“Don’t worry about it. This car is a piece of crap. We both know that.” Simon smiled at me, and I couldn’t help but engulf him in a hug.
I was so happy that he was here, I could scream. When I let go, Simon released a huge breath.
“Geez, you’re strong,” he said breathlessly.
“Sorry again. I thought I was hugging you lightly. I’m so happy you came back.”
“We are best friends. I would never leave you. Human or not, you’ll always be my friend.” Simon’s tender words caused a tear to slip from my eyes. Friendship isn’t about quantity. It’s about quality. And with friends like Simon, I could get through anything.
“Glad to have you back,” Jace said, slapping Simon on the back.
Seb, Marie and a pouting casually-dressed Lily joined us too.
“Now that we are all here, I can go over the plan quickly. I’m positive Talon or Marcos is gaining on us. So we need to get out of this town fast but without a trace. I read up on this town a few weeks ago and found there are tunnels that run underground into four major cities.” Seb began.
“Yes, but no one’s been in those tunnels for years,” Jace interjected.
“I’m sure I know why. There is a possibility that these tunnels may be inhabited by creatures. Even so, it’s our safest route out of the town without a chance of being caught or tracked.” Seb stated in his commandingvoice.
It was cute when he went all Mr. Authority sometimes.
“Creatures?” Lily questioned.
“Do you mean Dwellers?” Simon asked.
We all stared at him, wondering what he meant.
“Yes. How do you know about Dwellers?” Seb asked curiously.
Simon shuffled through his backpack until he pulled out the book Helia gave me.
“They were in this. I spent most of the night reading about all these mythical creatures to help me understand what Ana and Jace are.” Simon explained, flipping furiously through the pages until he found the one he was searching for. “Here, page 287 talks about the Dwellers or the cursed ones. It says “due to their violent nature and brutal killings of thousands of fae, Celeste the Creator cursed them. She stripped them of their fangs, sight and immunity to light, forcing them to survive underground. During the wars on Nexus, some escaped through the portal and came here thinking it would break their curse, but it didn’t.” Simon read, only stopping when Lily gasped.
“You think the Dwellers are here?” I asked Seb. I did live here my whole life and never once encountered anything supernatural.
“When I researched the town’s history, I ran across some stories about killings here a hundred years ago. They are consistent with the way Dwellers kill.” Seb responded
“Dwellers have nails sharp enough to cut through metal. They use them to rip into their prey, drain them of all their blood before finally eating the skin, eyes and teeth of the victim,” Simon said, reading right from the book again.
“What?! There is no way I’m going down into some dark tunnels now!” Lily burst out. “I can call my dad and have him send a jet or something.” She offered instead.
“We need a quick escape. Waiting for a plane is too long.” Seb shot that idea down and added, “Besides, we have weapons, and there is an exit for every mile if we run into trouble.”
This sounded very dangerous, but what choice did we have.
“Does anyone have any better ideas?” Jace asked, looking around our small circle.
All the faces were filled with dread and fear, including mine. Hopefully, Seb’s research was outdated, and the scariest thing down there would be the rats.
“Well then, the closest entrance is in the woods. Once we get there, I will hand out flashlights and weapons.” Seb said, leading the way.
We all timidly followed behind him. Maybe I should at least pretend to be brave since I was the only vampire. But from the description of these creatures Simon gave us, that was easier said than done.
“I have to ask.” Lily said, breaking the silence right as we entered the woods. “Seeing that vampires and witches are real, is Santa Clause real too?” She asked hopefully.
We all stopped and stared at her.
“What? It’s a legitimate question!” she said defensively.
“No, Lily. As far we know, Santa remains a myth.” I replied.
“Damn. Guess that could explain why I didn’t get David Beckham for Christmas last year.” She stated seriously.
Marie started to giggle, and soon enough, I joined too, along with Simon and Jace. There was a chuckle from Seb as well. She may be slightly annoying, but Lily was entertaining and she managed to take our minds off of the pending danger we were walking into. That was until the unthinkable happened.
Halfway into the woods, my whole body froze.
There was a scent in the air that I would never forget no matter how much I tried. Seb instantly noticed my tense unmoving body and rushed to my side.
“Ana, what’s wrong?” he asked, full of concern.
“Seb, I can smell him. He’s here,” I said, cautiously darting my eyes around the trees surrounding us. Seb immediately became more alert and slowly reached into the back of his pants for his gun.
“Who? Who’s here?” He whispered to me, doing a slow scan of the area around us. I closed my eyes and inhaled deep. I was absolutely sure now that he was indeed close.
“Talon.”
Chapter 25
Round 2: Ana vs Kim
Kim
There was something different about this handsome stranger, besides the fact that he wanted to kill my sister. Even the way he walked was graceful and slightly dangerous.
“Where's your car?” He demanded once we exited the school building.
“It's the red sports car over there,” I said, pointing to the new car my dad got me last week after I caught him having another affair.
“Give me the keys. I can smell the alcohol in your blood. It's the only thing keeping me from draining you,” Talon said, holding his hand out for my keys.
I had no idea what he was talking about. Draining me? What did that mean? I decided not to push it and dug through my purse for my keychain. Talon snatched them from my hand so quickly, I barely saw the movement.
“Can I ask you something?” I said timidly as I got into the passenger seat of my car. He didn't look at me, but instead, ignited the engine and pulled out of the space expertly.
“What?” Talon snapped.
“Uh, why exactly do you want to kill Ana?” I asked, staring at the sexy man driving.
His jaw ticked and his hands tightened on the wheel.
“That little bitch tried to kill me more than once. Now I want payback.” He answered in a sinister tone that sent chills down my spine. I couldn't believe what he just said. Loser Ana trying to kill someone? That didn't sound like her. I would know. After all, I tortured her for years and Ana never really defended herself.
“That's doesn't sound like her.” Kim mumbled.
Talon slammed on the brakes, sending me crashing into the glove box. He then forcibly grabbed my jaw with his calloused hand and peered down at me intensely.
“I've been with that bitch for two years! The girl you used to know is no more. Question me again and we’ll have another problem on our hands.” Talon stated harshly.
I was shaking. A man had never scared me the way Talon just did. I wondered briefly why I even chose to come with him.
Talon’s dark eyes were still on me intently. He loosened his grip on my chin and began stroking my face softly.
“You and I could be good together,” he said in a much sweeter tone. “What happened to your face?” He asked when he noticed the bruise hidden underneath my makeup.
My anger spiked, remembering the fight Ana and I had last night. Maybe Talon was right, and Analise had changed. The loser sure packed a punch.
“Ana did it.” I bit out.
“See, she's a danger to you. Is that why you want to kill her?” Talon
asked, still rubbing my face intimately. The brush of his fingers caused desire to pool inside me so much, I could barely focus on his words.
“Yes. I-I mean, no. That's not the only reason.” I stuttered, attempting to break through the cloud of lust I was losing myself in. “I'm tired of her taking from me. The things I wanted most, she stole. First, it was Jace and then my mother! I began resenting her; my sister. And now, she's something I resent even more.”
My mind was populated with the new version of my sister. Even though I wouldn't say it out loud, Ana was attractive now. Even thinking about it pissed me off! I was always supposed to be the hot one. Now Ana wants to take that too!
“Good. Hold on to that rage you feel right now. Together, we can make sure she never takes from you again.” Talon had a glint in his eyes that was frightening. But Kim decided she wouldn't be scared and she would embrace it instead.
Acting on impulse, I smashed her lips to his. Talon’s were so soft, they couldn't be real. I would know considering how many guys’ lips I’ve felt in my life. I wanted more of his sweet taste. I pressed my body closer to him, preparing to climb on his lap. Talon, however, pulled back before that could happen.
“Enough. Tell me where she is.” he demanded.
I had to shake off my frustration from him breaking the heated moment. The look on his face was determination; no signs of a lustful guy that wanted me. He must just be really good at hiding his feelings. Or really determined on finding Ana.
“Last night, she was staying at a motel outside of town, next to the woods.” I told him.
A slow smile crept in his face. Talon completely broke contact and started the car back up again. He sped down the road on a mission to get his revenge. I watched the sexy dangerous man I was now plotting with.
No turning back now.
I wanted Talon like nothing I have ever wanted before. If it took killing Ana to have him, I was more than willing to do it.
Talon was dark…
Sexy…
And, in Ana's case, deadly.
He would soon be hers. All mine. Just as soon as they get that one annoying little problem out of the way.
***
Ana
“How close is he?” Seb asked, scanning the area. I took another breath. And another, but I lost it. His scent was gone.
“Argh! I don't know! I lost the scent,” I said, frustrated as I tried to pick it up again.
“Focus! Don't be afraid.” Seb pushed.
“I'm not afraid of Talon! If I were alone, I would find him myself and finish this. But I have five other people with me whose lives depend on how I handle the next five minutes.” I shot back, growing a little irritated
“What's going on? Who's Talon?” Simon asked.
From his increased heart rate, I knew he was worried. I tried not to focus on it, and instead, tried to come up with a plan. I won’t let Talon hurt my friends.
“Seb, how close is that passage into the tunnel?” I asked, forming a quick solution.
“Less than half a mile.”
“Good. Take them there, and I’ll lure Talon to me.”
I prepared myself to run to the opposite direction, but Seb caught my wrist and stopped me.
“Marie, take the others to the passage while we hold off Talon,” Seb said, putting emphasis on we.
I should have known he wouldn't leave me alone even though he knew I could take Talon myself. Marie opened her mouth to argue, but Seb’s expression stopped it. Sometimes, it was strange, the way they communicated without speaking. It was as if they could read each other’s mind. That would be a handy talent if it were true.
“Ana…”
“Sy, I'll be fine. Just go, okay. Everyone, leave. Now.”
Simon looked torn, but I tried to exude calmness into my eyes. He didn't need to worry about me.
Marie led the others deeper into the woods. All except one followed: Jace
“You need to go, too.” I told him.
He shook his head and walked closer to me.
“No, I should stay and help.” Jace responded, determined.
“I disagree. We know Talon. We can handle this. The others, however, could use your help.” Seb spoke to Jace like the leader he was.
And he was right. He and I could deal with Talon.
From the change in his demeanor, Jace understood too. With one final glance at me, he ran off to the way the others had previously gone.
Talon’s scent came drifting on the next breeze, but this time, another scent came with it.
He wasn't alone.
A smell of hairspray and tanning lotion followed his. I knew who it belonged to, but I wasn't ready to admit out loud yet. Mainly because it doesn't make sense. How could he have found her?
I used all my energy to pinpoint their location. It was a good thing I did because, had I not, I wouldn't have been able to stop what happened next.
The distinctive sound of a trigger being pulled filled the silent forest. My experience with being shot enabled me to gauge the direction the bullet was going. With my vampire senses being so fast, it was almost like everything was happening in slow motion. I saw the tiny gray bullet break through the tree line into our small clearing. Immediately, I knew this shot wasn't intended for me. Using a speed so fast a human eye wouldn't see, I tackled an unsuspecting Seb to the ground. I was fast but not fast enough. The bullet pierced through my right shoulder. We landed on the forest floor hard. Not a moment later, the freezing burn of that platinum began
“Argh!!” I screamed, withering on my back.
“Fuck! We need to get the bullet out.” Seb shouted as he quickly began tending to my wound. His face was a mixture of anger and rage that made him look scary beautiful.
The platinum began working its way through my body. It hurt like hell, but I was fighting it. After taking multiple shots like these from Marcos’ guards, I was somewhat used to the pain.
Slow clapping from our left alerted us to the arrival of our unwelcomed guest.
“Bravo!” Talon said with that cocky smirk on his face. “You see, I knew if I’d aimed at you, you would have dodged. So aiming at Seb was just perfect!”
He looked proud of himself. Talon wasn't my concern at the moment. I couldn't take my eyes off the girl he brought with him. From the smug look on her face, she came here willingly.
“Kim, what the hell are you doing?”
There was a glint in her eyes that had me on edge. She smiled wickedly before clasping Talons hand.
“Don't worry about her dollface, or, I don’t know, maybe you should.” Talon stated, winking at me.
Seb was glaring at Talon so hard that if looks could kill, well, you know the rest. I had a bad feeling, and lying on this ground in a weakened state wouldn't save us. Masking my emotions, I dug into the small hole in my shoulder. The pain was intense but one of the things Seb taught me was to never show a vampire your feelings. They play on pain. My fingertips brushed against the bullet. Latching on to it, I swiftly yanked it out and dropped it on the ground. The relief was instant, and the wound closed in seconds. Jumping to my feet, I prepared myself for their next move.
“We'll, aren't you Ms. G.I Jane.” Kim sniped, looking me up and down “Got your little black shorts, tank top, boots and even the ponytail to complete it.” She added with jealously clearly burning in her eyes.
“I was actually going for Lara Croft. So, what, you’re stalking me now to comment on my fashion?” I asked sarcastically.
“No. We came to kill you. You won't be hurting Talon anymore.” Kim stated, taking the gun from Talon and aiming it directly at me.
To say I was shocked was an understatement. We've had our differences, sure, but actually wanting to kill me was taking it to a new level. Kim may not be my biological sister, but we grew up together. There was nothing I could have done to make her hate me like this. Even as I searched her eyes for any of sign of bluff, I knew it was useless. Kim was serious.
“What? You
look surprised” She commented.
“Kim, I don't know what lies he's been feeding you, but trust me when I say he's dangerous. Now put down the gun.” I tried to reason with her. She only cocked her head like a confused dog in response. This was unreal! My sister was pointing a gun at me! What's next?!
“Nice try, dollface, but she's mine now.” Talon taunted.
The smirk on his face made my skin crawl. Anger I didn't see coming boiled up inside of me. I was sick and tired of this shit!
“Fine! If you want to kill me, take your best shot.” My tone was filled with so much hostility that Kim's stance faulted a little.
That was right. She should be afraid.
“Wh-what's wrong with your eyes?” she asked. Her arm was wavering a bit.
“Her eyes are red because she's evil. Just shoot her, and we can be together without fear.” Talon cooed Kim.
She sucked in everything he was saying like it was absolute truth. Any idiot could see he was using her and lying to her. Since when did she get so naive?
“What's your plan?” Seb whispered beside me.
He hadn't once taken his eyes off Talon. Another rule he lives by: never lose sight of your enemy. I wish he could read my thoughts, so he would know what I was about to do. Talon would only hear it if I said it out loud. But Seb was smart. He’ll act as soon as I did. That was a given.
We continued to watch Talon coach my sister into pulling the trigger and ending my life. With each second, I knew she was growing more confident, and it wouldn't be long before she pulled that trigger.
If my mother saw this, how would that make her feel? Sadness threatened to take over when I briefly thought of our last conversation. One day, I'll make it right for her.
“Bye, Analise,” Kim said, snapping me from my thoughts. I focused my eyes on her long finger, waiting for the exact moment the trigger would be pulled. Three…two…one…BANG!
Right when the first shot fired, I took off towards Kim. She fired more rounds, but I was too quick for any of it to hit me. At the last second, I changed directions and tackled Talon instead. Catching him off guard, I slammed his body into a nearby tree. It was so hard, it cracked.
Pure: A Paranormal Romance Page 26
