The Hunt (By Kiss and Claw #2) - Melissa Haag Page 0,80

waking me to the reality of what I was doing. I didn’t know how to turn it off, though. Not when I was this hungry. So, just like when I fed from Mrs. Quill, I allowed myself three pulls. It was just barely enough for me to stop.

When I opened my eyes, Mr. Quill had Mrs. Quill in his arms as he kissed her passionately. Caldre was rubbing himself against my leg, and I didn’t even need to glance at Aurvandil to know what his hand was doing under the table.

Untangling myself from Caldre, I left the room and cut through the kitchen to the garage. Before I started my car, I switched from the killer heels to the comfortable fur-lined boots I had waiting in the passenger seat.

Tears ran down my face as I backed out of the driveway and started for the cabin.

My phone remained quiet the whole way, which I took as a good sign. Adira hadn’t gone running to my mom. I hadn’t imagined she would. I’d done everything she and Mrs. Quill wanted me to do. Well, everything they’d wanted me to do to some unsuspecting person, not to them.

I sniffled and wiped at my nose with the back of my hand. It felt like I’d just said goodbye to a piece of myself that I’d actually liked. While feeding from them hadn’t been hard to do, it hadn’t felt right, either. Probably because I hadn’t done it to feed but to punish.

The worst part was that I doubted my effort to prove my point would do any good. Adira would continue pushing. But at least she’d have a harder time finding me now, thanks to the druids.

Without intending to, I stopped at the turn for Blueleaf, dried my tears, and reached for my phone.

Me: I can’t remember…did I pay up on my hugs for today?

Fenris: One in the pool, but the one at the car was on the house. You still owe me one, why?

Me: I’m guessing you probably need a hug right now, and I’m on a roll with causing trouble tonight, so I’m thinking of crashing your mating party. Say the word.

Fenris: WORD! WORD!!

Laughing, I tossed my phone into my bag and turned onto the road. It didn’t take me long to realize I’d be walking a long distance when I saw a line of cars parked along the shoulder. It didn’t worry me, though. While I was still wearing the dress, I’d anticipated the long walk to the cabin and had packed a bag to make the trip more tolerable.

After wiping away the makeup smears from crying, I shimmied into leggings. The length of my shining red skirt mostly hid them, but I knew that by the time I layered one of Oanen’s flannels and jackets over the top, it wouldn’t much matter. I wasn’t trying to look pretty; I only wanted to be warm.

Locking the car and pocketing the keys with my phone, I started down the road. The wind caught my hair and played with the strands that had escaped the French twist I’d pinned to the back of my head.

I shivered lightly, but thanks to the group feeding, I wasn’t exactly cold. Unwilling to dwell on the less than pleasant aspects of my day, I focused on what had been good. Or I tried to. Between Piepen’s early morning visit, the pain of the spell removal, the slip at the springs, kicking Fenris out of his cabin, and then the wreck of a dinner, I wasn’t sure what exactly I had to be thankful for, other than surviving it all.

Yet, I still managed to tip my head to the stars and soak up the peace I found in that moment. I’d survived. I’d done the succubus thing and lived. And best of all, no one was trailing after me, begging for more affection.

Maybe today wasn’t a complete failure.

My phone buzzed, and I smiled at Fenris’s impatience.

That smile fled when I read the message, though.

Adira: Removing the spell was unwise as was tonight’s dinner. I expect you to comport yourself appropriately at tomorrow’s dinner.

I created a group message.

Me: Mom, Adira is requiring my presence tomorrow at dinner. Would you mind if I repaid tonight’s raincheck by asking you to join us at the Quills’? With all the demands Adira is putting on my time in an effort to force-feed me, I’m not sure how else I’ll be able to reschedule. Oh, and you might want to leave Dad at