Changed (The Hunters #1)

by Rose J. Bell

  “Sleep a little, Rosa,” Matt whispered to her and put an arm around her.

  She wouldn’t sleep. The same dream would find her again and Rosa didn’t want to have the same dream again.

  So she stayed awake until they arrived in Boston.

  “Are you really okay, Rosa?” Matt asked her once again when she stopped in front of his house.

  She smiled and nodded. “I’m fine, Matt.”

  The dream was still in her mind—she couldn’t just forget it.

  He returned her smile. “That’s good. Tell me what Jason really wanted from you.”

  Rosa had known that he wanted to know about it. She would tell him the truth.

  “I told Jason that I’m a huntress,” she said, looking at him.

  Surprise was reflected in his face. “Oh. Do you think that was smart?”

  Rosa thought for a long time before answering. “Yes, I think it was.”

  Matt didn’t seem enthusiastic about it, but nodded. “If you believe that Jason wouldn’t use this against you, then it is probably the right thing.”

  Rosa frowned. Was there a chance that Jason could use this information about her to blackmail her? She didn’t know. She didn’t want to think about it.

  “Rosa,” Matt broke the silence. He reached out his hand. “Can I kiss you?”

  Rosa looked at him surprised. She wasn’t prepared for this, for this question.

  “Matt, I...” But she couldn’t finish her sentence. Matt had leaned forward and kissed her on the mouth.

  Rosa let it happen and searched for a tiny spark, but she found nothing. Much like the first kiss, it felt as if she were kissing her brother.

  It wasn’t like the kiss between her and Jason.

  She wanted to break the kiss, when suddenly there was a knock on the windshield. Alarmed, she broke away from Matt and looked through the window

  Mason stood before the window, and looked at them with his face grim. Rosa rolled down the window.

  “Did I ever tell you that your timing is crap?” Matt asked Mason, a little angry.

  Mason shrugged one shoulder. “Could you please clear the entrance?” he asked Rosa.

  “Of course.” Why did she always have to get into such embarrassing situations?

  “I’ll see you then,” Matt said and got out. Rosa nodded and started her car. She waved goodbye to them and drove home.

  When Rosa got home, she threw her bag in the corner and took off her leather jacket. Sighing, she took a step forward, when her foot touched something. She looked down and saw a letter lying on the ground

  Rosa lifted it and opened it.

  Rosa,

  If you are at home, come immediately to the Academy.

  Lord Constantine.

  “Fuck you!” Rose hissed angry and crumpled the note. She threw it on the floor and stomped into her studio.

  He couldn’t leave her alone for one moment. She couldn’t even enjoy a day in peace.

  Rosa grunted and opened the door to her studio. She needed something to calm her down, and that was painting. She hadn’t painted for a long time, and now was the time.

  Almost tenderly, Rosa stroked her brushes and paints. Painting was a part of her life. She put a new canvas on the stand and decided to sketch with carbon pencils.

  It was warm in the studio and sunlight shone through the windows. Perfect time to draw and to let her imagination run free.

  Rosa sat on the stool and took a deep breath.

  “Well, let’s do it.”

  At the beginning, Rosa didn’t know exactly what to draw. It appeared in the course of drawing. The simple line formed more and more into a picture, until they were a complete image.

  Rosa’s hand moved automatically and sketched curved lines that didn’t make any sense. Only later, it would show to be the lines of a face.

  With her fingers, she blurred the line to represent a few shades. She took a thin stick of charcoal and drew finer lines.

  It took a long time until she was satisfied and happy with the picture. She put the charcoal aside and stood up.

  From a distance, Rosa looked at her work and nodded.

  Her image was an angel that was flying in the air. The angel looked exactly like Jason. Rosa had drawn Jason, without realizing it, although she wanted to forget him.

  “I’m so screwed up,” Rosa muttered to herself and left the studio. Drawing wouldn’t help her forget Jason.

  “Why must my life be so complicated?” Rosa asked herself as she washed her hands. “I wouldn’t have minded being a normal girl, having parents, and to live my life the way I wanted it. But no! Of course I get a shitty life.”

  Her attitude toward her life had changed. Okay, she always knew that her life wasn’t that great, but she had accepted it.

  Since the recent events, it became increasingly clear to her how her life was controlled by others. She was a prisoner in her own life.

  After Jason had come into her life, she’d realized.

  “Jerk,” Rosa cursed him, leaning against the wall.

  She was never really interested in boys. Her life consisted of killing as many angels as possible, to avenge the murder of her father.

  But then there was a beautiful, arrogant angel who turned her world upside down.

  The thought of Jason, alone made her heart beat faster, the butterflies in her stomach come to life, and her knees felt like Jell-O.

  It would be very, very difficult to stay away from Jason, but if she didn’t want to die, she had to do it. She’d make it somehow.

  All her life she had suppressed her wishes and desire. It wouldn’t be new for her to suppress her feelings for Jason.

  Her watch told her that she’d spent two hours drawing. Rosa sighed as she reluctantly pulled her leather jacket back on, and headed for the academy.

  “Did you have a nice trip?” Milena asked.

  Jason threw himself on the couch and rubbed his face. He was exhausted and suddenly had a bad conscience about Jasmine.

  He had never thought of her once while he was in Vancouver. Rosa had taken control of his thoughts. Indeed, she still had control over his thoughts. Jason needed to get her out of his mind.

  He was always thinking about her, rather than thinking of a plan that would set his sister free.

  I’m a bad brother, he thought, sighing deeply.

  “It was nice,” Philip replied. He eyed Milena skeptically. Milena was aware that Philip didn’t trust her. She looked at Jason.

  “Have you got a plan?”

  His plan was to get Rosa out of his head and really concentrate on his task. He was so close to freeing his sister! Jason could not be influenced by his emotions.

  But damn it was hard to forget Rosa. With her striking dark red hair, ice blue eyes and her body full of fire and grace...

  No, Rosa definitely wasn’t a girl that you could easily forget.

  He couldn’t believe that he was in love with her.

  Jason was in love with Rosa! He never would have expected to be able to love again, when his heart died three years ago. He never would have thought that he would make the same mistake again.

  His heart hadn’t learned from his first mistake, but this time he wouldn’t make the exact same mistake. He would not put Rosa’s life in danger.

  Not like the first time.

  “No, I don’t have a plan,” Jason admitted, looking at Milena. Her bruises healed and she seemed healthier and stronger than at their first encounter.

  “Do you know the huntress named Rosa Petrova?” Jason asked her.

  Philip looked surprised at him. Jason hadn’t told him that Rosa was a huntress, and he could feel Philip’s rage.

  Milena nodded. “Yes, I know. She’s the best hunter that the hunter clan ever had. She has killed more shadow creatures then every hunter before her. I think her first Nephilim will follow quickly.”

  It already has, Jason thought, but he didn’t say it out loud.

  Milena looked at him.
“Why do you ask? Do you know her?”

  He nodded slowly. “Yes, I know her.”

  Her eyes went wide in disbelief. “You know her, and you’re still alive? Why hasn’t she killed you?”

  Jason shrugged. “Perhaps she was dazzled by my beauty, and she realized that no one can kill anything as beautiful as me.”

  Milena smiled. “Rosa isn’t the type that can be blinded by beauty.”

  He raised an eyebrow. “Really?” Of course, he’d noticed it himself.

  “She’s like ice. Strong and cold. She never shows any emotion, and she’ll kill you without any hesitation. Because of that everybody calls her Ice Princess.”

  Since the beginning, Jason had known that Rosa was dangerous, but he didn’t know that this danger would attract him to her.

  “Do you think she would help me?” Jason asked.

  Milena snorted. “Rosa helping a Nephilim? Never in a life-time! She would rather kill you.”

  Jason frowned. Where did her hatred for angels come from? At that moment, he realized how little he knew about Rosa, and yet he was in love with her.

  “Why does she hate angels so much?”

  Milena sat back and watched him for a while in silence.

  “All hunters hate angels,” she said slowly. “But her hatred is deeper than any hunter.”

  “Why?”

  Jason leaned forward. He wanted to know all about Rosa.

  She shrugged one shoulder.

  “No one knows. She hasn’t told anyone. If you asked her about it she changes the topic.”

  Jason slumped disappointedly against the couch. He’d hoped to learn something about her.

  She hated all the angels?

  Him, too?

  No.

  Or?

  Jason had seen the sparkle in her eyes when he gave her a compliment. He had felt the powerful attraction between them.

  She didn’t push him away, when he wanted to kiss her.

  That had to mean something, didn’t it? Rosa didn’t hate him. Why else would she let him kiss her? He clung to this thought.

  “But we could try,” said Jason.

  Philip who had been silent the whole time, asked, “Do you trust a huntress, or what?” His voice was filled with anger and distrust.

  Jason looked at his friend. “Yes … No. I don’t know.” He sighed again. He trusted Rosa, but he also knew that she was a hunter, and had already betrayed him.

  She could do it again.

  He stood up. “I’ll try. Let’s hope that she will help us.”

  “And if she won’t?” Philip asked as he and Melina looked to Jason.

  All decisions were with him. The burden of doing the right thing lay heavy on his shoulders. The load oppressed him; didn’t let him forget what his obligations were.

  On Philip’s question, he had no answer.

  “You’re late, Rosa,” said Lord Constantine, when Rosa entered the room. Her eyes fell immediately on the unknown faces that sat around Lord Constantine.

  The faces belonged to a young girl and an older woman. Both looked similar and Rosa concluded that it was mother and daughter.

  Who are they? And what are they doing here?

  “I’m sorry, Lord Constantine,” Rosa replied and closed the door. “I was held up.”

  He nodded. “I see, and have you found the talisman?”

  Rosa took out a small box, in which she had put the talisman. She went to Lord Constantine, handing him the box.

  Lord Constantine took the box. His eyes sparkled as he opened it. Almost tenderly, he took the little talisman in his hand, which glistened in a very intensive red.

  “Very well done, Rosa. Very good.” He stared at the talisman as if he was possessed.

  Rosa nodded. His praise let her cool, even though she really should be happy as a hunter.

  “I have something to report, Lord Constantine,” she said politely.

  He looked up from the talisman and frowned. “What?”

  “I killed my first Nephilim.”

  Rosa felt contentment when Lord Constantine looked at her in surprise. Obviously, he hadn’t expected it.

  He laid the talisman aside, and stretched out his hand.

  “Show the proof, Rosa,” he said. She pulled out a small vial with the blood of the Nephilim and the feather, holding it before his eyes.

  “Here’s the proof.”

  Lord Constantine nodded impressed. “I’m quite surprised, Rosa. You have found the talisman, and killed a Nephilim. You were obviously quite active in Vancouver.”

  What does that mean now? Was she not active here?

  She didn’t understand him—didn’t want to understand him.

  Silently, she nodded again.

  “You’re now a full member. You will get your license soon.”

  Every hunter, who became a full member got a certificate, which showed that the hunter was now a full member, and would be paid for his job as a hunter.

  Lord Constantine clapped his hands. “So now I have something to report.”

  He turned toward the two people. He pointed to the girl with long brown hair and green eyes. Rosa’s hair was also brown, until she had decided to color it dark red.

  “This is Tamara, and she is our new huntress,” said Lord Constantine to her.

  Rosa doubted that the girl—Tamara—could be a hunter. She was small and thin, and wore an anxious expression on her face.

  “Uh-huh,” Rosa replied uninterested as her gaze flickered toward the woman who stared at her intently.

  Rosa frowned. It bothered her that the woman was staring at her as if she hadn’t seen anything like Rosa.

  Rosa averted her eyes.

  “And you will train her,” Lord Constantine continued.

  She stared at him. “What?” she exclaimed in disbelief.

  He smiled coolly. “You heard me right, Rosa. You will train her.”

  She shook her head vigorously. “No, I won’t. I have to do other duties.”

  He raised an eyebrow. “Such as?”

  “I need to find out the plan of the Nephilim.”

  Lord Constantine waved his hand. “That isn’t your job anymore. Other hunters will take your job.”

  “What?” Another shock for her “But why?”

  His eyes darkened. “You did not give me any results, and I will not tolerate any more enemies in my town.” His voice was strong, resolute.

  Rosa sighed, annoyed. “But I don’t want to work as a mentor. Couldn’t someone else do it?”

  Lord Constantine shook his head. “It’s an order, and you will follow this order. End of discussion.”

  She glared at him. The urge to continue arguing with him, really giving him her opinion was huge, but she bit her tongue and kept her mouth shut.

  He turned to Tamara and the woman. “Would you please let me alone with Rosa? I have something to discuss with her.”

  They nodded and stood. The woman never took her eyes off Rosa as she left. Rosa was just about to ask why she was looking at her, but then they were already gone.

  “Why does the woman look at me like that?” Rosa asked.

  A shadow flitted over Lord Constantine’s face. He went to his chair by the fireplace and sat down.

  “I do not know,” he said, and struck his legs.

  She narrowed her eyes. Something told Rosa that he lied. He knew something, but was not going to tell her. But she didn’t care. She had other problems to worry about.

  “So, what do you want to talk to me about, Lord Constantine?” She crossed her arms over her chest.

  He took his time before he answered. “I want to talk to you about what happened in the dungeon,” he said. “Tell me what happened.”

  Rosa nodded and told him about the screams, the explosions, and the man with the red eyes. A shiver ran through her as she thought back to those red eyes. Quickly, she threw away the thought.

  Lord Constantine was silent for a long time when she had finished. He stared a
t the small fire burning in fireplace.

  “What do you think?” Rosa said.

  Finally, he looked up. “I think it was an angel of death.”

  She frowned. “An angel of death?”

  He nodded. “Yes. These are the angels who bring the death, but I cannot explain why it has left you alive.” He gave her a suspicious look.

  She raised her hands. “I’ve told you everything I know. Besides, I wouldn’t lie about this.”

  Rosa had heard about the angel of death. They were good-natured angels and helped lead people to their death. She couldn’t understand why an angel of death would kill so many humans.

  “Well, we have to get to the bottom of it. Apparently, something new and dangerous is looming.”

  Something new and dangerous? It didn’t sound very good.

  “Should I look for it?” Rosa asked.

  After all, she was involved. The angel of death was looking for her.

  Lord Constantine tilted his head and stared at her.

  “I do not know if I can trust you anymore, Rosa. You have disappointed me often. I had to give someone else the task to look after the Nephilim. How do I know that you will not fail in this task again? “

  “Failed?” Rosa was at the end of her patience. Angrily, she glared at him.

  “I have not failed! It’s hard to figure out something, and have other obligations.”

  He looked at her. “That’s not my problem, Rosa,” he said calmly.

  Rosa grunted and clenched her hands. “I have not failed.”

  He smiled smugly. “Of course you did, my dear.”

  Rosa was about to jump at his throat. She had not failed! She knew that.

  “And what about the book that I’ve brought you?” she interjected.

  His smile was still on his face. That smile—it made her so angry.

  “It was good, but we have not progressed.”

  I shouldn’t really have given him the book. Maybe I should take it back and give it to Jason.

  It was worth considering.

  “Your task will be to train Tamara. We need new fighters. Now you can go.”

  Rosa turned to go, but then she remembered something.

  “Can I ask you something?”