Renegade: Volume 2

The Lillian Rayne Series

Volume 2: Renegade

Ella Price

This book is a work of fiction, and does not
represent real events. Characters, names, places, and incidents are works of
the authors imagination and do not depict any real event, or person living or
dead.

Copyright © 2014 by Ella Price

All rights reserved

No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or
distributed in any printed or electronic form.

First Edition: February 2014

Cover by AEPBOOKCOVERS.COM

I
hurried upstairs to my room. I slammed the door so hard my dresser and
everything on it rattled. I couldn’t believe I had let my feelings for Aubrey
get so out of control. I didn’t want to love a vampire. I didn’t want to even
be attracted to one. It was against everything I stood for, and everything I
had worked for. I liked my reputation as one of the most notorious hunters in
the area. I flopped down on the bed and looked at the ceiling. I had to come up
with a plan. I had the hunters to deal with, the renegades who thought I was
some savior, and then there was Aubrey. I didn’t know what to do about Aubrey.
I knew I couldn’t let him get hurt because I asked him to sign the truce. Going
after death marshals just wasn’t done, not by anyone.

There
was a light knock on the door and it distracted me from my thoughts. I debated
even answering it. I really didn’t want to speak to anyone.

 “I
know you are in there Lily,” Luca said from the other side.

“No
I’m not,” I growled making it clear I didn’t want company.

He
tried the knob, and when it turned he opened the door and stepped in the room.
He crossed his arms and looked at me like he did when I was being unreasonable.
“What are you doing?”

“Wishing
this nightmare would end,” I said dryly as I looked at the ceiling.

“Are
you seeing him?” he asked accusingly.

I
knew who ‘he’ was, and Luca was making sure I knew he didn’t approve. Luca
never approved so it was really nothing new. “No, I’m not,” I grumbled as I sat
up.

“But
you want to see him right? I mean that is what this is all about right? He
signed the truce because you wanted him to right?” he asked sounding a little
angry.

“You
mean his execution order? Ya that is my fault,” I said annoyed as I sat up.

“Damn
it Lily, I didn’t want this entire thing to hinge on your love life. What
happens when your true self comes out and you tell him how much you despise his
kind? Are you looking to start an actual war?” he asked angrily.

“He
knows how I feel. I was very clear with him,” I said glaring at Luca. He was
treating me like a child, and I didn’t like it.

“Yes,
locking lips with him in front of everyone is clear as day to me,” Luca said
dryly.

I
sighed and flopped back down on the bed. “That part was after I was clear. Did
you know about the death marshals?”

“Yes,
I knew it was a risk. We are all taking a risks here; it isn’t just him,” Luca
countered.

I
propped myself up on my elbows and looked at him. “What are we risking? What
could possibly be worse than the death marshals?”

He
shrugged. “Everyone takes their own losses. It isn’t our fault that his kind
punish their people so severely for defiance.”

“This
is my fault,” I muttered as I sat up and ran my hand through my hair. I had to
think of something, but it seemed impossible. I knew nothing about how the
vampires worked.

“All
you did was convince him to do the right thing. He opened the door for other
vampires to develop relationships with hunters. You can thank him by not
squandering it and by helping make it work,” he said firmly.

“That
sound like what I want to do,” I growled as I stood.

“Doing
what is right doesn’t necessarily mean doing what is best for ourselves.
Sometimes we have to sacrifice.” He said it like it was no big deal. Aubrey was
just taking one for the team according to Luca.

I
didn’t know why it made me so angry, but it did. “I am glad it is so simple for
you. Why don’t we send Kate to die, and then maybe you won’t feel the same
way,” I snapped.

“He’s
a vampire Lily, get over it,” he growled angrily.

I
looked at him a little stunned by his coldness. Luca was never cold like this.
He always cared about everyone no matter who or what they were. “Get out,” I
said quietly; then turned away.

He
muttered something, then turned and left. I didn’t understand why everything
was suddenly so easy for him. Everything used to be easy for me like that, but
it wasn’t anymore. I paced the room, but the enclosed space was stifling. I
needed to get away, but I didn’t want to catch anyone’s attention. I pushed my
bedroom window open and slipped out onto the roof. I left this way when I was
younger, but it had been years since I felt the need to escape this way.

I
walked through the dark streets not going in any particular direction. There
was some activity on the streets, but most of it was happening inside the clubs
at this hour. I had the odd sensation that I was being followed, but I
attempted to shake the feelings off. After checking several times, I determined
I was just being paranoid. I continued on toward a lighter section of downtown.
Sudden movement to my right caught my attention. As soon as I moved to block an
attack I was hit from behind, and everything went black.

The
sound of loud voices and laughing brought me out of the dark. I slowly opened
my eyes. I was in a sitting position, tied to a tree. I looked at the rope that
was binding me. It was tied perfectly. It wrapped around my chest and arms
pinning me to the huge base of the tree. My knife sheathes were empty. I
wouldn’t be getting away very easily. My head hurt, and the only light in the
woods was a fire burning brightly a few feet in front of me. There were people
standing around everywhere talking and laughing. They didn’t seem to mind that
I was there tied to the tree.

“Well,
well, the mighty hunter is awake,” a male voice said amused. I recognized the
voice, as Drake stepped out of the trees. He was a werewolf so of course I
would be tied to a tree in the middle of the woods. It was where they spent
most of their time.

“I
would say it’s nice to see you again, but considering the circumstances I am
going to forgo the pleasantries. Now what the fuck do you want?” I asked
annoyed.

His
smile widened. “You are just like your father, so stubborn.”

I
didn’t comment. I didn’t feel like discussing my father with him. “Again what
do you want?” I asked firmly.

He
knelt next to me and watched me. He looked like he was carefully considering
what I was saying. “I want to know if you are everything everyone makes you out
to be.”

I
leaned back against the tree. I didn’t really know why it would matter. I
really didn’t know why he had to kidnap me to ask me a question like that. “I
don’t understand what you want. Obviously you think I am some form of a threat
to you.”

He
shook his head. “You have never bothered my kind. I was hoping you would
reassure me, and tell me everything was going to be ok,” he said sounding both
amused and sincere.

I
raised my eyebrows in confusion. “You have me tied to a tree because you want
me to say everything will be ok?” I was starting to wonder if the guy was
losing his mind.

He
smiled wider. “The ropes are just so you don’t get any funny ideas. I am not
going to hurt you.”

I
watched him trying to figure out what to do or say. I still had no clue what he
wanted from me. “What do you need to be ok?” I figured I would start by finding
out what he thought I could do for him and see what he said. He was being cryptic,
and I hated it when people were cryptic.

“My
people are having a time with the vampires. We want your protection,” he said
watching me. I thought he was being funny, but there was no hint of amusement
in his voice.

I
laughed, but he kept a straight face like he was dead serious. “You want me to
protect a werewolf pack?” I asked skeptically. I didn’t have much experience at
all with werewolves. I had met some in passing, but they never bothered me so I
didn’t bother them.

He
nodded as he sat down cross legged in front of me. “My pack consists mostly of
older males, older females, and children. I don’t have the young wolves I need
to keep the threat away. It seems like if your name is mentioned to a vampire
they think twice about what they are doing.”

I
really didn’t think I had that much influence on vampires. I was one hell of a
hunter, but I never thought about the kind of reputation I had given myself.
“You are aware there is a truce currently between the vampires and the
hunters?”

“I
am, and I am also aware that you operate in slightly more shaded area then your
fellow hunters. You already agreed to lead a group of renegades, why can’t you
protect my people as well?” He seemed genuine like he seriously thought I could
help him. I didn’t understand why everyone thought I could offer some form of
leadership or protection. I could barely keep myself out of trouble.

“I
am not currently in a position to help anyone. It seems like all the decisions
I make lately involve someone else getting hurt,” I said annoyed.

“You
are talking about that vampire that signed the treaty; which everyone agrees guarantees
him a date with the death marshals right?” he asked softly.

I
nodded. “He is probably going to die because of me. I am not exactly trusting
my own judgment here.”

“You
care, and that is all that matters. You stand up for what is right even if it
doesn’t fit your people’s agenda, and that is why you agreed to lead the
hunters.” He sounded annoyed as he spoke like he knew a lot of people who were
only worried about their own agenda. I was beginning to think I did too. My
uncle only wanted the truce so the hunters didn’t have to fight, but what would
happens to the vampires? I suddenly found myself caring and it was starting to
annoy me.

“Fine,
I will offer your pack protection. Throw my name around, do whatever you have
to, but I want help in return. I want to know everything that is going on. I
want your pack to listen out for any mention of the death marshals or anything
else the council might cook up,” I said firmly. I wasn’t going to help them and
get nothing in return. He had to return the favor by helping me. I knew
werewolves got around. Vampires tended to trust them, so they knew what was
going on in the vampire world.

He
smiled and nodded then retrieved a knife and cut the ropes holding me. I rubbed
my wrists as I slowly climbed to my feet. “For future reference you can talk to
me. You don’t have to hit me over the head and kidnap me,” I muttered.

He
laughed as he stood and brushed himself off. “You can thank Ben for that. He
misunderstood what I meant when I told him to convince you to come see me.”

“Great,
which way is out of here?” I asked as I glanced around. The other people around
the fire were now watching us curiously.

“I’ll
lead you back to the edge of town,” he said as he handed me my knives, then
walked past me.

I
sheathed my knives as I followed him silently. He seemed like he knew exactly
where he was going. Wolves were hunters and trackers. I was pretty sure they
would eventually come in handy. “You mentioned my father earlier. How did you
know him?” I asked as I continued to follow him.

“Through
his group of course. I have been a part of the group since it began,” he said
as he showed me the lily tattoo. “It is only just recently that I started this
whole pack master business.”

“What
exactly did the group do when he was in charge?” I asked hoping he would give
me some answers. I didn’t even know the group existed until Colin showed me.
Now it felt like the weight of the world was on my shoulders because they
expected me to lead them, and I wasn’t sure if I could.

He
shrugged. “It varied. They protected people who were too weak to fight. They
fought when they had to. There is a rumor that your father killed a death
marshal and that is how he and your mother ended up dead. Everyone knows you
don’t kill a death marshal.”

“I
would if I had to,” I said quietly.

He
stopped dead in his tracks, and I almost ran into him. “Are you insane?”

I
shrugged as I continued forward. “Maybe, if they tried to hurt me or someone I
cared about I would make sure they disappeared that’s all.”

“That
would start an all-out war,” he said softly as he continued ahead.

I
nodded. “Maybe, but I would rather go to war then having a bunch of stuck up
vampires push me around.”

He
looked like he was thinking about it as he walked. “I guess if it came down to
it, I would do the same thing.”

He
stopped at the edge of the woods and I recognized a gas station. I would have
to walk to the station, and call a ride. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to walk the
entire way home. “Well Drake, it’s been fun. Let me know if you need me, and
send someone other than Ben. You know someone who knows how to ask,” I said
dryly.

He
grinned and nodded. “I will see you around the warehouse I am sure. Colin isn’t
going to let you out of your duties; I can almost guarantee that,” he said
amused.

I
sighed. “Figures,” I muttered then waved and walked toward the gas station.