Sentries had been positioned throughout the woods to prepare for this thing everyone called a hunt. According to Dom, the hunt celebrated past Ravager tradition, when the Ravager males used to hunt for their females in the years when females were plentiful, before life and their society changed. Since Ravagers considered their females sacred, no one was ever harmed during a hunt, but the exciting predator to prey relationship reminded everyone where they’d come from.
A place not of this world, Vicki thought, uneasy. In Cross Step, where everyone was different, it was easy to forget that most of the town’s citizens came from other planets.
Movement around her alerted her to the fact that half the Ravagers had transformed into their guers, while others, like Eric’s pack—her pack—remained in human form. Diana stood next to Sean. Neither looked at the other, but anytime a male stepped too close to Diana, her cousin pushed him back with a welling of fierce energy.
Vicki blinked in astonishment, wondering just when Sean’s possessive streak had formed. For days he’d been bitching about being marked. Now, it seemed, he’d staked his own claim on Diana.
Kate remained apart from the others. Jesse and Logan stood behind her, their attention on the dark-haired female. The cloud of lusty energy swelling around the threesome built and built, and those nearest the group shuffled around on distracted feet.
The anticipation in the air all around her told Vicki something big was about to happen. She had a bad feeling it had to do with her, since Malcolm and Dom refused to allow her to move two steps without bringing her right back to Eric. And that was another thing. Why the hell was Malcolm now so chummy with Eric and Dom? And why did he look at her as if she were the cherry on top of his personal dessert?
He caught her stare and winked before licking his lips.
An answering desire zinged through her, and she forced herself to look away, happy at least that only a select few of these Ravagers revved her engine. This is no time to get hot for just any Voider with attitude, Victoria. No way. Not here.
Eric raised a hand, and the surrounding noise ceased. “It’s been way too long since we last had a hunt. I’m sorry to say issues among our clan and other Voiders throughout town have kept me preoccupied, but no longer. As many of you may have noticed, we have some new faces among us.”
Someone shoved Sean forward, and he swore back at them. Diana rolled her eyes but couldn’t hide a grin.
“Sean Morely. Diana’s claimed mate,” Eric said in a loud, challenging voice. “He’s human, a Conduit, and if any of you have the balls to take him on, go for it.”
Sean scowled like a thundercloud. The grumbling around them grew louder until two hulking Ravagers in their guer stepped forward.
“Diana, you choose a human over your own kind?” One of them sneered at Sean.
“And a puny human at that,” another added, hovering over Sean by a foot.
Sean didn’t blink as he absorbed their energy and used it to throw them both back on their asses, several feet away. Diana grinned with pride and didn’t protest when Sean threw an arm around her shoulders and anchored her to him, daring anyone else to pick a fight.
Dom laughed. “As you can see, Diana’s mate has skills. Don’t underestimate him. Prime never would have allowed the match were it not plain to see the male can hold his own.”
Several around them grunted. Sean narrowed his gaze on Eric but didn’t comment.
“More news,” Eric added. “Kate has declared her own pack.”
Cheers and clapping buoyed Kate to step forward.
“Jesse and Logan are no longer part of my pack, though I’ll always treasure what time we had together.” Eric smiled at the trio. “It’s a great honor Kate has given them. Honor her well,” Eric warned them, “or you’ll answer to me.”
Logan and Jesse responded with a solemn nod. The joy that should have been there wasn’t, and Vicki knew she wasn’t the only person there wondering what the hell existed among the three of them besides desire.
Eric turned to her before looking back out at the crowd. “And for my big news.” The area quieted. “I’ve taken Malcolm into the pack to be claimed. He’s a fine warrior, as you all know. His initiation into the family will take place tonight, once Dom catches him.”
Malcolm seemed startled by the announcement, but several in the crowd snickered and cheered. She could only imagine what Dom would do to him, which had her quivering with unanticipated lust. Who would have thought she’d be aroused by the thought of guy Ravagers getting it on?
The desire on Dom’s face as he eyeballed Malcolm was plain to see.
As was the satisfaction on Eric’s as he watched her. Oh hell, he wasn’t finished.
“And now we come to a truly joyous occasion.”
The anticipation in the crowd swelled. Vicki felt dizzy waiting for Eric to drop his bomb. She just knew it wouldn’t be pretty.
It wasn’t.
“Once I catch my new queen, you’ll see why she’s the one who’ll bear my young.”
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Everyone froze. The murmurs turned into shouts, growls, and howls.
Dom and Malcolm gave her wicked smiles. Sean swore, as did Logan and Jesse, which must have irritated Kate because she turned on her heel and left the area. The pair raced to follow her.
Vicki glared at Eric. Did he really think she’d accept his announcement without an argument? She opened her mouth to retort but paused when he stripped down to nothing. Anger and arousal merged, the way they normally did around him. He changed into his guer, and the rest of the unchanged Ravagers followed suit.
She backed up a step. “I don’t think—” Vicki jumped when Eric made a grab for her. Acting on instinct, she pulled the crowd’s energy and molded it into a force she could use. Thrusting her hands out, she used the gathered power at those closest to her. Setting off a small, invisible explosion, she knocked several Ravagers to the ground. Definitely time for her to go.
She shot into the woods, her heart in her throat, and wondered how best to avoid this mess snowballing into one giant SNAFU. Except a large part of her didn’t want to escape. It wanted worthy males to catch her, to take her, to possess her, finally.
So not normal.
God in heaven. Just days ago, she’d made one wrong turn and ended up sitting at the wrong table in the wrong bar. From that Eric thought he could just keep her? So what if he’d been the best sex she’d ever had? Or that the idea of having sex with him and Dom together made her wet just thinking about it? And Malcolm, don’t forget him. She hated to slut shame herself, but she couldn’t escape the notion that desire for so many men at once couldn’t be right. Hell, before she’d met her Ravagers, she’d been celibate for nearly a year.
She wanted to blame her raging desires on being marked. Better that than to admit she wanted to sleep around with a bunch of hot Voiders—males now covered in fur and sporting erections. Damn it. Several ran on either side of her, and she increased her pace. How the hell could they run with an erection, she wondered hysterically as she turned to dodge a Ravager reaching for her. What if whoever caught her could keep her, and the Ravagers who found her first weren’t Eric, Dom, or Malcolm?