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Synopsis
Victoria Johnson loves her life. She's her own boss in a quaint beachside town, and has great friends who keep her grounded. If only they knew who she really is: an heiress to an ancient race who possesses astonishing superhuman powers. It's Victoria's duty to restore her clan of Light Hunters to their former glory by choosing the perfect mate. In Christopher Sombrosa, she just may have found him. Strong, smart, and successful, Christopher exudes a powerful energy. Their connection is sensual, irresistible-and forbidden.
A member of the Shadow Hunter clan, Christopher has defied his own father to lead his people away from affliction and violence. Yet he cannot ignore his duty to carry on his ancient bloodline. Stunningly beautiful and brimming with an erotic life force, Victoria is everything Christopher ever hoped for in a mate . . . but as a Light Hunter, she's his mortal enemy. Together, they could unite their warring tribes. But murderous factions on both sides don't want peace-and they'll stop at nothing to keep light and darkness apart forever . . .
Release date: January 1, 2012
Publisher: Forever
Print pages: 368
* BingeBooks earns revenue from qualifying purchases as an Amazon Associate as well as from other retail partners.
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The Claimed
Caridad Piñeiro
“Piñeiro’s new series will excite readers, new and old. As a newcomer to her work, how I missed this author for so long, I’ll never know. Her characters and red-hot writing had me looking for the nearest cold shower. The Lost is an excellent beginning to a new series that will have readers counting the days until the second Sin Hunters book is released.”
—RT Book Reviews
“The talented paranormal author Caridad Piñeiro establishes her new otherworld inside an action-packed story line. The key support cast is fully developed, especially the stalkers, while the novel belongs to the vet and the millionaire… The opening Sin Hunters romantic urban fantasy is a great first act.”
—GenreGoRoundReviews.blogspot.com
“Four stars! Wonderfully exciting and powerful—the start of a new series that I can hardly wait to read more of.”
—RomanceReviewsMag.com
“5 stars! Stellar! Caridad Piñeiro has crafted an exciting new series and, with this first story, I am hooked!… [She] actually seems to breathe life into each of her characters… I could almost feel the evil malice radiating from the Shadow Hunters… I am eagerly looking forward to the next story.”
—HuntressReviews.com
“A love story like nothing you’ve read before! This premise is utterly unique, and so original and brilliant that I wish I’d thought of it first. If you want something wonderfully different, do not miss Stronger than Sin.”
—Maggie Shayne, New York Times bestselling author
“[A] compelling and scintillating tale of mad scientists, devoted doctors, and wounded warriors. There isn’t a thing missing in this imaginative and fast-paced love story.”
—RT Book Reviews
“An entertaining and sizzling read.”
—RomRevToday.com
“I was enthralled by the story from the first page and could not put it down… Piñeiro has changed the face of paranormal romance and is definitely an author to watch.”
—FreshFiction.com
“Romance and intrigue… Be prepared to be sitting on the edge of your seat, anxiously awaiting the next book.”
—FallenAngelReviews.com
“Second in this series and just as tightly written as the first. It stands alone. This is suspenseful and the passion is strong.”
—Romance Reviews Magazine
“A sexy adventure with a luscious hero and an amazing heroine… I couldn’t put it down!”
—Angela Knight, New York Times bestselling author
“This has all the makings of a great paranormal romance—a beautiful heroine, a dark, sexy, and protective hero, and a compelling and relevant subplot.”
—RT Book Reviews
“Caridad Piñeiro never disappoints… No author is better at crafting novels which explore the paranormal than Caridad Piñeiro. Sins of the Flesh expertly intertwines suspense and passion to create a spellbinding story of the paranormal.”
—SingleTitles.com
“Page-turning action and sizzling love scenes as only Caridad Piñeiro can deliver!”
—L. A. Banks, New York Times bestselling author
“Faster than the speed of light… an action-packed thriller that never takes a breath… Caridad Piñeiro provides another one of her super romantic suspense thrillers.”
—Midwest Book Review
“This is as good as paranormal gets!”
—RomanceReviewsMag.com
“Captured my full attention with its too-human characters and its too-real plot. A fascinating, adrenaline-fueled read! I could not stop turning pages!”
—Debra Webb, national bestselling author of Everywhere She Turns
“If you’re looking for a book that will grab your attention and keep it, get a copy of Sins of the Flesh today.”
—RomRevToday.com
“The best romantic suspense I’ve read in years. It’s truly her best book yet. Caridad has created a whole cast of characters who seem to live and breathe.”
—AmericanChronicle.com
“Sins of the Flesh boasts enough heart-jacking action in its plot and enough relationship development to keep readers happily turning the page from the first line… to the chilling finish. This one should come with a ‘Satisfaction Guaranteed’ sign right on the front cover.”
—BittenByBooks.com
“Caridad Piñeiro is one of the most gifted and talented paranormal writers we have. She is on my automatic reading list! No one creates a page-turner like Piñeiro!”
—Lindsay McKenna, USA Today bestselling author of Dangerous Prey
The flares of energy shooting off Alexander’s aura were Christopher’s first clue that his father was weak enough to be defeated.
The second hint was the way his father rubbed at a spot on his chest. The action left dirty streaks on the pristine white cotton shirt from the pustules beneath that ruptured with each irritated stroke of Alexander’s hand. Clearly his energy was too low to control the pox contaminating his Shadow Hunter body.
“What happened to my men?” Alexander said, agitation apparent in every jerky movement, a rash emerging along the edges of his collar. Soon it would blossom into even angrier sores as his father allowed emotion to eat away at his control over his life force.
“I suggest you call the Monmouth County Coroner’s Office. I hear they have some unusual objects in their possession,” Christopher replied drolly and walked to the bar tucked along one side of Alexander’s office. He picked up the lead crystal decanter and waved it toward his father.
“Would you care for a drink, Alexander?” Christopher asked, as if his future and the very fate of the Shadow Hunters weren’t at stake. Inside, however, his gut churned with the possibility that since his father’s command was so diminished, he wouldn’t hesitate to attack in order to replenish his flagging energy.
The sly glance that Alexander shot the other occupants of the room, Christopher’s cadre captain Ryan and Christopher’s ex-fiancée, Maya, hinted that some part of Alexander’s twisted mind was in fact considering a strike. That his intentions were obvious to the others was evident as Ryan dipped his head in deference and tried to distract Alexander. “Añaru. We only live to serve. We believe William and his man were crystallized by Light Hunters.”
“And it was a quick death, which I can guarantee was not the fate that Andrew suffered,” Christopher added, still furious at the fact that his father had drained his cadre member’s life force. Although his father was the leader of their Shadow Hunter clan and had the right to take energy from his clansmen, Alexander should have respected that his son’s cadre members were off limits.
Alexander shrugged, but shot a sly glance at Maya. For some time Christopher had believed that his ex-fiancée had known the truth about Andrew’s disappearance. The look confirmed his suspicions and reinforced another: Maya could not be trusted. That distrust had been the main reason why Christopher had called off their engagement. That and the fact that they had little respect for each other. Only duty had brought them together for a short time.
With a dismissive flip of his hand, Alexander said, “Andrew betrayed you, Christopher. He came here with tales—”
“Not tales, but you know that, don’t you? You tasted the power the Light Hunter Quinchu infused in Andrew when you fed from my man,” Christopher said as he uncapped the decanter and poured brandy into three matching snifters.
“Truly amazing power. So pure and full of healing energy. Have you discovered the source of it? Where the Quinchu is?” Alexander asked, wringing his hands before him like a hungry man staring at a feast. Most of the Light Hunters had lost the ability to gather energy, but their highest leaders—the Quinchus—had retained that ability and were luckily not contaminated by the pox that ate away at his clan’s Shadow Hunter bodies. Consuming them was the ultimate way to sustain a Shadow’s life force and was the reason the Light and Shadow Hunters had been engaged in a civil war for centuries.
Christopher strolled to his father’s desk and placed the glass on its surface. “We are still searching for the source of the energy, but believe we are close to finding it.”
Not wanting to stay within striking distance of Alexander in his unstable state, Christopher continued across the room toward Maya, glancing at his captain, Ryan, who stood at ease a few feet away. Ryan’s hands were held before him loosely, but he was ready to take action if necessary. Like Christopher, he clearly did not trust either Maya or Alexander.
His ex-fiancée lounged in a leather wing chair, her legs crossed, displaying their elegant lines. Her skin was a flawless creamy expanse, a testament to the fact that she had recently drained someone or something to abate the pox in her body. Her demeanor was seemingly relaxed, but Christopher knew her well enough to recognize the changes in her aura that signaled her unease. Small tendrils of silver and blue shivered in the dirty red of her visible life force.
Christopher sat on the arm of the wing chair and handed her a snifter. This close he could feel the pulse of her sexual energy, awakening need. Too bad it was meaningless, he thought, and took a sip of the aged brandy.
His father continued with his plea. “You must share the Light Hunter energy. You cannot be selfish, Christopher. The clan needs such power—”
“You mean you need it, father.” He glanced at Alexander over the rim of his snifter as he took another pull on the liquor and its warmth traveled down his throat. He focused on that instead of the heat growing in his loins from his proximity to Maya.
“You ungrateful bastard,” his father growled and charged around his desk, all vestiges of control gone.
With practiced ease, both Christopher and Ryan jumped to action and raised their hands, discharging waves of power that stopped Alexander in his tracks. He lifted his hand and pushed against the barrier they had created with their combined life forces.
“You dare defy your Añaru?” Shoving the barrier with determination, Alexander dug his hands into the wall of energy. Tiny tendrils erupted from his fingers and slowly wove a fine mesh across the surface of the field. Like the spiders for which the Añaru were named, Alexander spun a web to capture the men’s energy and drink it in along the rapacious threads.
“Break off, Ryan,” Christopher called out, realizing that his father intended to devour them to restore himself.
Christopher experienced a ripple through his body as Ryan pulled back his life force, leaving only him and his father connected. As the Añaru, his father’s power should have been devastating, rendering Christopher weak and listless in a matter of seconds. Instead Christopher sensed only a negligible draw, like that of a mewling pup at his mother’s teat.
“You are weak.” He marched closer and jostled his father back with the strength of his energy.
“I am your Añaru. You will obey me,” Alexander replied, but his words lacked conviction and held only fear. He, too, recognized that the son had become greater.
If Christopher had been like Alexander, he would have issued the challenge for leadership of the clan now, the way Alexander had done to his father. But Christopher had no desire for a fight to the death as was demanded by the traditions of his people.
Christopher was not his father.
He pushed forward and Alexander stumbled back again until he was pinned to the edge of his desk. At that Maya jumped to her feet and approached, as if to intercede, but a cautionary glare from Christopher and Ryan’s presence at her side stopped her.
Christopher returned his attention to his father and, leaning close, delivered a warning. “You are vulnerable because you continue to feed on the humans and other contaminated Hunters. That only strengthens the pox that blights us and weakens our life forces.”
“You’re wrong,” Alexander retorted, wild-eyed from the euphoria of his feeding and the fear of the power imprisoning him against his desk.
“You forget the ways of our people, Father. We were stronger when we worked to gather energy,” Christopher chastised.
Shaking his head in denial, his father increased the size of the web ensnaring Christopher’s field of power.
“You, see. I am in command even though you try to deny me a share of your energy,” Alexander said.
While Christopher watched, the red rash along his father’s neck slowly faded as he consumed Christopher’s purer vitality.
Christopher jerked away his power with a sharp mental command, severing the connection with his father, who slumped against the desk, obviously debilitated by the disruption.
“The problem with your way is that eventually either you run out of people to drain or they revolt against your constant demands for more.”
With a sidelong glance at Ryan and then at Maya, Christopher gestured with a flick of his hand to the door. “I will not challenge you today. But I cannot allow my people to follow this path to ruin.”
He strode to the door, Ryan at his back, protecting him. When Christopher reached the entrance, he paused to look toward Alexander and Maya, who stood hesitantly in the middle of the room. She was glancing from his father to him, as if trying to decide with whom to cast her fate.
“Maya?” Christopher questioned, having no delusions that his ex would make her choice out of love. She had been selected to be his mate solely because she was the most powerful female in their clan and at her Equinox, as was he. With that peak upon them, their mating would have heightened their power and created a more formidable child to ensure the continuation of their Shadow Hunter clan and the leadership of the Sombrosa family.
He didn’t wait for her response and stalked out of the room with Ryan. In the hall outside his father’s office, the remaining members of their respective cadres waited.
Christopher inspected his half-dozen men and women, aware that he would be asking them to make a difficult choice. Go with him and they would likely be exiled from the clan. To a people who for centuries had relied on their collective energies to sustain them, exile was like death.
And yet Christopher had no doubt that continuing down the path on which his father was leading their people would be their eventual downfall. Those who chose to follow Christopher would embrace the old ways of the Hunters. He was certain that would not only make each of them more powerful in their own right, but lift the prospects of all within the clan.
“Do you go with me?” he asked his people immediately after his father’s cadre members had stepped back into Alexander’s office and closed the door. They had to move quickly. He feared his father would not hesitate to launch an attack against them as long as they remained within the Sombrosa complex. He would have to get his people to a safe place amongst the humans. His father would not risk exposing the existence of the Shadow Hunters with a full-scale assault in public.
The members of his cadre lined up before him without hesitation. Almost in unison they dipped their heads and raised their right hands to their chests. In a chorus of powerful and united voices, they said, “We live to serve, Añaru.”
And there it was. A transfer of power without a single ion of energy being lost.
Christopher glanced at Ryan and realized that Maya stood beside his friend as well. Both Ryan and Maya assumed positions before him, and as the others had done, they saluted him and repeated the vow.
Christopher swiftly moved from one Hunter to the other, shaking their hands and bestowing a touch of his greater vitality, acknowledging the trust they had placed in him as well as their sacrifice. When he was done, he stepped before them once again. With a regal nod of his head, he said, “Let us leave the past. Our future awaits.”
Christopher’s one hope was that the future would be peaceful, but knowing his father, that was highly unlikely.
Victoria Johnson stared at her two friends as they leaned on the counter in her shop.
“Why can’t you come with?” Janet playfully whined as Victoria finished tallying the day’s receipts so she could deposit them at the bank.
“I already told you why, Jan,” Victoria said, ignoring the roll of her friend’s eyes at her continued refusal.
Her other friend, Samantha Cunningham, jumped into the fray as well. “It’s my last night as the jammer for the roller derby team. Why would you want to miss that? Not to mention that Jan’s time as a single girl will soon come to an end.”
With a tired sigh, Victoria collected the assorted checks and cash she had taken from the register and stuffed them into the bank deposit envelope. The assistant manager who normally handled the business end of things for her shop had been out today, forcing Victoria to deal with the scheduling, sales, and rentals. Normally she would not have to deal with such things, which allowed her to focus on the kayak lessons and tours. The rest of the staff was responsible for the surf rentals and classes as well as the parasailing excursions along the beachfront.
“Sammie and Jan,” she began, amusement in her voice. “I have to finish cleaning and prepping the equipment for tomorrow. Then I have to drop this off at the bank. And then my mom and dad expect me home for a big family meeting.”
Sammie and Jan shared a conspiratorial look before Sammie blurted out, “You sure have a lot of big family meetings.”
“I have a big family,” Victoria replied patiently, aware that even despite their many years of friendship, her two human friends had no clue just how expansive her “family” was and why it demanded so much of her time.
As the daughter of the Ocean clan Quinchus, Victoria was next in line to lead her Light Hunter people. Worse yet, she was getting to an age where her Equinox—her mating time—was nearly upon her. That meant the added stress of her high-ranking parents trying to arrange for a proper mate from amongst the clans in the area. Especially since the man to whom she had been promised at birth had broken his pledge to bond with her.
Jan jerked her thumb in the direction of the pile of life vests, kayaks and assorted water equipment strewn around the open work space at one corner of the shop. “How about we come over early tomorrow morning to help you straighten up? That should give you some time to hang with us tonight.”
“My first kayak tour is at six a.m. That means you’d need to be here—”
“How does five o’clock sound?” Sammie jumped in. “With the three of us working, we can have this place ready in no time.”
Victoria glanced from Sammie to Jan and noted the determination in their features. She knew they only wanted the best for her and in truth, heading down to the Convention Center for a night of just hanging with her friends sounded like heaven. Normal, something for which she yearned way too much.
“I love you guys. You know that, right?” She reached across the counter to embrace them before pulling away, a little misty-eyed. “I’ll meet Jan at the front door by eight. Is that good?”
Sammie reached into her back pocket and pulled out complimentary tickets, which she handed to Jan. “Perfect. Maybe after we’re done we can grab a bite and drink at McLoone’s?”
“Sounds perfect.” Victoria hugged them again. The energy from their bodies was warm against hers, charged as it was with their affection, but she held back from absorbing any of it.
Unlike the Shadows, the Light Hunters didn’t feed from humans, for a number of reasons, including avoiding detection. Her Ocean clan camouflaged their energies and affinities so as to appear as human as possible. It was a safeguard against discovery not only by the humans, but also by the Shadow Hunters in the area, who would gladly feast on them in order to contain the pox that ravaged their bodies when their energies ran low.
Satisfied with the plan to which Victoria had agreed, her friends walked her to her silver Jeep Liberty and waited until she was locked inside with the day’s receipts before heading out in their own cars.
Victoria made the drive to the bank in no time and returned to her parents’ impressive home along the Shark River in Avon-by-the-Sea, just a half mile or so from the water sports rental and tour business she owned along the inlet and nearby Jersey Shore. Victoria lived above her shop in a two-story, loft-like space that afforded her marvelous views of the river and, on a clear day, the Atlantic from her third-floor balcony.
For a Hunter whose affinity was water, it was a perfect location. Victoria never had to go far to be able to balance herself and recharge her power from the natural energies of the river and ocean around her.
As she parked, Victoria noted the half a dozen or so cars gathered in front of her parents’ home and recognized not only those of her parents’ cadre members, but also that of her cadre captain, Rafael Guerrero. That her parents had felt it necessary to include him meant there might be trouble brewing with either another clan of Light Ones in the area or worse, some Shadow Hunters.
Rumor had it that several Dark Ones had been spotted in the area over the last couple of months, which always presented a risk. It had been many years since they had lost one of their people to an attack from the Shadows, but other Light Hunter clans had not been so lucky.
She rang the bell at her parents’ door and glanced up at the security camera. A second later the magnetic lock on the door disengaged to allow her entry. As Victoria pushed through, she was immediately greeted by her cadre captain.
“Quinchu,” Rafael said, dipping his head and bringing his closed right fist to his chest to honor her.
“That’s not necessary, Rafael,” she said, laying her hand on his and urging it downward. She was uneasy with forced deference, maybe because she preferred the casual ways of the humans around them.
He leaned in her direction and even though she was nearly six feet tall, Rafael towered over her with his massive frame. He was darkly handsome, and she had always wondered why he had not found a mate from amongst the many willing women in their clan. Bringing his mouth close to the shell of her ear, he whispered, “There is trouble.”
His statement confirmed what she had feared.
“Shadow or Light?” she asked while peering straight ahead to the living room where her parents, the senior members of their cadre, and some clan elders were gathered. From the dour faces on one and all, it was big trouble.
“Both,” he said.
With a nod, she strode ahead, Rafael following behind respectfully. Victoria knew she could count on him for anything, including sacrificing himself to protect her. He had been her cadre captain since they had both been teens and was like a brother to her. Her parents had chosen him from the many possible candidates in the clan because of his obedient and honorable nature.
The remaining six members of her cadre had also been with her for over a decade and they were all close friends, although Victoria did not demand that they constantly be at her beck and call as other Quinchus did.
When Victoria entered the living room, her parents’ cadre members and the clan elders rose and saluted her. She uncomfortably acknowledged their veneration with a dip of her head and then pushed forward to where her parents held court. As the high priest and priestess of the Ocean Light Ones, they made every decision that affected the continuation of the clan, including with whom Victoria should mate. That process had become a constant source of friction lately.
Bowing her head, she saluted her parents. “Quinchus. You asked me to attend tonight.”
Her mother and father rose almost as one and took turns hugging her before returning to their comfortable wing chairs. While the space and its appointments lacked the trappings of European throne rooms, there was no doubt about the power the Quinchus wielded, Victoria thought as she stepped to the side, every person in the room focusing on her parents.
“We have received word from the Desert clan Quinchus that Adam Bruno’s father—his human one—has passed. The funeral will be held tomorrow. Please spread the word that the members of our clan should be in attendance if at all possible,” her father declared.
Considering that the human had stolen Adam from his Hunter parents, Victoria wondered why the Light Ones in the area would honor him in such a fashion. But as she met her father’s shrewd gaze, she realized the attendance of their clan members was not about honor.
It was about intimidation.
“Adam Bruno has chosen his mate, father. A show of force will not change that,” she said, unable to fathom why her parents continued to hope for the impossible.
“Kikin,” he began, using Adam’s Hunter name, “has too many ties to the humans.”
She sensed the condemnation in his words, so reminiscent of his feelings toward her mortal friends. Because of that, she came to Adam’s defense. “He was raised by his human father. It’s only natural that he would have affection for the man.”
“A man who stole him from his true parents. Light Hunter Quinchus,” her mother reminded, clearly on board with her husband’s sentiments.
Before V. . .
—RT Book Reviews
“The talented paranormal author Caridad Piñeiro establishes her new otherworld inside an action-packed story line. The key support cast is fully developed, especially the stalkers, while the novel belongs to the vet and the millionaire… The opening Sin Hunters romantic urban fantasy is a great first act.”
—GenreGoRoundReviews.blogspot.com
“Four stars! Wonderfully exciting and powerful—the start of a new series that I can hardly wait to read more of.”
—RomanceReviewsMag.com
“5 stars! Stellar! Caridad Piñeiro has crafted an exciting new series and, with this first story, I am hooked!… [She] actually seems to breathe life into each of her characters… I could almost feel the evil malice radiating from the Shadow Hunters… I am eagerly looking forward to the next story.”
—HuntressReviews.com
“A love story like nothing you’ve read before! This premise is utterly unique, and so original and brilliant that I wish I’d thought of it first. If you want something wonderfully different, do not miss Stronger than Sin.”
—Maggie Shayne, New York Times bestselling author
“[A] compelling and scintillating tale of mad scientists, devoted doctors, and wounded warriors. There isn’t a thing missing in this imaginative and fast-paced love story.”
—RT Book Reviews
“An entertaining and sizzling read.”
—RomRevToday.com
“I was enthralled by the story from the first page and could not put it down… Piñeiro has changed the face of paranormal romance and is definitely an author to watch.”
—FreshFiction.com
“Romance and intrigue… Be prepared to be sitting on the edge of your seat, anxiously awaiting the next book.”
—FallenAngelReviews.com
“Second in this series and just as tightly written as the first. It stands alone. This is suspenseful and the passion is strong.”
—Romance Reviews Magazine
“A sexy adventure with a luscious hero and an amazing heroine… I couldn’t put it down!”
—Angela Knight, New York Times bestselling author
“This has all the makings of a great paranormal romance—a beautiful heroine, a dark, sexy, and protective hero, and a compelling and relevant subplot.”
—RT Book Reviews
“Caridad Piñeiro never disappoints… No author is better at crafting novels which explore the paranormal than Caridad Piñeiro. Sins of the Flesh expertly intertwines suspense and passion to create a spellbinding story of the paranormal.”
—SingleTitles.com
“Page-turning action and sizzling love scenes as only Caridad Piñeiro can deliver!”
—L. A. Banks, New York Times bestselling author
“Faster than the speed of light… an action-packed thriller that never takes a breath… Caridad Piñeiro provides another one of her super romantic suspense thrillers.”
—Midwest Book Review
“This is as good as paranormal gets!”
—RomanceReviewsMag.com
“Captured my full attention with its too-human characters and its too-real plot. A fascinating, adrenaline-fueled read! I could not stop turning pages!”
—Debra Webb, national bestselling author of Everywhere She Turns
“If you’re looking for a book that will grab your attention and keep it, get a copy of Sins of the Flesh today.”
—RomRevToday.com
“The best romantic suspense I’ve read in years. It’s truly her best book yet. Caridad has created a whole cast of characters who seem to live and breathe.”
—AmericanChronicle.com
“Sins of the Flesh boasts enough heart-jacking action in its plot and enough relationship development to keep readers happily turning the page from the first line… to the chilling finish. This one should come with a ‘Satisfaction Guaranteed’ sign right on the front cover.”
—BittenByBooks.com
“Caridad Piñeiro is one of the most gifted and talented paranormal writers we have. She is on my automatic reading list! No one creates a page-turner like Piñeiro!”
—Lindsay McKenna, USA Today bestselling author of Dangerous Prey
The flares of energy shooting off Alexander’s aura were Christopher’s first clue that his father was weak enough to be defeated.
The second hint was the way his father rubbed at a spot on his chest. The action left dirty streaks on the pristine white cotton shirt from the pustules beneath that ruptured with each irritated stroke of Alexander’s hand. Clearly his energy was too low to control the pox contaminating his Shadow Hunter body.
“What happened to my men?” Alexander said, agitation apparent in every jerky movement, a rash emerging along the edges of his collar. Soon it would blossom into even angrier sores as his father allowed emotion to eat away at his control over his life force.
“I suggest you call the Monmouth County Coroner’s Office. I hear they have some unusual objects in their possession,” Christopher replied drolly and walked to the bar tucked along one side of Alexander’s office. He picked up the lead crystal decanter and waved it toward his father.
“Would you care for a drink, Alexander?” Christopher asked, as if his future and the very fate of the Shadow Hunters weren’t at stake. Inside, however, his gut churned with the possibility that since his father’s command was so diminished, he wouldn’t hesitate to attack in order to replenish his flagging energy.
The sly glance that Alexander shot the other occupants of the room, Christopher’s cadre captain Ryan and Christopher’s ex-fiancée, Maya, hinted that some part of Alexander’s twisted mind was in fact considering a strike. That his intentions were obvious to the others was evident as Ryan dipped his head in deference and tried to distract Alexander. “Añaru. We only live to serve. We believe William and his man were crystallized by Light Hunters.”
“And it was a quick death, which I can guarantee was not the fate that Andrew suffered,” Christopher added, still furious at the fact that his father had drained his cadre member’s life force. Although his father was the leader of their Shadow Hunter clan and had the right to take energy from his clansmen, Alexander should have respected that his son’s cadre members were off limits.
Alexander shrugged, but shot a sly glance at Maya. For some time Christopher had believed that his ex-fiancée had known the truth about Andrew’s disappearance. The look confirmed his suspicions and reinforced another: Maya could not be trusted. That distrust had been the main reason why Christopher had called off their engagement. That and the fact that they had little respect for each other. Only duty had brought them together for a short time.
With a dismissive flip of his hand, Alexander said, “Andrew betrayed you, Christopher. He came here with tales—”
“Not tales, but you know that, don’t you? You tasted the power the Light Hunter Quinchu infused in Andrew when you fed from my man,” Christopher said as he uncapped the decanter and poured brandy into three matching snifters.
“Truly amazing power. So pure and full of healing energy. Have you discovered the source of it? Where the Quinchu is?” Alexander asked, wringing his hands before him like a hungry man staring at a feast. Most of the Light Hunters had lost the ability to gather energy, but their highest leaders—the Quinchus—had retained that ability and were luckily not contaminated by the pox that ate away at his clan’s Shadow Hunter bodies. Consuming them was the ultimate way to sustain a Shadow’s life force and was the reason the Light and Shadow Hunters had been engaged in a civil war for centuries.
Christopher strolled to his father’s desk and placed the glass on its surface. “We are still searching for the source of the energy, but believe we are close to finding it.”
Not wanting to stay within striking distance of Alexander in his unstable state, Christopher continued across the room toward Maya, glancing at his captain, Ryan, who stood at ease a few feet away. Ryan’s hands were held before him loosely, but he was ready to take action if necessary. Like Christopher, he clearly did not trust either Maya or Alexander.
His ex-fiancée lounged in a leather wing chair, her legs crossed, displaying their elegant lines. Her skin was a flawless creamy expanse, a testament to the fact that she had recently drained someone or something to abate the pox in her body. Her demeanor was seemingly relaxed, but Christopher knew her well enough to recognize the changes in her aura that signaled her unease. Small tendrils of silver and blue shivered in the dirty red of her visible life force.
Christopher sat on the arm of the wing chair and handed her a snifter. This close he could feel the pulse of her sexual energy, awakening need. Too bad it was meaningless, he thought, and took a sip of the aged brandy.
His father continued with his plea. “You must share the Light Hunter energy. You cannot be selfish, Christopher. The clan needs such power—”
“You mean you need it, father.” He glanced at Alexander over the rim of his snifter as he took another pull on the liquor and its warmth traveled down his throat. He focused on that instead of the heat growing in his loins from his proximity to Maya.
“You ungrateful bastard,” his father growled and charged around his desk, all vestiges of control gone.
With practiced ease, both Christopher and Ryan jumped to action and raised their hands, discharging waves of power that stopped Alexander in his tracks. He lifted his hand and pushed against the barrier they had created with their combined life forces.
“You dare defy your Añaru?” Shoving the barrier with determination, Alexander dug his hands into the wall of energy. Tiny tendrils erupted from his fingers and slowly wove a fine mesh across the surface of the field. Like the spiders for which the Añaru were named, Alexander spun a web to capture the men’s energy and drink it in along the rapacious threads.
“Break off, Ryan,” Christopher called out, realizing that his father intended to devour them to restore himself.
Christopher experienced a ripple through his body as Ryan pulled back his life force, leaving only him and his father connected. As the Añaru, his father’s power should have been devastating, rendering Christopher weak and listless in a matter of seconds. Instead Christopher sensed only a negligible draw, like that of a mewling pup at his mother’s teat.
“You are weak.” He marched closer and jostled his father back with the strength of his energy.
“I am your Añaru. You will obey me,” Alexander replied, but his words lacked conviction and held only fear. He, too, recognized that the son had become greater.
If Christopher had been like Alexander, he would have issued the challenge for leadership of the clan now, the way Alexander had done to his father. But Christopher had no desire for a fight to the death as was demanded by the traditions of his people.
Christopher was not his father.
He pushed forward and Alexander stumbled back again until he was pinned to the edge of his desk. At that Maya jumped to her feet and approached, as if to intercede, but a cautionary glare from Christopher and Ryan’s presence at her side stopped her.
Christopher returned his attention to his father and, leaning close, delivered a warning. “You are vulnerable because you continue to feed on the humans and other contaminated Hunters. That only strengthens the pox that blights us and weakens our life forces.”
“You’re wrong,” Alexander retorted, wild-eyed from the euphoria of his feeding and the fear of the power imprisoning him against his desk.
“You forget the ways of our people, Father. We were stronger when we worked to gather energy,” Christopher chastised.
Shaking his head in denial, his father increased the size of the web ensnaring Christopher’s field of power.
“You, see. I am in command even though you try to deny me a share of your energy,” Alexander said.
While Christopher watched, the red rash along his father’s neck slowly faded as he consumed Christopher’s purer vitality.
Christopher jerked away his power with a sharp mental command, severing the connection with his father, who slumped against the desk, obviously debilitated by the disruption.
“The problem with your way is that eventually either you run out of people to drain or they revolt against your constant demands for more.”
With a sidelong glance at Ryan and then at Maya, Christopher gestured with a flick of his hand to the door. “I will not challenge you today. But I cannot allow my people to follow this path to ruin.”
He strode to the door, Ryan at his back, protecting him. When Christopher reached the entrance, he paused to look toward Alexander and Maya, who stood hesitantly in the middle of the room. She was glancing from his father to him, as if trying to decide with whom to cast her fate.
“Maya?” Christopher questioned, having no delusions that his ex would make her choice out of love. She had been selected to be his mate solely because she was the most powerful female in their clan and at her Equinox, as was he. With that peak upon them, their mating would have heightened their power and created a more formidable child to ensure the continuation of their Shadow Hunter clan and the leadership of the Sombrosa family.
He didn’t wait for her response and stalked out of the room with Ryan. In the hall outside his father’s office, the remaining members of their respective cadres waited.
Christopher inspected his half-dozen men and women, aware that he would be asking them to make a difficult choice. Go with him and they would likely be exiled from the clan. To a people who for centuries had relied on their collective energies to sustain them, exile was like death.
And yet Christopher had no doubt that continuing down the path on which his father was leading their people would be their eventual downfall. Those who chose to follow Christopher would embrace the old ways of the Hunters. He was certain that would not only make each of them more powerful in their own right, but lift the prospects of all within the clan.
“Do you go with me?” he asked his people immediately after his father’s cadre members had stepped back into Alexander’s office and closed the door. They had to move quickly. He feared his father would not hesitate to launch an attack against them as long as they remained within the Sombrosa complex. He would have to get his people to a safe place amongst the humans. His father would not risk exposing the existence of the Shadow Hunters with a full-scale assault in public.
The members of his cadre lined up before him without hesitation. Almost in unison they dipped their heads and raised their right hands to their chests. In a chorus of powerful and united voices, they said, “We live to serve, Añaru.”
And there it was. A transfer of power without a single ion of energy being lost.
Christopher glanced at Ryan and realized that Maya stood beside his friend as well. Both Ryan and Maya assumed positions before him, and as the others had done, they saluted him and repeated the vow.
Christopher swiftly moved from one Hunter to the other, shaking their hands and bestowing a touch of his greater vitality, acknowledging the trust they had placed in him as well as their sacrifice. When he was done, he stepped before them once again. With a regal nod of his head, he said, “Let us leave the past. Our future awaits.”
Christopher’s one hope was that the future would be peaceful, but knowing his father, that was highly unlikely.
Victoria Johnson stared at her two friends as they leaned on the counter in her shop.
“Why can’t you come with?” Janet playfully whined as Victoria finished tallying the day’s receipts so she could deposit them at the bank.
“I already told you why, Jan,” Victoria said, ignoring the roll of her friend’s eyes at her continued refusal.
Her other friend, Samantha Cunningham, jumped into the fray as well. “It’s my last night as the jammer for the roller derby team. Why would you want to miss that? Not to mention that Jan’s time as a single girl will soon come to an end.”
With a tired sigh, Victoria collected the assorted checks and cash she had taken from the register and stuffed them into the bank deposit envelope. The assistant manager who normally handled the business end of things for her shop had been out today, forcing Victoria to deal with the scheduling, sales, and rentals. Normally she would not have to deal with such things, which allowed her to focus on the kayak lessons and tours. The rest of the staff was responsible for the surf rentals and classes as well as the parasailing excursions along the beachfront.
“Sammie and Jan,” she began, amusement in her voice. “I have to finish cleaning and prepping the equipment for tomorrow. Then I have to drop this off at the bank. And then my mom and dad expect me home for a big family meeting.”
Sammie and Jan shared a conspiratorial look before Sammie blurted out, “You sure have a lot of big family meetings.”
“I have a big family,” Victoria replied patiently, aware that even despite their many years of friendship, her two human friends had no clue just how expansive her “family” was and why it demanded so much of her time.
As the daughter of the Ocean clan Quinchus, Victoria was next in line to lead her Light Hunter people. Worse yet, she was getting to an age where her Equinox—her mating time—was nearly upon her. That meant the added stress of her high-ranking parents trying to arrange for a proper mate from amongst the clans in the area. Especially since the man to whom she had been promised at birth had broken his pledge to bond with her.
Jan jerked her thumb in the direction of the pile of life vests, kayaks and assorted water equipment strewn around the open work space at one corner of the shop. “How about we come over early tomorrow morning to help you straighten up? That should give you some time to hang with us tonight.”
“My first kayak tour is at six a.m. That means you’d need to be here—”
“How does five o’clock sound?” Sammie jumped in. “With the three of us working, we can have this place ready in no time.”
Victoria glanced from Sammie to Jan and noted the determination in their features. She knew they only wanted the best for her and in truth, heading down to the Convention Center for a night of just hanging with her friends sounded like heaven. Normal, something for which she yearned way too much.
“I love you guys. You know that, right?” She reached across the counter to embrace them before pulling away, a little misty-eyed. “I’ll meet Jan at the front door by eight. Is that good?”
Sammie reached into her back pocket and pulled out complimentary tickets, which she handed to Jan. “Perfect. Maybe after we’re done we can grab a bite and drink at McLoone’s?”
“Sounds perfect.” Victoria hugged them again. The energy from their bodies was warm against hers, charged as it was with their affection, but she held back from absorbing any of it.
Unlike the Shadows, the Light Hunters didn’t feed from humans, for a number of reasons, including avoiding detection. Her Ocean clan camouflaged their energies and affinities so as to appear as human as possible. It was a safeguard against discovery not only by the humans, but also by the Shadow Hunters in the area, who would gladly feast on them in order to contain the pox that ravaged their bodies when their energies ran low.
Satisfied with the plan to which Victoria had agreed, her friends walked her to her silver Jeep Liberty and waited until she was locked inside with the day’s receipts before heading out in their own cars.
Victoria made the drive to the bank in no time and returned to her parents’ impressive home along the Shark River in Avon-by-the-Sea, just a half mile or so from the water sports rental and tour business she owned along the inlet and nearby Jersey Shore. Victoria lived above her shop in a two-story, loft-like space that afforded her marvelous views of the river and, on a clear day, the Atlantic from her third-floor balcony.
For a Hunter whose affinity was water, it was a perfect location. Victoria never had to go far to be able to balance herself and recharge her power from the natural energies of the river and ocean around her.
As she parked, Victoria noted the half a dozen or so cars gathered in front of her parents’ home and recognized not only those of her parents’ cadre members, but also that of her cadre captain, Rafael Guerrero. That her parents had felt it necessary to include him meant there might be trouble brewing with either another clan of Light Ones in the area or worse, some Shadow Hunters.
Rumor had it that several Dark Ones had been spotted in the area over the last couple of months, which always presented a risk. It had been many years since they had lost one of their people to an attack from the Shadows, but other Light Hunter clans had not been so lucky.
She rang the bell at her parents’ door and glanced up at the security camera. A second later the magnetic lock on the door disengaged to allow her entry. As Victoria pushed through, she was immediately greeted by her cadre captain.
“Quinchu,” Rafael said, dipping his head and bringing his closed right fist to his chest to honor her.
“That’s not necessary, Rafael,” she said, laying her hand on his and urging it downward. She was uneasy with forced deference, maybe because she preferred the casual ways of the humans around them.
He leaned in her direction and even though she was nearly six feet tall, Rafael towered over her with his massive frame. He was darkly handsome, and she had always wondered why he had not found a mate from amongst the many willing women in their clan. Bringing his mouth close to the shell of her ear, he whispered, “There is trouble.”
His statement confirmed what she had feared.
“Shadow or Light?” she asked while peering straight ahead to the living room where her parents, the senior members of their cadre, and some clan elders were gathered. From the dour faces on one and all, it was big trouble.
“Both,” he said.
With a nod, she strode ahead, Rafael following behind respectfully. Victoria knew she could count on him for anything, including sacrificing himself to protect her. He had been her cadre captain since they had both been teens and was like a brother to her. Her parents had chosen him from the many possible candidates in the clan because of his obedient and honorable nature.
The remaining six members of her cadre had also been with her for over a decade and they were all close friends, although Victoria did not demand that they constantly be at her beck and call as other Quinchus did.
When Victoria entered the living room, her parents’ cadre members and the clan elders rose and saluted her. She uncomfortably acknowledged their veneration with a dip of her head and then pushed forward to where her parents held court. As the high priest and priestess of the Ocean Light Ones, they made every decision that affected the continuation of the clan, including with whom Victoria should mate. That process had become a constant source of friction lately.
Bowing her head, she saluted her parents. “Quinchus. You asked me to attend tonight.”
Her mother and father rose almost as one and took turns hugging her before returning to their comfortable wing chairs. While the space and its appointments lacked the trappings of European throne rooms, there was no doubt about the power the Quinchus wielded, Victoria thought as she stepped to the side, every person in the room focusing on her parents.
“We have received word from the Desert clan Quinchus that Adam Bruno’s father—his human one—has passed. The funeral will be held tomorrow. Please spread the word that the members of our clan should be in attendance if at all possible,” her father declared.
Considering that the human had stolen Adam from his Hunter parents, Victoria wondered why the Light Ones in the area would honor him in such a fashion. But as she met her father’s shrewd gaze, she realized the attendance of their clan members was not about honor.
It was about intimidation.
“Adam Bruno has chosen his mate, father. A show of force will not change that,” she said, unable to fathom why her parents continued to hope for the impossible.
“Kikin,” he began, using Adam’s Hunter name, “has too many ties to the humans.”
She sensed the condemnation in his words, so reminiscent of his feelings toward her mortal friends. Because of that, she came to Adam’s defense. “He was raised by his human father. It’s only natural that he would have affection for the man.”
“A man who stole him from his true parents. Light Hunter Quinchus,” her mother reminded, clearly on board with her husband’s sentiments.
Before V. . .
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