Battle of the Fae, page 1
Battle of The Fae
HUNTERS SERIES
BOOK ONE
K. J. LAVALLEE
EDITED BY
PAIGE KRAFT
ILLUSTRATED BY
LEIGH GRAPHIC DESIGNS
FORMATTED BY
LAVALLEE FORMATTING
Copyright © 2025 by K. J. Lavallee
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
Created with Vellum
Blurb
I come from an ancient line of Hunters, tracking down and killing any supernatural who steps out of line. My team is my family. We live, eat, and breathe the Hunter life. And more often than not, we die by it.
Not all Hunters live like us. My team is old school; we created a family bond, whereas the others kill indiscriminately and prefer their own company. To them, a dead supernatural is a dead supernatural, no matter who they are.
When the Queen of the Fae reaches out for our help to end a centuries-long war, we jump at the chance.
What we uncover along the way may just change the world as we know it.
Alliances will be made, bonds forged, and loyalties tested.
But will the secrets we unravel bridge the divide or drive us all further apart?
Acknowledgments
To my amazing friend in Scotland. Without your long talks and encouragement, this book would have never been rewritten after I deleted it. I owe you one, and I’ve always got your back like you’ve got mine. If we lived on the same continent, we would be inseparable. I can’t believe how much you have changed my life without even being physically with me. I wonder what it would be like if you were actually here with me every day. Wait, I know this already, EPIC. Our lives would be totally amazing. I love you, Michelle, and I’m very grateful you entered my life when you did. We are going to do great things together. Can’t wait to finally see you in person next year!
To my children, never stop dreaming and trying to achieve your goals. Life is what you make of it, and quitting isn’t an option. Fight till you can’t fight anymore, then fight some more. Don’t ever let anyone dictate how you should and should not attack your dreams. You will achieve great things if you continue to dream and grow as you do. I love you all so much.
Last, to the unique people out there. There’s nothing wrong with being unique. Embrace the uniqueness that is you; there will only ever be one you, don’t let society conform you into something that you aren’t. I promise you will be much happier letting your true self shine. It’s well worth it, your true friends will always love you no matter who you are. Anyone that you lose because you’re being you was never meant to be in your life long-term.
P. S. Many of you may remember a time when I deleted my entire book….. this is that book.
Serenity says that reliving this book was hell, but she’s happy to go through it all again if that means you get to experience what she has in store for us in book 2. I guess my characters are on a path of their own. I have no idea what she means.
Contents
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Bonus Scene
About the Author
Also by K. J. Lavallee
Prologue
A thousand years ago the Hunters and the other supernatural beings used to work together to keep the peace and the Demons out of our realm. But fighting between all of the supernatural beings changed our history forever. The Hunters started hunting every supernatural being in their way even if they didn’t show signs of being corrupt. And the other supernaturals fought back, killing the Hunters and anyone else within their path.
Now, a thousand years later, the teams of Hunters have no trust or loyalty among themselves. They each fight and live for one person, themself. And if they’re lucky, they will have a soulmate. Since most mated pairs will fight and live for each other, they will have that one person to love and trust. But Hunters are all dying far too young now. This is because no one looks after them while out in the field. Fused pairs die and no one mourns them. Partners plot against each other and abandon their teams to die alone.
Teams of Hunters used to be considered family. They would fight together and play together. Now, some Hunters are just as bad as the beings they call monsters. They don’t remember what it truly means to be a Hunter.
Until now.
Chapter One
SERENITY
“Come on, Carter, you can do this. Just casually stroll by him as if you didn’t even realize he lives on this side,” I say aloud, as I try to convince myself to “bump” into Jaxon Bryan. I’m ninety-nine percent sure he’s my mate. The one person in the world that is meant to be mine for the rest of our lives. I just need to woman up and go speak to him. I take a deep breath and force my feet to bring me closer to him.
He lives on the other side of the compound. It’s not like I can’t be on his side, it’s just that I don’t necessarily have a reason to be over here at this moment, since everything I need is on the other side. The gym, cafeteria, my rooms with my group. The only time we come here is for the infirmary and the Leader’s office that’s along the same corridor as the infirmary. This makes me feel like I’m a stalker. If he wants nothing to do with me and I keep coming here, then yes, I would be a stalker. But this is only going to be our second meeting if he’s here. We were called out on a mission the same day I met Jaxon and when we got back his team was gone, too. We haven’t had time to meet up since then. I hope he feels the same way I do.
When we come of age at eighteen, we are put into groups of four. Two males and two females. We train together, fight together, and live together. Our suite is made up of four bedrooms, and then common rooms like the living room, dining room, and kitchen. We are forced to live together so we can form bonds with our teammates, because those bonds are what will help us out in the field. If you have an unorganized or uncooperative group, it could mean your death.
Our group of four is now six. Once we find our mates, we can choose if we want to join the group our mate came from or stay in our own. The men decided to stay in our group, and their mates didn’t mind joining us. Kennedy and I are the only mate-less ones left in this group. Our group isn’t like any of the other ones. We are more than partners, we are family. If one of us hurts, we all hurt. With the other teams, they don’t care about their teammates when their job is done. Some of them don’t even care while out on a job.
Kennedy’s element is the earth. She heals much quicker because of it, since it’s always around us. She has short, bleach blonde hair and caramel-colored eyes. She’s an inch shorter than me and I’m six foot two. Hunters are usually tall, even the women.
The next member in my group is Rex. Rex Fused with his mate, Emily, last year. They each have a different element they are connected to. Rex is connected to the wind. His mate, Emily, is connected to fire. Rex is every part the brother I never had. He is protective of me, and he picks on me and Kennedy all the time. But I wouldn’t have him any other way. He’s taller than me, standing at six foot four, with a muscular frame that would put The Rock to shame. He has long curly black hair stopping at his jaw, with chocolate brown eyes. Emily is the opposite of Rex. She is calm and quiet. But don’t let that fool you. She’s strong and just as protective. She has jade green eyes and waist-length red hair that is naturally straight and always in a braid down her back. She matches Kennedy in height.
Next is Jerimiah. He Fused with his mate, Taylor, last month. Jerimiah’s element is fire, and Taylor’s element is water. Taylor has freckles on her pale skin. She has hazel eyes and long, wavy, dirty blonde hair that stops at her waist. You can catch her sporting buns or braids most days, and her love and loyalty to all of us is already fierce and unconditional.
Taylor’s my height and Jere is as tall as Rex. Though I swear Jere is like half an inch taller, Rex denies it. Jere’s lean, but he’s strong. His lack of visible muscle is only a ruse; he works out just as much as the rest of us. He has his hair cut short, military style short, and it’s dyed green, but it’s naturally light brown. He also has beautiful ocean blue eyes that speak of the beauty within him. These two men are my brothers. I’ve never had siblings, and I imagine I would have gotten along with them as well as I get on with Rex and Jerimiah. They just get me.
Then we have me. My name is Serenity Carter. I’m twenty-three years old, and I have long black hair, stopping just above my ass. I wear it in a ponytail most days and wrap it in a bun when I know I’m heading out for battle. I have cream colored skin and bright blue eyes. My dad always told me my eyes reminded him of a body of water he once saw in the Fae realm. I have yet to see that body of water, but he claimed it was there. Now he’s gone and I can never ask him to bring me to it.
We are just one compound of many all across the world. We are stationed in the Georgia Compound. The leader of our compound is Seth. He’s the one that issues our missions and checks in on our progress. We all trust him completely. He’d be a shitty leader if we didn’t trust him.
The thing the Humans don’t know is that the world isn’t all black or white. Meaning, what you think you see and know may not be all there is to it. The things that go bump in the night are real, and I’m one of the people who save Humans from those monsters.
I’m a Hunter. Hunters hunt and kill any supernatural being we find that is hurting or killing Humans. We’re like the supernatural police. Except we don’t arrest the beings we go after, we kill them. Because if they’ve stooped so low as to take out the weakest species, then they’re not worthy of saving.
As Hunters, we have powers; those powers help us in battles with the Demons and other supernatural beings we face. We’re all connected to an element around us. For instance, my element is water. I draw strength from the water. It fuels me when I’m weak. Our powers mimic our elements, so I have the ability to contort the water. I can freeze it, make a city drown in it, send it toward my enemies to weaken them, anything I need to do to ensure the Humans are safe.
Humans cannot know of the existence of the supernatural world, because if they tumble into this world we live in, it could mean their death.
Hunters can also jump into another body to make ourselves stronger, we call that Fusing. But the only person we should Fuse with is our mate. If we Fuse with someone before finding our mate, we change our own destiny and become mates with that person, but I don’t recommend doing that with anyone because it drives them both crazy, to the point where most of the Hunters who’ve done it have taken their own lives. When you Fuse with your mate you take the form of the female. That’s supposed to give the illusion that we’re weaker; this way we can take them out that much quicker. This is because most other species think the female is weaker.
I’m halfway down the corridor when a rumble shakes the whole building. “Whoa, what is that?” I ask myself. In the distance, back toward the cafeteria, I hear shouts and explosions. I turn on my heel and run headlong into the danger that is bound to be awaiting me when I arrive.
When I enter the large room, it’s complete chaos. Demons, and lots of them. Then I hear the manual alarm for threats going off. “Shit,” I mutter to myself. So much for casually bumping into Jaxon now.
I throw balls of ice at any Demon who comes near me, tossing them just as fast as I create them.
The impact of multiple Hunters’ magic colliding with Demon magic in the cafeteria causes all of us to be flown backward. Right before I hit the wall I’m pulled down by my ankles and slammed into the floor instead. Fighting off the wave of dizziness, I try to catch my bearings. I look around to see my team standing already, engaged in battles with Demons all over the cafeteria.
Today we’re not hunting. We’re being hunted. Demons found a way into our secret compound and they’re after us, picking us off one by one. How the fuck did that happen? Our compound is spelled to keep any being who is not a Hunter out of it.
I roll out of the way of the meaty fist that’s aimed at my head. I kick out hard and hear the Demon shriek. I jump to my feet and I’m knocked over again, my bones protesting with the force of being slammed into the floor twice.
I toss two ice balls back to back at the Demon, hitting him twice in the same spot. He screams, and the third ball flies, causing him to turn to ice. I kick him from my spot on the floor and he shatters into a dozen pieces. I’m rolling away from the shards of body parts when my body alerts me of his presence. Jaxon’s eyes meet mine in an instant. His expression is filled with emotions I can’t discern from this distance. He nods his head at me, a silent acknowledgment and agreement to Fuse. I nod mine back, then I’m shouting his name in my head one second and the next, we’re Fused.
Fusing is easy. At least it always looked easy. It’s as simple as calling out his name in my head and him accepting me, or vice versa, and then our bodies merge to form one. I still look like me, but I can feel his power flowing through me. I can hear his thoughts, or maybe it is just him speaking to me, but I can hear him inside my head as if I’m thinking his words. It’s oddly comforting and confusing at once.
“Feel my power, study it, and use it like it’s your own,” he says to me.
“Okay,” I say aloud. I close my eyes and sense his powers. It feels so much more unique, it’s easy to feel and follow. Like a string that ties a tire to a tree branch, I locate his power. It’s warm, too. Warmer than mine is.
I open my eyes and there’s a Tracker Demon standing in front of me. He looks more Human than any other Demon. The only thing that makes him look out of place is the horns on his head. He has two. They’re parallel with his eyes and stop right at the top of his head.
A Tracker Demon is a lower-level Demon that is sent out in search of their next victims. Or the ones that are more easily disposed of. We can wipe them out without even trying. They have limited, but strong powers, and are distracted by the smell of blood. In our history books, they are classed as a higher form of a Vampire, but they don’t need blood to live like the Vampires do.
I push out my hand and I have a mix of fire and water joined together, the water on one side and the fire on the other. It’s like a snowball made of fire and water. “Now that’s cool,” I say to Jaxon, again it’s spoken outside of my head as opposed to inside of it.
“Cool?” The tracker sneers. “Are you new to this world? I have seen many Hunters use powers just like that, most of them were well-trained; I guess you’ll be easy to pick off. But it’ll be worth it to rid the world of one more Hunter,” he states, as if I’m weak and untrained. As a Fused couple, yes I am. But that’s all.
My instincts kick in and I launch the new ball at the Tracker Demon. It hits him square in the chest, but it doesn’t take him out. I make another one and hit him right before he’s able to release his energy ball at me. The energy ball dissipates in his hold as his body turns to green goo that splatters all over me.
“Nice job,” Jaxon says. I soak in his praise and head toward the other side of the cafeteria, where I see my teammates being surrounded by five Demons. They have Kennedy in the middle, protecting her as they always do. She’s not the weakest, but she’s alone. Usually I’d be there with her and I’d be watching her back as she watches mine. But I’m not there yet so the others crowded around her. I don’t see Rex or Jere, but I wouldn’t since they would have Fused instantly.
I take a ball of fire in one hand and a ball of ice in the other. I launch my right hand, which is holding the fire, and release it toward the Demon closest to Kennedy, then take the ice from my left into my right hand and chuck that at him, too. He screeches loudly and drops to his knees in front of Kennedy. She lifts her sword and brings it down, chopping off the Demon’s head. The green goo—Demon blood—sprays all over Kennedy, but she’s grinning.
I make it to the center of the circle and three pairs of eyes land on me, a questioning look in each of their eyes. I nod my head, a small smile spreading across my face.
They all know what I felt when I was talking to Jaxon, they know that I’m Fused with him now, too, making him my mate, even if we weren’t meant to be. But I know deep in my marrow that he’s mine.
Emily and Taylor easily take out two more Demons as Kennedy and I take out the last two. Covered in blood, ours and the Demons’, we head toward the other groups that need our help.
That’s when we feel the building shake again. It’s shaking so hard it’s going to collapse. “Everyone out!” I yell over the roar of the violence that surrounds me. I grasp Kennedy’s hand in mine and tug her toward the door that will take us out of here. Taylor and Emily follow close behind us. We make it through the door and into the closest van. Without buckling, I put the van in drive and slam on the gas. I skid out in my spot as the wheels burn rubber trying to gain traction, and then I’m taking off out of the garage. But not far enough; the building comes tumbling down behind us and the road before us opens up. Before I can swerve, we’re driving down into the earth. No, not into the Earth, into another parking lot? We’re about a mile away from the one that just imploded.
