Chapter 4: Hunter

Mirage rose to fill his glass after he drained it then returned to her seat, crossing her legs uncomfortably. She wasn't used to being dressed like this in front of anyone but Lineal and Lynette and she was feeling a bit naked in front of Hunter. It might have helped if he wasn't looking at her the way he was, as if she were sitting here in that extreme state of undress.

She drank more of her whiskey, clearing her throat. "Okay, anytime you want to start. I don't have all night here."

He sighed and then took another drink from his glass, finally setting it down in front of him. "I'm not quite sure how to start."

"Well, I'd say to start like your favorite comedian. "I was born a poor black child..."

"Hey, he's epic," he said with a laugh. "Okay. I was born a poor black child, except for the fact that I'm not black, my family wasn't really poor, and I'm not from here."

"From the city?"

"Uh ... no, from this world."

Mirage stared at him for a minute then lifted her glass and finished her drink, getting up and grabbing the crystal carafe. She refilled his drink and her own before setting the carafe in front of her. "Then ... where are you from?"

He let out a slow breath and took another hit of the potent brew. With his constitution, he could finish the whiskey in the carafe and another on top of that before he'd even begin to feel it. "It's hard to explain." He ran his hands through his hair in aggravation, wondering how he would come up with the words to explain. "I've never met my real mother. From what my parents told me, she came out of nowhere holding me in her arms. They said she seemed terrified, that someone was after her."

"After her? Probably knew what you would be like when you grew up and wanted to save the world from that horror."

Hunter chuckled, shaking one finger at her. "Funny girl. But no, they said she kissed me and then handed me to them, begging them to raise me and to keep me safe. She gave them a bag of jewels which got me through college, but no idea of exactly where I came from and why she was so desperate to hide me."

"So you have no idea who you are?"

Hunter shrugged. "I've had thoughts but nothing that I can substantiate."

Mirage took another drink of her whiskey, a prickle of curiosity making her eyebrows rise. "You've never tried to find her?"

"I wouldn't know where to start. My parents passed away about thirty years ago."

"Thirty? You don't look much over that yourself."

"I was close to sixty when they died." He smiled at her gasp, enjoying her disbelief. "I know, it's hard to believe. I don't age the same way you do, or should I say other humans do. I have a few other special talents; you've seen some of them."

"Well maybe if you'd keep it in your pants more often, I wouldn't have to see it."

Hunter chuckled. "Mouthy to the end," he said with a shake of his head. "But that's how I got here and that's all I know." He got up and began pacing the floor. "Does that help you any?"

"It still doesn't tell me what you're doing here." She kicked off her sandals, bringing her feet up and tucking them under her.

He picked up his tumbler from the side table, swishing the potent liquid around the glass before finishing it in one swallow. "I touched you." The words were explosive and he took two steps toward her before he caught himself. "I've seen so many creatures touch you and go insane, Mira. I've seen their eyes and I've watched as their sanity leaked from them. I've seen the pain it causes you. I know how much you hate it. I just want to help."

"You can't." She rose, slamming her glass down and then wincing when she saw the mark it made in the wood. "There's nothing to help."

"But Dianna said..." Hunter clamped his mouth shut but he saw the look in Mirage's face and knew what it meant. He'd opened his mouth and now she was going to press until she got all the information she wanted. "Shit. Open mouth, insert both feet side—fucking--ways."

"You can say that again. Now tell me."

"She was concerned. You've grown very distant in the past few months, less concerned about your own safety. Dianna was concerned about you. She wanted someone else to know your story besides herself and she knows I care about you." He stared at her, hoping that little tidbit would keep her from trying to kick his butt again. But knowing that he could touch her now, that he didn't have to fear for his sanity, that just might tip the scales into his direction more often.

"You care about me. Yeah ... right." She took another mouthful of the whiskey and blew out a deep breath.

The burn was there and she could feel just the hint of a buzz. For just an instant, she held onto that buzz, wanting the sweetness of forgetfulness that letting herself consume too much alcohol would give her. But it was a weakness, one that she couldn't afford and she forced herself to sit forward and ignore the carafe of whiskey. "Try feeding that to someone who hasn't known you for five years."

"What's that supposed to mean? Damn, Mira. I knew you were scarred but when you treat people like shit just because they want to help you, that's really fucking sadistic." He rose, coming easily to his feet to glare down at her.

"I didn't ask you for your help and I sure as hell didn't ask for you to care about me, Hunter. I've been taking care of myself just fine for a fuck of a lot of years. I don't need you to do it for me!" She rose as well, refusing to back down.

"You can be such a bitch, Mira." She could hear the disgust in his voice and it made her smile.

"You know where the door is, Hunter." She turned, scooping up her shoes and heading for the doorway that led out to the hall and then to the stairs. She was heading up them, right now. He could find his own fucking way out. "Forget where I live, Hunter. Next time I'll just shoot first and ask questions later."

Hunter felt the rage rising in him and he tried to push it back. But when Mirage got her claws in, she didn't want to let go. She was worse than a fucking cat with a mouse and right now, he was in no mood to be her play toy. Instead of backing down and leaving as she seemed so intent upon forcing him to do, he took two steps toward her and grabbed her arm, spinning her around so that she ran into him and then bounced off.

Her exclamation of surprise was cut off when he grabbed her other arm as well, dragging her up against his tall, well-made body. "Let me go," she hissed with the deadly tone of a rattler.

"Learn to treat others better," he growled. He glared down at her, wondering how she always managed to piss him off so well.

Mira stood still under his hands for less that a second. Then it seemed as if an implosion of emotions sent her into a tailspin and she couldn't breathe. She dropped her shoes and grabbed hold of his jacket with almost desperate hands, the heat of his body seeping through the thin fabric of her dress, the smell of him filling her head. He smelled male, raw and almost wild, like hot, wet sex and she found herself breathing deeper of his scent.

His hands pulled her even closer and he could feel her body against his, the tilt of her breasts pressing against his chest, the softness of her surprising him. For some reason, he'd always thought of her as hard, unwielding, but she wasn't. She gave, her body molding to his in a way that sent his temperature rising and not because of anger.

"Let me go," she whispered. Hunter knew she meant it to be an order but the soft, breathy way it came out made her sound sexy and needful. A need he was more than willing to fulfill.

"Look at me," he whispered giving her a little shake when she seemed about to refuse. "Just look at me!".

Her eyes rose to his face, the green depths seeming almost fathomless. He stared down at her for less than a minute then his head dipped and his lips covered hers. It was almost a shy sort of testing of the waters, a tentative kiss that began as rather sweet and tender. Then it quickly grew heated, his lips molding to hers, his mouth opening, his tongue searching for the passionate depths of her.

It was frenzied and wet, growing almost desperate before he twisted away, gazing down at her in disbelief.

His breath was a panting rasp, his chest quickly rising and falling, rubbing against her breasts. His blue eyes grew even wider when he saw the passion that clouded her eyes, the pleasure that had her lips parted, her tongue sweeping out to gather his taste into her.

"Hunter..." she moaned softly, her hands going to his chest, her palms rubbing gently as she pushed them around his neck. "Kiss me again."

The order seemed to surprise him but it didn't stop him from following it. "God yes," he moaned and then his mouth was on hers once more. He dragged her even closer, his arm around her waist, lifting her easily. His hand dug into her hair, tilting her head so that he could mesh their lips even closer together. It was as if a wild fire raged through his veins, an out of control burn that had him begging for more.

"I want you." The words were growled against her mouth and she felt the back of her dress be drawn up her body. His hand filled with the curve of her hip and he squeezed, not so gently. "I want to make love to you."

Every negative thought was wiped from her head and she stared up at him. She'd forgotten the power of a kiss, the pleasure to be had from strong male hands holding her close. She hadn't been able to really remember how much she had enjoyed touching and being touched, of kissing and the amazing hold wanting and needing could exhort on someone. She tugged on his hair, wanting to feel his lips against hers again, only to feel him resist.

"Ask me to make love to you," he ordered, staring down into her passion flushed face. "Tell me what you want, Mira or this ends now."

"I want you," she said easily.

"You want me to what?"

She let loose a long, drawn out breath. "I want you to ... to fuck me, Hunter." Mira tried to ignore the surge of guilt just saying those words sent spinning through her. She wanted to take them back, to deny her feelings, to stay true to her husband, but the need clamoring in her veins wasn't listening. The hot, needy throb between her thighs was too demanding to allow her to take it back. "Please, Hunter. Please fuck me."

Hearing her say those words, words he'd dreamed of in the deepest hours of the night had his heart pounding. He lifted her into his arms, barely noticing her weight. "Where?" he growled, cocking one dark eyebrow at her.

"Up the stairs, second door to your right." He took off like a shot and took the stairs easily two at a time. He had no problem with holding her and opening doors, amazed with the soft colors and the sweetly feminine finery she surrounded herself with. This was nothing like the Mirage he knew from work, nothing like the woman he'd gambled his life with more times than he could count. This Mirage seemed almost ... sweet.

He dropped her on the bed, barely paying attention as he stripped off his leather jacket, dropping it to the floor. Sitting next to her, he tugged at the laces on his boots, kicking them off with an impatient growl. Then he turned toward her once more, his hand reaching out to drag her close once more, sighing with almost relief when her arms went round his neck, tugging his head down to meet her lips.

Her tongue met his, dueling softly in his mouth as she claimed control of the kiss. He felt her push him backwards, her body coming over his, her thighs straddling his hips. His hands moved over her, sliding up her soft arms, feeling the almost delicate bones of her shoulders and the thin ridge of her collarbone. She moaned when they slid down her back and over the decidedly feminine curves of her hips. It felt too good, too right, and that fact scared the hell out of her.