Page 73 of Huntress

Elsie sniffed back a fiery retort. “They’re missing in action. Geographer Talbot ran with our squad this morning, but he abandoned his post minutes before the attack.”

“Have the recovery efforts begun?” Harlan’s voice held the tension of a tightly controlled external calm.

“With all due respect, my first order of business was getting the surviving humans on the tram, then having the healers triage my team, as previously stated. This is the first opportunity I’ve had to plead for assistance. We’re in a state of emergency, so stop posturing and pounding your chest and help us.”

The line went static long enough that Elsie wasn’t sure if he was still present.

“That’s it?” Saint asked. “What a pompous asshole.”

“We’ll have a squad there by morning,” Harlan’s voice came over the speaker a few minutes later. “And I’ll be speaking with you personally to assess your liability in this incident, Chantraine.”

The line went dead.

“Motherfucker,” Elsie spat, throwing the handset on the table. “He’s going to try pinning this on me.”

She laughed, shuffling back to the door. She took a deep breath and held it before opening it and hobbling through Franklin’s office as quickly as possible. She felt for the poor soul whose job it would be to clean up that mess.

“What are you going to do?” Saint asked in the hallway.

“I’m going to make copies of the mission file and reread every single word inside it. We were given false and misleading documentation when sent into a situation that was impossible for a single squad to deal with. I’m going to gather witness statements from everyone still here and scrape together even the tiniest scraps of evidence in our favor that exists. If he wants to start shit, we’ll be ready for him,” she seethed.

They walked past an open door, and she scented the unmistakable smell of sawdust. Elsie stopped in her tracks, peering into a workshop. “And I’m going to take that fucking collar off.”

He followed her inside, interest piqued as he watched her look around. His eyes widened when she grabbed and held up a circular saw.

“Do you trust me?”

“Hell no.”

“My hands are steady, and we have to do something. That collar is cruel, and we can’t rely on Perrie to remove it again. You could have died, we all could have died. I won’t put you in that position again.” She set the saw down and pointed at a stool. “Sit.”

He scowled, but obeyed. “You act like this is some service I’m offering on a permanent basis. I told you, Mistress, this removing the collar changes nothing, I will not hunt for you.”

“I don’t expect you to.” She moved closer to him. “But I stand by what I said. I won’t put you in a position where you can’t defend yourself again.”

She cautiously reached out and touched the collar. His eyes blazed, but he allowed it. She searched each link until she found a tiny keyhole at the back of his neck. Spotting a toolbox, she found some wires that looked like they’d fit.

“I can defend myself just fine with tooth and claw,” he sighed, bending his head down and letting her try picking the lock.

Elsie swallowed hard. He was vulnerable like this, giving her power over him. It had to be costing his pride, but he behaved perfectly.

“Well, there’s the added benefit that if we get the collar off, you won’t have to worry about it the next time you decide to run.” She poked at the lock with no success.

He picked a spot on the floor and stared at it. He hadn’t prepared an excuse for why he’d returned, though he supposed it was too late for that. The damned bond he hadn’t known existed dragged him back.

“You still think there will be a next time? I made my choice,” he growled. “If I can’t kill you, nobody else can either.”

Elsie scowled, but zeroed in on the subtle change in those words. She set the tools down and moved around the stool to see him properly. “You can’t kill me? Why?”

“It isn’t time yet.” He leaned closer, getting into her space. “I already told you, Mistress. I want you to be happy, and I’ll do anything to make it happen. You claim to have no source of hope or happiness. No family but your squad, but how close can they really be if they’re contemplating leaving you over something beyond your control?”

His breath brushed her cheek, and his voice rumbled into a purr. “I can be what you’re looking for, if you want…” Elsie stumbled back a step, looking into his face.

“What are you saying?” she demanded. Who the hell did this demonic bastard think he was?!

He grabbed her waist and pulled her back in. Once she was secure, he reached down and took her hand, raising it up and placing it on the flat plains of his stomach.

“You’re always watching me, even when you shouldn’t be. You like this body, don’t you? Have you dreamed of what it can do for you yet?”