Page 4 of Forsaken By Night

Unable to bear Grant and Nicole’s looks of pity, confusion, or suspicion, and even less able to bear watching Tehya die, he got the hell out of there. It was only his rubbery legs, and not his strength of will, that forced him to walk instead of make a mad dash of desperation to the exit.

Empty halls gave him a clear path until, just as he reached the fork that would take him either to the social center of the compound or to the outside world, a female with gray-streaked, spiky black hair rounded the corner.

Su’Neena.

In an instant, icy sweat coated his skin and his ribs ached, as if remembering all the times her foot had cracked them.

He’d come here as an orphan, his parents killed by MoonBound butchers, and Su’Neena had enjoyed using him as her personal whipping boy. So when his chance to take revenge had come, he’d seized it, only to have it backfire. He’d caught her betraying the clan, but she’d lied, and the clan’s fear of his abilities had been enough to give her the benefit of the doubt.

He’d been banished, but that hadn’t been enough for Su’Neena. She’d called for his execution and had tried twice since then to kill him. Openly. Brazenly. He’d dodged one arrow, but the scar on his thigh would forever remind him that she was serious about wanting him dead.

Tensing, he covertly checked her for weapons, but her hands were empty.

“Hunter.” She gave him a respectful nod as she passed, and he blew out a relieved, shaky breath, feeling foolish for worrying she’d recognize him. He was Hunter right now, not Lobo, and he was almost safe. A few more yards...

He stepped through the stone doorway and sucked in a huge lungful of fresh evening air. Smelled like victory. He smiled until he remembered why he’d just risked his life.

Holding on to Hunter’s form until he could get safely away, he reached out to Tehya with his mind as he jogged through the twilight toward the safety of his cabin. If she was conscious, he’d feel her.

Nothing. She could be either unconscious or dead; he had no way of knowing.

Anger, sorrow, and frustration boiled in his chest, gathering steam until he felt as though he was going to explode. He needed to do something, but what? He felt so helpless and... alone. He hadn’t truly realized how much Tehya had enriched his life until now.

Needing to outrun his thoughts, he first slowed down to concentrate on ditching Hunter’s skin. As he took a bracing breath to begin the process, a female voice called to him.

Called toHunter.

Son of a bitch. This was the last thing he needed right now. Cursing, he kept going as if he hadn’t heard anything, but a moment later a hand gripped his elbow and gently pulled him to a halt.

When he turned around, he nearly groaned at the sight of Hunter’s mate, Aylin, standing there in worn jeans, a form-fitting blue tank top, and white running shoes. He’d never met her, but he’d seen her from afar, and he’d gotten bits and pieces of information about her from the MoonBound females he fed from on the nights of the full moon. She seemed to be well liked and smart, and, if the intel was accurate, her influence had mellowed Hunter a lot.

“What are you doing here?” She reached back and fiddled with the leather band holding her long blond ponytail. “I didn’t expect you back from your meeting with GraveBorn clan until tomorrow night.”

Oh, wasn’t that just great. No wonder everyone had been staring at him. Hunter wasn’t supposed to be here.

She frowned at his shirt and hands. “And why are you covered in blood?” She sniffed and added, “Wolf blood.”

“I found an injured wolf and brought it to Nicole,” he said easily, because that, at least, was the truth.

Cocking her head, she studied him for so long that his hands grew clammy and his pulse pounded in his ears. If anyone could see through his disguise, it would be Hunter’s mate. Finally she reached out and tugged on his hair.

“This is different. You haven’t worn braids in a long time.” She frowned. “And I swear it’s longer than it was yesterday.”

Oh, shit. He hadn’t even thought about Hunter’s hair when he’d shifted. He’d simply taken his most prominent memory of Hunter and given himself the braids the clan leader sported at formal events... such as banishing skinwalkers from the clan.

“I...” What had she said about GraveBorn? He was at a meeting? “I thought the meeting with GraveBorn deserved something more formal.” He swept the braid back over his shoulder so she’d forget the length, which he couldn’t explain.

“Well, you should wear it like that more often. I like it.” A sly smile curved her mouth, and his mouth went dry as she eased up to him, pressing her body against his. “Since you’re already here, do you have time for me?” Her hand slid from his chest to his abs, and then lower, to his waistband. “We can take a dip in the river. You can wash your clothes and let them dry while we mess around.” Her voice went deeper as her blue eyes darkened into tide pools of seduction. “Remember what we did on the riverbank last fall?”

He actually did remember that, because he’d come upon them while out on a run in wolf form. He’d watched, probably for longer than was considered polite, as Hunter made love to his mate with the wilderness surrounding them. Their cries had filled the air with primal sounds of passion but had filled his chest with longing.

“I can’t,” he croaked, trying to disengage himself from her, but she stayed with him, and now her hand was slippingunderhis waistband.

“Oh,” she said saucily, “I know youcan.”

Shit. She was hot and all, but if he thought that impersonating Hunter would get him dead, Lobo knew that messing with Hunter’s mate would get himpainfullydead.

Very gently, as if she were as delicate as a feather, he gripped her wrist and pushed her away. “Later,” he said, hoping she didn’t notice the slight tremor in his voice. “I still have the GraveBorn meeting. I promise to find you the second I get back.”

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