by Kelly Hall
“If she’ll let me.”
About that time, there was a commotion outside. Delilah got up and walked to the front window. “Well, it looks like you’ll get to ask her yourself.”
Katie jumped up and ran to the window. “Rebekah is here?” She looked over Delilah’s shoulder.
“Yeah, the bitch is back.”
“Hey, that’s our Huntress you’re talking about. Show a little respect. Besides, we girls shouldn’t be calling each other bitches and sluts. I figured you of all people with your, ‘I don’t need a man’ attitude would understand that.”
“I know more about that little outing than you do, and when she borrowed that dress from me, she had stars in her eyes for the man she was going to meet.”
“Have you seen Kayne? I mean, I get it. You’re into the blond variety, but god forgive me, that is one hot fucking vampire.”
“Sure, he’s hot if you like someone feeding off you and degrading you, but no thanks. He could be the sexiest man alive, and I’d still pass. Are you saying you wouldn’t?”
“I’m not going to answer that, but only because it’s a moot point. Rebekah dressed up, I get it, but would you go to a private meeting with a man that hot and not want to look like a million bucks instead of a ragamuffin?”
Delilah figured she had a point. She looked out the window and saw Brock, Jarreth, and Canter among the others greeting the Huntress. “We better get out there.” She walked to the door and went out onto the porch.
Rebekah hadn’t expected a warm welcome, but one of the men walked out with Jarreth and Canter to meet her. He looked so much like Ethan, he could have been his child.
Brock gave a respectable salute. “Welcome.”
“Thank you,” said Rebekah. “I guess you already know who I am.”
“I do. My son said we should be expecting you. I must say, you’re a lot different than I expected. Younger and more beautiful.” Brock couldn’t help but be attracted to the woman, who didn’t look a day over twenty-five, though she had a lot more maturity in her eyes and the way she carried herself.
“Your son?” Her brows rose, and she looked at Jarreth, who held up his hands defensively.
“I had no idea. I found out when I got here. Apparently, Delilah found out from our mothers and came here.”
Rebekah’s face lit with joy. “She’s here?”
Jarreth looked over at the cabin, and Rebekah’s eyes followed until she saw Delilah and Katie Kelly standing on the porch. Delilah didn’t return the smile.
Rebekah looked over at Ignis, who waited for his introduction. “This is my friend, Ignis.”
“My son has told me all about you as well, Ignis. It’s an honor.” The two shook hands, and Ignis cringed at how familiar the man was.
“It’s good to meet you too,” he said.
“Welcome to my camp. We’re about to gather for the nightly festivities, and I have plenty of beer and a little wine for the occasion if you’re interested.”
Just like one of Ethan’s ancestors to want to get her drunk. Ignis smiled. “I’m good for now.”
“For you, Huntress?” Brock eyed her up and down. Like father, like son.
“I’ll have a beer in a bit, when I’ve settled in.” She didn’t drink often, but she had a feeling she’d need more than a shot of liquid courage to face Delilah, who no doubt would have many questions.
Brock gave a bow. “Well then, excuse me, and I’ll go tap a new keg. I’ll tell the others that tonight we welcome our mother home.” He gave a wink to Rebekah and walked away.
Rebekah hugged Jarreth and Canter. “She’s got daggers for me,” she said, turning her eyes to Delilah.
“I’m afraid I won’t be any help,” Jarreth said. “I’m afraid our ties are permanently severed. I’m about to down this beer and see if any of the other women in this camp look appealing.”
Rebekah hated to hear that things weren’t working out between them. “I don’t believe that for a second, and as for the other women here, I think you should reconsider.”
She turned to Canter. “Did you and your stowaway have better luck?”
Canter shook his head. “I haven’t talked to her.”
“You should. I heard from the angel that was the whole point of her plan. Life’s too short for your kind, believe me. I’ve seen the difference in men who die alone and men who die happy and in love.”
“Fuck it,” said Jarreth. “I’m going back to the recreation room for a refill. Want to come, Ignis? Maybe these women will look better through your blue fog.”
“Oh, why not?” Ignis rolled his eyes and followed the young hunter.
As he walked away, Canter crossed his arms. “Where is our divine friend?”
“He stayed behind to go and see Cleo,” said Rebekah. “He said he’d meet up with us in Ireland.”
“Remind me to thank him when we get there.” Canter looked like the only thank you he’d give was one spoken with a fist.
“I know you’re angry, but don’t misdirect it. You should really talk to her.”
Canter held out his hand. “Come on. You can talk to Del, and I’ll take Katie to the rec center with me. It’s all I’ll promise for now.”
“Fine.” Rebekah took his hand, and he led her across the yard to the porch where Delilah shook her head and looked increasingly angrier.
“I have nothing to say to you, Rebekah.”
Her tone was so sharp it stung. But it wasn’t anything Rebekah hadn’t dealt with before. “I doubt that. I would imagine you have more questions than anyone else.”
Canter held out his hand to Katie. “Come on. Let’s go take our silent contest to the rec room where we can at least have some beer.”
Katie gave a half-hearted smile and took his hand. Then she turned her attention to the Huntress. “It’s good to see you, Rebekah. I’m glad you’re out of Arcadius.”
“Thank you, Katie.”
The two walked away, leaving an uncomfortable silence between the two women.
Rebekah was the first to speak. “I heard you and Jarreth are really over. Are you sure you want that, Delilah? He loves you so much.”
“You think I don’t know that?” Delilah met her eyes. “Besides, I’d think it should make you happy. You two can get cozy in that Irish castle of yours. Oh, wait. My mistake. He’s not tall, dark, and dead enough for you.” She turned around, not waiting for Rebekah’s response. She didn’t care what the woman had to say.
Rebekah walked over and leaned against the railing beside her. “You’re right. He’s not my type. In fact, he reminds me of a man who hurt me very much. Ethan, the Great Hunter. I’m certain that Jarreth is descended from him, especially after seeing his father, who is scarily enough a spitting image.”
“You were with Ethan?” She had never learned anything much about the Great Hunter. He was not something their academics focused on, and she wasn’t sure if he had really existed, much less if he had been with Rebekah.
“Yes, I was. He was my world for centuries. He made me miserable. The night I first met him was the night I became the Immortal Huntress, and in order for my father to trust him with his only daughter, an agreement was made. Ethan was to keep me as his partner and concubine.”
Delilah wasn’t sure what the word meant. “Like his love slave?”
Rebekah cringed, thinking back to the man writhing on top of her and behind her. It was never unwillingly but mostly for his pleasure and not hers, which was why her heart hadn’t always been in it. “No, not exactly. It was his way of not having to marry me. I held out hope that he one day would fall in love with me, and while we grew very close over that time, he came to realize that I could not bear him any children. After that, we grew apart, and he grew increasingly upset with the Church and wanted out of the agreement. He split, took off alone, and left me to pick up the pieces of the arrangement with the Church.”
“Why are you telling me this?” She didn’t need some long excuse, and she didn’t want so
me pitiful story to try and get Rebekah back in Delilah’s favor. Even though she did feel for her when it came to the Great Hunter.
“I don’t know. I guess because despite you being upset with me, I see you as a friend, someone I can talk to, tell things to that I can tell no other.”
Delilah gave a humorless chuckle. “Yeah, like how you wanted to borrow a dress and go see your boy toy with fangs? I think you’ve got the wrong idea of me and you.”
“No, I don’t. But I think you have the wrong idea of me, Delilah. You think I would betray my men for love, and I would never do that. I didn’t give up on them when they were dumped in my lap, abandoned by the man who orchestrated the Fellowship with the Church to begin with. I stayed and cleaned up his mess. I reorganized to make things better for my hunters. I made sure that women like you and your mother could be a part of what we do in an equal way. And I did it because I didn’t want to have died for nothing.”
Delilah felt the sting of shame that Rebekah had meant to deliver. She had not only taken up the cause when it was abandoned to her, but she had died for it from the very start. “It’s easy to forget that you died for the Fellowship.”
“I died for mankind.” She took Stella from its scabbard, still thankful that it was back in her possession. “I watched and felt every bit of the pain as Ignis stuck this blade right through my heart.” She pulled down her shirt and revealed her mark. It wasn’t as perfect a star as Delilah’s, and it wasn’t on her shoulder. It was directly over her heart. “I love my Fellowship. I died for what was right, and I will not let the Church destroy that, or anyone else. I would hope that you change your mind and come with us. But if you don’t, I just wanted you to understand where my heart truly is.”
With that, she pushed off the railing and then walked away.
Delilah still felt so lost. She had been given lessons on the history of the Fellowship, but like everything else, it was the Church’s abridged version of the events. She walked into the cabin, still not knowing how to feel about any of it, but her mind was made up where she and Jarreth were concerned.
Rebekah walked into the recreation center to a warm welcome of cheers, and it wasn’t long before Brock Barnes was standing in front of her, his Ethan-like smile spreading from ear to ear. He was gorgeous, she had to admit, and charming too. Two things that Ethan had been given plenty of, looks and charm.
“Thank you, all,” she said, knowing that none of the others hated her as much as they hated the Church, and instead of the usual, formal acknowledgements, she was treated like she was one of them.
Perhaps now, she was.
The room was crowded and looked more like a bar than a recreation building. There were two pool tables and a small bar where the keg was tapped and even an old jukebox playing just below the noise level so she couldn’t make it out. Jarreth and Canter sat at a table with Ignis and Katie and waved her over.
Brock put his arm on her back, sending Rebekah’s nerves on edge. “Have you settled enough for a drink?” he asked as he led her over to his table.
She tried to keep her composure, but luckily his hand moved away from her before she lost it. She took a deep breath. “I suppose I could handle one now.” She saw that Ignis was already indulging. He had learned over the years how to fit into all the different crowds they’d been around. The only thing that worried her was he was shuffling cards.
As she approached the table, she bumped someone’s shoulder. “Watch it, bitch,” said Grady. The others around got quiet, and Brock placed his hand on the young man’s shoulder.
“Have you got a problem with my guest?”
“It’s not my business who you let in your camp, even if she’s a fang-banging whore.” His friends snickered, but many of the others didn’t appreciate it at all.
Canter got to his feet, but Brock was already on it, tugging the boy up by the collar of his shirt. “Apologize to your Huntress, boy.”
Grady found his footing, standing not quite nose to nose with Brock, who was a good half-foot taller. “I’m no boy. And she’s not my Huntress.” He eyed Rebekah, who was not fazed.
“Oh, okay then,” said Brock, like it wasn’t a problem. “Your vow was your life, was it not?”
Grady eased back down in his chair like nothing in the world could touch him. “It was until she got caught sneaking around with the enemy.” He slapped hands with Bull who sat next to him.
“I have to respect that,” said Brock. “Don’t we all respect that?” Brock rallied the others to agree, and they did so very loudly.
Grady swelled with pride as Rebekah tried not to smile. She knew more about the people she was with than he did, and he was about to be taught a valuable lesson.
Brock nodded. “You’ve got a right to feel that way, but since the vow was your life, I’m afraid that means you can’t be a hunter anymore.”
Grady looked up at Brock. “I will always be a hunter. I don’t need to follow that bitch to do what’s right.”
“No, but you do have to respect her to bear the mark.”
Grady swallowed hard, knowing there was no way to undo what he’d become. “What the hell does that mean? You can’t unmake me.” He shrugged and looked to his buddies, who suddenly weren’t so fucking chipper anymore.
“Well, you’re right about that,” said Brock. “We don’t really unmark hunters.” He looked around the room to the others. “Anyone know what we do with hunters we can’t unmark?”
“Kill him,” shouted one of the others from the back of the room. “Kill the fucking traitor!”
“Cut off his arm at the shoulder,” said another from the opposite side of the room.
Soon, there were others making sounds of agreement, and the noise got louder as Grady looked around, realizing that he was all alone. Not one of the rogues would stand up for him, not even his own friends. Not even Katie, who wouldn’t look at him.
Brock raised his hand and calmed the crowd. “Okay, boys. Let’s not be so rough on the bastard. Perhaps we should leave the decision to the Huntress?” Suddenly, all of the men were tapping on the table, stomping their feet in agreement. “Then it’s settled. Huntress, his life is once again in your hands.”
Rebekah had known it would come down to that. “In the old camps, back in the days of the Great Hunter, when someone would disrespect me, they were always put to a challenge.”
“Name it,” said Grady. “I will win any challenge to be free of you.”
Rebekah smiled, knowing that would be his attitude. “It’s nothing I haven’t done, of course.”
“If you can do it, so can I.” He was sure that the Huntress wouldn’t give him anything too hard. She was, after all, just a girl.
Rebekah took Stella from its sheath and held it up high. “This is the very blade that was stuck through my heart the day I became your Huntress.” She showed it to everyone and then brought it back down for him to see. “Take it, put it through your heart, and if you live, I will grant you a pardon. You may keep your life and live it however you please.” She offered it to him, and he backed away.
He shook his head. “I can’t touch the dagger. I’m not stupid.”
“That remains to be seen,” said Jarreth softly from across the room.
“Would you prefer that I put it through your heart? It is, after all, what I did for you all.” Rebekah met his stare. Grady looked around the room. The place had gone way quieter than it was when she walked in. Everyone was watching to see what would happen.
“Before we do this, Huntress, maybe some of his buddies feel the same way?” Brock asked.
She met their eyes, all of them shaking their heads and averting their gazes. Bull put his hand over his heart, and the others all did the same, all but for Grady.
“Come on,” said Brock, lifting him up.
“Wait!” a small voice shouted across the room, and Rebekah turned her head to see Katie sitting with Canter. “Please don’t kill him.”
“It seems someone does give a
shit about your sorry ass.” Brock turned to Katie. “What do you suggest we do to him?”
“Banish him, mark him a traitor, but don’t kill him.” She turned to Rebekah. “Please. I know his mother and father, and they’re good people. It would devastate them.” She knew Canter was not moving a muscle beside her, and she’d have to explain. This wasn’t because she loved Grady but because he was someone special to her once.
“Well then, I think we can do that,” said Brock. “There are still a few of the traitor rogue camps around. Maybe they’ll take you. I just hope you can get past the initiation.” He turned back to Katie. “Anything you want to say to him, sweetheart, before we lock him up?” Brock gestured, and two of his men got to their feet and took Grady by the arms, lifting him out of his chair.
He glared at Katie, and she shook her head. Grady looked over at Rebekah. “No, kill me. I’d rather die than see her with him.”
Katie’s expression twisted with horror, and Canter put his arm around her.
Rebekah wasn’t about to give him what he wanted. “Take him away.”
Once Grady had been hauled out of the building, Rebekah nodded to the others. They dropped their hands and didn’t have anything to say.
“Let’s get back to the party, people,” said Ignis, raising his glass. “To the Huntress.”
The others repeated the sentiment, and soon, everyone was back to laughing and partying, all but Katie who wasn’t feeling it.
“I’m going to the cabin to lie down,” she said. Canter had barely talked to her all night, and while she wanted him more than anything, it was painful sitting there in his silence, waiting for him to say something to make her feel wanted. She weaved through the crowd and headed for the door.
Jarreth nudged Canter. “Dude, go after her. Trust me. You don’t want to waste a moment.”
“I’m going to Ireland anyway. It’s not like she’s going with me.”
“Why not?” asked Rebekah, taking a chair next to Ignis who already had a glassy-eyed look.
“You’d let her?” asked Jarreth.
Canter wasn’t sure. “I don’t know if that’s a good idea. She has family in Vegas, and she’s just getting over an injury.”