by Taylor, Reba
After the Moon Sets 3
By
Reba Taylor
Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Angels Excerpt By Reba Taylor
Chapter 1
Stunned, I sat down on the bed in defeat. I could not believe that this delusional monster really believed that I would want to spend an eternity with him after he murdered my parents in front of me. I felt nothing for this powerful Vampire, and yet he was still determined to have me for his bride.
Lumar walked over to the door. “Give me a few days, I’ll earn your love.” He promised, bolting the door behind him. Leaving me alone, I was desperate to try to find a way out of this place. I wasn’t going to accept my fate of being stuck in this place with Lumar, my one true enemy.
The palace was built in stone and the windows were barricaded, forcing me to seek another exit. I would have to walk out the same door I came in—the front door. As I sat down on the bed again, I spent my time alone thinking of a way to escape. This powerful creature had to have a weakness; I just needed to figure out what it was.
Lumar left me in the room alone for a full day before he came back for me and this time, he did not come alone. When he returned, a beautiful woman stood beside him, holding a very elegant gown in her hands. I stood from the bed nervously; my hands clinched into tight fists. I may not be able to attack Lumar, but I definitely could defend myself against the woman beside him. Lumar held up a finger to me.
“Hanah, I’d like you to meet someone very dear to me. This is Elizabeth, my beloved sister. She is going to assist you with your dressing for the evening.” He explained. Lumar looked down at my hands and frowned.
“Now, now… we aren’t going to have any problems are we?” Lumar growled as he approached me. I lifted my fist to strike him, but once again, Lumar proved impossible to defeat. He caught my arm roughly and pulled me into him.
“Elizabeth is my family, and she is the sweetest vampire you will ever encounter. I will not have her harmed due to ignorance.” Lumar warned. I looked to Elizabeth, and she smiled sweetly.
“Fine, will you let go of my arm now? You’re hurting me.” I complained. Lumar released me, but he kept watch on my arm as it quickly began to bruise.
“Sorry.” His voice was so apologetic that I almost believed him. Lumar looked to Elizabeth, and she moved to stand beside him.
“Don’t worry brother, I’ll make sure Hanah is down for dinner in time. Please, leave us be.” Elizabeth spoke in a pleasant and comforting voice.
In appearance, I wasn’t sure how to judge Elizabeth. One thing I knew for sure that she was strikingly beautiful and there was a very definite elegance about her. Elizabeth certainly knew how to win you over with a smile. Lumar nodded in agreement and left us alone.
Before Elizabeth tried to dress me, she explained herself.
“I am not here to hurt you child; I’m only here to make sure that you are properly dressed as a promise to my brother. While I don’t agree with the way he is handling this, I also promised that I would not get in the middle of your affairs.” Elizabeth set the dress down on the bed and held up a brush.
“Shall I dress you now?”
What choice did I have? I sat down in the cold vanity chair and allowed Elizabeth to dress my hair. She carefully bathed and dressed me, taking the greatest amount of care with every detail. Not a hair was out of line. Then she led me out the door and we were well on our way to the main floor. As we made our way down to a long corridor I caught my reflection in a wide gold encrusted mirror.
“Wow.”
I had to admit that Elizabeth had done an amazing job. My hair was glossy and perfectly styled. The dress hugged my curves and framed my figure.
“Ah, the vanities of a reflection,” Elizabeth giggled, “Come on, or we’ll be late.”
Even though the castle was made of stone, inside, the castle was much modernized. For one, we took the elevator down to the main level instead of the stairs. As the lift doors slide open, Lumar was waiting in front for us.
“You are very beautiful.” Lumar greeted; lifting the back of my hand to his lips. I snatched away roughly and took a step back with caution.
“This is insane.” I complained. I wanted out of this place; the front door was right there waiting for me and there was nothing I could do about it. I was literally stuck here. One thing I noticed was Lumar’s constant stares at my bruised arm. It seemed to bother him. He looked away with a saddened face to Elizabeth, and she smiled for him.
“There now, let’s not little a minor accident get the best of you. She breathes well brother.” Elizabeth assured, “Let’s get on with the evening shall we?” Lumar nodded and led me into the dining room.
Lumar sat me down at the dinner table beside Elizabeth, and he immediately picked up the butter knife from the table.
“It’s yours,” he informed with a delightful smile, “I cleaned it for you.” I sighed and snatched the knife from his hands. It was the knife I promised that I would kill him with. Unfortunately, I knew that a butter knife was never going to work. Still, I quickly pocketed the knife, my determination to destroy him with it was impossible to defeat.
As Lumar sat down at the table across from me, and idea hit me quickly. Lumar seemed strikingly concerned for my health and well-being. So how would he react if I was in imminent danger? I had to find out—put this new-found knowledge to the test. I pulled the knife out of my pocket and slid it across my wrist, not enough to kill me, but enough to penetrate the skin, causing my wrist to bleed. The blood ran slowly down my hands, and I stood out of my seat. Lumar stood with me, holding his hands up in surrender.
“I’ll die before I dine with you.” I threatened. Lumar seemed more nervous than I’ve ever seen him. Elizabeth stood in his defense.
“I told you this was a mistake Lumar. You should not try to win her heart this way.” She scolded. Elizabeth pointed her elegant finger towards the hallway.
“There’s the door dear. Please, don’t harm yourself for your freedom.” She pleaded. Lumar stood in place, his eyes watching me as I slowly continued towards the door. I did not trust either of them.
However, once I was out the door and deep into the freezing forest, I had another problem on my hands. That pack of angry wolves still lingered in the forest, searching for my scent. I ran right into them during my escape, and now I was once again running for my life.
These creatures knew the forest ten times better than I did, which made it exceptionally easy for them to catch me off guard. Thankfully, I made it to the bridge before they could corner me. The closer I was to the treaty line was also the closer I came to receiving my first Werewolf bite. Leaping across the treaty line, I could almost feel the teeth of the wolf that had almost bitten me. The pack howled in defeat when I landed on the ground, scraping my knee. This time, I knew, that I could not return because I would not be so lucky a third time.
Chapter 2
I went to the only safe place I knew I could go—I went back to the Agency. It was the only place I could turn to, but that didn’t mean I wanted to go back there. For starters, I no longer had any faith in the Agency, nor did I trust them. But they had Aiden, and I wanted to get him away from them as quickly as possible. As I continued through the streets of Downtown Detroit, cold and wet, the civilians did not find it surprising that I looked so disheveled. They were too busy looting and scavenging to collect as many items as they could before they retre
ated to safety. I knew that I would be more help on the battle field, assisting the other hunters against the newborn Vampires, but at this time, there’s nothing I could do.
Julian and the Council have leverage over me—they have Aiden, and now I must see what they want from me in order to keep him safe. Julian confirmed my assumptions the moment, I entered his office. As I walked through the door to Council all turned to look at me and seemed to take a long step backwards. I was surrounded by guards with their weapons drawn. However, they weren’t aiming the weapons at me; they were pointed directly at Aiden. Aiden tried to stand, but Julian stabbed him roughly into his side with a silver dagger weakening him.
“Whatever it is that you want, I’d like to suggest that you stop pissing me off.” I warned, knowing that it wouldn’t take much longer before my temper got the best of me. I always lose when my temper wins over. Julian had always told me I needed to control my anger, now he was using it against me. Julian pulled the dagger out of Aiden’s side and immediately gestured for the guards to put down their weapons.
“You’ve tricked me into giving you Aiden. Obviously, you want something from me. I’m not certain what it is, but let’s get to the point shall we?”
The Council seemed nervous and uneasy, but not Julian. He smiled and placed the dagger on the table, and my eyes followed Julian’s every move.
“Don’t worry,” Julian said to the Council, “Hanah isn’t going to do anything stupid. She’s in love with this Alpha Wolf. She won’t do anything that will jeopardize his life.” Julian assured them.
“How can we trust her?” One of the Council members asked, they were not so easily swayed.
“What do you want?” I asked again. I wanted desperately to go to Aiden’s side to comfort him, but I knew if I took another step, the guards would load him with silver bullets. I remained perfectly still, but I was also ready for anything they threw at me.
“We have a plan that could possibly stop Lumar for good. However, we are going to need you in order to do it.” Julian announced.
“Don’t listen to them Hanah.” Aiden choked in warning. Frustrated, Julian kicked the chair from under Aiden, and he fell to the ground, holding his wound in agony.
Still, I did not move.
Surprised, Julian looked at me. “I see you’ve been exercising patience; very well done.” He said. I turned my head and walked away.
“You want to use me as bait.” I acknowledged. “I’ve been in Lumar’s company more than once. He cannot be defeated.” I reminded. Julian held up his finger to silence me.
“Oh Lumar has a weakness, I should have known it from the start. But i’ve been.. blind.” Julian’s voice trailed off into deep thought.
“—it’s you Hanah. He will do anything to possess you. He’ll even to go back to eternal rest if it means having you by his side.” Julian explained.
“You want me to give myself to Lumar.”
Julian nodded. “It’s the only way to stop him. We strike a deal with him tonight. We will deliver you just before sunrise, and this shall be all over.”
“So you’ve been keeping me all this time as leverage. Tell me something Julian; was there ever a time when you truly loved me?” I wondered. Julian did not answer. I smiled and held my hands in surrender.
“Very well, let’s get this over shall we?” I offered. “Since I’m going willingly, you can release Aiden now. I believe you’ve made your point.”
Instead of chaining me, Julian grabbed my arm roughly and pulled me to the elevator doors, ignoring my request.
“Aiden will remain here for now as insurance.”
“Insurance for what?” I complained.
“When this is all over, he’ll be released to his pack.” I groaned.
“So, you’re not going to kill him, but you are going to send him to his impending death instead. His pack has turned on him. They’ll kill him the moment he steps over the treaty line.”
Julian shrugged. “A Werewolf's politics are not my problem. Whatever goes on between them is their business. Who am I to get in the way of the Wolf law?” I looked away from him. I wasn’t going to give him the satisfaction of seeing me in any kind of pain.
Julian’s betrayal proved to be more than enough to assure me that our relationship was beyond repair. Julian pulled me out of the elevator and into an SUV.
Chapter 3
I had no idea where Julian was taking me until we arrived to at Connor’s loft in Downtown Detroit. I couldn’t believe it. We were on the verge of human extinction, and Julian still relied on Connor’s weaponry expertise. As Julian pulled me roughly into the loft, I began to wonder if humanity’s downfall was truly going to be due to overconfidence.
I did not want to accept this kind of defeat, but it was proving to be out of my hands. Connor lifted the doors as if he had been expecting us. Connor was strangely different at the present time. His love for me faded as quickly as he fell for me, and right now he saw me as nothing more than the enemy. When Julian released me, he pointed at his cellphone.
“I only have to make one call Hanah to ensure Aiden’s demise. Please don’t test me.” He warned.
“I am your prisoner Julian. Don’t worry, I will obey.” I replied with a sonar grin. Connor tossed Julian a weapon.
“Keep it on her please. I don’t trust her this close to the weapons.” It crushed me to hear Connor of all people say those words. Not only was I an enemy to the Agency, I was an enemy to humanity. I kept my head down knowing that Connor was now considered unpredictable. He could easily fly off the handle and kill me in order to achieve vengeance for what Lumar has done to the human race. Julian seemed to be aware of this, but he was also amused.
“Don’t you find it amazing just how quickly a hero can become an enemy?” He asked me. I ignored him, keeping my focus on Connor.
We seemed to remain here for a few hours, while Connor remained behind a curtain working on something deemed important enough to warrant our wait here. Julian grew restless, letting the weapon fall down to his side. He pulled the curtain to the side.
“Why is it taking so damn long Connor?” Julian complained.
“I’m not feeling very confident about this weapon. We have not tested it on anything.” Julian snatched the weapon and aimed it at me.
“Why is she here anyway?” Connor complained.
“No matter how much I want to pull the trigger; Hanah is needed. Her life is our only hope for our survival.” Julian explained.
“Your weapons mean nothing. You will never be able to kill Lumar this way.” I reminded them. Connor seemed to believe my words, but he didn’t respond. However, his silence was enough to say a thousand words. Julian took a private call, leaving me alone with Connor.
“Connor, please look at me. Are you really telling me that you can no longer see the woman that you’ve loved for all these years?” I refused to believe that he had given up all love for me. Connor looked up at me with a pained face.
“Your destiny is to be with this monster, it’s written in the prophecy.” He said. “No matter what I feel, I cannot deny what is written.” Connor turned away from me for a moment and pulled out a very old and thick book. He handed it to me.
“You were searching through the archives for something that is too old to be scanned as an image. The answers you seek are here.” Connor went back to his work, and I knew that it meant that he was saying good-bye. He had written me off, and I knew better than to call on him otherwise. Instead, I took the big book over to a nearby counter and began to rummage through the pages. I was looking for anything that would prove helpful for me to stop Lumar.
And then I found something.
It was something that I could get to close enough to perform. Slamming the book shut, Julian walked back into the room and glanced at the book in front of me.
“There’s nothing in there that will save us.” He said. However, Julian was very wrong, but I wasn’t going to argue with him. In fact, Julian would prove he
lpful in getting me back to Lumar, so I would continue to allow him to believe that he was in command of this mission.
“It’s time to go.” He said. I turned to give Connor a final farewell, knowing that there was a strong chance that I would never see him again. His faith remained with the human race, and he wasn’t going to allow his love for me to interfere with that. Now, love had quickly turned into hatred, and if I were to ever return to his presence, Connor would surely try to kill me. After all, Julian was the reason I was still breathing.
Julian grabbed me by the arm and pulled me out of the loft.
Chapter 4
I did not know what next plan was, nor did I bother to ask. I allowed Julian to put me in the passenger side of the empty van and buckle my seatbelt. There was no point in struggling. Connor arrived out shortly after, helping Julian load weapons into the back seat of the van.
Julian drove quickly deep into the Eastside of Detroit, where the real battle had only begun. Hundreds if not thousands of New-born Vampires were at war within the city streets. The roads seemed stained with red and human bodies were scattered everywhere. We were definitely losing this war. Julian pulled me out of the car and quickly began unloading weapons.
“If you care so much about the human race, then you should start by defending your own kind.” He said, slamming a weapon into my chest.
“This is how I was raised—to hate Vampires and not question the reason. There is a reason why I was forced to watch the death of my parents, and I know it wasn’t only because Lumar was merely territorial. There is something else going on here, something that I’ll never be told, but there is one thing I know for a fact, you were never my family Julian. I was nothing more than a pawn to you.” I didn’t give Julian a chance to respond. I pulled up my weapon and aimed it at a few of the Vampires.
It was strange, but I couldn’t bring myself to shoot any of the rabid Vampires. I could have easily put one of them out of their misery, but still I could not do it. I couldn’t pull the trigger. I dropped my weapon, deciding to fight them the old-fashioned way, before vampire weaponry was ever invented. Perhaps this would force Lumar to call back his armies. Or maybe I just wanted to take my anger out on something. Leaping into the crowd, I struck one of the rabid Vampires, knocking them down to the ground. I pulled the butter knife from my pocket and proceeded to strike, but still I couldn’t do it.
