Hunters

Chapter 9

"Hunters live a long life, unless they're killed by vamps. They have time to get into productive businesses. Max did a lot of investing. And, when he died, he left it all to me." His voice quivered the slightest bit when he mentioned Max dying. "The normal cash and the Hunter Gold."

"Hunter Gold?" Rachel asked, momentarily thwarted.

"Yup. Underworld currency. I'm not even sure what that's used for. And I had no idea it existed until I actually inherited it."

"So all this time, I've been mooching off you." She tried to sound casual, but failed. She hated to think she'd been spending Daniel's money. He should've said something.

"Not at all. What's mine is yours."

"What are you talking about?"

"That's how Hunter law works. Max was my maker, so his stuff is my stuff." Daniel smirked. "I'm your maker, so my stuff is your stuff. It's my obligation to sustain you. Kinda like a parent."

"Eww! Don't say that!" 

"The phrase 'Who's your daddy?' suddenly gets a new meaning, no?"

"Stop it! Do you want to put me off you for good?" Okay, she shouldn't have said that. Please, please, please tell me you didn't hear that.

"Why? Are you on me?"

God, why did his voice have to sound so sexy? Think of a comeback, something that's not flirty.

But a thousand flirty answers filled her brain instead. "You wish, smartass. Now, shut up and drive." Okay, maybe that was too much of a shoot down.

Daniel smiled and turned his attention to the road, but she could tell something wasn't right. His grip on the wheel tightened. Rachel pressed her lips together and leaned her head against the windowpane. Before she knew it, she'd dozed off. Images zoomed in and out of focus, and she couldn't tell what was dream and what was reality.

Daniel parked the car along a narrow side street and nudged Rachel awake. Bleary eyed with sleep, she barely remembered the trip from the car, into Hotel Opera, or how she managed to get into the spacious room. As soon as she saw the bathroom door, her thoughts turned from sleep to shower.

A half an hour of bliss later, she stepped out, dressed in a puffy white robe, towel-drying her curly hair. She stopped once her eyes fell on the queen-size bed. There was no sign of Daniel. She should've asked him if he wanted to take a shower first. He surely wouldn't have taken so long.

She yawned and checked the clock. It was two in the afternoon, so she'd have enough time to sleep. She only wished she'd paid Daniel enough attention to know where he was.

She stopped in front of the mirror and checked her face. The scratches from the vampire's claws were almost completely healed, but the scars would linger for a couple of days at least. A wave of repulsion and anger shook her body as she remembered the vampires and the fight.

A knock on the door brought her out of her reverie. She could feel Daniel on the other side, so she rushed to open it. He was laden with shopping bags.

"Hey, Rach. Like your accommodations?" He stepped inside and dropped the bags on the bed.

"Yes, lovely. What's in there?"

"Clothes. I thought you might need some."

"And here I was, thinking you wanted to see me naked." Okay, her big mouth had better shut up.

It was like her brain had lost its filter. She busied herself rummaging through the bags to hide her blush.

"I could throw the bags out." His voice came out wary, as if he didn't really want to play along.