The Huntress : The Alterealm Series Book 1

The next week was crazy. I bounced from one realm to the other daily, sometimes twice a day. I had no sense of time any more, or it felt like it when I would lie in my bed in Alterealm and try to tell myself it was time to sleep.

When I’d come up with the great plan to check everywhere from the alley to the club, I hadn’t stopped to consider how many places that might be. The worst part was I’d lost count how many places we’d gone and a few times I thought maybe we were at a place twice. Tim was encouraging and with anyone else I might have gotten really grumpy, but he just had that way about him and knew when to talk and when not to.

Each time we came or went, Troy was present. He looked as anxious when I was leaving as when I returned. Since the dance he had been weird. I watched him during a meeting with Victor or Michael. He was standoffish with everyone, not just me.

I hadn’t seen Chase since the dance, so when I called a halt to the search for a day of rest, I headed straight to Troy’s office to see if he knew what was going on. The door was open, so I went right in. Troy was standing in the corner looking over the map of his side of this realm.

“Are you having any better luck on this side?”

He stiffened and turned his head. “No.” Moving in my direction, he frowned. “You look exhausted.”

I sighed. “I don’t even know what time of day it is anymore.”

Nodding, he leaned against the desk, keeping a good four feet between us. “I can relate, I’ve been awake for as many daylight hours as I am night ones lately.”

Rubbing a hand over my face, I nodded. “Bouncing back and forth is making me dizzy.”

“How much more do you have to check?”

“Enough for a couple more days, at least.” He wouldn’t look directly at me. “How is Chase doing looking on his side?”

He looked right at me. “You haven’t spoken to him?”

“No. I’ve been a little busy.”

Straightening, he pulled out his phone and glanced down at it. “I haven’t heard directly from him; his Captain has been keeping me posted on the search.”

Now I was worried. One brother was avoiding me and the other was missing. “So where is he?”

A concerned look passed over his face. Shaking his head, strode toward the door. “Let’s go find out.”

I was right on his heels the entire way. Even though I knew I was technically the huntress and allowed free reign, the fastest way through any questions was to be with the large king with a certain determined look on his face.

When we were heading down the hall toward his room, Tim came around the corner. He paused with a bewildered look. “Aren’t we taking today off?”

I nodded and tried to keep up with Troy. “Yes we are. Any idea where Chase is?”

With a strange look on his face, he pointed to his bedroom door. “Pretty sure he’s still there.”

Troy paused in his step and scowled at him. His eyes flashed red and he sighed and turned back to the door. “Stay outside, Tim, in case you’re needed.”

Suddenly I was the only one that didn’t know what was going on. I caught up to Troy as he went through the door and almost walked smack into him when he stopped short and stood there. Moving by him, I looked around the room until I found Chase. I know my jaw dropped when I saw him sprawled on his bed. At least most of him was on the bed, his head and one arm hung off the side.

I looked to Troy for confirmation on what I was thinking, he was already moving across the room to the table where he picked up a bottle and read it. Shaking his head, he moved over to the bed. Following, I stood beside him as he checked his twin’s eyes and sighed loudly again.

“He’s drunk.” Probably not the most intelligent statement, but I was so surprised to see him that way.

Troy glanced at me, a worried look on his face. “And not just on alcohol.” Lifting his brother’s head up, he shifted him around on the pillow. “Go ask Tim to come here.”

Not sure what was happening now, I went over and motioned for Tim to come in. Closing the door behind him, I stood there and watched as they sat Chase up.

Troy glanced around for me. “Can you go turn on the shower, Daxx?”

Eyebrows raising, I nodded and hurried to do it. By the time I had it ready they were at the door half dragging a limp Chase between them.

“Kitten!” He slurred. “You came.”

Troy glared at me, like it was my fault his brother was wasted, but he didn’t say a word.

Tim stepped in the shower. “I’ll do it, Sire, no need for all of us to get soaked.” I was surprised he could hold the flaccid man on his own, but he seemed to manage. Troy reached in and held his surfacing sibling’s head under the spray. He reached down and twisted the tap all the way to cold, giving the sober man in the shower an apologetic look.

I stood by the door, not sure if I should stay or run back to the other side. I stayed.

When they had a sputtering, cursing king in a much more alert state glaring at them, they turned off the water and helped him get out. I hurried over and held out a towel to Tim and then Troy. Troy dried off his arms and then flung the towel over his brother’s head.

With a groan, Chase pulled the towel off and held it over his face. When he lowered it, he saw me standing there. He stood there soaking wet watching me with blood shot eyes and regret plainly visible.

Troy looked from me back to his brother before he turned to Tim. “After you change, post someone outside his door so he isn’t disturbed.” He looked down at me again and then turned to Chase. “We’ll see you at breakfast.”

Chase lowered his head and made a noise that sounded like he agreed.

Turning on his heel, Troy walked out the door. With a final look at Chase, I went out behind him. He stood outside the room waiting for me and then began walking without saying anything.

He didn’t slow down or speak to me until we were almost back to his office. Pausing just inside the door, he looked down at me with a look of confusion on his face. “I was not accusing you of anything when I looked at you back there.”

I had to wonder if he could actually read what I was thinking sometimes. “Okay.”

Reaching over slowly, he tipped my chin up, his concerned hazel eyes moving over my face before holding my eyes with a look. “Go get some rest my queen. I’ll see you at breakfast.” His voice was so soft and gentle I wanted to sigh.

Backing out of his hold, I nodded and then headed anywhere but there. I was tired, but frustrated at the same time and in no way ready to rest. Stopping I considered my options, workout or snack?

Comfort food won so I headed to the kitchen and hoped Mitz would have something sweet and bad for me, better to drown out the mixed-up mess inside my brain.

****

I was digging into the bottom half of a bag of double stuffed fudge cookies when Mitz came into the kitchen. She paused in the door and then closed it and went over to the fridge without a word.

Setting a glass of milk in front of me, she stood there with this understanding look on her face. “Want to talk about it?”

I shook my head and swallowed. “I don’t even know.”

“Ah.” She pulled over a stool and sat across from me.

Maybe it was that she was a motherly type or just the fact that she was a female, I’m not sure but I sighed loudly. Waving a cookie around, I sighed again. “How long have you worked for the royal family?”

With a soft look on her face, she smiled. “I used to look after Victor when he was a baby.”

That didn’t really tell me how old she was, but it was enough to know she knew a lot more than I ever would. “I can’t picture Victor as a baby.”

She laughed. “He was a terror as a child, let me tell you.”

That sounded more fitting than a cute cuddly baby. I glanced at her hands. “You have a husband but aren’t mated?”

A look appeared on her face, that quiet one that said she knew exactly what my problem was now. “Yes, but that doesn’t mean we’re any less bonded.”

I ate another cookie while I thought. “Your friend, the one that made my dress, she was mated.” I recalled the tattoo on her arm. Mitz nodded, but didn’t say anything. “Troy says finding a true mate is rare, if that’s the case why am I supposed to be for either or?” I sipped the milk. “I mean shouldn’t it only be one of them?” I studied a cookie and twisted it until it was separated. “I feel like a tramp, being attracted to both of them.” Pushing the cookie back together I took a bite and looked back down at it. “I know they look the same but that’s not why. I feel something different with both of them.”

Reaching over, she steadied my hand before I could stuff more in my mouth. I looked over at her, she had this sweet look in her eyes that made me want to hug her. Obviously, another hidden skill of hers to do that to me.

“Huntress, fate has made it so you could choose either and they know this, the buggers and are playing on it constantly.” She sighed. “A little touch here, a certain look and they know the part of you that is matched to them reacts.”

She pulled the bag of cookies out of my other hand and started to close it up slowly. “I think we both know that regardless of the pull between you and Chase, it wouldn’t be the fit it should be.” A sad look entered her eyes for a split second before it was gone. “None of this makes you a tramp.” Clasping her hands together in front of her on the counter she leaned closer. “If anything, you amaze me, if I were younger and single I doubt I could resist either of them.”

I grinned at her confession and then sobered. “Troy and I found Chase wasted and half passed out in his room a while ago.”

She was quiet for a moment and then nodded slowly. “Good, he should beat himself up, maybe then he’ll try to change for the better.” With a sad smile, she shrugged. “I try to keep them all together, but at the end of the day, or start I suppose, he is still over there alone while they have each other.”

“We talked about it a bit at the dance and think part of the connection was enhanced because of the blood bond.” I realized I had just admitted that I wasn’t as drawn to Chase as I was Troy. “Troy is…”

“A little more complex than his twin, I’m afraid.”

I drank the rest of the milk, wishing now I could get the taste of fudge out of my mouth. Setting the glass down I played with the rim. “So, any advice?” I shrugged. “I’d like to say all this prophecy stuff is a bunch of hooey, but I can’t.”

“Finally realized you fit in like you’ve always been here, have you?”

I nodded. “Yeah.”

She grinned. “Good. As for advice, I honestly can’t tell you how to sort through it all.” Picking up the bag, she got up and pushed the stool in. “Things will happen as they’re meant to, pushing it or fighting it will only make it more complicated in the end.”

I knew she had a point, somewhere in all of that, but it didn’t mean I was going to verbally agree with her. “Thanks.” I stood up and stretched. “I’m going to go try to get some rest now.” I turned toward the door.

“Daxx?”

I paused and looked back at her.

“I heard you were looking for the lost brother as well as hunting down Marcus.”

I nodded.

She smiled at me. “Thank you.”