Free Hunted (The Tinder Chronicles) by Alexa Land Page A

forgotten. To some extent, it worked. Most humans
don’t even think we exist these days. Only hunters remember, since their
history is woven with ours.”
    The tattoo had almost
completely faded out by now, only faint traces of it remaining on his smooth,
pale skin. He started to reach for his shirt, but I put my hands on his back,
light immediately spilling out between my splayed fingers. “Wait. Please? Just
a little longer.”
    “One more minute,” he
said, and I ran my hands over his back, again making the tattoo visible.
Starting at the beginning of the inscription, I repeated the incantation once
more, quietly, trying to commit some of the language to memory.
    He actually let me do
this for another five minutes before grabbing his shirt and pulling it on,
saying, “Ok, enough of that.”
    “So, what exactly does
this symbol do for you?” I asked.
    “It amplifies my
strength and speed considerably. And I’m not suggesting this is the symbol for
you, by the way. It only works on vampires. I just wanted to show you that
symbols like this do in fact exist, and I know we can find you a human
equivalent.”
    “Can you teach me more
Varsrescht?”
    “Not now. We’re wasting
too much time on this.”
    “It’s fascinating,
though. Can I please have just a few more minutes to study that symbol?” I asked,
lightly touching his chest. The skin beneath my fingers flared with white
light, and when I pulled my hand away, a portion of a tattoo appeared and then
began to disappear. “You have more,” I exclaimed. “Can I see them?”
    “No.” He turned his
attention to the computer.
    “Why are your tattoos
concealed from view?”
    “Because if my enemies
can’t read my protections, they can’t counteract them. You should consider
doing the same with your tattoos.”
    “Yeah, I’m pretty sure
that kind of spell is beyond my pay grade.”
    “I can show you how to
do it sometime.”
    I watched him for a few
moments, then asked, “What are you doing?”
    He concentrated on the
laptop, then said, “I don’t know where exactly you’ll find the right thing to
make you stronger, but I have a few guesses and am pulling up some documents
for you. Promise me, though, that before you start randomly inking symbols all
over your body, you’ll check with me first. Half your existing tattoos are
either unnecessary or completely redundant.”
    I sighed at that, then watched
Bane’s profile for a few moments before saying, “Can I ask you a question?”
    “Just did.”
    “Don’t be an ass.”
    “Sorry. Go ahead.”
    “Why are you so willing
to turn on your own kind?” I asked. “I mean, here you are, waving your vamp
pride flag and going on about your race’s rich history and culture. But then
you’re also helping me, aiding and abetting the vamps’ Public Enemy Number
One.”
    “Number two, actually.”
    “What?”
    “Vampires are systematically
targeting everyone in California that they consider a threat. Since you’re one
of the few purebred hunters out there, and a bit of a legend, you’re near the
top of their hit list. But you’re not quite in the number one position.”
    I raised an eyebrow at that.
“There’s literally a hit list?”       
    “There is indeed. It’s
like the FBI’s ten most wanted, with photos, descriptions, various information.
They’ve been distributing it all over the state.” That explained why the vamp
in Santa Barbara seemed to recognize me, he must have seen my photo.
    “Is Lee on that list?”
    The question seemed to
annoy him. “Why yes. Your big, dumb playmate is number seventeen.”
    “I need to see that
list, so I can warn the other hunters that are on it,” I said. “Can you get it
for me?” He clicked a few keys and pulled up a file, then turned the computer
toward me. “Really? Is that it?” I asked.
    “It is.”
    The document was
entitled ‘Seek and Destroy.’ Subtle. It began with a brief paragraph explaining
that the list included the