by K A Young
"Yes, Creon?" Locaine replies, seemingly uninterested in what he is about to request.
Creon grins evilly once he has his king's attention, "I wanted to establish the first pet shop here in Hollywood."
Seriously...eliminating the hunt and just betting on girls?
My knuckles are white as I clasp the hem of my skirt in front of me, my eyes hard as they stare at him with anger. Locaine's eyes dart sideways, observing my movements.
Isn't this wrong? He must see how wrong this is...
Then again, he showed no hesitation when he took me as his slave, so therefore as the king of his species, I can't expect him to make exceptions even though the actions he takes are nothing I agree with. He makes these decisions to remain as the king of this world. What is being presented to him is an opportunity for lazy vampires to come and pick whatever human they like best so long as they can afford it.
Like an excellent salesman...this Creon is cornering the market.
I sigh lightly and closing my eyelids, the pain and outrage boiling up through the girls' veins and calling out to the warmth residing in the center of my chest.
Their pleading stares only make it that much more difficult to not jump down Locaine's throat the moment he informs Creon, "That is an excellent idea."
Locaine and I are having a talk about what's considered an 'excellent idea' right after this commercial break folks...
"Will you attend the first auction, to show your support..." he pauses a second before he so boldly states, "...and perhaps upgrade?" Creon eyes me, and I shoot him a death glare, the blood within my veins rising to the surface as my jaw clenches tightly.
Locaine wraps his arm around my waist and replies smoothly, "Nothing you can offer me can ever compare to a hunter. You catch humans, I catch hunters...our skill level is far apart."
Idiot...
I turn my head away from Creon and glance at the girls, all of them cowering away in fear. Their lives are over, even though they have not yet ended.
"However," Locaine continues and draws my attention back for a moment, "I will show good faith and attend your auction."
"No!" Screams one of the girls, managing to get to her feet and spit, "I WON'T be sold... like someone's pet! I am my own person!"
Those words...how often will those words leave every girl's mouth as they fight back against their new masters?
"You do nothing!" The girl suddenly turns her hatred on me, fresh tears streaming down her cheeks as she retorts angrily, as if I never once tried for myself, "You sit there like a perfect pretty little porcelain doll for this psychotic vampire who believes he's king! I will fight for my freedom!"
I'm tired of this...
Unexpectedly, I rise to my feet, Locaine releasing me as his questioning eyes fall on me.
"Slave?" He asks with caution, somehow able to read some of the thoughts racing through my mind.
"I want to share with them, master," I reply, my eyes meeting his for a moment. I can see he isn't entirely sure what I'm about to do. After all, I'm a wild card at times, and perhaps he believes I'll encourage their behavior. He's very wrong though when he dips his head in a nod, and I turn my attention back to the girls, walking toward them slowly.
Creon flinches when I glance his way, the look set on my face making him uneasy. He backs away, allowing me to near his girls as the one who challenged me I approach directly. Her pain is evident, and I can tell she has yet to be broken in though the beatings she's already received are quite visible. She refuses to give in...like every girl will at first until they reach their breaking point.
Everyone has one...I was no different, as much as I thought I was.
My white irises meet her scared brown ones, her gaze quickly shifting as she looks me up and down with hesitation, my appearance obviously something frightening to her. After a moment or two passes, I tilt my head to the side and narrow my eyes at her before asking, "Do you not think I tried to fight? That I was so willing to give in? I can tell that you have no idea what I am."
Her lip quivers as her sudden burst of courage falters the moment the words leave my lips. As she averts her gaze from my own, not able to look me in the eye, an obvious picture is painted before me...
"I'm a hunter," she is startled when I decide to tell her the truth, "I was supposed to protect you humans with my entire being perhaps the sole purpose of my existence and those before me," I pause a moment to swallow a knot that had formed at the edge of my throat before stating, "I was supposed to be strong and kill every last one of these creatures," I then motion to Creon and Locaine.
I glare back at her, just wishing she knew a fraction of what I'd been through then she wouldn't so blatantly call me weak like everyone else, "It may not be right away, or it may take only a few breaks until you fall on your knees and beg them not to hurt you any longer."
"I-I can handle-" the girl's voice trails off, a sob coming deep from the center of her chest.
"I was chained, my innate abilities were taken away from me, my identity stripped, tortured, my bones broken, raped, and finally, almost killed." I hold her gaze the entire time I spill my life within these walls to her. I can feel Locaine's uneasiness, but he remains silent and allows for me to continue without restraint.
"So, please...fight back," I continue and leave her a note of caution, "it sure did me a world of good."
The girl says nothing in return, the look set on her face the very one I felt at the time I gave in. She has absolutely no response for what I've just said. This girl has not lived my life, and she is about to experience her own hell in a very short time should she continue to act the way she does.
I turn abruptly on my heels, walking back toward Locaine with an icy look set on my face. The look of surprise crosses his face once his gaze meets my own, looking at me in awe. He opens his arms as I take a seat on his lap before I leave off with, "You have not even broken through the surface of their world."
Creon appears...impressed with my little speech. He bows his head and rounds the girls up, showing them out of the grand ballroom.
"That...was entertaining," the tips of Locaine's fangs graze the outer shell of my ear, his breath warm against my skin.
"I wanted to be honest with them," I reply, turning my head to look into his eyes, "I am not sure how many are to be as lucky as I..."
"There are tolerable vampires," he replies with a slight notation, "however, there are also violent and cruel ones."
Theo comes to mind...I release a sigh, nodding my head.
I hear a loud crack ring out from the door, as I shift in Locaine's lap, his grip on me tensing at the intrusive sound. That's when I see something familiar, Michael and Adam have been knocked back against the walls as four hunters enter the room, their eyes dead set on us. Two are females, and two are males, their eyes penetrating through us with a very hard look.
I feel my heart stop as Locaine stands to his feet, placing me behind him in a protective manner.
Could it..could it really?
"Annika?"
"Mother?"
Chapter 23
-Annika
"Mother?" My voice feels like it doesn't belong to me, the strain and surprise in it evident. I thought for sure I'm seeing a ghost as I attempt to push Locaine to move around his side, wanting to get a better look at the woman's voice I recognize. He holds me tightly, unsure of the situation while his muscles tense. My mother and the other female are dressed in tight leather pants, dark long-sleeve shirts with jackets over the top. She has her hair pulled back tightly in a bun, her eyes meeting mine in an unbreakable lock.
"Annika..." my father's voice trails off, my heart stopping in my chest at the realization both of my parents are standing in Locaine's ballroom. I never imagined I would ever be staring at my parents ever again, let alone in the vampire king's own mansion. Yet here they are, their eyes filled with so many mixed emotions. I don't recognize the other male and female that are with my parents, furrowing my brows as my ga
ze travels over all of them.
Rynn edges silently and carefully toward them, but Locaine signals for her as well as Michael and Adam to stay still, standing down for the moment. I can tell he is analyzing what is going on and doesn't want to make a hasty decision, especially regarding my parents.
I notice that Henri and Darius have appeared, circling around the group, waiting for Locaine's command. It seems they have come back early, their arrival signaling greater numbers the vampires possess compared to the group of four hunters.
"How..." tears well up in my eyes as I don't have the slightest idea how they even found me to begin with.
My mother takes a brave step forward while answering, "We saw you, on tv...with him." My mother is referring to Locaine as she motions toward him. I can hear Locaine hiss lowly, his fangs already showing between his lips. My body is shaking violently with uncertainty, my heart lurching from my chest at the conflicted emotions.
"I thought you were in Florida," my father places a hand on my mother's shoulder, noticing Flynn circling around to Rynn.
"I-I was," I pull slightly forward, but Locaine's fingertips dig into my side, and I wince, unsure of why he's hurting me...
...better yet, I now realize...why is he so protective?
They are my parents.
My mother holds a short sword in her right hand and points it at Locaine, "I remember you. You tried to kill Annika a long time ago."
"And I remember you," Locaine glares at my father, the anger coming through in his voice, "you killed my brother."
My father merely laughs.
Why is he laughing?
"You're the younger brother of the late Lord Enos aren't you?" His gaze is critical as a moment goes by before he expresses, "I expected more," he shrugs his shoulders.
Rynn hisses in response, the look of rage set on her face, holding back only because of Locaine's command. Without him restraining her, she more than likely would have already lunged for their throats. Michael and Adam are back on their feet, blocking the only entrance to the room and securing all of us within the ballroom. The two other hunters turn their backs to my parents' defending each other's blind spots.
"I managed to kidnap your daughter," Locaine growls lowly, threatening them to proceed any further.
My mother holds her sword to her side, gripping the handle hard while she states, "That is exactly why we are here."
"Annika, come here," my father motions, my feet frozen in blocks of ice as the exchange between my parents and Locaine is heated.
A perplexed look crosses my face the second Locaine's grip releases me, my gaze traveling up to see his features. He does not take his eyes off my parents, but I do notice that they are a black rose now. My heart beats fast in my chest, my mouth becoming dry as I remain still and unsure of what to do...
I feel the power behind his words for the first time when he orders, "Stay, slave." My limbs feel as though they are no longer mine to control, torn between them. I look at my parents, afraid of what is about to happen should I refuse either of them.
"What did you just call her?" My father narrows his eyes, pulling a sword from a sheath on his belt at the look of intent he holds.
Locaine crosses his arms in front of his chest and smirks, "Oh, you don't like that, do you?" He pauses a moment to nod, "I didn't just kidnap your daughter, I made her my slave."
I see my mother tense, her knuckles turning white as she grips the sword tighter. Her eyes hold pity as she shakes her head, "Annika, he can't hurt you any longer," she pauses a moment to narrow her eyes before encouraging, "step away from him..."
"I-I-I..." my voice is caught in my throat, feeling it constrict tightly as I'm unable to say anything.
"You know, Jared," Locaine releases a sigh of irritation, not wanting to construe the meaning of why I stand by his side, "your daughter stays here of her own free will."
At this, even Michael and Adam question him, unsure of what he means. I know Rynn already had an idea and him announcing it does not surprise her in the slightest.
"Annika?" My father shoots me a look of pure confusion.
I can't handle this.
I collapse to my knees beside Locaine, fresh tears cascading down my cheeks. My arms are shaking as I try to keep myself propped up, averting my eyes to the ground in the process. What Locaine says is the truth, it was my choice...
Yes, it still is my choice...
My mother takes another two steps forward before receiving a growl and low hiss from Rynn. Adam is ready to rip their throats out, Flynn crouching down and narrowing his eyes while awaiting the kill command. My mother halts at their disapproving vocalization, her eyes filled with sadness and pain. I know all she wants to do is hold me, but she can't even do that.
I can't describe the rage that comes from my father as he yells, my heart plummeting, "Are you fucking my daughter?"
The blood pounds loudly in my ears as I keep my eyes on the ground, feeling completely vulnerable.
"Some sick bastard you are to take a hunter..." my mother chimes in, only making things worse.
"Eh, I have exquisite tastes," Locaine replies while shrugging his shoulders, "your daughter happens to just fulfill them."
Everyone is talking about me like I'm not even here!
"So, you are sleeping with her," my father continues, this time I hear his boots collide with the marble as he marches forward. There is a massive outburst of screams as I shoot my head up, looking at Flynn. He has a slash starting from his hip crossing his chest to end at the top of his shoulder, blood spilling from the open wound. He falls back to the ground, kicking himself away to gain further distance.
Rynn darts forward, grabbing Flynn before my father can swing again. My heart is hammering in its chest as Locaine steps right in front of me, blocking my father's pathway.
Why is he acting like my own parents are going to hurt me?
"Jared," my mother takes two steps forward, catching my father's elbow, "no."
I shakily stand to my feet, Locaine shielding me still as I look fearfully to my father.
"Don't think I won't cut down my own daughter to kill you," my father's words cut me deeply, my heart stopping in my chest at his announcement.
Alyssa...
That's right, my father hadn't hesitated to kill Enos when he had Alyssa...
...so why would I be any different?
Now I understood why Locaine is protecting me.
How sad...a vampire protecting a hunter from her own kind?
The bloodcurdling screams pierce the silence as my mother and father whirl around to see their two associates. Their necks are being torn out by Michael and Adam, their eyes filled with bloodlust. Apparently, they were caught off guard when my father had moved away from the group, revealing an opening and they breached it.
They are silent. Their lifeless bodies being dropped on the ground like meat while the sound is horrible. Adam and Michael are flaring their nostrils, just begging my parents to try something so that they are given the command to end their lives.
My parents are going to die.
"Locaine, please...don't," I nervously grab the back of his shirt before begging him, "please don't kill them."
"They have no issues killing us," Locaine's chilling words make me freeze, knowing very well he's referring to me as part of their coven now.
I step to the side of him, coming into view of my parents. I notice that Michael, Adam, Darius, Henri, and Rynn are now circling them, the tension in the room growing with each passing second.
They are going to die...
"You have to choose, little hunter," Locaine states, his eyes flickering to mine briefly as I see the burden in his heart...
My parents have their backs to each other, swords ready for an attack on the circle forming around them. I turn around, gazing into Locaine's eyes as I know this is going to be hard either way. The monstrous creature I had come to love, has turned into a being more caring and loving than my own parents.
I am home.
"I choose you...I choose us," my smile is warm when it plays on my lips.
"Hell, no you aren't," I hear my father yell as the sound of a gunshot rings out through the ballroom. My eyes widen as the pain envelopes my body in a split second...
...I have never seen Locaine so shocked in the entire time I've been here. Not when I disobeyed him at the memory ball or when Theo raped me...
His eyes slowly shift, a rage filling them before I barely lift my chin any higher to hold his gaze.
My breathing is shallow, coming short with each passing second.
What just happened?
My thoughts are clouding as I break my gaze from Locaine's, slowly looking down at the floor between us. There is a hole on the left side of my chest, blood flowing down the front of my body.
I draw a feeble breath.
Did he just shoot me?
Did my own father just shoot me...?
My hands reach out to control my blood, but my concentration falters and fails before I ever get a chance to connect to the warm light. Instead, my hands land on Locaine's chest, my breath hitching in my throat.
That went through my heart. I can't heal...
My head tilts upward, my vision going in and out of focus as I find Locaine's' face. It all feels like everything is happening in slow motion, but I know it's a few quick seconds if that...
"ANNIKA!!!" Locaine's voice must be loud, though I can barely hear anything save for the blood rushing through my eardrums. I cough a second later, blood spewing from my mouth and hitting Locaine on the neck.
My eyes are fluttering shut, though I attempt desperately to keep them from closing.
My body finally gives way as I crumple forward and fall. However, I never hit the ground...
I feel so cold, an icy chill spreading beneath the top layer of my skin and spanning out across my entire body.
My vision is filmy as I take in the sight of Locaine hovering over me, his movements slow through my eyes. I know then that I'm in his arms, laying across his lap as he kneels.
