Hunter never spoke of what she had seen that night with her. He never even alluded to it in front of the others. Lyssa never shared her dream with him either, even though she really wanted to help him shoulder some of the pain. He did tell them that he had passed an initiation and was now considered a full-fledged member of the Craven. Logan had passed his as well. From there, the men were doing what they could to help them pinpoint the movement of the Craven without it being obvious where the information was coming from. Every time new information was passed on, the guardians felt the need to act, but they knew that if they attacked them too early, it would reflect poorly on their undercover guardians. While the mission was important, so were the Guardians hiding within the Craven’s depths. Lyssa knew that one day they would gather enough intelligence to take action. Until then, she counted the hours until Hunter returned.

Even though Hunter was extremely caught up in his mission, he remained true to his word. He made sure to fulfill her birthday requests by sending her a message that he would be back in time to go out with her, so Lyssa spent the morning with Jackson, anxious for Hunter to return.

“Happy birthday, dear one.” Jackson pulled a package from behind his back and handed it to her.

“Thank you!” Lyssa reached for it and pulled it to her chest.

“I wouldn’t thank me yet. Wait until you see what’s inside. You might want to give it back.” Jackson tilted his head and crossed his arms in front of him.

Lyssa tore open the wrapping and found a photo album tucked inside. Lyssa opened up the first page and shrieked. “Where did you get this!”

“I have my sources.” He winked at her.

Pictures of their youth together were plastered on every page. The years of horrible hair cuts, tight fitting jeans, and huge ruffled shirts looked back at her. She hadn’t seen pictures of her school days in quite some time. When she was living them, she’d never felt anything less than awkward and disgusting, but looking at them now, she found beauty and light. A tear sprang to her eye, and she wiped it away. “I was…”

“You still are beautiful my dear. I just thought you needed a reminder.”

Lyssa threw her arms around his neck and squeezed him in a tight hug. “You always know what I need. How in the world did I ever get so lucky?”

“Better lucky than cursed, I suppose.”

Lyssa fingered the picture of them standing together by the wall. Jackson had his arm around her shoulders and was kissing her on the top of her head. The photo brought back memories she had locked away. Their relationship back then had been symbiotic. She had needed someone she trusted with her heart, and so had he. Both were confused teenagers desperate for love. They had found it in an unconventional way. Dating.

“You were my safety net, when I was trying to figure out myself.” Jackson put a hand on her arm.

“You know it broke my heart to hurt you, but I knew you needed more than me.” Lyssa kissed him on the cheek.

“All roads lead to the future. Now, look at us. For the first time we’re…”

“Whole.” Lyssa pulled him to the couch and sat down next to him. “Where would I be without you in my life?”

“A fashion disaster?”

Lyssa giggled. “That’s the truth. But seriously, you give me strength and courage.”

“You always had that deep inside you. I just saw it before you did.” Jackson cleared his throat. “So what are the plans for today?”

“Hunter is coming back today. We’re going out, and you’re invited too.”

“That’s nice, but I think I’ll pass.”

Lyssa tried not to feel hurt. Birthdays were never the same without Jackson. He always made them special. “Why?”

He pointed at himself. “Third wheel. And besides, I have you all day to myself.”

“You don’t have to feel like a third wheel, Jackson. Hunter knows how important you are to me.” Lyssa knew he did not want to be in the way. A small pang of regret filled her. She hadn’t been spending as much time with him lately, certainly not as much as before they had become Guardians. Both of them were balancing a normal life mixed in with their magical life, a task that wasn’t easy. At least they got to spend some training time together.

“And I know how important he is to you. Go out and have fun. I think I’ll spend the night at the Watch Tower, in case you need some privacy.”

Lyssa felt a blush rise up her face. “Don’t tease.”

“But it’s so fun.”

“So, breakfast?”

“Yes. My treat too. Let’s go. Daylight is burning.”

They spent the morning together before heading off to their classes. Lyssa had thought about skipping, but knew that she couldn’t afford to miss any more class time. She had often reflected that with their magical abilities, they could easily forge a college degree, but she’d gotten this far and wanted to prove to herself that she could do it. They may have magical money, but they still worked hard for every fake penny they earned. Many of the Guardians were out in the world with real professions as they kept an eye on the world around them. Now that Lyssa was part of the Watch Tower, she saw them clearer with their tattoos and the sparkling auras that swirled around them.

That night, Lyssa returned to the Watch Tower, as that was where Hunter told her he would meet her. She sat on the couch in the sitting room and waited for him to arrive. The minutes ticked by ever so slowly, and soon she started to wonder if he was even going to show up. When she was about to leave, Hunter came rushing into the room.

Lyssa stood up and crossed her arms. “You’re late.”

 

“It couldn’t be helped. I’m sorry. I got caught up on something today.” His apology was also plastered all over his face.

“It’s fine.” Lyssa relaxed her stance and offered a smile.

“I have something for you.” Hunter grabbed her hand and pulled her into the kitchen. There on the counter was a small round chocolate cake with letters that read Happy Birthday Lyssa.

“You didn’t have to.”

“Yes he did.” Serena came into the room, followed by the Julius and Jackson. Serena took out her wand and swished it in the air. The candles on the cake lit before them, and they broke out into a rendition of ‘Happy Birthday’, which made Lyssa laugh uncomfortably.

“Make a wish.” Hunter’s eyes met hers.

“Right.” Lyssa closed her eyes and wished for the only thing she wanted, the health and well-being of all her friends as they fought against the darkness that plagued the world around them. She took a deep breath and blew the candles out before her.

“Who wants cake?” Serena brought plates over to the counter, while Lyssa sliced the cake into equal pieces. Over the next few moments, silence broke out as they filled their faces with chocolaty goodness.

“That was delicious. Thank you.” Lyssa smiled at Hunter.

“Of course. Now, if you are ready, I believe I owe you a date.”

“Have fun you two!” Serena winked at Lyssa.

“I’m sure we will.” Lyssa waved at them and followed Hunter out of the room.

They teleported to a bar she was unfamiliar with, but Hunter seemed to know it well. They had a few drinks together, and they sat at the bar. Small talk seemed almost painful, because while Hunter was here with her, his mind seemed somewhere else. “What’s wrong, Hunter?”

“Hmmm?”

“You seem distracted.”

“It’s nothing. Care to dance?”

Lyssa took his hand and followed him into the crowd of dancing people. They danced for a few minutes together, but soon it became clear they were being watched. “Do you feel that, Hunter?”

“Yes. I do. I’m sorry, Lyssa. I think I’ve been made.”

Lyssa swore under her breath. All she wanted was one night with his undivided attention. She had made sure to wear an amulet to mask her energy to keep her identity safe. No one knew her by her face, so they should have had no problems with the Craven finding them here. Hunter, however, had not taken the same precautions, clearly. Was he always on duty these days?

“I have to go for a minute.”

“Right.” Lyssa watched him walk away from her with irritation burning a hole in her chest. She wanted to rant and rave at him, but she knew that Hunter had no choice. The Craven had located him there, so he had to spend some time dealing with them so that they would not get suspicious. End of story. It was one of those moments where they said jump, and he asked how high. With the way he had let them wrap their fingers around his innocence, molding him into the wary man who had stood before her moments ago, she knew that exploding at him in this time would not go well for either of them.

Lyssa knew that if they wanted to be able to find out the Cravens’ initiatives that she had to let Hunter be for the moment. And as much as she tried to temper her emotions, it did not help that it was her birthday, and here she was sitting alone at this bar. Twenty-two was a good year, right? She ordered herself a drink and wasn’t at all surprised when she was carded. Lyssa looked much younger than she ever felt.

While she sat there listening to the music and sipping on her drink, she could feel the intrusive stares from the women nearest her. They had seen her with Hunter, and they were not even trying to hide their conversation from the rest of the world. Lyssa had never run into such catty people in her life. She reached into her purse and put a finger on the wand she had stashed inside. How easy would it be to whip it out and give them something to really talk about, but she knew that was a bad idea and not at all Guardian-like.

“Can you believe that she was with him?” the blonde said to her black-haired friend.

“He probably felt sorry for her. He didn’t stick around very long, did he?”

“Poor thing. She should know better than to set her sights so high.”

They finally moved away, but their thoughts echoed in her head. She knew she shouldn’t buy into their petty remarks, but it was hard to counteract the thoughts that were bouncing around inside. Lyssa needed to drown out this negative energy; after all, it was her birthday, and she should be happy. Time to live it up a little.

“Bartender, I’ll have another please.”

She had finished off that one and another by the time Hunter came back to the bar. She was no longer thinking about the jealous words of the two women. When Hunter sat down next to her, all she could think about was the magnetic pull she felt every time she was near him. The feelings she got whenever he was around her had only started to get stronger.

“Do you want to dance?” Hunter reached his hand out for hers, and she took it.

“Are they gone?”

“Yes. They’ve gone. You have me all to yourself.”

“Oh goodie.” Lyssa looked away and tried not to grind her teeth.

“I’m sorry, Lyssa. I know it’s your birthday. I had no idea—”

“It’s okay, Hunter. I do understand.” She turned to him and gave him a gentle smile. Lyssa really did understand. She also had given most of her life to the Watch Tower recently, spending every free moment learning everything she could to catch up to the others. She had put distance between herself and the world she had known before. Lyssa had made it more of a point to touch base with Lana, but the hole in their relationship was clear. The last she had heard, Lana’s coven was experimenting with light to see if they could find a natural way to block the portals that allowed the shadows to enter the world. Lyssa had warned her to be careful not to be noticed, because the Craven would not be happy to find anyone interfering with their plans to fill the world with shadows. Lana was pigheaded though. Lyssa wasn’t all to certain that Lana wouldn’t end up in deep trouble if she wasn’t careful.

Hunter tugged on her hand. “Well?”

“Why not?”

At first, a fast paced song blared across the crowded room. She felt the beat of the drums pulse through her in a way that made her blood pressure rise. Dancing so close to Hunter with these emotions running through her was almost more than she could take. When the blonde from earlier came very close to grinding on Hunter from behind, the little green eyed monster inside her almost shrieked at her, but the perceptive part of her knew that she did not have to worry about Hunter. His eyes were only on her, and when she swayed closer to him, Lyssa could feel the heartbeat in his chest as loudly as her own. She did not need anyone else to judge how beautiful or attractive she was. She could feel the effect they had on each other. No one could take away from that.

When a slow song started, she moved into his strong embrace and could feel his breath on her cheek. Lyssa tried hard to make her heart slow down, but her senses were extremely heightened from the drinks that she had finished off. It was not like she had never been tipsy before, she just had never let herself feel this free. There were no dark and depressing thoughts, no need to restrain herself any longer. There was just Hunter; his beautiful face, his strong body, and the scent of him, all of which were driving her crazy.

When she raised her head and tried to push away to distance herself just a little, she saw that Hunter was feeling the same magnetic force that she was. She pulled his face down to hers and started what was soon to become the first of many moments that would steal her breath away. Both of them were letting go of whatever had been holding them back. It was new, and there was a hint of danger in the energy that swarmed between them.

She could hear the disappointed voices of the catty women who had sat there with their glasses filled with judgment. It no longer fazed her. Turning toward them, she tilted her head haughtily and flipped her finger as Hunter and she were leaving the bar. It was delicious to hear the intake of breaths as they tried to look away from her. Yes, eat your heart out ladies. He’s all mine.

“Hunter?” She looked up at him questioningly.

“Lyssa.” He looked at her with eyes that he was trying very much to control. It was as if he longed to say what his body cried out for, but was afraid to voice it to her.

“I know. I feel it too, Hunter. Time for round two?” Lyssa felt the languid fire burn deep inside her and knew that something would have to come to pass if she wanted to know what it was like to feel truly fulfilled. No matter how good kissing and safely exploring Hunter in public had been, it would not be enough tonight. She grabbed his hands and let her fingers curl around his. Sending some of the energy she was feeling through her touch, she let it tease his fingertips like static electricity.

He pulled her face up to meet his for a kiss. His lips were hot against hers. She did not even feel when the air started moving around her. When he moved his mouth away from hers, they were no longer standing outside the club. Lyssa looked around, carefully judging her surroundings. They were not at the Watch Tower, either. “Where are we?”

“Somewhere safe, away from our lives.”

There were candles all around the room, and a king-size bed was in the middle. Its white satin covers contrasted deeply with the darkness of night. She could feel protective energy covering the room from all sides. No one would ever be able to detect them here, and no one would be able to enter. They were alone, and nothing from the outside world could distract them from what was about to happen. There was a faint warning in the back of her head, the one that always tried to surface whenever Hunter was close, but she shut it away this time. After their first experience together, Lyssa was not afraid to feel any more. In fact, it was quite the opposite, as if all the emotions that had been trapped tightly within her over the past few weeks were ready to burst.

Hunter sensed a struggle within her and moved away for a moment, his back to her. “Lyssa, we don’t—”

“Don’t finish that.” Lyssa reached out to touch his arm, and when he did not turn, she took a deep breath. “Please Hunter. Help me forget the world. Let me live in just this moment with you. I need you.”

Lyssa heard the sadness in her plea, and Hunter heard it too. He turned around and put his hand on her face. She closed her eyes and let herself relax against it. It took only a second for the flames within her to respond to his nearness again. When she looked up at him, she saw the fires burning deep within his eyes too. When his mouth descended, she met him half way. Her fingers reached out to pull him closer to her, trapping themselves in his shirt. It disappeared quickly, and soon cloth was replaced with well-muscled flesh. She longed to feel his skin against hers.

“Ask and you shall receive,” his hot breath whispered in her ear. She could not still the quiet whimper that responded to him. There was something to be said about having sweet nothings whispered in your ear. It made her all the more anxious for whatever came next.

While she concentrated on his breathing, she had almost not noticed that her shirt had been removed too. Hunter led her to the bed, and they sank into it. She could feel the heat of his chest against hers. Lyssa ran her fingers down his back and arched against him when his lips seared a path down her throat. His guttural moan against her proved that he, too, was having trouble fighting back the invisible power that pulled them closer to each other. He reached behind her back to unclasp the bra that she was wearing, and his mouth moved down the valley of her breasts. Even though she did not move, her body jumped in ways she could not explain. When his mouth captured one of her nipples, she arched into him, wanting nothing more than for him to take her deeper into his mouth.

Lyssa pressed her fingers into his shoulders as he worked wonders on her breasts. When his mouth moved down her stomach, she felt her insides bunch up in reflex. She stood there before him, cradling his head against her as he continued to love every inch of her as he removed the rest of her clothing. The gentle sway of the curtain in the breeze and the glowing lights echoing around her made this moment feel even more sensual.

When he had removed all of her clothes, she returned the favor, kiss by kiss as she traveled down his body in much the same fashion. When she had him naked before her, Lyssa couldn’t resist the urge to wrap her mouth around this erection springing before her. Licking the lip of his shaft with her tongue, Lyssa moved her mouth over him, taking him into her heat.

Hunter groaned above her. “Lyssa.”

His words pushed her along, as his need to be loved was clear. She continued to work her magic on him and reveled in the way he stood before her, his muscled body now taut before her. She was working him into a frenzy, and she didn’t care. Lyssa wanted to drive him over the edge, to push the evil that lurked around him away long enough for her Hunter to exist here and now.

When he could take no more, he pulled away from her. His breathing was ragged, and Hunter looked as if he were trying to control the beast inside. “Enough. My turn.”

Lyssa caught herself as he pushed her back to the bed. “I see.”

“Relax, Lyssa.” His finger trailed down her body until it rested just outside of the folds of her clit. When he rubbed it softly, Lyssa felt something wicked stirring inside her. Hunter slid down the length of her until his mouth was just below her hips. He parted her legs and positioned his mouth over her clit. When the first lick of his tongue touched her skin, Lyssa almost wrenched off the bed, but Hunter held her down.

“Let me love you, Lyssa.”

His words soothed the wildness inside her, and she let him continue his assault on her senses. His work was a masterpiece, and before long, Lyssa found herself dripping with desire for him. Hunter slid a finger inside her, and Lyssa felt her insides squeeze against him. Her moans, soft at first, became loud gasps for more. When he brought her to release, Lyssa thought the end of the world was near, because everything around her seemed to explode.

When she opened her eyes, she saw Hunter standing over her. He had gotten up to retrieve protection. He looked like a sun God, standing there in all his naked glory. When their bodies melted together, the wildness from before faded. A sweet hot song ran through their bodies, its melody much more delicious than the anticipation of this moment. Soft and sweet. Slow and long. She let Hunter shepherd her to a place she had never visited before in this lifetime, as his hands and mouth seared her to the bone as his body rose and fell.

“Please.” Lyssa heard the plea leave her mouth in shaky breaths. “Don’t stop.”

Hunter smiled down at her. “I couldn’t if I tried.”

She was alive in the rise and fall of his breath, the beat of his heart so near to hers, and the strong arms that wrapped themselves around her. When he slid inside her, she felt complete. The heat of his skin on hers as his body rose and fell against hers sent her over the edge. The world went almost black around her, as the wave of something entirely unexpected took her much faster than she thought possible.

Hunter slowed down to let the world crash easily around her. He kissed her neck and ran his fingers down her body. She looked up at him questioningly, and he smiled secretively.

“That was unworldly,” she whispered to him. And it had been. This time was even better than the last. She sucked in a breath when he started to move within her again. Lyssa realized at once that he had not had taken care of his own needs yet, as the desire rose between them again. This time, when she made it to the top of the world, he was right there with her, and when she jumped over the edge, he grabbed her hand and soared alongside her.

They stayed there together in the aftermath; their bodies glistened with sweat, and their skin glowed in the firelight. She ran her hand along his chest and breathed in the stillness that was surrounding them. They were both at peace with the world around them.

“Hunter?”

He looked down at her with eyes as heavy as hers. “Yes?”

“Let’s not wait another lifetime to do this again.”

He pulled her close and nuzzled her head with his nose. It was not making love that had made her feel complete tonight. It was the words longing to burst out of her mouth that did.

“I love you too, Lyssa,” Hunter said to her quietly, before both of them closed their eyes to sleep.