by G. Bailey
"See you later, hot stuff," she says to Drake, before giving him a very long kiss and shoving him towards the door.
"Goodbye," he says formally to me, making Alex laugh.
"I forget how much older you are than me," she says.
"Careful," he purrs, winking at her and making her giggle. I am shocked at this playful side of him that I've never seen.
"Bye!" she shouts as she shuts the door when he leaves. Alex puts a comedy on and then we eat out of the boxes as we chat.
"So, which one are you more upset about?" she asks, a raised eyebrow in my direction.
"What?" I say, shoving more egg fried rice into my mouth. I really need chocolate, but this will do.
"Well, Wyatt is hot, but Jaxson has this whole brooding thing going on. Plus, how hot would a werewolf be in bed? Drake is amazing, but I'm guessing all supernaturals are," she tells me as my jaw drops open.
"You know about Jaxson being a wolf?" I ask, dropping my fork onto the sofa in shock.
I pick it up as she says, "Well, yeah, when I met him. The whole overwhelming smell of woods isn't a human thing. You forget I'm mated, extra abilities." She taps her nose.
"Did you—" I'm cut off by her huff.
"No, Drake would lose his shit, but you weren't in danger. Well, maybe your virtue was, but that doesn't count." She winks at me, causing me to laugh for the first time in a while.
"So?" she questions.
"Wyatt feels like being close to the sun, keeps you hot all the time, but I’m scared I’m going to get burnt. I feel like he is so haunted that I can't get close to him. He’s also a vampire prince, I’m not sure his dad is going to be cool with him dating a human," I tell her.
"He lost his girlfriend, who he wanted to mate with eventually. Drake said it almost destroyed him, but around you, he can be different, happy almost," she replies.
"I know, I get that. I want him to let me in more, but I’m scared how much more I would fall for him if he did," I reply.
“That silly man is in love with you, you know that, and I’ve seen the way you look at him. It may be too late for that,” she tells me, and I try not to think about her words. I love seeing Wyatt; the playful side he has with Atti and the passionate way he can be. I love hearing him tell me about his love for music and his promises to show me how he plays sometime. I just can’t admit I love him, yet.
"Jaxson?" she asks, and my smile fades.
"When I'm around him, it's like I can't breathe, and he is the air I damn well need but can't have. One kiss with him, and I know I'd do anything for him, even if I end up getting hurt," I tell her, trying to ignore how much it hurts to say that.
"You love him," she says in awe a little.
"He is going to be mated to someone else, her name is Esta. Her wolf tried to kill me a few days ago because Jaxson kissed me," I say sadly, and my eyes widen as Alex's normal, brown eyes start glowing.
"I'm going to kill that wolf bitch," she states.
"I want the same, but she is meant for Jaxson. Harris said a witch fated them to be together. I can understand her point of view. I’m a human who has just appeared in Jaxson’s life and kissed the wolf she has been told her whole life that is meant for her. You should have seen her face after Jaxson shouted at her. She was heartbroken, she really cares for him, and I felt bad for her," I tell Alex.
"Witches are wrong all the time. Drake said that once to Wyatt," she tells me.
"I won't make him choose between his pack and me. I don't think he feels the same, anyway. He walked away from me today, knowing it would break me," I say. I finally sob into my hands before wiping the tears away.
"Oh, Winter," she pulls me to her and lets me cry it out.
"I'm sorry for being a baby." I pull back.
"Don't be, what are sisters for?" She winks at me.
"How about more junk food and more funny movies?" I ask.
"Perfect," she laughs. We spend a night being lazy and having fun. I force myself to forget about everything else, and it was just what I needed.
Eighteen
Winter
The last day of university went well. Harris didn't turn up, but Alex stayed with me. I clearly worried her last night when I opened up about nearly everything. Although, I still haven't told her about the eerie life-like dreams. I don’t know how to bring up the fact that the woman in my dreams talked about a prophecy, and that everyone seems to think I have something to do with it. I would be stupid to bring it up to any wolves. They might kill me on the spot. I don’t know if I should tell Wyatt. Currently, I’m replying to Atti, who somehow got my number and has sent me pictures of his cats. They are far bigger than I expected, but I have a really funny one of his cat, Mags, asleep on a porno magazine. Atti said that the magazine belongs to Dabriel. I highly doubt that is true. I am happy he got my number, his funny messages and pictures have kept me smiling all day.
My phone rings, my smile growing when I see it's my mum.
"Hey, Mum." I’m relieved to talk to her.
"Hey, Baby, just one day until I get a hug," she squeals down the phone, and I chuckle.
"I'm just packing now," I tell her, knowing it will make her happy.
"Only just packing now? Oh Winter, that is last minute. I've bought all your favourite food for when you’re home," she changes the subject. I know she will take everything out of my bag when I get home, anyway, and wash it all. That’s my mum for you.
"The local shop’s chocolate fudge pie?" I inquire as my mouth waters.
"Yes, two of them," she chuckles.
"I love you," I state, grinning widely when I hear her laugh.
"I will let you pack, I only wanted to check up on you. I'm calling Alex next," she tells me.
"Bye, Mum," I say smiling.
"Bye, Baby," she replies and puts the phone down. I finish chucking my spare shoes in my bag with the rest of my stuff. Sitting on my suitcase to shut it, I smile when I finally get the zip done up. My phone rings again, and guessing it's my mum, I don't look as I answer.
"Winter?" Freddy’s voice says into the phone.
"Freddy, how are you?" I’m surprised how nice it is to hear his voice.
"All good, but I want to see you, I'm coming with Harris and Katy to pick you up," he says like the excited voice of a child on lots of sugar.
"Oh, and why are they picking me up?" I ask him.
"We all miss you." Katy takes the phone off Freddy, and I hear his grumbling in the background.
"Where are we going?" I ask her.
"To a party, so dress up. One hour." She puts the phone down before I can reply. I smack my head with my hand, intending to kill Harris when he gets here for letting them call me. I stop half-way to my wardrobe when I remember Dabriel’s words. He told me not to go to a party and something about death. I forgot to ask Wyatt about that. But, I might be safer with the wolves than alone with a vampire king around.
I open my wardrobe and find a long, white, maxi dress, it has purple beads in a halter style that holds it up. Slipping it on, I let my dark-brown hair fall down my back, wavy from the bun it was in. I'm surprised how good it looks in wavy curls and not a big ball of frizz, for once. I put a little makeup on before finding my bag and stuffing my phone in it. The doorbell rings, as I finish locking my room.
I open the door to a grinning Freddy, who is wearing a white shirt and black trousers, looking very smart. I try to ignore the way he looks too much like Jaxson, but it hurts a little to look at him for a second. Freddy’s short hair is dark-brown with blond tips. The dark-brown is clearly from Jaxson’s side of the family. I wonder if his mum or dad was blonde.
"Winter!" he grins widely pulling me into a strong hug. So strong that I have to get my breath back when he lets go.
"Come on, we have to go," he says with such a huge grin I can't say no. Damn Katy, she knew sending him up here would work. I lock the door with a smile and let Freddy grab my hand, pulling me outside. Harris looks guilty as I pass him and sit in
the back seat. Freddy gets into the other side, and Katy beams when she sees me.
"You look so totally hot." She pulls on Harris’s arm so he looks back at me. I smile in a friendly way that I hope shows I’m not mad at him.
"You look lovely, Winter," he says with a roll of his eyes at Katy and a small smile for me.
"Where’s the party?" I ask.
"It's a mating party, there are three wolves being mated tonight," Harris answers.
"At the pack?" I ask, a little nervous for his answer. I know the answer, but I need to hear him say it.
"Yes," Freddy smirks, and Harris starts driving.
"You can't avoid us. Jaxson is, well, whatever, but you’re my friend," Freddy says with those damn, puppy dog eyes.
"Fine one hour, and then Harris is driving me home," I demand, and Harris nods with a small smile.
"I'm sorry if we upset you the other day," Katy says awkwardly.
"I get it, you were being honest and didn't want me getting hurt," I tell her, and she looks relieved. She nods sadly before turning back to the front.
The rest of the drive, Freddy tells me about his school work and how Anna made him homemade, strawberry ice cream. It’s funny to see how happy it makes him. My body tenses as we pull into the pack lands; there are two wolves by the entrance to the long path, and they nod at Harris as he turns. We stop at a small cabin further away from the main house I'm used to, and we all get out.
"So, how good are you at dancing?" Katy asks as I follow a tense Harris up the main path towards the main house. All the cabins have green lanterns outside. I’ve been here at night, but I’ve never seen that. It must be a wedding thing.
"Terrible." I laugh, and Katy grins evilly.
"I can't wait to see that," she chuckles.
"You won't," I warn.
"But you have to dance with me," Freddy says, coming up next to me, it's only then I notice Harris is wearing the same white shirt and black trousers, while Katy is dressed in a blue skater dress. It's simple, but it suits her figure making her seem older than her fifteen years. Katy is really stunning tonight, and I know she will be a handful for some guy when she is older.
"Don't do the eyes." I look away from Freddy, and he chuckles.
"I will get her to dance," Freddy whispers to Katy, and Katy laughs as they fall behind me to conspire. I catch up to Harris, and I'm about to say something, but I forget when I see the sight in front of me.
The trees around the main house are filled with green lanterns that give an unearthly effect to the white tables lined out in front of the house. There is a stage made up with a band playing gentle music as a couple dances with everyone watching them. My eyes are drawn to them as they sway to the music, and the man spins the girl, her long, brown, braided hair floating around her. Her light-green dress is low at the back, so I can see all the way up her spine. She has a tattoo like I've never seen. It looks like vines, but it clearly makes a symbol I don’t understand. There are also three wolves tattooed to look real, and the closer we get, the more real they become. I look over to see two other men, watching the couple dance, but they are only watching her. There’s no jealousy on their faces, and I realise they are her other mates. The song ends. The couple walks over to them, and one of the other guys pulls her into a passionate kiss. The others don’t look away, and it’s strange to see. Not a bad strange, but, still, it’s something else.
"That's a mating mark. Whatever our mates are born with on them, we get an equal one that appears once a mating is completed," Katy whispers.
"It looks beautiful." I gaze out at the couple, they look so happy. More couples join the dance, and I see Fergus leading Anna to dance. Her stomach is wider now, and she is wearing a similar blue dress to mine that shows off her bump. I have to admit that baby is going to be beautiful with parents like them. I hope I get to see the baby at least once, I will get them a lovely gift for when the baby comes. Fergus and Anna look so relaxed as they sway to the music. My gaze shifts when I spot Jaxson. My heart stops as I see him wearing a spotless white shirt that shows off all the muscles on his chest. The black trousers and his nearly black hair reflect the soft-green fairy lights. Two hands appear on his chest as he puts his hands on Esta’s small waist as they dance. She looks up at him in adoration, as stunning as ever in a tight, yellow dress. She wraps her arms around his neck, leaning up over his shoulder as they move, and her dark eyes lock onto me with a big smirk. I don't move as she leans up and kisses Jaxson. Jaxson doesn't move to stop the kiss, as my heart feels like it's stopped moving. My feet move on their own, as I turn away from the voices that shout my name and towards the training room at the back of the house to catch my breath. I lean against the door, as I wipe the stupid tears that fall down my face.
"Winter," Katy says, coming to my side and hugging me. The building is lit up from outdoor lights, so she can see me clearly.
"Go back to the party. I will just wait in Harris’s car. You’ll know when I've calmed down enough to move," I tell her, not wanting to ruin her fun.
"I didn't know, I swear none of us would have brought you to cause you any pain." She hugs me and pulls back. She holds my hand as I stare into the trees. We don’t say anything for a long time as I cry silent tears and try to pull myself together.
A loud scream fills the air, as well as a whoosh of something flying through the air. Katy knocks me to the ground, covering my body with hers.
Katy rolls away from me, laying on her back as I look at her in shock.
"Katy!" I scream, shaking her as she blinks up at me, holding her side. I pull her hand away to see it stained red.
"The alpha is dead, that must be how they got in. Run, Winter," she mutters before passing out. Screams fill the air from the front of the house, and I hear growls in the background too. The ground starts shaking madly, and it’s hard to stand up. I know what I have to do. I can’t leave Freddy to fight anyone. I don’t know who we are fighting, but I have an idea it’s the vampires. I know I can leave Katy when I see the little silver bullet on the floor. It would only kill her if it was still inside her.
I drag Katy into the training room, before grabbing the crossbow off the wall and slipping some arrows in a bag on my shoulder. I load a couple of arrows quickly before locking the training room door. I hope Katy is safe, but I can't help her now. I can’t think straight as I run across the grass, scared out of my mind about Jaxson and Freddy. If they got to Fergus and killed him, they could have hurt them, too. I think Jaxson is okay by the shaking ground and the sound of trees being ripped out in the background.
I run around the house and pause for a second at the horrible sight, blood pours out the mouth of a sandy wolf at my feet. I look up to see a man coming towards me, wearing all black and moving at a leisured pace like this is a game for him. His eyes are glowing a dangerous red, and there’s a smirk on his face which dies when I shoot him in the heart. I watch as he falls to the ground holding the arrow. The man, or vampire I'm guessing by the teeth, turns black all over and crumbles into black dust. Because that's not creepy at all. A loud scream nearby directs my attention from the dust. My eyes widen as I see Esta shift quickly and start fighting two men in her wolf form, and Anna is hiding behind her. I shoot one of the men she is fighting in the neck, and as he falls, I fire another into his chest, finishing him. Esta’s wolf takes the chance and kills the other vampire by tearing his head off. She nods in my direction before putting Anna on her back and making a run into the forest. I look around for Jaxson, and I can't see him. I go to move towards the fighting when I feel the pain.
I cough and raise my hand to my mouth, pulling it away to see blood. I look down in slow motion, seeing the dagger in my heart. I don't feel myself fall.
My eyes stay open, as I stare up at the night sky filled with stars.
"Winter, no, no! What are you doing here?" A voice floats around my brain, as my head is pulled into a lap. The arms surrounding me feel cold, but my mind won't tell me who it is. My vis
ion blurs, so I can only see the outline of a man and the stars behind him.
"Not yet, I'm sorry for this. I can’t lose you, it’s not your time, Winter," a familiar male voice says in a whisper as I hear a crunching sound, before my mouth is filled with a thick water. I choke on it, or my blood, once more before blackness creeps into my eyes. I feel my body being lifted. I’m sure just as the trees fade into blackness that I hear a heart-wrenching scream from the wolf I love.
"Winter!"
Epilogue
Wyatt
“I don’t fucking know what she was doing there,” I tell Dabriel as he holds his glowing hands over Winter’s body. His whole body is glowing like a Christmas tree as he speeds up Winter’s recovery.
“This isn’t right,” he says to Winter with a shake of his head.
“I didn’t have a choice,” I say to him. I watch as he gets up, his white symbols stop glowing on his skin, and he walks out the room. I follow him as I wait for him to tell me if she is going to make it. What if I was too late?
“She isn’t a vampire,” he tells me.
“That’s impossible,” I say firmly. I can already feel our bond, the connection we will have because she shares my blood.
“She isn’t. I can tell. She still appears human, but she is more. She is changing into something else,” he tells me.
We both look through the door as we both hear something that we shouldn’t.
A heartbeat.
Vampires’ hearts don’t beat.
Winter’s Kiss
When love and old prophecy’s control your life, who can you trust?
Winter’s life has been turned upside down since finding out that all the fairy tales exist and she doesn’t know who to turn to. When everything is against her, can the men who love her keep her alive?