Blood Life Seeker by Nicola Claire Read Free Book Online Page B

being the vampire hunter extraordinaire, him the Taniwha shape shifter. I know Rick and he knows me. That's why I was having so much trouble getting my head around him starting a vampire hunting posse up right now. It just wasn't his style.
    He was sitting in the corner of the kick-boxing area with a couple of guys. I recognised them immediately. One was Josh, a brainiac member of the Hapū. Josh was the Taniwha who hacked Nero's website for me. He's young, about 22 and built as big and as tough as Rick is, but he's got a naughty side. He's a teaser, a joker and a major flirt. I couldn't help liking Josh. The other two were also members of Rick's Hapū. The testosterone from that one little corner outweighed the entire gym right now, I should think.
    The other two Taniwhas were Mikey and Joe. Mikey was a little on the tubby side - even shape shifters have a penchant for fast food - but an OK kind of guy. I'd not really had that much to do with him. He's about 27, so older than me, but about Rick's age and has long shaggy hair. I've never seen him in his Taniwha form, I wondered if his teeth were as sharp as Rick's or blunted from too much good eating. Joe was Rocky's twin brother. Just as boisterous, just as lovable, but alive. How must it be to lose your twin? I could not imagine.
    The first time I saw Joe after the battle was the hardest of my life. I made a special trip out to Whenuapai to see Jerome and thank him and the Hapū for their help in the battle against Max. Also, to pay my respects. Joe had been there and at first I was mortified to have to face the brother of the boy who had died because of me, but afterwards I realised it was for the best. Facing him had been hard, not facing him would have ended up being worse in the long run.
    I looked at the group huddled in the corner and I saw it. Anger, frustration and hurt. This was the posse then. I hadn't expected to have to face them all, no time like the present though.
    Rick noticed me first as I crossed the mat towards them. His chocolate brown eyes didn't give anything away, there was no smile, but I didn't sense any unease either. Just neutral. Nothing.
    “Hey guys. How's it going?” I asked the group at large.
    The others spun around a little too quickly for normal humans, but they weren't normal were they? I kept reminding myself that right now as I felt the prickles of all those negative emotions running over my skin. It's not like I can read or receive emotions like Michel can mine, it's just you get used to the otherness of supernaturals and their mood or aura has an effect on me. I think with strong emotions that effect is sometimes more intense. Their auras practically try to smother me.
    “Hey Luce.” That was Rick. Nothing more, just a greeting. It used to be we'd fall into a conversation with ease. Why was I getting the feeling that was no longer the case?
    The others all nodded, Josh winked.
    There was a moment of awkward silence and then I thought to hell with this and said, “So, what's this I hear about you wanting to hunt vampires?”
    I've not always been this forward, usually I have a little more tact. I'm no diplomat, that's Michel's area not mine, but I can usually curb my thoughts before they reach my mouth. Recently however, life has just become too precious to beat around the bush.
    Josh laughed, Rick stiffened and looked angrier and the others just stared at the floor.
    It was Rick who spoke first.
    “You been checking up on me, Luce? I didn't think you cared.”
    Now that was a bit low, wasn't it? I was still his mate. Wasn't I?
    “Celeste is worried about you, Rick. She phoned me.”
    I'm not sure if Celeste wanted me to divulge that little bit of information, but she was going to have to face him sooner or later about this, I was just speeding it along a little. It's not that I was trying to cause trouble, but Celeste needed to toughen up over this. She's the one about to marry him, not me.
    Rick's face clouded over briefly then