The Forbidden: A Huntress Novel (The Huntress Series Book 1) (15 page)

I shook my head. My mind was spiraling out of control, I wasn’t thinking rationally for sure. I wanted this, and I needed that…but nothing seemed to satisfy me.

I went straight to my room and lingered by the light switch before I had racked up the courage to flick the lights on. As the light filled my bedroom, I saw the roses Lucas had sent, the vases covered both of my side tables and vanity. Seven, he sent me seven dozen of roses.

I closed my eyes and shook my head. He really makes it difficult for me to walk away. I shut the lights off and climbed in my bed not even bothering to change into night clothes. I needed darkness right now, and the room fit my mood perfectly dark and gloomy. Pulling the covers over my head I buried my face in my pillow and cried myself to sleep.

****

The covers that I had draped over my head slowly came off. Opening my tired eyes I winced from the brightness of my bedside table light. Chelsea was kneeling on my bed taking off my heels.

“You’re eyes are red and puffy…you’ve been crying.”

I grabbed my pillow and placed it over my head. Chelsea was the last person I wanted to see. I knew she would want to talk and I didn’t feel like engaging in conversation at this moment, especially when I knew it would be about my problem.

She laid beside me. “Taylor said you were sick, but I don’t think it’s a bug that has you crying.”

I ignored her and tried to go back to sleep, but I knew she wouldn’t make it easy for me.

“Is it about the guy you have been secretly dating? Or did Isaac upset you this much when he attacked you.” She removed the pillow from my face.

“Stop hiding from me. I just want to help you feel better and I’m only going to accomplish that if you tell me why you are depressed.”

I couldn’t tell her why I was upset, she wouldn’t understand my situation even if she was my best friend.

“Not tonight, Chels. Could you turn the light off?”

She sighed and leaned over to me turn the light switch off. She turned on her side facing me. “Fine, we won’t talk about it now, but I do want answers when you are ready to talk.”

She ran her fingers through my hair. It didn’t take long after that for me to drift off…thanks to her magical fingers.

****

I was standing in a long, narrow hallway dressed in a floor length, skin tight gold dress. I didn’t know where I was or how I got here, but I knew Lucas was the reason. There were portraits of him filling the walls of the hall. The letters L and A were painted in red on a black door that stood before me, I assumed it was paint, but it didn’t look like paint at all. My brows furrowed as I leaned in closer running my finger over the letters. My heart just about leaped out of my chest when I realized it was blood.

“No,” I whispered.

He had killed someone and wrote the first letters of our names with their blood. After spending all of this time with him, I’m still afraid that he will snap and want my blood…maybe that day is here. I turned to run away, I needed to get myself out of here. My reaper refuses to see Lucas as a threat and has no desire to protect me from him and I knew he was waiting for my arrival.

As the door slowly creaked open, I gasped and spun around, hearing music from a piano being played in the room.

“Come in, Athena,” Lucas called.

I have to show my face now, he knows I am here and I don’t want to anger him by running away. I won’t be able to fight against him, he will win. I swallowed the bile that rose in my throat and he hesitantly walked in the room.

Lucas was standing in front of a long, wide glass mirror. He had on a pair of black dressed pants and a black vest overtop of his white long sleeve dress shirt.

He gave a wicked grin as he stared my way through the glass. There was something odd about him, he seemed disturbed. This wasn’t the Lucas I have come to know. The way he looked at me was bone chilling and his eyes were dark with so much anger as he glared my way. That was only half of what frightened me.  My name was written all over the walls in blood. Everywhere I turned, I saw my name.

In the corner was the grand piano where a blond haired woman, the same blonde he killed in the alley sat at the piano playing the most saddest music I have ever heard. She was dressed in a red ball gown and was bleeding from her neck. Her face was sickly pale and she kept her eyes casted down as tears fell from her eyes.

“The blood is hers.” I said.

He turned around stuffing his hands in his pants. “You are very smart,” He said sarcastically.

“She’s not alive.”

His brows pushed together as he tapped his finger on his chin, thinking.

“How could she be playing such lovely music if she dead?”

I shook my head, confused. “I haven’t figured that out yet.”

Lucas, the dead woman, and this room was beyond creepy and I wanted nothing more than to run away.

As he slowly made his way toward me, I backed up until finally feeling the door knob press into my back. Reaching behind me, I grabbed the door knob ready to get the hell out of here.

“Oh no, you don’t, I’m not ready to let you leave just yet.”

He grabbed my waist and pulled me against him. “Dance with me,” He spun me around and hummed to the music as we swayed back and forth.

“You’re going to hurt me, aren’t you?”

He slowly ran his cold hands up my arms giving me a chill as he grasped my clip and freed my hair. “Why would I hurt you? I love you even though you constantly deny your feelings for me.”

“Why can’t you let me go? I never got the stalker vibe from you.”

He leaned down and kissed my forehead. “You don’t give me any other choice, you belong to me. Your soul belongs to me, I could never hurt you.”

My brows furrowed as I looked up at him. My fear had my stomach twisting in knots making me feel nauseous.

“What do you mean I don’t give you any other choice?” I asked, warily.

He ran his thumb across my bottom lip. “You refuse to be with me because you are a huntress. The reaper side of you is preventing you from loving me. I have to turn you into what you hate the most, so we can finally be together.”

I gasped and tried to shove him away, but he had no desire to release me.

My heart sank to my stomach as fear and panic flooded my insides. There was no way to escape him. There was no way fate was going to let me win.

You cannot fight against or even run away from your fate, because sooner or later, it will find you.

His hand grabbed my hair as he painfully yanked my head back, baring his fangs leaning down inching closer and closer to my skin. I gasped and jumped from my nightmare, my heart slammed against my chest as I wiped the sweat from my brow. My whole body was drenched in sweat. Chelsea was still asleep beside me. I flopped back down on my pillow as I tried to block Lucas from my mind. Not ever did I want to dream of turning into an immortal again…not ever did I want to dream of  Lucas and those beautiful eyes of his anymore.

Chapter Sixteen

It has been two months since I last saw Lucas…the most sorrowful, miserable two months I have ever lived. I don’t go a day without thinking about him and I try my hardest to block him from my mind. It seems like the more I try to forget about him, the more sorrow and pain flood my broken heart. Sure, I ended what we had and demanded that he stay away from me, but I didn’t think he would actually listen. Since when does he ever bow down to my commands. I didn’t think being separated from him would affect me this much and from the time spent away from him I realized one important thing…I let myself fall in love with him. Now I’m left to make the most important decision of my life, do I follow my heart and let myself be with my soul mate, or do I stay loyal to my fellow hunters knowing that I will forever be alone? The answer should be so simple, I follow my heart, but how do I choose between the only world I grew up in and the world I am so incredibly frightened to explore. I have been pondering this question for two weeks and I still haven’t made a decision.

I have become a zombie around the manor. I don’t care about anyone or anything. I either confine myself to my bedroom or I am out hunting trying to release some of the built up aggression and pain I feel. I haven’t been hunting with my group which is very bold on my part considering I know I could easily die if I find myself outnumbered. Every time I hunt I can’t help but to expect Lucas to come popping up ruining my kill. He loved distracting me during a fight, I guess because he liked to see me all flustered and ready to kick his ass. I miss those moments… I miss him. So here I am laying in my bed, in my pajamas with my unkempt hair up in a bun. It was Wednesday and I knew I had a duty to my hunting schedule but I felt too drained to force myself to get out of bed. I decided to take a day off and watch movies all day while being surrounded by a bunch of dead roses. I didn’t have the heart to throw them out yet, the roses were the only gift I received from him.

A knock at the door made me jump as the suspense of the film really got the best of me. I didn’t want any visitors, I didn’t feel like entertaining any company right now. 

I rolled my eyes. “Go away,” I grumbled.

The door opened and in walked Taylor and Chelsea in their pajamas holding two boxes of pizza and a wicker basket.

“Hello, lovely.” Chelsea said.

Yeah, I am many things right now but lovely isn’t one of them.

“What are you guys doing?”

They climbed in my bed and got underneath the blankets making themselves comfortable and at home.

“I am going to have a slumber party with two hot chicks,” Taylor said as he grinned.

I gave a half smile.    

He gasped. “It’s a miracle, you smiled!”

“I miss that smile of yours.” Chelsea said.

I grabbed the wicker basket and opened it. There was ice cream and every kind of candy you could think of stashed in this basket.

Chelsea handed me a cheese pizza with broccoli on it. “Your favorite.”

“Thanks,” I mumbled.

Taylor laid back, biting into his pizza. “Well, I am relieved that I don’t have to sit here and endure watching chick flicks all night.”

“I am surprised I heard one word you said with your mouth being so stuffed.”

His brows raised as he swallowed his food. “Grumpy, are we?”

I sighed. “I just don’t feel like myself anymore.”

Chelsea flipped through the book of my movie collection while sipping on her soda. “Athena, where is all of your romance movies?”

“They are in my trash. I am trying to avoid anything that has to do with love.”

She gasped, as she looked at me in disbelief. “You didn’t.”

I nodded. “I did.”

She jumped off of the bed and ran to my trash bin taking out the dvd’s I tossed in there earlier. “You are not throwing your movies away because you are heartbroken. You’ve had your heart broken before so you should know that within time it heals.”

“Not this time.”

“So who was he? And don’t tell me it was Brody because the night you went out on a date Brody was in the facility at the time.” Taylor said.

I shrugged. “No one of importance anymore.”

I bit off a piece of my pizza.

“We all know that he is on your mind all the time. If he wasn’t that important you wouldn’t be so depressed. I have never seen you this affected by a break up before, not even with Isaac. He must have been so special that he turned your world upside down.” Chelsea said.

I have tried to stitch up the bleeding gash in my heart. I tried to drown my sorrows out in music and became obsessed with hunting to take my mind off of him, but my attempts at a distraction failed miserably. I just can’t get him out of my head. I was even tempted to go into his world and visit his witch friend so she could cast a spell on me and make me forget all about him.

Then I decided that my plan wasn’t so wise because I knew there was a chance I would run into Lucas and I knew that If I saw him again I would run into his arms and never let him go.

I wiped the tears from my eyes and grabbed a pint of chocolate ice cream from the basket. Taking a big spoon full, I stuffed my face with all the chocolate glory.

“I want to know what happened between you and this mystery guy, so that I can talk to you about it and attempt to make you feel better…maybe even help you get over him.” Chelsea said.

“You wouldn’t understand because you wouldn’t see him the way I do.”    

She shook her head in confusion.  “Okay, what the hell is that supposed to mean?”

I exhaled and shoved another spoon full in my mouth.

Taylor who was really into the movie suddenly jumped up. “No, don’t fall, get up!” He yelled at the television. Settling back down, he chuckled and grabbed another slice of pizza. “Horror movies have become so predictable these days.”

“Go on, explain,” Chelsea urged.

“He’s different and my dad certainly wouldn’t approve.”

She rolled her eyes. “Your father doesn’t approve of anyone if he’s not Isaac.”

“It’s dangerous for me to be involved with him.”

“Dangerous how?” Taylor asked.

“Oh, now you decide to pay attention.” I said.

“Hey, I am gifted, I can watch this movie and listen in on your conversation at the same time. It is called multi-tasking.”

“What if I said being with him would be the ultimate betrayal.”

She closed her eyes and shook her head. “Athena, please tell me he is not a vampire.”

I bowed my head. “I can’t tell you that he’s not a vampire because I would be lying to you.”

Taylor jumped up infuriated. “No! No way, Bram!”

“Athena!” Chelsea yelled.

I tensed as I watched Taylor who was pacing back and forth panting. I could sense that the change was near and I hoped he didn’t change and come after me. I don’t think I have any strength in me to fight today. I couldn’t believe I actually upset him this much to where his reaper was ready to come out in seconds.

“Taylor,” Chelsea warned.

“Yeah, I know…I’m getting it under control,” He said through his teeth.

His hands fisted at his sides as his body shook. He squeezed his eyes shut forcing his reaper to go back inside.

“Please, don’t overreact, hear me out before you run to my father,” I pleaded.

Chelsea placed her hands on either side of my face, I could see the hurt I had just caused in her eyes by assuming she would run to my father. “Not ever would I tell your father about this. I know what he would do to you.”

Taylor let out a breath as he cautiously sat on the edge of the bed.

“Why?”

“He isn’t a bad person.”

“Oh come on, he is a vampire. He kills people for their blood, what good person does that?” He said as he scowled at me.

“You know what, it doesn’t even matter anymore. Whatever you had with him is over and that is the way it must stay.”  Chelsea said.

Taylor’s brows raised. “Are you going to stay away from him?”    

I closed my eyes and released the tears that flooded my eyes. “Yes,” I whispered.

Chelsea exhaled in relief. “Good, now erase him from your mind and get yourself together. A reaper shouldn’t ever cry over an immortal.”

I laid down and pulled the covers over my head as my insides drowned in my gloominess. The last thing I saw before drifting off to sleep was Lucas’s face.

****

Rain fell from the sky as I chased after a group of vampires by the mountains. Mud splashed up and hit my face as I panted from the exhausting run.

I haven’t been eating properly which has made me weak not only in human form but in reaper form also. My body wanted to give in and quit chasing them, but I wouldn’t have any of that. I am a Bram, I am not weak, I must push harder and take them down.

In an attempt to get them to stop and fight, I threw my dagger hitting one of them in the back of their calf. His knee gave out and he fell forcing three people from the group to stop while the rest escaped.

I walked over to him and yanked my dagger from his skin. He hissed as he turned on his back scooting away from me while holding onto his leg.

I glared at the ginger haired guy who decided to circle around me. “You sure do have a death wish, don’t you?”

A tall, raven black haired woman slowly walked toward me, while twisting her wet hair around her finger. I narrowed my eyes as I remembered her from a fight I had months ago…yeah she was the chick that tried to feed on a pregnant woman.  I would have enjoyed killing her if Lucas hadn’t come in and saved her.

“I wonder what Lucas would think about that.”

“Too bad you won’t survive to tell him. So we meet again…kill any other pregnant women?”

A wicked smile slowly showed on her face. “Not lately, but now that you mention it, I will be sure to put one down on my list.”

Not if I have anything to do with it. Using my reaper speed, I ran over to her gasping as she grabbed cx my throat. Raising my fist to strike her she grabbed that hand, not even realizing that my dagger was in the other one. I took my dagger and sliced her throat, then shoved her down with my foot.

I gasped as the wind was knocked out of me after being tackled to the ground. I winced as my hair was yanked back and sharp teeth grazed my throat.    

“Now I know why Lucas is so obsessed with you, your blood is very intoxicating.”

The ginger took my dagger from hand and pressed it against my throat. 

“I am going to use your own weapon to kill you, but first I want you to experience what it is like to get stabbed in the back of your leg.”

He handed my weapon to the guy I stabbed in the calf. “No!” I screamed as I tried to push myself up from the ground, but I didn’t have the strength to lift both mine and the vampire’s weight.

“Time for some pay back,” The ginger whispered in my ear.

I screamed as I felt the dagger stab into my leg over and over again. My calf felt like it was on fire as I growled through the agonizing pain. My tears that rolled down face, warmed my cold cheeks.

The ginger that held me down snickered and ran his tongue over my neck. My eyes widened as I heard someone gasp behind the vampire and me that was sitting on me jumped up in a haste.

I rolled over on my back and saw the vampire that I had injured on his knees, his skin slowly turned black and fell apart as it disintegrated into ash. The ginger was standing with his back turned to me, his body tense.

“Friend of yours, Athena?” He said through his teeth.

Chelsea was aiming her bow and arrow at him, ready release her weapon.

“Yeah, she’s my best friend actually…consider yourself dead.”

“I like a challenge.”

“Well, you just met your match.”

“Well, come on then, try to kill me,” He called out to Chelsea.

She let the string go as the arrow came flying toward him. He caught it and snapped it in half.

Dropping her bow, she took out her dagger as they ran at each other.

Chelsea swung the dagger at his head; he dodged the swing and grabbed her arm as he drove his knee into her stomach. Walking behind her, he took hold of her neck ready to snap it when she kicked her leg backward hitting him in the groin. He gasped and released her giving into the pain as she picked up her dagger and stabbed him in the stomach. He stumbled backward but was able to catch himself from falling. Blood dripped from his mouth as he ran away, headed toward the mountains.

“My savior.”

She scowled and kneeled in front of me. “Why must you go off on your own and fight those idiots outnumbered.”

“Please, I don’t need a lecture.”

She ripped a piece of cloth from her shirt and wrapped tightly around my leg. “I think you need more than a lecture. I think your father needs to ban you from hunting for a while.”

“Hunting is all I have. Besides, it’s a distraction from him,” I mumbled.

“That is not true, you have me. Besides killing off every damn vampire you see will not take your pain away.”