The Hunt (By Kiss and Claw #2) - Melissa Haag Page 0,132

air around us. His distinct flavor stood out amongst the growing lust of the crowd, a solitary buffet of refined dining in a sea of mediocre fast food.

The taste of lava cake coated my tongue as I fed. It was better than my dreams. So good that I didn’t want to stop. I wanted to gorge myself. To continue plucking cakes from the trees until my stomach was swollen with my meal.

But first, I needed air. I tore my lips from his, panting. He didn’t have the same problem and trailed kisses along my jaw.

“Come on, nibbles. That wasn’t nearly enough.” His scent changed subtly, and the rich chocolatiness retreated as a tartness surged forward. Lemon cake.

“Take what you need.”

Those words rang in my head like a gong. How many times had the trees said that to me when I stopped eating the cakes they offered? Lava cakes. Lemon cakes. At my house, where I always woke with the window open. Windows that were warded against intrusion but opened anyway. At the cabin…

I recalled last night. How the earthquakes had woken me from another cake dream. How Fenris had been right there. How I’d gone home and had another cake dream, and the trees had sounded exactly like Fenris.

How the window had been open again.

Fenris had been in my room, and it hadn’t been the first time. I thought back to when the cake dreams had started just after Mrs. Quill stopped feeding me. Then, I remembered the night Mom had burst in on us and found Fenris in bed with me. The way my legs had been wrapped around his waist and how she’d thought she’d interrupted me feeding.

I hadn’t been lasting longer between meals. I’d been feeding in my sleep.

I’d been feeding on Fenris for weeks.

Pulling back, I looked at him in horror.

“What have I done?”

Epilogue

Fenris…

The tang of Eliana’s panic tormented my nose as she stared up at me. The black that had consumed her eyes bled away in an instant, and I knew, in that moment, she’d finally figured out how she’d been feeling fine without eating.

Before she could try to run, I grabbed her by the shoulders.

“Don’t doubt yourself, Eliana. Don’t doubt us. You did exactly what I’d hoped you would do. Exactly what you were meant to do.”

Despite what I’d said, the scent of her despair didn’t decrease. Knowing that I’d pushed her as much as I dared, for now, I did the only thing I could do.

“Your mom is upstairs. Go to her. But walk, Eliana. Do you understand?” I wasn’t sure I’d be able to control myself if she chose to physically run from me now.

She nodded, tears already forming in her beautiful brown eyes. My heart suffered a few damaging cracks as I watched her walk away.

I wanted Eliana.

I wanted to love her, provide for her, help her find her happiness. Most of all, I wanted to protect her from the pain of her struggle to find herself. But some pains were necessary to shape us into who we’re meant to be. Knowing that simple truth didn’t spare me from the pain of her suffering.

Staying where I was in the sea of dancers, I watched my future climb the stairs and hoped she’d embrace this new truth instead of trying to run from it like she’d been doing for so long.

There was only one kind of running left that I wanted from Eliana. And after all these years, my patience to see that happen was finally giving out.

Eliana would soon be mine.

Thank you for reading The Hunt, the second book in the By Kiss and Claw series. The series continues with The Hunger. Coming soon!

Author’s Note

It’s fun to explore different aspects of human nature. While Eliana is very much fictional, her ability to self-delude even when the truth is right in front of her face is a very human trait. It’s one of those traits we can easily identify in others but rarely in ourselves. From moms who believe their kids would never have sex before marriage to kids who believe their parents will never know they’re coming home drunk to the man wearing a toupee on a windy day, self-delusion is everywhere. It serves a purpose. It protects us from truths we might not be emotionally or mentally equipped to face.

But ready or not, most of us deal with those truths eventually, and that’s something Eliana is just beginning to understand. I can’t wait to share the final installment in their trilogy. While I know there’s a lot going on with the whole “where’s Ashlyn?” and the banshees’ screaming, don’t let that distract you from the real story, which is Eliana finally grasping who she really is and what Fenris means to her.

There are some really fun distractions I threw at you, though. Mostly just because I love the dynamics between the characters in this series, especially the triangle going on between Fenris, Piepen, and Eliana. That little “flitter” cracks me up with his desperation and obliviousness. There’s so much in store for him in book 3!

And speaking of desperation, how excited are you that the cat’s finally out of the bag with Fenris? Well, half a cat. The other half won’t stay in the bag for long in book 3, The Hunger. That poor guy needs some more hugs, right? Don’t worry, he has a plan to win them all as you’ve glimpsed in the previous scene extras and in this Epilogue.

If you loved the Epilogue and want more of that kiss scene from Fenris’s point of view, be sure to sign up for my newsletter at melissahaag.com/subscribe. I’m writing a special bonus scene that I’ll share next month.

For those of you who are really needing to know what’s up with Ashlyn, you won’t find out everything in this series because she’s getting a trilogy of her own. I’m honestly not sure if that’s going to make you all happy or sad, but I’m loving this world and not ready to leave it yet. So hopefully, you’re in it for the long haul with me. I think you’re going to love what’s happening to her. I won’t say more. All will be revealed in book 3!

There were so many characters in this series. I don’t know if you’re counting, but I am! The cast is close to sixty and still growing. It’s not easy coming up with so many names. Thankfully, I’ve had some amazing readers volunteer their names as tribute. Special thanks go out to Miranda and her amazing husband, Jeanette, Angelica and Maria (as their frost giant counterparts Aurvandil and Caldre), and Nikki and Nicole (as their frost giant counterparts, Nico and Nikhil, in book 1). Without readers like you, I’d have a bunch of nameless people running amok between the pages. <3

I’m humbled by your continued support and words of encouragement. Thank you for reading and telling others about my books. Your recommendations on social media and in your friend circles are so appreciated and keep me writing.

Happy reading!

Melissa

The Hunger

Coming Soon!

Power isn’t everything. But in Uttira, it’s all that matters.

The truth is harder to face than I ever imagined. I’ve made too many mistakes to count. So, no more failures. No more running. It’s time to embrace what I am.

Eliana thought she had everything under control. However, she discovered just how wrong she was. She’s been feeding from Fenris in her sleep, and now he’s bound to her in ways she never wanted. She knows she needs to let him go; yet with him, she could have the one thing she’s secretly wanted. A mate for life.

To make matters worse, Adira pushes her to enjoy Fenris while Raiden is doing everything possible to keep the two apart. Including bringing back the one person who would willingly kill Eliana to have Fenris for herself. Tired of it all, Eliana does what she’s been fighting not to do for so long: She embraces what she is.

It’s time for the people in power to feel what it’s like to be a puppet. And when she’s done, the world will be on its knees.

Warning: Contains an affection-starved werewolf, a brownie fond of public exhibition, and a succubus on the edge.

Read More

More Books In This World

Mantirum World Trilogies

Of Fates and Furies

Fury Frayed

Fury Focused

Fury Freed

By Kiss and Claw

The Howl

The Hunt

The Hunger

Other Series

Also by Melissa Haag

Judgement of the Six Series

(and Companion Books) in order:

(more shifters to make you “grr”)

Hope(less)

Clay’s Hope*

(Mis)fortune

Emmitt’s Treasure*

(Un)wise

Luke’s Dream*

(Un)bidden

Thomas’ Treasure*

(Dis)content

Carlos’ Peace*

(Sur)real**

*optional companion book

**written in dual point of view

Other Titles

Touch

Moved

Warwolf

Nephilim