with a wave of his hand, and they all entered the apartment.
Before Selena could react, Atreides tore the phone from her grasp. Immediately, her heart pounded, and Selena grabbed for the phone, but Colt intercepted her and pulled her away.
Atreides’s eyes glittered with malice, and he said into the phone, “What would Selena need to see Twilight about?”
“Who is this?”
A vampire who would know the truth from the huntress one way or another. “A friend of Selena’s. But a vampire bit her last night. She needs a hunter’s protection in the event the rogue returns for her. Why wouldn’t her brother do it?”
“She has…she has had a falling out with her brother.”
“What about a cousin? Her father? Who else could protect her?”
“Who is this?”
“You’re not a huntress, are you?” Tara Green was a human, or Atreides couldn’t have so easily controlled her mind, which didn’t make any sense since most hunters only associated with their own kind. Though very little about the huntress made any sense.
“No. I’m her friend. Why…why don’t you protect her?”
“She needs a hunter’s protection. Why did she need to see Twilight?”
“You’re…you’re a vampire, aren’t you? My God, you’re a vampire! You made me invite you into her apartment, didn’t you? She’ll kill me.” Tara let out her breath. “I don’t know why Twilight needed to see her. She said she had information for Selena.”
“About her sister?” Atreides kept his eyes on the huntress. She jerked her wrist away from Colt and collapsed on the white leather sofa. In fact, now that he had a chance to look at the place, he noticed how it looked like a puff of cloud, from the white leather couch and loveseat and the white-washed wood end tables and wood tables, to the ceiling fan overheard, its five white blades twirling around.
“What kind of information did Twilight have for her?” he asked the human.
Selena’s eyes darted to Atreides’s.
“I told you I don’t know.”
“Who can Selena call to protect her?”
“No one. Sounds to me like you’re it. That would be a real switch.”
He could hear amusement in the human woman’s voice, but he was not amused.
“I’ve gotta run. Nice talking to you. Keep her safe, will you? She’s the only huntress friend I’ve got.”
The phone clicked dead.
Atreides glanced at Selena, looking red-faced and small as she sat on the couch. He crossed the floor to join her. “You have a human friend. You were meeting with a blood bond for some kind of information, and your family won’t protect you. What kind of a mess have you gotten yourself into?”
She tilted her chin up and glowered at him. “I haven’t gotten myself into any mess. It’s my…” She shook her head. “My business is none of your concern.”
“When you walked into my jurisdiction and were attacked by one of my kind, it became my business.”
“We can’t let her stay here alone,” Basil warned.
“She can still come to my ranch,” Colt offered, looking hopeful.
Atreides rubbed his chin, realizing he had no other choice but to put her under his protection until he could discover what information she needed from Twilight and why her hunter family was ostracizing her.
“Colt, Renault, search her place for huntress weapons.”
The two men bowed and vanished.
Selena’s back stiffened. “I’m perfectly fine here, as long as you don’t invite my attacker into the place.”
His friends reappeared and shook their heads, which confirmed Atreides’s suspicions. Her kind had banished her from carrying weapons. Yet she had somehow kept a sword for her defense. She was a rogue huntress. None of her kind would aid her, and without other weapons at her disposal, she was no match for a renegade vampire. Despite his misgivings, he would not leave her at the mercy of the one who had targeted her.
“Pack your bags. You’ll return with me.”
Selena’s eyes narrowed. “You won’t tell me what to do.”
“You don’t have a choice, huntress. Either you come with me, or I stay here with you.” Though he had no intention of staying here with the huntress.
Renault grinned. “What will the neighbors think?”
“Fine.” Selena stormed off down the hall.
Colt snickered. “I guess she’s worried about her reputation.”
“I doubt she has much of one to protect,” Atreides said under his breath.
“Meaning?” Colt asked.
“She’s a renegade,” Basil offered. “I knew when she came to the club that she wasn’t a typical huntress. Hell, first your brother Daemon gets tangled up with a huntress who was a borderline renegade, Atreides, and now you are involved with one who is a full-fledged