BloodStone: Ice (Book 1)(Completed)

Chapter 12

Quintus was thoroughly amused at the situation they all currently found themselves in. Ella was lying, quite comfortably, but slightly above the stagnant swamp water, studying the large group of dripping muddy creatures that were shredding an alligator. The men, himself included, were all waist deep in said water, smelling foul and feeling quite chill. He could have done something about it, considering he had enough elemental control to at least be able to lay comfortably on a cushion of air also. But he was thoroughly convinced that had he done so, Ella would have struck him with lightning or frozen his feet to the ground or some other quelling thing.

It was really funny though. The rest of dinner had been uneasy, but tolerable. The problem had started when they went to the morgue to examine the bodies the coroner had been holding for her to view. Titus hadn't wanted her to see them. Or for her to even go into the autopsy room. That had brought out a nasty comment about how he was not in charge of her. Then the story of what had happened with the body in the last morgue came out, and even Phillipe had not wanted to let her in. After she finally shoved Titus up against the wall with a solid block of ice and punched Phillipe in the nose with her fist, the medical examiner had quietly left them arguing in the hallway while he led Quintus to learn what he could from the bodies. Of course,this only further infuriated her against Quintus, who she had at least thought "was on her side." When Quintus had laughed about her pointless anger, trying to explain that it was too late to be upset since it was already done, she had grabbed him by the arms and shoved a mental image through the water of his body. It had been the image of a well placed knee.

So now they all sat down wind watching, trying to puzzle out what was wrong with the picture.

"The kill point is in the head," Ella whispered across the breeze. He knew only he and Titus would have been able to hear it though. It was followed by the sound of a frog, slightly off from its usual key. Phillipe turned and looked directly at her. She glowed for just a moment, obviously knowing he wouldn't be able to see her in the dark. The glow was no more than that of a firefly, but it showed a quick series of movements that left the hunter nodding. Obviously they knew each others signals well enough.

"There aren't as many as I expected." Titus commented, slowly drawing the hunter back toward them, so he could be part of the conversation.

"They are larger than the teeth imprints implied also. There were three days worth of chew marks to look through, and they do not match up. Either there are many more of them hiding somewhere we have not discovered, or they are growing at a relatively rapid rate."

"I need to get closer to them and check something out. Stay here." Ella sent a whispered command. She slid down into the water and disappeared beneath the surface. Titus muttered a silent string of curses, but stayed.

"If I did not know for certain that she could remain completely unseen to them, I would be going after her and dragging her back." He shot a quick look at the other hunter. "Is she always like this?"

"Definitely. Now you know why we get along so well." He grinned roguishly. Quintus thought he could actually like the man, if he wasn't causing Titus so many problems.

He could see Ella, gliding beneath the surface, only as a gleam of power. He knew the creatures could not. She was so graceful. So beautiful. Still, his heart raced at the thought of her drawing so close to danger.

"Fearing for her too, brother mine?" Titus chided him. "And here I thought you only had thoughts of her power. At least if I have to share her with someone, I'd rather it be my other half. Not this pompous ass."