by Nancy Glynn
“I’ve known Taz for a while, and he approves of you. They’re a very smart species.”
“Thank you, Taz.”
With that, the wolf took off into the heart of the woods to wherever wolves roam.
Hunter walked her to her side of the truck and helped her up before getting in on his. He pulled her to him and let her cry before she could finally talk.
“Where were you tonight?”
“I was at the office when I got a little visit from your friend, Drake. He warned me basically not to go to your house tonight or you’d pay. He also said how they had a wonderful surprise for you tonight and for me not to spoil it. Drake likes to brag and gave away where you’d be, so I came here to make sure you were safe.”
Knowing he was out there, she worried because of what he probably saw between her and Drake. “I don’t kiss him back, just so you know.”
“I saw that, but I’m not jealous of Drake. I know how you feel. I see it in your eyes.”
“Did you also see what they did to that girl? What Eric did?”
He nodded. “Half the town has those, and they’re not all on the back. Some are in the armpits or eyelids. It’s Jack’s branding, his kiss of the devil.”
“Do you have one?”
“Hell, no. I’m not afraid of him like they all are. I don’t live the way they do, greedy bastards. He can only control those that allow it. I don’t allow it.”
“I’m going to tell you something that might make you hate me, Hunter.” She chewed her lip and shifted her eyes away.
“Hey, nothing you could say would make me hate you.” He cupped her face to look back into his eyes.
She swallowed hard and took a shaky breath. “I’m immortal now.”
“Can I ask why you wanted to tell me this in your garden?”
“It’s safe there. There’s a fountain in tribute to my late grandmother, my namesake.”
“Right, the first Lana Stone.”
“Yes, and my parents shared a lot near the fountain that they considered sacred. Jack doesn’t go near it.”
“Then let’s go there and talk. I have a few things to share there with you, too.”
***
She met him at the gate and let him in, taking his hand and bringing him to the bench. Before sitting, he grabbed her face and pressed his lips to hers, taking her breath away.
“That’s so you know I don’t hate you.”
Her eyes flushed with tears and she nodded, sitting down next to him. “Okay, talk.”
“You sure it’s safe here?”
She laughed. “My mom asked my dad that exact same question. She was as scared as you, but, yes, it’s safe.” Just then, the waterfall shut off, the sounds of trickling from a faucet dripped into the pond. “That’s my grandmother saying hello.”
He stared at the fountain before he began. He held her hand with both of his in his lap, looking around the yard as he spoke. “You’re not immortal, Lana.”
“What? Yes, I am.”
“Another one of his lies. He does that, you know.”
“But my great-grandmother told me. She would never lie to me.”
“He got in her head and pretended to be her guide. He tricked a gypsy princess.”
“How do you know that?”
“I also had a twenty-first birthday here. My own Black Twenty-One.”
Chapter 16
“But how…”
“I guess I was like your father. Jack wanted me to be the next high priest. The whole town bowed to me, and I wanted nothing to do with it.”
“Just like my dad.”
“Right. My parents begged me to go along. They wanted their rich lifestyle and a good education for me, which I was already getting. I said fine, but I didn’t want the title, to give it to someone else.”
“Drake.”
“Drake. I was at his birthday, you know. I saw you there.”
“You saw my soul.”
“Yes, not you, exactly, but it was you. I had walked in on you pushing Drake off and asked if you needed help. Drake’s hated me since then. That’s probably why when you first saw me you felt a connection. I’m sure you didn’t understand it, but it was there. I knew you were supposed to be with Drake in the end. That’s why I tried to stay away, but you’re so irresistible,” he said, grinning.
“So, the dreams were of you?”
“I didn’t do it consciously. It was like my soul snuck off to be with you, not letting you see my face. I don’t remember anything, so our first time was really our first time, at least to me.”
“It’s nice to finally know for sure. I mean, I always thought that, but…”
“Right.”
“So, that explains a lot, the strong immediate feelings I had for you. I thought I was losing my mind or that I was lusting after some stranger, but my soul remembered.”
“I guess,” he said, shrugging shyly.
“What happened at your birthday?”
“When I turned twenty-one, I gained certain powers. My date, on the other hand, wasn’t so lucky. She had sex with Jack in his true form and didn’t make it. It was horrendous to see.”
“Oh, my God.”
“Yeah…God.”
“How are you able to wear your cross?” Her eyes lowered to his chest, knowing it was underneath his shirt.
“After seeing what happened to Rita, I turned my back on Jack, even with my new identity. I pretty much did what your grandmother did without killing myself.”
The waterfall blasted back on, his eyes averting to it and then back to Lana.
“I studied the history of Lana Stone and how she made her own altar. I found that altar and go to it, asking for forgiveness. I found this cross lying near it and put it on, afraid at first, but found it did nothing; no burn, no smoke, nothing. I felt safe, and it kept Jack at bay.”
“So, you’re the immortal one.”
“Yes.”
“How do you seem to only know certain things and not others?”
“When I’m wearing the cross, it blocks thoughts. I take it off when I want to know. I wanted to know where you were yesterday, and I saw you at your grandmother’s.”
“It blocks other’s thoughts?”
“Yes. I don’t know why, but it just does. That’s why I wear it, to simmer down any powers that brew in me. I’m afraid what I’m like if I take it off, so I don’t too often. I go to Lana’s altar and talk to God.”
“Then I want to be immortal, too. You know I might still be, without Jack’s help.”
“What do you mean?”
“Marissa said to not sleep with the immortal or things would happen. Hunter, I think I still might be. My eyes turned black when I left her nursing home.”
He shook his dark head. “I’d know if you were.”
“But we slept together.”
“Listen, you don’t want this life, Lana. But I know how stubborn you can be. If you want to make sure you are, then do what Jack asks of you.”
Her eyes widened. “You know?”
“About the wedding? Yes.”
“That’ll make me immortal? That’s what he really wants, isn’t it?”
“He can’t make you do it. You have to want to.”
“But I don’t want to. Debra’s life is at risk, so I have no choice.”
“Wait, don’t you know?”
“Know what?” Her mouth dried, dreading the next words.
He squeezed her hand. “Debra died, Lana.”
“What?” She stood, her hands clenched at her sides.
The water shut off, complete silence.
“I saw it on the news yesterday. I’m so sorry, honey. I thought you knew.”
She closed her eyes, and the wind began to pick up, tossing debris around, a tree cracking in half and falling over the gate.
“Lana, calm down.” He stood and grabbed her, kissing her face to soothe her.
“Why?” she screamed, pounding his chest. “He promised me!” She sobbed,
falling into Hunter’s grip. He picked her up and cradled her like a baby in his arms after sitting back down.
“That’s how he works. You can’t make deals with him.” He rocked her back and forth until she began to relax, wiping her tears away.
She sat up, her arms still wrapped around his thick neck. “I don’t have to live up to my end of the bargain then. I’m free.”
“Let’s figure out what you need to do. You can’t just walk up to Jack and tell him off. You want him to think you have no idea about Debra or that you’re not immortal. Keep your mind blank. Here, wear this.” He unclasped his chain and pulled his cross out, clasping it on her, tucking it under her top.
“I can’t take that from you!” She went to tug it off, but he stopped her.
“No, I want you to have it. It belonged to your grandmother.”
“Why, because of where you found it?”
“Because of the L on the back. I think it was really meant for you, passed on from me.”
She pulled it out and inspected it, running her finger over the L inscription. “I’m not a big believer, Hunter. Will that matter?”
“I don’t think so. Your grandmother had that cross blessed along with her Bowie knife she used. You should be safe.”
“What if you begin to change? I’m worried for you. Stay with me in Stone Manor. That way I’ll know you’re safe.”
“You know how I feel about that house.”
“For me?” She pulled his mouth to hers. “I’ll protect you.” She kissed him harder. “Won’t let anyone hurt you.”
“You drive me wild, you know that?” He leaned in for a deeper kiss, probing her mouth with a fierceness. “Aren’t you afraid of me?” he whispered, kissing her throat.
“Little ‘ol you? Never.”
“I don’t know what kind of changes could happen to me. I’ve worn that cross pretty much since my birthday six years ago. I’ll need to go to Lana’s altar more regularly. I don’t want to hurt you, Lana, ever.”
“You won’t.”
“How do you know that?” He looked at her seriously now.
“Because you love me, silly.”
“And how do you know that?” he asked, grinning.
“I know these things. Trust me. I have a feeling. I also know that the person I love would return that love, because I wouldn’t really love that person if he didn’t really love me.”
“What?”
She giggled.
“Are you trying to tell me in a crazy, kooky way that you love me, Lana Stone?”
She laughed. “Yes,” she whispered. “Now take me to bed and ravage me.”
“You sure are bossy, but I like it.”
The water splashed in the pond, turning itself back on.
“Is she messing with us?” he asked, staring at the fountain.
“She’s happy. It turns on when she’s happy.”
Lana went to stand, but he pulled her back on his lap. “I want to carry you upstairs.”
“There’s a lot of stairs, sir.”
“I don’t care.”
And with that, he stood and carried her in the house.
***
She rolled off his sweaty body and draped her leg and arm around him, feeling his heartbeat under her face. Her cross was stuck to her wet chest. Smiling as she basked in the afterglow of loving Hunter, she realized he was the best lover she’d ever had. The way his body moved with hers in just the right way, the right tempo.
He twirled her hair, brushing it against his lips and then over her shoulder, tickling her. “I’m going to be exhausted tomorrow morning for a client meeting, thank you very much.”
“Cancel it. It is your company, right?”
“I can’t. Jack’ll be there.”
“Why?” She sat up a little, looking down at him.
“He’s a silent partner. I thought I told you.”
“Nope, never told me that.”
“It’s a long story for another day. I’d rather ravage you again.”
Lying back down, she played with her new cross, flicking the light of it off Hunter’s face. “I really hate him. I want to go to his house and burn him at the stake.”
“I know.”
“So, he really can’t hear my thoughts with this cross on?”
He nodded.
“I should have kept my mother’s, but I put it on her in her casket.”
“You must miss her terribly.”
“I do, and now I know Marissa won’t be around much longer, either. I’ll be the last one left.”
“I’ll give you a daughter,” he said, lifting her chin to face him.
“I love that thought. But what if it’s a son?”
“We can keep trying.”
“Oh, really?”
He kissed her. “Really.”
She grinned and snuggled in his arms again. “I wrote a list of how I want my life to turn out, as directed by Jack, ironically.”
“Why is that ironic?”
“Because it’s opposite of anything he wants for me. He said to write it, and if it’s in the stars, it’ll happen, that my fate is out of my hands.”
“Can I see this list?”
“Sure.” She slid out of his arms and sauntered to her dresser, taking the list out of the top drawer. Bringing it to him, she smiled shyly at first before handing it over.
“Can you walk back to your dresser again, please? And then walk back slowly? That was fun.”
“Oh, stop!” she said, laughing. “Read.”
Sitting up, his chest glistening in the light, he read it. When he was finished, he folded it and gave it back to her. “Wow.”
She laughed. “You make me feel like a teenager.”
“Do you really want that?”
“Yes.”
“It could change the course of history.”
“Yes.”
“Come here.”
After setting the paper on her nightstand, she slid under the covers and nestled against his hard body, her fingers running over his chest. “I wish it were that easy, that I could write something down and, poof, it’s all better. But it doesn’t work like that in the real world. I feel like I need to help Diana get away from Eric, but if I don’t at least act like I chose her…”
“Wait, so you’d choose Diana over Eric? Why?”
“Because Eric’s immortal—”
“No, he’s not. He’s doing whatever it takes to become immortal. Jack lies to him too, you know.”
“I just assumed Eric was because of the ritual tonight.”
“No.”
“Branding someone isn’t new to Eric, Lana. He’s done this before.”
“Who?” Her heart thundered in her chest, not really wanting to know, but deep down, she already did.
“Emily.”
Clenching her jaw, she squeezed his arm, pinching it without realizing it.
“Hey, take it easy!” he said, laughing and rubbing his assault, but caught the anger flaring in her eyes.
“Sorry. Tell me what you know.”
Heavily sighing, he began, “Eric had changed, I guess, sometime after your mother turned him down for the hundredth time. Jack used to tell me stories of how you were coming and how he started one-by-one with your family, beginning with Emily. He was intent on making Daisy pay for what she did to him. So, when Emily turned twenty-one, he had Eric take her out to a nice dinner. Emily had always had a crush on Eric, so he took advantage of that. He took her back to his hotel and made love to her. Jack watched the whole thing from his dark, little corner of the suite.”
Lana sniffled, her tears wetting his skin.
“I hate doing this to you, honey.”
“Go on.” She pictured Emily glowing with happiness, thinking Eric was in love with her, her bouncy blonde curls and big blue eyes, so sweet and pretty. Lana had looked up to her. She even had given her her special unicorn that had survived Black Twenty-One and still kept it with her.
“She was lying
on her stomach, falling asleep, when Eric, while wearing a hooded cloak, kneeled behind her and branded her back, making her sit up in agony. He chanted one of the black book’s chants as Jack smiled on. It burned her so bad that she didn’t make it through the night. Only a few have died from that ancient tradition. Jack then crawled over her and licked the mark, not realizing she was dead.”
“No,” she whispered, shaking her head.
“I’m sorry, Lana. So sorry.” He cradled her to him.
“But how did she end up in her bed? We all found her there the next morning.”
“Eric snuck her back in. The bastard didn’t even feel bad for what happened. His soul was already blackened by Jack.”
“So, all this time, Eric has been faking it with my family? Faking his friendship?”
“Pretty much. He was angry at your mother, don’t forget. There were times he almost raped her when Christian was out, right in her bedroom when you were little. Jack loves to brag about the dark deeds humans do, gets off on it. He takes one little spark in their thoughts and throws fuel to it, igniting it to an explosion. If Eric had only let go of his love for Daisy, there’d be nothing for Jack to play with.”
“Well, that’s made my decision much easier. I want to kill Eric with my own bare hands!”
“What you have to do is play along and let Jack think you’re compliant with all his plans. Let him think you even want him. Keep that cross hidden away, and there’s no reading your thoughts or even coming to you in your dreams. Hell, let Eric believe you’re happy with him and for their upcoming nuptials. Be so damn sweet they’d never guess what lurked underneath that beautiful mind.”
She nodded in agreement.
“But if you do decide to take matters into your own hands with Eric, you will be stepping over into my world, a world you might not like.”
“If that’s what it takes, to avenge my family’s deaths, then I’ll do it. Jack wants to play dirty, then I’ll play dirty. I want justice. It’s all I’ve ever wanted since moving here.” She slunk back down and pulled Hunter on top of her, her nails scratching down his back, thrusting her tongue in his mouth while pulling him deep within.
An hour later, after Hunter fell asleep, she jumped out of bed and went to her closet shelf, finding what she needed. Sliding back into bed and draping Hunter’s arm around her, she fell asleep holding the unicorn.
