by K A Young
I can't kick laying on my back, glaring up at the vampire as I've become ensnared in his grip. My body shakes with fear as he smirks at me, "What are you going to do now, hunter?"
"There is no try when it comes to vampires. They take, remember?"
The memory of Carly's words chills me as the vampire tears my thong from under my dress in one ruthless motion. I begin to thrash under his grip once again, glowering in rage as I won't let him get anything that easily.
"We're here," Jezabel's voice is a welcoming relief as I feel the jet slowly gravitating toward the Earth. The vampire's jaw clenches as he begrudgingly rises to his feet, dragging me to mine as well.
"I wouldn't count any lucky stars just yet, hunter," Jezabel laughs as she noticed my reprieve that the vampire has given me.
After the jet lands, Jezabel has another car waiting to take us away from the private airfield.
Who is Theo?
Why is she taking me to him and not killing me herself?
As the car pulls into the gravel driveway of an ancient, stone castle, the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end while goosebumps break out over the top layer of my skin. The four other companions she has exited the car and opens the doors for us.
I'm harshly yanked out of the car by the vampire that had tried to advance on me just moments earlier on the jet. The other one exits the car from the opposite side, coming around to take hold of my free upper arm until I am now locked between the two of them without any way of freeing myself.
Jezabel approaches me and withdraws a small dagger, cutting the bindings at my feet, but leaving the shackles on my wrists in place.
I'm hauled towards the menacing looking doors, the shadow of the structure looms over us. The gravel beneath my feet is uncomfortable, but not enough to do any damage as I still prefer not to be in heels if given a choice. Two of Jezabel's companions open the double doors, revealing the magnificent grand entrance to the unusual structure.
"Hmmhmhm?" I question, my brows furrowing as I stumble to keep up with the two vampires holding onto me and bring me to the center of the room. The golden marble floor is slightly heated, as the white walls shimmered with silver specks.
There is a grandiose staircase that leads up to a second floor. At the top landing of the staircase my eyes land on two figures.
One male and one female.
They take their time as they make their way down each step, descending the staircase with grace. I pull away slightly, and I'm instantly thrashed back to my starting position by the two vampires that hold me captive. Jezabel curtsies and her companions take a knee as the figures appear to now be standing about twenty feet away, the presence having a drastic effect on Jezabel and the vampire companions she surrounds herself with.
Dressed in dark dress pants and a dignified golden long button up shirt with matching black dress shoes, the vampire watches me intently. He has winter white hair that trails just below his shoulder blades, pulled back at the nape of his neck with a dark strip of cloth.
His eyes are like two icy blue orbs...
He resembles Locaine, but years older in appearance.
The woman he is with is dressed in an elegant, floor-length matching golden dress. Her black hair is in curls as it comes to rest at her hips. Her eyes are a bright brown.
"This is the hunter?" The male speaks rhetorically, my white irises obviously giving me away.
Jezabel stands tall as she announces, "Yes, Theo. This is Annika, Jared Larson's daughter."
How does everyone know who I am?!
What connection does this Theo have?
I'm now under the assumption that the world is just playing a cruel joke on me.
"I'm sure you have questions," Theo releases his affectionate hold of the woman, coming to stand a foot away from me.
"Mhhhhmmhmh!" I glare at him as my gag bites back the bitter word choice I have for him.
Another pureblood...which one of them is going to kill me?
"I can see why my son took you as his slave," Theo regards me, his eyes flashing to a black rose a moment later.
Chapter 15
-Locaine
Darius and Henri have done a fantastic job of herding out the covens at my discretion. I had not expected the night to end the way it had, but at least Annika appears to have accepted me.
Withdrawing from my thoughts, I knew there was a lot of damage I would have to clean up, but at least I had time now. I'd shown them that I'd punish her. However, it's none of their concern what it is I do with her so long as they believe she's been taken care of.
I smirk while allowing my eyelids to close. I still ruminate on the way her soft lips parted for me of her own accord, enjoying how she tasted, how she felt against me. Remembering the delicate touch of her lips on mine, it's a memory worth holding onto. I had never kissed someone so longingly, wanting to see precisely how passionately I could take her...and now I want all of her. I'm not satisfied with just one kiss.
After tonight's incident, she will have to stay out of sight until the next evening at the very soonest.
It had been hours since Adam came back from securing our perimeter, but it's worth the peace of mind, knowing that everything will slowly slip back to normal.
With my dark sleeves still rolled to my elbows, I place my hands in the pockets of my slacks, glancing around as the last of the decorations are coming down from the night's affair. Rynn approaches me as I stand near the side of the ballroom. "Darius has finished escorting the covens to the airport and the cleanup is almost complete."
"Good," I sigh, relief washing over me.
Everything will now sail smoothly un-
"Locaine!" Michael yells from the entrance of the ballroom as he shuffles inside. I immediately notice him carrying Adam half over his shoulder to help him walk. My eyes widen at the sight of him, knocking on death's doorstep with the condition he is in.
"What the hell happened?" I snap as I run toward them both, Michael setting Adam on the ground to his side, a gasp leaving his lips at the excruciating pain. Rynn follows behind me and collapses on the marble next to him, her eyes searching over the injuries he's sustained.
"Adam..." Rynn's voice trails off as mixed blood smears his body. His body is stringent under her touch.
Adam.
What could have happened...who would think to do this to a member of my coven, assuming they can escape punishment?
I gradually bring my wrist to my mouth and sink my fangs into the inner flesh. The blood instantly flows as I remove it from my lips and place it against Adam's bottom lip, encouraging him to drink from me. He's not able to heal as quickly as he should, the injuries causing him a great deal of blood loss and possible liquid silver injections to prevent him from doing so.
Rynn holds his head in her lap as he finally gains back minimal energy and strength, my blood running its course.
"A-an-" Adam's voice is hoarse, and his eyes are full of shock while he attempts to tell me something, anything to understand what's happened.
"Adam!" I snap, his eyes locking with mine while I try to focus him off everything else around the room.
Michael stands to his full height, down-casting his eyes as he also tries to figure out what it is Adam is straining to say. Adam attempts to speak once again, but all that comes out is garbled with, "An-ann."
I opt for a better way for him to communicate, his body broken while in repair.
Adam, if you can answer me this way, please...tell me what happened to you.
Annika...
My skin prickles and I instantly narrow my eyes at him.
What about Annika?
Adam's eyes are wide open as he coughs, trying to keep the blood from filling his lungs as my own begins to work its healing properties. They took her.
They? What?! My rage is building at each passing second.
Jezabel...they took Annika. Her guards overpowered me.
No...
My fingers grip tightly as they form
into fists, my entire body shaking violently at the rage slowly building within me.
Jezabel.
My thoughts are a burning fury. What right does she have stealing Annika from me? After everything I'd given her tonight in an offering and tribute to her late beloved...my brother...this is what she does to repay me?
I will make her pay dearly for this.
"Rynn," she lifts her face to meet my gaze as I rise to my feet, "get Darius."
"What? Why Locaine?" Rynn is wondering, her voice is uneasy, and Adam shifts in her lap.
I turn around and head in the direction of my room.
"We are going to Germany," is the last thing I say to her before making my way past the ballroom doors, hardly able to restrain my anger for this woman who I once called my sister.
Chances are, Jezabel will kill Annika very soon.
However, I'm not going to leave my little hunter in fear...alone.
**
"Locaine?" I lift my head to glance at Rynn as she takes a seat in one of the leather chairs in our jet. I raised the glass of brandy that I'd poured and brought it to my lips, taking a swig and resting it once again on the arm of the chair.
Rynn is dressed in black leather pants, a black tank top with a dark sleeveless vest over the top. Her knee-high boots no longer echo as she lowers herself to sit beside of me. Her fiery locks are pulled back into a tight ponytail, her gaze scanning me as I hadn't said so much as a word since we'd left the mansion.
"Yes?" I have been trying to conceal my emotions, keeping to myself as I'm not sure I want the rest of even my closest friends to understand the foreign feelings that I've developed for Annika. To Rynn and Darius, it appears that I'm utterly irritated that Jezabel had taken a mere slave of mine. To me, she had taken the one creature that had turned my world upside down, causing me to second guess my decisions, to second guess everything in this world and what it means to me.
"Why did Jezabel take Annika?" Rynn's voice is sincere as she mulls over why she could possibly have taken her, besides the fact she is Jared's daughter and a hunter.
I shift in my chair, my black combat boots coming up over the obsidian cargo pants I'm wearing. I'd grabbed a dark shirt and my trench coat as we had left the mansion, taking off at a breakneck pace to the jet. I didn't want to waste any more time as by now, they would have landed in Germany and who knows exactly what she's planning on doing if she hasn't killed Annika already.
"I know she wants her dead because of Jared killing Enos...even I had thought about ending her life for that reason alone," I lower my voice as Darius takes a seat across from us. It makes sense for her to want Annika's blood as she's connected to the Larson family and thus the ties to the one who murdered her beloved in cold blood.
Darius' deep voice resonates when he provides some insight from an outsider's perspective, "She was upset when you were given the title of king by the covens. Jezabel thought it would go to her in succession after Enos' death, taking on his direct role." Darius wears brown cargo pants with black combat boots, a gray shirt and a sleeveless black jacket that comes to his thighs. He has dark fingerless gloves on creeping up to his wrists.
"She wants to be the queen?" I arch a brow at the simple thought that maybe what he's said is the reasoning why...but then why take Annika, it still makes no sense. I then nod at Darius and remind him, "I didn't ask for it. The covens appointed me with the title of king. It didn't matter to me as I assumed the title would have gone to my father personally, but my brother wanted me to finish out his work. He knew Jezabel's emotions clouded her judgment, causing her to make rash decisions," I pause a moment and nod, "point and case with my slave."
Rynn rises to her feet and crosses her arms just under her chest before she narrows her eyes on me before boldly stating, "You don't just want Annika back." I tense as she pauses, something lingering in her voice that I know all too well. My eyes meet with her emerald green ones when she hits the target right on the bullseye, "You need her back."
"Locaine," Rynn starts again as she walks to the window, laying the palm of her hand on the glass before telling me with all honesty, "I don't care what you do with her, as long as our lives are not in danger. I honestly just wish for you to find happiness and..." her voice trails off before she says, "...if this hunter brings you that...so be it, we'll bring her back home for you."
"I would never put the lives of any of you at risk," I push off the arms of the chair, holding my glass as I stand beside Darius.
"You will eventually have to kill her," Darius' voice has a dark warning tone to it, reminding me that no matter what I feel for my little hunter, perhaps in the eyes of the vampires I'll have to do what is necessary to ensure our survival. He then notes, "After all, you won't be able to complete Enos' work if she lives."
I will deal with that when we cross that bridge...
...maybe I don't want to fully complete his work any longer.
My thoughts pull away from the seemingly apparent death that will have to take place to fulfill my promise.
Rynn turns away from the window and wraps her arms around her upper arms. She then proceeds to ask me proper protocol, "What do you ask of us to do if we run into any confrontation?"
"Kill," My command is simple, not able to construe any hidden meaning as I finish with, "as far as I am concerned, even though Jezabel was my sister-in-law, she has broken any trust and reverence I have for her. As far as I am concerned, she has declared war by taking what is mine."
Annika...
I growl as I finish off the drink and place the glass on the mini bar.
I won't tolerate this. Not now, not ever.
It's only when we have landed and drawn closer to my father's grounds do I take a moment to release a deep exhale, Darius, catching my attention.
"You know where Jezabel took her?" Darius' voice is halted as I raise up my arm to call for silence and to cease movement. I'm not sure how far behind we were, but I'm not about to let us get caught so quickly.
I pull my fingers into a tight fist...Rynn, Darius, and I pelting into the tree branches for cover. My eyes are slowly turning their black rose as one of the grounds guards passes right beneath us. It doesn't take him long to realize where we are and that's such a shame for him because it's about to cost him his very life.
He glances up and bares his fangs menacingly that is...right before Rynn soars down, crashing her boots onto his shoulders with such strength. Bones snap while she takes hold of his neck, contorting it. My feet contact the ground as I bend my knees, letting gravity take effect to absorb the impact.
"Yes..." I reply late to Darius' question, my voice trailing off as I glance out to the old castle in the center of the land I once grew up on.
"Locaine isn't thi-" I cut Rynn mid-sentence
With a light huff, I state, "I'm almost home."
"Right," Darius nods, looking around us with keen awareness.
"Let's go," I snap as I take off across the vast open field to the next area of forest. Rynn and Darius are right at my heels, not deviating or hesitating for a second as we approach the towering structure.
I'm coming for you, my little hunter.
**
-Annika
Theo snaps the fabric holding my gag in place with his finger while he then pulls the material out and away from my mouth.
"You're Locaine's father?" My voice is rough as I had not spoken for a while now, but this was the first burning question on my mind, "doesn't that mean Enos was your eldest son?"
Theo has an amused smile set on his face as he confirms, "Yes. Your father killed my son. You should be dead since it seems your parents are experts at hiding. Blood for blood. It does seem, my youngest son has either taken a liking to you or punishing you himself through his own methods."
"Little bit of both..." my voice is quiet as I mostly speak to myself, still understanding the meaning behind the kiss we shared.
"Why am I here?" I finally ask before noting, "If Locaine is doing
such a bang-up job of tormenting me, why would you reprieve me from that?"
Theo nods and motions for the two vampires to release me. My chained wrists are held in front of my waist, but it's nice not to be thoroughly restrained.
"You see," Theo begins, allowing me insight into their world and the meaning behind why Locaine hasn't really said much about his father, "I did not agree with the covens appointing Locaine as their new 'king.' I had always believed that Jezabel should take over even though it would not be permitted by anyone else," he pauses for a moment to commend Locaine on his achievements, "my son has done a brilliant job of annihilating the hunters, don't get me wrong."
Theo pauses as he sees the look of complete hate cross my face. He sighs and then proceeds to tell me, "I do not care to rule. Jezabel does. I would rather my son marry her in Enos' place considering he doesn't care any longer if he finds his beloved or not. However, if he chooses not to follow through with my wishes, I'm afraid I will have to kill you to remind him of who he's the son of."
"Wait...what?!" I'm taken aback. Didn't he just say that Locaine is doing a good job? Why would he bow to the wishes of Jezabel if he's completely capable of finishing Enos' work on his own?
"Locaine will become...soft, if he continues into this deadly relationship with you," Theo takes hold of my chin, turning my head from side to side as to examine me.
What can I possibly do that will change him?
Theo continues, his grip still tight, "If Jezabel marries him, she will at least be able to keep an eye on...you, assuming he'll allow you to live once she reminds him that all hunters are to be eliminated."
"Kara," Theo motions to the female vampire to come to stand near him.
The hairs on the back of my neck stand on end, freezing to the spot as her name rings in my ears.
Why is that name so familiar?
A male vampire with long white hair. Kara...that's right!