Honestly, harpies would make excellent informants if not for the fact they only worked for themselves.
“I may have heard something,” Natalia said slowly. “Why do you ask?”
Connor was intent on me, his gaze asking what I was up to. I shook my head, telling him to wait.
He settled back with a watchful frown.
Natalia didn’t miss the interchange, observing everything with a raptor’s intent focus. “This wouldn’t have anything to do with them burning your home down, would it?”
I started to shake my head before rethinking my answer. “Maybe a little.”
But it wasn’t the whole reason.
There was something deeper about their presence here. I needed to know what it was before it got someone close to me killed. Natalia had a grip on the pulse of the city and would be able to tell me if there was anything suspicious about their movements.
At the very least, it didn’t hurt to keep an eye on things.
“Hunters are dangerous. You shouldn’t get mixed up with their lot,” Natalia warned.
“I’m very much aware of that.”
I didn’t realize until Natalia’s gaze dropped that I was rubbing the place where I’d been shot by a hunter.
“I guess you do,” Natalia said with a wry expression that turned serious a second later. “I’m surprised they went after you.”
“Why is that?”
“Hunters can be broken into two groups. Those born—or made. Most only go after spooks who prey on humans.” Natalia pulled a face. “And as everyone knows, you’re not exactly predatory.”
I frowned. “The woman who attacked me was new to this world. I’m pretty sure I was her first target.”
I was partially the reason for her introduction to all things spook related. She may have been on the cusp prior to our meeting, but it was her interaction with me that pushed her over the edge.
“Did she have their mark?” Natalia pointed to a spot located between her pointer finger and thumb on the back side of her hand. “A bow with a nocked arrow? If so, she was inducted by another hunter who should have explained the rules.”
“Why would they care?”
In their eyes, we probably looked like monsters. Humans weren’t exactly accepting of those different than themselves.
“Self-preservation,” Connor answered. “In the past, their kind were less picky about their targets and would kill anyone who wasn’t fully human. Several supernatural species banded together to hunt them down.”
Natalia nodded. “A lot of hunter-born family lines were wiped out as a result. They limit themselves to the worst of our kind to avoid another culling.”
“Then why target me?”
“That’s the question on everyone’s mind,” Natalia answered.
I could think of one reason—my connection with Thomas. If true, we had much bigger issues. It meant someone was working with the hunters and had been for a long time. Aiming them at their targets for personal gain.
I had a good suspicion of who it was, too.
“Any idea on where they’re staying?”
Natalia rubbed her jaw, looking like she didn’t want to answer. I waited patiently, hoping she’d reconsider.
“I take it you know about the attack on several vampire clans last night,” she said in resignation. Seeing my nod, she sighed. “A couple of the flock spotted a few men they thought were hunters near our roost around sundown. We cleared out pretty fast after that so I don’t know if they’re still there.”
It wasn’t much, but it was a lead.
