Hunting Adeline (Cat and Mouse Duet) by H. D. Carlton
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Hunting Adeline (Cat and Mouse Duet)

by

H. D. Carlton

(Author)

4.5

-

91,248 ratings


The conclusion to the Cat and Mouse Duet is here...

The Diamond

Death walks alongside me,

But the reaper is no match for me.

I'm trapped in a world full of monsters dressed as men, and those who aren't as they seem.

They won't keep me forever.

I no longer recognize the person I've become,

And I'm fighting to find my way back to the beast who hunts me in the night.

They call me a diamond,

But they've only created an angel of death.

The Hunter

I was born a predator,

With ruthlessness ingrained in my bones.

When what's mine is stolen from me in the night,

Like a diamond hidden within a fortress,

I find that I can no longer contain the beast.

Blood will paint the ground as I tear apart this world to find her.

And bring her back to where she belongs.

No one will escape my wrath,

Especially not those who have betrayed me.

Warning: This is the second and final installment to the Duet. You must read Haunting Adeline first.

Recommended Reading Order for the C&M Universe:

  • Satan's Affair
  • Haunting Adeline
  • Hunting Adeline
  • Where's Molly

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ISBN-10

1957635010

ISBN-13

978-1957635019

Print length

700 pages

Language

English

Publisher

H. D. Carlton

Publication date

January 24, 2022

Dimensions

5.5 x 1.58 x 8.5 inches

Item weight

1.84 pounds



Popular highlights in this book

  • Heaven isn’t a place you go to when you die, it’s inside the person that’s worth dying for.

    Highlighted by 38,694 Kindle readers

  • You and I will never end, little mouse. Even when we’re six feet under, and our bones are dust, I will haunt your soul until it aches to be free of me. And then, I will hold you tighter.

    Highlighted by 38,538 Kindle readers

  • I don’t care if I need to set this world on fire until there’s no one left but you and me. The world will burn around us, and I’ll gladly live in chaos with you as long as the only person that is a danger to you is me.

    Highlighted by 34,591 Kindle readers


Product details

ASIN :

B096BKV268

File size :

21814 KB

Text-to-speech :

Enabled

Screen reader :

Supported

Enhanced typesetting :

Enabled

X-Ray :

Enabled

Word wise :

Enabled


Editorial reviews

An edge of your seat story, a dark feast to feed your mind and heart, a soul searching journey into the deepest recess of your mind. A story that will make you question if humanity is really worth saving. -Veronica, Goodreads Reviewer

It took dark to a whole new level... It is EVERYTHING!! Zade is my one true love. -Tiffany, Goodreads Reviewer

HD Carlton forces you to stare into the darkest, most depraved parts of humanity and hold eye contact... It's brutal, painful, and devastating—but that's reality. -Maya, Goodreads Reviewer

Hunting Adeline is the last book in a duet that has enthralled me with its dark and decadent atmosphere, emotionally gripping storyline, and complex characters that have a love worth doing anything to keep. -Angela By The Bookcase, Goodreads Reviewer

This is dark, gruesome, unapologetic, and unhinged... This is what reading a well written book is supposed to feel like. Not good, uncomfortable, painful, breathtaking, because it feels real. Zade and Addie feel real. -Julia, Goodreads Reviewer

My mind is blown away. Hunting Adeline (Cat & Mouse Duet #2) is my most anticipated book of the year. I was not disappointed... this book here is a prominent example of how I fell in love with her writing. -Crystal Bell, Goodreads Reviewer

Zade is in fine form, he will reign at the top of my book boyfriends list, likely forever. There is no love out there that compares to the way Zade loves Addie. -Maddy, Goodreads Reviewer

Who would have thought a stalker romance would embed itself in our chests so deeply we never want it to leave? -Tasha, Goodreads Reviewer

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Sample

Chapter 1

The Diamond

Smell. The first of my senses to trickle in. I wish it were anything else because I'm instantly overwhelmed by the scent of body odor, spiced cologne, and what can only be described as the stench of evil incarnate.

And then my sixth sense seeps in, whispering notes of warning and urgency.

I’m in danger.

Those notes turn into a song full of screeching and loud noises, filling my body with heart-wrenching panic. Adrenaline spikes, and just barely do I have enough sense to remain as quiet as possible.

Slowly cracking open my crusted eyes, I’m greeted by complete darkness. It takes a second to process that there’s a blindfold strapped around my head.

Then, the blissful numbness I awoke in crumbles, and I lose my breath when all-consuming pain filters in, engulfing my body in absolute agony.

God, is this what being alive feels like? It can’t be death. I’d be at peace if it were. And I may have fallen for a stalker, but I’ll be damned if I didn’t land a spot within heaven’s gates.

I fucking earned that shit.

Racking my brain, I try to think past the pain and remember what the fuck happened to me. Vaguely, I recall text messages from Daya asking me to come over. The urgency I felt when she wasn’t answering my calls. Getting in my car, headlights, and panicking, being jerked forward, and then nothing.

And now I’m here… wherever that is. But not somewhere safe.

Christ, was that even Daya texting me? Did something happen to her too?

That possibility sends another wave of panic crashing through me. Scenarios curtail and evolve until I’m a mass of anxiety and desperation. She could be hurt or in serious trouble.

Fuck—I’m hurt and in serious trouble, and I’ve no idea how the fuck I’m going to get out of it.

My breathing is escalating further, and my heart is beating so heavily, it physically hurts as it slams against my chest. It takes what little strength I have left to keep silent.

Where the fuck am I?

Where's Zade?

Quiet, dull voices are next, muffled by the noise in my ears but steadily growing louder. I strain my ears, trying to hear over the beat of my heart and the pain swelling in my body like a water balloon.

Somehow the agony has a voice too, and it’s fucking loud.

“Z will be looking for her,” one man says quietly. “But we’ll be fine once we get to Garrison’s and chuck the van. We’ll get her there quickly.”

A particular memory knocks me over the head, flashes of being dragged out of my car and the residual pain of glass and metal biting through my skin. It explains why my back is on fire.

I’ve been fucking kidnapped—obviously. This had to have been the Society’s doing. Zade had said they targeted me, and I know he had guards stationed outside of Parsons Manor. They must have used Daya to draw me out, which means there’s a high chance she’s been taken, too.

Fuck, I’m an idiot.

I didn’t even stop to consider it could be a trap when Daya wasn’t answering the phone. I was so intent on getting to her in case she was hurt or in trouble that it wasn’t even a consideration to call Zade. Not only could it have saved me, but it also could have saved Daya, too.

I squeeze my eyes shut as a sob crawls up my throat. A tear slips through my lashes, and my chest shakes with exertion, trying not to break down. This was my own damn fault.

Zade warned me countless times they were after me, and the first trap they set, I walked right into.

You’re such an idiot, Addie. Such a fucking idiot.

“You actually think we'll be able to hide her from him? It’s fucking Z, man,” another man responds, this one with a slight Hispanic accent.

“We’re just giving the Society what they asked for. Which one are you more afraid of? Them or Z?”

Fuck, it was the goddamn Society. I knew it, but hearing it confirmed only sends a fresh dose of adrenaline into my system.

I don’t know why I got tossed into this shit, but they need to take me out of this fucked-up salad of depravity; I don’t belong here. I belong in a salad full of fruits and vegetables. Healthy things that don’t run me off the road and enslave me.

The second man mutters, “I’d prefer not to fucking choose.”

It sounds like a hand slapping someone’s shoulder or back as if to reassure him. “Too bad you don’t have a choice, Rio. Doesn’t matter. This girl right here is worth millions. I mean, we got a fucking diamond here. Just imagine it, dude—Z's girl, the one and only, up on an auction stage. You know how many enemies he has? People will be frothing at the mouth to make his girl their little toy. I’ll get my cut from Max, and the Society will compensate you, I’m sure. We’ll be living fucking lavishly.” He lets out a burst of hyena-like laughter. “I can buy my own goddamn private island after the money goes through!”

A shot of anger pumps into me at the man’s callous words, speaking of me like I’m a house up for sale.

“Your idea of comfort must be different from mine. We'll have to go into hiding alongside her. At least while Z is still alive,” the second man—Rio—responds. His name sounds familiar, and I think I faintly remember someone yelling his name after they ran me off the road.

“Don’t worry, man. We’ll get a head start with the ritual happening tonight, and I’m sure the Society will take out Z, one way or another. They’ll protect us.”

A derisive snort is the only response the first man gets.

Jesus Christ, I really am in deep trouble. Tears brim the corners of my eyes, and try as I might, no amount of trash talking keeps them from overflowing like rivers past the blindfold.

I barely manage to wrangle down the sob that’s still threatening to spill, clawing its way up to the inside of my teeth.

Deep breaths, Addie. What did Zade teach you?

It takes several moments to collect my thoughts, but eventually, his voice filters in.

Leave evidence.

Gritting my teeth against the pain, I slowly grip strands of my hair and tug until they break free. The sharp pinpricks are inconsequential compared to the rest of my body.

I keep my movements minimal and slow. With the blindfold on, I’ve no idea if they can see me well. One movement out of the corner of their eye can alert them.

I wiggle my fingers until the strands loosen and fall away.

Just as I’m reaching for more hair, they hit a particular brutal bump in the road, and I can’t keep the yelp from slipping free.

The pair hadn’t been talking at that moment, but it felt like a crowded room just went deathly silent in a matter of seconds.

“Welcome to the land of the living, sweetheart,” one of the men croons. It’s the first guy who had referred to me as a diamond.

“Where are you taking me?” I ask, my voice raspy and hoarse.

“To your new home—well, temporary home,” he corrects. “Whoever pays the most will provide you with your forever home.” He chuckles as if I’m a dog about to be adopted into a loving family.

“Great,” I croak. “Sounds like I’ve hit the jackpot.”

One of them laughs humorlessly, but it sounds like Rio this time. “Hold on tight to that humor, baby girl. You’re going to need it for where you’re going.”

Before I can open my mouth to respond, I feel a prick in my arm, followed by a burning sensation spreading throughout my veins.

I suck in a sharp breath. And it happens to be the last breath I take before darkness descends.

“Her vitals are unstable, and her blood pressure is dropping. We need to get her an IV.”

I stir; the unfamiliar voice distorted beneath the ringing in my ears.

Agony blazes in every inch of my body, but it feels like I’m underwater, fighting to get to the surface yet kicking away from it because I just know the pain will only intensify. I’m encased in a shroud of fire, flames licking at my nerve endings, and the closer I get to consciousness, the brighter the flare.

There’s a tiny prick in my arm, followed by muffled voices coming from different directions.

“Dislocated shoulder, head trauma, lacerations throughout her body.” The man’s voice fades out before cutting back in, a harsh shout that travels up my spine.

“Goddammit, Rio, this isn’t a fucking hospital where I have the equipment I need. She could have internal bleeding right now, for all I know.”

“Come on, man, she was fine just a bit ago,” another answers, a note of concern in his tone. Rio’s companion, I think.

“Fine? I have no way of knowing what kind of damage she took. It’s evident she hit her head. She could be hemorrhaging and potentially die in seconds. You gonna find me a CT scanner?” When he’s met with silence, a muttered, “Thought so,” follows.

Darkness licks at the edge of my consciousness, threatening to drag me back under. I moan, and probing fingers pry my eyes open. A bright light flashes in them, but I hardly notice.

“Miss, can you tell me what hurts?”

An older man replaces the light, his face crowding over me. His image is blurry, but I can make out tufts of gray hair, a bushy mustache, and pale blue eyes.

I part my lips, but my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth.

Jesus, what did they inject me with? Whatever it was, it’s making me disoriented and dizzy.

“I know you’re in a lot of pain right now, but I need you to tell me what hurts.”

Everything. Everything fucking hurts.

“My… shoulder,” I croak out finally. “My head.”

“Anywhere else? Your chest or stomach?”

“Back,” I gasp, remembering once more being dragged out of my car. My back feels as if it’s been shredded with a cheese grater.

“That all?” he presses.

I nod my head, the incessant questions exhausting. A million other places hurt, too, but my energy is depleted, and I’m so very tired.

“I’m going to put you under anesthesia and get you fixed up, okay?”

Clarity surfaces over my surroundings, and the man’s facial features sharpen. Along with another man standing behind him, who’s shifting on his feet and watching us.

Time to go to sleep, princess.

Dark bottomless eyes and a wicked grin—Rio. He’s the one who had dragged me out of the car. Flashes of that conversation elude me, but I know there was more to it. I can’t think past the relentless pounding in my skull.

Just as my eyes were beginning to focus, my vision blurs once more, and my eyelids grow heavy. I can’t fight the deep pull to just close my eyes.

I don’t want to fight it. Not when it’ll take me away from the pain.

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About the authors

H. D. Carlton

H. D. Carlton

H. D. Carlton is an International and USA Today Bestselling author. She lives in Oregon with her husband, Bigfoot, two dogs, and cat. When she’s not bathing in the tears of her readers, she’s watching paranormal shows and wishing she was a mermaid. Her favorite characters are of the morally gray variety and believes that everyone should check their sanity at the door before diving into her stories.

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Reviews

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5

91,248 global ratings

The Vintage Doll

The Vintage Doll

5

WOAH! So much more intense than book one

Reviewed in the United States on June 13, 2024

Verified Purchase

spoiler alert Oh boy!! So this book got way darker than the first but it wasn't because of the characters relationship but the storyline and where the characters ended up away from eachother. The first half of this book in part one was intense. I didn't expect it to get as dark and serious but I think it was an important journey for the overall development of Adeline. I had to stop and take some breathers during part one due to just panicking over what she was having to endure. The Culling made me cry hard-core. It does carry a lot of S.A. but considering the story line is involved in human trafficking, that is a dark world. I didn't expect it to be brought so closely to my main character. Once into part two you really ache for Zade and the loss of connection after the journey they take getting Adeline back. But there are so many moments of pain and also excitement in the re-connection. The spicy scenes don't really hit until part two of this book and it makes sense why when you make your way through it. They are heavy as well but darkness of the love to heal the deepness of the pain really seems to pull it all together. I deeply loved these books and was terrified for the ending but overall so pleased in the closing.

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Michelle Charlton

Michelle Charlton

5

This book will remake your moral compass

Reviewed in the United States on February 10, 2022

Verified Purchase

Read the trigger warnings before you read. Don't pick up this book with the intention of anything kind or heroic happening. If you do, you have no one to blame but yourself if you dislike it.

This book is not a romance book. It is a dark horror that delves into the bowels of humanity and will remake your own moral compass. THIS BOOK IS REALITY.

TWS: R@P#, Explicit Violence and Details, Murder, Blo0d, S*x Trafficking, PTSD, Psychological torment, Trauma, Dubious consent, CNC

Hunting is as enthralling and real as Haunting was. It is completely different but just as enthralling. It is dark, it is unhinged, it is the worst of humanity, and it is unapologetic. There is also strength and resilience.

This book hurt and you bled when Addie and Zade bled. You cried for them and you felt for them. I have my own traumas and this was as close to reality as I have ever read. This book broke open the heartbreaking reality of what happens to women and children around the world every day and that reality deserves to be unpacked and witnessed. Having to witness it through Addie hurt more than I can say. We all need to take a page out of Zade's book and adjust our moral compass when it comes to fighting for the freedom of the reality that is outside this book.

This book broke me and put my jagged pieces to fit with Addie and Zade, and I was okay with that. Addie's experience is painful. I liked that HD didn't shy away from that and put it to paper. Usually, the hero saves the heroine before the trauma occurs or the trauma is light in comparison to what Addie experienced. A small part of me hoped she would follow that plot line but then I realized this book mirrors reality and the hero doesn't always show up or arrive in time. I cried for Addie. I lived her pain in my own life and then I lived it again through her story, but I was okay with that pain. There was no mercy for Addie. She tore her moral compass to pieces, broke her own heart, took a life, and contemplated the end. HD gave her a real experience with real thoughts and reactions. I have never had an author write such an authentic character with real-world experiences and reactions

Rio, our new character and participant in Addies horror show, has me conflicted. He has his own moral compass and like Addie, I'm blurring mine when it comes to him. Rationalizing his choices, his actions, and his treatment. I can empathize with him though. Is it not the same thing that many would do to save their own sister? I can't wait to unpack his story when HD writes it.

<<<Fast forward to after her escape>>>>

The psychological and physical trauma that Addie has experienced wrecks both her and Zade. There is no happily ever after or easy ride into the sunset. It is raw and devastating. Addie is not the little mouse Zade tried to tame in book 1. She's a broken shell. I have experienced all of the emotions Addie did and all I wanted to do was scoop her up in my arms and remind her that one day in the future it will get better. One day the darkness will lighten and you will be able to take baby steps. Then those baby steps will lead to bigger steps until finally (however long it takes) you can stand in the light again and breathe.

We see the side to Zade we knew was hiding in there. Addie hadn't seen that side of him yet, she had only seen his jagged pieces. Zade stands strong behind her and holds her up when she falters. He is patient, he is loving, and he will wait until the end of the world for her if he has to. There is no force or pressure. The Zade from book 1 regarding their s*xual encounters is gone. He doesn't take and watch her body for responses he lets her set the pace. He said in book one that she "holds my life in the palm of her hand, she’s just incapable of seeing it that way" and this is proven in this book. He lives for her and slowly she starts to see that no matter what her inner thoughts and feelings tell her from her trauma he will never leave her.

Zade helps her take ownership of her trauma from her time with Xavier. One of my favorite scenes, which he does only with her consent (such a change from book 1), is when he uses a knife over the scars Xavier left giving her a new experience and new emotions to tie to them. He helps her heal through s*xual, physical, and emotional needs. He molds himself into whom she needs and what she needs and my heart beats for him more because of it. He helps build her up and heal her into the new version of Adeline. The version that matches all of his jagged pieces.

I am in love with Zade and Addie. I am in love with their story. I am in love with the reality and truth that shines from this book. I am grateful to have read it and for HD for bringing it to life.

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96 people found this helpful

ramos_1099

ramos_1099

5

Absolutely enthralling!

Reviewed in the United States on August 11, 2024

Verified Purchase

I am a new fan of dark romance. I'd been in a reading lull for YEARS, never having enough time or mental energy to open a book that didn't have to do with grad school. The cat and mouse duet changed all of that. Absolutely pulled me into their world w/the danger, spice, chase, and drama. I couldn't stop reading Haunting, and the same goes for Hunting and I am so glad I didn't! Addie's character growth was sooo satisfying. She was written as a survivor and a strong female character, and I LOVE that. I love that he bows to her and melts for HER. I love the push and pull fantasy and the danger of it all. I am now a forever a fan of HD Carlton and will be finishing off the other 2 books in the cat and mouse world before moving onto the stand alones. I have never been so excited to read! 😁

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