he was

eyeballs deep in Aidan's bloody mess. He turned at last and

took a leather chair in front of Rafe's desk.

Rafe's amber eyes showed nothing but sympathy. "I

know you like to be in control but sometimes you have to

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accept help. You don't have to prove anything. Not to me.

We've known each too long for that."

Then why don't you talk to me anymore? "It just

never occurred to me that I wouldn't be able to handle him

myself." If only Rafe were angry, it would make lying a lot

easier. He felt guilty as hell. "It won't happen again. I

promise you that."

"Forget it. It's done. I have extra security around the

perimeter. The next time he shows his face we'll get him.

Did he tell you anything useful?"

"Sorry. No. His arm healed quickly and before I

knew what happened he shifted to his hawk form and

escaped through the open window." Rafe knew him well,

knew he wasn't that sloppy, but he seemed to accept the

story with no reservations.

"Doesn't matter. I think it was all a ruse to get in my

office. If they're planning an assault they'll want the layout

of our complex."

"Are we ready in case of attack?"

"We will be. Can I count on you for help, Hunter?"

"Of course, Alpha. Anything you need."

"Good, because our visitor gave me an idea. I'm

sending you to the Colony."

"Why me?"

"You don't let emotion control you. I like the way

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you keep your cool around the enemy. Just remember that

when you're surrounded by bloodsuckers and you'll be

fine."

"What am I looking for?"

"Anything and everything. Keep your eyes and ears

open."

"When do you want me to go?" Rafe's trust weighed

heavy on his heart but he set it aside. The Alpha had

handed him a way to contact Aidan without casting

suspicion on himself, and he would take advantage of it.

His mind churned with possibilities.

"I'll leave that up to you. Just don't wait too long

and make sure your security detail is covered."

"You got it."

"Good. I have one more thing I want to discuss."

"Okay."

"We've talked about this before. A wolf shouldn't be

alone, especially one who's always had a mate."

Not this again.

"I'm more convinced than ever you need a partner.

Your grieving is clouding your judgment. It's affecting your

duties."

Hellfire! Now Rafe had something to pin on him to

prove his point. "That's ridiculous."

"Is it? I don't think so." Rafe looked at him through

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narrowed eyes.

Fuck! Rafe really did think he'd been lax. "I make

one mistake and you think my judgment is off. It could

happen to anybody. I don't need some bitch to watch over

me."

"Are you finished?" Rafe asked calmly.

"I need a drink." Hunter got up and looked through

the liquor cabinet. He took out a bottle of whiskey.

Rafe raised a brow. "Since when did you start

drinking?"

"Since you started this crap again."

Rafe's square jaw hardened. The only other sign of

his anger was a slight flare of his nostrils. "This isn't just

about you, Hunter. Whatever I decide is for the good of the

entire Pack."

He put the bottle and two glasses on the desk and

sat. "I'm sorry, Alpha." Sometimes he forgot just how many

people depended on Rafe. The man had a lot on his plate.

The Alpha talked on and on, expounding on the

virtues of coupledom. How a lone wolf might let himself

get caught up in the powerful allure of vampire seduction.

How a mate would ground him. A few sips of the liquor

and the words turned to a steady drone.

"I've been talking to Marrok about you."

The name cut through his haze. "What?"

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"His daughter will come of age in a few months and

she'll be ready to mate. Marrok agrees you would make an

excellent husband."

Hunter stared in shock. He'd expected to be chewed

out, punished, maybe severely. He hadn't expected this.

"I'm not ready for another mate."

"You could do worse. Marrok raised her right.

She'll make a docile and obedient mate."

"She's a child. Mate her with one of the younger

men."

"Maybe I will, if your union doesn't produce any

cubs. But right now I need you sharp and I think she'll be

good for you."

Hunter stood. "So your mind is made up on this?"

"It is."

Hunter and the Hawk

Gale Stanley

Chapter Four

The Kindred had their own dance club. They called

it the Parrish and its soaring masonry spire drew Hunter to

his destination like a beacon. It sat squarely in the middle

of an abandoned town the vampires had taken as their own.

As far as Hunter knew, he would be the first Lycan to set

foot inside the high stone walls and ironwork that

surrounded the Colony. Rather than making him anxious,

the knowledge excited him.

He rarely got a chance to leave the Lycan city of

Arcadia. His position as lead enforcer kept him busy. Even

if he wanted to travel, where would he go?

Other than his people and the Kindred, there were

no other ferals in this remote area of the Pacific Northwest.

At least none that he knew of.

Ferals. The word stuck in his craw. A name

bestowed by the humans on anyone not like them, it was

not complimentary.

The humans, aside from those groupies who chose

to live in the Colony and feed the vampires, had long ago

moved on to more urban areas. Although the vampires

mingled with the humans out of necessity, the Lycans kept

to themselves.

Both the hawks and the wolves preferred the great

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expanses of mountain and forest. Some said their enmity

started with a fight over land, but each group had legal

documents proclaiming ownership. Neither side would sell,

so they were forced to live in close proximity, although

much of the beautiful forestland remained an undeveloped

buffer between the two communities.

Hunter smiled to himself. Now he would get to see

how the other half lived. And he wouldn't have to sneak

around to do it. The more he thought about his meeting

with the Alpha, the less guilty he felt about keeping his

own secrets. Rafe justified his secrecy by saying he did it

for the good of the pack. He could say the same.

He'd put a lot of thought into what the vampire told

him, but up until his meeting with Rafe he'd been

undecided about actually helping him. Rafe had made the

decision easier. His words hadn't rung true. When

something doesn't sound right, it usually isn't.

Hunter had always believed his leader put the pack

before everything else, but Rafe's stance on scientific

research puzzled him. The older Lycans stuck to the old

ways, as did Hunter himself, when it came to mating and

certain other pack customs. But an Alpha should not let

tradition stand in the way of science if it meant the survival

of the pack. Hunter had the uncomfortable feeling that if he

confided in Rafe, the Alpha would brush the vampire's

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theories aside and any chance of investigating them would

be lost. He couldn't let that happen. Besides, the possibility

of bringing his mate's killer to justice proved to be a

powerful incentive.

When Rafe told him to visit the Colony, it seemed

as if a divine destiny was at work. Would he finally realize

a purpose to his life? Or would he be the one to hasten the

demise of his people? Only time would tell. He had to

follow his instincts. This might be their only hope for

survival.

Hunter pulled up to a wide arched gateway that

seemed to be the main entry into the walled city. The door

to a small brick guardhouse opened and a man dressed in

black, snarling mastiff in tow, approached his Jeep. The

dog growled then jumped up and set its massive paws on

the open window.

Hunter looked the dog in the eyes. "Calm down,

boy." It quieted immediately and sank to his haunches.

"Birds of a feather," the guard muttered.

"The only bird here is you," Hunter responded.

The guard's hand went to a holster and Hunter put

his hands up in surrender. "I'm not looking for trouble. I'm

just here to drink and dance."

"Wait here." The guard returned to his security post.

A few minutes later the gate swung open. Without a

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moment's hesitation, he drove through and followed a long

dirt road.

Once upon a time the Parrish had been a

functioning church; now it was the devil's playground. If

the façade had been designed to impart a powerful

impression on approaching worshippers, it had succeeded.

The imposing Gothic exterior and wealth of stained-glass

windows put Hunter off. He might not be a religious man,

but a church wouldn't have been his first choice for a dance

club.

The road took a left and ended at a big gravel

parking lot. He left the Jeep and headed for the front

entrance of the building.

The arched portal with timber double doors seemed

plain compared to the rest of the highly ornate exterior.

Religious figures and gargoyles peered at him from the

flying buttresses. They grinned slyly as if to say, you don't

belong here. They were probably right but it was too late

now. The doors slid open silently and swallowed him up.

The narthex had an open archway that led to the

nave. A line of partygoers stood before a red velvet rope

waiting for admittance. Hunter got in line behind them.

Finally, he stood in front of the rope and an androgynous

figure in a black robe unhooked it so he could pass through.

Those ahead of him moved steadily forward. One

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by one, they stepped over a seemingly comatose body lying

in the aisle. He wanted to stop and check the man's pulse,

but the throng behind him shoved him forward and there

was no going back.

A world unlike anything he'd ever experienced

opened up in front of him. A world with no boundaries.

Electronic dance music filled his ears and the metallic scent

of blood filled his nose. Off to his right, genderless figures

sprawled sacrilegiously on the few rows of remaining

church pews, most of them in various stages of fucking or

feeding. Those ahead of him melted into a decadent scene

of exhibitionism.

Beneath high vaulted ceilings, the vast main

chamber swarmed with the nocturnal denizens of the

region, all engaged in a perfect pandemonium of sex, drugs,

and blood.

Black, dilated eyes bored into him from all

directions. Hunter had always prided himself on being

fearless but he had a sudden attack of vulnerability that left

him shaky. Coming here was a mistake.

He shook off the urge to flee and headed toward the

bar, avoiding the puddles of blood on the polished

hardwood floor. A dark-haired vampire, surrounded by

pale, saucer-eyed humans who wailed like banshees at

whatever he told them, flashed him a seductive smile.

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Damn, were all vampires beautiful? Hunter nodded

and took the first empty stool. A smiling female bartender

set a drink in front of him. "Compliments of Ethan." She

gestured to the vamp he'd just passed.

He accepted the drink, held up the glass in salute,

and smiled. The vamp saluted back and took a big swallow

from his own glass.

Shit. He had no idea what was in his glass but

pissing off a strange vampire right off the bat didn't seem

like a good idea. He took a tentative sip, tasting a good,

pleasantly tart merlot.

Glass in hand, he swiveled on his stool and leaned

back against the bar to survey the room. Couples moved

sensuously on the packed dance floor, more in foreplay

than dance. One by one they left the floor and made their

way to couches set in dark corners of the cavernous space.

Some couldn't wait and they put on a more public sex

show.

One pulsating beat turned into another. Most of

those gyrating to the tempo were males. Some appeared to

be feeding while they danced. It surprised him to see so

many humans. He knew the vamps needed blood and

encouraged human followers but he had no idea so many

would volunteer, no doubt enticed with liquor and drugs.

Not so different from the wolves in that respect.

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He raised his glass to his lips, surprised to find he'd

already emptied it. The bartender asked if he wanted

another but before he could turn to answer, an opening on

the floor allowed him a glimpse of a man whose long

ebony hair whipped around his head like a silk curtain. He

danced bare-chested, his perfectly honed body moving in

ways that made Hunter's mouth water and his dick leak.

Makes me wish I could dance.

As the black-haired man moved to the erotic beat,

the play of muscles in his back held Hunter mesmerized.

Broad shoulders tapered to a slim waist and a compact ass

outlined by tight black leather. His heartbeat sped up when

he saw the hawk tattooed on the man's bicep.

Hunter craned his neck, trying to catch a better look

at the man's face, but he'd buried it in his partner's throat. A

sharp pang of jealousy hit with the force of an arrow. What

the fuck is that about?

The music changed, more dancers crowded the

floor, and Hunter lost sight of the tattooed man altogether.

It had to be Aidan. They needed to talk, and sitting

here drooling like a hungry dog would not get him the face-

to-face time he needed. He stood and headed toward the

dancers.

Sex and sweat perfumed the air and underlying the

mix, Aidan's unique scent. His cock twitched in response.

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Jostling his way through the crowd, he avoided the hands

that reached out to caress him as he passed.

The floor fairly vibrated with a thumping beat.

There they were, only a few feet in front of him. His heart

pitched and rolled; the rest of him stood frozen, staring.

Aidan, his body still moving to the beat, lifted his

head and stared back with eyes that sent goose bumps

rippling over Hunter's flesh. A three-M look for sure, one

of those movie magic moments when everyone and

everything else in the vicinity disappears. Excitement

snaked down his spine and a throbbing started between his

legs. Tempted by a vampire. Insane, but the man is sexy as

fuck!

Aidan looked down as if he suddenly remembered

his partner hung limp in his arms. He gave the man a shove

to send him stumbling off through the other dancers. Sweat

gleamed on the vampire's smooth, hairless chest. His

coffee-colored nipples begged to be sucked. Hunter's

mouth went dry.

He drifted closer, his eyes focused on Aidan's

flexing pecs. Warm, dreamy desire flowed through his

body. His eyes dipped, followed a path down the center of

the man's abs to the waistband of his leather pants. Pants so

tight they might have been painted on. They outlined a

large, tempting package at his crotch. Suddenly he wanted

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nothing more than to go to his knees, yank those pants over

the man's slender hips, and swallow him whole.

Dark pupils, rimmed with green and framed by

black lashes so long they looked false, twinkled with

amusement as if their owner knew exactly what he'd been

thinking. Sensuous vampire lips curved into a come-hither

smile that he felt powerless to resist. He covered the few

feet between them without taking his eyes off Aidan's.

His gut clenched when the vampire grasped his

hips, holding him in place. As if he could even think of

walking away.

"Dance with me." The voice, as seductive as the rest

of him, flowed through Hunter's veins like warm honey.

The vampire's moves became more sensual and Hunter's

body followed his. Their faces were only inches apart, yet

Hunter couldn't find a flaw on the man's pale, chiseled skin.

He was cover model perfection.

The air suddenly seemed heavier. Aidan's unique

scent covered Hunter like a down comforter. The hands,

now on the small of his back, held him closer. Is it the wine

making me dizzy? Or the long, hard cock pressed against

mine?

Aidan's lips covered his. One hand slid over his ass

and squeezed. The vampire deepened the kiss and

swallowed Hunter's moans.

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What's happening to me?

The beat picked up. Another couple on the crowded

floor bumped them roughly. Aidan laughed and steered him

away. He slipped behind him and reached around,

encircling Hunter in strong arms and pulling him back

against a hard chest. The steel ridge of an erection now

pressed firmly against his ass, while the large hands at his

groin framed his genitalia.

The light scrape of stubble grazing his neck sent

electric currents straight to his cock. Damn it. Move your

hands. Touch me.

With a soft whimper, he arched back against Aidan.

Hellfire. He felt like a randy pup with his first crush. Hot

and horny. Wanting more but afraid to ask for it. Things

like this never happened to him. He didn't understand it and

he wasn't sure he wanted to. He felt light-headed and giddy

from high-level arousal.

A velvety voice whispered in his ear. "Are you here

to trade or fuck?"

Suddenly speech was tricky, his thoughts a jumble.

"Wha—"

"I can hardly hear myself think in here. Let's go

somewhere quiet." Aidan took his arm and led him off the

dance floor like a child.

Walking across the room was like wading through a

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river of thick syrup. It required focus and a strong will. He

had neither. Woozy and anxious, he had to force his feet to

move. Time decelerated to a lethargic crawl; seconds lasted

for minutes, minutes went on for hours. Their journey took

on the proportions of Homer's Odyssey. At last, Aidan

stopped in front of a heavy wood door. On the other side,

they passed through a series of narrow halls.

The gloomy labyrinth with its hidden nooks and

crannies seemed a perfect setting for a horror novel.

Hunter's legs felt rubbery and he stumbled.

"Here we are." Aidan unlocked a door and turned

on a dim light.

The small room, with a carved bed and dresser, took

on the dimensions of a stadium in his addled brain.

"Where are we?" he mumbled.

"It's a feeding room." Aidan showed a bit of fang.

"For those of us who like privacy."

Hunter and the Hawk

Gale Stanley

Chapter Five

The room spun in ever decreasing circles and the

vortex sucked Hunter down with it. When the motion

stopped, he found himself sitting on the edge of the bed,

gripping the mattress as if it were a lifeline.

Next to him, Aidan scrutinized his face carefully.

"Are you all right?"

He bit back a wave of nausea. "Fine. I feel fine."

The strange, muzzy feeling in his head receded a bit.

"Did you drink anything?"

"No… Wait a minute." I can't believe I was so

stupid. "Yes." He rubbed the back of his neck. "Someone at

the bar bought me a drink. He must have put something in

it."

The vampire's extraordinary eyes sparkled with

amusement. "I'm afraid you'll live. The drinks are laced

with a mild aphrodisiac."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"You didn't ask." Aidan put a hand over his. "Don't

worry. It won't hurt you. The humans like it. It enhances

the intensity of their orgasms."

"Orgasms?"

"Feeding induces a climax. You'll enjoy it, I

promise."

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Gale Stanley

"Fuck no! I didn't come here for that." He pulled his

hand away. "You said your sister needed a little blood."

"She does." He grinned shamelessly. "She also

wants to test the effects of feeding. I guess I forgot to

mention that."

Aidan moved a little closer. Hunter knew he should

pull away, but his thigh tingled at the contact and he had an

overwhelming desire for more. He wondered how much

better it would feel if there were no clothes between them.

An image flashed through his head—his naked body,

spread-eagled on the bed, Aidan's hungry eyes devouring

him as he climbed between his legs. His cock filled at the

thought.

Is this what I really want? Or is my intoxicated

brain playing tricks on me?

A strong hand squeezed his inner thigh. "It just

heightens the pleasure of release. Nothing more. It won't

entice you into doing something you don't want."

Can vampires read minds? Aidan's words weren't

reassuring. Hunter already wanted sex. It wouldn't take

much to entice him. But he'd denied himself all these years;

surely his willpower was still intact. "And it's just a small

bite?"

"If that's all you want."

You don't have to read my mind to know what I

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really want. Not when my cock is ready to bust out of my

jeans. "Yeah, that's all. Just take a little blood for your

test."

Aidan sighed and took his hand away. "I'll respect

your wishes, Hunter. You're helping us. I can't ask you for

anything more."

Disappointment washed over him. He actually felt a

little insulted. Didn't Aidan find him attractive? Obviously

not or he wouldn't give up so easily. Hellfire! Since when

had he become so undecided, wavering between one course

of action and another? He'd already decided to get

involved. Why not just man up and go after what he really

wanted instead of hoping the vampire would make the first

move and take it out of his hands?

Because he couldn't admit to himself that he wanted

to fuck a vampire. He had to keep reminding himself of

what Aidan was because right now the man's masculinity

and remarkable beauty drove him to distraction. "Let's get

this over with." He started unbuttoning his shirt.

Aidan's nostrils flared and the hunger in his eyes

sent a thrill of pleasure straight to Hunter's groin. "Let me

help you."

His breath caught at Aidan's touch and he

shuddered.

"Are you afraid of me, Hunter?" The vampire raised

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a brow.

"Of course not." More afraid of his own strong

desires than anything else, he tilted his head to give the

vampire access.

Aidan held his head and licked a spot on his neck. A

thrill shot up his spine and he didn't give a shit anymore if

Aidan knew he was hard for him. Managing to twist his

head, he nuzzled the vampire's cheek.

"What do you really want, Hunter?" The husky

murmur all but drove him crazy.

"I don't know."

"I do. I can see the hunger in your eyes when you

look at me. Why do you fight it? I want the same thing, and

you have no idea what that look does to me. I've been

dreaming about you since we met. How you'd taste. How it

would feel to be inside you." He pressed his lips against

Hunter's in a soft kiss that melted him. The kiss deepened

and the vampire's fingers trailed over the dark hair on his

chest, down to the zipper of his jeans. He unzipped him and

freed his aching cock.

His mouth fell open; a small gasp escaped. "Fuck,

Aidan. What if someone catches us?"

"They won't," he murmured. "Not here. And what if

they did? It's not like we haven't drunk animal blood

before. There have been times when we had nothing else."

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Animal blood? His back tensed and he snarled.

"Relax. It's not how I think." The vampire caressed

him, long slow strokes. "But it's what I'd say if anyone

questioned me."

He recognized the truth in the words. They each

played a dangerous game, lying to their people, keeping

secrets. It couldn't be helped.

His cock throbbed in Aidan's hand. Restless

anticipation took over and he leaped to his feet. The jeans

couldn't come down fast enough and he stood there, hard

and heavy, his cock dripping like a leaky faucet while he

watched Aidan undress. The vampire's lean, muscular

body, hairless except for the dark curls around his stiff

prick, was beautiful.

Aidan sat, gripped Hunter's hips, and pulled him

closer. He leaned forward and tongued his slit. A low growl

rumbled up from Hunter's chest and he threaded his fingers

in the black silk of vampire hair. Then hot, wet heat

swallowed him and his legs almost buckled.

The vampire took him deep and his fangs scraped

sensitive flesh—ever so slightly, but enough to send him

over the edge. He came with a shudder and a groan. Aidan

caught him before he fell, dragged him onto the bed, and

rolled on top of him.

"Like that, do you?" The emerald green of Aidan's

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eyes had all but disappeared.

"Fuck, yes!" The mix of pain and pleasure was like

nothing he'd ever experienced before. He'd gone off like a

kid.

"So did I." The vampire licked his lips. "What's

wrong?"

"I've never come that fast in my life. It's been a

while."

"It's okay. I love how responsive you are to me."

Then soft lips found his and shared the earthy flavor of his

release. He opened to Aidan's thrusting tongue and all

rational thought fled.

Aidan nuzzled his neck and licked a path over his

chest, plastering the hair to his skin. He sucked a nipple

into his mouth and bit down around it.

The sensation shot right to Hunter's groin and his

spent cock hardened again.

Propped up on his elbows, Aidan stared down at

him with burning eyes. "Do you know what you do to me,

lover? I'm so fucking hard. I want inside you. I want it

bad."

A flush crept up Hunter's face and he licked his lips.

"How long has it been?" Aidan asked softly.

"I, uh… Never."

The vampire's eyes widened in surprise. "We don't

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have to—"

"I want to." His whole body ached for this and for

once, he intended to take what he wanted.

"I'll make it good for you." Aidan pushed his bent

legs back and buried his face in Hunter's ass. His long

tongue licked and teased his entrance before pushing deep

inside his channel.

Hunter's breath came faster and harder. "Aw, fuck,

I'm going to come again."

* * * *

"Not yet, lover." I've waited long enough to make

you mine. This time I intend to be inside your sweet ass

when you come. Aidan pulled Hunter's hips onto his lap.

Aching to get inside him but not wanting to hurt him, he

took his time and pushed inside slowly, until only the head

of his cock was buried.

Hunter groaned, spurring him on. "More!"

"Patience," he crooned, determined to be gentle.

With his lover's pelvic area propped on his thighs, he

admired the thick prick in front of him, stroking and

caressing the shaft and rolling the heavy balls.

Hunter roared and wrapped his legs around Aidan's

waist, impaling himself balls deep.

Fuck! It literally stole Aidan's breath away. Being

completely sheathed inside his lover's tight heat was

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dizzying. Knowing Hunter wanted this as much as he did

made him crazy. Hearing Hunter's groans drove him higher

and the urge to fuck and feed took over.

He leaned forward, pushed his tongue between

Hunter's lips, and swallowed his moans and whimpers. The

wolf kissed him back passionately, making it tough to stop.

There would be more kisses. Right now he wanted blood.

Rocking against him, he licked a spot where neck met

shoulder and sank his fangs deep.

Beneath him, Hunter's body tensed and arched; his

wet heat exploded between them. The force of his lover's

climax and the sweet taste of his blood set off lightning

bolts behind Aidan's eyes. Every suck brought a fresh burst

of pleasure. His hips snapped faster and with one final

thrust he filled Hunter with his cum and claimed him

forever.

Hunter and the Hawk

Gale Stanley

Chapter Six

Hunter's fingers dug into Aidan's flesh and his eyes

rolled back in his head. The first flash of pain quickly

turned to pleasure and he couldn't hold back his release.

With one more thrust, Aidan let out a bloodcurdling

yell and claimed his ass. The sucking at his neck continued.

Every pull from his veins brought another spasm of ecstasy.

He felt his blood flow through Aidan's veins and he willed

his heart to pump faster so he could catch his lover's

rhythm. Now their hearts beat in sync. Is this what it means

to find your soul mate?

Hunter woke moaning Aidan's name. He reached

out but found only empty space. His gritty eyes didn't open

easily; bright sun spilled in through the blinds and burned

them. His head pounded like a tom-tom. Sitting up

carefully, he reached for the aspirin on the nightstand and

chewed a handful before attempting to get out of bed.

Where the fuck are my sunglasses? He couldn't

remember the last time he needed them. Shirts went flying

as he searched each dresser drawer with no luck. He gave

up and went to the window. Squinting, he looked down at

his Jeep and tried to remember how he got home. It was all

a blank. He thanked his lucky stars he'd made it at all.

Every part of his body ached. He hadn't been so

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well fucked since… Since never. He dragged himself into

the bathroom to inspect the damage.

Hellfire! Two puncture wounds stood out like a

brand at the base of his neck. At least they were low

enough that he could cover them with a collared shirt.

A trail of hickeys led from his nipple to his cock

and back again. He groaned, thinking about how they got

there. The thought of Aidan's mouth on his body, how he'd

licked and sucked and scraped his fangs along tender flesh,

made his balls fill and his cock rise.

The purple bruises could be covered easily enough.

A smile creased his face. The fun of getting them made the

nuisance of covering them well worth it. He'd just have to

remember not to undress and shift in front of the other

wolves.

The sex had been amazing. He had no regrets. Well,

one. He regretted that it wouldn't be happening again.

There was no denying the physical attraction

between him and Aidan, but it had to be the drugs or

vampire seduction. The man who had writhed on Aidan's

bed and shamelessly begged to be fucked had come to his

senses. The vampire had shown him how good it could be

between him and another man, but next time he'd find his

ecstasy with a wolf.

Still, he had to admit he liked the vampire. Admired

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his spirit and willingness to face danger for something he

believed in. When had he ever put himself on the line for

his beliefs? Never. All his life he'd been a follower, blindly

accepting whatever the Alpha decreed under the edict of

pack loyalty. Was the hawk more a man than the wolf?

Dangerous thoughts. The pack operated as one.

Strong leadership was essential to keep order and stability.

To deviate would put everyone in danger.

Or did suppressing individual ideas and dreams put

them all in greater danger, the danger of extinction?

Thinking like that would get him banished from the

only family he'd ever known, and he couldn't exist without

them. Rafe was right. He'd let vampire seduction lead him

astray. He needed to put his faith in the Alpha and take a

mate. He'd gotten his first mate with child, only to have it

end in a miscarriage. Maybe this time his seed would take

hold. He owed it to the pack to try.

Thanks to Aidan he felt confident in his sexuality,

but to what end? A twinge of regret made his heart twist. It

would have been incredible to explore that sexuality with

someone he cared about. If only Aidan was one of his

kind… But it wasn't meant to be. They weren't meant to be.

His destiny lay elsewhere.

The vampire had gotten the blood he needed. There

was no reason to meet again but every reason not to. If

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Aidan's people spotted them together too often, they might

get suspicious. Putting Aidan in danger was not an option.

If the research didn't provide the desired results, no

one would be the wiser. If it did, then their leaders would

be meeting and hopefully Rafe would understand why he'd

gone behind his back.

He turned the shower on full force. Maybe it would

revive him. He was toweling his hair when his cell went

off.

Rafe. Trying to run his life again. He'd arranged a

meeting with Marrok and the daughter. Fuck. Not today. He

needed a little time to settle down from the high he'd had

with Aidan. Rafe insisted. He'd even gotten someone to

replace him on guard duty that night. He had no reason to

beg off.

* * * *

Marrok answered the door. A big man, gray and

grizzled, he wore a perpetually angry look on his face. His

wife had died in childbirth and he'd been a lone wolf too

long. Adhering to Rafe's edicts, he spread his seed among

the she-wolves but it didn't change the fact that he'd been

left to raise Grace alone. Afraid she'd run wild, he was a

strict disciplinarian. No doubt he couldn't wait to get her off

his hands.

Hunter shifted the flowers he'd brought from his

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right hand to his left and stuck his paw out. Marrok took it

in a firm grip. "Come in, Hunter."

Said the spider to the fly.

"Rafe is already here." Marrok led him into the

parlor.

Hunter nodded to Rafe and set the flowers on a

table. There was no sign of Grace. Not surprising. Females

had little say in these arrangements. Neither did he, for that

matter.

After a few minutes of idle talk, Hunter cleared his

throat. "I want to ask you something, Marrok." From the

corner of his eye, he saw Rafe throw him an annoyed look.

He was supposed to leave all this to the Alpha. "Your

daughter is very young. Is she really ready to settle down

with a mate?"

"Of course she is," Rafe broke in. "We wouldn't be

here otherwise."

"Rafe is right," Marrok said. "Grace is—"

"Almost eighteen and perfectly able to speak for

herself."

Marrok glared at his daughter as she entered the

parlor. "I told you to wait in your room."

She ignored him and held the flowers to her nose.

"Are these for me?" She smiled at Hunter.

He smiled back. "They are." She looked older than

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he remembered. How long has it been since I've seen her?

Tall, she had womanly curves that filled out a pair of tight

jeans and an equally tight red t-shirt. He could tell she

wasn't wearing a bra. The peaks of her nipples were plainly

visible through the material.

"Well, thank you, Hunter. I'll just put them in water

and be right back."

He watched her hips sway in exaggerated

movement, obviously meant to entice him. Is this the same

girl Rafe described as a docile mate?

Marrok sighed. "Young people today don't respect

the old traditions."

For the most part Hunter did, but he felt a she-wolf

should have some say in her future. "She deserves to have

a—"

"Your daughter has grown into a beautiful young

woman," Rafe said quickly. "Hunter is a lucky man."

"Any man would be lucky to have her," Hunter

said. "But maybe we should take this slow. Let her get used

to the idea." Let me get used to it, too.

"She's ready. Graduated last month and already

bored looking after me. I don't want her getting any big

ideas about running off to the city like some of our boys

have done."

Hunter's ears perked up. "What's that all about?"

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Rafe cleared his throat. "It's nothing. Just Eric's two

boys looking for adventure and women. We'll find them

and bring them back home before they get into trouble."

"If they don't get themselves killed first." Marrok

snorted. "Too many people out there aren't wolf lovers."

"I don't understand." Hunter frowned and looked at

Rafe. "Those boys aren't much older than Grace. Why

didn't you match one of them up with her?"

"Because she wants—"

"Because," Rafe interrupted Marrok, who clamped

his mouth shut immediately. "We know your seed works,

Hunter."

"Yeah, but it didn't work until Tena and I were

together for twenty years. We didn't have to marry so

young."

"Are you saying you weren't happy with Tena?"

Rafe asked.

"No. I'm not saying that at all. I just don't want

Grace to feel forced into anything." Like I do.

"She doesn't." Grace walked back into the room and

put the vase of flowers on a table. "Daddy, if you and the

Alpha don't mind, I think Hunter and I need to talk—

alone."

"Know your place, daughter."

"I think Grace has the right idea." Rafe exchanged a

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look with Marrok. "It's time these two got to know each

other."

Marrok grunted assent and Grace turned to Hunter.

"Let's take a walk?"

He stood and Rafe followed. "I'll walk you two out.

I really need to get back to my office."

The young woman took his hand and led him away

from the house. The shingled cottage was small, but

Marrok owned a big piece of land. Trees lined both sides of

an overgrown path, hiding the moon, and shadows danced

around them. Grace tripped over a knobby root underfoot

and Hunter caught her.

She held onto him, her face close to his. A few

awkward seconds passed, while he debated giving her the

kiss she obviously wanted. Then he gripped her waist and

set her aside. She looked disappointed but now that he had

her alone, there were things that needed to be said.

"Grace, I want you to know you can talk to me

about anything and it will stay between us. Be honest with

me. Do you really think you're ready to get married?"

"I want to do what's best for the pack." She

squeezed his hand.

"Think about what's best for you. If you tell me you

don't want this, I'll talk to your father and the Alpha. You

don't have to feel forced into anything."

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Grace tugged him toward a small hay barn.

"Honestly, Hunter, I'm not being forced at all. I really want

to marry you."

Sighing, he followed her inside. Neatly piled

haystacks filled the interior. The girl had been brainwashed.

How could he convince her to follow her own mind when

he couldn't do the same? He forced a smile. "Why don't we

get to know each other first? I'm willing to wait."

She dropped down on a pile of wool pony blankets

and patted a spot next to her. "But I'm not. I don't want to

wait anymore."

He settled down heavily next to her and hay dust

rose in a cloud around them. "At your age a few months

can seem like years but in reality—"

"Hunter, I've been waiting for ten years."

His mouth fell open. "What are you talking about?"

"Well maybe not ten, but a long time. It seems like

I've wanted you forever."

He shook his head. "An adolescent crush."

"You might call it that but my daddy knows better.

The Alpha too."

He looked at her in shock. Everyone knew about

this puppy love but me? "How did Rafe find out about your

infatuation?"

"I, uh…" She hesitated.

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"You can tell me anything."

"Okay, then. When I had my sixteenth birthday I

told my daddy I wanted to mate with you." She twirled a

long lock of tawny-gold hair around a finger.

"You what?"

"My daddy went to the Alpha and talked to him.

Other wolves have more than one woman."

"Your father would have let you mate at sixteen?"

She shrugged. "The pack needs babies. Everyone

knows that."

"And what did Rafe say about this?" A cold feeling

of dread settled in his stomach.

"Rafe told him you'd already refused to take another

female. That you lived by the old ways and believed in

having only one mate."

Okay, now he knew why Rafe had paired him with

Grace. "That's true. As much as I want to help our people, I

believe that law is sacrosanct."

"My daddy respected that, but when your wife died

he went to the Alpha again. He told daddy that he would

arrange things when the time was right." She moved a bit

closer. "It's time, Hunter. I might be younger than you but I

know what I want. And I know how to take care of a man.

I'm ready to be a wife. Your wife."

"I don't know what to say. I had no idea." A vein

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throbbed in his head. Another headache on the way.

She giggled. "Well, now you do." She straddled his

lap and tackled him down onto the blanket. "We can start

trying for that baby. We'll be married soon, there's no

reason to wait." Her flushed face was so close to his, he

could count the freckles on the bridge of her nose. Flames

of desire danced in her eyes.

"Not here."

"I want you now, Hunter. I'm not a virgin if that's

what you're worried about." She pressed her lips to his. It

wasn't the kiss of a shy little virgin. Her fingers were busy

at the buttons on his shirt. She lifted her head, then froze.

"What's this?"

Hellfire! He'd forgotten about the hickeys. Up until

now, he and Grace were nothing to each other. He really

didn't need to explain anything, but if they were going to be

mated they should get off on the right foot. Should he tell

her what they were? He didn't want to hurt her. "Some kind

of allergic reaction, I guess."

She laughed and circled his nipple with a finger.

"Bullshit. I know a hickey when I see one." Her eyes were

drawn to his neck and she pushed aside the collar of his

shirt. She stared at the fang marks for a long minute. "I

don't care what you did before. I only care about what

happens now."

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She knows what the marks are. He saw it on her

face. If Rafe found out, he'd be suspicious. The Alpha

might have sent him to the Parrish, but he didn't say

anything about giving blood. If he had any lingering doubts

about taking Grace as a mate, he pushed them aside. He

needed her silence. "You know what happens now. I

believe in monogamy. There won't be anyone else. I expect

the same loyalty from you. Whatever happens between us

is nobody's business."

She gave him a satisfied smile. "I understand."

Gripping the hem of her shirt, she pulled it over her head.

Her breasts bounced free, and she leaned over him and

rubbed a diamond hard nipple over his lips.

Time to seal the deal. Silence for sex. He flicked his

tongue over her nipple before sucking it into his mouth.

She let out a little gasp and rubbed her jeans-

covered pussy over his cock. Just as he expected, there

were no bells and whistles, but his randy wolf liked to fuck

and had an animal's innate need to procreate. His cock

filled and he gripped her ass, urging her on. She ground her

hips frantically against him. At least she seemed to be

enjoying this.

Grace moaned and panted. Finally, she scrambled

off him and tore off her jeans while he got rid of his.

Settling between his legs, her hands moved over his thighs.

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She leaned over his groin—

No. He didn't want that. He grabbed her hips and

positioned her over his stiff prick, impaling her in one hard

thrust. She grunted and started fucking him, moving up and

down. When he knew she was close, he circled her clit and

pinched. She groaned and her pussy spasmed around his

dick.

Okay, his turn. He thought about Aidan. How the

vampire's skin felt under his hands. How it felt to have that

big, hard cock filling his ass.

Fuck! He gripped her hips, held her firmly, and

thrust his hips up, pumping jets of semen deep inside her

womb.

Hunter and the Hawk

Gale Stanley

Chapter Seven

Aidan usually slept during the day. Unlike the

mythical creatures that writers patterned after the Kindred,

his kind could function without being burned to piles of

smoking ash. But the sun bothered his eyes. It made sense

to avoid the daylight.

His people had the ability to shape-shift into hawks,

nocturnal predators with wing spans approaching eight feet.

It was said that long ago, a genetic mutation in Kindred

DNA had spawned the Duck Hawk, often referred to as a

peregrine. Smaller raptors with no human abilities, they

tended to shy away from vampire-hawks.

He'd heard all the stories. How eons ago vampire-

hawks had tried to organize the peregrines in the hopes of

using their ability to dive at high speeds against the Lycans.

According to legend, the outcome had been less

than successful and more trouble than it was worth. He'd

never seen anyone actually communicate with the dumb

birds and he tended to discount the stories.

Abbi, on the other hand, was fascinated. She'd been

studying their genome sequence to see if they were actually

related to the Kindred. All that had been put aside when her

blood studies showed results. Now she focused all her

attention on Lycan hematology and genetic code. A small

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sample taken from Hunter's finger revealed significant

differences between Lycan blood and Kindred blood. When

they were mixed, other changes occurred. The blood she

took from Aidan after he'd fed on the Lycan showed

extraordinary mutations. Aidan tried not to dwell on what it

all meant. For better or for worse, he'd signed up for this

and he was willing to accept the consequences.

Even the subtle changes he'd begun to notice in his

body. A heightened sense of smell and hair growth where

there'd been none before were disquieting but manageable.

His attraction to Hunter was not. The agreement between

him and the Lycan had been a business arrangement, one

that he'd initiated. He had thought he could handle anything

that came of it. But somehow he'd been turned into a giddy,

love-sick fledgling. And the wolf probably had no idea of

the impact he'd made on him.

They were a perfect match—sexually anyway. Each

seemed to know what the other needed. No words were

necessary. And he'd never had such an intense orgasm

before. If anyone had told him he'd share such intimacy

with someone so seemingly incompatible, he would have

said they were crazy.

Of course he wanted more, but it was totally out of

the question. They'd parted agreeing not to see each other

again, unless they had good reason. But he found himself

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thinking about Hunter at odd moments, wondering what he

was doing, who he was fucking…

No. He wouldn't go there. The Kindred were not

jealous people. Blood and sex were closely related. Feeding

and fucking were physical needs that had to be filled, and

most of the time it really didn't matter who did the filling. If

they were lucky enough to find affection with a mate or a

partner, it didn't mean they wouldn't share. They were

never strictly monogamous, not like the Lycans, or how the

Lycans used to be.

He'd thought about trying to contact Hunter. Since

he'd tasted the Lycan's rich blood, it seemed no one else

could satisfy his hunger. But he refused to put the man in

jeopardy until they had concrete evidence that Abbi's

theories would help both groups. Then they would ask for

more blood. So far Abbi's tests had been inconclusive, but

one could only hope.

For the past week, something else had been off. His

sleep had been filled with disturbing dreams that he hadn't

bothered Abbi with. He put them down to his increasing

hunger for blood and sex.

Yesterday, he'd been particularly restless. A

gnawing hunger ate away at him and he didn't know how to

satisfy it. Last night, rather than feed at the Parrish, he did

something he hadn't done for years. He flew into town and

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looked for fresh prey.

The bars in town closed at two. He picked one in a

rundown area, and perched on a rooftop across the street,

waiting impatiently for the last stragglers to emerge.

He knew immediately who he wanted. The drunk

walked with an unsteady gait, his rubbery legs threatening

to buckle under him. When the man wondered off from the

others, Aidan dove, shifted in mid-flight, and landed behind

his unsteady prey as he reached an alley. The drunk

stumbled and gave no resistance when Aidan pulled him in

the dark corridor between buildings.

Aidan tackled him, and the body, soft with fat,

cushioned his fall. He sank his fangs into the throat. The

blood tasted like water and he couldn't get enough to

quench his thirst. He drank and drank and drank, suddenly

realizing the flow had turned to a dribble, the heartbeat

abnormally slow.

He'd almost killed the man and still he wanted

more. The human must have been sick, weak with anemia

or some other blood disease. He flew home, shifted, and

crawled under the blankets, weak and shivering with cold.

His hands dug into the sheets. His gums ached with

a need to bite into something. He wanted to hunt again, but

this time he wanted to fill the void inside him with the flesh

and muscle of his prey. He wanted meat. He rarely ate

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meat. Even his hawk hunted mainly for sport. Like all born-

Kindred, the mainstay of his diet was blood.

Nauseated, he leaned over the side of the bed, but

nothing came up. He lay back, clutching his stomach. Pain

like he'd never known shot through his body. His muscles

cramped, limbs flexing and moving of their own will. The

hurt spread, finding every space in his body, going from

bad to worse before it finally receded.

From the far corner, a scrabbling noise in the wall

broke the tomblike silence of his bedroom. He lay perfectly

still, listening. There it was again. A tiny heartbeat thumped

in his ears. The musky smell of rat seeped into his nostrils

and made his stomach growl with hunger.

He got off the bed, dropped to the floor, and

followed his nose. As he got closer, the rat darted past him.

His arm shot out and he grabbed the rodent by its tail. He

swung it hard and bashed its head against the wall.

The smell of blood renewed the ache in his gums.

Saliva dripped over his chin. He brought the body up to his

mouth and opened his jaws to feed. At the last second, he

gagged and tossed the carcass across the room.

He put his head in his hands. What's happening to

me? Terrified, he reached for the phone to call Abbi.

Another pain shot down his spine and bowed his

back. "Fuck, fuck, fuck."

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* * * *

Abbi injected something in Aidan's arm and

withdrew the syringe.

"What are you putting in me now?"

She looked at him sympathetically. "It's just

something to relax you."

The cool cloth she placed on his head soothed him.

"What's wrong with me?"

She shook her head, her face creased with worry. "I

don't know. Not yet, anyway. This is uncharted territory but

I'll find out."

"I feel drained, hungry all the time. I almost killed a

man tonight. It can't go on." His eyelids drooped.

"It won't. I promise I'll do everything I can to help

you through this."

Hunter and the Hawk

Gale Stanley

Chapter Eight

Hunter's bruises, even the fang marks, had

disappeared. If Rafe had scheduled his meeting with Grace

a day later, she wouldn't have seen a thing. But what

difference did it make? She didn't care about the past, only

their future, and he intended to be a faithful husband.

Age didn't matter. Lycans had a long life span. He

and Grace had many years of marriage ahead of them. The

thought didn't thrill him, but he'd make it work. Few

couples had any choice when they mated. He should be

happy he had a woman who actually wanted him and

wanted to take care of him.

The fading light was easy on his eyes. Hoping this

inflammation or injury would just go away, he'd put off a

visit to the doc. But the light sensitivity remained, and

keeping to the house during the day made him crazy. He

promised himself he'd get his eyes checked tomorrow. And

ask Doc about his weight loss. He'd weighed the same for

years, but now all of sudden he'd lost five pounds. Why?

He still ate the same amount of food. Lycans rarely had

health issues. It was probably nothing. Right now he just

wanted a little fresh air.

* * * *

He spread a blanket on the roof, stretched out on his

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back with his hands behind his head, and looked up at the

moon. In this small house he'd shared with Tena, one of

their favorite things had been to sleep under the stars on

warm nights.

The vastness of the sky fascinated him. Knowing

how far away those stars really were made him feel small

and insignificant, but amazed and grateful for their beauty

as well. Here, with the breeze ruffling through his hair and

sound of crickets in his ears, he felt totally at peace with

himself and the world. Only one thing was lacking,

someone to share it with.

His thoughts turned to Aidan. What was he doing

right now? Dancing at the Parrish or fucking a new lover?

He shook it off. It wasn't his concern.

A rustle of feathers caught his attention. Aidan! He

bolted upright. At first he thought it really was Aidan

perched on the guardrail, and his heart lurched. But the

hawk transformed in front of his eyes and a female version

of the vampire sat there. Her womanly body and small,

perfect breasts didn't entice him, but she had Aidan's long

black hair and dark eyes rimmed in green. His chest

tightened and he drew a breath to calm his racing heart. For

a few minutes neither spoke.

"I can see why my brother loves you." Her sharp

eyes raked his naked body. "You're attractive, in a hairy

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beast kind of way." Her gaze settled below the waist. She

raised her head and an eyebrow. "He neglected to mention

all your assets."

His chest fluttered as if the hawk was trapped

inside, beating its wings against his ribcage. He hardly

heard anything after loves you. He never considered the

vampire might have feelings for him. If it were true—

"Can you talk? Or do you just growl and bark?"

He couldn't hide the stupid grin on his face. "You

must be Abbi."

She rolled her eyes. "How can you tell?"

"Aidan told me you were feisty." He didn't have any

false modesty, none of the Lycans did, but he wished she

would stop looking at his dick. Her intense gaze reminded

him too much of Aidan and his cock filled automatically.

"Is he okay? Why didn't he come himself?"

"No. He's not okay." Her light tone turned serious.

Tight bands of fear constricted his chest and left

him speechless.

"I'm not sure he could even fly this far." She sighed

heavily. "He doesn't know I'm here." Her back straightened

and her voice took on a challenging tone. "I thought it best

not to get his hopes up in case you weren't willing to help

him."

Worry turned to anger. "Of course I'm willing. Tell

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me what's going on."

"I ran tests, mixing your blood with ours. The cells

mutated. Then I took some blood from Aidan and saw the

same changes taking place. The transformation of his cells

have begun to affect his body. It started with small things.

Things he never told me about, even though I stressed the

importance of logging everything and anything that

happened. He has trouble sleeping, a continuous hunger,

and a desire for the hunt. Two nights ago he fed from a

human without permission and almost killed him. His body

is growing weaker. No matter how much human blood he

drinks, it doesn't sate him. Even vampire blood doesn't

satisfy the hunger."

He forced out the question he really didn't want to

ask. "Is he dying?" He couldn't be dying. Vampires didn't

die.

"I don't know." Her voice broke. "It's all my fault. I

convinced him to help me with the research."

"No. It's my fault as much as yours. If he hadn't fed

from me…"

"I don't know that it's because of your blood. Right

now, I'm not sure of anything. Do you have any

symptoms?"

"I didn't take any blood."

"But you shared saliva and semen. Inadvertently,

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maybe even blood. Are you sure you haven't noticed

anything different?"

"No." He stopped short. "Maybe. I've lost five

pounds. My eyes are sensitive to light…"

Her jaw dropped.

"What?"

"I need you to come back with me. Now."

"Of course, if you think I can help. Just tell me

what's going on."

"I'm not even sure myself, but I think you may be in

danger, too. I need to run more tests. Can you follow me? I

know an overgrown back road no one uses anymore."

"I'll meet you at the side of the house."

* * * *

Hunter jumped over the old chain link fence. Abbi

had already shifted and unlocked the back door of a two-

story brick building. He followed on four feet and padded

into a room lined with white tiles. It smelled faintly

antiseptic.

An image of his human form took shape in his mind

and his body followed it like a blueprint. His human eyes

scanned his surroundings. Every inch of space was filled

with counters, microscopes, weird looking devices, and

vials containing fluids of various colors. It made him

uncomfortable. He turned to Abbi. "I want to see Aidan."

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"I think that's a good idea. I live upstairs. He's

staying with me."

Hunter followed her up a narrow flight of steps into

a small living room, dining room combination. A hallway

led to a bedroom and bath.

Stopping in front of the closed door, she motioned

him inside. "Go ahead." She looked him up and down. "I'll

try to find you something to wear. You're bigger than both

of us put together."

He laughed at her exaggeration and opened the door

without knocking. Aidan's black hair fanned out against the

pillows. His chest was bare and a thin sheet was pulled over

his hips. Hunter's throat worked as he tried to swallow.

Aidan stared wide-eyed for a few seconds, blinked

innocently, and grinned. "Did Abbi transfuse you or are

you just glad to see me?"

Hunter scowled at him, but he couldn't make it

stick. "You think I need a transfusion to get it up?" What he

needed was to feel Aidan's bare skin against his. He was on

the bed in two strides, stripping away the sheet and

straddling the vampire, hugging him. "I missed you."

Aidan clung to him and kissed him, nipping his lip

and licking the blood as if he'd been wandering the desert

for months with no water. He murmured against Hunter's

flushed face. "I need to touch you."

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Hunter groaned. A spasm shot through his penis as

Aidan held their erect cocks side by side and massaged

them together. "Fuck, Aidan," he panted. "Feels so good."

Reaching between them, he rolled both pairs of balls in his

hands, rubbing them together.

Their lips met again, and their tongues dueled while

Aidan used his palm on their slippery knobs, spreading the

oozing pre-cum over their shafts. Both cocks throbbed and

surged under his strong grip. Aidan, his eyes glazed with

lust, worked them with firm, long strokes. His hands slid

over the cockheads and down the shafts until he brought

them both to ecstatic climax.

Hunter moaned into his mouth and felt Aidan's

explosion join his, splattering their legs and stomachs with

copious amounts of cum.

A few minutes passed and they sat with their

foreheads resting against each other.

"Wow," Aidan finally said.

"Yeah, that was intense," Hunter agreed. "You don't

belong in this fucking bed. What are you trying to pull?"

Aidan sighed and pulled back from their embrace.

"I don't know what's happening to me."

Hunter missed the closeness immediately. He put a

hand on the nape of Aidan's neck and pulled him back for a

kiss. "We're going to find out if it's the last thing we do."

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"I'm afraid it just might be." Aidan's voice

quavered.

"Don't you dare even think it! Either of you. We

will find out," Abbi said vehemently. She walked in

carrying a wire basket. "And it will not be the last thing

anyone does." She set her basket on the bed and pulled out

a syringe.

Aidan groaned. "Oh, no, not again."

"Now you know how the rest of us feel when you

feed. Like a goddamn pincushion." Hunter grinned at him.

"At least I give you an orgasm."

"Hunter, suck him off while I draw his blood."

Hunter stared at her in shock for a second, then

started moving back. "I think I can handle that."

"Down, doggy. I wasn't serious." Abbi rolled her

eyes. "I need your blood too."

"You already have my blood."

"Don't be a baby. I need to see if there have been

any changes."

"I'll hold your hand if you hold mine." The vampire

smirked. "Or would you rather I hold something else?"

Scowling, he grabbed Aidan's hand and put his

other arm out for Abbi. "I don't believe there's a thing

wrong with you."

"You could be a little more sympathetic," Aidan

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muttered.

The tension on Abbi's face eased. "I'm glad you're

here, Hunter. He hasn't complained in days."

"Glad I could be of service. I think."

Abbi tied a tourniquet around his arm and looked

for a vein. He closed his eyes as she slid the needle in.

"Okay, you can look now." The two vampires were

watching him with amused expressions. "I'm going to run

some tests. Don't tire him out, Hunter." She gave him a

warning look and Aidan laughed as she left the room.

* * * *

"I had no idea Abbi went looking for you. But thank

you for coming."

"Of course I came. This is my fault. My blood did

this to you." Hunter, lying on his side next to Aidan, rested

his head on his hand and gazed down at him.

"So you came because you feel guilty?" Aidan

hoped there was more to it than guilt.

"Partly. And because this experiment is too

important to let it fail."

"Right." Aidan's face fell.

"And I did miss you a little." The Lycan flashed a

wolfish grin.

"Bastard." He grinned back. "I missed you, too."

The urge to touch and taste proved too great. In the

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blink of an eye, he lined himself up so his mouth was at the

wolf's crotch. He slipped an arm under Hunter's bottom leg

and inhaled the musky scent that drove him wild.

Swallowing the hard cock nudging his lips, he moaned

when he felt the Lycan do the same to him.

Aidan used his hand and his mouth, wanting to give

his lover the same pleasure he was receiving. For a while,

the only sounds were licking and sucking and an occasional

muffled groan.

Hunter's balls drew up and Aidan knew he was

close to coming again. He slid his lips up the Lycan's hard

length releasing him, and, before he could protest, Aidan

sank his fangs in Hunter's groin. He didn't know which was

sweeter, the thick, coppery blood or the unintelligible

animal sounds coming out of his lover's mouth. He

squeezed his lover's cock and Hunter shuddered, jets of

cum coating them both.

His own release boiled up. One more thrust in that

hot, wet—

Aidan's eyes went wide with shock as Hunter's

mouth pulled away from his cock and twin needle-points

pierced his inner thigh. Then all else faded in the sheer

ecstasy of feeding his lover. He couldn't tell where Hunter

ended and he began. Pleasure mixed with security, a feeling

of not being alone, love…

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He let Hunter suck long after he came. It just felt

too damn good. Each pull from his veins was like a stroke

to his cock. If only it could last forever.

Abbi's scream, usually so loud, sounded very far

off. "What the fuck!"

The fangs withdrew from his thigh and Aidan rolled

over on his back. Abbi put a hand to his chest, checking his

heartbeat. "You could have killed him," she said to Hunter.

The Lycan bolted up, looking confused, blood

dripping from his mouth.

* * * *

Hunter wiped his mouth with the back of an arm,

shocked to see so much blood. He ran his tongue around

the inside of his mouth and a sharp tooth pricked it.

They were both watching him, transfixed.

Abbi sat on the bed. "Open your mouth."

He opened for her and she looked from him to

Aidan. "Fangs."

Unbelieving, he felt them with his fingers and

shook his head.

Abbi brought him a hand mirror from the dresser

and held it in front of his face. It was his face, but when he

bared his teeth, there they were: fangs. Hellfire!

Hunter and the Hawk

Gale Stanley

Chapter Nine

What the hell was happening to him? Fangs. Blood.

This was so far outside Hunter's realm of understanding he

couldn't wrap his head around it. Worse, he felt totally

betrayed by someone he'd come to trust. Aidan hadn't just

taken his blood. He'd ripped the heart from his chest.

"Get rid of them," he snarled.

When Abbi shook her head, he grasped one fang in

his fingers and tried to break it off. Aidan grabbed his arm

to stop him but he swatted it away. "Keep your hands off

me."

Aidan stared at him, clearly horrified. Abbi

remained calm. "That won't solve anything."

"What will?"

"I don't know, but I'm going to find out."

Fist pounding on the bed, he glared at Abbi. "You're

full of shit. You have no idea what's going on."

"Please," she begged. "Let me take more blood."

"Fuck! You just took my blood."

"Hunter, you and Aidan just fed from each other. I

need to see how that affected your blood. Please? Maybe

I'll find something that will explain all this."

What other choice did he have? She was the only

one who might be able to help him. He held out his arm.

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Abbi took his blood, then Aidan's. "This won't take

long. I'm just going to look at your blood cells under the

microscope."

He refused to look at Aidan and they sat in

awkward silence. His people didn't let fear affect their

judgment, but he sure as hell felt afraid now. Why had he

ever agreed to this? Instead of helping his people, he'd put

them all in danger.

The vamps had found a way to change Lycan cell

structure. Not only did they want to turn the humans, they

wanted to transform his people as well. And he played right

into their hands. He'd been so fucking stupid.

"Hunter, please." Aidan touched his leg.

He drew back, snarling. "Don't touch me."

"I never meant for this to happen."

"Shut up! I don't want to hear anything you have to

say." Listening to the bloodsucker is what got him into this

mess in the first place. Rafe was right. He'd let vampire

seduction infect him. He should have fought the attraction.

Even now, his body tightened and his cock stirred because

Aidan sat so close. He had to force himself to get up and

move away. The vampire's smell, the beat of his heart,

everything tempted him beyond reason. Despite the

depravity of their coupling, he still wanted him. Somehow,

he had to fix this.

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* * * *

A tense thirty minutes passed while Abbi checked

the blood samples under the microscope. Hunter tried to

read her face when she walked back in the bedroom but her

expression revealed nothing.

"Well?" he asked impatiently.

"It's just as I thought. The blood I took from Aidan

this past week showed a decrease in red blood cells and the

remaining cells were smaller than normal."

"And my blood caused that?"

"The lack of your blood. Components in your blood

caused changes in Aidan's body and mutations in his bone

marrow. Cell production increased. But without your blood

to nourish him, cell production decreased to a dangerous

level. Human blood doesn't sustain him anymore."

"This is bullshit. You've been using me. All this

time you've been making something that will change my

people, make us more like you."

"You're wrong, Hunter. Look at me." Aidan said

hoarsely. "Can't you see what's happening to me?"

Hunter sat and scrutinized Aidan carefully. Except

for his genital region, his skin had always been smooth and

hairless. Now, sparse black hair dusted the area around his

nipples and across his collarbones. Aidan shuddered when

he ran a palm along his leg to feel the new growth.

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Why hadn't he seen it before? He'd been so fucking

worried about Aidan and so damn hot to touch him, he

hadn't even noticed. "Any other changes?"

"I crave meat. I have a stronger sense of smell and

my hearing is keener."

"There may be more as time goes on. I just don't

know yet," Abbi said.

He felt a short-lived sense of relief. At least Aidan

hadn't deceived him. "There must be some way to change

us back. I don't understand any of this. It was only

supposed to be about infertility. How did this happen?"

"A stroke of luck," Abbi said.

"Don't be ridiculous." Nothing positive could come

from this horror.

"I'm perfectly serious. I believe you and my brother

have somehow reignited a bond between our species that

was lost through the years."

Hunter frowned, trying to make sense of her words.

"What kind of bond?"

"Symbiosis."

"Explain."

"To put it simply, it's a close and often long term

relationship between different biological species. In this

case it's obligate, meaning that both symbionts depend on

each other for survival."

Hunter and the Hawk

Gale Stanley

This is a bad dream. I'm going to wake up any

minute now and I'll be back in Arcadia. "Now I understand

why our leaders condemn science. It's garbage. I don't need

anyone else to survive and especially not a vampire."

"It's a shock, I know. Aidan had the same reaction

when I first brought it up. He was afraid you'd hate him and

he refused to contact you."

He looked at Aidan but the vampire refused to meet

his eyes. "Is this true?"

"I'd rather die than see that look of disgust in your

eyes, knowing I put it there."

Hunter grabbed his hand. "Don't talk like that. Of

course I'm shocked but we'll work this out."

"Think about it, Hunter." Abbi's voice took on a

note of excitement. "Ultimately, this will help all of us. It's

taken many, many years but the separation of our species

has been slowly killing us. Thanks to you and Aidan, we

can make things right again."

Both men looked at her as if she were crazy.

"There's no way in hell my people will go for this."

"They will when we get more proof."

"And what am I supposed to do until then? Walk

among my pack with fucking vampire fangs?"

"You don't have much choice, Hunter." Abbi put a

hand over his. "This is meant to be. You can't go back. The

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Gale Stanley

fangs are not decorative. They have a purpose. You'll need

them to feed."

"Oh, no. It's impossible. I'm getting married in a

few months, maybe sooner."

Aidan let out a long, audible breath. "Married?"

"It's all been arranged by our Alpha." He couldn't

look at Aidan's stricken face and he turned to Abbi. "It's for

the good of the pack. He believes I'm a proven breeder.

You've got to get me back to normal."

"This is your normal, now," Abbi said. "You don't

want to breed with a Lycan woman, Hunter. Not until we

know what characteristics your progeny will inherit."

Hellfire! He hadn't even thought about that. He

couldn't take the risk of fathering a vampire.

"…you'll die without it. You both will."

He ran a hand through his hair. "What?"

"Blood. You need blood to survive now."

"If I need blood, I'll feed off of animals." He looked

to Aidan for confirmation. "You said it's been done before."

"It's not that simple. You need Aidan's blood." She

looked at her brother. "And if you deny him yours, he'll

die."

"You can have my blood. A transfusion. In a bag.

Abbi can take more when you need it." He looked at Aidan.

"You'll be okay. I swear I'll take care of you."

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Gale Stanley

Aidan stared back. "And what about us?"

"There is no us. We made a big mistake, and it can't

continue."

"We've gone beyond that, Hunter," Aidan said

softly. "In my world, sex is part of the package. We're

bonded by more than blood."

"No, we're not. You and your damn aphrodisiacs

and vampire seduction got me into this. If I don't see you

again, I can handle it."

"You don't mean that," Aidan cut in.

"Yes, I do. This was supposed to be a little research,

nothing more. We can still make it right."

"We did make it right. It's been wrong for hundreds

of years. Now we have a chance to change everything."

"I don't want to change anything. I want it back the

way it was."

Aidan stared at his resolute expression. "You're

lying through your fangs, Hunter. There's something

between us. Deny it all you want but I can smell arousal all

over you."

"A hard on can be taken care of easily enough."

"It's more than that. I love you, and I believe you

feel the same even if you won't admit it. You belong with

me now. Your pack will never accept you the way you are."

"And the Kindred will? Don't make me laugh.

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We're freaks, Aidan." He smiled ruefully. "All I can do is

bring my Alpha the information you promised me and

throw myself on his mercy."

"You're making a mistake. You don't want to do

that."

"Don't look at me like that. You promised me the

name of Tena's killer. You made the decision to betray one

of your own for the sake of research. Are you going to go

back on your word now?"

"No. I'll give you your killer. But I'm afraid your

Alpha won't believe you."

"We'll let him decide what to believe."

Aidan looked to Abbi, who shrugged. He turned

back, his face bleak. "It was the gray wolf. The one who

broke my arm that night in your club.

Whatever Hunter expected to hear, it wasn't this.

The lie immobilized him. What made him think he could

trust a vampire? Their kind bred deceit, they couldn't help

themselves. After the first shock, his emotions came in

waves like an angry ocean—disbelief, humiliation, rage.

"You're a fucking liar."

"It's the truth. I swear it. I saw him with the body,

but I was too late to save your woman."

Hunter wanted to hurt Aidan the way he'd been

hurt. His body went tight as a coiled spring. His muscles

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Gale Stanley

tensed across his shoulders and back. His control crumbled

and he lashed out like a deranged animal. His hand caught

Aidan's face. The vampire's head snapped back. He put a

palm to his cheek.

"No," Hunter cried out and sank to his knees.

"Please. No." Terrified, he held out his right extremity; four

talons, not claws, dripped blood as he looked desperately to

Abbi for help.

She appeared as stunned as he. Then she came and

knelt beside him. "Hunter, I promise you I will do

everything in my power to help you. And Aidan." She

looked to her twin.

Hunter followed her gaze, just now realizing he'd

hurt the vampire. By the time he stood, his hand was back

to normal. "I'm sorry," he whispered to Aidan, all the anger

gone.

"My face is already mending. Your hurt won't heal

so easily."

"It's hard for me to believe a Lycan could do

something like this." He and Doyle were far from friends.

But to kill one of their women? It was unthinkable.

Aidan glanced over at Abbi and nodded. She

retrieved a small box from the closet and handed it to

Hunter. Inside was a plastic bag with the necklace he'd

given Tena when they first got married. He brushed aside

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Gale Stanley

the sadness it engendered. "This only proves that one of

your people took it. The vampire who murdered my mate."

"I took it from the body myself," Aidan said. "Look

at it closely. A few bloody threads were snagged on the

broken lock. They're from the shirt of the killer."

Hunter put the pendent to his nose and smelled

Lycan blood, Doyle's blood. His heart slammed against his

chest. Dark bitterness and a need to retaliate swept over

him. He would have his revenge.

"Will you take it to your Alpha?"

"No. This is personal. I'll take care of it myself."

"Don't do this," Abbi implored. "You can't control

what's happening to you. And if you're killed, my brother

will die, too."

"I don't intend to die."

Aidan put a hand on his arm. "Don't worry about

me. Do what you have to. But tread carefully. If you accuse

one wolf, you'll take on the entire pack."

"There's no need for me to involve the pack. I can

handle this myself. I need to know the truth. Take some of

my blood for Aidan. When I finish this, I'll come back.

Then we'll figure out what to do."

"Be careful, Hunter," Aidan whispered.

"I will." He reached over to stroke the hair on

Aidan's chest. "Maybe I'll grow feathers next." He grinned

Hunter and the Hawk

Gale Stanley

Chapter Ten

Music, drunken men swearing and swaying on the

dance floor, the clack of billiard balls… In the Wolf Den,

life went on as if nothing had changed, when in reality the

world had turned inside out.

Hunter watched the tableau and wished he could go

back to a time when he was blissfully ignorant of the deceit

around him. Or did he? A little voice in his head whispered,

Would you give up your time with Aidan to have your old

life back? Were you really happy?

And what of revenge? Tena's killer had to be

punished. An eye for an eye. That was the Lycan way.

The scent of his prey floated on the air. His nostrils

flared and his nails bit into his palms. Doyle sat at the bar,

laughing and thumping his mug in time to the beat, never

suspecting it was his last day on Earth.

Tyler spotted Hunter and motioned him over. Afraid

his rage would get the best of him, he shook his head and

turned away. He got what he came for, confirmation that he

had the right target in his sights. He put a hand in his

pocket. Doyle's stink still lingered on the pendant he

fingered.

Hanging around any longer wasn't a good idea. He

suspected his scent might be changing and he didn't want to

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Gale Stanley

draw attention to himself. And he had no intention of

fighting Doyle here. He wanted no interference and no

spectators.

He left abruptly and walked toward Doyle's small

cabin, a half mile from the Den. Ignoring the briars that

caught at his sweat pants, he moved quickly, disturbing the

small animals rooting in the underbrush.

Sitting down on Doyle's porch steps, he waited.

There would be no covering of scent, no ambush. He

wanted to hear a confession, needed the words to be

spoken, man to man.

A tinny rattle and a grumbling engine signaled an

approaching pickup. He moved back into the shadows and

watched Toby's old truck come to a sudden stop in front of

the house. The passenger side door opened. Doyle had

barely stumbled out when the vehicle took off again.

Hunter walked down the porch steps and blocked

his path.

The drunk eyed him sourly. "Odd time for a visit,

Hunter." He worked the chaw in his mouth from one cheek

to the other.

"We need to talk and there's no time like the

present."

Doyle seemed to consider this; then he looked down

and aimed a spray of brown tobacco juice at Hunter's boots.

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"Now why did you want to go and mess up my new

boots?"

"Get out of my way, Hunter. I'm tired and I'm going

bed."

"First tell me why."

Doyle let out a snort of dismissive laughter. "I don't

know what you're talking about." He thrust his chin up and

tried to walk around Hunter.

Hunter, his muscles quivering with undisguised

rage, shoved him. "I want to know why you killed my

mate."

"You're crazy." Doyle avoided his eyes and took a

shuffling step back.

"Am I? I smell guilt all over you." He pulled the

pendant from his pocket and swung it in front of Doyle's

eyes. "Just like I smell your scent all over Tena's necklace."

Doyle seemed hypnotized by the swinging chain.

He licked his lips and followed it with his eyes. "I, uh…"

His voice cracked. "I swear, Hunter. It wasn't my idea. I did

it for the pack."

"You lousy motherfucker!" His fist connected with

Doyle's jaw and the man reeled back. He followed up with

a vicious blow to the solar plexus and Doyle went down.

Before he could roll away, Hunter was on him. He wrapped

his hands around the struggling man's throat. "I want to

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know who else is involved in this."

Doyle made wheezing noises and tried to pull the

hands from his neck.

Hunter released his hold. "Talk!"

"Rafe." He gasped out the name.

"Liar!" He got in another blow to the face before

Doyle surged up and knocked him off.

"Ask him," Doyle spat out. Then his head jerked

back as he started his shift.

Hunter kicked off his boots, threw off his sweats

and gave free rein to his wolf. His body went rigid and his

flesh rippled as black hair spread over his body. Muscles

thickened and bones cracked like snapping branches. His

face lengthened into a muzzle and his nails into claws. A

bone burst at his spine and a tail emerged, twitching behind

him.

The gray wolf lunged, twisting in midair, but

Hunter moved in time to avoid getting slammed. His rage

gave him strength and his powerful hind legs propelled his

body. He leaped at the gray wolf, knocked it down, and

closed his jaws on its leg. This is for you, Aidan. The bone

snapped and the flesh tore into crimson ribbons. Blood

streamed in the dirt and the scent woke something in him.

He released Doyle's shattered leg, pounced, and

planted his paws on the injured wolf. A look of primal rage

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passed between them. Each knew that only one would

come out of this alive.

Hunter's maw dripped saliva. His jaws stretched

open and he went for the throat. Doyle's eyes widened in

horror as needle-sharp fangs lengthened, finally sinking

deep. He yanked his head back, tearing Doyle's throat open.

The body twitched, then stilled. And that was for you, Tena.

Hunter headed back to the Wolf Den, avoiding the

security details. As an enforcer, he carried a set of keys to

the club. He used them to let himself in. The downstairs

was dark but he saw a light in the upstairs window of

Rafe's office. He headed there.

The Alpha looked up from his desk as he entered.

He sat back, folding his arms on his chest. "You didn't

show up for your shift tonight."

"I had something important to take care of."

"What's more important than security?

"Taking care of the son of a bitch who killed Tena."

He kept tight control on his anger.

"Really?" There was a moment of surprised silence.

"So the vampire came back after all?"

"I didn't say it was a vampire."

"Don't play games with me, Hunter." A warning

tone edged Rafe's words.

The tension in the room was so thick it suffocated

Hunter and the Hawk

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100

him. "I'm not the one playing games here. Don't tell me you

don't smell Doyle's blood all over me. I have proof he

murdered Tena. Why didn't you kill him?"

A vein throbbed in Rafe's forehead. "I was hoping

we could avoid conflict in the pack."

"By letting a killer go free?" He leaned over Rafe

and pounded a fist on the desk.

The Alpha flinched slightly but his gaze didn't

waver. "I didn't want to have our people take sides against

each other. Better they unite against a common enemy. It's

my duty to make these kinds of decisions for the pack."

"Is it also your duty to decide who lives or dies?"

"If it comes to that."

Face flushed, Hunter grabbed the collar of Rafe's

shirt and lifted him off the chair.

Rafe snarled and knocked his hands away. "Don't be

stupid, Hunter. We go back a long way and I'm willing to

talk this out for old time's sake. But you can only push me

so far."

Hunter kept his hands at his sides. As much as he

wanted to beat Rafe to a bloody pulp, he wanted answers

more. "Did you order Doyle to kill my mate? Yes or no?"

"Yes."

Hunter recoiled as if he'd been hit by a truck. He'd

loved Rafe like a brother, would have died for him. The

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101

man's betrayal cut deep. The scale of his deception went

way beyond anything Hunter had ever experienced before.

Hate-filled curses flowed from his mouth and, snarling, he

spat in Rafe's face.

Rafe calmly wiped away the saliva with the swipe

of an arm. "You can take the blame for my decision. I

asked you, for the good of the pack, to mate with our other

females. You chose to honor antiquated laws rather than

help our people."

"You bastard. You don't get to make those kinds of

decisions for me. You honor the old ways when it suits

you, refusing to do research when it might solve our

problems." He hauled back a fist and slammed it into Rafe's

face. The Alpha's head snapped back but he didn't make a

sound. Hunter was about to strike again, but Rafe snatched

his hand in mid-air.

Eyes locked, neither moved for several seconds.

Rafe ignored the blood running from his nose. "You're

wrong, Hunter. I believe science will save us."

His mind churned. Another lie? He shoved Rafe

back in the chair. "Explain. I want answers."

"A few of our people have been working on fertility

drugs, utilizing what they know about human drugs and

trying to adapt them to our physiology."

"You've been keeping things from me," he said

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102

accusingly. "From all of us. Things that affect our lives."

"I told you, I dispense information on a need to

know basis. I didn't think it necessary to get everyone's

hopes up until we had positive results."

"Tena?"

"All the mated females were given the drugs—

without their knowledge. They didn't work on Tena." His

face softened. "I'm sorry."

Numb with shock and remorse, Hunter stood

speechless. Rafe had done all this right in front of his nose

and he'd never suspected a thing. "You should have told

me. I would have cooperated."

"Would you? You have a habit of disagreeing with

me. I couldn't take the chance." Rafe touched his face; the

bleeding had already stopped. "Marrok came to me. We

talked about Grace. I told him you wouldn't agree to take

her as long as you already had a mate. A short time later,

Tena was found murdered."

Hunter shook his head in denial. "You sadistic

bastard."

"I made a decision. I stand by it. Grace will make a

good match for you. We'll start her on the drugs

immediately."

"Don't bother. I won't be responsible for the murder

of another she-wolf who can't conceive. Find somebody

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103

else for her."

"I know what you've been up to, Hunter. I smell the

vampire all over you and Grace saw his mark on your

throat."

His body tensed and he glared at Rafe. That fucking

little bitch. She couldn't wait to run to Rafe and tell him

everything. This is her idea of loyalty to a mate?

"Calm down. She's a loyal pack member who does

as she's told. In exchange for my blessing on your union,

she's become a trusted confidant." Rafe hesitated. "So will

you. Tomorrow everyone will know Doyle met his demise

at the hands of your vampire. If he shows his face, he'll be

killed. We'll start Grace on the drugs and move up the date

of your ceremony. All will be forgiven."

"I don't forgive that easily, Rafe."

"Grace will help you forget Tena. She's quite

infatuated with you. You're lucky to have her."

"I can't believe I trusted you."

"Go home, Hunter. Get some sleep. In the morning

you'll see things differently. Meet me back here early. I'm

putting you in charge of the investigation into Doyle's

murder. If anyone can catch the bloodsucker that killed

him, it's you."

Kill him! Kill him now! He ached to sink his fangs

into Rafe's throat, but when push came to shove, he

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104

couldn't do it. How would the pack survive without an

Alpha? Rafe was a lying murderer but he was all they had.

If he took Rafe's life, he'd become pack Alpha. It was not a

position he coveted. And the Lycans would never follow a

hybrid freak.

And despite what Rafe had done, he couldn't bring

himself to kill a man he'd once loved as a brother. But I'll

never call him Alpha again.

"I know this is all a shock," Rafe said at length. "It'll

make more sense in the morning. Go home."

Hunter turned and walked out. He knew the way

home.

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105

Chapter Eleven

Hunter disposed of his clothes along the way,

shifted, and took the back road Abbi had shown him.

When he reached the lab, he shifted back to human

form and pounded on the door, hoping she might be

working late. It swung open. A huge smile lit her face and

she pulled him inside.

"We were so worried—"

"Where's Aidan?"

"Upstairs. He's been driving me crazy, wanting to

go out and look for you."

Aidan sat at the kitchen table picking at a steak.

Their eyes met and Hunter broke into a delighted laugh. "I

never thought I'd see the day you'd be eating a steak."

Aidan grinned back at him. "Don't expect me to

share."

"Actually I had something else in mind."

"Oh, yeah? What might that be?"

"You."

"You think you can just walk in here and I'll jump

into your arms and fuck you?"

That's exactly what he wanted, but he didn't have

time to give free rein to his feelings. His smile faded. "We

should feed. I don't have much time."

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106

Aidan stood, the steak forgotten. "You're not going

anywhere."

"Listen to me. Doyle is dead. Before I killed him, he

implicated my Alpha. When I confronted Rafe, he admitted

his part in the murder."

"I'm so sorry." Aidan embraced him and he allowed

himself a moment of comfort.

"I'm pretty sure Rafe called security after I left his

office. It's what I would have done. I may have led them

here." He turned to Abbi. "Take my blood and I'll get out of

here."

"And then what?" she snapped. "If you leave, Aidan

dies. If you stay, at least he has a chance. You both do."

"You're not going anywhere." Aidan's voice

dominated the room. "I'll fucking chain you down if I have

to."

Abbi sighed in exasperation. "Go feed. I'll think of

something."

* * * *

Hunter lay on his side, his head propped on a hand.

He reached over with his other hand and cupped Aidan's

jaw, spreading warmth across his skin. "I never wanted to

put you and Abbi in danger, but I had to come back."

Aidan kissed his palm. "Without your blood, I'm in

real danger. So are you. Your home is with me, now." He

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107

pulled Hunter close, running his hands over his muscular

back and down over his firm ass.

Hunter moaned against his lips. "Sure you don't

want me to shower first?"

"No, lover. Later. Much later," he cooed. "How do

you expect me to wait when you keep grinding that

beautiful hard prick against mine?"

"Can't help it." Hunter crawled over him like a wolf

ready to devour its prey. "My fangs aren't the only things I

want inside of you."

Blood pounded in Aidan's ears. That look in

Hunter's eyes made him too fucking hot. "What are you

waiting for, lover?"

The Lycan bent to bite at his lower lip, licking at the

drops of blood and rocking his hips. When he lifted his

head, wolf eyes locked on Aidan's and almost drove him

over the edge. Their breathing came in unison.

"You're mine." Hunter growled. "Say it."

"Yours," he whispered. The need to be filled

overwhelmed him and he reached between them for

Hunter's cock, stiff and wet with pre-cum. "I need to feel

you inside me. Now."

"Soon," Hunter said hoarsely. He slid back to suck

at Aidan's hard nipples.

Pleasure shot up his spine as the wolf's rough

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108

tongue licked a path over his belly. He spread his legs, and

warm breath fanned his exposed hole before the long

tongue lapped at it and wormed its way inside. His cock

responded by getting harder and his moans filled the room.

Suddenly Hunter got to his knees and pushed

Aidan's legs back. "Gotta fuck you now."

He gasped when the slick head of his lover's cock

pressed against his hole and pushed inside. Grunting, he

pushed back, desperate for more.

Hunter pulled partway out, then thrust back inside,

filling him like no one else ever had. A slow, steady rhythm

built between them. Every thrust grazed his gland and made

him plead for more.

The sounds and scents of their lovemaking drove

him wild. Using his elbows for leverage, he forced himself

up and wrapped his arms around his partner. He straddled

Hunter's hips and their sweat-slicked bodies surged

together, seeking release.

Hunter growled, wrapped his hand around Aidan's

cock, and jerked him with firm strokes.

Aidan tilted his head, baring his neck. "Claim me,"

he said hoarsely before licking a spot on the Lycan's neck

and sinking his own fangs deep.

When Hunter pierced his flesh, the thrill of feeding

and being fed set off shock waves and his climax exploded

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109

between them. Hunter's followed, and their orgasms

seemed to go on and on. Their bond grew stronger and any

walls remaining between them fell.

* * * *

When they stopped trembling, Aidan pulled Hunter

down on top of him. They shared a kiss before Hunter

rolled them to their sides. "A wolf knows his mate, his true

mate, as soon as they meet. My life has been so out of

whack for so long I'd forgotten how to recognize love.

Everything is so much clearer now. I love you, Aidan. I

can't believe I once thought there was no common ground

between us. I have a lot to learn."

"I love you, too, baby, and we have all the time in

the world to figure this out."

Abbi coughed and both heads swiveled toward the

door. "The lessons will have to wait, boys." She walked in

and planted herself on the bed. "Sorry to interrupt, but this

is important. I spoke to the Sire. He wants to meet Hunter."

Aidan bolted upright, a worried look on his face.

"Fuck, we're not ready for this."

"I had to go to him, Aidan," she said. "He secured

the perimeter. Hunter is safe here."

"And how do you know he won't just hand Hunter

over to the Lycans?"

"Because he's smart enough to realize we need

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110

Hunter."

"Do you trust him, Abbi?"

"I don't have much choice, but yes, I do. I got the

impression he knows more about my research than he's let

on. I gave him the short version and he didn't seem

surprised. Of course, I had to make it sound like both of

you will be my lab rats."

Hunter winced. "Are you fucking kidding me? We'll

be prisoners here."

"At first, yes."

Aidan put an arm around the Lycan. "Come on,

lover. You have to admit being stuck here has its benefits."

Yes, he still had Aidan, but would it be enough?

Panic welled up and a suffocating sensation tightened his

throat. Already he longed for the forest, the moon over his

head, and the dirt under his paws. How long could he bury

his lupine instincts before going crazy? "Can you do this,

Aidan? Force your hawk to remain Earth-bound here with a

Lycan?

There was no hesitation in Aidan's answer. "Yes."

His mate looked him full in the eyes. "We can do this—

together. You belong here with me."

Hunter managed a ghost of a smile and a nod of

assent. "You're getting pretty territorial for a vampire."

"Must be my wolfish side coming out."

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111

Hunter's smile broadened. "Never in a million years

did I ever think I'd fall in love with a vampire."

"Bet you thought you'd never have fangs, either."

"I'm not sorry."

"Me either."

Aidan leaned in for a kiss. They might come from

different species but they were still men, and their

connection felt natural and primal—and right.

The End

About the Author:

Born and raised in the City of Brotherly Love, Gale cut her

teeth on True Story magazines and Mickey Spillane

paperbacks. These were swiped from her mother and read

undercover by flashlight. Her weird choices in reading

material—whatever she could get her hands on—inspired a

love of romance and the desire to write her own stories.

Life took a detour and she raised a family while working as

a surveyor and a CAD manager. Now she has the best job

in the world, one she can do in her pj's. Her books may be

smokin' hot, but at the heart of each story is a romance and

each one is written with love.

Gale loves to hear from her readers.

Email:

gale@galestanley.net

Webpage:

http://galestanley.net/

Blog:

http://galestanley.blogspot.com/

Facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/gale.stanley.author

Twitter:

http://twitter.com/galestanley

Also by Gale Stanley:

Available from Silver Publishing:

Silent Knights

Love Bytes

Sleepless Knights

One Night in Bangkok (June 25)

SYMBIOTIC MATES

Hunter and the Hawk

Peter and the Wolf (May 28)

Talon and the Falconer (July 23)

THE GENTLEMEN'S CLUB

Point of Beginning

Some Like it Rough

Available at Siren-BookStrand:

BLACK WOLF GORGE

Call of the Wilds

Mating Call

Captive

Reviews for SILENT KNIGHTS say:

"Previous experiences have taught both Andy and Paul that

being in a relationship makes a person feel like less, not

more. But together, the two men create a healthy

partnership where they are not dominated, lied to or

cheated on. While it is sweet to see the men laugh and play

together, their heat burns up the sheets in several m/m sex

scenes."

—RT Book Reviews

"Overall, I enjoyed Silent Knights as a nice quick read,

with which I spent a few hot hours on a cold night, while

cuddled up in the corner of the couch with a warm

blanket."

—E-Romance Reviews

"…the fast paced romance between Paul and Andy was

sweet, and I found myself really rooting for them to have a

happy ending."

—The Romance Reviews

"Overall, I really enjoyed this story and I look forward to

reading more by this talented author."

—Happily Ever After Reviews

Reviews for POINT OF BEGINNING say:

"Point of Beginning is a fun romp that hit all my romance

buttons. …sparks fly as these two dance around their

attraction finally succumbing to their passions in a fantasy

induced night arranged by the owner of The Gentlemen’s

Club."

—Dark Diva Reviews

"Looking for the perfect combo to spice up an ordinary

day? Well Alex and Jack are here to fulfill all of your

cravings. I love their chemistry, and their affection as much

as their desire is what really makes this story come alive,

and I cannot wait to read more!"

—Coffee Time Romance

"Ms. Stanley delivers a wonderful tale to enjoy on a sunny

afternoon and I, for one, am anxious to see what else

happens in the Gentlemen's Club. I look forward to

exploring more from this author's backlist and can't wait to

see what other gems she has in store for us in the future."

—Love Romances and More

"I'm a fan of Gale Stanley's work. Her characters are

always very believable. You become invested in their lives

and want to see them get their happy ending. She also

leaves the conflict unresolved until the end, which has you

constantly guessing what will happen next. If you're

looking for a good hearted romance with hard-headed

characters, this is the story for you."

—Whipped Cream Reviews

"Gale Stanley wrote a beautiful story of a man on the throes

of discovering his sexuality and gathering the courage to

know himself and his wants. Ms Stanley sure knows how to

write great tension between the characters, making me read

on with bated breath and anticipation. We know that Jack

and Alex would get together somehow, but we don't know

how, and each scene built on each man's longing and

yearning until I was ready to burst. And when they come

together—ooh la la—be ready to combust."

—The Romance Reviews