Hunting Tess Kathryn Summers (books to read in a lifetime txt) 📖

fully matured vampire able to walk in the sun is why the Master is trying to get to you.”

I feel like a guppy with the way my mouth moves up and down without sound.

Ben’s delve doesn’t help much. “This guy we were talking to remembered some obscure manuscript talking about a death cheating heroine who because she walked in the light and dark without harm can offer the same to her children.”

“That’s a pretty insane leap to make . . . besides I didn’t have a brush with death! Faking your death and actually dying are two separate things!”

“I told you she would freak out,” Ben mutters to Eliza.

“Freak out? Freak out! I have every right to freak out!”

“Well it doesn’t matter because we’re going to stop him before he gets to you.” The fierce determination in Eliza’s eyes does little to make me feel better.

Parker stands in the now open doorway holding a breakfast tray, his face white.

CHAPTER 10

HIM

I think I’m going to throw up.

CHAPTER 11

HER

Parker looks like he’s going to throw up.

CHAPTER 12

HIM

My temples pound and all I can think about is someone wanting to take my mate. A shutter runs down my spine and I have to repress the powerful urge to shift. I set the tray woodenly on the dresser just inside the door, torn between crushing Tess to me and running through the woods in my wolf suit to hunt down every vampire in a five-hundred-mile radius.

Taking a slow step toward the bed, I approach her cautiously, unsure how she’ll react from the news last night. The bed dips where I sit and I gently put my arms around her, giving her plenty of opportunity to pull away if she wants. I pull her tighter when she doesn’t object, tucking her head under my chin where she releases a heartbreaking sob into my chest. Her fingers entwine themselves in my shirt as I gently rock her and I can feel my blood boiling. The Master won’t have a chance to come near her.

“Hello? Hello? Tess?” a voice calls from her phone which is upside down on the bed. She tenses when she hears the voice. Reaching around her to pick it up, I tell Eliza that Tess will call her back before hanging up.

Reluctant to leave her in such an emotional state we sit for another ten minutes in silence. Basking in the physical contact from my mate I rub her back soothingly, offering what little comfort I can. When she pulls away the tip of her nose is adorably pink.

She sniffles and turns her head like she’s embarrassed. Not wanting to cause her any discomfort, I avoid mentioning anything regarding last night. The last thing I want to do is push her away and she needs time to process that big reveal. I can give her time.

The council meeting should be finishing up soon so I head downstairs to wait for my dad. Those vampires weren’t from Bulgaria, but I can’t rule out the possibility of Tess being the target. If she was, then maybe the one that was captured can give us information about the Master. It’s doubtful there are many living Masters occupying the country since vampires are territorial about their hunting grounds.

“How’s Tess doing? Any better? I have to say she was amazing last night. I have never seen anyone fight like that.” My mother’s concern for my mate makes me happy. When I called to let her know we would be coming for a short visit I told her of our connection but skimmed over a few other pertinent pieces of information.

“She needs time to process things. But yeah, she’s a one-of-a-kind fighter.”

“Well I know you were planning on leaving today, but is there any way I can convince you to stick around? Have a day to unwind from last night?”

“As tempting as that is,” I strain, use to my mother’s antics, “there are a few things I need to do tomorrow afternoon.” With Tess aware of the bond and the way she gets roped into fighting vampires, I’m not planning on taking the trip in two stretches like we did the way here. Plus, I feel more comfortable in my home that’s reinforced with silver in the framework, so if by chance a vampire was able to get in, they wouldn’t be there for long.

We pack up and are on the road shortly after my father returned home with news that the previous night’s attack was purposefully aimed to increase the vampires hunting ground by wiping out the pack. They planned on forcing families to flee their burning homes to keep from facing everyone at once.

My mother had hugged Tess tightly at the doorway and I wish I knew what Tess had been thinking. She still hasn’t said much and we’ve been on the road nearly three hours.

“How long do you think it will take before finding the Master?” she asks, her gaze never straying from the world outside.

My hands clench the wheel and I wish she didn’t have to worry about a Master, or a stupid rumor that upended her second life, or vampires at all. “We have the name Stephany Wares to go on. Plus, I have a friend doing some research. But Masters are illusive. Even if you find where one lives, it’s generally a heavily guarded labyrinth designed to confuse trespassers until they’re hunted down and killed. There’s a reason Masters live a long time. They’re powerful and paranoid.”

“So a long time?” she says quietly.

“Possibly,” I sigh, wishing for better news. “But we will find him. Then you can own a dance studio or do anything else you want to do.”

She stays quiet, pensive, as evergreen trees flash by at a dizzying rate.

“I think I’m going to go back to my apartment. Enough time has passed that it should be safe.”

I swerve to the shoulder, breaking hard until the car stops with a jolt. Turning to her I wonder