before turning away and heading for the door. âIâm going to get some sleep. Itâs my understanding that the Huntresses are entertaining the Hunters in the barracks. Maybe you should seek out yours as well.â
Lance flinched despite himself. âSheâs not what she seems either,â he murmured as he turned toward the wet bar, badly in need of something hard and strong.
He did go to the barracks though. Not because he wanted to find Arianaâor to assuage the nagging feeling of mistrust, jealousy, whatever, at the thought of her maybe entertaining herself with one of his Hunter brothersâbut because the noise was rising throughout the house. A full-fledged house party happening down below that had him feeling like the responsible parent needing to dole out some discipline.
What he found actually shocked him, letting him know just how isolated and conservative heâd become since joining the Order as a young teen.
It wasnât just the unmated Hunters at the partyâit was some of the scholars, young and old in attendance. And it wasnât just loud music and booze, it was a full on orgy of hedonism. There were bodies everywhere, pockets of one-on-one, Hunter, Huntress, Huntress and Huntress. Groups of tangled limbs, naked bodies, sweat, moans, screams of pleasure. The aroma of sex, the sweet smell of alcohol, the sound of ecstasy being reached, the euphoria. It made him hard, his cock aching, his heart racing, searching for the one that he really wanted to sink into, to lose himself in.
My Huntress.
And then she was there. Watching him from across the room. Fully clothed, seemingly unfazed by all the tangled bodies, the display of flesh, the satisfied groans.
Hands on his crotch, popping the button of his jeans, tugging on the zipper had him lazily looking down, somehow expecting to see Ariana there on her knees once again despite the fact that she was across the room. But it wasnât Ariana. It was some other Huntress, her long dark hair a mess, makeup streaked, lips open, ready to devour him. He swatted her hands away and snapped his gaze back up to see Ariana walk away.
Cut her off at the pass. He pushed backward, away from the grabbing hands coming for him, the bodies threatening to pull him in. Unlatching himself from that possibility, he freed his legs, which had somehow become tangled up in the mess, and pushed through the doors to the hall.
Fresh air assaulted him, clearing his brain from all the sex. He gave his head a shake then took off down the side hall toward the second entrance of the barracks, knowing by the pulse of his tattoo that heâd find Ariana there. Or not quite there but down the stairs and outside, staring at the forest surrounding the property, arms crossed, breath frosting on the exhale.
âI didnât.â He wasnât sure why he was reassuring her, but he felt like she needed to know. âI wouldnât have touched any of them.â
âWhy not?â She shrugged without looking at him. âI would have.â
It was a slap, or more like a kick in the balls once again, but before he could speak sheâd turned on him, finger in his face, anger flaring.
âI told you I wonât bond with you. I told you that! Why did you do it?â She rubbed her chest where heâd tried to mark her. âWe were having a good time.â
âA good time?â He frowned, the ache in his gut sliding away, replaced by anger. âThatâs all this is to you? You find your Hunter, the one man who is supposed to stand by you, make you stronger, partner with you for eternity, bolster you, guide you, be your best friend and all you want is to have a good time?â
âI donât need any of those things. I donât need you,â she snarled. âNo man will control me, Hunter or not. I donât need anyone.â
âItâs the most sacred of bonds.â
âTo you maybe. To the Order