Standing face to face, we breathe angrily whilst looking into each other’s eyes. I'm not hurt by his words; I'm hurt by him not having faith in me.
"I didn't mean that," he says in a shaky breath.
"Me too, that was out of line," I tell him whilst slowing my heart rate down.
"I think we are too alike," he jokes whilst brushing his fingers through his hair.
"I think you are right," Smiling at him and breath out a sigh of relief when I see him noticeably calming down.
Hearing a fake cough from Dallah, we both realise that we have been speaking in hushed tones after our screaming match.
"You walk out, I'll follow, and then hit me in the face once I have spoken," he tells me calmly.
"No way!" I hiss, "That’s not what we had planned."
"We want this to work then I have to be a prick, so I will say something that will make me look bad."
"Like what?" I ask with a raised brow.
"I'm not sure," he tells me in an anxious tone.
Hearing Dallah fake cough again I take off for the exit. Walking past the Brothers’ with my head held high, Sallack's hand comes out and stops me in my tracks. Turning to him with a raised brow, he thinks for a moment then speaks for all to hear.
"I still want to be your friend, but you aren't for me, I need someone that will look good on my arm, like Ruk has Mary," he says then closes his eyes and bites his lip. Even though I know he has said this to make me angry, but doesn't mean it, it hits a nerve, a really fucking big one!
Pulling my hand back I connect with his face, not as hard as I can, but hard enough to make a point.
Standing on the spot whilst the Brothers’ jump to their feet, I lock eyes with Ruk and see the worry in his eyes before transporting myself home, my home.
"That was good, you should have hit him harder though," Dallah laughs as she walks through my bedroom door and flops down on my bed.
"Dallah! You are so mean," I joke.
"I know, but that's the only time you will ever get that chance, I would have taken advantage," she laughs again.
"So, what were they saying?"
"All is going to plan, they think your love has just fizzled out," she jolts up right, "but Ruk, well he was pissed with Sallack, his growling was near deafening," she tells me it excitement.
"Really?" I sigh happily.
"Really. This will work out sweetie, I know it will, keep strong. I’m staying with you tonight; we’re still not sure what's going on with Demitri."
"Ok. You know If he does come here, I will make him pay for this, I will take everything he has ever cared for," I tell her with need for her to believe me.
"Oh I know, I look forward to it," she smiles evilly and waggles her brows.
"You're so cute," I tell her with a snort.
"I was going for evil."
"Oh well you're almost that too," I joke as I fall onto the bed beside her.
Sitting outside on the swing chair, I sip my morning tea and look out at the woods by my house. Suddenly, out of nowhere trots Ruk in his Wolf form, like he has so many times before.
My heart starts beating faster in hope, as I wait for him to come closer, getting down on my knees to greet him.
"Hey you," I say and run my fingers through his fur before standing and stepping back, giving him space to shift to his human form.
"You ok?" He asks while watching me closely.
"I'm fine, you?"
Oh shit! I have only just clicked, Sallack and I broke up last night, damn it, how stupid of me to forget.
"Really?"
"Well, we knew it wasn't working out, I didn't love him Ruk," I tell him sincerely.
"Right, because you love another man?" He asks, but shows no emotion.
"Yes, I love another man," I agree, whilst my eyes swell with tears.
Stepping up to me, my breath hitches and my fingers itch to touch his face.
"You look at me like I'm something important, why is that?" He asks with need to be told the truth.
"You are important to me, but I want to be important to you Ruk," I admit.
"I feel like there's more, what happened with you and Sallack?"
He was so close that I thought for a split moment that he has over powered his memory.
Shaking my head from the heartbreaking thought, I look up at him with a weak smile.
"I'm here for you; I would make your dreams come true. Please can you do me one thing, I beg you do one thing for me?" I ask with a single tear trailing down my cheek.
"Anything," he says gently.
Leaning into him, I tiptoe so that our noses touch and wrap my arms around his strong shoulders.
"Can I kiss you?" I whisper on his lips.
Gently shaking his head no, I descend on his lips, and run my fingers through his hair to pull him closer. He opens his mouth willingly, and I make love to his mouth. The world around me spins out of control as he moans along with me. Holding onto him, my lifeline, his lips suddenly pull away from mine.
"That was a mistake, I'm sorry Zara," he almost whispers to me, but his eyes don't meet mine as he turns with speed and shifts back to his Wolf form.
"Ruk, don't leave me!" I scream after him, but he doesn't listen.
I spend the day with Dallah, Angus, and Sallack, at my house as Den and Candy have gone out for the day. I have tried on several occasions to find Ruk, but it's as if he has disappeared.
When the moon is high in the sky we decide to head over to the club, which I no longer work at in this warped reality, as my duties are to be at Sallack's side, puffttt!
As the four of us walk out of the house and to the car, we see from nowhere 3 men and two women talk towards us, the moon light shinning of their pale skin, Vampires!
"Stay together!" Sallack growls out to us.
Standing united, we watch them walk up to us with smirks on their faces, looking for trouble.
"We come for the girl," a man tells Sallack with power.
"You wasted a trip!" Angus jumps in.
"Angus, it's been a long time. Demitri will be pleased to know you are well," he says politely but in his eyes we all see the hate.
"Go now Markus. You will leave empty handed," Angus laughs evilly.
"You give her to us?" He asks Sallack with a raised brow.
"Are you being serious, I'm right here! And I'm not going anywhere!" I tell them in shock of their arrival.
Not even looking at me, he sighs before taking a step up to me with his hands held out to show he won't harm me, but his eyes never meeting mine.
"You will come. You don't want your friends hurt, do you not?"
"Don't threaten me!" I tell him in disgust, just before Angus takes him to the ground and hits him powerfully in the face. His friends take a step back and stand in fighting mode, waiting for their command to attack.
"My fight is not with you, I have been sent for the girl!" Markus speaks angrily showing his fangs.
"She is under our protection! She goes, no, where!" Angus breathes out in rage.
"You seek to challenge your maker, Demitri must be obeyed." He cries and slams his fists into Angus's chest, knocking him onto the ground.
"Get inside!" Sallack yells to Dallah and me with authority, but he is wasting his breath, he should know us better than that.
As Sallack shifts into his wolf form, he jumps onto the two other vampires, the impressive alpha fearlessly tearing into them. The female vampires turn their attention to Dallah and me, trying to assess our threat level as they stalk towards us.
Waiting for the vamp to attack, I stand with a smile on my lips. The tallest one comes for me, as she tries to tackle me to the ground I slam my fist into her side, then my other fist catches with her head.
Falling to her knees, she hisses at me before rising slowly, which gives me time to manipulate the wind, as I send it crashing into her, knocking her down again.
Jumping high into the night sky, she comes crashing down on top of me and head butts me in
the face, which sends a searing pain to my nose and my eyes. Blinking the pain away, she grabs me by the hair and hoists me up to my feet before elbowing the side of my head.
"Fuck!" I scream holding my head, and a feeling my body growing double its size, then back!
I grab hold of her head with two hands and twist her head, snapping her neck!
A shiver of disgust runs through me, but that is short lived as one of the men come behind me grabbing me in a choke hold.
Thrashing my body against his for release, he bites down on the back of my neck.
Pulling my head forward, I throw back my head, a sickening crack sounds, following by him realising me to hold his face. Turning on my heel with speed, I kick him in the stomach, and whilst he bends down from the pain, I kick at him again, landing directly on his face, causing blood to spray. Before I can make another move, Sallack’s wolf leaps on him knocking him to the ground and tearing out his throat and one more bite has his head removed. I turn away silently telling myself never to get on Sallack’s bad side.
Searching around for more trouble, I sign out in relief when I see the others are safe.
As the four of us stand looking at the dead Vampires lying at our feet, the pain caused by the fighting hits me tenfold now the adrenalin has died off.
"You ok?" I ask them, looking over their bodies in turn.
"Damn, that felt good!" Dallah admits pumped up from the fighting.
Angus nods his head before looking back down at the body at his feet, whilst Sallack stands with rage still on his face.
Walking over to him, with my hand on the back of my neck to stop the blood from flowing, I place my free hand in his so that he will look at me.
"Sallack, what is it?" I ask concerned.
Looking down at me his eyebrows pull into a frown as he speaks gently.
"I never realised you were so strong," he admits.
"She is a born warrior, this is who she is now," Dallah tells him proudly whilst giving me a wink.
"We should get cleaned up," I tell them and receive nods in reply.
Walking back to the house, with my hand still on the back of my neck, Angus's stops me from following the others by taking hold of my waist and pulling me to him.
"I'm proud of you sweet," he tells me with a gleam in his eye.
"I know," I smile to him with appreciation.
"He bit you!" He raises his voice, and his eyes glow magnificently.
"Oh, uh, yeah," I tell him trying not to make a big deal out of it.
Turning to face the dead bodies that linger on the ground, he does something that I would never have know he could. With his rage alone, he manages to set the bodies on fire, a twisting, powerful flame takes hold of each body and scorches it to dust.
Surprised by his power to do this, I gasp loudly, which gets his full attention.
"They will all pay!" He warns, his eyes still the vibrant red.
"They will," I agree with him wholly.
I have never been a violent person, but that soon changed after coming here, meeting the Brothers’, Richard and now Demitri. He thinks he can kill my mate, then call to me as if I'm an object, but he will now know that it's not so easy, I will fight back and more so, I will seek revenge for his actions.
"Don't leave my side Zara. I can help you, be by your side, but will never push myself onto you," he says with passion.
I know what he means, he doesn't want my love, not as a lover. Where some of the others fight for my attention, he doesn't, he knows that I want Ruk and he respects that, which I respect him for. He doesn't play with my emotions, never has.
"Same goes for you Angus, always," I smile up at him and hug his side.
While we walk back inside the house, Dallah has disappeared leaving the three of us to sit at the table in silence as we ponder over what has just happened
Moments later Dallah appears before us with my father. Just as I’m about to open my mouth to speak, the air around us changes and his head lifts high, and with a tone I do not recognise, he speaks to me but looks behind me.
Thinking someone is there, I turn in my seat to see, but no one is there, so when he speaks it makes me jump.
"Where are they?" He asks
"Dead."
"Who were they sent by?"
"Demitri. What's wrong, you're freaking me out? I ask with caution, as I have never seen him look so powerful, so god like with his huge frame and his air of authority.
Finally meeting my eyes, his show sadness and regret.
"I failed you again," he says laced in hurt.
"What! No! How were you to know they would be here? We are fine, look," I tell him with a strong nod of my head.
"Stick together, there is more trouble heading your way.” He warns us.
"We will," I tell him sincerely which makes him noticeable relieved.
"I will heal your wound, then I'm afraid I have to leave you," he tells me as he comes to stand beside me to kiss my head. "Keep them safe," he tells the men, meaning Dallah and me.
"Always," Angus and Sallack reply in harmony.
Nodding his head to them, he then places his large hand on the back of my neck, and a feeling of bliss travels through me, leaving me calm and feeling blessed.
"I still think you should come home?" He asks with hope.
"No, I'm sorry, my place is here," I tell him apologetically as I know he wishes for me to give up and live a safe life, but I will not give up on Ruk, no matter what is sent my way.
"Stubborn girl," he jokes, and gets 'yep's' from the three of them in return.
Rolling my eyes, I step up from the table and kiss his cheek as a goodbye, and just like that he disappears.
"Meet back down in 10 minutes?" Dallah asks.
"Yeah," I agree as do the others, because we need to get changed and cleaned from the blood before we head over to the club. Hopefully this time we don't fall under attack!
Chapter 8
Standing at the bar in the club with Dallah, she nudges me suddenly, causing me to look around, and that when my eyes lock with Ruk. He looks scared, why would he look at me this way? The one person that worships his existence.
Down casting his eyes, I look to Dallah, and with a nod of my head she instantly understands that I wish to sit at the table with the Brothers’.
The Brothers’ have had their eyes on Sallack and me all night, with looks of confusion, but mostly sympathy, wasted sympathy, but what are they to know.
"Hey babe, where you been all day?" Den asks scanning my face.
"Oh just at home with Dallah. How was work?" I ask with a weak smile.
I asked Den last night if he wouldn't mind staying with the Brothers’ as I needed to be alone, but that was a lie, Sallack, Dallah, Angus, and I sat up all night speaking.
"You ok, you look tired?" He smiles and lays his hand over mine.
Inside, I want to cry, tell him the truth, how fucked up this all is, but I can't.
"I'm ok, thank you for caring," I squeeze his hand gently.
He releases as small growl, and stares at me so deeply that I find myself needing to look away.
"What has he done?!" He shouts angrily whilst jumping from his chair standing tall.
"I don't know what you mean?" I say as I stand quickly and rush after him.
"You! What have you done to her?!" He growls viciously at Sallack.
"Den! He has done nothing, I promise," I tell him with need for him to believe my words.
"Someone has hurt you, I can see it in your eyes, your voice," he asks in a gentler tone.
"Can we talk outside?" I ask looking him in the eye, silently begging for him to not make a scene.
As soon as we step outside Den twists me to face him and holds my face in his hands.
"Tell me Zara, no more lies," he asks desperately.
"Please," I cry, wanting him to leave it be.
"No more hiding, that's what you told me. Let me in, something’s happened to you, I know I could h
elp you if you let me."
"I can't," I sigh and look away from him so that he doesn't see the tears of hurt in my eyes.
The feeling if his fingers running down my spine make my breath hitch and my heart beat wildly.
"I can't remember," he says in a whisper, sounding hurt and confused.
"Den don't, it doesn’t matter," I tell him, still looking away.
"Ruk," he breaths out, "look at me!" He tells me with authority before spinning me to face him, my body slamming against his.
Lifting my chin with his finger, our eyes lock, and his close of their own accord. Before I can utter another word his eyes lids snap open, and rage plasters his handsome face.
Like lightening, he rushes back into the club dragging me with him.
Stopping at the table of Brothers’, they stand up in fighting mode when they see Den angry as hell, and me dragged to his side looking frightened.
"Dallah, you know? Angus? Sallack?" He shouts in a hurt tone.
"Den, you don't understand!" I shout from his side, breaking his glare.
"I told you this would happen. You should have gave me the chance, can't you see that I am the one! How can you not see it?!" He questions passionately.
"That's not fair."
"No, but it's true," he stands before me and places his hand on my cheek and whispers gently, "look at him, he hasn't got a clue, and he told you he would never hurt you," he finishes by stepping behind me so that I can see Ruk, who has Mary hanging off him like a love sick puppy.
"So did you, you are hurting me right now Den, so bad," I tell him and turn in his arms to face him.
"Why don't you tell him then, make him remember?"
Closing my eyes I lay my head on his chest and let the tears fall. His fingers brush through my hair and his grip tightens whilst he whispers again.
"Forget him and be with me. I don't want Candy, I never have, you know that. The baby will understand I'll make sure of it."
Lifting my head to look him in the eye, I take a step back from him and bang into the chair behind me.
My heart beats in my ears and my hands go sweaty. Inside my heart, buried deep, are my feelings for Den and his words just then made them crash down on top of me. Somewhere in my heart I want him, want to leave this fucked up life and go to him like he so desperately wants me to, and I know why I feel that way, it's because I haven't had Ruk close to me, letting me know that he still loves me. I have had to see Ruk with Mary, and even though in my mind I know it's not true, my heart sees it as deceitful, heart breaking.
Forsaken (book 3) (The Charmer series) Page 8