B006XVUCOY EBOK

by Dawn Gray

  "Angel asked me to come, to help you fight Jacob." He said and paused. "She said that I would be protected against him."

  I watched as Julian stared at him and almost felt the mental wave between them. Julian stared for quite a bit and then let go of Isaac's hand. He looked at Cleo and only Cleo and nodded.

  "Congratulations, young man." Cleo said and smiled at Isaac. "You've passed the Julian Exam."

  "The what?" I asked.

  "He read my mind to see if I was telling the truth." Isaac said and looked at me. I looked quickly at Julian and then back at Isaac. "Don't worry, Angel. I have nothing to hide."

  "How much did you let him see?" I asked and watched him shrug. Julian walked back over and stood in front of me. "What did you see?"

  He leaned down and whispered close to my ear, words full of sudden trust for the man that had been his enemy for so long. "Nothing but love and trust for you, Angel."

  "So, Isaac." Cleo said as Julian stepped away. The two of us looked at her. "Tell me about your dream of me."

  "I don't know where to start." Isaac said, like a child under interrogation, his twenty-year-old attitude seemed to melt into that of a fourteen year old, not sure of anything anymore.

  "How about from the beginning?" Cleo said and everyone watched as Michael, Lauren and Cecilia walked into the room. Cecilia's eyes connected with Isaac's with shock in them and then she looked at me confused.

  I’ll explain later. I told her and watched as she became comfortable and watched Isaac.

  "The first time I saw you was my twelfth birthday, but I don't think I was me at the time." Isaac said and looked at me. "I think I was someone else."

  "Not unusual in this family." Michael commented. Isaac smiled and looked back.

  "What I mean is that I think it was in a past life that we met, I have dreams about them all the time."

  "You and Angel are very connected in that aspect of your lives. You can see the past, present, and if you were trained right, you could probably see the future." Cleo said and smiled. "Do you know what year it was?"

  "Around 1837, or so." I watched Jason step back into the shadows of the room when he said this. "I think I was a girl, though it's not something I want to admit. My name, if I remember correctly was Evelyn, and I had just turned twelve. I had one brother, Alexander and a sister, both older, named Margaret. I was small in size and could fit through any hole in our fence. This is what I was doing when I meet you for the first time. I was on my way to the house down the road, of course, it was almost a mile or two to get there, but I knew a short cut.

  "I was almost there, going to visit Daniella, she was three years older than me, the same age as Alexander and that day was the first day that I saw the two of them together." He said, and looked at me. "They were in love, I think, or close to it. I knew that they had been spending a lot of time together and it bothered me because she was my friend. I sat in the trees and watched them until Daniella left, I was going to climb down and tell Alexander to leave her be because he wasn't taking her from me. That's when I saw you. You walked out of the forest, dressed in all white and smiled at my brother.

  "He was a teenager and the sight of you must have been exciting for him because he stuttered over his words." I watched as Isaac's eyes focused on Jason, who was standing by the window looking outside. "You asked him to become one of you, told him that you could help him fulfill all of his wildest dreams, even help him get Daniella. I knew that you were telling the truth, what you were saying to him wasn't a lie, but he waved you off and you disappeared, for three years.

  "When I was fifteen, Daniella and I were supposed to meet again in the clearing where I had seen her and Alexander three years before, and again, they were there, but they were both naked and laying next to each other on the ground. A twig snapped under my feet, and Daniella grabbed her clothes and ran, while Alex decided to take his time getting dressed." Isaac looked back at me as I stared up at him and he took my hand, held it tightly and kissed it quickly before letting it go. "You appeared again, while he was trying to get his pants back on and seduced him. I watched from up in the trees as you made him into a vampire, slowly, that same night. It haunted my dreams and from that day forward, I couldn't be near Alexander or those woods. Two years later, I died, caught between Alexander and a group of hunters that were out looking for him."

  "That's a good story." Quinn said and looked at him. I sat up in the chair and looked at the two of them. "So, who told you it?"

  "No one." Jason said and we all turned to look at him. "He's telling the truth." He stepped out of the shadows and looked at Isaac. "There was no one else in those woods that day; there was no way anyone could know those details without being there. He's right, I found Evelyn in the tree that night, after Cleo left, she was asleep, and she told me that she knew, but she didn't tell me what she knew."

  "Strange." Isaac said and smiled, mischievously. "I guess this sort of makes us brothers."

  "I wouldn't go that far, Cain." He said sternly. "There are certain things that separate us from being related. I chose this life over the life that Jacob offered me, you didn't."

  "I didn't have a choice." Isaac replied. He stood up to go over to him, but I caught his arm instead and held him to me. "Jacob forced me into this. This is not the life that I wanted. I would never have done this if I wasn't being held into it against my will."

  "Who’s holding you, Isaac?" Julian asked. Isaac looked at me, and then looked away. "And, what sort of thing is he blackmailing you with."

  "Jacob has me under his little finger." Isaac whispered, ashamed to admit that he didn't have his free will. "And, the only reason I do anything he tells me to is that if I don't, Angel could die. I'm in this to protect her."

  "Oh, bullshit." Jason said and shook his head.

  "Listen, Finn, just because you think you can keep her safe from this side of the line, doesn't mean that you've done everything to protect her. I've been doing this for far longer than you have and the only way I saw fit to keep her alive was to go in on Jacob's side and protect her from there." Isaac said sternly and wrapped his arms around me, pulling me close to him. I watched Quinn's face do some sort of change and I looked away from him, but moved close to Isaac. "I would give my own life to keep her safe, and you don't know how much else I've given up to do so."

  "I don't call whipping her keeping her safe, Isaac." Jason said and stepped up again. Isaac shook his head and released me. He took me by the upper arms and stared me in the eyes.

  "I've tried, Angel." He whispered. "I really have, but I can't bring myself to explain to people like him, the things that I have to do to survive. I sorry, but I can't stay."

  He started to head for the front door, but I caught him as he rounded the corner. "Wait." I asked. He stopped and I stepped up in front of him. "You can't leave yet, I won't let you."

  "Angel, it's over." Isaac said softly. "Please, just let it go."

  "Isaac." Cleo's voice interrupted. Isaac looked up and turned slowly to look at Cleo, who was standing in the doorway. "Please, reconsider. I've done quite a few things in my life that I should really explain but no one here needs and explanation for what you have done to protect your friend. I would like it if you would stay."

  "Thank you, but..." He started and shook his head. He looked back at me and kissed my forehead. "I can't." I watched him walk out the door, and then I looked back at the others. I walked out after him and caught him just before he got in his car. "Angel, this is where you belong. Leaving with me is not going to get you anything but trouble."

  "But this is where you belong also, Isaac."

  "It's not and you know it."

  "Look, if you go back, you could get hurt, if you stay, you'll get asked a few questions and that will be the end of it." I replied and took his hands. "Isaac, stay. You belong here with me."

  He looked at his car, then at my hands and nodded. As we walked back in the door, we stopped in the hallway and listened to Julian's conv
ersation with Cleo, Quinn and Jason.

  "We must at all cost keep him safe." Julian said and looked at the others. "I have a feeling that there's something more to this story than meets the eyes. There's more to Isaac and Angel and the two of them together seem somehow powerful."

  "It seems kind of dangerous to me." Quinn replied and shook his head. "I don't know if I trust him, he's one of Jacob's hunters, after all."

  "And, he's only that because of Angel, to protect her." Julian answered him.

  "How can you be so sure?" Jason asked and stepped forward. "How do you know he's not just saying this stuff to get in and then he's going to hurt her?"

  "I know this all might seem a little strange, but, earlier when I read his mind I found out something quite interesting."

  "Want to let us all in on the secret?” Michael asked.

  Julian smiled. "He loves her, plain and simple."

  I looked at Isaac and he stepped away from me, with his arms cross and his head down he walked over to the staircase and sat down. I made my way over to him and sat down beside him.

  "Did they know before?" He asked me.

  "I mentioned it, but I don't think it sunk in." I replied.

  "Of course, I love you. How can they even assume that I didn't? Come on, I don't risk my life for someone off the street." Isaac smiled and shook his head. "Did they really think I was that bad?”

  "I don't know what they thought, and frankly I don't care, either. All I know is that I brought you here to be close to me, where I can help protect you, where we can both be safe." I replied and took his hand. "Besides, they have no choice, either you stay or I go, and I know a few people who won't agree with that."

  "So, I guess this is it." Isaac said and shook his head.

  "I guess so." I replied and looked up at Julian who stood in the doorway waving us in. "Be brave and don't let them get to you."

  "Easy for you to say." He said and we both walked into the room together.

  10

  I stared at Jason as he stood by the door, my heart pounded as I watched him stare out at the woods. He suddenly noticed my eyes on him and he looked at me quickly. I glanced away, feeling foolish for being caught, but then looked back at him, knowing that I had a right to look.

  What are you looking at? He snapped at me. I sat back in my chair, listening to Isaac and Julian talk about nothing for a moment, then looked back at Jason and saw him looking at me. He wore a black turtleneck shirt and his lips seemed redder than usual, all-in-all he looked simply devilish. Angel, I would appreciate you not staring at me.

  I can’t help it. I replied and smiled. He shook his head and looked out the window.

  I don’t want to be played with, Angel. The tone of his voice changed, his mental voice, and I could feel the confusion that he was letting off. I don’t like people toying with me, just like you’re doing now.

  I’m not toying with you, Jason. I replied and crossed my arms. Would you care to explain to me why you think I’m playing with you?

  Bringing Isaac here? He said and looked at me quickly. Hanging all over him, protecting him, letting him kiss you like that, hold you, do you see what I’m getting at here?

  Are you Jealous? I asked him quietly. Because, quite frankly, I don’t think you have anything to be jealous about, Jason. Isaac and I are friends, best of friends, and just because I treat him a certain way, doesn’t give you the right to be concerned. Oh, yeah, and I did protect him, because if I didn’t you would have ripped his head off.

  He was an enemy in my own house, Angel; I have every right to protect my home.

  Yeah, protect it; don’t ruin the walls and the carpeting by spilling blood on it, especially someone who could be a great ally.

  Would you two mind? I heard Cecilia cut in. I looked over at her and Lauren, then back at Quinn and Cleo. It seemed that the only ones who weren't getting at least mental vibes from our conversation, was Julian and Isaac, who were too involved in their own to hear us. Do you think you could take this outside?

  Yeah, sure. I whispered back to her and stood up. Isaac looked at me, ready to get up himself and I waved at him to sit down and finish his conversation. I walked over to Jason and looked at him as he stared down at me. "Would you like to step outside?"

  "Whatever." Jason said and followed me out the door, onto the patio and around the side of the house, where the balcony was hidden from any windows. I stopped and looked at him as he leaned on the wall and looked out over the valley.

  "Are you even going to look at me?" I asked him. He paused and shook his head. "Could you tell me why?" He shook his head again. "Am I so horribly ugly that it disgusts you to look at me, all of a sudden?" Again, he shook his head. "Do you want me to not talk at all?" I asked again. He nodded and I shook my head this time, and crossed my arms. "Why the hell are you being so freaking childish all of a sudden?"

  He turned quickly and came at me, pushing me up against the wall. He looked at me calmly, my hands against his chest to keep him a little at bay, but I watched as his jaw clenched and then he slowly relaxed. I felt the muscles under his shirt relax beneath my hands and he moved his down from the wall beside me to place one on each side of my hip. He took a deep breath and stared into my eyes.

  "I'm not being childish." He said softly and touched my hair with his left hand. "I couldn't look at you, because I didn't want to hurt you."

  "Hurt me?" I asked him and smiled. "I could break your arm."

  "Angel, you drive me insane and sometimes it's hard to control myself. Right then I wasn't sure if I wanted to kiss you or kill you." He told me straight out. I smiled at him; just a closed-lip smile and I began to rub my hands up and down his chest. "I think you're very beautiful, but I just feel so drawn to do this..."

  He leaned down and kissed me wildly on the lips, then his kiss became fire as he held me against him and slipped his tongue in, touching mine, in a strange way, exciting me more.

  "Excuse me." A voice interrupted us. Jason pulled away, looked over at Quinn quickly, then turned his head and closed his eyes. Slowly, he looked back at Quinn. "Would you two mind joining us inside? There's a lot we need to discuss." We looked at each other and started to walk by, but Quinn grabbed Jason's arm and, as I looked back, Jason waved me on. I ducked around the corner and listened to him. "Jason, I'm asking you again, and the next time I ask I won't be so nice about it. Stay away from my granddaughter. I don't want her hurt anymore than she has been."

  "You can't control her, Quinn. She's a grown woman." He replied and I heard him snatch his arm away from Quinn. "She makes her own decisions, certainly makes her own friends. I'm not going to be the one to end this. If she wants it to be over, then so be it, but until then, I'll do whatever she wants me to do."

  I crossed my arms and stood against the wall, and watched Jason walk by. He stopped, only about five feet passed me and walked back. I looked at him as he took my chin with one of his hands, not forcefully, but gently and kissed me on the lips, almost teasingly.

  "This will get me through the next hour." He said after he pulled away and looked me in the eyes. "After that, I can't make any promises."

  "One hour." I smiled and nodded, then watched him walk away. I rubbed my eyes and then my smile faded as I looked up at Quinn. I turned away from him and walked into the house. Isaac walked over to me and we stood facing each other, both of us with our arms crossed over our chest. He looked at me then at Quinn, who I also looked at.

  "Quinn doesn't approve of you and Finn?" Isaac asked. I shook my head and looked back at him.

  "Quinn doesn't approve of anything that I do, especially Jason." I replied.

  "You're doing Jason?" He asked smartly. I slapped him hard on the arm and he smiled at me. "I'm only kidding."

  "Don't go around spreading rumors." I replied and the two of us walked over to the loveseat and sat down. I looked at Jason, who glanced at Isaac and then back at me.

  "Wow, if looks could kill." Isaac whispered and then looked at m
e. "Old Finn would have just annihilated me with that one."

  "Okay, folks, take your seats and let’s get on with this, shall we?" Julian said and sat down in the chair next to Cleo. I looked at them and thought about what a funny couple they seemed, but then pushed the thought to the back of my head when I heard Michael giggling and smiling at me. "Are you ready Isaac?"

  "Yeah. Ask away." He replied.

  "When you had Angel last time, and you overpowered her, what did you mean when you said that you were one of us, now?" Julian questioned. Isaac shook his head and then sat forward.

  "Maybe, I should tell you about Jacob before I tell you about me." Isaac said and watched the others nod in agreement. "Oh, hell, um...it's no real surprise that Jacob hates his bloodline. When he found out that he had vampire blood in him he felt very betrayed, very angry and thought about starting this whole hunter thing, but I found out that it was really the attack on his wife that sent him over the edge.

  "She had been out in the fields with my uncles, all eight of them, the youngest being only a year old and still a little bit unsure of his feet, when it happened. Close to dusk, a vampire came out of the woods and attacked her, trying to drag her off with him into the woods. The oldest boy decided that it was time to help, even though he was only nine. He grabbed a stick and started beating the thing off with it; finally, he ended up stabbing him in the heart with it by mistake and killed him. The younger boys ran off to get Jacob, but when they got back, they barely saved her from bleeding to death. She wasn't ever quite the same after that.

  "He searched for a man that people had told him about, one that had perfected the art of hunting down vampires, what their weaknesses were, and so on. Jacob never found him, but learned this stuff on his own. He found out that the blood exchange worked the other way around, too. A vampire takes human blood to stay alive, to keep their immortality, and they also keep their youth, if they were made that young. He decided to experiment and found that if a human took a significant amount of vampire blood, than the mortal would gain a sort of immortality."