by Adria Wade
He sat beside me and ran his hand over Chester’s back.
There were at least ten sandwiches stuffed in the basket, not to mention the many snacks he packed also.
“Good to know I wasn’t going to go hungry.”
I opened up a soda and took out a chicken salad sandwich.
“My sister prepared the food, I didn’t know what you liked so she made everything she could think of.”
Human food in an immortal world…I never would have thought. “Let’s see, there’s a B.L.T, and a grilled chicken sandwich with lettuce and tomato on it. Oh and there’s cookies, and chocolate cake and plenty of other deserts. I really can’t eat all of this.”
“You don’t have to. I wanted you to have a variety that’s all.”
“So, Mr. Comedian, I want to know how you managed to sneak inside my bedroom twice without the hunters feeling your presence.”
“My sister.”
“That’s it. That’s all you’re going to say?”
I bit into my sandwich and leaned against the tree.
“I told her my situation with you and how I needed to get inside the manor so she helped me appear as a human.”
I smirked. “And it worked like a charm. Is she the one that knows of the dreams?”
He nodded. “She can see into the future when she wants to. She especially likes to dabble into mine, that’s how she discovered you. She knew about you before I even did but she didn’t tell me of your existence until after I started dreaming of you. She told me that my soul was calling yours and was determined to have you, so it sought you out in a dream.”
“Has it happened to a lot of vampires?”
“It only happens when we need a push to find our life-mate. It happens when certain situations are complex and keep us apart.”
“Your sister must be a very powerful person to be able to tap into a person’s future.”
“We shouldn’t talk about her; she is able to sense when her name is being said and she will show up.”
I sipped on my soda and shrugged. “So what’s wrong with that?”
His brows raised. “She’s not a fan of your kind. She doesn’t support my decision to be bound to you. It’s not like I have a choice anyway, when I’m away from you I can’t get you out of my head.”
“I know that feeling.”
He crawled over to where I sat, pushed me on my back, and laid on top of me. He smiled as he ran his hand through my hair.
“What?”
“You didn’t shove me away, or scold me for touching you.”
“I know,” I mumbled.
“Why is that? Could I be growing on you?”
I tore my gaze from his breathtaking eyes. “I didn’t handle the separation between us well.”
“You do it to yourself. If I had it my way, you would already be mine.”
I shook my head and sighed. “It’s complicated.”
“You are strong enough to beat them. If you decide to be with me, you will win against the reapers.”
“The reaper’s are my family.”
“But I’m everything you need.”
He sat up and took me with him pulling me on his lap. I wrapped my arms around his neck.
“Can I ask you something?”
“Sure.”
“At this very moment, are you happy?”
I have been nothing but miserable since our fight and now that I have him here with me the hole that was present in my heart is no longer. He is right, I do need him...I need him more than my reaper family.
“Yes, because of you.”
He slowly trailed his fingers up and down my back sending shivers throughout my wanting body. The tips of our noses touched as I closed my eyes savoring the feel of his hands.
“You want me?” He asked.
My eyes snapped open as I gazed upon him with my brows pinched together. I do want him, I always have and he knows it…he just has to hear it.
“You don’t have to be afraid to want me, Athena.” He whispered.
He parted his lips and brushed them against my own before taking my bottom lip in his mouth and gently biting it. I gasped as pleasure shot through me. My heart began to race as the lust inside of me intensified. I wanted him to bite my lip again, in fact, I wanted his bites all over my body.
“Choose me and let yourself love me,” He whispered.
When we stopped meeting up and I refused to talk to him after his stunt I fell into a depression. I didn’t like being without him, I felt like a part of me was missing and I didn’t know how to fill the hollow spot in my heart. When we finally saw each other again, the sorrow faded and I felt complete. I felt the connection we shared again and I realized then that he was meant for me and that I was so in love with him. I want to be happy and being with him is the only way I will truly be happy. I’m finally ready to love him…it’s time that I let my heart win. He is mine and I will forever be his. It doesn’t matter that he is a vampire or my enemy anymore because I will fight anyone who dares try to stand in the way of spending the rest of my life by his side.
I placed my hands on either side of his face. “I love you, Lucas.”
His eyes widened in shock. He didn’t expect me to give in so easily and I’m sure he was ready to fight me on it.
“What about your family?”
“I love being a huntress and I love my reaper family but if I gave you up I would forever be miserable. I already tried to forget about you and push you away once but all I succeeded in doing is hurting myself. I need you by my side always.”
I took his bottom lip in my mouth and gently bit him, just like he had done to me. His breath hitched, he grasped my hair tilted my head back and claimed my lips. His lips were soft but cold, chilling my lips as they moved against mine. His lips were urgent and hard against mine as if they longed to touch my own after I had deprived him of me for so long. Now that he could finally claim me, he still wasn’t fully satisfied.
I started to unbutton his shirt when he grabbed it and ripped it open. The buttons came flying off of his shirt and landing in the grass. He was too eager and impatient for this moment so he was rushing it, but I wanted to take it slow. I wanted to savor my first time with him.
“Hey, don’t rush.”
He let out a breath. “It’s not easy when I’ve wanted you for so long. It’s your fault.”
“It is my fault, but now that I am giving in to you I don’t want it to be over far too soon.”
He ran his fingers down my arms as he kissed my lips. “Okay, you want slow, then I’ll give you slow.”
I smiled. “Good.”
I leaned down and left a trail of kisses on his chest, his neck, until finally reaching his lips. He ran his hand through my hair grasping it tightly as he deepened the kiss.
My heart raced and my body grew warm and needy as the lust and excitement built up inside of me.
“Sweet enough for you?” He teased.
I smiled. “I don’t know it could get sweeter.”
“Your wish is my command.”
He leaned in and gently nipped his way across my neck as he slowly unzipped the back of my dress and pulled it down to my waist. He picked me up and laid me on my back placing a kiss on my lips before moving downward. He left trails of kisses over my chest going down to my stomach.
I gasped as he ran his tongue over my stomach gently nipping at my hipbone.
He slid my dress down my legs and threw it to the side before stripping off the rest of his clothes. I grabbed him and pulled him to me. I shivered as his cold body covered my warm one. Our lips met and this time his kiss was slow and gentle and sweet…just how I wanted it. I closed my eyes letting myself get lost in the feel of his lips, his hands, and his body all over mine. I was finally free. I wasn’t holding back anymore and it felt so good to let myself finally feel his love. My desire to have him was finally satisfied and because of that every kiss and every caress was magic.
****
I laid in
his arms as we gazed up at the night sky. The pink and purple that painted the sky before was taken over by a midnight blue. The stars were big, bright, and beautiful.
“When did you become a huntress?”
“I started my training when I was ten years old, but I wasn’t allowed to go hunting until I was fifteen.”
“And the powers, how did that come about?”
“My Uncle Nolan and Livi are scientists. They are obsessed with their jobs and it took them forty-seven times to make an experiment that turns humans into super reapers. Basically the goal was to give our hunters the strength and agility to go up against an immortal.”
“Well it worked because you guys have been our main fear when we step into your world. Every day more and more of my kind leave and they never return. You can do a lot of damage with your powers.”
“Well your kind sure did do a lot of damage to me.”
“What do you mean?”
“When I was a baby a vampire killed my mother. Your kind took away any chance I had of getting to know her and experiencing a mother, daughter bond. She is the reason my father formed our society.”
He scowled. “He didn’t tell you?”
My brows pulled together as I turned my eyes to him. “Tell me what?”
He turned his gaze back to the sky. “Never mind.”
“You’re hiding something from me. You always seem to hide something from me.”
“It’s not my place to say anything. If you want answers about your mother, then you need to ask your dad.”
I shrugged and averted my eyes away from his, focusing on the stars. “He made it a priority of his to completely forget about her. I wasn’t a loud to ask any questions about her, the only thing I do know is that I look a lot like her.”
“I’m sorry you lost your mother.”
“It’s okay. She was gone before I even had a chance to get to know her. I just wonder what it would be like if she was still here.”
“You wouldn’t be a reaper, that’s for sure.”
“Yes, that’s true.”
He sat up and pointed to the sky. “Look.”
A shooting star flew across the night sky.
“Make a wish.” I said.
He leaned down and cupped my chin. “My wish already came true.”
As my heart melted; he claimed my lips.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Lucas and I walked hand in hand, as we grew closer to where he lived. A pond with ducks floating on the water was just outside the white and black Victorian house.
“I never would have imagined that your world could be more beautiful than mine ever could be.”
“That’s the thing with my sister though, she wants to make everything beautiful. She is more in touch with the witch in her.”
Loud music, laughter, and yelling could be heard from the house. Lucas and his sister must have some rowdy friends and that made me hesitant and nervous to even step foot in his home.
“I think I want to stay here.”
He exhaled. “I told her no guests tonight. Violet is a very social person, she loves to throw parties and have a good time. Tonight was not the night for a party, she’s definitely going to hear my mouth.”
“Lucas, I’m not going in there.”
“I wouldn’t have brought you here if I thought your life was threatened.
They know better than to lay one finger on you. It will be fine.”
“Remember what I said about burying me under the most beautiful tree.”
He laughed. “Athena, you’re safe with me.”
“I hope so,” I mumbled.
He squeezed my hand. “Your hands are sweaty.”
“Of course they are. I’m out of my comfort zone.”
He opened the front door and pulled me into the house. There were vampires everywhere and they sure the hell noticed my presence right away.
Even though they smelled that there was a human here, they still kept a distance. I knew it was because Lucas was by my side, if he wasn’t they would try to play with me. Maybe even thrust me into an unwanted fight.
Lucas interrupted a couple who was sitting on the foyer bench making out and sucking the blood from one another. “Leave, now. Go take that crap to your own house.”
They scowled his way, got up and walked out of the house in a speed that only immortals and hunters can experience.
I gasped as I saw a body lying on the foyer table with a couple of vampires surrounding her as they sucked her dry. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. I have never seen an immortal feed on their prey before and there was nothing I could do to stop them.
Lucas turned around and redirected me toward the sitting area.
I shook my head in disgust. “They were killing her!”
“You weren’t supposed to see that.”
I stepped down the few steps it took to enter the sitting area. Long, thin, lit white candles floated overtop the mantle of the fireplace.
A stocky brown haired male swung himself back and forth, as he clung to a big crystal chandelier. Vampires who crowded on the couch laughed away as he made a fool out of himself.
“Jeremy, you get down from there!”
A pixie looking girl wearing black nylons and a figure fitting short, red dress came to stand beside me. Her hair was the color of violet and she had aquamarine blue eyes.
The chandelier fell from the ceiling as the boy came crashing to the floor. Shards of crystals shattered on the hardwood floor.
Pixie girl growled and stormed over to Jeremy grabbing him by the ear forcing him on his feet. “That’s it, out of my house!”
“Oh, come on Violet, I was just having some fun.”
She pressed her pointed finger to his chest. “That is the third time you broke something of mine tonight. Out. Now!”
He shook his head and used his super speed to exit the house.
“So that’s your sister.”
“In the flesh. Her name is Violet. Feisty little thing, isn’t she?”
His sister leaned down and placed her hand over the broken chandelier. The broken crystals that were scattered around flew across the floor as her power mended the chandelier back together making it as good as new again.
My brows shot up in surprise. “Wow,” I breathed.
“That’s only one of her powers.”
“Can I ask you something?”
“Sure.”
“Is Violet her actual name or do people call her that because of her hair color?”
“Yeah, Violet is her actual name. She’s a brunette like I am, but she turns her hair Violet using her magic.”
He grabbed my hand and walked over to his sister. “Hello, Violet. Are you done ignoring us now?”
She folded her arms as she pursed her lips. “Well now that you’re right in front of my face, what choice do I have.”
She scowled at me as she stared me up and down. “I forgot you were bringing the enemy here.”
“Which explains why you have a house filled with friends after I specifically told you no parties while Athena was here.”
She shrugged and smiled sweetly. “I thought I would throw a party to celebrate your union.”
He rolled his eyes. “Nice try.”
A girl with long, wavy blond hair put her arm around his waist pressing her body against his. Taking in her attire, she was wearing a blue silk bustier top and a black short skirt.
I folded my arms and glared her way, there was no way she was standing that close to him dressed like that. I had a bad feeling about her, she was here to cause trouble.
“Lucas, you’re back.”
Lucas’s eyes widened slightly as he glanced my way, uncomfortable he removed her arms and stepped back. “Hey, Lyla. It’s nice to see you.”
I narrowed my eyes. “I bet it is nice to see her.”
She smiled and poured what I assumed was blood into her crystal champagne glass. “Athena, right? Would you like some blood?” She held out the gla
ss.
I clenched my fists together as my reaper tattoo began to sting. My temper was triggering the change. Lucas’s presence has stopped me from changing around his kind so far, but I don’t think he’ll be able to stop this one.
Lyla was getting under my skin and she knew she was succeeding just by the way she looked at me.
“No,” I said through clenched teeth.
“Knock it off, Lyla.” Lucas said.
She laughed and threw her arm around his shoulder. “I’m just kidding.”
The blood from the wine bottle spilled out all over Lucas’s shirt and because there were no buttons on his shirt the blood ran down his chest and wet his pants. She put the bottle and champagne glass on the sitting area glass table and ran her hands over his chest.
“I can help you get out of these wet clothes.” She smirked and looked my way.
Lucas’s eyes widened. “Your eyes are changing.”
“Then let the reaper come out and play. You will be our entertainment for the night.” Lyla said.
Lucas grabbed her hands and pushed her away. “I think you should leave, Lyla. If you stay, you will get your ass handed to you. I promise.”
My heart raced as my body shook from the raging fire Lyla had lit within me. I was furious. I could no longer keep the change from fully happening. I wanted my reaper to come out and put her in her place. Lyla had no business touching what didn’t belong to her and I would have fun teaching her to keep her hands to herself.
I grabbed Lyla by the arm spinning her around and backhanding her. She went flying across the room hitting into the wall.
Lucas gasped and yanked me up by the arm as he looked at Violet in fear. “Don’t do it!” He yelled.
She glared and swung her arm. A gush of air knocked into me and both Lucas and I went soaring into the air and crashing into a glass mirror on the wall. As I got to my feet Violet was already in front of me waiting for me to stand. Her hand flew up and grabbed my throat. Lyla came flying at me through the air, her fangs bared and her hands up ready to claw at my face.
Lucas grabbed her neck before she could get to me and slammed her through the glass table.
My eyes widened as Violet’s fangs inched closer to my face. I grabbed the back of her neck and rammed my knee in her stomach. Her body tensed as she let out a growl, shoving me against the wall she picked up a piece of glass from the floor. Thrusting her weapon at my chest, I grabbed onto the glass wincing as it cut into the skin of my palm. I could feel my blood run down my hand and drip to the floor as I fought against her strength, preventing her from piercing my chest. I shoved my foot in her stomach pushing her backward as I yanked the glass from her hand and cut her across her cheek. She gasped and held onto her cut, glaring my way she fisted her shaking hands and swung at my face. Grabbing her hand, I twisted her arm and she went flipping forward and landing on her behind.
