The Huntress : The Alterealm Series Book 1

Feeling a warm body against mine, I knew without opening my eyes that it was Chase. I didn’t know exactly how I could tell it was him but I could feel my heart synch with his. Lying there I listened to his breathing and knew he was sleeping. Opening my eyes, I looked around the dark room. I didn’t know who this bedroom belonged to, but was thankful there was no one else in it. My arms were weak as I moved to flip the covers back.

“You shouldn’t try to get up just yet.” Chase’s sleep filled voice was beside my ear.

“Where are we?” My own voice was hoarse.

The bed moved and Chase was leaning over me. “My room.” He brushed the hair out of my face. “How do you feel?”

Sighing I took a quick assessment of my overall health. “Like I jumped off a cliff and survived. I did survive, didn’t I?”

He smiled down at me. “The prognosis is leaning that way.” Resting his forehead against mine, I watched his eyes shut. “I think I have grey hair now because of you.”

I knew that was his way of saying I’d scared the shit out of him, but I wasn’t ready for the details yet. “You’re blond, no one will notice.”

Lifting his head, he stared down at me. “You need to replace some fluids; I’ll go get you something to drink.” He was up off the bed and I was relieved to see it was only his shirt he was missing.

When he went out the door, I moved the covers down off my body and was a little shocked to discover find out I was wearing a large t-shirt. I didn’t remember undressing in all of this, and hoped that it had been Mitz to assist me with the outfit change. I felt like I was eighty when I tried to move my body up enough to sit against the headboard of the bed. Grimacing I remembered where I was, maybe eighty wasn’t quite high enough considering the circumstances.

Chase came back into the room and huffed. “What part of not trying to get up didn’t you understand?” His voice was softer than the look he gave me.

“I ache from toe to scalp. I just wanted to change position.” I continued pulling my body slowly up the sheet. A burning sensation jabbed in my left side and I stopped and froze trying to understand why.

“Let me do it.” He set the glass down and moved over to slide his hands under me. In a slow movement, he had me up further on the bed then I could have managed on my own.

The burning let up a little bit, enough so I could breathe, but the worry that went with it was still there. “What did I miss? Last clear thought was Victor going all terminator on buddy with the sword.”

Chase sat down and held the glass to my lips. “He bypassed the trial and went right to the sentencing when he saw you turning the ground red.”

I remembered the guard. “How’s Tim?”

“Drink.” He moved the glass against my lips again. “He’s recovering and alive thanks to you.” He let me swallow before moving the glass to my mouth once more. “I saw him go down and you trying to cover him, but I couldn’t get there fast enough.”

I swallowed again and pushed the glass away. “You got there soon enough.” More fog cleared from my brain and the burning in my side seemed to match the throb in my thigh. “How much damage did I sustain?” I tried to move my leg but my muscles refused the request. “I’m a little sore.”

Chase snorted and set the glass down. “A little sore?” He stood up, hands on hips and looked down at me. “You were almost a little dead.”

Trying to sit up further, I finally gave up and rested back against the pillows. “I caught that part as I faded in and out.” Sighing I looked up at him, he looked tired and stressed and the reality hit me. “How many brothers will I have to put up with coddling me when I’m back on my feet?”

Sitting back down, he leaned toward me so he was right in my face. “All of them. I had to ask Quinton and Raf to guard the damn door so we could look after you.”

“Great.” I sighed and then groaned when even my chest ached.

“I’ll go fill the bath so you can soak and then you should rest some more.” He got up.

“Chase?”

Stopping he looked down at me. “Thank you.”

“Don’t thank me yet, when you’re recovered I’m training you on how we fight on this side.” His look softened. “You may not like me when I’m done.”

I knew he was serious but I couldn’t deal with anything more than a few sentences at this time. “I’m not sure if I like you now sometimes.”

Grinning, he leaned down again and held my chin. “Be careful, kitten, until my blood connection wears off I can feel whatever your feeling. I may catch you lying to yourself.”

When he released my face and strode to the bathroom, I laid there in the silence trying to figure out what he meant. He could feel what I was feeling? How did that work?

I could hear the running water and the light from the bathroom was bright enough that I could see things clearly. He stood in the doorway looking at me. “I’ll do my best to shield you from my emotions, but I may not be able to block out everything.”

Studying his large form shadowed with the light behind him, I nodded. “When my mind is functioning again, you can explain all of this to me.”

“I will.” He moved back to the bed and leaned down and scooped me up like I was a small child. “First, we’ll get you back to your full strength and then we’ll sort out the rest.”

I squinted against the light as he stepped into the bathroom. Turning, he reached behind me and dimmed the lights until it was just a soft glow in the room. He set me on the counter across from the tub. My head was spinning and even though I didn’t like feeling weak, I still clung to his arm to keep from sliding to the floor.

“I’ve got you.” He straightened and took a hold of the hem of the shirt I was wearing.

Panic hit me and I moved to stop his hands.

With a glint in his eyes, he smirked. “Relax. Mitz made sure you were decent under here.”

I released his hands and let him lift the shirt over my head. When he tossed it to the side I looked down to see Mitz had put me in a bra and underwear and was thankful they were plain white and nothing frilly or see through. I was shocked when I saw the red scar on that ran from my hip, across my waist and stopped just under my ribs. Reaching down, I touched it carefully and felt the raised ridge. I looked up at Chase to see he was looking at it as well.

Dropping down on his knees, he leaned forward and ran his finger along the edge of it before he looked into my eyes. I could see the pain in his. “With more blood, it will heal further.”

I had almost died, for real. I could only nod, still trying to process that I’d almost been sliced in half by a sword. Not shanked by a pawn shop blade or beaten with a bat, which is how I always figured I go out, but cut down by a blade wielded by a being from another realm. My mind returned from its little side trip when I realized Chase was taking off his jeans.

He chuckled. “I’m decent too, kitten.” I watched the jeans slide down his long legs and was almost relieved to see he had underwear on as well.

I wanted to commit this moment to my memory, so later on when I was feeling more alive I could ogle him in my mind standing before me in nothing but some form fitting black underwear. It was sad on my part to not even have the energy to stir up some appreciative emotion.

“Next time, kitten.”

I didn’t ask what he meant; I could actually feel his disappointment. We were both next to naked and the only thing we were going to do was sit in warm water together. My cheeks flushed.

He lowered us both into the large tub, and I knew it was much bigger than average when he fit completely with me resting in front of him, and there was still enough room to move around. The water felt like heaven. As my muscles relaxed I leaned back against his chest.

I felt myself nodding off and jolted, only to have pain streak through my side up into my chest.

“Relax, I won’t let you drown.” His breath brushed up against my cheek as he spoke softly to me.

Letting out a deep breath I leaned back against him again, resting my hand on his arm that was wrapped around my uninjured side. Everything faded into a warm comfortable place and I just went along with it.

****

“Daxx, I need you to take a bit more before you pass out completely.”

Chases voice stirred me from a peaceful place. I was dry, so I knew we weren’t in the water anymore. Soft material covered me and my head was rested on a plush surface. Somehow, I’d managed to doze through the bath and the return trip to bed.

My eye lids were heavy, but I was still able to turn my head toward his voice. With a gentle touch, he moved me so I was on my side lying against him. Reaching up, I touched his mouth with a weak hand and was rewarded with a kiss placed over my palm before he moved my hand to rest on his chest.

“Stay with me for a few more minutes.”

I looked up at him and through tired eyes saw his were yellow. I didn’t know why they were at this moment; surely it couldn’t be my fault when I was this out of it.

“The cause is my own doing.” He answered as if I’d said it out loud. With a gentle touch, he lifted my head toward his chest. “Drink,” he coaxed in a rough voice.

I could feel his heart beat under my hand as my mouth touched the small wound on his chest and did the best I could to draw his blood into my mouth. He cuddled me closer to his body and through the heavy fog in my mind I could feel only one thing. Desire. It felt like my own, but not.

Warm lips brushed against my temple as I swallowed the warm liquid. “I can’t shield when you’re touching me,” he whispered in a rough voice.

Licking slowly over the wound on his skin, I felt the incision sealing under my tongue. Leaning back into his hand, I looked up at the heavy yellow eyes watching me. I had no strength to move but at the same time I wanted to rub my body into his and had no idea how I could feel this when I was barely able to stay awake.

“These thoughts are not your own, kitten. Just ignore my weakness and get some rest.”

It took a lot of concentration to reach up and grasp his goatee but after what felt like too long I had it and tugged his head down to mine. With a frustrated growl, his mouth touched mine in a gentle kiss and then he pulled his head away and moved his body back from mine.

“Sleep,” he commanded in hoarse tone.

I felt the bed move and covers being lifted up over me and then darkness enveloped me.