The Mighty Hunter Read online

  “Cassie?” Bridget whispered, kneeling by the woman. She touched her cheek. “Cassandra? Cassie, can you hear me?”

  Cassandra’s forehead was hot. She moaned, thrashing away from Bridget’s fingers. The woman had a severe fever.

  “Hello?” Bridget called. Her legs wavered as she walked to the door. “Hello? Help, please. Someone? My friend needs a doctor.”

  She started to brush aside the beaded door when a hand came through. Bridget gasped, falling back in surprise. The woman who’d helped take the burn from her lungs entered. She recognized her face immediately, only she wasn’t an angel.

  “You’re awake,” the woman said nodding. “This is good. Welcome to Ataran, my lady.”

  “Who? Where?” Bridget shook her head in confusion. There were so many questions swimming in her brain. She glanced back to Cassandra. The woman hadn’t moved.

  “I am Althea the Healer. You are in Atlas, the capital city of Ataran.” The woman smiled.

  “Is this an island in the Bahamas?” Bridget was too confused. She didn’t remember such an island, but there were many of them off the coast of Florida. Was it possible they’d drifted so far off course? Had their navigation system been off?

  “It is an island, aye,” Althea nodded, still smiling.

  She looked back at Cassandra. “Please, help her. She’s sick. We have to get her to a doctor.”

  “Mm, I know.” Althea looked at Cassandra but did not go to her. “Poor thing.”

  “Well, can we give her something? Do you have medicine?” Bridget went back to Cassandra and reached to touch her.

  Althea’s hand shot out, grabbing Bridget’s wrist. “You mustn’t or you could get sick as well. Now that you are awake, you must leave your friend. We should keep you separated until this bodily illness passes.”

  “I can’t just leave her here,” Bridget protested. “Who will look after her? She’s my crewmate. I want to stay.”

  “She will not be abandoned. Do not worry. I will stay with her until she can be moved,” Althea pulled Bridget out the door. She was too weak to fight the surprisingly strong hold. “We are immune to her illness. You are not.”

  What illness? Nearly drowning?

  Bridget nodded weakly at the woman’s stern look, unable to do much else as she was ushered out of the office into an adjoining room. The living room was a lot like the office. There were paintings on the walls and minimal furniture. The low bench-like couches had no backs. Their wool seats were intricately woven and quite beautiful. The floors were bare, swept clean.

  “Healer?”

  Bridget turned to the door. Two men entered. The first had longer blond hair and bright green eyes. He curiously looked her over, but did not stare. The second man caught her attention and held it. She felt like she couldn’t breathe. He seemed familiar.

  The first man bowed. “Welcome to Ataran, my lady. I am Iason the Hunter.”

  “Um, Bridget Dutton.” Bridget pried her eyes away from the handsome stranger to look at the man speaking. “I’m a scientist with the ESC, Exploratory Science Commission. We were out taking biochemical surface readings off the coast of Florida.”

  “Welcome, Lady Bridget,” the second man said. “I am Caderyn the Hunter.”

  Caderyn had purple eyes and wavy brown hair that fell to his shoulders. She’d never seen eyes that color and wouldn’t have thought them biologically possible. From what she could see of him, which was quite a bit, strong muscles bulged. Though he was dressed, she could still see most of his body from beneath the gracefully draping tunic. It only fell to his upper thigh. His legs, arms, and one shoulder were bare, as were Iason’s. His smooth, hairless chest was tanned. On his feet, he wore leather strap sandals.

  Caderyn had strong features to go with his muscular body—high cheekbones, a strong jaw, deep-set eyes that seemed to pierce into her. There was a very potent, animalistic appeal to him. She shivered, aroused. Such a sudden reaction wasn’t like her.

  “Wait,” Bridget said. She looked around again. There was something off about this place. Holding up her finger, she moved around the men to the beaded door. She stepped out into the hall. It was the same as the healer’s home. Someone passed by in the distance, and she saw that they too were strangely dressed. She’d been to the Bahamas once on a cruise. This wasn’t the Bahamas.

  Shaking, she covered her mouth. Her mind raced with the possibilities—the man on the boat in Armada clothing, the wooden pieces of the ship that had drifted by the boat. Now these people, this place. It was like she was in Ancient Greece or Rome. Had their boat somehow hit upon a time warp? Scientists had theorized about time travel for years. Was this possible?

  “Are you well?”

  Bridget gasped, jumping slightly as his smooth voice jerked her out of her deep thoughts. She spun around, almost surprised to see herself alone with Caderyn. He practically towered over her. Every inch of him screamed warrior.

  He motioned back toward the healer’s. Bridget stepped inside, trying to remember what she could about Ancient Rome. The only thing she came up with was that their water was carried by lead pipes, and she shouldn’t drink it. Only, if this was Rome, why could she understand them? She didn’t speak Italian other than the basic mobster movie phrases. Then, there was the fact that they didn’t appear to be confused by her presence or the mention of the ESC, like she imagined ancient cultures would be.

  “I cannot say if the sickness will spread. We should separate them for several months until they are adjusted completely.” Althea was saying.

  “Others?” Iason asked.

  Althea glanced at Bridget. In her voice soft, she said, “Rigel.”

  Iason nodded as if he understood. She wondered at the look the three shared.

  “Take her, feed her,” Althea urged Caderyn. “Let her rest and then take her to Aidan.”

  “One thing,” Iason said to Bridget before she could leave. “The other woman. What is her name?”

  “Cassandra Nevin,” Bridget answered.

  “Go,” Althea urged Caderyn. “Take her.”

  Caderyn nodded. He motioned for Bridget to follow him. She frowned. Aidan?

  “Where am I?” she asked.

  “Ataran,” Caderyn said. Frowning, he looked at Althea.

  “Much rest,” Althea told him. Caderyn nodded in understanding.

  Bridget followed him out into the hall. “Where are you taking me?”

  “Did you not understand?” he asked. “I take you to eat and rest.”

  “Yes, but where?”

  “Ah.” Caderyn nodded. He started walking, prompting her to follow. “My home. I found you. It is my duty to make sure you are healed and cared for.”

  “Wait.” Bridget stopped. She swayed on her feet, suddenly lightheaded. Her hand pressed into the wall for support. She would be staying in his home? Alone with him? Alone with the incredibly sexy, utterly muscled, warrior-hunter man who looked altogether too delicious in a short tunic? Or was he married? That would be even worse. She would have to stay and watch sexy warrior-hunter with his wife. The woman would probably be just as beautiful with lots and lots of beautiful children.

  “Do you wish for me to carry you?” he asked, eyeing her.

  Bridget instantly let her eyes roam over his body. Did she want those strong muscular arms holding her?

  Yes! She felt her cheeks heat. Concentrate, Bridget. Don’t think of sexy warrior-hunter’s body.

  “You say you found me? But, I thought Althea...?” Bridget’s eyes were again distracted as he shifted his weight. The movement exposed a little more of his upper thigh. Did these men wear underwear? And exactly how much sea water had she swallowed to make her think such a thing at a time like this? “I thought she found me.”

  “She healed you. I rescued you,” Caderyn answered. “That makes you my responsibility.”

  Bridget shook,, remembering the feel of lips in the darkness. It was so vivid. Had this man pulled her from the ocean and given her CPR? Her
eyes drifted to his mouth. Those firm lips had been on hers? She shivered. Her heart leaped in her chest. She’d never been around a man as potently sexual as Caderyn. “I suppose I should thank you for that.”

  “You are welcome.” Caderyn again moved and she followed him. The stone was cool against her bare feet as she walked.

  “Your wife won’t mind?” Bridget asked.

  “Wife?”

  “Yes, she won’t mind that I’m staying in your home?”

  Okay, that question was so glaringly obvious. Why wasn’t she concentrating on more important things?

  “I have no wife,” he answered. A cloud passed over his features and she wondered at it.

  “I’m sorry.” It was an automatic response to the look on his face.

  “You are sorry that I have no wife?”

  “No, I just...well, your look. I thought maybe she… was no longer with…” Bridget bit her tongue and made a weak noise.

  He stopped, giving her a very sexy once over. She wondered if the implied meaning was intentional. “I have never been married, nor close to marriage.”

  “Oh.”

  New subject. Concentrate on what’s important, not warrior-hunter’s love life.

  “Do you know what happened to my ship, to the crew?” Bridget felt her throat squeeze. “There were many scientists onboard when it went down. Are they here as well?”

  “We could only save you and Lady Cassandra,” Caderyn said, his expression falling.

  Instantly, her eyes teared. She shook her head. “Oh, no.”

  “For that I am sorry.”

  Bridget swayed on her feet, feeling faint. Dead. They were all dead. Her friends. Dead.

  Chapter 6

  Caderyn watched the woman swaying back and forth before him. He hadn’t relished telling her about the drowned humans, but it was good to get it over with. She looked almost completely recovered from her physical injuries, except for the paleness to her skin and the weak movements of her body. Her hair was no longer bound back but fell in damp black waves over her shoulders. She was one of the most beautiful creatures he’d ever seen.

  Althea had bathed and dressed her. She smelled sweet, like the sea flowers that bloomed at the water entrance of the cave. He was secretly thankful that she wore the shapeless gown. Just looking into her blue eyes made his desires come back, and his body was already at half-mast as if he hadn’t spent the last hour relieving himself of his affliction.

  When her gaze had first roamed over him, he’d seen appreciation in her eyes. She had stared at his chest a long time, so long that he thought she might ask to see it. He would gladly have shown it to her. Caderyn was pleased that she had not looked at Iason the same way.

  The questions about a wife had been odd, and he couldn’t tell if she was just trying to be polite, or if she searched for something more. Caderyn sighed. She was probably just being polite. It was too soon to hope that she would care for him in such a way.

  He studied her carefully, seeing how she took the bad news. When she only continued to stare at him, tears brimming in her wide eyes, he became worried. He reached his hand out to her in question. The woman followed it with her troubled gaze but didn’t take it. Her eyes rolled in her head. Fainting, she fell forward. Caderyn caught her, automatically swinging the unconscious woman up into his arms.

  With a heavy sigh, he knew it was just as well she’d passed out. She’d been through a terrible ordeal and could use the rest.

  He carried her easily. She was so light, delicate, fragile. The wave of protectiveness washed over him again. He hugged her closer, bouncing her so that her arm fell over his shoulder by his neck.

  Caderyn had to admit that it was strange that not one, but three mortals had been saved this night. According to Althea, Rigel had brought back another woman. Rigel was the leader of the Warriors. The two teams had been tracking separate scylla and crossed paths. It was how the first ship had gotten bombarded so quickly. After helping Rigel’s team capture theirs, Caderyn, Solon and Iason had gone after the second scylla.

  Caderyn took a deep breath, smelling the woman. She was so soft. He wanted to pull her closer, wanted to feel her body against his. He refrained. Now was not the time for such things.

  Coming to his home, Caderyn carried Bridget to his bed and put her down. She moaned softly, reaching for him as he pulled away. Her arms fell to the sides, and she turned, snuggling into his soft mattress. His fantasy of her in this very bed came back to him. Glancing at the wardrobe, he crossed over to it to make sure it was locked before keeping hold of the key. There was no reason to risk her poking around in there and getting the wrong idea about his intentions. Well, truthfully, he did have some of those intentions but only with her consent.

  Caderyn took another deep breath. His gut tightened. It would be so easy to position her body, lift her legs and thrust in. It had been so long since he’d had actual flesh—centuries in fact. He suppressed a groan.

  Would she respond to him if he were to touch her? He reached for her bare ankle, watching her face as he made contact, lightly running his fingers over her flesh in small circles. How was it real women reacted when they desired a man? He seemed to remember they moaned a lot, making soft noises in the back of their throat, panting and sighing. Running his fingers a little higher on her calf, he waited. Bridget moaned softly.

  Caderyn smiled. Aye, like that.

  Bridget’s skin didn’t feel like the pleasure nymph’s. It was warmer, more real. He ran his fingers up her leg, letting his arm push up her gown as he touched her knee. She moaned again. The nymph moved, could be trained to do so, but there was something exciting about not being able to program the woman before him to respond in a certain way. There was something frightening about it as well.

  Caderyn pulled his hand back as if burnt. He couldn’t control her response, couldn’t make her want him in her bed, couldn’t make her speak words of desire to him. What if he offered and she said no? What if she said aye and he couldn’t make her come to completion? Did he even know how to make a woman come to completion?

  The lack of confidence was not something he was familiar with. He was a Merr hunter, used to being in control. They had a few single Merr women in their society, but they were like Althea, like him. He had never tried to take any of them as lovers. Because they were so isolated, it was best not to have relationships that didn’t end in commitment. Forever was a long time to hold a grudge against an old lover. Grudges could fester and boil. They’d learned that in the beginning.

  “Forever is a long time to commit,” Caderyn said softly. He was ready for that commitment, or so he thought.

  Still...

  Bridget moaned, blinking. He saw the confusion in her as she pushed up from the bed. She looked around, her eyes stopping on him.

  “They’re all dead,” she whispered.

  Caderyn’s body tensed as she turned to weep into the pillow. He reached out to touch her, but pulled back. Would she want his comfort? He couldn’t take the pain away from her. He couldn’t end her grief before it was time to be ended. Walking to the door, he said awkwardly, “I will leave you to this.”

  Bridget cried for the lost scientists, ignoring Caderyn’s words. It was better that he left her alone so she could gather her thoughts and feelings. She tried to cling to the fleeting hope that they’d made it, that they’d survived somehow. It was a long shot, but it brought a small amount of comfort.

  They’d been far out to sea and Jon had said he couldn’t get anyone on the radio. If they’d gone through some type of time vortex, it would make sense. Somehow, time travel was more comforting right now than monsters in the sea. Even now, maybe Dev was drinking mead with Vikings and Jon was in some futuristic world playing with gadgets.

  Though, to be honest, there was much they didn’t know about the bottom of the ocean. It was quite possible there were strange sea creatures down there, creatures that could be looked at as monsters. Mythology was full of them. Maybe the crea
tures were rising to feed. In many cases mythology was based on truths.

  As a scientist, she had to admit that the sea monster theory was more likely than time travel. Then what about this place? The strange people and clothing? On one hand, they were too modern. On the other, they were too ancient.

  “There has to be a logical explanation for it.” Bridget stood and began to pace. Concentrating on the scientific problem at hand was much easier than facing the emotions that ran rampant beneath her shaky surface. Emotions were messy. Logic and science were constant. They could be counted on. That was why she loved science. Its very nature comforted her. It was the same reason she never really did well in serious relationships. Love had no logic.

  Bridget swiped at her eyes, dashing away the tears. Wishing she had a pen and paper to sort out her thoughts, she made a mental list of probabilities. Logic. She could do logic.

  Chapter 7

  “I’m going to level with you. Just serve it to you straight. We’re below the ocean’s surface. Underwater,” Aidan said. The man was slighter in stature, with short brown hair and kind brown eyes. He wore loose wool pants and a shorter wool shirt. He was introduced to her as ‘one who could best explain it to her.’

  Bridget stared at Caderyn and then at the man standing beside him. A full night of sleep had not prepared her for that comment. Caderyn’s home was much like Althea’s though the colors were more muted in tone. There was an antique brass vase in the corner, a little tarnished from time. The low blue couches had dark green lines woven through them. They had thick backs on them, unlike Althea’s bench seats. She waited, but he didn’t say more.

  “I’m sorry. Did you just say we’re in an underwater habitat?” Bridget asked. It wasn’t a possibility she’d considered before now, but it did make sense. Though, the décor was a little strange for a habitat. Perhaps they had an eclectic decorator and were completely self-sufficient by making their own clothing.