The revelation stirred his gut, and he left soft bites on her neck before returning to her mouth, kissing her fervently. Madison tried to keep up, but he was too eager; he was practically losing his self-control over his want.
They did not know what it was, but they understood one thing: the feeling was mutual, and they needed each other to survive.
Chapter-10
She should have heard about it, but she did not, the sound of her door slamming open making her jump and scramble away from Easton, who, oddly, looked like he was expecting Richmond.
“You fucking dare go to my territory, you fucker.” Richmond charged on Easton who jumped out of his way.
“This is no territory of yours.” He bared his teeth and Madison saw his fangs, elongated and ready to sink on warm flesh.
“Madison is my territory.”
Easton straddled him and punched him on the face so hard, she could hear bones breaking. Richmond recovered easily and kicked him away. Their sounds alarmed Courtney, who showed up at her room, terrified of the two men who were snarling at each other, their large statures occupying the space.
Courtney reached for Madison and pulled her away from the tension. The two males rounded each other, waiting for the other to make a first move.
Easton was seething. Madison was no territory. The bastard of a hunter did not have a right to call her that. Reminded of the word, he snapped and attacked first, aiming for the hunter’s neck. He wanted to snap it off his body so bad, but the hunter ducked and hit him square on the jaw.
The impact sent a painful jolt all over his body, but he retaliated, kneeing his stomach.
The two male’s fighting skills were almost the same. Easton, admittedly, was not a good fighter compared to his brother, but he could hold his own ground. Now he wished he spent more time practicing fighting skills so he could just end the hunter easily.
Richmond was also agitated. He felt for his cheek, which was bruised and bleeding. His right eye was swollen, and his only good eye was also beginning to close. Easton hit strategically, knowing the weak points for a human like him. He cursed himself for pulling off all the enchanted ornaments he had been wearing and dashing to Madison’s room without thinking it through.
His anger clouded his judgment.
The fight ensued until they rolled down the flight of stairs, with Madison and Courtney screaming in terror. Easton grabbed for a chair and hit Richmond with it, breaking the wood into tiny pieces. The hunter picked one too and hurled it to Easton’s direction, which he easily evaded.
They grabbed at things that they can reach, and Richmond was cursing himself. He was caught unprepared, just as when he had the upper-hand. He thought it would take a few more days before the bloodsucker would try to get near to Madison but he was wrong. His blood pumped when he smelled the despicable creature instantly when he got home. The whole house was reeking with the smell of rotting fish.
Easton took a step and kicked him in the gut and Richmond took a few steps backward with the impact. He paused and feigned extreme pain but slid his feet on the floor when Easton came near to knock him off his feet. From his periphery, she could see Courtney holding a sharpened piece of wood. He stretched his hand and Courtney, getting the message, threw the wood at him. Richmond could smell his triumph.
Easton’s eyes got wide upon seeing the stake. He tried backing away, but the hunter had him locked with his thighs. He looked at the wood. From the background, he could hear Madison wailing and trying to break free from her aunt’s grasp. The hunter had prepared everything to take him down, and the stake needed to only be put through his body, and he will be ended.
He thrashed and tried to upend the man, but he was strong. Richmond had a newfound strength when he held the device.
Easton gritted his teeth and tried freeing his hands which were locked beneath him. He saw the hunter raise the stake with his two hands and brought it down rapidly, and he braced himself for the pain, for the poison to spread like wildfire across his body, for a gaping hole to be made through his chest, but felt nothing.
When he opened his eyes, Richmond was lying on the floor and was looking at Madison. She was snarling at him while standing in front of Easton, stretching her hands to defend him. Her eyes looked wild before they dilated then turned dark and she bared her teeth the way he did like she had her own fangs she could use to threaten the hunter.
Richmond was dumbfounded, not knowing how Madison, a woman who was much smaller than him, managed to push him away just as he was about to kill the bloodsucker.
More horrifyingly, she was snapping her teeth and was at a crouching position, prepared to pounce on him. If he did not know any better, he would think that she was acting like a vampire.
He got up to his feet, trying to get over his shock. Not taking his eyes away from Madison, he felt for the stake that he accidentally let go. He felt the wood in his palms but was once again rendered speechless when someone picked it up and broke it into two pieces.
No human could ever break an enchanted tool so easily.
He looked at the newcomer and in reflex, his nose wrinkled in distaste.
The guy was not as tall as Easton, but he was more intimidating, with his lean muscles and broad shoulders.
Richmond gritted his teeth and clenched his hands into fists. He looked from Easton to the other vampire, who was also fuming, eyes getting rounded and dark.
He contemplated his choices and opted for the best one.
“Fucking bloodsuckers.” He hissed before taking backward steps until he was near the door.
“I’m not yet done with you. I’ll come back.” He threatened before going out and disappearing.
Madison felt her knees go weak once Richmond was out of sight. She looked at the other man who broke the stake and figured that it must be Easton’s brother, judging by the way he looked furious upon seeing Easton in his battered state.
She crawled towards Easton, who was clutching his chest.
“Are you alright?” Tears fell from her eyes at a rapid pace. She did not even realize that she was crying if he did not wipe them away from her cheeks.
“I’m okay,” he rasped. He winced, the wounds on his face too many for him to ignore.
He was met with an armful of Madison when he sat up. She cried on his chest, and he tried comforting her even though his body was starting to feel numb.
“I thought you’re gonna die. I thought you’re gonna leave me!” Her words were muffled, but he heard them clearly. He smiled despite the pain.
“Shh, it’s okay now. Don’t cry anymore. I’m fine.” He carded his fingers through her hair.
He was by no means fine, nor did he think that this was all over.
Hunters were not the type to easily let go. By the time the hunter comes back to kill him, Easton must be ready.
But for now, he shushed Madison, his Madison who bravely put herself in danger to defend him. Feeling the want wash over him, he held her face and brought it close to his, kissing her lips and tasting her tears.
This was far from over, but for now, they ignored everything else and consumed the want they had for each other.
They would think of the consequences later.
*****
THE END
The Truth in Lies: A TALE OF MANN Page 20