Avery bit back a groan as she slowly fought her way to consciousness. She rolled onto her side and winced. Her head felt like someone had stuffed cotton into it.

Her hand went to her shoulder. Under her shirt, she felt a bandage. Sweat beaded on her brow despite the chill in the room. She forced herself to sit up. A slow look around showed that she was back in her prison cell.

Her fingers trembled as she lifted them to her aching brow. She took a moment to evaluate her body. Lowering her hand, she carefully unbuttoned her blouse far enough to push the material to the side.

The white strip of gauze and medical tape was new. She slowly pulled the tape back to reveal five neat stitches. A frown creased her brow as she tried to remember how she had been injured.

The sound of footsteps approaching alerted her that she was about to have company. She pulled her shirt back over her shoulder and buttoned it. Drawing in a deep breath to stave off the feeling of weakness still weighing her down, she swung her legs over the side of the bed and unsteadily rose to her feet.

“Ah, you are awake,” Markham replied with a pleased nod.

“What… what in the hell did you do to me?” she demanded in a voice that was surprisingly hoarse.

“I merely wanted to tip the scales in my favor for the hunt that is about to begin,” Markham replied.

She swayed and lifted her hand to her shoulder. “What did you do to me, you sorry-ass piece of shit?”

Markham shook his head. “Such language. Be careful, Ms. Lennox. I detest vulgarities from a woman,” he commented.

Avery bit back the caustic response that was on the tip of her tongue. She walked toward the barred door. Several feet away from it, she stopped and looked at him through narrowed eyes.

“What hunt?” she asked through gritted teeth.

The amusement on Markham’s face disappeared. His eyes glittered with malice and a sick, anticipatory pleasure. Avery could feel the change in him as well as see it.

“The Game; cat and mouse; survival of the fittest—or should I say the smartest—call it whatever you like. I prefer to think of it as The Hunt. The dance between predator and prey is one of the oldest dances in the world. Nothing makes it more thrilling than when two predators face off against each other,” he replied.

The fury that had been building over the last ten days erupted. She surged forward and reached through the bars, ignoring the pain in her shoulder when the sutured area hit the cold metal. Her only thought was finding a way to snap Markham’s neck.

He released a taunting chuckle and stepped back out of her reach. His eyes glittered with cruelty.

Her lips twisted into a mocking smile. “He’ll kill you in ways you never knew a person could die. He’s faster, smarter, and deadlier than any predator on this entire planet,” Avery ruthlessly vowed.

“I imagine everything you are saying is true, but we both know he has a weakness, don’t we?” he replied with a smirk.

Avery swallowed when he lifted a small black remote and stepped closer to her. She gripped the bar with her right hand. Her left shoulder throbbed. Her eyes remained glued to the device in his hand.

“What have you done?” she whispered.

He stopped a foot from the bars. “I would show you, but I’m afraid the demonstration would put an end to my plans for you. You are the bait, my dear. If your alien doesn’t follow the rules, one press of a button and the small capsule inside your body will detonate. You’ll feel pain at first, very similar to being shot. Do you remember what that feels like, Ms. Lennox? When a bullet pierces your flesh, cutting through tissue, muscle, and bone before exiting your body?” he inquired.

“How… how do you know about that?” she demanded, tearing her eyes from the device to his face.

“I have friends in the right places, Ms. Lennox. I know about your poor mother and father. I know about how they fell in love while on a mission and wanted to disappear. They wanted a normal life—and then they had you. That was their biggest mistake. Your parents had a chance of disappearing until they had you. You were their weakness too, Avery. You are what brought them out into the open,” he said in a soft, cruel tone.

Avery released her grip on the bar, and smirked ruefully, returning his stare with a cool one of her own. She didn’t miss the confusion that flashed through his eyes.

“Is this the part where I’m supposed to break down in tearful self-doubt and guilt? I’d be happy to, but I’m not a very good actress. My parents made their choices and they lived—and died—because of them. They never once regretted having me. Shit happens in life. We all make our own rules. They made theirs and I’ve made mine. If anyone has Mommy issues, I think you should take a look in the mirror—or better yet, go have a talk with the bitch in the glass cabinet. I’m sure she’ll be as interested in you now as she was when you were growing up,” she retorted.

For a moment, Avery wondered if she’d gone too far. The expression on his face twisted into pure hatred, and his fingers twitched on the detonator as he swiftly lifted it in agitation. She instinctively stiffened—waiting for the burst of pain.

“I look forward to killing you, Ms. Lennox. Think about how you’d like your body to be displayed—which will it be? Held in a passionate embrace in your alien lover’s arms or sobbing over his dead body?” he asked.

Avery kept her lips pursed together. Markham turned when they heard footsteps approaching. The man she had seen downstairs earlier, the one who had conveniently lifted the lid on the weapons crate in time to let her see what was inside, was walking toward them.

“The helicopter is about to land,” the man stated.

Markham nodded. “Take her to the starting point and tell your men to get into position. No one is allowed to kill the alien but me,” he ordered.

“Yes, sir.” The man glanced at her. “What about the woman?”

Markham turned and looked at Avery for a moment with a calculating stare. She ignored him, her gaze moving over the mercenary. The tattoo on his arm indicated he was ex-American military.

“Once the hunt begins, she is fair game to anyone who wants to kill her,” Markham replied.

The man smiled and nodded. “I’ll let the men know. I’ll inform you the moment she is secured,” he added.

“What’s your name?” Avery suddenly asked.

The man looked at her with a frown. “Why?” he demanded.

Avery lifted her right hand and gently rubbed her fingers along the bar. She tilted her head, a mocking smirk curving her lips when his expression became uneasy.

“I’d like to know your name so that I can whisper it in your ear when I slit your throat,” she replied.

“Grant, take care of her,” Markham snapped before turning on his heel. He waved the black box as he walked away. A sense of power swept through Avery. The two men were rattled.

“Put your wrists together. If you move, I’ll beat the shit out of you,” Grant ordered.

Avery smiled and placed her wrists together so he could restrain them. “Now, Grant, is that any way to treat a lady?” she replied.

Core stared out of the window of the humans’ flying machine. Three of Markham’s men—Owens, Carter, and Bradley— were sitting across from him, their gazes unwaveringly focused on him. He could not care less about them. His sole focus was on finding Avery and making sure that she was alright.

The moment they swept over the island’s cliff, he felt their connection. His fingers curled into his palm as a surge of relief flooded his mind and body. He immediately reached out to her.

Are you injured? Core demanded.

Avery’s dry, relieved chuckle echoed through his mind. I’ve been better. Markham is insane. He plans to hunt us both down and kill us like some kind of trophy hunting game, she replied.

You did not answer me. Did he harm you? he gently pressed.

No, except for my pride. I should have known Albertson was up to something. That slimy little weasel set me up, she replied.

I will be with you soon. They are landing the machine, he said.

Core…, she murmured.

Yes, ku lei, he said.

Ta me ja’te.

Her quietly thought words, spoken in his language, tore at his heart. Ta me ja’te, je talli, he replied. I love you, my heart.

His softly conveyed words were wrapped with warmth and distracted her while he took into himself the pain she was trying to hide from him.

The slight bump of the skids on the concrete landing site alerted him that they had arrived. The door to the aircraft opened. Owens motioned for him to disembark.

Core released the harness securing him and rose to his feet. Ducking his head, he jumped to the tarmac and strode toward the vehicle waiting for him. The men from the helicopter followed behind him. He straightened and turned when he was clear of the rotating blades. The helicopter rose and soon disappeared back the way it had come.

“Move,” Owens ordered.

Core looked down at the man, and gave the mercenary a sharp-toothed grin as his canines lengthened. Owens swallowed while the other two men took a step back, lifted their weapons, and aimed them at his chest.

“I will enjoy killing each and every one of you,” he promised them.

“Move or I’ll shoot you now,” Owens growled.

Core walked over to the back of the truck and climbed into the back. The three men, along with four additional mercenaries who had been standing near the truck, climbed in behind him. Sitting back, he grinned at Owens.

“I can smell your fear, human. I wonder if you will piss your pants when you know you are about to die,” he taunted.

“Shut up,” Owens muttered. The man pointed his gun at Core’s knee.

“Let him try to kill you, Owens. What you don’t know, asshole, is that Markham put an acid bomb in your girlfriend. All Markham’s got to do is press a button and your gal’s insides will melt like butter on a hot stove. Hope you like your women well tenderized,” Carter chuckled.

Fury burst through Core. He immediately reached out to Avery. He felt her gentle touch and sigh of resignation.

Did Markham put an explosive inside your body? he demanded.

Yes. My hands aren’t free right now so I can’t see if I can remove it, she admitted.

Do not try until I find you. How is it activated? he asked.

Markham has a small black detonator. I don’t know how many detonators he might have. I know he has at least one on him, she answered.

He could feel her exhaustion. Where are you now? he asked.

They have me chained to a set of poles in the middle of the island. Unfortunately, they forgot to leave the keys, she added with dry humor.

I will find you, he swore.

I know you will. I’m going to try to rest. I have a feeling I’m going to need it, she reluctantly admitted.

Core sent another wave of warmth to her before he pulled away. A sense of loss swept through him again as she quietly slipped away from him. The explosive device Markham had placed inside Avery complicated things. He would need to assess a way to remove it from her before Markham had a chance to activate it. For the moment, the human held the advantage.

But not for long, he vowed as his gaze moved to the fortress on the cliff.