Authors: The Hunter
Suzie fought off the urge to crawl back to bed and sleep. Instead, she kept moving about her home, tidying things that didn’t need tidying, trying to keep her hands busy. Pity it didn’t work on her mind.
She had mixed feelings about coming home. Relief—thank God they were all safe and healthy.
Sad—she missed the new friends she’d made in Beverly and gruff Nat. Anxious—had Hunter succeeded? And pissed! How dare Hunter’s father drug them and ship them back like some unwanted piece of garbage. No matter. Hunter would deal with his dad when he came back. She’d just bide her time.
The children, considering their ordeal, adjusted back to normal life quickly. They squabbled, they played, they destroyed the house one room at a time. Oh yes, her never-ending job of maid and referee, also known as motherhood, returned. She also started her new web design project, anything to keep her mind off what might be happening back in the Realm.
And while Suzie worked, cleaned and pondered, she found herself, on more than one occasion, peeking out the window. Listening for the sound of his Harley. Looking to see if he’d leapt over the fence. Anything.
But the house next door stayed silent. Maybe he’d failed and died, a horrible thought she couldn’t shake. Or maybe, said her pessimistic side, he’d decided against coming back and she should just consider herself another notch on his bedpost. Worst of all, maybe his father had told the truth and Hunter had caved into the plan to marry someone proper.
Her children had no doubts when it came to Hunter, though.
“Mommy, why you loo’ so sad?” asked Jessie—had she mentioned her daughter now insisted on being called by her new nickname.
Thanks, Nat.
“I’m not sad.”
“You mith Hunta,” said Jared sagely. “He’ll come back. He wuvth uth.”
“Yes, Mommy, Hunta come back soon. He wuvs you.”
Suzie didn’t answer. Funny, the children seemed so sure of his affections. Suzie, though, only had doubts. Lying in bed at night, she couldn’t stop her thoughts from running around in circles. Had he found Damian yet? Succeeded? Did he miss her? Why didn’t he come back or at least contact them?
Had the man she’d fallen in love with been a myth?
98
One lonely week went by. Then two, the max he’d said it would take him. On the third week Suzie started throwing up.
Hugging the porcelain god of the bathroom, she cried. No fair. She couldn’t be pregnant. They’d only been together the one night. But fate, like Murphy, had an evil sense of humor.
Suzie drove into town with the children who, for once, were subdued. Could it be the red-rimmed eyes she hid behind sunglasses? She’d literally cried a river since she’d realized Hunter wasn’t coming back.
Suzie bought the dreaded home pregnancy test at the pharmacy and brought it home, smuggled in its bag like a piece of contraband. She waited till the children were in bed, then sat down and peed on the stick. Any woman who’s peed on the stick knows how that feels—the anxiety, the dread, the prayers.
And let’s not forget staring at the little stick, waiting, even if the box says it may take up to three minutes. She didn’t have to wait long. It instantly lit up like a Christmas tree. Double cross. Pregnant.
Suzie sank down on the floor beside the tub and cried. And cried, then cried some more. Arms hugged around her knees, she lay on the bathroom floor in the fetal position.
What the hell am I going to
do?
She couldn’t have an abortion. She couldn’t kill this sign of love, even if it might have been a one-sided love. But how would she manage? Her snide inner voice said,
Contact him. Tell him about the baby.
He’ll come back.
Problem was, she didn’t want him back because of her pregnancy. She wanted him to come back because he wanted her. Because he loved her.
Stupid, maybe, but Suzie refused to accept any less. And besides, it didn’t matter. She had no way to contact him.
Suzie cried again. Something she’d been doing an awful lot. Mostly after the kids went to bed. But sometimes all it took was looking at his house and off she’d go. Good thing she never wore mascara or she’d have permanent raccoon eyes by now.
The kids walked on eggshells around her. They stopped making big messes. Miracle of all miracles, they even started cleaning up after themselves. And they hugged her. A lot. It seemed like every time they went by, they had to hug her, or touch her. The worst part? She didn’t know if they were doing it to reassure themselves or her. Nice mother.
Another week went by. It had been almost a month now since their return. Life had returned to normal, or as normal as it could get with her throwing up in the morning, and afternoon, and sometimes even at night. Morning sickness was a bitch, especially when you had the twenty-four hour kind. Suzie gave serious thought to buying stock in soda crackers, the only food she seemed to be able to eat.
The puking, she’d survive. The loneliness, however, proved to be much harder to keep at bay. Hard to keep her spirits up when the only thing she talked openly to was her new porcelain friend. She had decided one thing, though, in between hugging her new best friend—no more relationships. Caring about someone led to hurting, and Suzie was done with pain. She’d leave it to the sadomasochists. From now on, it would be just her and the twins, and in eight months, baby.
Just over a month after her return, she dropped the kids off in the morning at a play group she’d signed them up for. They needed a change of scenery, and her stomach still wasn’t behaving well enough for her to go out for long periods of time to socialize them. She came back home and decided that the overgrown jungle known as her yard really needed a mow. She wrestled for a while with the dreaded red machine, but finally got the mower started—by herself, yay—and was cutting the lawn when something finally happened next door.
A panel van pulled into Hunter’s driveway next door, the logo Magical Emporium splashed across its side.
What the hell?
Suzie’s heart sped up. No, she refused to get excited. Probably just someone coming to pack up his stuff. But no, Hunter got out of the van, his body moving stiffly. He paused when he saw her, then as if reaching a decision, crossed the lawn to her, his face a blank canvas. Suzie tried to control her own facial 99
expressions, but it was hard with her heart pumping madly while fighting an urge to run and throw her arms around him.
“Hello, Suzie,” he said, stopping in front of her, not a sign of warmth in him.
Suzie said nothing, tongue tied in front of this cool-acting stranger.
He frowned at her lack of response. “How have you been? How are the kids?”
“Fine.” Suzie wanted to kick herself . What had happened to the speech she’d prepared in her head in anticipation of this dreaded—wished for—moment?
“So that’s the way it’s going to be is it,” he said with a harsh bark of laughter. “I really misjudged you, didn’t I?”
“What the hell are talking about?” Suzie said, annoyed at his cool attitude and cryptic comment. “I’d say it’s the opposite. I misjudged you. How could you do this to me? To the kids?”
“What I did to you? I almost died out in the woods after killing the Dragon. I was lucky some woodsmen found me, or I would have bled to death. As it was, I was out of it for over a week, and when I was finally strong enough to travel, I came back home to find out that you’d packed up the children and left.”
“I left? I didn’t have a choice.” Suzie screamed at him while part of her wanted to cry. Hunter had almost died?
“What do you mean you didn’t have a choice?” Hunter raked a hand through his hair, wincing as if the simple motion hurt. “Listen, I think we need to talk. Why don’t we have dinner tonight, just you and me? I need to go back to the office. I just came by because I had to see you. To make sure you and the twins were all right.” He said the last part almost reluctantly.
“I can’t leave the children.”
“I didn’t figure you would, which is why I brought Nat back with me. Will you trust her to mind them while we talk? We could wait till after they go to bed if it will make it easier?”
Suzie nodded. He was right, they needed to talk. And if the kids were in bed, then Nat would have no problems.
“I’ll come back around seven-thirty then. It is good to see you, by the way. I’ve missed you.”
Suzie didn’t answer, her throat too tight, and she turned before he could see the tears glistening like dew drops on her lashes. Dammit! She’d cried enough over him already. She wasn’t going to cry anymore.
She powered up the red beast again and didn’t hear him leave. She finished mowing the lawn, tears running down her cheeks. Why couldn’t love ever be simple?
* * * *
Suzie didn’t tell the kids Hunter had returned. She had to know what he wanted, what his plans were first. After all, why get their hopes up if he only planned to leave again?
She put the kids to bed and dressed simply in a skirt and blouse. Eyeing her makeup, she ended up putting on a light coat, enough to camouflage the red eyes and hollows around them. Well, she’d finally get her answers tonight, whether she liked them or not.
She went downstairs just before seven-thirty and exiting through the front door, she sat on the step, waiting. Her stomach felt full of butterflies, fluttering and dancing inside. Her hands were clammy, and she kept wiping them on her skirt.
What would she say to him? What would he say to her? Just seeing him had brought back a host of feelings and memories. She didn’t even know what she wanted anymore.
Hearing the murmur of voices, she looked up to see Nat walking across the lawn with Hunter.
Suzie stood up, smoothing down her skirt. “Hey, Nat,” she said.
“Hi,” said Nat coldly.
100
What the hell was Nat pissed about? Shouldn’t Suzie be pissed at her instead since Nat let her father drug her and the kids?
“The kids are already asleep. The remote’s on the living room table. There’s juice and pop in the fridge, chips, and cookies on the counter. Do you have Hunter’s cell number in case you need me to come home?”
“Actually, we’re having dinner at my place,” Hunter said. “I thought it would be easier to have our talk without an audience.”
Alone? Suzie hid her panic at his words. She swallowed her misgivings and nodded her head. She still didn’t know if she’d end up screaming at him or crying. Either would have been embarrassing in public.
“All right.” Nat went into the house and shut the door. Hunter looked at her and started walking.
Suzie followed him in silence across the lawn to his place. God, this felt so awkward.
He opened his front door and ushered her inside. Suzie looked around with interest. She’d never seen the inside of his place before, but she could tell from one glance a man lived there.
The living room was all male with a black leather couch and matching chair. Chrome end tables flanked the couch, and all faced a large, flat screen TV.
Wanna bet he has the sports package?
He took her through the living room to the kitchen with its black melamine cabinets and more glass and chrome for the table and chairs, which he’d set for two. Two lit candles flickered in the darkness, making the room seem cozy and romantic.
He seated her, still in silence, and then went over to the oven where he pulled out an aluminum dish.
Suzie jumped when he finally broke the silence. “I’m not good at cooking, so I bought a ready-made lasagna with garlic bread at the deli. Hope that’s okay?” he said, still not looking at her while he prepared two plates.
“That’s fine.” Suzie wanted to scream at him. She didn’t care about the food. She wanted answers.
But he took his sweet time and didn’t sit down till he’d served them both. He opened a bottle of red wine and started to pour. Suzie waved him away from her glass.
“Sorry, could I have water please? My stomach’s been a little touchy lately.” That was putting it mildly! She only hoped she made it through dinner without puking on him.
He put the bottle away and went to the fridge and got her a bottle of water.
Finally, he seated himself across from her and looked at her, his blue eyes so beautiful, and dare she even say, sad-looking? They stared at each other for what seemed like an eternity while their food got cold.
“Why did you leave?” he finally asked.
“I wasn’t given a choice. Didn’t your father tell you?” Suzie replied. Oh please, like he didn’t know what his daddy had done.
“What do you mean you didn’t have a choice? My father said as soon as you woke up from being healed, you demanded he send you and the children back right then and there. That and I quote, ‘You couldn’t handle the magic and the monsters anymore and that it was better if you just made a clean break.’ Sounds to me like your choice was pretty clear.”
“Really?” said Suzie sarcastically. “Well, see, that’s funny. The way I remember it, your father ordered me down to his office. Told me I wasn’t good enough for you and that he already had plans for you to marry some proper Realm lady. Then he slipped me a narcotic in a drink, drugged the children too, and when I woke up, we were back home. But let me guess, Daddy dear forgot to mention that part, didn’t he?” Suzie said bitterly.
Hunter’s brow’s knitted together in a frown. “He wouldn’t dare. He knew how I felt about you.”
“Oh, he did dare. Please, don’t insult my intelligence by telling me you believed that cock and bull story he gave you. Did you really think I would leave after everything that had happened between us?
Did you really think I could be cold enough to go without even knowing if you lived or died?” she 101
shouted. How dare he insinuate she’d lie about something like this. He should count his blessings she wasn’t a violent person or she’d have slapped him. As it was, her hands were balled into tight fists in her lap.
“That bastard,” Hunter swore, jumping out of his chair and pacing the small kitchen. “You never told him I scared you, did you? Or that you couldn’t handle the fact I was more than human?”
“What? Of course not. I lov—” Suzie stopped herself. Oops. She needed to watch her mouth. “I never had a problem with what you were once I found out. Hell, my kids are bloody dragons. I don’t love them any less. As for scaring me, the only thing that scared me was the thought of never seeing you again.”