Page 11 of Knight’s Absolution

He lifted a hand, silencing her without words, and slowly turned to face her. His eyes were glowing, his yellow irises burning into her.

“You saved him,” he said, voice echoing eerily. “I gave you everything, Luna. I’ve protected you, taken care of you and your brother. I gave you all of me. My blood, my heart, my body, and over and over again you throw it back in my face?”

She shook harder. She’d never wanted any part of him. She had endured it, him, all of him, to stay alive, to protect her brother. And the only thing he cared about was how powerful she and Ronan made him.

“You are an emotionless void, my little dhampir.”

He’d said those words or variations of them to her many times, but for some reason when he said them now, she had to fight not to flinch.

“It is beyond your capabilities to care for this knight. So, what is it? Has he offered you something? Something you want? It must be something good to risk betraying me again? Are you sharing intel with them?” he asked, voice deceptively calm, but she knew better.

She shook her head. “I don’t know him. I don’t know what happened down there. I was only watching, I didn’t do anything…”

“Shhh, not another word,” he said as he moved toward her, his blazing yellow eyes never once leaving her. He closed in and took her face in his hands. “You know what happens now, don’t you? You know what happens when you betray me?”

Yes, and she’d rather be dead than endure it again.

And by the time he’d finished with her, she’d be as close to death as she’d ever been before.

CHAPTER 3

Gunner woke with a shout, heart pounding, body soaked with sweat. That scream, Christ, it shook him to the core. His skin was hot and cold at the same time, tingling, goose bumps raised all over his flesh.

What the hell was wrong with him?

You’re losing your mind.

It was late afternoon, nearly time to head back out and hunt, thank fuck. It was the only thing keeping his head straight. Or maybe not. Shit.

His and Rocco’s conversation about Kyler filtered through his head.

“Have you sensed her at all?”

“Sometimes, I think I do…but only when I’m asleep.”

The echo of that tormented scream was still ringing through Gunner’s head.

Could it be…

He growled and shoved the covers back. No, goddammit, she was gone. He strode across the room, dragging a hand over his buzzed hair. Thoughts like that were dangerous for his state of mind. He’d end up like Rocco if he let that shit sink in and take hold. He’d searched for her, reached out for her repeatedly—still did. Without even realizing he was doing it. Christ, several times a day, and he always got the same thing back. Nothing.

What he was hearing, that scream echoing through his mind every night, was his own damn guilty conscience. What else could it be?

He strode to the shower, desperate to wash the sweat from his body. Cranking the water as hot as he could handle, he climbed in.

Resting his hands on the cool tile, he let his head drop, hot water soothing his stiff muscles. And god help him as soon as he let down his guard, it flashed through him again, that brief moment when he felt her, his female. It had only been minutes, but it had hit him like a bolt of lightning.

That memory was visceral, so damn real, and always came at him when he was at his weakest.

It washed over him with the scalding hot water, forcing a cry from him before he could stop it.

He’d never felt anything like it. Elation, fear, an all-consuming longing for someone he’d never even met but was suddenly the most important part of him.

A missing piece he hadn’t known was missing until he’d felt her.

Then she was gone, and he hadn’t felt whole since.

Fuck, he’d known her at that moment, despite never laying eyes on her. And he felt her loss now in the same way he would feel the loss of one of his brothers.