Strangers in the Night (The Hunter and The Spider #1)

Prologue

It was well before sunrise when Ella Black came sauntering down the New York street, the short hem of her blue skirt swaying with each long-legged step, stiletto heels echoing in the semi-silence of 3 a.m. in the city. 

Finding herself at a crossroads with no particular destination in mind, she went to the right.

This street was like the one she'd just been on, narrow and tattered, the buildings on either side short and dark, their windows showing no signs of life. Just like all the other houses in this area, except for one key detail. Halfway down, illuminated in the yellow circle of a streetlight, was a young man, very tall and very thin, leaning against the light post, cell phone in hand. He was focused on the screen, a mess of red-tinted curls falling across his face. When he heard her heels, he looked up, shaking them back. Ella noticed he was younger than his height suggested, maybe seventeen or eighteen, more pretty than he was handsome.

His eyes were bright green. When they met her blue ones, he smiled, softly and shyly,and looked quickly back at his phone.

Oh, she couldn't quite resist that, could she?

Walking over, Ella was very aware of her short blue skirt and her tall white heels,knowing exactly how they made her legs look endless. From her tiny purse, she pulled a metal cigarette case and put one between her luscious, full lips. The boy looked up, one eyebrow slightly raised.

"Hey, mister," she purred. "Got a light?"

"I, uh..." The boy stood up straighter, patting down the pockets of his jeans and leather jacket. "Uh, no, I don't. Sorry."

"Oh, here's mine," Ella said, pulling a thin black lighter from her purse. She looked into those green eyes with a coy smile. "Light it for me?"

He leaned forward, just as she expected him to. Humans were so easy, and this one was just her type.

The flame flashed to life between them, and she kept her eyes on his as the end of her cigarette caught in a short blaze. The flame guttered out, but neither of them moved away, his gaze unwavering on hers.

Perfect. Just perfect.

As he passed the lighter back, Ella captured his hand in her own. "Why don't you come with me?" It was not so much a question as it was a command, and she was pleased when the boy nodded, easy as could be.

Taking his hand, Ella tugged him out of the circle of light. Dark buildings surrounded them, looming in the murky secondhand glow.

The boy's hand was warm, his fingers calloused and strong, his pulse beating steadily against her wrist. And his scent! Filtered through the cigarette smoke, it was strange and bright,like sunlight shining through a windowpane on a summer morning. It was an unusual scent, but not entirely unlike those she was used to.

What would he taste like?

She couldn't wait.

A narrow alley sat tightly between a dark-windowed office building and a laundromat.Ella pulled the boy towards it, feeling his pulse pick up slightly. The alley was barely wide enough to allow for two people, and it smelled stale and stagnant, hardly romantic. She shoved the boy against the rough brick wall, grinning wickedly sharp, and put her body flush against his.She heard the skip of his heart in his rib cage.

"Um," said the boy, his hands floating uselessly at his sides, too shy to touch her.

Oh, it was just delightful.

"Why don't you kiss me?" she whispered, their eyes meeting again. It must have been the light hitting them because now the boy's eyes looked different, less green and lighter, almost shining in the dark.

"Okay."

Ella smiled at him. She leaned further in, her full lips parted over elongated caninesand—

The silver stake slid easily between her ribs, right under her perfect left breast. Ellahissed and tried to pull away, but it was too late, the boy—the Hunter—was too fast. 

The stake pierced her heart and there was the most intense and all-consuming pain.

And then there was nothing except a shower of dust.