The Next Generation

by S. C. Stephens

  I grimaced. God, no. I was not ready for that. Feeling Julian’s joy when he kissed her was bad enough. Feeling…that…would be downright horrifying. Understanding my expression, Starla popped a bubble with her gum and looked back at Julian. “Oh, damn, you’re gonna feel that too, aren’t you?”

  She looked back at me, and I glumly nodded. Grimacing, she shook her head. “Father has got to fix you guys.”

  I frowned at her use of the word fix, then nodded. Yeah, she was right, we did need to be fixed…and soon. Not having to feel my brother have sex for the first time would be fabulous.

  Starla took us home and surprisingly stayed there until my parents came home. Everyone was on high alert until we learned about Hunter and his dad’s fate. I felt pretty confident that Connor was too preoccupied to worry about us right now, but…I could be wrong.

  The evening took forever. I paced the living room, waiting for the cursed sun to go down. I wasn’t sure what was going to happen once it did, but I wanted the damn thing extinguished so I could find out. Dad watched me like a hawk. He seemed nervous, like he thought I might zip away to Hunter at any moment. Honestly, I was tempted. Halina was still with him. Or her body was at any rate. It was slim, but there was definitely a chance that Hunter had taken her out…she’d done it to her maker after all.

  My hands were fisted as I watched the last golden rays of sun sink below the mountaintops. I held my breath as I waited…for something. Halina was so far away from me that I couldn’t tell if she was moving or not. I only knew her general direction. It was frustrating, and I murmured, “Come on…do something,” under my breath.

  Dad came up behind me and put a hand on my back. “Nika, stressing isn’t going to help.”

  I looked up at him, tears in my eyes. “I need to know.”

  Dad reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone. “I need to know, too.” He turned away from the window as he dialed someone’s number. I wasn’t sure who he was calling; Halina didn’t carry a cell phone, and Dad didn’t know Hunter’s number. I doubted Hunter had it in him to answer any phone call right now anyway. When a detached voice asked, “Hello?” I instantly realized that Halina hadn’t run to Hunter alone…Gabriel was with her, and he did have a cell phone.

  “How is she?” Dad asked. It annoyed me that Dad had asked about Halina first. I knew that was his main concern, though, and while it was a genuine concern of mine too, I ached to know if Hunter had made it or not.

  Thanking my enhanced hearing, I listened for Gabriel’s response. “She’s fine. Sorry I couldn’t answer your call last night. It was a little…hairy for a moment, but things have calmed.”

  I looked up at Dad, not realizing he’d called yesterday. He must have done that behind the soundproof doors. Shifting my focus to his phone, I asked, “And Hunter?”

  Hearing me, Gabriel answered immediately. “The boy survived his conversion. He was fed well. We could have left him last night, but Halina…refuses to leave his side. She spent the entire day with him.” Gabriel’s voice was a little disgruntled.

  I was a little bothered by that news, as well, but too overjoyed at the fact that Hunter was alive to really care. I held my hands to my mouth as happy tears blurred my vision. He made it.

  Watching my reaction, Dad asked Gabriel, “And his father?”

  Gabriel sighed. “Took off the moment his son fed. I followed him for a bit…but I didn’t want to leave Halina alone with Hunter for very long. Last I saw of him, he was headed north, away from town.”

  Dad nodded. “I’m sure he’ll need time to recover from this shock.” Pausing, Dad locked gazes with Mom. “But eventually he will recover, and he’ll return…for his son.”

  “Agreed. We will need to be ever watchful, Teren.”

  Dad sniffed and closed his eyes for a moment. Reopening them, he asked, “Will you be coming home soon?”

  Gabriel grunted. “I do not think so.” A rare, irritated emotion laced his voice. “The child refuses to go with us, and Halina will not leave him alone. They seem to be…at odds for the moment.”

  Dad blinked. “Isn’t he bonded to Great-Gran? Shouldn’t he want to be with her?”

  “Yes, he is…but he’s fighting it…and…” Gabriel paused, and said the next part so quietly that I had to strain to hear him, “his bond to her is not nearly as strong as her bond to him. He has only a vague desire to be near her. It’s extremely annoying to Halina that he’s so aloof about the whole thing.”

  I exhaled with relief again, glad that my boyfriend wasn’t obsessed with my grandmother. That would have made things even weirder for me, and my life couldn’t get much weirder.

  His voice back to normal, Gabriel added, “He also refuses to eat…or should I say, bite. He will only drink blood once it’s been exposed to the air. Halina is worried that he will starve if she leaves him.”

  That alarmed me, and I took a step forward. “She has to stay with him then.” My wide eyes met Dad’s. “She can’t let him starve.” Starving a vampire wouldn’t kill them outright, not after they’d fully converted, but it was horribly painful, and dangerous. A starved vampire would do things they wouldn’t normally do…horrible stuff that the legends and myths were centered around. Hunter would never forgive himself if he turned into that kind of monster.

  Dad nodded and smiled at me. “She won’t let that happen to him, Nika.” To Gabriel, he added, “Come home when you can then. And…be careful.”

  “You as well.”

  Gabriel disconnected, and Dad put his phone away. I was happy and unnerved at the same time. They were both alive, but things weren’t exactly running smoothly. And Hunter was refusing to eat…which meant he was disgusted, appalled by what he was. He was hurting, and I couldn’t do anything about it. Not from here anyway.

  Seeing my expression, Dad pointed at me. “You can’t go to him, Nika. Not now. Not yet. He’s far too dangerous.”

  I bit my lip to not snap some rebellious comment at him. I knew he was right. Hunter was a newly transformed, resentful pureblood. He might have been hesitant to kill me before, but now that he’d been forced into a world he didn’t want, he might not be so reluctant. And he was super-charged now. Faster, stronger, nearly impervious. If he wanted me dead…I would probably be dead.

  Flopping down on the couch, I nodded my agreement. I wouldn’t go to him. Even though it was going to tear me in two, I would stay away from him. For now.

  THREE WEEKS PASSED and not much changed. Julian and I continued with school, while my family continued their work at the ranch. Ben flew back home to rest up and try to repair things with his wife. From what Dad told us, his little near-fatal accident while visiting our family had rejuvenated his marriage. Tracey couldn’t stand the thought of losing him, and they’d pretty much patched things up. Of course, he was still lying to her on a constant basis. I hoped that wouldn’t bite him in the ass again. Ben deserved to be happy.

  My brother was finally at peace with himself. I think the fact that he didn’t have to hide anything from Arianna helped a lot. Julian was becoming a stronger person by her side; he hadn’t had a panic attack since everything with Hunter and his dad had happened. Watching my brother grow into a man was inspiring, but watching his relationship grow was hard on me. Julian’s newfound happiness seemed to highlight my emptiness. I was still thrilled for him, though; he deserved someone warm and sweet like Arianna.

  Halina still hadn’t left Hunter’s side, and he still wasn’t ready to return to the city. They were getting progressively closer to Salt Lake, but were still just out of range. It was disheartening to feel them getting closer to me when I knew I had to stay away from him. I just wanted to see him, make sure he was okay. Apologize for what happened to him…

  My musings were interrupted by a wet snowball sliding down the back of my neck. I spun to see Julian chuckling at me, his cheeks rosy as the winter air nipped at his skin. He was holding Arianna’s hand as our family took a leisurely walk around the neighborhood. S
ince Connor hadn’t made a peep since his son’s conversion, our family was falling back into our old routine.

  Dad and Gabriel kept an ear to the ground, listening for any word of an attack being made on a vampire, but all was quiet in the area. Connor had moved on…abandoned his son. It saddened me that he’d fled, but with his beliefs, what other choice did he have? He would never accept what his son was. To him, Hunter had died the day Halina had drained him.

  Giving Julian a dry look, I reached down and grabbed a fistful of snow. Quickly compacting it into an ice ball, I chucked it at him. He had to blur a bit to dodge, and Arianna jabbed him in the ribs. “No super powers, Julian,” she scolded.

  Mom and Dad gave each other an approving glance as Julian dropped his mouth open in protest. “Was I supposed to just let it hit me?”

  At the same time, all of us told him, “Yes.”

  Julian scowled until Arianna leaned up and kissed his cheek. Then the poor sap melted. Happy as I was for them, I wanted to roll my eyes. Now I understood why my parents annoyed Starla so much. A person could only take so much sappiness.

  I looked up at Hunter’s old house when we walked by it. We didn’t usually go this way, not anymore. The salmon-colored home was abandoned. When it was clear that Hunter and his dad weren’t going to return, the owner had boxed up all their stuff and put it into storage somewhere. Except his sister’s ashes. I’d snuck into the house and retrieved those. I wasn’t sure why, just…if it were my brother in an urn, I wouldn’t want him boxed up and locked away somewhere. I would want him to be safe. I would want him to be with someone who cared. And I still cared about Hunter…try as I might not to.

  When we got to the driveway, Dad reached back and grabbed my hand. I smiled up at him, then shifted my eyes to Hunter’s house again. It saddened me that someone else was going to be living there soon. Even though Hunter hadn’t been here long, the home felt like his, and I would always think of it that way.

  Eventually, we made it back to our house. Arianna and Julian disappeared into the kitchen to have hot fudge sundaes before Arianna had to go home. I stayed on the porch, drinking in the chilly night air. Mom gave me a kiss goodnight, then went into the house, respectfully giving me space. Dad stayed outside with me. “It will get easier, Nika,” he told me.

  I wasn’t sure how that statement could possibly be true, but I appreciated the sentiment anyway. I was about to thank him, when I felt something. Or more appropriately, someone. Hunter was streaking my way. Well, not entirely my way. He seemed to be heading for his old house, just a few streets away from me.

  I took a step in his direction, and Dad moved in front of me. “Nika…” he said, his voice low and full of warning. He could feel Hunter, too, and he didn’t want me running off to him.

  Not able to resist Hunter being so close to me, I jumped over the railing, and took off for Hunter’s old place. I felt Julian’s concern instantly spike, felt Dad following immediately after me, and Mom following just after him. I ignored them all, though; I was too close to Hunter to turn back now.

  Mom and Dad were right behind me when I rushed up the steps and twisted the handle to the abandoned house. It was locked, as expected, but I was riled up enough that I did something I normally never would have done. I leaned my shoulder into the wood and easily broke the frame. Dad growled his irritation and grabbed my elbow. “We need to leave, Nika. You can’t go in there.”

  I yanked my arm free and put a foot inside. “It’s Hunter,” I whispered, well aware that Hunter could hear me, could feel me. “I need to see him, Dad. Please.” I looked between my parents, begging them to let me do this.

  Dad looked back at Mom, then let out a weary exhale. “Fine, but we’re coming with you.”

  I wasn’t surprised, so I didn’t protest. Being as quiet as I could be, I walked into the entryway. “Hunter?” Nothing but silence answered me. “Please…don’t leave.” My heart thudded in my chest as I turned to the hallway, where I could feel him. One of the bedroom lights was on, but the house was stone-silent.

  I took a cautious step forward, but froze in my tracks when the light from the bedroom suddenly snapped off, and the house went pitch-black. My nerves spiked, and I started to tremble. Hunter was in there, I could feel him. I was sure I had nothing to worry about—Hunter wouldn’t hurt me—but a sliver of fear went up and down my spine as I inched my way down the hallway toward the bedroom; Julian’s mood shifted in response. Like my parents, he didn’t like this.

  Recalling the empty spot on the mantel where Hunter’s sister’s urn once lied, I wondered if that was why he was here. If so, I could help him. “Hunter? Are you here for your sister’s ashes? Because I have them. I’m keeping them safe for you.”

  A figure suddenly emerged from the bedroom and stepped in front of me; his bulk blocked my path. Startled at the sudden movement, I gasped and retreated a step. I ran into my parents behind me, and Dad protectively shifted me behind him.

  A pair of brightly glowing eyes stared at me in the darkness. The light emanating from them was peaceful, tranquil, and I felt my body relaxing as I stared into the dark eyes behind the glow, eyes that I loved. Hunter’s hypnotic gaze broke apart from me to take in Mom and Dad. The glow emanating from my father’s eyes highlighted Hunter’s face; a small, smug smile was across his lips.

  Leaning forward, he met my eyes again. “Your heart is racing, Nika. I can hear it. Are you frightened of me?”

  As if to prove to me that I should be, he dropped his fangs. They were shocking to see on the human I loved. But then again, Hunter wasn’t human anymore. Realizing his display was mainly an act, I worked my way around my father. Dad clasped my shoulder. “He’s dangerous, Nika,” Dad whispered.

  Hunter chuckled and crossed his arms over his chest. Fangs still down, he raised his eyebrows in question. Was I brave enough to talk to him without my bodyguards around? Looking over at Dad, I paused a moment to let the hypnotic effect of his eyes calm me down. The phosphorescent glow was the one aspect of vampirism that my brother and I didn’t have. It was one less thing we didn’t have to hide, although, at times like these, it did come in handy.

  Feeling at peace, I smiled and patted Dad’s stubbled cheek. “I’ll be fine. He won’t hurt me.”

  As I stepped forward, Hunter murmured, “Are you sure? You smell…amazing.” He intentionally took a long inhale, closing his eyes as he appreciated my aroma.

  Not buying the act anymore, not when I knew the truth about him, I stepped right in front of him, almost toe-to-toe. “Don’t act like you’re going to bite me. I already know that you won’t eat unless blood is exposed to the air.” I indicated my scarred shoulder. “And I’m all healed up now.”

  Hunter opened his glowing eyes. The light narrowed at me as I called his bluff. “Where’s my sister?” he immediately asked.

  The loss of our passionate relationship made me ache. I never thought we’d end up this way. “She’s safe. She’s with me.”

  Hunter sniffed. “I want her back.” As an afterthought, he added, “Please.”

  I nodded. Examining his face, I saw the weariness in his eyes, the haggardness in his features. He really was starving himself. I couldn’t imagine the torture he was putting himself through. I couldn’t imagine his pain, his guilt, his self-hatred. If he could just accept what he was, we might still have a chance.

  He watched me as I watched him, and the light of his eyes lulled me into a complete calm. Even though a warning in the back of my head screamed at me, I reached up and put a hand on his cheek. “Are you okay?” I asked, my voice soft. Hunter froze as his eyes locked onto my wrist. His already lowered fangs grew just a bit longer as the blood pumping through my veins stirred the animal within him. Seeing his eyes dancing with interest, Dad growled a warning.

  Remembering what I was dealing with, a newborn, half-starved vampire, I quickly pulled my hand away. Hunter’s eyes followed my wrist, but he didn’t make any threatening moves so Dad didn’t tackle him, and I
was sure he wanted to. Shaking his head a little, Hunter grumbled, “No, Nika, I’m not okay.” Eyes hard, he added, “I’m a monster. He turned me into a monster.”

  “Hunter, no, you’re not a—”

  He cut off my feeble attempt to comfort him. “He should have let me die in that church.” Clenching his jaw, he shook his head. “He should have done his job and staked me the moment I changed. Instead he ran away…like a coward.” His eyes shifted away from me, the glow softly lighting the bedroom he’d stepped out of.

  Not sure if I should, I put a hand on his arm. His eyes immediately returned to mine. “Your dad loves you. He couldn’t stand the thought of losing you.”

  Cocking his head, Hunter absorbed my features as he spoke in a soft voice. “He did lose me, Nika. I’m not human anymore. And Dad understood that. It’s why he took off. He left me, Nika. He abandoned me. Because I’m…a walking disease. A blight on humanity.”

  His eyes filled with dark red tears. The pain in his silent heart was crystal clear to me, even though he was trying to hide it under his vampirism. This was killing him. Tears stinging my eyes, I grabbed his cheeks again. “No, no, you’re not. Being a vampire doesn’t change who you are. You can still be that wonderful boy I fell in love with…” My throat closed as I held him inches from me. I could feel Dad take a step toward me, on high alert since I was so close to him.

  Face forlorn, Hunter didn’t seem too interested in the pulse pounding right next to his mouth. “I will never be anything but a beast, Nika. She should let me die.” A tear of blood rolled down his cheek.

  I stepped into his body, needing to ease his pain. I heard Dad whisper my name, but I ignored him. I felt Julian’s concern rising, as he wondered what I was doing, but I pushed it back. Hunter was in pain…he needed me. “She?” I asked, as I wiped the blood from his skin.