Stryker laughed as heat poured through his body. He cupped Nick's head in his hands and tilted his head so that Nick could drink his powers into him. Stryker knew what was happening to Nick's body. The lust and craving the man was feeling as Stryker's life force invaded him. There was nothing else like it.
And when Nick became more feral from his newfound strength, Stryker pushed him away, into Satara's arms.
Nick whirled on her then and pinned her to the wall before he feverishly kissed her. He needed to release the fire in his body or it would consume him.
Wiping at the blood on his neck, Stryker licked it from his fingers. "Call me when he's through with you."
He wasn't sure Satara could hear him as Nick furiously pulled at her clothes. Stryker left them alone to screw while he savored this moment.
He now had two of Ash's Hunters. One Ash knew about. But the other...
He would be the death of the Atlantean.
Susan was still smiling from the mating ceremony with Ravyn as she entered the offices at the Daily Inquisitor.
"Hi, Joanie," she said, heading for Leo's office.
"Hi, Susan." Joanie leaned over her desk to whisper loudly. "Did you hear that there are vampires who live here in Seattle?"
"Oh, yeah. A lot of them hang out at the Happy Hunting Ground, too."
She watched as Joanie made a note. Shaking her head at the woman, she opened Leo's door. "Hey, boss man, what'cha up to?"
He was sitting with Otto across his desk. "You look awful chipper, Sue. What's up?"
Walking in and shutting the door, Susan handed him her article and watched his face as he read it, then laughed nervously.
"What is this?"
She smiled at him. "I have learned Ibsen. I now know how to embrace the absurd. "
Otto arched a brow at her. "I think she's learned to embrace the bong."
Susan slapped at his shoulder playfully. As she pulled her hand back, Otto grabbed her wrist. "What's this?" he asked, turning it over to see her mark.
A pall went over the room.
Susan balled her hand up, but it was too late for that.
"You can't mate with him," Otto growled. "It's against the rules. You're a Squire."
Susan's heart pounded as she tried to think up a lie.
"Actually," Leo said, leaning back in his chair. "That's not true."
Otto released her. "What do you mean?"
Leo squirmed a bit before he answered. "I kind of forgot to swear her in. She's still technically a civilian."
Otto was aghast. "Leo..."
"Hey, we had a tough week, you know? I was going to get around to it, but things came up."
To her amazement, Otto visibly relaxed. "Damn. Another good Dark-Hunter lost. And I really liked the leopard, too."
Susan went cold at his words. Were they going to kill Ravyn for mating with her? "What do you mean, you're going to lose him?"
Leo gave her an agitated glare. "You haven't read all the manual yet, have you?"