A Vampire’s Thirst: Hunter Read online

  A Vampire’s Thirst: Hunter

  Bella Roccaforte

  All Rights Reserved

  A novel set in A Vampire’s Thirst World Created by A K Michaels ©

  © 2018 Bella Roccaforte

  No part of this book may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in a database retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the author. You must not circulate this book in any format. Doing so constitutes copyright infringement. Thanks for respecting the rights of the author.

  Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or used in a fictional manner. Any resemblance of characters to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

  * * *

  Notice: This is an adult erotic paranormal romance with love scenes and mature situations.

  It is only intended for adult readers over the age of 18.

  * * *

  Cover design by: Monica La Porta. All stock purchased.

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Epilogue

  Also by Bella Roccaforte

  About the Author

  Chapter 1

  Runa stands at the large, wooden loom weaving the shuttle back and forth through the threads. She appears distracted but still hears him coming up the path.

  He’s unable to hide his heavy footsteps, he loves to sneak up on her.

  “I hear you.” The smile in her tone warms the room.

  He lunges forward, looping his arms around her waist and kissing the bare skin on her neck down to her shoulders. It’s been months since he’s seen her.

  Her head rolls back with a gasp escaping, “I missed you, my fierce hunter.”

  “And I you, my love.” He breathes on her neck, sliding the shoulder of her dress down, revealing a tattoo on her back. “What is this?” He slides the back of her dress down lower, tracing his finger along the lines of the symbol.

  “I missed you so much, I wanted part of my hunter to be with me always,” she says, dropping the shuttle from her hands.

  “It’s beautiful.” He brushes his lips against her shoulder, “Just like my woman.”

  “Did you bring me something?” She asks, reveling in feel of his teeth raking against her skin.

  “Yes, something big,” he growls in her ear.

  Her hand slides up his leg, taking his hard member into her hands, stroking gently. “Something other than this?”

  “Is it not enough?” he asks, playfully pushing harder against her hand.

  She turns around in his arms, looping her fingers behind his neck, “It’s more than enough.”

  He hums with delight at her touch, her fingers twisting in his braids. “Kiss me, my love.”

  Runa’s eyes close and she puckers her lips playfully.

  “It’s been too long.” He leans down, covering her mouth with his.

  “Far too long,” she says in a breathy voice.

  Runa steps back to unlace the front of her dress, dropping it to the floor, eliciting a low growl from her hunter.

  He brushes his fingers along her gentle curves, “This is what kept me warm on the coldest of nights, thoughts of you.”

  He licks his lips, grabbing her ass and lifting her. She squeals with delight, wrapping her legs around him and staring him directly in the eye, “Once...then a bath.”

  He carries her across the open room to a platform bed lined with furs. He lays her down and takes a moment to admire her naked form. He reaches into one of his pouches and pulls something out balled in his fist.

  “Oh, what is that?” Anticipation dances in her eyes.

  “Something shiny,” he says, letting the chain unfurl directly above her, an iron key dangling from the end.

  “A key, what does it unlock?” she asks.

  He leans down close to her, “A tiny box that was empty, but I saw the intricate beauty of the filigree and knew it must be yours.”

  “I love it,” she says, sliding the chain over her neck.

  He brushes his lips against her breasts, taking one of her nipples into his mouth. Her heavy breath urges him on and she tangles her hands in his hair.

  He kisses lower to her belly, before standing to undress himself.

  Her hands glide over her own body as she watches him shed all the layers of clothes.

  He strokes his cock, “Are you ready?” He kneels on the platform and playfully buries his nose at her core, giving one flick of his tongue. “Oh yes, you are.”

  He pulls her legs up, bringing her pussy closer. He watches her reaction to him, pressing his huge head against her clit, “I missed you.”

  Runa hooks her ankles together in the small of his back and thrusts forward, taking all of him in. Every contour of his member rubs against her walls. He forces his thumb between them and rolls it over her swollen bundle of nerves.

  A breath hitches in her throat at the sharp pleasure sending fire racing through her veins. She enjoys the expressions of pleasure contorting his expression while her channel squeezes around his cock.

  Her nipples pucker into hard buds as he rolls them between his thumb and forefinger. Taking ownership, he grabs her breasts.

  Runa gasps for air, the orgasm building in her belly taking full control of her body.

  Her movements become less metered and more urgent, his deep thrusts growing harder and faster. “Tell me you’re mine.”

  She gazes up with hooded eyes, “I’m yours.”

  He buries his cock inside her, holding still while her walls contract around him. He slides out slowly and thrusts into her again, watching the pleasure build in her eyes.

  She bites down hard on her lip, writhing against his cock, yet her pussy begs for more of him inside her. He pounds hard against her rhythmically, the way she loves to be fucked.

  Runa’s pleasure pools between her thighs and the heavens explode behind her lids. She lets out a moan in tune with her hunter’s roar as he fills her pussy with his warm seed.

  “Runa, my love,” he says breathlessly, collapsing down onto her. “You are the only woman I ever want.”

  A lackadaisical smile lights her features, “Promise me.”

  “I promise you, I belong to you; mind, body and soul, or may the gods strike me down,” he proclaims.

  “And I you,” she breathes, curling into him.

  Hunter awakens disheveled and releases a breath of disappointment at hearing cars passing by. He doesn’t have to look, she’s not there and hasn’t been for thousands of years. He runs his fingers along the iron key hanging around his neck, bracing himself for the thoughts that always roll through his memory when he dreams of her. The visions of her laughing, dancing and caring for their sons. Her beauty beyond comprehension.

  Hunter drops the key back to his chest and stands from the bed. He watches from the window as the city comes to life at nightfall.

  He focuses on the people
below, trying to empty his mind. His reflection shows the remnants of the Viking he once was. His chiseled chest covered in tattoos, the scars of battle long since gone. He hardly recognizes his neatly trimmed hair and beard.

  A flash of memory strikes in his mind’s eye. He presses his palms into his eyes, staunching the vision of his Runa lying still on the palette of furs, blood staining her chest.

  “I will come to you, my love. I will find a way into Valhalla,” he whispers to the stars, hoping she’s there listening.

  Chapter 2

  Rook leans across the scared Formica table, “You actually think I’m afraid of you?” She spears him with a steely glare, praying he can’t feel her shaking in her boots.

  “You should be, I could break your fragile little neck,” he answers, matching her stare.

  “Death doesn’t frighten me, and neither do you.” She pushes her unruly curls out of her eyes before sliding out of the booth.

  Jeziah snatches her wrist, stopping her short. With warning in her glare, she looks down at his hand then into his eyes, “Do you know who I am?”

  “Yes, you’re the foolish girl that snitches for The Directive,” he scoffs, tightening his grip on her wrist. “A lowly human, in way over your head.”

  Rook jerks her hand away from him, “Don’t try me, vamp, or you’ll find out just how lowly I am.” She turns toward the door, addressing the bartender, “See you next time, Seamus, Jeziah’s picking up my tab.”

  “Sure thing, always a pleasure,” Seamus answers, absently polishing a glass.

  She flits out the door to the safety of the sunlight. She slings her backpack over her shoulder and struts down the sidewalk, stopping at her favorite taco cart. “Julio! What’s free today?” She pumps her brow playfully.

  “Nothing is ever free.” Julio pulls his lips to the side, “But for you, I have one vegetarian taco already made.”

  “Aren’t you a sweetie!” She takes it and sniffs the package, knowing full well there’s no food inside. “Mm, my favorite. I’ll see you tomorrow?”

  “I’ll be here,” Julio tips his head toward her, laughing. “One day you’ll pay for a meal.”

  She continues down the sidewalk and darts into the alley. “Yes, but not today,” she says, unwrapping the tinfoil from the wad of money. She slides a twenty-dollar bill out, stuffs it in her pocket and shoves the taco money into her bag.

  Rook continues through the alley and comes out on the next street over in Bywater to pop into the corner store for a snack. “No beignets today, Percy?” She smiles sweetly, putting the twenty on the counter.

  “You’d have to be here before noon for that.” Percy smiles. “Just the hot dog?”

  “Yup, this will do,” she says, pushing the bill toward him.

  “On the house...those have been sitting on the roller for hours anyway.” He pushes the bill back toward her.

  Rook winks and shoves the twenty back into her jeans, “Just the way I like ‘em.”

  The bell rings as she opens the door to carry on down the street.

  A feeling of uneasiness comes over her, putting her on alert. She pats her pocket to make sure she has her knife.

  “You know, you’d do well to be a little more discreet,” a creamy voice sounds from behind her.

  “Hello, Samuel.” She takes a bite of her hot dog, and continues speaking with her mouth full, “Don’t talk to me about discretion, I heard you coming from a mile away.”

  Rook never breaks her pace or her penchant for sarcasm, “Besides, while we’re talking about discretion, do you really think you should be seen speaking with me on the street like this? Out in the open? In the daylight no less?”

  Samuel laughs, “A mile?”

  “Figure of speech,” she shrugs, taking another bite. “The point is, you’ve never been able to sneak up on me. I’d say I expected more from a shifter, but you’re so damn big there’s no way for you to keep quiet.”

  Samuel feigns offense, “I sneak up on lots of people.”

  “Like Jeziah?” She flashes a look upward, trying not to make eye contact with anyone unless she has to. She knows Samuel is hot is hell, but one hundred percent off limits. He’s a supernatural, she doesn’t want that kind of complication in her life. Besides, he’s Directive and she doesn’t like cops.

  “I want to know who tipped him off.” Samuel growls, balling his fists.

  “Easy peasy.” Rook tosses the wrapper from her hot dog in a trashcan they’re passing by.

  “If it’s so easy, why don’t you get me the info?” he says with an edge of irritation.

  “I already have it.” She makes a quick left turn.

  “Then who was it? It was Bryson, wasn’t it? I knew that son-of-a-bitch was dirty.” Samuel shakes his head.

  “No, asshole, it was you,” she says, picking up her pace slightly.

  Samuel grabs Rook by the shoulders and pushes her up against the brick building, “Don’t play with me, human.”

  Rook fortifies herself, glancing at his hands on her shoulders then glowers up at him with grit in her tone, “Get your paws off me.”

  “I’m tired of your games, Rook.” Samuel releases her, blowing out a frustrated breath. “Everyone else may think you’re cute, but I don’t. This is serious. We’ve got a group of vamps running blood slaves through my city and it has to stop.”

  Rook pulls her lips to the side, “The blood slave trade or the fact that they’re coming through your city?” She makes quotie fingers.

  Samuel stops and thinks for a moment, and catches the rare seriousness in her tone, “Both.”

  “Good, then know when I say it was you that tipped him off, I’m telling the truth,” she says, leaning back against the wall. “I was there, I saw the boat pull up to the dock. Jeziah was about to open hull and then he turned around and looked right in your direction. He could smell you.” She rolls her eyes, “I could hear you coming and as you like to remind me on a regular basis, I’m just a human.”

  “There’s no way.” He turns away from her, running his fingers through his long blond hair.

  “Think about it, if he had been tipped off, the boat never would’ve made it to the dock. You were there, you saw it.”

  Samuel gives her theory some thought, “So what do we do?”

  “Stay far enough away and let them get everyone off the boat. Bust them after they get them loaded into the next transport. Or bust them before they get to the dock,” she says as though it’s simple.

  “Do you know when the next shipment is coming in?” he asks.

  “It’ll be a while.” She looks down at the ground, “Word is they’re running them through Biloxi now.”

  “Fuck!” Samuel balls his fists at his side, pacing.

  “If you want to get them so bad, go to Biloxi.” Rook starts walking away.

  “I’m not done with you,” he calls after her.

  “Then you’d better start walking, I’ve got someplace to be,” she says over her shoulder.

  “I can’t bust them in Biloxi.” Frustration riddles his tone.

  “If you want to stop it so bad, call your buddies in Biloxi,” she says simply.

  Samuel lets out a low growl.

  “Ah, I see,” she turns, looking up at him with a knowing smile. “This is about you busting Jeziah.”

  “Yes, I want that fucker put away. I want to see the look on his face when I put his ass down.”

  “Then stop being a pussy and just kill him.” She pops a piece of gum into her mouth and offers Samuel a piece. “Gum?”

  He waves his hand no, “I can’t just kill him.”

  “Why not?”

  “That’s now how it works, I like my job.” He shrugs.

  “Well, the problem is, Jeziah isn’t at the top of that food chain,” Rook says, deep in thought. “You can kill him and honestly, no one would notice. The vamps would have a replacement in minutes.”

  “That’s true,” Samuel admits.

  “So, call Biloxi
, tell them blood slaves are coming in and at least get it shut down at that port.” She stops and looks him hard in the eye, “It’s the right thing to do.”

  Samuel looks down in defeat, “You’re right.”

  “I know I’m right.” She smiles, “Now go do your thing and I’m going to do mine.”

  “I don’t suppose you have any info on who is at the top.”

  “Not yet, but I’m getting closer,” she says thoughtfully. “I have some ideas, I’ll let you know when I have something concrete.”

  “What about the Purists?” He lowers his voice.

  “That I don’t know anything about. So far as I know it’s a myth,” she says quickly. “I gotta go.”

  “You are going,” he points out.

  “I’ve got to go where I don’t want you going with me.” She pins him with a look.

  “When will I hear from you again?” he asks.

  “Give me a couple of days,” she says, walking away from him.

  “Hey, Rook.”

  “Yeah?” She turns around, walking backward.

  “Be careful.” His tone is full of worry.

  “I can take care of myself,” she says, turning back around. “You take care of yourself, Jeziah ain’t no joke.”

  “Neither am I,” he grunts.

  “You’re a big puppy.” She waves with a laugh. “But if you ever put me up against a wall like that again, I’ll gut you.”

  Rook pushes the red door open to Vivienne’s, “Hey, beautiful!”

  “What are you doing here?” Vivienne comes from behind the counter, dodging the herbs hanging from the ceiling. “Smelling of werewolf.” She eyes her suspiciously.