by K.N. Lee
The room felt smaller with the massive creatures crowding it. Things were about to get really messy. Halston glared at them all. He refused to let another creature escape that lair.
“Should I leave?” Raven asked in a whisper. Her green eyes had grown large as she watched the reanimated men prepare to try their luck with Halston.
Halston nodded once. “Go.”
Raven ran, and with the sudden movement, the reanimated men charged. Growls were cut off when Halston held Koa’s limp body close to his chest, lifted the barrel, cocked it once, and shot. A loud explosion drowned all sounds out. Time seemed to warp and slow as a single, silver, bullet shot out from the barrel and screamed with rage.
Halston narrowed his eyes in hatred. He watched the bullet collect speed, light, and energy as it raced through the room. None of the reanimated men had a chance to run. The single bullet ripped through them within seconds. The bullet cut through brains, hearts, lungs…and enjoyed every minute of it.
Like Koa’s Lyrinian sword, it seemed to have a mind of its own. The infinity gun was more than a weapon.
It was judgment.
The bullet squealed like a train and returned to Halston’s gun. It reentered its home and all was silent. Not even a full minute had passed. Reanimated bodies were sprawled on the floor.
There was a great deal of writhing. The bodies bubbled, popped, and melted into pools of thick black blood. There would be no third change. It was over for them.
Halston drew in a breath and let it out slowly. He looked at Koa’s face and felt his brows draw in. He loved her. He couldn’t deny it. The feeling frightened him. He wanted nothing more than to shelter and protect her.
Halston hugged her close and kissed her forehead. He closed his eyes and simply held her there, breathing her sweet scent, and listening to her soft heartbeat. He loved her, but he knew right then that he would have to do something that would hurt her. She might hate him for it…there was a lot that she might hate him for…but it was necessary.
Halston drew in another breath. Koa weakened him. His heart was tearing. “I love you,” he whispered. He almost wished that she was awake to hear the words he’d been thinking for years now, but he was grateful that she didn’t hear him.
He sighed. His jaw tensed. Halston knew what he had to do. “But you need to learn.”
Chapter 11
Koa woke up in the most comfortable bed she’d ever been in. She sighed and sprawled out across the puffy white covers that felt as though they were stuffed with clouds. She winced in pain and her eyes popped open. Sharp, searing, pain stunned her into an agonizing squeal.
Koa held her breath, too afraid to make another move lest the pain get worse. She felt her heart speed. She wasn’t used to this kind of pain. Sun spilled into the room through a wall made of glass. Koa looked around and the wrinkles in her forehead smoothed. She felt safe.
This was Halston’s bedroom.
Koa covered herself with the blankets and looked around. He wasn’t there. She looked down at her clothing and saw that she wore nothing but her bra and panties.
Koa had been in Halston’s bed before. The first time she had seen Halston had been by chance. After her father’s murder, Koa had been a ruthless girl. She had been lucky that Halston had found her. He had tamed her.
Five years ago, on a warm night in London, Koa had been drunk on bourbon and blood. She was sprawled across a park bench near a pub when Halston had found her.
Koa remembered it well. She thought about it often. Like a guardian angel, there Halston had been, looking down at her with his bright golden hair and crystalline blue eyes. When Koa felt his hand touch her forehead, she had opened her eyes and had really thought that she was dreaming. He was perfect and she couldn’t resist.
Koa had grabbed Halston by the back of his neck and kissed him. The kiss had been magical. Halston didn’t stop her. Koa touched her lips at the memory. She could still taste Halston’s tongue.
A smile came to her lips, despite the lingering pain. At seventeen, she had been a naïve girl, torn by feelings of revenge, guilt, and fear. Still, her vampire side made her impervious to fear.
Koa often suspected less than noble intentions from men, but the night she had met Halston, she knew she could trust him. She felt safe around him. So, drunk like a college freshman at her first frat party, Koa let him take her to his place.
When Koa woke up the next morning years ago, she had found Halston sitting in a white leather chair by that glass wall overlooking the city, watching her.
Koa had been but a child back then…a child who had no idea what was in store for her future. She sighed and closed her eyes to keep the tears from falling. Once again, Halston had saved her from her own horrible choices. She hated to face him after all that she had done wrong.
She bit the inside of her lip and tried to remember what had happened. Another sharp pain in her side immediately reminded her. Bund.
Koa yelped as Raven leapt onto the pure white covers and tackled her. Raven licked her face. “Are you all right darling?”
Koa held her tight and tried to keep from moving too much. She cautiously propped herself up on the soft pillows. Koa couldn’t help but squeeze her mother tight. “I am. Where is Halston?”
Raven curled up next to Koa’s head. “He is in the shower.” Koa nodded and looked at the door to Halston’s private bathroom suite. She almost smiled at the image of him in there without any clothes on. The pain made her grimace instead.
Koa sighed. “What happened…back at the lair?”
Raven licked her paw. “What do you mean? Halston rescued you.”
Koa sat up on her elbows. “I mean, before Halston came in. You did something.”
Raven tilted her head and gave Koa a blank look. She shook her head. “Nonsense. You are imagining things. Would you like some orange juice?”
Koa frowned. Was I imagining things? She shook her head. Koa knew what she saw. “Wait a minute!” Koa yelled.
The pain kept her from hopping onto her knees. She winced at the burning sensation in her side. Weakly, Koa pointed at Raven. “I saw you. What did you do? Don’t lie to me!”
Koa pursed her lips when Halston opened the door to the bathroom and let waves of steam out. He peeked around the door to see what the commotion was about. His hair was wild and yet, he still looked perfect. Koa wanted to see more. Her cheeks flushed at her thoughts.
“Everything all right?”
Koa nodded and he came out of the bathroom and dried his hair with a towel. She looked away from his bare chest as her cheeks reddened even more. She had never seen a man naked before. Koa could only imagine what Halston was hiding beneath his towel. She squeezed her eyes shut.
You’re ridiculous, Koa thought to herself. This is not what you’re supposed to be thinking about!
“What’s all the fuss?”
Koa looked at her mother, who licked her paws sheepishly. Koa knew something was up.
“How are you feeling? Do you need something for the pain?”
Koa shook her head. “It’s ok. I can handle it.” She searched his eyes, wondering when the scolding would begin, hoping he would let this incident slide.
Halston nodded and walked over to Koa. He sat on the edge of the bed and pulled the covers back. Raven moved out of the way and he took a look at Koa’s bandaged side where Bund had split her skin.
Koa remembered just how deep he had cut her. She looked down expecting to see her side completely healed, instead, there was still blood on the bandage and she could still see some of her muscle. She was stunned. She’d always been able to heal almost instantly.
Halston sighed. It wasn’t good.
“How long have I been here?” Her eyes were wide with fright. Halston sat on the edge of the bed and smoothed her hair. He was calm. She wished such calmness would rub off on her. She did enjoy the feel of his hand on her hair.
“Two days.”
Koa covered her mouth. “Two days?”
She looked at her wound in disbelief.
Halston put a hand on her shoulder and led her back down to the pillow. “It’s all right. A demon wound will heal. It may take longer than you’re used to, but your vampire side will fight the poison.”
“Poison?” Koa felt her heart race. Halston pulled the covers to her neck.
“Relax, Koa. You need rest. Don’t work yourself up or it’ll take longer.”
“Listen to him Koa,” Raven urged. “I hope you learned your lesson.”
Koa shot a look at her, but her mother was right, she couldn’t deny it. She had been stupid to think she could convince Netherworld vamps to side with her. The whole plan was foolish. She just didn’t anticipate them knowing who she was.
“Bund recognized me.” Koa sat up on her elbows and looked to Halston. “How did they know who I was?”
Halston stood and walked over to his wardrobe where he grabbed a shirt. He put it on and stepped inside his walk-in closet to change into black slacks. He sat on a seat inside his closet and carefully put on a pair of black socks and slipped into shoes. Halston seemed to be taking his time. Koa waited as he looked at himself in his full length mirror. He fixed his hair and she rolled her eyes.
“You just love looking at yourself,” Koa couldn’t resist saying. She hoped it would keep him calm, and make him forget that she had disobeyed him.
She smiled. Halston didn’t.
He ignored her statement and sat back on the edge of the bed. “What exactly did he say to you?”
Koa cleared her throat. “Bund said that everyone in the Netherworld knows me. He said that he wasn’t hiding, and that he wasn’t afraid of Greggan.”
Halston nodded. “It’s true. Why would a demon fear a vampire? A demon is nothing more than an angel that has turned to darkness. When the fallen angels followed Satan from Heaven their sexual desires led them to have intercourse with human women. Their dark spawn are what we know as vampires…and the other nephilim of the Netherworld.”
Koa nodded. She knew all about the fall of some of the angels. She knew how their spawn were banished to the Netherworld centuries ago. Still, the Netherworld was only a place separated from the human world by a simple gate. “Yes, I know all of that, but why was he with those Netherworld vamps?”
“He was hired.”
Koa slumped against the headboard. She blew her bangs out of her eyes. “That’s right. He did say that they were mercenaries.” She lifted a brow. “Hired for what?”
“To find you.”
“Why? Why does Bund want to find me?” Koa needed to know.
Halston and Raven shared a glance. Koa noticed.
Koa slammed her fist on the bed. “Why are you two hiding things from me?”
“Don’t get so worked up. I’ll tell you everything, when you’re healed.”
“Tell me now!”
“Get some sleep darling,” Raven said and hopped from the bed. “Will you take me back home? I think my presence will only agitate Koa and prolong her recovery.”
Koa reached out. She didn’t realize how weak she felt. “No. Don’t go.” Koa wished she could hug her mother again. She would give anything to lay in her arms and cry like she did when she was a child.
Raven looked back. She ran over and leapt onto the bed. She licked Koa’s face and snuggled her head into the crevice of her neck. “Rest up. I’ll see you at home.”
“OK,” Koa replied. She sighed and pulled the covers up. She did feel tired already.
Halston waited for Raven to leave the room. Koa watched him from a tiny space in the covers. He sat there in silence for a moment. The silence made Koa uncomfortable. She knew what was coming.
“I’m sorry,” Koa blurted before Halston could put the words together to say what was on his mind.
Halston seemed surprised that she actually apologized. Koa thought that was a good sign. He hadn’t expected that.
He nodded. His eyes were hopeful. “Thank you for that, Koa. It means a lot. But, why did you go there without me? Why would you go against my orders and put yourself at risk?”
Koa groaned. She knew he would ask. She sat up and tried to scoot closer to him. Moving was a laborious task, but Koa needed him to forgive her. He still didn’t say that he did.
“You fail to understand that we care about you, Koa. We only do these things to keep you safe. You’re very important to all of us in the Netherworld division.”
Koa frowned. She didn’t like how he kept saying ‘we’ and ‘us’ instead of, I care about you, or, you’re important to me.
“I didn’t want you to try to stop me. I wanted answers, and you just weren’t giving them.”
He turned his head to meet her eyes. She looked down. The look was too intense. She felt almost hypnotized by it. She drew circles in the covers with her finger, feeling sheepish, like a child that knew she had done something wrong and awaited her father’s scolding.
“I told you already. I am here to protect you. You don’t need to know everything. Some things are best left alone.”
Koa didn’t say anything. She heard Halston, but she was stubborn. She still wanted to know.
Halston sighed. “And now I see that I have to protect you from yourself.”
Koa looked up. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
Halston stood and wrapped his holster across his back and grabbed a vest from his wardrobe.
“It means you’re out, Koa.”
Koa fought through the pain and sat up. Her face paled. Her hands started to shake. He couldn’t be saying what she thought he was. Koa stared at Halston with wide eyes. “What?”
He nodded. “I hate to do it, but it’s for the best. You’re a liability and it’s better if you don’t know what’s happening out there. You’re no longer part of the Netherworld division. You revealed Raven’s identity. It’s best if you and Raven lay low and live a quiet life in your new home.” He put his hands in his pockets and looked away. “You no longer have to let these things worry you. I will take care of it from here on out.”
Koa stared at him. She wouldn’t shy away from his eyes if he would just look at her. She could make him change his mind.
“Or you can move wherever you want.”
Koa started to speak, but her voice was caught in her throat. He couldn’t look her in the eye. That statement hurt her more than anything. She didn’t want to be away from him. Couldn’t he see that?
She felt as though Halston was breaking up with her. She was speechless. Her heart felt as though it was being twisted and crushed. The heartache hurt more than her side did.
Halston took a breath and started towards the door. He tried to make his voice sound light and calm. “I’ll still protect you and make sure you’re safe, you just won’t live the life of a Netherworld agent anymore. Bund is still out there and I will do everything within my power to stop him.”
Koa felt her body tense at the thought of Bund out there in the world, ready to strike at her once again. She thought of his promise to keep her as a pet for all eternity. Her stomach churned.
Halston gave her one last look. The look was too quick. “Now rest up.” He left before she could protest.
The sleek black door to his otherwise all-white bedroom closed. She heard him head outside. He whispered to Raven and she felt her face heat with rage.
Koa balled up her fists. They were conspiring. She heard his footsteps walk down his long marble hallway and to the double curved stairs that led to the landing, and he was gone.
Tears dripped down her cheeks and onto the white blankets. Her heart sped. She didn’t like this feeling. Halston was done with her. When would she see him again? How would she survive without the purpose the Netherworld division gave her?
Koa screamed. She covered her face and yelled in anguish. “How dare you? How dare you?” She shouted and pounded her fists in the blankets with all of her might. She needed something more rewarding.
She wanted to hit something, to hurt something. She
growled and came to her feet. Koa gasped as the pain made her double over. Her breath was knocked from her as her skin screamed in agony.
The pain was unnerving. The constant burning of her flesh only intensified her anger. Pain was rare for Koa. This was new, and she hated it.
Another feeling swept in and made her fall to her knees. Koa groaned. This pain was different. Still, Bunds pain couldn’t compare to what overcame her. This was something that she was very familiar with. She had grown up with it. It had haunted her for years.
The hunger.
Koa looked up. She had an idea. Nothing would cure her faster than human blood. She crawled over to the chair and pulled herself up. She was so tired. All she could think of was how energized a little human blood would make her.
