by Adria Wade
My dad’s brows raised as he narrowed his eyes. “Do you have anything else you would like to say?”
“Yeah, actually I do. It is so hard for you to listen to what I have to say and you barely give me the time of day. But when Isaac comes along and needs you, you are all ears. Everyone knows whom you favor around here. Isaac is the son you never had.”
On that note, I walked away and didn’t look back. I didn’t care nor want a response out of him. His words meant nothing to me anyway.
“Athena!” Isaac called.
I sighed and rolled my eyes as I ignored his calling and continued to walk away from the my dad’s room. The tension and anger that I felt building up inside of me was suffocating and all I wanted was to be left alone and to be able to breathe a breath of fresh air. Isaac was keeping me from that fresh air.
I could hear his heavy footsteps behind me. “Will you stop ignoring me!”
He was like a parasite that wouldn’t go away, and the only way I could make him disappear was to see what he wanted.
I turned around, muttering under my breath as I faced him. “What!” I yelled.
“I’m sorry you feel that way. I don’t want to come between you and your father. I do know he loves you, though.”
“Oh does he? Well he has a funny way of showing how much he loves me.”
“He does. Why else would he obsess over getting us back together? He trusts me and knows that I am capable of running his business and protecting his only daughter. Sure, he isn’t affectionate, but that is his only way of showing that he does care for you.”
“By trying to control my life?!” I shook my head. “That’s ridiculous, and you can tell daddy dearest that there is no chance in hell that I would ever get married to you. I run my life and he is just going to have to accept that. Talk to him, he actually pays attention to you, maybe he will listen.”
As I walked away, I squeezed the back of my neck, feeling the tension settle in my muscles. Fighting with Isaac, Cameron, and my dad had left me stressed and exhausted. I may have succeeded in keeping Cameron from joining my group right now but at a cost that I would be down one member and that’s okay with me. My group is strong enough to survive against the immortals even when we are at a disadvantage.
Chapter Six
Screaming…I squeezed my eyes closed as I heard a woman’s ear-piercing scream nearby the manor as I stood in my bedroom dressing for tonight’s hunt. Someone was in trouble and his or her sudden panic had my reaper alarmed. I could feel my body begin to change as I took in a breath, allowing my reaper to replace the human side of me. There was a vampire nearby and they had their filthy murderous hands on an innocent human and I had to stop it.
I grabbed my morning star and flung open my French doors as I stormed out on my balcony and climbed on the ledge. I jumped, feeling the breeze of the wind touch my face as I landed on the ground. I took off into the woods to save the human from death. Afraid that I would be too late to save her, I accelerated my speed, jumping over the fallen tree I was responsible for on one of my hunts. My heart pounded and my throat burned from my harsh breathing as I grew closer to the struggling human. I was almost there! I could see their shapes gradually becoming clearer as the trees breezed past my vision.
A growl erupted from my throat and my eyes grew wide as I took in a pregnant brunette woman being dragged by a vampire with jet, black hair, too dark for her pale complexion. There was a helpless baby in her stomach and if I didn’t stop this immortal from feeding on her blood, there would be no baby.
I grabbed the woman by her ankle, preventing the vampire from pulling her any further. She was bleeding; there was a nasty gash above her eyebrow that dripped blood down the side of her tan face. The vampire turned around, her brows pulled together wondering what had stopped her from moving any further. She let go of the woman’s hair and backed away with a smug smile kissing her thin, glossy lips.
She sighed. “Go ahead and save her, I will allow it.”
I pulled the woman to me and grabbed underneath her arms as I placed her on her feet. She felt as light as a feather due to my super strength.
“Run, and do not stop running until you are out of these woods,” I demanded.
Tears streamed down her face as she sniffled and nodded.
“Go now!”
She kept her arm over her stomach in a protective embrace as she ran away.
As I looked over my shoulder to make sure she was out of sight, I gasped as a sharp pain ripped through my abdomen, knocking the wind out of me.
The vampire had hit into my stomach as she picked me up by my waist and slammed me against a tree. I dropped my morning star in the dirt from the sudden blow to my stomach. My back screamed as my muscles burned from the hit.
She yelped in pain as I backhanded her. The smack was so loud and so forceful that it sounded throughout the wooded area. She hissed, baring her fangs as blood spilled from her mouth and tears ran down her face. Her cheek was already red from the hit. She grabbed my throat and punched me in the jaw, I squeezed my eyes closed, the hit had my mouth throbbing and aching as the taste of copper filled my mouth. My half-opened eyes gazed at her as I spit my blood in her face. She gasped and jerked her head back as she wiped my blood away with her shirt. I know, spitting in someone’s face was foul and disrespectful and I have never in my life spit in anyone’s face, until now.
She grabbed my shirt and yanked me to the ground. I fell on my chin feeling the skin rip and blood drip from my gash forming a puddle in the dirt. She grabbed my weapon from the ground and ran her thumb over the sharp spikes. Setting her glare on me, she spit the blood that formed in her mouth out in the dirt.
She circled my body while observing my weapon. “How very medieval you are to carry such a brutal weapon.”
As she walked behind me, I rolled on my back and kicked her in the side. She quickly regained her footing as she swung the mace at me. I caught her arm and shoved my foot in her stomach, grabbing my morning star from her grasp as she fell backward. I stood on my feet in a haste, raising my weapon in the air, I was ready to strike when strong muscular arms wrapped around me, slamming me to the ground. I went rolling in the dirt. Everything around me became a blur as my body turned back to its human side. It was him, the vampire from my dream…he was here. The only time I lose my powers is when he is around. I had lost my powers in his presence for a second time.
What is it with my reaper fading away whenever it senses his presence?
Why must it hide from him, surely it’s not afraid. He is only a vampire, a beautiful immortal at that.
Groaning, I rubbed the back of my aching head as I slowly got to my feet.
I could feel his eyes on me, they were like daggers stabbing me in the back. I turned and came face to face with him. My heart seemed to skip a beat as I drank him in. He was even more breathtaking now then he was when I first met him. I wanted so much to stop the attraction I had for him, the overwhelming feelings that I had felt the first time I had laid eyes on him came rushing back as my stomach did somersaults in excitement. I bit down on my lip as I tried to ignore the magnetic pull between us, but it was demanding, so persistent that I had a difficult time doing so.
He was leaning against a tree with my morning star in his possession. His lips parted as he slowly looked me up and down, his eyes covering every inch of my body. Taking in a breath, a smoldering hot fire burned in his eyes. They were wicked and dark with lust. He felt the pull also, there was no hiding the affect I had on him.
I couldn’t let my attraction to this immortal consume me, I must keep a clear head around him. I tore my eyes from his overwhelming gaze and looked around searching for the vampire I was nearly seconds from killing before he so rudely interrupted me.
“You let her escape!” I shouted.
His lips twitched into a smile as he continued to stare, I guess he found my yelling entertaining. I swallowed as I stared at his mouth. I wanted to taste those lips of his, I wanted to
explore his mouth. Just thinking about running my hands up and down his body made my insides ache as the desire I had for him intensified. I shook my head, trying to clear my foggy mind.
He is a vampire; there is no excuse for me to fantasize about him. I should hate him like I hated any other immortal, not find him intriguing, irresistible, and sexy as hell.
“You have something that belongs to me.” I held out my hand expecting him to hand it over.
His brows raised as he glanced down at my hand before meeting my gaze once more. “Why would I give you a weapon when you could use it against me?”
He threw it to the side, pushed himself off of the tree and closed the distance between us. My eyes automatically looked him up and down. I swallowed as I forced myself to look away trying to ignore the fact that I really liked the way his black long sleeve shirt clung to his toned chest and stomach.
“You could have given me my weapon so I could’ve killed your little girlfriend you just saved.”
He ran his finger back and forth over his bottom lip as he circled me. I folded my arms, feeling uncomfortable in his presence and it wasn’t fully because he was a vampire. He stares at me with this intense gaze like he wants to eat me up…in a good way that is. It is uncomfortable because I also feel the same way he does, but I know I shouldn’t. I’m not sure if I will be able to control myself around him and that scares me.
My breath hitched as his arm brushed against my own. He stood in front of me, looking down with a smile on his lips. “You aren’t attacking me.”
“I don’t think you want me to attack you.” I held my head high letting my pride show.
I had the experience and agility to take him down, that is if the reaper in me magically appears.
“I don’t think you want to anyway.”
He was right, I didn’t want to hurt him…I don’t think I have it in me to do so.
His eyes lit up as he grinned down at me. Something was on his mind, I could see it.
“What?” I asked hesitantly.
I wasn’t sure if I wanted to hear what he was thinking.
“You know where I am from we have a legend. When two vampires or a human and a vampire meet they will know they are soul mates by the first kiss. You see when two soul mates kiss for the very first time they will feel a shock on their lips. If they do not feel that spark, then they know their life mate is still out there waiting for them.”
I smirked. He is one slick immortal. He is trying to trick me into kissing him.
“You could have come up with a better story. You just want me to kiss you.”
“The story is true, and I would like to kiss you, but I know you would love it if I kissed you also.”
I held out my hand. “Here kiss my hand.”
He chuckled as amusement danced around in his eyes. “That’s not how it works.”
“Well I know for a fact that you and I are not soul mates, and I don’t need to kiss you to prove that to you.”
“Well how else would you explain the pull you feel in your stomach, and the dreams you have of me. That is another legend you know.”
I rolled my eyes. “You and your myths.”
“Hey, if it’s just a myth, then you shouldn’t have any problem proving me wrong.”
I pressed my hand to his chest trying but failing to push him away. “I’m not allowed to mingle with your kind.”
He placed his chilled hand on top of mine, sending a shiver through my body from the contact.
He leaned down, his lips brushed against my ear. “Coward,” He whispered.
My brows raised. “Oh, really?”
I grabbed his face and kissed him. The second my lips touched his lips, waves of electricity ran through my lips, shocking me. I gasped and backed away.
He ran his finger over his bottom lip and smiled. “I told you you belonged to me.”
“No, that is impossible, we are enemies.”
“You think fate cares about a war between hunters and vampires?”
I shook my head and turned to walk away when he grabbed my arm.
“Wait.”
I gasped as he gently ran his ice, cold fingers down my face. “You are bleeding.”
“Thanks to your girlfriend,” I muttered.
“She isn’t my girlfriend, but you already know that.”
I shrugged. “Fine, well, thanks to your friend.”
“You hunted her down. You were the one who came looking for trouble.”
“I only hunted her down because she was going to kill a pregnant woman. And I have every right to hunt and kill your kind.”
He narrowed his eyes. “You don’t even know us.”
“Well after witnessing your friend showing no mercy to a woman who had a helpless little baby in her stomach, I know enough. Your kind is nothing but cold-hearted killers.”
He ran his hands through my hair, tilting my head back. “I could change your mind about that. Some of us are cold-hearted, but not all of us.”
I shrugged. “You could try.”
“Do I seem that cold-hearted that I have your heart racing and you desperate to escape me?”
“My heart is racing.”
He leaned down and brushed his lips against mine, forcing my stomach to flutter in excitement. My lips tingled from the contact and my body craved to taste him again. The first taste just wasn’t enough to satisfy me.
“But I know it’s in a good way,” He whispered against my lips.
I could feel my heart falling hard for him. It wanted me to give into him, but my mind was against it. I knew the consequences and now my mind and my heart felt as if they were at war with each other. My heart urged me to let him in, but my mind was screaming at me to keep a distance.
I moved my face away from his and pressed my hands against his chest, trying with all my mite to shove him through the air but my super strength failed me.
“You can’t do that!” I snapped.
He snorted and backed away. “Oh yeah, because I am your enemy.”
“It isn’t right. It’s forbidden.”
“Well, could I at least heal your chin? Your blood is distracting.”
Blood and distracting me was all my mind focused on as I backed away from him.
He shook his head. “I’m not going to hurt you. I couldn’t even if I tried, I want to protect you more than anything.”
His words had my heart melting with love.
I walked closer to him and sighed. “You come on strong.”
“I just know what I want.”
“Well you aren’t getting me,” I hissed.
He smirked and tilted my head back. “We’ll see.”
Licking his lips, he took my bleeding chin in his mouth and ran his tongue over the burning gash. I closed my eyes as my body warmed all over. His hands dug into my waist as he gasped and released me. He backed away, holding his mouth as if it pained him to taste my blood then deny his body from what it desired.
I backed away. “Don’t come any closer,” I warned.
I didn’t want him to give in and come after me. I can’t protect myself against him, for some odd reason my body is immune to his presence.
“It’s okay, I am not going to bite,” His voice was hoarse.
I felt underneath my chin, there was no gash and no more blood. “How did you do that?”
“We can heal wounds with our saliva.”
My brows raised as my eyes blinked in surprise. “Wow, I never would have thought your kind could heal a person.”
“We only heal a human’s wounds if we take pity on them, but most of the time we are the reason they die.”
I scoffed. “I did not need to know that.”
He grinned. “I’m just being honest.”
“Well, thank you for healing me.”
“Anytime.”
His eyes grew wide as his body tensed as he looked behind him.
“What is wrong?”
“I have to go, but if you want to know mor
e about your dreams you will have to meet me in this very spot tomorrow night.”
“I don’t go on dates with the enemy.”
“Well you already kissed me and you said you didn’t do that either. You are allowed to go on dates with me, we are bounded.”
Flustered, I ran my hand through my hair. I knew I was going to meet him tomorrow, I can’t resist him and that hinders me to the core. I know I should tell him no, but I just don’t have it in me.
“I don’t even know your name.”
“It’s Lucas.”
“Athena.”
“Well, Athena, I suggest you meet me this weekend on Saturday, or I will have to come hunt you down for a change,” He smiled and winked before running off into the woods.
I sighed and shook my head. “You are one dangerous immortal. You will bring death to us both.
Chapter Seven
The elevator slid open and I stepped out into the lab. My smile faded as I took in the sight of my friend Kyle. He was sitting on the floor next to the hospital wing, leaning against the wall. His clothes was stained with blood. He raked his hands through his messy walnut brown hair as his red, puffy light blue eyes glanced up at me. I looked into the hospital wing where Dr. Johnson shook his head and sighed as he pulled the white bed sheet over Kyle’s fiancé, Julie’s dead body.
I didn’t know what to say to him. He had just lost his love, the woman he was going to spend the rest of his life with and there was nothing I could say to help relieve the agony he felt.
I kneeled in front of his, resting my hand on his knee giving it a comforting squeeze.
“I was too late in saving her. I was supposed to stay right there with her, but I ran after one of those prick’s and left her to fend for herself. What do I see when I come back, I see my fiancé laying on the ground in a dirty alley, unconscious. To top it all off, her throat was sliced open and her skull was bashed in.”
“I’m so sorry.”
He exhaled and wiped the tears from his face. “There wasn’t enough blood in her body when I finally got to the manor. The doctors thought it was pointless to work on her and try to save her, they said she was already gone because she had bled out when her throat was cut.”