“This is a cabin?” I said, looking around at the grand foyer. “I thought cabins were supposed to be small. And made of wood.”
“Nothing is ever small with my mother,” Hayden said, rolling her eyes. “There are plenty of rooms and beds. Choose wherever you want. Just don’t step foot in my room. It’s the biggest one.”
Yup. Hayden was back to her usual self.
“Just so you guys know, I’ve never skied before,” Jade said.
I smiled at her. “Ditto.”
She smiled back. Man, I couldn’t wait to save her from Francesca. As soon as it was the right moment I was going to tell her everything. If she reacted badly, we were planning to have Christian compel her to forget. If she reacted okay, we were going to get her on hawthorne so that Francesca could fuck off.
“Yeah, I don’t ever actually ski on these trips,” Hayden said. She looked at us like we were crazy for thinking we were going to actually do some skiing on a ski trip to the mountains.
“Then what are we here for?” I asked.
“To raid my parents liquor cabinet.”
Hayden went in the direction of said liquor cabinet.
Tegan smiled and winked at me. “Duh girl.”
Lexie came in from the kitchen. She smiled when she saw us. “Hey, you guys made it!” She gave Jade a hug and gave Francesca a dirty look over her shoulder.
Francesca smiled proudly. She liked that she was completely disrupting our lives.
Tegan watched as Lexie and Jade hugged each other for a bit too long. Lexie might want to chill or Tegan might try to set Jade on fire.
“I think we can all use one of these,” Hayden said, coming back into the room with a bottle of tequila and a container of shot glasses.
She handed out the shot glasses, but when she got to Jade, she put her hand up. “I’m not much of a drinker.”
Yes, Jade! Speak up for yourself.
Francesca got her attention and looked into her eyes. “Have one. Trust me, you’ll have more fun with some liquid courage running through your veins.”
“You can’t make her drink.” I was done holding my tongue.
“Yeah, if she doesn’t want to drink, you can’t force her to,” Lexie said. She was as peeved as I was.
“It’s okay guys,” Jade said. “I’ll have one.”
“Jade, you don’t have to.”
“Actually, she does have to,” Francesca said. “Remember?”
I glared daggers at the vampire. This was it. I drew the line at forced peer pressured drinking. This was dangerous. She could make Jade sick or worse if she ended up with alcohol poisoning or something.
Francesca glared back at me. Neither one of us was willing to back down. The room was at a stand still, everyone looking between the two of us exchanging heated looks.
“Alright, let’s just take a beat,” Christian said.
“Yes, let’s,” Francesca said, her lips curving into a smirk. She was amused at how angry she had me. Bitch.
Wyatt was right. She’d drive anyone mad. I couldn’t imagine having to date this woman.
Lexie came beside me. “It’s okay. I’ll watch after her.”
I let out a deep breath and grabbed my bag. I started up the steps.
“I thought we were all doing shots,” Francesca said.
“Shut up Francesca,” Christian said before he followed after me.
I placed my things in the first empty room I found. I just needed a space to be alone in. I hated letting everyone see me so angry. I let Francesca get the better of me in front of everyone. I had no control, which was exactly why I was such a terrible witch. I couldn’t get my emotions under control.
I turned around to face Christian. He was looking at me with that concerned look he always had when he looked at me.
“You can’t let her get under your skin.”
“It’s impossible not to. She’s already using Jade like a puppet, but now she’s making her drink? This is completely fucked up.”
“I know. We’re going to do something about her, but we have to play it safe. She’s a very strong vampire and if we’re not careful she could end up hurting Jade, even more than she already is.”
“I just want her to be safe.”
He came closer to me. “And she will be.” He put his arms around me and hugged me comfortingly. “You both will be. I’m not going to let anything happen to you or Jade. I promise Hope.”
I sighed in relief as I wrapped my arms around him and held onto him. Christian was a man of few words, but the words he did use were always so perfect. His words gave me hope that everything would be okay.
But they were just words and in the back of my mind, I couldn’t shake the thought that we were all in denial.
Rex Cassius was going to win. He was going to capture me, and I was going to take my friends down with me.
Everyone I cared about was putting their lives on the line for me. I know I would do it for them too, but that didn’t make it okay.
This was my fight, and I had to start fighting it for myself.
Chapter 23: Knight
I watched them hugging from the hallway. I wanted to make sure she was okay so I followed her upstairs, but I found her in his arms.
I understood she liked him too and he was trying to protect her. That’s the only reason I wasn’t barging in to pull her out of his arms.
“So you’re the creepy stalker type. Good to know.”
I groaned. Francesca.
She walked past me and looked at the next bedroom next to Hope’s. She assessed the room.
“What’s your deal? Why don’t you just leave poor Jade alone?”
She scoffed. “Poor Jade is right. I seem to be her only friend. Her supposed friends left her vulnerable to be compelled by a vampire.”
“You’re her friend? You’re the vampire that’s compelling her!”
“All I’m saying is a true friend would have told her everything and made her go on hawthorne. Instead, she’s vulnerable to me and every other vampire that will try to use her against Hope.”
It wasn’t exactly a lie. Jade was surrounded by supernatural beings and she didn’t know anything about this world. She was basically a sitting duck. But that didn’t make what Francesca was saying right. “You’re using her against Hope. You’re the monster here and you’re not Jade’s friend.”
“Face it. No one is safe around Hope. Even Hayden, a werewolf, was taken down. All vampires are out for blood. The long line of enemies Hope has on both sides of her lineage are endless. Everyone, including Hope herself, will be safer once I take her with me.”
I narrowed my eyes at her and took steadying breaths. I didn’t want to explode and have Hope hear me.
“You’re not taking her anywhere.”
Francesca laughed. “Adorable Knight in shining armor.” She came right in my face. She was tall so she was only a couple inches shorter than me. “I can squish you like the puppy you are.”
“Don’t test me. I’d do anything to protect Hope.”
“You haven’t even activated your werewolf side yet. What are you going to do to protect Hope? You’re weaker than her.”
She looked at me with a condescending look before leaving the room. “This room is too small. This weekend is going to be dreadful.”
She was right. I was weak. Weaker than Hope. She’d be in danger trying to protect me.
I was no use to Hope the way I was. Technically, I wasn’t even a wolf yet. Not really anyway. Not in the way that it mattered.
The only way I could protect Hope, was to activate my werewolf side.
I had to lose my virginity and become someone that could rip a vampire to shreds.
I had to do whatever I had to do to protect Hope. Even if that meant becoming what I dreaded becoming my entire life.
Chapter 24: Hope
The next day we spent most of the day inside hanging out. Knight, Lexie, Aria, Tegan, and I went outside and had a snowball fight. I lost, miser
ably. When it started snowing we all headed in to sit around the fire that Christian started.
Tegan and Hayden just finished making hot cocoa, which was spiked with a secret ingredient. Pretty sure it tasted like rum. I only took a couple sips before giving the rest to Lexie.
“We should play a drinking game,” Tegan said.
“What’s the point?” Christian asked. “Most of you are already drunk or getting there.”
“Haha,” the witch said. “You’re funny for an old man.”
Jade looked confused. “Old man?”
“She’s just drunk,” I said. I glared at Tegan, who just giggled and made a motion like she was zipping her mouth shut.
This was exactly why I didn’t drink. Drunk people had the tendency to say things they weren’t supposed to.
“Which game?” Aria said.
“Never have I ever,” she suggested.
Hayden rolled her eyes. “Lame, but fine. I’m bored.”
This didn’t sound like a good idea to me, but I was trying to be normal for the weekend. Normal teenagers played drinking games with their friends.
“Okay, so I’m sure everyone knows the rules of the game,” Tegan said. She passed around shot glasses as she explained the rules for anyone who didn’t know how this stupid game went. When she was finished she sat back down on the floor. “Okay, I’ll start. Never have I ever been attracted to any of the guys in this room.”
That was a low blow, and completely unfair. She was a lesbian. That was kind of a given I think.
I drank half of the shot, which earned a glare from Tegan. I rolled my eyes and finished the rest. These friends of mine were a bad influence and I was starting to regret coming on this trip.
I shouldn’t be giving into peer pressure. I should stand my ground. I didn’t like drinking and there was nothing wrong with that.
Hayden took a shot too, and to my surprise, so did Aria. I wondered which guy in the room she liked. There were only two and either of them would be someone I wouldn’t want Aria with. I know that wasn’t very fair of me, but I couldn’t help it. I was drawn to Christian and Knight. I didn’t want them with anyone else.
Knight took his turn. His was innocent and helped me not have to take a shot. After him it was Francesca’s turn.
This should be good.
“Let’s see,” she said. “I’ve never played this game before.”
“Is that the one you’re going with?” Tegan asked.
“No. I was just making a statement. Never have I ever been in love with someone while dating someone else.” She was looking directly at Lexie.
Lexie froze. She furrowed her eyebrows together and looked like she was about to jump up and try to kill Francesca.
Aria elbowed her discreetly and whispered something in her ear.
Jade didn’t seem to notice and Tegan seemed oblivious to what was happening too. It was a good thing she was so drunk.
“What the hell is your problem?” I said. I wasn’t going to bite my tongue. I understood that she was evil and she wanted to hurt me, but she didn’t have to keep torturing my friends. They didn’t do anything.
“I’m sorry Hope. Would you like a word with me?”
“As a matter of fact, I would.”
“Hope,” Knight said.
“Outside?” she suggested.
“Fine by me.”
“Hope,” Christian said, trying to stop me.
I looked into his eyes. “I’ll be fine. Just stay here.”
Francesca and I walked outside to the back deck. I turned around and looked at her with an angry glare. “Leave my friends alone.”
“Was it something I said?”
“Francesca, they have nothing to do with this. Why are you so fixated on ruining Lexie’s life too?”
“Did you ever stop to think that maybe I’m helping her and Jade? Those two are obviously smitten with each other. I think they just need a nudge in the right direction.”
She was totally right, but I knew she wasn’t doing this out of the goodness of her heart. There was no goodness there.
“If they want to be together, they can do that on their terms. It’s not yours or anyone else’s business.”
She put her arms up in surrender. “Fine. Let your friends be miserable. Apparently your happiness is the only one that matters.”
I shook my head. “God, you are so different from Kane. You’re awful.”
She laughed. “Then you don’t know my brother.”
“He protected me from your father and your crazy ass family.”
“And in the process he got himself captured by our father.” Her eyes turned dark with rage as she advanced towards me. “You’re the reason my brother is being tortured right now.”
It felt like she was twisting the knife that was already lodged into my stomach. I already felt guilty for Kane’s situation. I didn’t need her to tell me it was my fault. I already thought that myself.
“I didn’t ask him to do that. If I had known I would have tried to stop him. I don’t want other people in danger because of me or cleaning up my messes.”
She scoffed. “Look around you Hope. All of your friends are in danger because of you. They’re always going to be in danger so long as you’re in their lives. Darkness surrounds you. The sooner you admit that, the less people that will get hurt.”
I wanted to tell her to fuck off. That she was wrong and she could go to hell. But she wasn’t wrong. I was a danger to everyone I loved and it made me feel sick to my stomach with dread.
I turned around and walked down the steps. I needed air. I needed to be as far away from her as possible.
I walked into the woods, careful to make sure I followed the easiest path to take back home. I didn’t need to add freezing to death onto my list of unlucky things that happened to me.
I didn’t really have to worry though. If I didn’t return, Knight or Christian would come looking for me. They both had a good sense of smell. Christian was better than Knight, but only because he wasn’t a full wolf yet. Once he was he’d be able to track anyone down with no problem. He’d be even better than Christian at tracking.
I felt like someone was following me. Only somehow I could sense it was someone I knew. Someone I was close with. Someone who I knew would never hurt me. And someone who was so predictable.
“I thought you said you didn’t want to hang out with a bunch of high school freaks.”
I turned around to face a smiling Wyatt. “I don’t. That’s why I got my own cabin.”
“Wyatt, you need to get a life that doesn’t revolve around me.”
He wiggled his eyebrows and looked me over. “You look cold.”
“I’m fine.”
“You’re cold.”
“Wyatt.”
“Don’t you think it’s a little stupid to be out here all alone?”
“I needed to get out of that house. I hate her.”
I felt like I was suffocating there. I couldn’t wait to go home and not be under the same roof as Francesca anymore.
Wyatt smiled. “Me too. We should form a club.”
“Or we should just kill Francesca.”
“If only it were that simple. I’d be way ahead of you. But, it’s not and you’re not going to be doing anything to piss off my crazy ex.”
“Did you ever date any normal people?”
“Funny and cute. Now, unfortunately, you need to go back to the cabin.”
“I’ll go back when I want to.”
A gust of wind blew by, sending a shiver through my body. Stupid human biology.
“You were saying?” he said in amusement.
“Fine. I’ll go back.”
“Hurry up would you? It’s not safe out here. Vampires, witches, and snow, oh my.”
“Do you realize how corny you are?”
“Only for you. I know how much you like corny. You’re into my brother, afterall.”
He wasn’t the only Hale I was into. “You know you co
uld just come inside with me.”
“Hormonal teenage supernaturals and my crazy ex girlfriend. Hard pass. Besides, my cabin is nicer than yours.” He grinned.
“If you change your mind.”
“I won’t. But thanks Hope. Now get home. I’ll be listening so I’ll know if you don’t.”
I nodded my head and started back towards the path I took. I stopped and looked back at him. “Make sure you stay safe. I don’t want to lose anyone else I care about.”
He seemed surprised that I cared, but quickly tried to cover it up. “Don’t you worry about me. I’m the brother that drinks the good stuff.”
I smiled. “Goodnight Wyatt.”
“Goodnight Hope.”
If he only knew just how much I cared about him. I think he’d be just as surprised as I was.
Chapter 25: Wyatt
I didn’t deserve for Hope to care about me. She had no idea of the things I was capable of. The things I’ve done that haunted me.
There was a time when I would have deserved the affection Hope had to offer. But that time was a different lifetime. I wasn’t that man anymore. I hurt people. I did things that if she knew about, she’d never look at me the same way again.
I’m not Christian, and I never will be.
After I heard Hope get back to the cabin, I went back to the cabin I was staying in for the weekend. When I did, I found Francesca sitting on the front porch.
“What do you want?” I walked right by her and into the cabin, leaving the door open for her to follow me in.
She walked through the threshold in surprise. “I take it no one owns this cabin.”
“I killed the owner.”
She looked shocked by my words. “Really?”
“No.” I placed another log into the fireplace. “I rented it.”
She smirked. “Aren’t you the perfect model citizen.”
“Francesca, what do you want?”
“I’m bored.”
“Maybe because you’re hanging out with children that are young enough to be your great, great, great, great, great…”
“I get it,” she said, cutting me off with a snarky tone. “Thank you.”
Saving Hope: A Reverse Harem Paranormal Romance (Bloodmoon Series Book 2) Page 8