A Hunter's Challenge [The Hunters 3] (Siren Publishing Allure) Page 24

  “So how long does this conversion thing take did you say?”

  “Twelve hours but the worst is over in about three and then you’ll sleep.”

  Erica snuggled into him. He noticed she was looking flushed. A few beads of perspiration broke out on her head. He glanced at the clock. It was just before five.

  “Are you okay, Iubită?”

  “Yes, just a bit hot. It’s probably from making love. I’ll be okay once I cool down.”

  “Okay.”

  Anthan went to take her in his arms when she gave a gasp.

  “Anthan!”

  She doubled up on the bed and screamed. “Anthan!”

  He grabbed her. She was burning up.

  “Oh god, Anthan, the pain!”

  Quickly Anthan linked minds. The pain startled him for a moment. He then took as much as he could away from her, but still it kept coming. Waves and waves of pain churned through her body.

  “Anthan!” She groaned in pain. “I feel sick!”

  He lifted her and carried her into the bathroom. She pointed to the toilet and almost immediately began vomiting. Within five minutes, she was writhing in agony. Anthan was sweating with the effort of taking pain away from her with little success. Over the next three hours, she got worse and worse.

  Panicking, he “shouted” for any Hunter to tell him if it was normal. He knew it was painful but this seem far beyond.

  Silvius heard him, along with a few others—Raul Mendes, Matei and Radu Lupei.

  Anthan opened the link he had with Erica so Silvius and the others could see her through his eyes.

  “Anthan, this is stronger than when Lenut̗a converted. Still she should be fine. I’ll help with the pain.”

  Erica continued to get worse. She was now vomiting so much it was now bloody. She couldn’t speak. Her suffering was excruciating. Anthan felt a few other Hunters join the merge.

  “This isn’t right, Anthan. Not this much pain,” he heard Matei say.

  Silvius sounded worried. “It should have begun lessening over two hours ago, instead it’s getting worse. This is almost as bad as you and I suffered.”

  Anthan was worried. The stress on Erica was causing her heart to beat irregularly. Her breathing was so rapid. She was burning up. All at once, her body arched upward and contorted in spasm.

  “Oh god! What’s happening now?”

  Her body distorted, they could all feel the painful spasms that wracked it.

  Suddenly they all heard Anthan wail to the sky as her heart stop beating.

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Quickly Anthan began massaging her heart. From a distance, Silvius took over her breathing. The other Hunters in the merge added their strength. Suddenly Martin appeared in the room and took over from Silvius.

  Anthan got her heart restarted. Martin hastily cradled Erica’s body. She was in the midst of another convulsion. Together they finally got her heart into a more normal rhythm, albeit very rapidly.

  Abruptly she screamed.

  It echoed through the bathroom.

  It went through to the hearts of those listening. On and on she screamed.

  On and on she convulsed.

  For hour after long painful hour.

  Anthan felt his heart break with the agony she was enduring. Her poor heart was labouring the entire time. Without Anthan taking over the beating of it, it would have stopped a dozen times over.

  He and Martin were trying to take as much of the pain as they could. The others in the merge were all doing their share. None had ever experienced anything like this. Anthan knew in his heart that they were all frightened that Erica would not survive. He tried to push it from his thoughts.

  Then, just as quickly as they started, the seizures stopped.

  She began to breathe normally. Martin stopped what he had been doing for her lungs to help her breathe. Erica’s face was no longer wracked with the agony of each spasm. At last her heart began to beat normally without Anthan’s help.

  When he felt the seizures had finally stopped and she was in no danger of vomiting, Anthan cleaned her and lifted her. He carried her back into the bedroom and laid her carefully on the bed. It had just gone four o’clock in the morning.

  “I’ve never heard of anything like that, Anthan. I don’t understand.”

  Silvius was confused.

  “Neither do I, Silvius.” Anthan’s voice sounded raw.

  “Will she be okay?” Martin was standing beside Anthan, his arm on his friend’s shoulder, looking down at Erica. He looked almost as fearful as Anthan. Anthan was crying as he looked at her.

  He shook his head. “I don’t know. I don’t understand this at all.”

  Silvius spoke quickly. “Anthan, enter her mind again. See if she suffers.”

  Following Silvius’s instructions, Anthan entered Erica’s mind. There was no further pain, but her thoughts were chaotic. He checked her heart, it was beating perfectly.

  “Send her to sleep, my friend. Watch over her.”

  The other Hunters in the merge all began leaving, after giving Anthan a brief hug. He sent Erica into a deep healing sleep. He would sit beside her for the remainder of the night. Martin went out into the kitchen. He quickly told Amy what had happened but reassured her that Erica was now sleeping. He promised he would return to her shortly. He made a tea and took it in to Anthan.

  “Drink this. She will be fine now.”

  Anthan took the mug from Martin. He looked confused and lost. Martin squeezed his shoulder.

  “Call me, my friend. I can be here in a minute.”

  Anthan patted his hand as it rested on his shoulder and nodded.

  “Thank you.”

  “If we may, we’ll come early in the evening. Amy will be worried.”

  Anthan nodded. “She should sleep until six or seven I hope, although with what happened I really have no idea. I’ll let you know when she wakes.”

  With one more squeeze of his hand, Martin left. Anthan remembered the tea in his hand and drank it then settled down, Erica in his arms, to wait.

  His thoughts were a jumble.

  What exactly had just happened?

  Why had Erica reacted that way?

  He couldn’t deny it—she had died, would have died several times over if he hadn’t taken over the beating of her heart, if the others had breathed for her. But why?

  He felt guilty.

  It was all his fault. What if he hadn’t been able to start her heart again?

  Sitting with her cradled, he cried.

  Around five in the morning, Silvius spoke with him.

  “My friend, I’ve spoken to other Hunters. No one can understand what happened. I even contacted Gabriella Du Bois, she was, or rather still, is a doctor. She’s never heard of anyone having a problem when they converted. Pain and vomiting but nothing else. No one has ever died, no one has ever had seizures. No one has ever endured such agony for almost eleven hours. The most she has heard of has been four and half hours and never with seizures.”

  “Thanks, Sil. I guess we wait and see. She seems fine now. I just pray she is okay when she wakes.”

  “As we all do. Get some rest. Remember she will need food and blood when she does wake. She’ll have used up all her reserves.”

  “I will.”

  Anthan was dreading the dawn. He was frightened Erica would not wake or that she would no longer be his Erica. He watched as the clock ticked slowly through. Around 5:30 he quickly left to feed. When he returned, he gathered her in his arms again to wait.

  Then he heard a change in her breathing, felt her move slightly. Glancing at the clock, he saw it was 6:20. He held his breath as she began to wake. Slowly she opened her eyes and looked around. She glanced down at his arms holding her, then up to look into his face.

  He caught his breath.

  Her eyes!

  They were amazing, even for a Hunter.

  They were filled with green, blue, gold, and gray flecks. They were hypnotic. There no lon
ger seemed a base colour, just brilliant sparkles. Like hundreds of beautiful jewels glistening in the sunlight.

  Tentatively he spoke. “Iubită?”

  “Hi,” she whispered huskily.

  He gave a sigh of relief.

  “How do you feel?”

  “I’m hungry.”

  Anthan laughed with happiness. He pulled her tight against his body, seeing his tears drip onto her head. Quickly he sent a message to Martin and Sil that she was awake and seemed fine.

  Soberly he heard her ask. “What happened?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “I...I died.”

  With those words, Anthan couldn’t hold back his grief any longer. He burst into sobs.

  “I thought I’d lost you. Oh, Iubită, I should never have made you convert.”

  “Heavens, Anthan, you never made me. I was a willing participant. But I’ve never felt such pain, it was excruciating. Even when the vampire had me, Anthan, this was much worse. I could feel you and the other Hunters taking it but it kept coming. It kept getting stronger and stronger.”

  “I know. No one can understand it. Do you want to try to stand? Lean on me.”

  “I’m okay. I actually feel amazing.”

  She got up, Anthan hovering over her like a mother chick. She looked down at her body, stretched and grinned. “I haven’t looked this tight for a long time.”

  She touched her tummy. Anthan was thankful she was still curvy and padded. Slowly she walked into the bathroom, Anthan close behind.

  “Well everything seems to work.” She giggled.

  She looked in the mirror and gave a little scream.

  “My eyes! Look at my eyes!”

  “I know. They’re amazing! Beautiful.”

  Erica deftly twisted her hair into a bun and pinned it.

  “I need clothes.”

  Before Anthan had a chance to explain how a Hunter could make clothes, she had waved her hands and was dressed. Anthan’s mouth dropped open in surprise.

  “How? How did you know how to do that?”

  She shrugged. “I’ve seen you do it.”

  He shook his head in amazement. Suddenly she disappeared and he heard her laughter coming from the kitchen.

  Racing in, he saw her standing, laughing gleefully.

  “Wow, this is fun. Let’s go flying!”

  “Iubită! I’m stunned. I don’t know how you can do this without learning.”

  “Beats me. It’s just in my brain. I’m hungry, actually I’m starving.”

  “Come, let me get you something.”

  “No offence, Anthan, but you can’t cook. I mean you can but...”

  He laughed at her. “I know. Anyway there’s some leftover stir-fry the fridge.”

  He opened the door and handed it to Erica. She warmed it in the microwave and stood leaning against the counter eating it. She pointed at him with her fork.

  “I believe I need blood, too.”

  Anthan couldn’t believe it. Each time she spoke, it was to surprise it.

  “Yes you do, my heart. But um...your sister and Martin are almost here. I told them when you woke. Amy was worried. I doubt they would appreciate watching as we fed. It’s almost sunrise, we’ll both need to sleep soon. Once Amy has reassured herself, we will feed before we sleep.”

  The sound of her laughter was music to his ears. Whatever had happened, she was fine now. They both heard the front door open as Amy and Martin raced in. Erica put down the last of her food as Amy rushed over to her sister and flung herself into her arms.

  “Oh, Erica, I was so worried. Are you okay?”

  “Okay? I’m unbelievable. I feel amazing.”

  Martin looked in amazement.

  “You certainly scared us.”

  Amy gave a scream and pulled Erica out onto the deck.

  “Your eyes! Look at your eyes.”

  Martin looked at Erica.

  “Oh my goodness. I’ve never seen eyes like yours. They are breathtaking.”

  He looked at Anthan.

  “This is all so unusual.”

  “I know. I think Viorel and the Council will be doing some more hurried research.”

  The two girls were talking when Erica said, “Watch.”

  Instantly she transformed into a seagull and launched herself off the deck. Anthan felt his heart plummet.

  “Iubită, you scared me!”

  “Ha! Paid you back for when you did it to me.”

  Martin looked at Anthan curiously. “When did you teach her that?”

  “I haven’t. I haven’t showed her one thing. She just instinctively knows what to do.”

  “You’re joking?”

  “Nope.”

  “Fuck!”

  Erica suddenly appeared beside Anthan. She leant over and kissed him.

  “Wow that’s something! I love it!”

  Anthan was beyond words. With every passing minute, Erica surprised him. Then without warning, Erica dropped to her knees, rocking back and forth crying.

  “Iubită!”

  She looked up at him, her face etched in agony.

  “It’s got her! Oh, Anthan, save her.”

  “Who? I don’t understand.”

  She closed her eyes, tears still falling. Taking a deep breath, she let it out noisily.

  “Not here. Somewhere close but not here.”

  Blindly she reached out with her hands as if searching for something. Groping around with her eyes still shut, she suddenly pointed in one direction.

  Martin and Anthan looked lost. Anthan quickly merged with Erica. He was astounded as he “heard” her call to a child, telling her she must go to sleep now, that she was having a nightmare.

  Anthan looked at Martin in wonder. “It’s a strigoi, it’s taken a child. Erica is in contact with the little one. She’s sent the child to sleep.”

  The two Hunters quickly transformed as Erica led the search. Over the next half hour, they flew as fast as they could, all the while Erica telling them which way to fly. Finally, they heard her tell them to enter a cave. She said the strigoi was asleep.

  They entered stealthily, Martin quickly destroyed the sleeping strigoi and Anthan took the child. He told Erica that she only had one bite and a few scratches. He would take her home to her parents, create false memories, and make sure the child was safe.

  When Martin and Anthan finally returned, Amy and Erica were both on the couch. Anthan pulled Erica to her feet and held her tightly in his arms. He looked over her head to Martin. Martin was pale.

  “Do you feel okay, dragostea mea?”

  “Yes. Yes, I’m fine now. Oh my God, Anthan, that poor little girl!”

  “How did you do that?”

  She shook her head against his chest.

  “I don’t know. All of a sudden, I heard the child screaming. I linked to her, tried to calm her. I was able to ‘follow’ as that monster took her. I made her sleep, I took away the vision of the vampire so she wouldn’t be scared. Made her think she was having a nightmare.”

  She started to cry.

  “Please don’t tell me I’m going to feel every time someone gets taken?”

  “I honestly don’t know. But now you need to feed and sleep, we all do.”

  Amy looked at Martin. He looked tired. She kissed Anthan and then Erica, holding her hand.

  “I’ll take him home before the sun gets much higher. It’s almost nine. We’ll come back tonight, if that’s okay? Will you be okay?”

  “Yes. I’ll be all right. Anthan’s here to look after me.”

  They quietly left Anthan and Erica to comfort each other.

  Anthan quickly spoke to Viorel and told him what had happened.

  “Erica, are you okay? We’re all so worried.”

  “Hello, Viorel. Yes, I think so. I just don’t know what happened. I don’t understand what’s happening to me.”

  “If it’s any consolation neither do we.”

  “Anthan told me what happened with your conver
sion and the things that you did this morning. Do you feel any different, feel strange?”

  “Not really. I feel the same as usual. For some reason I connected with that child. My head feels fine, nothing seems different. Although I know everything about Hunters. And I mean everything, it’s like I’ve been one forever. I..” She looked at Anthan, who had been listening to the conversation. “I am pretty sure I could even call down lightning.”

  Anthan and Viorel both gasped in shock. Even when those born as Hunters first converted they needed instruction on most aspects of their new powers and talents. Calling down lightning was not easy. It took many days sometimes weeks before a new Hunter could do it. They heard Viorel laugh in her head.

  “Seems like we have a queen fit for our king. I’ll let you go but I really would love to see you, Erica. Anthan, let’s organise a trip here for you both.”

  After saying good-bye, Viorel left Erica and Anthan to themselves.

  Erica looked fearfully at Anthan. He put his arms around her and kissed her gently.

  “I’m a little scared, Anthan. What’s happened to me?”

  “I don’t know, Iubită. Let’s just take each day as it comes. But for now, you need to feed from me and then we must both sleep.”

  Leading her back into the bedroom, they lay wrapped in each other’s arms. Erica looked at him, his worried face made her smile.

  “I’m okay, honest I am.”

  “I know, but it is my prerogative to worry.”

  She laughed and kissed him. Anthan pulled her tight against him and return the kiss. Erica’s tongue forced its way between his teeth as they poured all their love, worry, and relief into that kiss.

  Somehow, their clothes were removed as hands grabbed and caressed. Anthan was trying to fondle her breasts at the same time he wanted to hold her face and press his hand between her legs. He settled for sucking her nipple and rubbing her slit. Erica sighed. She lay back on the bed, throwing one leg over his. His massive erection was close to her passage.

  Anthan thrust in. She mewled as he began to move his cock in and out, her hand across his shoulder. She pulled his head toward her mouth and Anthan screamed in pleasure as she sank her fangs into his neck, drinking hungrily.