Page 26 of Night's Bride

“What do you mean by ‘reconditioning?’ And why not just return women to their families if what you are doing is so noble?” she demanded.

A smile tipped his lips as they twisted cruelly. “Females who have fornicated with such beasts need to be reconditioned into accepting human men before they can be permitted to return to their king. Which means not only being hosed and scrubbed thoroughly to remove any trace of the beasts on her skin, but also being mounted by however men it takes to impregnate her. Once she delivers a human baby, she is cured of their taint. And before you ask, Miss Ellensworth’s brother found thisacceptable, as you will find that most families would. And they get an heir out of it. It would not be the first time that families have petitioned huntsmen to breed them when available men come up short to marry into them.”

She gaped at him in horror. There were so many repulsive things in his reply, not the least of it being the forced impregnation, but her mind stuck on one glaring point. “Who the hell decides how many men it takes?”

His smile widened. “It depends on how many men volunteer for the task. Only a male of exceptional status who wants the female for himself, if he finds her to be of considerable value, could override this process.”

Emily gagged and immediately vomited into the snow. There was no way she could endure that. She doubted she could survive watching her mates die, much less what they planned for her. Any woman stolen by them would not only be torn from her family but forced to endure gangrape, impregnation, and any other abuse that the guild might decide to inflict upon them before even being able to seek reprieve to grieve. And even then, it would be with an infant sired from one of her rapists.

Her eyes lingered on the blood splattering the snow a short distance away and slowly slid to Nash. The male’s head was turned toward her, his mouth open as he labored to breathe, his glowing eyes were dim but focused entirely on her as if she were his entire world and he wanted to capture that image and take it with him into death. She bit her lip hard as she swallowed back her sob. From the corner of her eye, she saw Vikt and Vrel prowling among the trees, their eyes glinting and winking out.

The huntsman glanced back over at Nash and tsked. “Still alive, are you? I will take care of that.”

He lifted his crossbow, taking aim at her male’s head, and Emily surged to her feet, unwilling to stand by and watch. She spun toward the huntsman as she rose from a crouch, her handscoming up above her head so that she gripped the crossbow and shoved it upward, pointing it into the air. She screamed her fury and saw the flash of surprise in his eyes for only a moment before they hardened once more, and his lips curled in a sneer.

“Foolish woman,” he snarled as he shoved forward, driving his weight against her.

Emily stumbled backward as she attempted to maintain her balance, but her arms shook in protest as his weight bore down on her. She could only resist him for a moment longer, but that moment was all that was needed. Vrel and Vikt rushed from the forest at full speed, their lithe bodies a blur as they leaped at the huntsman.

He shouted as he backpedaled, whirling from her as he attempted to fight off the attacking Ragoru. They tore into him, their teeth gnashing and ripping into him as their claws tore into his flesh. They dragged him screaming to the ground and still he thrashed, his arms flailing and legs kicking out in an attempt to knock them away. Amidst all of this, Nash rolled to his side and pushed himself slowly to his feet. He was weakened but this was obviously the opening he had been waiting for—the distraction that would allow him to attack despite his current state. He staggered, blood seeping from his wounds with every movement, but he stalked forward, oblivious to his obvious pain. Vikt and Vrel released the huntsman at his approach and backed away, their muzzles and chests covered with the man’s blood.

Emily walked toward them, and Nash glanced over at her from where he had come to a stop at the huntsman’s side.

“You will not wish to see this, rya,” he growled, but Emily shook her head defiantly as she took her place at his side.

“Considering what that bastard had planned and the fact that he was about to slaughter my mates before my eyes, I not only need to see this… I want to.”

Nash held her gaze for a long moment before inclining his head in assent. She was their female, the head of their family, and she never felt it so much as she did in that moment. She had defended her family and now she would watch the huntsman die. She lifted her chin proudly, her eyes following Nash’s movements as he stepped over the male. The huntsman was alive, his breathing labored, his wounds were terrible but mostly superficial in their placement to cause the most pain as he slowly bled. Vikt and Vrel had been vicious in this, causing the maximum amount of suffering so that the huntsman could watch death coming for him.

“May Father Efru take him and curse him with further suffering in the next world,” Vrel spat, his bloody saliva staining the snow.

Nash paused over the huntsman, his hackles rising as his lips peeled back from his long fangs. The huntsman shouted in panic and attempted to lift his arms defensively, but it was useless against Nash’s attack as the male dropped, his teeth descending.

Blood splattered everywhere, spraying her skin and her gown as the huntsman’s screams filled the woods, and flames of their home brightened the night, illuminating every bit of the gory scene. Emily smiled coldly as she watched and when Evelyn arrived a short while later with a blaster in hand and her mates by her side, along with a small collection of Ragoru who had tracked the huntsman to their abode, Emily’s smile widened in greeting. Hazhel drew to a stop at what was left of the male’s mangled head and stared down at it grimly before nodding respectfully to her triad.

“I would like to take the remains for my triad to dispose of in a way we feel is fitting, if we have permission. It is your kill,” the male rumbled.

Nash nodded tiredly with a wave of his hand with a swipe of his hand but immediately sank into the snow with a painedgroan as Hazhel bent and dragged the shredded body of the huntsman away. Emily looked to Evelyn beseechingly, and the woman nodded as she gestured to her mates.

“Take him to the finished den not too far from here. It is as good as any and was being made ready for him anyway in case the twins didn’t accept. As it seems that they are in need of a new home and the male is in need of saving yet again, we will just take him there now.” She glanced over at the house and sadness stole over her expression before she glanced over at Vrel. “All of your beautiful things… I’m so sorry, Vrel. I’m sorry for the home and everything that you lost.”

“We have each other,” Vrel replied quietly. “Just save Nash, please.”

Evelyn nodded solemnly. “You Ragoru are hard to kill, and big alphas like him even more difficult. Thankfully, the fire will be easy enough for the clan to contain. Now let’s get you home.”

Home. Emily leaned on her mates as Vikt and Vrel arrived at either side of her, their arms supporting her as other males hurried over to carefully lift Nash from the snow. It would only be home if Nash were there with them.

Chapter

Twenty-Three

CHAPTER 23

For several days and nights, the healers worked on Nash. Their patient oversight as they took shifts cleaning his wounds and monitoring his condition was something that Emily would never forget, nor was watching the bloodied bolts being pulled from him as he groaned from the pain. It was little wonder that she was anxiously following him whenever he stood and made his way through the den.

“How are you feeling?” she asked as he lowered himself onto the cushions in the central chamber of their cozy den.

Her mate gave her a patient smile even though she knew she was being obnoxious. She just couldn’t help flitting around him with concern. “The same as I was just an hour ago. Calm yourself, rya. I am not going to fall over at any moment. I feel fine—just stiff from the wounds healing, and easily tired.”

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