by D. N. Hoxa
“First, I wouldn’t let myself accept that I felt for you. I’d cursed your existence and vowed to kill you so many times that it just didn’t make sense for me to want you. Then, I tried to tell myself that it was nothing, just a fling. But I could see the way you looked at me and I was sure that that was the same look I had on my face when I looked at you. I struggled, but finally admitted it, to myself and to the whole world that it’s you I want and that you are…”
He stopped to shake his head for a second.
“But now, you won’t admit it, and I don’t even know why!”
My traitorous tears fell from my eyes.
“But don’t worry. I’m not going to ask you again.”
***
I could smell the perfect scent of spring flowers, blooming for the first time. It smelled like it had rained the day before, just like last time. The sun was on my face, but it didn’t matter. I felt relaxed and joyful, and I couldn’t keep the smile off my face.
“Have some grape, bella,” Arturo said from where he was sitting right next to my right side, offering me delicious looking blue grape clusters. I took some eagerly. They were sweet and juicy, and they made my mouth water even more.
“Thanks,” I said. He smiled brightly, caressing my cheek with his fingertips.
We were around a white wooden table, sitting on white wooden chairs, standing in the middle of a grass-filled field, somewhere. I couldn’t see anything in front of me but green land. I closed my eyes and inhaled the smell while my bare feet played with the freshly cut grass underneath them.
“So relaxing and peaceful…”
A voice came from my left side. I recognized it and opened my eyes to see Aaron, smiling at the sun in the sky, speaking the words I’d just thought seconds ago.
“Aaron,” I said, and my heart started to beat loudly while butterflies invaded my stomach. He was wearing a black shirt and black pants that just enhanced the blue of his eyes more. He looked perfect.
He turned to look at me with his brow raised and smiled that half, mysterious smile that made me want to melt.
“Star, do not look at him,” Arturo said from my right side. His eyes were filled with concern.
“What do you mean?” My voice seemed so slow, light and easy that it sounded like music when it came out of my mouth. Strange.
“Do not look at him, bella,” Arturo repeated, but Aaron grabbed my left hand and made me turn to him.
“Don’t listen to that scum. Here, have some wine,” he said, grinning evilly and pouring something that looked like fresh blood in an elegant glass in front of me. This was wrong. Aaron would never talk like that about anyone.
“Bella, please…” Arturo pleaded and took my right hand in his, caressing it slowly.
“What a wonderful occasion!” someone said, and I almost jumped to my feet when realization hit me.
Nijaria was sitting on the other side of the table right across from me. She was smiling and sipping on whatever her small white mug held.
“What are you doing here?!” I asked her through clenched teeth. Anger coursed wildly through my veins. She had no right to interrupt my perfect day. It had been so peaceful.
“Having tea with my daughter, of course. What else?”
That was it. I was going to get up, and I was going to rip her apart with my own hands.
But…I couldn’t. I couldn’t move. Something was stopping me.
“Relax, darling. I don’t want any trouble,” Nijaria added when she realized that I was trying to get out of my chair to reach her.
“Leave her be,” Aaron whispered in my ear.
“What?” I asked, looking at him incredulously. He knew who Nijaria was. He couldn’t possibly be okay with her sitting with us, could he?
“You have no business here,” Arturo said, looking at her in disgust.
“Yes, leave!” I insisted, ignoring Aaron’s comment.
“Nonsense,” she said, waving her hand in front of her face like she didn’t have a care in the world. “I want to watch this.”
Aaron kept smiling sneakily, and Arturo tightened his grip around my fingers
“So, silly girl. What’s it going to be?” she continued. I kept trying to get up, to just move a bit, but I couldn’t.
“What’s going to be with what?” I hissed angrily. I couldn’t understand why the hell I couldn’t move!
“Well, this!” she said, pointing one hand at Arturo and the other at Aaron.“Who will you choose? The angel or the little devil?”
I wanted to start shouting at her to get the fuck away from me and mind her own business, but now, I couldn’t even speak. Someone had cut my vocal cords, too.
“I…I can’t…” I started to say, to tell them, to tell Aaron that I couldn’t speak, but I couldn’t finish my sentence. I couldn’t even breathe.
“You can’t, what?” Arturo said. His face now held the same sneaky smile, too, like the rest of them.
No, no, no, this can’t be happening!
“You can’t what, Star?” Aaron said grinning, right before they all started to laugh.
They laughed like they couldn’t help it, like they had just seen the best comedy ever. They laughed at me and shook their heads while I struggled to breathe. I couldn’t tear my eyes away from Aaron. He was laughing and looking at me like I was the biggest fool in the world.
Aaron, please, Aaron! I pleaded with my eyes. But he wouldn’t listen. None of them would. They just kept laughing. My insides were screaming. My head was a mess. I felt helpless. Hopeless.
And then I fell.
13
A hard knock on my door woke me up the next morning. I moaned loudly in attempt to curse whoever was at the door. My head was hurting so badly, I didn’t think I’d see when I opened my eyes.
I stood up and went to open the door before whoever was behind it broke it.
“Star!” Ella shouted. “Where the hell were you?” She walked inside and closed the door.
“Um, sleeping?”
“We don’t have time for that. Get dressed. You have a live video chat.”
She was already opening my closet and picking things for me to wear.
“What? With who?” I said, rubbing my arms. My brain still wasn’t functioning properly.
“A vampire. His name was Vladimir, I think.”
That woke me right up.
“Fuck! What time is it?”
Not even a minute later, I was undressed and ready for a quick shower. Everything in me hurt. I was a bloody, muddy mess because I hadn’t had the time to clean up the night before. I wished I had.
“It’s almost nine. Hurry up,” Ella urged me.
I quickly jumped into the shower and turned the water on. I was a nervous mess already. I couldn’t even begin to understand why Vlad of all people would want a live video chat with me, but I couldn’t wait to find out.
A shiver ran down my body at the thought of what had happened just a few hours ago. I had seen Aaron die. Then I’d cried in the woods, alone for hours. Then, I’d made a fool of myself. Then, I'd found out he couldn’t die, and finally, I’d set us apart for good. All this in mere hours.
Don’t go there, I told myself. I couldn’t allow myself to feel what I’d felt the night before, especially now that Vladimir was—for some reason—waiting to talk to me.
I washed my hair in a blur and dressed even faster. I didn’t bother with the blow dryer. I just tied my hair up behind my head. It was so black, nobody would notice it was still wet.
“Seems important. Who is he?” Ella asked me while we hurried to Kyle’s office.
“Vladimir, the Captain of the Royal Guards. I fought him yesterday.”
“I can see that,” she said, looking with a raised brow at the bruises I had on my arms. “Well, who won?”
“No one did,” I said reluctantly. “That’s why we’re both still alive.”
I couldn’t wait to see his face, and I couldn’t wait to get my hands on him. No matter
that Aaron didn’t die. He was still going to pay.
“Well, then, good luck,” Ella said when we rounded the corner to the security room. Aaron was waiting by the door, leaning against the wall with his arms folded in front of him and his foot up. His signature move. Damn if it didn’t become him. “See you later?”
“Yeah, later,” I mumbled with half a smile before she turned the other way to go to the kitchen. Aaron didn’t look up at me until I was right in front of him.
“Morning. Sleep well?” he said and those three words were so loaded, I could barely control myself.
“Yes, thank you. And you?” I had to practically force the words out of me.
“Just fine,” Aaron whispered, half a smile on his face.
“Do you know what he wants?” I said because I needed to both change the subject and see what he thought.
But Aaron shook his head. “No, but I think I’ll stay on the side, let him believe that I’m dead. Might come in handy, who knows?” I couldn’t have agreed more.
“Perfect,” I said, and without wasting another second, I walked in.
Kyle was sitting in his chair but had his back turned at the computers. He jumped to his feet when he saw me, completely terrified.
“Thank God! That is one scary dude right there!”
He pointed at the last computer screen on his desk. Aaron walked in behind me, but neither he nor Kyle followed me to the fifth monitor. I took the swiveling chair with me and positioned myself. I could see Vlad’s face on the screen, but it didn’t look like he could see me. He was looking at his phone, and he was definitely bored.
“Just press enter to turn it on,” Kyle said, not even daring to come close to me. I eagerly pressed the button and smiled my evil smile.
“My, my, Vlad! I didn’t believe it was you until I saw you,” I said with a grin, which he returned.
“Little Raven. I see you’ve recovered.”
“Well, since you ran away from me like a little girl, I had to come back and get some sleep,” I said with a a shrug. His smile faltered.
“I needed to teach you a little lesson. Tell me, are you still mourning the shifter I killed with your dagger?”
This time, it was my smile that faltered, but I wasn’t going to make his day.
“Soldiers die all the time. I’m sure you’d feel something for the ten of yours we killed, if you were actually capable.”
“But my soldiers are not as important to me as that shifter was to you. If I recall correctly, you were devastated when he died. You’re not going to deny that, are you?”
I leaned in closer to the small camera that was attached to the computer monitor.
“You killed one of my own while I was there, Vlad. Unlike you, I have dignity.”
Even though I knew that Aaron was right there with me, alive and well, I was still pissed at the reminder.
“I’m sure you do,” Vlad said, but he wasn’t fast enough to hide the confusion in his eyes.
“You’re still going to pay, you know.” By God, he was going to.
“Looking forward to it,” he said, looking perfectly satisfied. “But for now, some old friends want to see you.”
The camera zoomed out, and the screen showed four more supernaturals.
Council members. Right next to Vlad sat Seriel and she looked at my face on her screen with so much disgust, I was surprised it wasn’t written in bold letters across her forehead. My evil smile grew wider. I couldn’t have asked for a better morning.
Next to Seriel was Lewis, a shifter, a were-big-ass-eagle. He looked the same as he had the last time I saw him with his cropped dark hair and deep-set, blue eyes. His brow was raised as he analyzed me curiously.
And next to him sat Everett. My mind went to Marie when I saw his face. He still looked at me like he always had, with so much hatred that it felt like he wanted to rip me apart every time he laid his eyes on me.
The last was Cromwell. The fucker was a tiger, meanest one I’d ever seen. He spoke little and when he did, he said no more than a few words, all of them insulting and humiliating for whoever he was talking to. And I had been the subject of his attention once.
The great thing about this was that now I knew exactly who had teamed up with Samayan. I was ready to bet my life on it that all five of them were working behind the others’ backs.
“Hello, gentlemen,” I greeted with a curt nod, always so politely. “And witch.” Seriel burned me alive with her eyes. “To what do I owe this pleasure?” I asked coldly but always smiling.
“Eh, just a get-together for old time’s sake,” Vlad said, waving his hand as if this were no big deal.
“And where is Samayan?” I asked, because I knew how much they would hate me for referring to their loving Master by his first name.
“He is…busy,” Vlad said, grinning as if he was trying to tell me that he was hiding something.
“I see,” I said with a nod. “And you’re not?” His hands curled into fists.
“So, little Raven, let’s chat,” Vlad continued like I hadn’t said anything.
“Let’s!” I said, faking excitement. With a bright smile on my face, I rested my chin on my palms and waited.
“What were you doing in Texas?” Seriel said.
I almost started laughing.
“So this is it?” I said, shouting. “You called me because you want to know what I’m up to? Because you know me well enough to know I’m up to something.” I winked at them.
“You will not make fun of us for long, filthy creature.”
This came from Everett. I grinned wider.
“I’m counting on it. But do tell me, what is it that you think I’m doing?” I asked. “I’m sure you know that I won’t tell you, but what are your ideas?”
“Let’s see…” Vlad said, tapping his chin. “Trying to find something to help you bring down Master? You know, to help the helpless and hopeless cause you’re working on? Or maybe, just on a nice vacation?”
“Interesting, but no. Go on,” I urged them.
“You’re not going to deny that you’re working against the Council, are you?” Seriel said with her high-pitched voice and her chin raised.
“God forbid, no!” I shouted hysterically. “Why would I do that?” I laughed a little because the looks on their faces were just too funny.
“And you think you’re going to succeed?” Vlad said. He was the only one who was still smiling.
“No, I know I will succeed.”
This time, they laughed.
“As foolish as you were pathetic the first time I saw you,” Everett mumbled, shaking his head.
“We shall feed you to the animals you now work with once we kill you,” said Cromwell.
“Any other ideas as to what I’m doing, dearest Council members, and Vlad?”
“Cut the bullshit, Raven,” he said, leaning forward in his chair. “What the hell were you doing in Texas?” His cold voice almost sent chills down my arms.
“I’ll show you mine if you show me yours.”
“You visited Adele,” he said.
This time, goose bumps rose on my arms. Fucking prick. Joey had not only ratted on us, he had told Vlad where we went next.
“I did,” I said, because I saw no point in lying.
“Found her running. I don’t have to tell you her fate,” Vlad said.
Blood rushed to my ears. He had killed Adele just like we both knew he would. Damn it, I wished she’d just listened. I wished she’d come with us. She would’ve been alive, at least.
“And, let me remind you, the same luck awaits all those who go against the Council. We will stop at nothing,” Seriel said determinedly.
God, how I hated them all. How I wished to be there with them and tear them apart one by one.
Samayan probably made them arrange this chat, hoping that maybe if I saw them all together, I would be scared off. They knew I was doing something, but they had no idea what. They would soon, though. The SKO meeting was in two
days.
I leaned in until my face was all they could see on the screen.
“As long as I am still breathing—and I intend to breathe for a long time—I will see each and every one of you dead, starting with Samayan. And, let me remind you all that I am what you made me. It was you who taught me your ways and you who created the bloodthirsty monster I am today. I will come for you with everything I’ve got, and you will cease to exist. I guarantee you that you will.”
My evil smile played on my face as much as I was burning with anger.
“Oh, and Everett?”
The shifter raised his brow in surprise. I’d never spoken directly to him before.
“Marie says hi.”
I only had a split second to see the shock on his face before I disconnected from the chat. I fell back on my chair and sighed loudly.
“You’re out of your fucking mind,” Kyle hissed, looking at me like I had grown an extra head.
“They have no clue,” Aaron said, looking down at the floor in front of his feet.
“And now we know who we’re dealing with,” I said, grinning.
“What did you mean, Marie says hi?” he asked me, but I shook my head.
“Long story.” I was going to tell him all about it eventually, but for now, I just couldn’t wait to tell Marie.
14
The next morning, I woke up the old fashioned way: my annoying alarm clock. I’d cursed that little piece of plastic so many times and tore it apart with my eyes that many more that I was surprised it still wasn’t broken.
I jumped into my therapy that was the shower, and it only took two minutes for my brain to fully wake up and start thinking about the day before.
I talked to my dad. I had to explain everything to him, and every tear that fell from his eyes felt like a sharp knife to my throat. I held it in me and didn’t cry for him. He understood. He said that Mom just was that kind of person and would’ve given her life all over again to save me. That was supposed to make me feel better, I knew, but despite the smile on my face, I felt like I was being burnt from the inside out and nobody could see the flames but me.
I spent most of my day with Kyle, checking all the documents in the flash drive that Adele gave me. Every file was encrypted, but thanks to my human genius, it only took about fifteen seconds to decode them.