Hunter's Blood Special Edition (Cursed by Blood Saga) by marianne morea Page B

whispered along their shared mind path unable to speak the words
out loud.
    “I know. Lily, whatever happens
tonight…”
    Lily opened her eyes to stare up at
him, putting her finger to his lips. She shook her head slowly. “I love you,
Sean. I know you’ll do what’s right. Not just for me, but for everyone. Do what
you have to, and don’t worry. I’ll be fine.”
    Through the window, they heard the
sound of the drums starting again. Their cadence was slow at first, but as it
increased in urgency, Lily clutched the back of Sean’s shirt. They were out of
time.
    Resting his head on top of hers, he
murmured, “It’s time.”
    Beneath his chin, all she could manage
was a nod. Squeezing back tears, she opened her mind, flooding his with love
and reassurance. “Whatever you decide, I’ll never regret this…or you.”
    Sean stepped back, and it struck her
then how his eyes searched hers. “You sure?” he wondered aloud.
    With a steadying breath, she smiled
bravely. “Surer than anything else in my life.”
    Sean didn’t say a word. He kissed her
instead, leaving quickly without saying goodbye. Standing at the window, she
watched him cross the courtyard, keeping her mind linked with his until he
closed the door between them.
    Anger boiled up in Lily’s mind,
knowing this whole thing was nothing more than a ploy orchestrated by Edward
Parr. But for what reason? In her frustration, she wanted nothing more
than to send the bastard a mental bitchslap. A rueful smile tugged at Lily’s
lips at the thought, but she knew it wouldn’t serve their purpose, regardless
of how much she’d enjoy it.
    She watched Sean disappear into the
great hall, his shoulders squared for battle. He was the Alpha Council. All she
could do was love him, and pray he’d find a way to make this work. If anyone
could, it was Sean.

 
     
     
    Chapter Nine
     
    ***
     
     
     
     
     
     
    S ean opened the
door to the bedroom, boots in hand. Across the room, Lily was asleep, or at
least that’s what she wanted him to think. A small smile crept across his lips
at the narrow lump beneath the covers. She had been through so much in such a
short time, and now this. How was he going to explain? Well, you see
sweetheart, Weres are a fickle bunch and as a group no better than sheep to the
slaughter, laughing the whole way about how smart they are.
    “Jesus, help me,” he sighed silently.
There was no getting around it. Politics were politics. Since the beginning of
time, there was always someone trying to feed Kool-Aid to the masses. In this
case, it was Edward Parr.
    The clock ticked on the desk next to
his walk-in closet, with Lily’s rhythmic breathing keeping pace. Her dark hair
fanned out against the white cotton sheets, and what remained of the moonlight
peeked through the curtains accentuating her creamy skin and the swell of her
breasts above the sheet.
    As tired as he was, a pang of desire
swept over him, but Sean squelched it. On so many levels, it had been a long,
trying night for both of them. Terry may have moved on, but here on earth
nothing had yet to be accomplished. Nothing significant, anyway.
    He yawned, wanting to crawl into bed
and feel Lily’s warmth beside him, close his eyes and not think about the mess
he had to deal with.
    The hunters were not happy with him,
especially Mitch, even though Sean managed a hard won moratorium. Tonight they
tried to convince him to force the issue with Parr. To reestablish dominion and
the power of the Alpha and set the ruling, regardless of dissent. Even now,
Sean shook his head at the idea. The whole point to the council of Weres was
for diplomacy to reign, not the will of one man.
    Sean’s elected position to Alpha
Council of the Brethren wasn’t done by committee. The process had included
everyone. One man, one vote—though his bloodline made him the obvious choice in
the eyes of the wolves, a point his hunters made abundantly clear this evening.
    For the Compound to be considered