Tamed: A Huntress Spin-off Novel

by Adria Wade

  The irritation that poured from him made me wince from intimidation.

  The guy’s glare faltered as he took a step back. There was something in Silas’ look that startled him, startled me even. He grabbed the girl’s hand and pulled her to her feet as they got out of the hot tub without another word.

  Silas sat back down with his shoulders tense, and he shut his eyes. I was afraid to say anything at first, but I also knew that silence wouldn’t help him calm down either.

  “Maybe you should calm down a bit.”

  He sighed. “I’ll be fine.”

  The tips of my fingers gently ran up his arm, forcing goosebumps to invade his skin. “Does this help?”

  He faced me, his eyes laced with want. “No; it makes me want you, actually. I like your touch.” He frowned. “Is that what you do with Eli?”

  My smile faded, and I shrugged. Something told me that the irritated mood he was in was permanent and I was the one who would get his wrath.

  “You don’t seem to care what I do with him since you’re here not bothering to give up on me.”

  I looked away from him venomous glare. He was scary when he was mad.

  “Oh, trust me, I care.”

  Eli and Silas didn’t know how hard it was for me. Both of them came into my life at the same time, winning my trust and my heart. It was going to be hard for me to cut one of them from my life …both if I had to.

  “So, where is your other lover?” he spit out bitterly.

  I cut him a look. “I don’t know. He left before I woke up.”

  “Before you woke up…did you have sex with him?”

  I nodded.

  He gasped. “He didn’t.”

  My brows knitted together. “What?”

  “He used you for sex.”

  “I was at his house, in his bed.”

  “It doesn’t matter. He bailed on you. He left so he wouldn’t have to deal with you the next morning.”

  I shook my head. “No, he wouldn’t do that to me. You don’t know him like I do. He’s not that type of guy.”

  “Paige.” He cupped my chin and as I met his stare. I was instantly sucked into the beauty of his gaze. It took me higher to a different place, everything around me floated away, and I saw nothing but the powerful allure his eyes brought. “He doesn’t care about you. He was using you for sex. If he cared about you at all he would have at least left a note. You’re wasting your time on him. He’s only going to hurt you in the end. He deserves nothing more than a slap to the face.” As he spoke, a spark of anger and hurt exploded in my gut-wrenched stomach, shooting straight to my heart, poisoning the peace and joy that I worked so hard to feel. And suddenly, I wanted to hurt Eli for what he did to me.

  I casted my eyes down. I was so angry that I wanted to cry.

  “How could he do that to me?”

  I looked up at him, expecting a reply, but he wasn’t even paying attention to me. His eyes were filled with so much hate as he glared at someone behind me. “Speak of the devil.”

  I turned my head and saw Eli, Taylor, and Chelsea making their way to me. I stood up, my face turning into stone as I clenched my fists. It was excruciating to feel the excessive amount of anger and sorrow within. It felt as if my heart was being twisted. How could he treat me like I was some kind of one night stand? He was definitely going to get a piece of my mind.

  I got out of the hot tub and stormed over to him. I didn’t care how irritated he was to see that I was with Silas. I wasn’t the least intimidated by him. I slapped him across his face, wincing as the contact made my palm sting. It did nothing to hurt him, but it sure did shock the hell out of him and only angered me more that I couldn’t hurt him.

  His eyes burned with anger. “What is your problem?”

  Chelsea grabbed me by the arm and yanked me forward. “Don’t you hit him! He came looking for you to see if you were okay. Kyle said you looked upset. You have no reason to lay your hands on him.”

  “Get off me!” I screamed, as so much rage filled my voice.

  Taylor pulled Chelsea back, forcing her to release me.

  “Paige, what’s wrong with you?” Taylor asked.

  Sean joined us on the patio. “Woah, what the hell is going on?”

  Taylor looked at him in shock. “You’re here,” he said in disbelief.

  “I came to see Paige.”

  Tears stung my eyes. There were so many emotions running through me that I felt as if I could burst.

  I grabbed Eli’s face, hard. “How could you?”

  He grabbed my wrist and pulled my hand from his face. “What did I do?”

  “You left me. You had sex with me then left me. You don’t care about me. I was your one night stand!”

  “I left a note on my pillow, explaining why I had to go. Didn’t you see?”

  I shook my head. “Stop lying to me. There was no note. It’s just like Silas said; I’m nothing to you.”

  Eli glared at Silas, who was now dressing himself.

  “Silas said, huh?”

  Taylor’s brows rose as he pointed to him. “This is Silas, huh?”

  Everyone around us gasped as Taylor took out his dagger and stepped forward, ready to attack.

  Eli shoved him back. “No. There are too many outsiders,” he whispered to Taylor.

  “And that’s my cue to leave,” Silas said.

  Eli held his arm out, stopping him as he tried to walk past us. “You’re lucky there is a cabin filled with outsiders.”

  Silas gave a wicked grin. “No. You’re the lucky one.” He then looked at me. “I’ll see you very soon. Dream of me.” He flashed Eli a smile before purposely nudging his shoulder as he walked past.

  Eli’s face hardened as he let out a growl.

  I grabbed Eli by the shirt. “Hey, I’m not done with you. You left when I needed you. You weren’t there when I realized what today was.”

  With a look of concern on his face, his brows furrowed. “What is today?”

  I bowed my head as even more tears coated my face.

  “It’s Tessa’s birthday,” Sean said, his voice low and sad.

  Taylor sighed. “Shit.” He bowed his head and shook it.

  Eli tried to pull me to him, but I pushed him away and stepped back. “No…I’m fine.”

  I stormed off into the cabin, grabbing a half-empty bottle of Jack Daniels from the kitchen counter and went straight upstairs to my room. I didn’t even bother to turn on the light as I walked inside and slammed the door closed. I walked straight ahead, knowing that my window seat was in that direction. I stubbed my toe on my bed, gasping as pain shot through my pinky toe.

  “Damn you, bed!”

  I hopped my way to the window seat and plopped down, rubbing the pain from my foot. I grabbed the curtains and pulled them open as the light from the moon shined through my bay window. I lay back on the silky pillows behind me, unscrewed the lid to the bottle, and took a long drink. I could still feel it…the fury that refused to go away. Everything was hitting me all at once. The pain that the alcohol had numbed from Tessa, Eli using me as a one night stand, it all came crashing into my gut, taking my breath away as tears slid down my face and I took another drink. I could hear the crowd dispersing and the music that vibrated through the floor and walls had died down, leaving me left in the dark with nothing but my raging thoughts.

  I heard footsteps stomping through the hallway, growing closer and closer until they stopped just outside of my door. My door flung open as Eli stood in the doorway, scowling at me.

  “You’re sitting in the dark.”

  “I’m not alone, though. I have Mr. Daniels with me, so it’s okay.” I held up the bottle before taking a drink. “I don’t want you in here,” I said.

  “Well, unfortunately, I really don’t give a shit what you want right about now.”

  He slammed the door shut and I could hear his heavy footsteps storming over to me until I could see his hardened face as the moonlight shined on him. He then sna
tched the bottle from my hand and threw it. I heard it break as its remaining contents splattered everywhere.

  I huffed and stood up, invading his personal space. “What did you do that for?”

  “You’re drinking too much. You’re going to kill yourself.”

  I snorted. “I haven’t drunk enough, obviously. I haven’t passed out yet.”

  His nostrils flared as he placed his hands on his hips, and I put my hands on my hips as well, mirroring his look as my mouth set in a hard line. He growled and his eyes began to glow blue. I was angering him even more than he already was. He then shut his eyes and took in a breath, trying to calm his temper.

  “When I got home, Kyle said you didn’t look well so I went to your house to see you and saw Ms. Schultz carrying your bottles of Corona, and I’m pretty sure you haven’t stopped drinking since.” His voice was surprisingly calm, but I could still hear the frustration that slipped through.

  “Hey, one of those bottles was Sean’s and he cut me off not that long after the party started. I have a high tolerance for alcohol.”

  He let out a frustrated laugh and raked his hand through his hair. “You just don’t get it,” he said through his teeth. He exhaled. “Alcohol is your medicine. You. Are. An. Alcoholic.”

  I took a step back, his words sinking in, shocking me as I stared up at him, unable to speak. He was calling me an alcoholic. I liked partying and having a good time. I liked alcohol. It helped me cope…it helped me forget for a little while. I was not, by any means, an alcoholic. No, I couldn’t be. I refused to believe it.

  I laid back down, refusing to look at him. So I glared out of the window instead. “Just get the hell away from me, Eli.”

  “No can do. You smacked me and yelled at me because I wasn’t there when you needed me, so here I am, baby.”

  He climbed over me and squeezed his way by the window. I folded my arms, and my palms throbbed as my nails cut into my skin from my clenched hands.

  “I’m so angry at you. I want to punch you,” I said through clenched teeth.

  “You’re under Silas’ influence. You’re not actually angry with me. He’s controlling your mind. That’s one of his powers.”

  “Why don’t you just leave him out of this for once? This has nothing to do with Silas. This is about me and you.”

  He sighed. “It’s like talking to a brick wall. You’re not going to see reason until his influence on your mind weakens.”

  “Oh, suck it.”

  Caught off guard, he burst into laughter. “Okay, and what am I sucking?”

  “My big toe for all I care.” I let out a yawn and rubbed my heavy eyes.

  He nudged my arm and I gasped, my heart leaping into my throat as I almost fell off the window bed.

  “Eli!”

  He laughed. “Calm it down, thumper. Maybe you should take deep breaths like I am. It’s certainly keeping me from wringing your neck.”

  My brows rose. “Oh, really?”

  “Yeah. You’re the only woman I’d like to choke, yet kiss at the same time. I think you forget that I have wolf in me, and because of that, I don’t have the best temper.”

  I rammed my elbow in his stomach, feeling him tense. “I don’t care about your temper; I’ll piss you off just for the hell of it.”

  “I know,” he replied dryly.

  I sighed. The tiresome feeling from earlier was getting stronger, and I no longer had the desire to fight him.

  I closed my eyes. “I’m tired…my body is tired. My mind is always tired. It never ends,” I said, sleepily.

  I felt him turn on his side, and he pulled me close, placing a kiss on my neck.

  “You have the power to stop it all,” he whispered, his breath tickling my skin.

  I said no more, and neither did he. I listened to his steady breaths until I drifted off to sleep, finally able to shut out the world.

  Chapter Sixteen

  I hugged my knees to my chest and gazed out of the window at the storm clouds above as it forced the sun into hiding. I still felt tired, and there was an ache in my stomach that refused to go away. I cringed at the thought of last night. The rage that took over was now gone, and in its place was a deep, sorrow-filled hurt that threatened to break me. I wasn’t so sure I wanted to be in the presence of someone whom I was hurting over.

  I frowned down at Eli, who began to stir beside me, looking away once his sleepy eyes stared back at me.

  “Are you feeling okay?” he asked.

  I shrugged. “Oh, you actually care now? I’m surprised you didn’t walk out during the night.”

  “Ha ha, very funny.” He sat up and grabbed my chin, forcing me to look at him. “You’re paler than usual. You’re still mad, I see.”

  “I don’t feel well, if you must know, and I’m not mad; I feel hurt by you.”

  “I left a note. He’s trying to come between us. He was the reason you went crazy on me last night.” He exhaled, then went on. “Did you dream of him while you were sleeping? No, that can’t be. I would’ve heard you.”

  “Heard what?”

  “Last night, before I came here, did you have sex with him?”

  “No, I didn’t have sex with him. We kissed and that was it.” I got up and stormed my way to the door.

  “Well, who really should be the mad one here? You’re playing me!” I heard him yell after I slammed the door.

  I turned back around and opened the door. “You don’t have to be with me. You can leave whenever you want. You choose to stay, though.”

  As I said it, my heart crumbled at the thought of him walking away. Even if he did decide to give up on me, I couldn’t find it in my heart to be angry about it because I didn’t deserve him. What guy would put up with someone who couldn’t decide which guy she wanted the most? No one.

  I dashed my tears away and tried to calm myself down before going downstairs. I heard voices coming from downstairs as I descended the second pair of steps that were connected to the kitchen. Taylor, Chelsea, and Sean stood around the breakfast bar while Chelsea was occupied with the blender as she made a smoothie.

  “Hey there, Aunt Paige,” Sean said.

  “Good Lord, who would want my crazy ass as an Aunt?”

  Sean laughed. “You’re right,” He winked my way.

  I sat on one of the stools and rested my head on the cool counter.

  “You’re not looking too good,” Taylor said.

  I lifted my head and frowned. “Please, don’t. Eli already questioned me. It didn’t turn out that well.”

  “I can’t imagine why. It’s not like you’re breaking his heart or anything,” Chelsea said with her brows high and her glossy lips pursed.

  “I’m quite aware of what I’m doing. I don’t enjoy doing it. I’m stuck.”

  “Put yourself in his shoes for a second, Paige. If you had to see Eli with another woman, who you knew wasn’t good for him, yet he was still seeing you, what would you do?” Chelsea asked.

  I sighed. I can become a very jealous person when it comes to my guys. If Eli was involved with a succubus and he was still seeing me then I would be absolutely heart broken.

  “I wouldn’t like it, but that still doesn’t change the fact that I care about them both. I can’t change that.”

  “So you’re seeing two people?” Sean said.

  “Unfortunately.”

  “By the way, you left a present at the manor. Does Mr. Electric ring a bell?” Taylor said.

  “Oh, yeah…I’m not used to carrying Mr. Electric around.”

  Feeling lost, Sean’s eyes shifted from Taylor to me. “You guys are being weird.”

  I jumped as I heard the door slam shut upstairs, followed by heavy footsteps stomping through the halls and down the stairs. As he approached, my eyes fell to my lap. He was very angry with me, and I didn’t like it, despite my feelings toward him at the moment. I could feel the stinging pain of sadness fill my heart, and a weight that settled in my stomach tore me down.

  “I
’m going home,” Eli said as he stormed out of the kitchen, not even bothering to look my way.

  I exhaled.

  “Are you okay, buddy?” Sean asked.

  “I thought he would be there when I woke up.”

  “Is it fair, though, for you to be angry at him when you have Silas as well? The way that I see it, both of you were wrong,” Chelsea said.

  With his brows high, Taylor pointed at me. “You can’t have your cake and eat it, too.”

  “I didn’t want this to happen,” I grumbled.

  Chelsea handed me a strawberry smoothie.

  “What, no alcohol?” I smirked before taking a drink.

  “In your dreams, princess.”

  “So, how long do you plan to stay? I could have Ms. Charlotte prepare a room for you back home,” Taylor said.

  “Oh no, that won’t be necessary. I’ll be leaving today. It’s going to take me half a day to get back home, and I can’t stay away for too long.”

  A part of me fell sullen over his departure, yet there was still a sense of relief. Him leaving meant that he was getting far away from me and far away from the danger that surrounded me.

  “I’m actually gonna get going.”

  “Do you mind driving me home before you go?” I asked.

  “Not at all. We have much to discuss, anyway.” He raised his brows, and I knew right away that I was in trouble.

  “But of course we do.”

  With a grin to my face, I looked at Taylor then Chelsea. “Annoying 1, annoying 2, I’ll see you later.”

  “Now is this the face of someone who is annoying?” He ran his hand down his face then grinned. “You’re right about her, though.”

  Chelsea chuckled and smacked him in the stomach.

  “Bye, guys. It was nice seeing you again, Taylor. I’ll have to come back and meet your little one when she arrives,” Sean said.

  “Yeah, that would be awesome. Come back whenever you want. It would be nice to see you more often,” Taylor said.

  “Sure, that’ll be nice. Chelsea, it was nice meeting you.”

  Chelsea’s face warmed. “You, too.”

  I followed right behind Sean, only to be pulled back by Taylor as he lifted up my shirt in the back and slid the dagger in my pants.