Page 42 of Treasured By the Hunter

Today, there wasn’t a Xarc’n shuttle in there, but a pickup truck altered to look like a vehicle straight from the set ofMad Max. Sam waved to me from in front of it. She had the hood open and was tinkering inside. A few paces back, a mean-looking Xarc’n warrior was using some of the equipment as a pull-up bar. He was going at it like the frame owed him money.

“Hey, Harb’k. Zoey,” Sam called, waving us over.

She wore custom-made coveralls that, upon closer inspection, had little mice all over them. Cute.

The hunter behind her released the overhead bar and dropped down to the ground with all the grace of a big cat. Unlike Harb’k, who had a friendly countenance that shone through even though he wasn’t human, this hunter felt mean. Grumpy.

Hadn’t Sam said her “mate” was the hunter who’d been imprisoned at Sanctuary. No wonder he was grumpy. I’d be grumpy too if I’d been locked up for months. Was he going to react the same way Pip or Lok’n had?

He growled something in a low tone. It wasn’t like Harb’k’s growl. Harb’k’s growl was sexy and made me feel things. This growl made me want to run, but I stood my ground. Lok’n had caught me off guard, but I was ready this time; I wasn’t going to let anyone, seven-foot-tall alien or not, intimidate me.

“I apologize for not hunting down all the miscreants. I did not know the one named Corey was still alive.”

Okay. That was not what I’d expected.

“I caught him up on your story. I hope you don’t mind,” Sam said. “I thought it best he didn’t just take Pip’s story at face value.”

“Of course. Thank you.”

“I can go hunt this male down if you like,” Kan’n offered.

I dropped my jaw. “Um… ah, thanks, but no. If anything, Riley and I should kick his ass.”

“Yes. It is best if I leave him for you as revenge for your lost friends.” Kan’n nodded sagely, like of course it should be me and Riley who took Corey out.

“How’s Pip doing?” I asked. “You know, considering you guys are asking Sanctuary for a truce.”

“He’s having a hard time,” Sam said. “He’s giving everyone the cold shoulder.”

“He can do that? Does that mean you two are out a shuttle?”

“The shuttle works,” Sam said. “But everything is difficult to use.”

“I am glad I do not have a PIP model,” Harb’k said.

I was inclined to agree.

“Not all PIP models are like this.” Sam pushed a loose piece of hair off her face. “The PIP they have over in Rockies is a lot easier to get along with.”

“That one didn’t go through what this one did,” I said. “I understand the feeling. If you guys offered Corey and his friends a truce right now, I’d probably throw a fit too.”

Kan’n growled. “I will throwthem.”

That was probably the more effective strategy. Today was turning out to be an interesting day indeed.

We finished the tour in the kitchen, which was in the back of the supermarket’s old bakery.

“I guess I’ll go set up in one of the spare rooms upstairs for the night.”

“You can stay on my shuttle.”

My cheeks heated up at the memory of being in his shuttle, and it was like he could read my mind.

“Tell me, Zoey, did you enjoy what we did?”

The hoarse sound of his voice went straight to my core and started a fire there. Feeling extra brave and guided by the soft purr starting in his chest again, I nodded.

“Say it,” he whispered, his arms sliding over my body and locking around me like the warmest steel cage. “Tell me you liked what we did.”

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