Hunted (Dark Protectors) Read online

  She sucked in air that didn’t smell like peppermint. But her chin lifted like her mama’s always did, and she kept moving until she stood in front of him. “I didn’t think you’d be back.”

  “I found my path.” He wore faded jeans and a shiny green shirt that matched his eyes. The black nails and lipstick were gone. The red tips on his black hair shone in the sun, somehow brighter than before. His jaw looked hard, and his shoulders looked wide.

  “You picked wrong.” If Kalin had chosen the right way, he wouldn’t have barged into her dream. Now they couldn’t ever be friends. She wouldn’t cry in front of him, though. No matter what he said, she wouldn’t cry.

  He shrugged. “You tried to help me, I know you did. But sometimes fate decides. Like with the scorpion.”

  She wrinkled her nose. “What scorpion?” The weird crawlers with the poisoned pinchers kind of freaked her out. She and Aunt Emma had watched a show on them a while ago.

  “Every scorpion.” Kalin studied her, looking for something.

  What, she didn’t know.

  “You’re probably too young. It’s the story about the scorpion and the frog. The old parable.”

  “What’s a para ... para ... ?” She hated it when other people knew more stuff than she did.

  “Parable. It’s a story.” Even while making her sad, his voice stayed gentle. Almost as if he didn’t have a choice in this life, and neither did she. He was wrong. “An old story. Do you want to hear it?”

  No. “Okay.”

  He patted the rock beside him, and she lifted her chin higher. No way was she sitting by him if he decided to be bad again.

  His smile flashed really sharp teeth. “One day there was a terrifying flood. A dangerous flood that threatened the entire world. It swept through a valley, and a scorpion and frog got stuck on the side of a rushing river. A mean-looking stork waited on the other side, probably wanting to eat the poor frog.”

  Her lip began to shake and she bit it. Somehow she knew the frog wasn’t going to have a good day. “What did they do?”

  “The scorpion asked for a ride across the river, and in exchange promised to protect the frog from the stork. Of course, the frog was scared, but he wanted to survive.” Kalin grabbed a blade of grass from the rock, twirling it through his fingers. He had a pretty voice. Already deep, and he seemed older than fifteen.

  Old enough to change his life. “We all want to survive.” Her voice came out sad, but she couldn’t help it.

  He nodded. “Yes. We do. So, the frog let the scorpion jump on his back, and he started to swim. About halfway across, the scorpion lashed out and stung the frog.”

  Something inside her ached. Right where her heart was. “Why?”

  Kalin raised his dark eyebrows. “That’s what the frog asked, because now they were both going to die. You know what the scorpion said?”

  “No,” Janie whispered. “What did he say?”

  “The scorpion said, ‘because that’s my nature.’ ” Kalin threw the blade of grass onto the ground. “And they both died.”

  They didn’t have to. They could’ve swum to the other side and both lived. Maybe even changed the way everyone lived. “I don’t like your story.”

  Kalin shrugged. “Probably not. But you know who I am in the story, Janie?”

  She drew in air, glad trees stood nearby. Even in dreams, she liked nature near, just like her mama. “Yes, Kalin, I do.”

  “Good.” He jumped off the rock.

  She stayed still. “You’re the stork.”

  His head jerked back, surprise filling his eyes. “The stork?”

  “Yes. Nobody knows what the stork is gonna do. He can do the right thing, and save them all.” Or he could watch them drown.

  Kalin rubbed his chin, surprise turning to thoughtfulness. “You’re going to be a fascinating woman someday, Janie.” He glanced toward the forest and shrugged. “I look forward to proving you wrong. I’m not the stork.”

  Janie followed his gaze, nearly taking a step back at the boy striding out of the trees. Zane. But not completely Zane. He’d grown taller, his black hair cut short, a purple bruise down his chin. Anger swirled in the deep green of his eyes. Something scary swirled around him.

  Kalin stepped closer to her. “Well. If it isn’t the frog.”

  At the moment Zane looked more like a scorpion. He’d dressed in all black, even his big boots.

  Janie clasped her hands together. “I’ve missed you. Where have you been?”

  He didn’t look at her, just kept his gaze on Kalin. “Leave now.”

  “Or what?”

  “I’ll kick your ass.”

  Janie barely kept from gasping. Zane never swore. At least not in front of her. He was eleven, yet was as tall as Kalin already. And as big in the shoulders. She searched for something to get him to look at her. “Kalin told me the story of the scorpion and the frog.”

  Zane’s eyelids lowered a little bit, making him seem more dangerous. “She’s too young for that story.”

  Kalin laughed. “I figured she should know the players, Zane. Who we all are.” He took three strides toward the edge of the rocks. “I suppose you think you’re the scorpion?”

  Zane shook his head before Kalin finished his sentence. “Nope. Not even close.”

  Kalin threw back his head and laughed, quickly disappearing behind the rocks.

  Janie waited until he’d left the dream before turning toward Zane. “Where have you been?”

  He shrugged. “Training. I told you I’d be busy.” Finally he looked at her.

  “What happened to your face?”

  “My mother’s people train harder than my father’s.” Zane stretched his neck. “Why did you let Kalin in your dream?”

  “I didn’t. He sat on the rocks when I got here.” She’d stopped being so careful about keeping her dreams private. “I talked to him before and thought he had changed.” Unlike the scorpion.

  Zane shook his head. “Kalin isn’t going to change.”

  “Are you?” The words came out before she could think.

  “No.” The word was soft, but Zane’s eyes looked hard. “It’s you and me, Janie Belle. No matter what I have to do ... I promise it’ll be you and me. We’re gonna fix it all.”

  She reached forward and took his hand. “Do you want me to come find you?” Everyone called her smart. A smart girl would figure out a way.

  “No.” Zane’s smile finally showed up. The fun one she loved. “Not right now. When the time comes, I’ll find you.”

  “You promise?” She wished she could hurry up and grow, so they could fix the world.

  His smile faded. “I promise, Janie Belle.”

  She grinned wider. “’Cause you’re the scorpion?”

  He shook his head. Very slowly. “No, Belle. I’m the flood.”

  Did you miss the first two books in Rebecca’s DARK PROTECTORS series?

  Fated

  Marry Me ...

  Cara Paulsen does not give up easily. A scientist and a single mother, she’s used to fighting for what she wants, keeping a cool head, and doing whatever it takes to protect her daughter Janie. But “whatever it takes” has never before included a shotgun wedding to a dangerous-looking stranger with an attitude problem ...

  ... Or Else

  Sure, the mysterious Talen says that he’s there to protect Cara and Janie. He also says that he’s a three-hundred-year-old vampire. Of course, the way he touches her, Cara might actually believe he’s had that long to practice ...

  Claimed

  A Daring Rescue

  Emma Paulsen is a geneticist driven by science. But she’s also a psychic, so when a dark, good-hearted vampire frees her from the clutches of the evil Kurjans, she realizes he must be the man who’s been haunting her dreams. But with a virus threatening vampires’ mates, Emma may discover a whole new meaning of “lovesick.” ...

  A Deadly Decision

  As King of the Realm, Dage Kayrs has learned to practice dipl
omacy. Still, it’s taken three hundred years to find his mate, so he’ll stop at nothing to protect her—even if it means turning his back on his own kind... .

  BRAVA BOOKS are published by

  Kensington Publishing Corp.

  119 West 40th Street

  New York, NY 10018

  Copyright © 2012 Rebecca Zanetti

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means without the prior written consent of the publisher, excepting brief quotes used in reviews.

  Brava and the B logo are Reg. U.S. Pat. & TM Off.

  ISBN: 978-0-7582-7924-8

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Dedication

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  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

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Epilogue

  Copyright Page