Eclipsed Hearts

Prowling

“Do you have any questions?” Ian asked after giving me a rundown on the places the wolf liked to go to and how he behaved while there.

I scanned the map, trying to think of if there was anything I didn’t understand. Though I didn’t like him, I could admit that Ian impressed me. He was definitely good at putting things together and explaining his results. I shook my head at him.

“No. I’ve got it,” I replied.

Folding my arms, I took in the map one more time. The wolf’s patterns and behavior were laid out before me, like a puzzle waiting to be solved. A sense of determination washed over me, fueled by both curiosity and the need to avenge my family.

“Good. Tomorrow night, we’ll have to stick closer together, but tonight and when we go to the nightclub in the next town over, we can split up. Take this,” he said as he handed me something that looked like a watch. “Tap on the face of that to activate it if something happens. It’ll send me a signal and your location. Don’t let him get you alone. Understand?”

His eyes took on a serious light toward the end of his instructions. Nerves skittered through my stomach and goosebumps raised on my skin. I’d never reacted to anything like that before. Perhaps the idea of being alone with the monster who took my family was that overwhelming.

I accepted the watch and locked eyes with him, giving a firm nod of my head before working to put the watch on. He needed to understand that I wasn’t afraid, and I wasn’t some weak little woman. I was a hunter and a Damson. No werewolf was going to take me down or take me at all without a fight.

“Don’t worry. I can take care of myself.”

Ian stared at me for a moment before shaking his head and muttering something under his breath. After a moment, he looks at me again. It seemed like he was trying to figure out how to reason with an insane person.

“A human against a werewolf is dangerous. It’s worse if you’re alone and unarmed. If something happens, use the watch. Don’t try to be the big badass hunter. Don’t make me explain to the leader of your clan how your cockiness got you killed.”

Heat rose in my face. For a bit, I’d actually forgotten what an asshole he was. I wasn’t saying that I would do something stupid.

Though I resist snapping at him, I really want to punch him in his stupid face. I’m not the type to accept people saying things like that, but there’s something about Ian. When he says things like that, I’m more hurt than angry and I don’t like how that feels.

“I’ll use it if necessary,” I answer, returning my focus to the hunt.

“That’s all I ask.”

He watches me as I continue to fumble with the watch, trying to get it on with only one hand. After the third time the band slipped, he sighed and held out his hand. I looked at it, then up at him.

“Give it to me. I’ll help you put it on,” Ian said.

I rolled my eyes and took off the watch. His hand flexed as I put the watch on his palm, my fingers brushing his skin lightly. Ian moved even closer after that.

“Just get it over with.” I tried to make my tone flippant as I thrust my arm at him.

This is just another way he’s acting like he’s better than me. This wasn’t about helping me. It was about making me feel useless and childlike. It was about showing me ‘my place’.

Ian’s touch was surprisingly gentle as he positioned my arm so he could tighten the band of the watch. He focused on the work, but there were times, moments when his fingers would lightly caress my skin. Maybe I was reading too much into it.

Once it latched, he turned my arm over and adjusted the face of the watch. His hand lingered on mine for a moment before he let me go and turned away.

“Let’s go. We’ve wasted enough time,” Ian growled as he started getting himself ready to go.

It was enough to shake me out of the weird headspace I was in after he touched me. Men rarely treated me gently, at least, not other hunters who were men. They treated me the way they treated other men. Well, the ones who weren’t interested in spending a night with me. I had little experience outside my clan, but I had met a few other hunters from different clans.

I felt a little irritated at myself. His touch was surprisingly nice, and part of me wanted more. Ian made it clear he wasn’t interested, though. I most certainly wasn’t going to pursue something. His touch might be nice, but I wasn’t one for hate fuсking.

“Yeah, you’re right. Let’s get moving. We’re wasting moonlight.”

He led me out through the back of the shack. A parked car was in the ragged-looking, overgrown dirt driveway. Ian opened the passenger side door for me and looked at me expectantly.

For a moment I hesitated, but got in. He headed to the driver’s side and got in while I put on my seatbelt. Once he closed the door, the scent of his cologne and something mysterious and wild filled the small space. I watched the scenery go past as we pulled out onto the road and tried to ignore the scent.

There is a tension in the car that I didn’t notice in the shack. Perhaps it was the smaller space, but it was intense and I didn’t like it at all.

“When we park, you can go into the bar first. I’ll follow after about five minutes,” Ian told me, making me tense slightly. Hunters don’t jump.

“Why the time gap? Couldn’t we just walk in together?”

“Mari, we don’t want to draw attention. People look at me. I want you to go first. They’ll be less likely to give us any problems this way. No women focused on you while trying to get my attention. No men focused on me while considering if they could get your attention. You’re a beautiful woman. I don’t want to play boyfriend in this case,” Ian replied.

A blush warmed my cheeks when he called me beautiful. Not that no one told me I was beautiful, but it felt different from him.

“But we need to play relationship for tomorrow?”

“We do,” Ian admitted, his voice low and guarded. “It’s just for a night. And it’s for your safety, not mine.”

I watched the road ahead, trying to ignore the strange mix of emotions racing through me. On one hand, Ian’s touch and words made me feel beautiful in a way no one else had. But, on the other hand, I secretly despised him and felt disgusted that I had any emotions for him beyond what was necessary for the mission.

“Got it,” I replied.

After a while, we arrived at the bar. It was dimly lit, with flickering signs and neon lights illuminating the entrance. Ian shooed me out of the car and took off once I was on the sidewalk. Asshole.

Inside, old beer signs and vintage artwork adorned the walls, giving the place a nostalgic feeling. Bar stools lined the wooden bar, while mismatched tables and chairs created a cozy and eclectic atmosphere throughout the place. Not what I was expecting.

The air was heavy with the scent of wood and old beer, mixed with the smell of fried food from the kitchen. The lingering scent of cigarette smoke hung in the air, a throwback to the days when smoking indoors was still allowed. That smell never wanted to leave once it got in a place.

I didn’t pause to look around. Instead, I went to the bar and placed an order for a beer. Sitting on a stool and sipping my beer, I scan the reflection of the bar in the mirror that’s positioned behind the bottles of alcohol.

Some patrons of the bar are looking at me as they talk. Most are paying attention to their talks, drinks, games, or companions. A few were definitely giving me looks that made me uncomfortable. They were predatory. They were definitely not so dissimilar from a werewolf looking for prey.

“Guess we start here,” I muttered into my drink while keeping an eye out for the werewolf.