The Forbidden: A Huntress Novel (The Huntress Series Book 1)

by Adria Wade

She folded her arms and smirked. “And why don’t you? I know you bought a strapless bra because I was there at the store when you purchased it.”

  Heat warmed my face as I bit down on my lip. I really didn’t want to explain to her how my bra got lost.

  She narrowed her eyes and pointed her finger my way. “Why are your cheeks red? What exactly happened to your bra?” She gasped. “It has something to do with sex and I know it does because you wouldn’t get all flustered and uncomfortable if it wasn’t.”

  I stomped my foot on the floor. “Isaac and I were in the woods-”

  She gasped. “You had sex outside?!”

  “I lost my virginity outside. It was dark in the woods so no one saw. Anyway I couldn’t find my bra after that.”

  She giggled. “I can’t believe this. How come you never told me about your first time?”

  “You never asked and you never told me about your first time with whoever it was with.”

  She scowled. “You make it sound like I am a slut.”

  “Oh no, I wasn’t calling you a slut. I know before Taylor came along you were in two previous relationships.”

  “Well I was seventeen when I lost my virginity and it was with Taylor. He was the only guy I actually fell in love with. He took me to his father’s cabin where we had dinner and he gave me flowers…it was really nice.”

  “Oh, well when you tell me about your first time it makes mine seem so-”

  “Athena, there is nothing romantic about having sex in the woods. Your first time seemed like it was a spur of the moment thing,” She cut in.

  I shrugged. “Well it kind of was. We had just finished hunting and he told me that he loved me. He kissed me and it went a little too far after that—too far for my liking, but that was my fault because I could’ve stopped him and I didn’t.”

  I shook my head. “I felt guilty because I didn’t love him and I felt pressured into feeling the same way so I let it happen.”

  “Well one day you will find someone who you fall head over heels in love with.”

  I smiled. “I hope so.”

  She had no idea that I was falling for Lucas. He was irresistible, but I could never tell Chelsea this, best friend or not. I know she wouldn’t approve of me loving a vampire.

  “You are in love with Taylor then?”

  Her brows furrowed. “Of course I am why would you ask that?”

  I shrugged. “I thought you guys had a rocky relationship, you broke up twice.”

  “Taylor was having a rough time forgiving his mom and then he was having trouble keeping his sister out of trouble and well that didn’t work out well. It wasn’t the best time for him to be with me. We broke up and I had a rebound to get over him, but when we got back together, Taylor had found out about my little fling and he got angry and jealous and ended it again. After months of not talking to me and dating other people he finally decided that he wanted to be with me again.”

  “He wanted you back because he saw you all over Zach, didn’t he?”

  She smiled. “He gets very jealous and that is the reason why I was all over Zach.”

  I giggled and shook my head. “Ah, the jealousy.”

  I started to strip off my clothes. “Do you have a bra I could borrow?”

  “Yes, oh and wear a pair of your wedges, they will look good with your pants. Put on your leather jacket also, you look hot and badass in it”

  “Hey, I kill vampires for crying out loud, I think I’m badass without the leather jacket.”

  “You’re right, but still wear it.”

  I grinned. “Chelsea, my own personal stylist.”

  ****

  I quickly walked deeper into the woods, careful not to trip over a rock or a log in these shoes. I’m still not used to wearing heels that often, so it takes me a few minutes to get used to them. I was already running late, so I had no time to do my hair. Thank goodness I was having a good hair day and was able to run a brush through it without having to throw it up in a ponytail from frizz. My hair is frizz-free, a little wavy, but it still looks good.

  Lucas was sitting on a fallen tree; he too had on a leather jacket. Which only made him look even more desirable than he already was. I bit down on my lip to try to prevent myself from smiling. I was excited to see him, but I didn’t want him to know that. After all, I told him there wasn’t going to be any relationship between us and this meeting is definitely not a date. I’m just curious to know why I am seeing him in my dreams and well he has the answers to all of my questions.

  A smile curved on his lips as he stood. “I see we think alike,” He grabbed the collar of my jacket and tugged. “You’re late.”

  “Sorry about that, I got caught up with my friend.”

  “It is a good thing I decided to wait twenty minutes longer.”

  “And what would you have done if I didn’t show up?”

  He scowled. “What could I do if you didn’t show up…I would’ve been very disappointed.”

  Yeah and I would have hated myself for not coming.

  He slowly pulled my jacket zipper down showing my shirt. “You look good.”

  “Good as in your hot good, or good as in I could drink your blood?”

  He chuckled. “Good as in your hot.”

  My breath hitched as he gently ran his fingers over my stomach. I instantly stepped away from his touch. “So, tell me about the dreams.”

  His brows raised as he smiled. “Trying to distract me, huh? Well your outfit is enough of a distraction for me, so it won’t work.”

  I grinned and began to zip my jacket back up. “Well if my body is too much of a distraction, then maybe I should cover it up.”

  He pushed my hands away and unzipped the zipper. “No, it looks better unzipped.”

  “I’m sure it does. You have a very good view of my cleavage,” I said dryly.

  He chuckled and grabbed my hand, intertwining his fingers with mine.

  “And what a fine view that is.”

  He led the way through the woods as we walked hand in hand. He had nice hands they were soft and he had long skinny fingers. I smiled down at our hands, realizing that he was absent- mindedly running his thumb back and forth over my skin. It felt good and sent goose bumps up my arms.

  “Where are we going?”

  “Are you hungry? We could go to the diner down the road.”

  “But you don’t eat human food.”

  The corners of his lips curved up into a smile as he glanced my way. “I know, but I can still stomach it, even though it’s disgusting.”

  “We don’t have to go to a diner.”

  “I want to talk somewhere where I can sit down and be comfortable.”

  My brows raised as I looked up at him in amusement. “And you’re going to feel comfortable talking about vampires in a crowded diner?”

  “Well it’s ten at night, so it won’t be that crowded.”

  We reached the road where a shiny sleek blue motorbike stood waiting for us.

  He grabbed the helmet and handed it to me. “To keep you safe.”

  “This is yours? Don’t you fly?”

  He smiled. “I would like to appear normal around you. I know you’re skittish around me and flying only reminds you that I am someone you loathe.”

  “I haven’t forgotten who you are and you are surprisingly the only immortal I don’t loathe…the only thing I hate about you is that I don’t have it in me to despise you.”

  “That’s a good thing, hop on, I promise you I won’t bite,” He grinned.

  I smirked. “A little vampire humor.”

  “Just trying to keep the mood light here, you are aware that you’re going to have to hold onto me, right?”

  I chuckled and swung my leg over his bike. “It’s cool, I don’t care.”

  “Wow, I am impressed. You’re actually not freaking out on me because you have to touch me.”

  As much as I hate to admit, I like that he touches me…it makes me feel an over whelming desire tha
t I haven’t had with anyone else before…but I refuse to tell him this.

  “I held your hand, didn’t I?”

  “Yes, and that shocked me also. The last time we were talking, you tried to shove me away from you.”

  He started the bike as I wrapped my arms around his waist. I smiled as I rubbed his stomach feeling his abs through his shirt.

  “Do you like that?”

  I rolled my eyes. “Shut up.”

  I could hear him smile. “Yes ma’am.”

  Chapter Nine

  We walked into an fifty’s themed diner with check-board floors, a juke box and roller skating waitresses. The diner wasn’t that crowded, which is surprising on a Saturday night. Maybe dinnertime was busier.

  I gasped and turned around the second I realized Lucas had entered a room filled with humans.

  “What?” He asked, worried.

  “You can’t be in here, you won’t be able to control yourself,” I said in a panic.

  “Relax, I already ate.”

  My eyes widened at the thought of him feeding on a human’s blood.

  “Oh.”

  He laughed and shook his head, clearly amused with my reaction. He grabbed my hand and took me to a booth far away from the other diners.

  “So, when you are full you don’t crave blood?”

  “It’s easier for me to control the urge I get when I am around humans, so I have to satiate my thirst before I come around you or anyone else.”

  A blond young lady rolled up to the table, she had her hair pulled back in a ponytail and her bangs covering her eyes as she looked down at her pencil and pad while writing our orders down. I wasn’t all that hungry, but I didn’t want to upset him if I didn’t eat so I ordered a burger and fries. Lucas however didn’t order anything.

  “Why do you like me? I have been killing your kind for years, you should hate me.”

  He grabbed a napkin and began tearing it up into little pieces. “Because I know things that you don’t.”

  The waitress returned with my Pepsi, and I waited until she skated off to continue my questioning.

  “What does that mean?”

  I took a drink of my soda and began swirling the ice around with my straw.

  “I have a friend, she is a witch. When I started dreaming of saving this beautiful woman with white blond hair and the most intoxicating scent I have ever smelled, I questioned her to. I needed answers I needed to know if there was any importance to this recurring dream of mine. She knew all along that I would have these dreams and she told me that the time was almost near.”

  “The time is almost near for what?”

  “I’m getting to that part…she explained to me that sometimes when two souls are meant to be together they will dream of the person they will eventually be with. It is more common with immortals, so I was surprised to see that you were a huntress and not a vampire.”

  He stopped talking and looked behind him. “The waitress is coming back.”

  He sat back in his booth as the waitress emerged from the kitchen with my food and brought it to the table and skated off.

  “Well it is strange that we had the same dreams if I am not an immortal.”

  His brows raised, but he said nothing.

  I narrowed my eyes. “Well, go on and explain then,” I said before taking a bite of one of my French fries.

  “It’s not that strange if you were meant to become an immortal.”

  I gasped and started to choke on my food.

  Lucas shoved my soda in my face. “Drink,” He urged.

  I took a big gulp of my drink and held onto my chest as the food slid down my throat.

  “Are you okay?”

  I ignored his question. “What do you mean I’m supposed to be an immortal?”

  This is going way too far now, sure sneaking around with a vampire is one thing, but actually becoming one of them…oh no, not going to happen.

  “Well that is the beauty of choices deciding your fate actually. If you don’t want to be an immortal you could try to deny it…but it won’t work.”

  “I am a reaper; hunting is what I was meant to do.”

  “And this is also another reason why you’re dreaming of me. Your soul is calling out to me and is fulfilling its desire to have me while you’re asleep. It knows you won’t give in to our love and approve of being with me.”

  “And is your friend ever wrong?”

  “She’s pretty accurate. When she tells me important events of my future it is always the same and the ending doesn’t change…it never will.”

  “The ending is about me, isn’t it?”

  “It’s about you and plenty of other people as well.”

  “If I stay away from you, then the ending will change…it has to.”

  His lips parted as his brows pulled together. Panic and hurt filled his scowling eyes.

  “If that’s what you want, you could try to change the outcome, but I know you won’t stay away and I refuse to stay away from you either…so I won’t make it easy on you.”

  I scoffed and shoved my food away. “You have to leave me alone Lucas, I can’t be who you are it’s…unnatural.”

  “So you turning into some superhero reaper/huntress is natural?”

  “It’s better than going around killing people.”

  He leaned back and glared my way. “Don’t be such a hypocrite, Athena. You kill, also.”

  I chuckled. “Killing your kind doesn’t count.”

  “Why, we are people too.”

  “I don’t think you are.”

  His brows raised as he nodded slowly. He scowled down at the table, not saying a word. I folded my arms and sat there in silence, angry with how the night turned out. I didn’t want Lucas walking into my life and changing everything. If I chose him I would no longer belong to the reapers, I wouldn’t be a huntress or have my best friend Chelsea, and Adam, and Taylor.

  Those same hunters who are there for me now would disown me for betraying them. If I chose him, I would eventually turn into the one creature that my kind hunts down and kills…and I can’t let that happen.

  “Your food is getting cold,” He finally said.

  I kept my eyes casted down. “I’m not hungry.”

  He leaned forward and grabbed my uneaten pickle from my plate.

  I looked up, watching, as he smelled the pickle. “What are you doing?”

  He bit a piece off and chewed it with a disgusted look glued on his face.

  I laughed and shook my head. “That’s not your usual meal.”

  “Your food is so nasty; I don’t know how you stomach it.”

  He grabbed my soda and took a drink, swishing it around his mouth to get the pickle taste out.

  “I don’t think Pepsi is going to be much help.”

  “Actually, I can handle this. It has a sweet taste to it like blood does. It’s not that great but I don’t have the urge to spit it out.”

  “I really didn’t need to know that. Don’t forget who you are talking to here, I am the protector of humans.”

  “Trust me I will never forget that.” He slid my plate in front of me. “I don’t want to argue with you anymore and I certainly don’t want to be the cause of your sudden loss of appetite.”

  “I agree.”

  I picked up my burger and bit into it, the meat was warm but not cold just yet. Closing my eyes, I savored the juicy taste. It was the best burger I have ever tasted.

  Opening my eyes, they widened slightly in surprise after seeing Lucas leaning forward with his elbows rested on the table and him grinning at me.

  I leaned back in my booth as my brows knitted together. “What?”

  “You have ketchup on your face.”

  He grabbed a napkin and removed the ketchup from the side of my mouth.

  My cheeks warmed in embarrassment. “Thanks,” I muttered.

  “No problem. I tend to get a little messy with my meals, also,” He grinned.

  I scoffed. “Good to kn
ow.”

  He was talking about his prey on purpose. He must like the reaction he gets out of me.

  “So, do you have a family?”

  His smile faded as the shutters came down over his eyed. He was shielding himself from me. There was only so much he would discuss with me because of what I am.

  “No.”

  “No, you don’t have a family?”

  “I mean no as in I am not discussing my family with you.”

  “Why not? This is a date to you and I don’t know if you know this but when two people are on a date they tend to talk about their life and who is in it.”

  “This isn’t a normal date.”

  “Right, because I am talking to a dead person.”

  “And I am on a date with a reaper.”

  I rolled my eyes as my lips curved into a smile. “Oh no, beware of the big bad reaper,” I giggled and shook my head.

  “Big, no, but when the other side of you comes out you are pretty intimidating.”

  “Really?”

  “Yeah, it’s seems as if you get a huge adrenaline rush with rage in the mix.”

  “That about sums it up.”

  I swallowed the last bite of my burger and drank the rest of my soda.

  “Done? Would you like some dessert?”

  “No, I am very much full.”

  He stood up and pulled out his wallet where he laid fifteen dollars on the table as a tip. I thought it was unusual for a vampire to actually carry around money. I grabbed his wallet and looked inside seeing hundred’s, fifty’s and twenty dollar bills. For a vampire he looked well off.

  “You have money.”

  He smirked. “I’m not poor.”

  “Well, how do you earn your money?”

  “No.”

  I scowled. “One day you will tell me all about yourself.”

  “When you become an immortal, then I will let you in on everything you need to know about me.”

  “Don’t hold your breath on turning me into your kind…it simply will not happen.”

  He narrowed his eyes and sighed, but remained tight-lipped.

  “Okay, so you are wealthy immortal who is generous by giving waitresses fifteen dollar tips and doesn’t like to talk about his family.”

  He nodded. “Yep, let’s go for a ride.”

  I stood and pulled my leather jacket on. Grabbing him by the waist I stood on my toes and kissed his cheek. “Thank you for the dinner.”