Because as he stared at the glyph setting into his skin, its lines growing darker and more distinct, there was no mistaking the fact that he hadn’t put it there.
There was definitely no mistaking what it was: the mating mark all males both feared and wanted.
Nicole paused at the doorway, but she didn’t turn to look at him. “Please don’t worry. I’ll be okay.”
He jerked, the mark forgotten. He’d heard those words before. Riker couldn’t help but feel that this was Terese all over again. He was leaving Nicole with the enemy, just like he’d left Terese, who had also assured him she’d be okay.
The difference was that this time, he not only loved the female he was about to lose . . . he’d imprinted on her.
Chapter 31
Of all the things ShadowSpawn had done to Riker, being blindfolded and dragged from his cell to Hunter’s camp several miles away sucked the most. Having his skin scraped off during the drag wasn’t even the worst of it. No, what Riker hated was being blind.
The way the other senses became overly acute made him too reactive and combative, so by the time the ShadowSpawn goons dumped him at Hunter’s feet, he was a mass of lacerations, abrasions, and contusions, and he was pretty sure his nose had been broken by a couple of different fists.
After a brief wait that included a lot of harsh words and kick in the ribs, someone unlocked the chains around his ankles and wrists. He bounded to his feet and ripped the blindfold from his eyes.
They were at the edge of a moonlit clearing, with MoonBound’s warriors fl anking the meadow, weapons drawn, bows trained on ShadowSpawn’s males.
Whatever confrontation had taken place while Riker was blindfolded and on the ground was over, and as he rolled his shoulders to ease the aches, the enemy clan disappeared into the shadows that gave them their name.
Hunter, wearing only camo pants and boots despite the fact that the scent of coming snow was in the air, pulled Riker into a rare, and awkward, embrace. “Good to have you back and in one piece.” Stepping back, he revised his initial impression. “Mostly one piece. I think you left some bits of yourself behind.”
“Always good to see you, too, Hunt,” Riker muttered. He lifted his hand in greeting to the warriors and their mystic-keeper standing silently in the forest.
“Where’s Myne?”
Riker owed the guy a lot of thanks and a lifetime of debt. Riker might have lost his shit to jealousy a few times, but he’d always known Myne had his back.
“Your guess is as good as mine.” Hunter gestured for Riker to walk with him toward camp. “He came with us, but . . . you know.”
Yeah, Riker knew. Myne wasn’t one to hang out with Hunter, and he definitely didn’t like to spend any amount of time with a group. No doubt he was nearby, but he wouldn’t be trading ghost stories and making s’mores around a campfire anytime soon.
Or anytime ever.
Hunter adjusted the weapon belt that crossed over his bare chest. The guy had always been more comfortable in battle when he felt unrestricted. Riker was surprised he wasn’t barefoot, too. “Did you see Nicole?”
Riker nodded. “Why did you let her make that idiotic trade?”
“Have you even met her?” Hunter said wryly. “She was going to do it whether I let her or not.” That was probably true. The stubborn female. For some reason, that thought made him smile. “And I hate to say it, but it was a good idea with little risk. If she pulls it off, her company will have actually done some good. Accidentally, but I’ll take it.”
Right now, Riker didn’t give a shit about what Nicole was doing for the sake of the vampire population.
He just wanted her back. “I can’t leave her with them.”
Closing his eyes, Hunter turned his face up to the stars. “I was afraid you were going to say that.” He lowered his head and pegged Riker with eyes as black as the sky. “You always were loyal to a fault.”
“It’s more than that.” Riker pushed down the waistband of the shredded pajama pants and exposed the crimson wing above his pelvic bone.
“Oh . . . damn.” An owl hooted in the distance, distracting Hunter for a heartbeat. “Is that a good thing?”
Good? It could be, but given their last encounter, it could also be a disaster. “I love her.”
“But?” Hunter asked. Riker must have made “I love her” sound like a total downer.
“She doesn’t know.” Riker jammed his hand through his hair. “Fuck me, I didn’t know until today.
All this time, I’ve been so hung up on Terese and everything that happened to her.” An ache pounded inside his chest, right behind his sternum. “I thought I was getting over it, but when Bastien came, the hell he went through brought up all that shit again.”#p#分页标题#e#