by Harold Wall
The girl smiled and laughed before they both plunged their teeth into the necks of the unconscious hunters, and feasted.
The girl let the male hunter drop from her grasp and she closed her eyes, taking a deep breath in, enjoying that high she always had after feeding.
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"That was the most fun I've had in the last few hours." she remarked as the boy finished up.
"You're new to this, aren't you?" the boy asked licking his lips for any excess blood.
"What you mean the killing? I used to be one of them." She shrugged. "Doesn't bother me."
"No, I mean the vampire thing." the boy elaborated.
"What, you don't enjoy hunting as much as I do?" she asked raising an eyebrow, smiling.
"It gets kind of… tiresome after a while."
"Then you just have to find ways to spice it up a little." the girl suggested, winking and giving him an infamous secretive smile. "Oh, you've got some—" She reached up and pointed
at her own face, the top corner of her lips.
The boy's hand moved to wipe it away but the girl put her hand out and stopped his hand from going any further.
"Let me get that for you." she said before grabbing his shirt collar and pulling him in for a kiss.
"I really like the way you think." the boy said after they'd broken apart.
The girl laughed lightly. "What's your name?" she questioned.
"Stan," he answered. "You?"
The girl smiled her eyes lighting up nefariously as she did so.
"It's—"
"Storm?" Adrian asked getting his son's attention.
Storm blinked and shook his head, trying not to let his mind wander too much. "Sorry, I kind of zoned out." he mumbled rubbing his forehead like he had a headache.
"How are things in Las Vegas?" Storm's father asked.
"They're fine," Storm answered quietly.
"You sound tired. Has Lord Thierry been sending you out a lot?" Adrian's tone filled with worry.
"No, no," Storm murmured, taking a deep breath and lying back in his bed. "Not lately, at least. I just haven't been feeling… myself, is all."
"Do you want to talk about it?" Adrian asked hesitantly.
Storm thought about this for a moment. "Not really, no." he finally said, his eyes drooping in fatigue by just thinking about it.
Adrian sighed on the other end. "When are you coming home? The house it too empty without you here."
"I don't know. I'm only staying for as long as Lord Thierry needs me here." Storm said, closing his eyes fully. "You should really think about getting out there again, Dad."
"Storm, we've been over this before. I'm just… not ready for a relationship right now."
Storm sat up, throwing his legs over the side of the bed. "Dad, it's been four years. You need to… you need to move on. You can't keep living in the past." Storm whispered, trying
not to let the pain leak through.
"You haven't moved on, either." Adrian defended. "You're mother was everything I've ever wanted in a woman. Everything I needed and loved… I can't just let her go like she was
nothing."
"I know—I know… II really shouldn't have brought it up. I'm really tired. I really need rest. I'll call you later, okay?"
"All right, stay safe." Adrian sighed. "I love you, Storm."
"Love you too, Dad."
Storm hung up and set his phone heavily on the nightstand before lying back down and closing his eyes.
He hadn't been feeling well since the last time he'd talked with Emerald, and that scared him. It had been about two or three in the morning when Storm had woken up from an
excruciating pain in his chest. It was so terrible, and so painful that he wouldn't even wish it upon his worst enemy. It was like someone had reached into his chest and ripped out
his heart, leaving a gaping hole in his chest, bleeding and raw and throbbing.
Everyday Storm struggled to breathe, like his lungs had been constricted by vines and he couldn't fully expand them, couldn't get a full, deep breath in. Everyday did Storm struggle
to rid himself of the awful vacant feeling that threatened to consume his soul. Every night did Storm lose sleep over nightmares that haunted him, nightmares that he didn't
understand. They made no sense.
It felt like he was dying inside, slowly wilting away.
The steel silver cord that held Storm and Emerald together had snapped letting Storm fall in a bottomless chasm; letting him fall into his deepest, darkest secrets he promised
himself he'd never return to; letting him slowly descend into madness.
Of course, he didn't think it was possible—he didn't want to believe that soulmates' connection could be broken, ever—because that could only mean one thing; one thing that made
Storm shudder; one thing that made Storm's stomach twist into a knot; one thing that made him drown in his own guilt; one thing that could tear him to ribbons; one thing that
could made him wish that this was all just one big, heinous hallucination: Emerald had died.
Storm jerked awake in his bed, his chest heaving. Screams echoed in his mind, never ceasing. He covered his ears and curled in on himself, trying to get the shrieking to stop. It
was horrible, bloodcurdling screaming that shook Storm to his very core.
Suddenly, it seemed that the commotion had entered the waking world. There were shouts and shuffling and running feet downstairs. It took Storm a while to realize that he wasn't
just imagining this anymore, something pretty serious was going on downstairs.
Throwing his legs off the side of the bed, Storm ran to his door and flung it open, going over to the railing and looking down into the foyer. He could really see anything from his
vantage point, but he could hear what they were saying more clearly.
"We've got her!"
"Bring her in!"
"Be on guard, she's dangerous!"
The curiosity getting the best of him Storm sprinted down the steps. He'd been sent out by Lord Thierry for the past few days and hadn't been at the mansion for more than a few minutes at a time in those few days, so Storm had no idea what was going on and his guess was as good as a stranger on the outside looking in.
Downstairs Lord Thierry was a few feet away from the foot of the stairs next to Quinn. Lord Thierry looked tense and grim and infuriated. Quinn just looked infuriated.
"Lord Thierry, what's going on?" Storm asked looking at all his running FBI agentlike workers.
"There's something I need to tell you, Storm." Thierry said quietly, monitoring every single move his guards made. Storm waited patiently. "A few days ago when you were gone we
had a situation." Thierry's hands balled into fists. Quinn gritted his teeth, his black eyes glittering with animosity.
This next part Thierry had to choke out, "Hannah and Rashel were both kidnapped." he spat through clenched teeth.
"Why didn't you tell me about this before? I could've helped out if you needed." Storm offered.
Thierry sighed heavily and turned his head to look at Storm. His dark eyes were sorrowful and hurt now, no sign of anger. Storm wasn't sure if it was because he'd just lost Hannah
after finally finding her again, or if it was sorrow for him… for some unknown reason to Storm.
"No, I don't think you could." Thierry told him in an almost inaudible voice.
Before Storm could ask why, the front doors to the mansion burst open. Storm looked, his heart pounding, blood roaring in his ears as he awaited the arrival of whoever this girl
was that they suspected of kidnapping Hannah and Rashel.
First came halfway in was one of Thierry's staff in his suit and glasses, struggling to keep hold of someone. Not a moment after he stepped in did that s
omeone come in, kicking
and struggling against the two vampires that were trying to keep her subdued; one on each side, holding her arms.
Her hands were tied behind her back with thick bast rope, but she fought and battled against the two as ferociously as a tiger. She snarled and growled and hissed. Her twoinch
heels, clicked, scrapped and scratched the marble floors of the foyer as the two holding her dragged her through.
Her hair was flying everywhere, but showed no sign of tangling taking place as she did so. Her face was perfect and pale, but had an expression that could kill: a goddess of death.
Storm's heart turned to stone and dropped to the floor when he first laid eyes on her struggling form. The sound of shattering broke through the sound of the roar in his ears as his
world fell apart around him. They had to have made a mistake! It couldn't be! I just couldn't!
"Wait." Thierry ordered his voice tight. Quinn stood beside him rigid, holding his breath, trying to constrain himself from attacking her.
Storm quietly gasped for air, his eyes wide as he stared at this girl. He didn't want to believe it. But how could he not? Was his mind playing tricks on him?
Storm took a small step forward his eyes never leaving the girl's face.
"Emerald?" he asked his voice coming out in a broken whisper.
The girl smiled but it wasn't sweet, it wasn't innocent, it wasn't apologetic, it was… malevolent, malicious, purely evil. Her black hair falling over her shoulder and concealing half
her eye didn't make the look any better: it just made her look all the more villainous, one of those crazy, psychological villains.
"Hello, Storm," she said—her voice even different than Storm last remembered—with that horrible smirk still on her face.
Hal sighed and trudged up the stairs, his feet dragging. New York City was becoming less and less safe every second. All the hunters in his division were staying home because of
serious injuries acquired while hunting (at least five had been killed), the vampires escaping as a result. So it wasn't only that his hunters were being injured, but it was also more
vampires were still out on the street. There were only a few that could come in tonight. But he was starting to have his reservations about sending them out. If they were injured,
or killed, as well, New York would be totally unprotected and even more people would die.
Not to mention they did have families… well as close as they could get to families. (They had become hunters for a reason, hadn't they?)
Hal went to unlock the door, but as he reached forward he realized the door was already open. Immediately alert, he pulled out a stake and pushed the door open. It slowly swished
open with an ominous creak. The inside was completely empty from what Hal could tell; still that door was never open like it had been. Something was terribly off.
Breathing shallowly, he crept in, his eyes darting around the room looking for any sign of movement. And as soon as he fully stepped in the door slammed closed behind him. Hal
quickly spun around, heart racing, adrenaline pumping, stake raised in defense.
Emerald smiled and crossed her arms.
"Hey stranger,"
Hal dropped his hand and relaxed. "God, Emerald, you scared me—" Hal broke off really seeing her for the first time. "You traitor." he hissed, gripping his stake, his jaw working.
Emerald rolled her eyes. "Oh please, don't be so dramatic."
Hal's eyes narrowed. "You. You're the one killing and injuring my hunters!" he spat.
Emerald shrugged her smile widening. "Guilty is charged."
"You know what this means don't you?" Hal asked darkly.
"I know what it means, but I don't think it'll end the way you think." Emerald responded.
Hal twirled the stake in his hand smiling without humor. "That's what you think." he retorted. "Just because we were hunters together doesn't mean I won't be able to kill you
without a second thought. You're a bloodsucker now. I should've known that you would've turned with your prettyboy vampire boyfriend."
Emerald chuckled but said nothing about their breakup and instead threw out her fist. She had to admit, Hal was a skilled hunter and a welltrained fighter. He deflected her right
crossover easily before taking a stab at her from above. Emerald caught his wrist and spun him around reaching up and wrapping a hand around his throat.
Hal quickly responded by jabbing his elbow in her solar plexus. Emerald hissed and let go of Hal who turned around smirking.
"You've gotten a little rusty, Emerald. Does immortality not suit you as well as you'd like?" Hal mocked.
"That was just the opening, you have no idea what's in store for you." Emerald countered unfazed by his statements, walking toward him, looking more sinister than Hal had ever
seen her before. She bared her fangs and hissed at him. Just like that, quick as lightning, she lashed out with a sidekick to the head, disorienting Hal. Then she came back around
punching him in the nose. He stumbled back and she swept her feet underneath his, making Hal lose balance and fall onto his back.
Still disoriented, Hal's stake flew out of his hand a few feet away. Smiling with satisfaction Emerald slowly walked forward, her heels clacking against the hardwood floor, as Hal
started to vainly reach for his stake. Emerald got there just as his fingertips brushed the weapon and kicked it away; it skittered across the room and underneath a small table.
Emerald came back and knelt down near Hal's head.
"Sorry, old friend, it had to be done." She told him patting his cheek. He flinched and jerked away.
"You don't have to do this, Emerald." Hal mumbled trying to get over the pain of the broken nose Emerald had just given him.
Emerald smiled down at him. "Oh, Hal, on the contrary, I do have to do this."
"We used to be friends, Emerald. You can't think that just because you turning into a vampire is going to change that fact."
Emerald shook her head and laughed. "Oh, you cease to amuse me, Hal. I thought you said that you'd be able to kill me without a second thought. I mean, I am a vampire now. And
you're a hunter. It's just what you and I do. We're 'mortal' enemies—as cliché as that sounds." She sighed and shook her head again that smile still on her face. "Well, guess what?"
Emerald leaned in close and whispered, "The feeling is mutual."
Emerald stood and Hal shook his head, tears forming in his eyes. "Emerald, please, you don't have to do this!"
"Sorry, Hal, I told you before and I'll tell you again: I do, in fact, have to." Emerald said over Hal's pleads: "I'll do anything! Don't do this!"
"It's too late for that, Hal." Emerald whispered quietly, her smile dropping, her expression becoming ruthless. "Much too late." she told him stepping on his upper forearm until it
snapped. Hal howled in pain and turned over onto his side, cradling his broken arm. Emerald looked up, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath as Hal's screams continued.
"Knock, knock," Jonathan said pushing the door open. Emerald hopped up from the sofa she had been sitting on. Jonathan looked at the two unconscious hunters on the floor and
raised an eyebrow.
"You're late," Emerald remarked.
"I was getting the things ready." Jonathan said.
"Oh, are we going somewhere?"
Jonathan smiled. "Las Vegas. We're going to have a little… fun." He then turned and started walking back downstairs.
"It had better be better than the last time." Emerald muttered following, slamming the door shut behind her.
"Oh it will be," Jonathan promised with crooked smile. "I assure you, it will be."
Emerald nodded feverishly and handed the women the cash. "Thank you." she said grabbing the tickets and sprinting off to the gate. It was easier than Emerald had thought because
it wasn't horribly crowded at 1:57 in the morning, thankfully
. But she had run all the way here and she was starting to drown. She was tired, and weak, and worn, and her muscles
were giving out on her.
She got to the gate just as the doors closed. She didn't hesitate to run up to the man at the desk.
"You have to open those doors," she begged. "Please, I need to get on that plane."
"Hold on, miss, I'll get a hold of the pilot." he told her in a soothing voice before picking up the phone and dialing in. Emerald waited, tapping her foot impatiently, glancing at the
doors nervously. The man hung up a few moments later; the expression on his face was enough of an answer. "I'm sorry, he can't turn around. But I can get you tickets for the next
flight, if you'd like—" The man broke off on the account of Emerald breaking down into tears.
She fell against the desk and slid to the floor, collapsing in body racking sobs. The man ran around the desk and knelt down next to her.
"Miss? Are… are you all right?" he asked looking for the world he didn't know what to do. To be fair, he had probably never dealt with such an angsty teenager. A few other workers
had also gathered around to see what was going on.
Emerald mentally scolded herself and tried to get a hold of her emotions. "I… II'm fffine." she stuttered, sniffling and wiping her tears away. "II'm sssorry."
"Would… would you like any water, or something?" he asked skeptically.
Emerald shook her head. "No, I'm fine." she repeated in a stronger voice, grabbing the edge of the desk and hoisting herself to her feet. "I'm sorry, I just need a moment." The
workers stepped back and Emerald walked over to one of the chairs near the gate and heavily sat down, throwing her backpack at her feet. With a deep breath, Emerald closed her
eyes and leaned back, trying to push down the excruciating hollowness that filled her at this moment.
She thought back to when she was fourteen, when her father had kidnapped her. How had she handled the pain then? She'd built up walls, walls that could hold all of America's
gold; vaulted, steel, coded walls.
Storm had cracked that code, broke through the steel like it was tissue. He'd gotten to that precious gold that Emerald had so desperately tried to protect. Now it was all gone,
