Nightfall (The Huntsman Clan Book 1)

by Rose Alexander

  "I'll do what I have to. It's not like I have a choice," I huff, crossing my arms over my chest.

  “We’ll be happy soon, I can feel it,” Kylah whispers.

  “I’m happy you’re here,” Jace responds to her.

  "There's the spirit," he replies in a fake cheerful tone.

  "Yeah, whatever," I sigh as I turn and look out the window. "Where’s this clan located? No one has ever said.”

  "It's in Southern California, on an island that humans don't know about," he answers, chuckling.

  "We're driving the entire way?" I ask, shocked.

  "Of course not. We have to take a boat to the island," he winks, teasing me.

  "How long will it take to get to California?" I ask, not sure how long a cross country drive will take.

  "Well, once we get to the airport, we should be there by morning," he answers grinning.

  “He likes you so he’s trying to distract you,” Jace says.

  I roll my eyes. He didn't lie, but he made me think we were driving cross country. I'm quiet until we get to the airport. It's a small one, not like the commercial lines. There's a private jet waiting and the limo pulls up right next to it.

  "The Huntsman clan does have some perks," Jack explains smiling. "When we get to L.A., we'll go shopping."

  As much as I hate the situation I'm in, I'm a teenage girl and shopping is exciting. I hate myself a little bit for looking forward to it. I should be focused on how upset I am. I decide I need to put my best foot forward and accept what is happening since I can't change it.

  "Can I use your phone?" I ask, suddenly really needing to hear my mom’s voice.

  "Not while we're in the air. No cellphones on the plane," he replies, an apologetic look on his face.

  "Can I call my parents when we land then?" I inquire, irritated that I can’t talk to them right now.

  "Of course, I'm sure they are anxious to know how you are," he replies then changes the subject. "Do you want to watch a movie?"

  "Sure," I answer, not really caring.

  Jack puts a movie on and I doze off. I startle awake to a ding.

  "It's just the seat belt sign. It's time to land," he explains, pointing at the little light towards the ceiling of the plane.

  My stomach growls loudly. I just realize I haven't eaten all day with everything that’s happened.

  "We'll go get breakfast as soon as we land," Jack says with a guilty look.

  "It's my fault that I haven't eaten,” I blush, feeling ashamed.

  "We all should have thought about feeding you before we left. You shifted twice in one day and you must be starving," he replies.

  The plane lands at a much larger airport than we took off from. Hundreds of people stand, milling around. Voices echo throughout the airport, yet I’ve never felt so alone. Everything I knew, everything I believed is now gone and the unknown awaits me. We make our way towards a man holding a sign that reads Huntsman, and after exchanging a few words with Jack, we are in a car and making our way to the unknown.

  "I figured you'd like to eat quickly," Jack explains as we pull up in front of a diner.

  We go inside, and my stomach cramps at the smell of cooking breakfast. I could eat a horse; I think to myself. We sit in a booth and wait for the waitress to bring us menus.

  "Hi, my name is Mags. What can I get you to drink?" the waitress says.

  "Water for me," I reply.

  "Coffee," Jack says curtly.

  "Creamer or sugar?" she asks.

  "Black."

  She leaves the menus and excuses herself to go get our drinks. I can't decide on what to get. The waffles look really good, but so do the omelets. I decide I'll just order both. If he has a ten thousand dollar budget he can afford two meals. Mags returns with our drinks.

  "What can I get you to eat?" she inquires, smiling.

  "Can I get a ham and cheese omelet with sausage and bacon on the side, and the berry waffles," I order, smiling up at her.

  "Give me what she's having," Jack sighs, ignoring her for the most part.

  Mags walks off to put our order in, and I glare at Jack.

  "Why are you being so rude?" I hiss, embarrassed to be with such a rude person.

  "She's just a human," he sneers, like it should make a difference.

  “Why do you care about a human?” Jace asks, confused.

  "Now I know that I won't ever fit in with you," I reply, feeling disgusted. "I was taught we treat others how we want to be treated."

  “They can learn, don’t give up,” Kylah says, anxiously.

  "You're right. I'm a bit embarrassed. My time at court as affected my attitude and thinking," he sighs looking like his cat made him apologize.

  "Then be nice when she brings our food," I demand then change the subject. "Can I use your phone to call my parents while we wait?"

  "Of course," he replies handing me his phone.

  I walk outside to make sure I can hear and dial my mom's cell number, feeling anxious while it rings.

  "Hello?" she answers sounding old.

  "Hi Mommy," I reply, choked up with all the emotions I’ve been feeling the past twenty-four hours.

  "Amelia! Goddess, it's good to hear your voice!" Mom exclaims, relief and hurt both evident in her voice.

  "You too," I sob, the full weight of what's happening hits me.

  "Keep your head up and be brave. Don't show them any weakness. You are a strong, confident, young woman. I know it's hard, but just know we're always proud of you, and you'll always be our daughter," she explains.

  "I'll try. I just miss you so much," I sniffle. “I don’t know who I am or what I am anymore, but I’ll be brave for you.”

  "We miss you too, but you have to play the hand you've been dealt," she replies stoically.

  "Ok, I need to go eat. I just really wanted to hear your voice. I love you," I say between sniffles and tears.

  "Go eat. I love you, goodbye," Mom ends the call.

  “They understand we need our new home, don’t cry,” Kylah says brushing the back of my mind.

  I stare at the phone for a minute, wipe my face the best I can, and head back inside to the booth. When I get there, Mags is just arriving with the food. Once she has all the food on the table, I stare greedily at it.

  "Can I get you anything else?" she asks, smiling at Jack.

  “No thank you. This looks great," Jack flashes her a smile.

  "Thank you," I reply before I stuff the first bite of omelet in my mouth.

  I stuff food in my mouth like I haven't eaten in weeks. I didn't realize how hungry I was until I started eating. I finish my food in record time and find that Jack has kept up with me. He flashes me a grin and waves Mags over for the check. He pays the check then we get back in the limo and drive off.

  "Where are we going next?" I ask, a bit anxious.

  "Shopping is next on the agenda. Clothes first then supplies," he replies grinning.

  "Where are we shopping at?" I inquire, getting excited.

  “Why do you care about clothes; they are just an inconvenience,” Kylah huffs and lays down to nap.

  "You'll see," he answers.

  It feels like we drive for a long time, but without a clock, I don't have a way to accurately judge it. We enter a busy part of town. L.A. is way bigger than I had imagined. We pull up in front of a row of fancy looking stores. I feel intimidated before we even get out.

  "Money isn't going to go very far here," I whisper; my stomach rolling and tying itself in knots.

  "It's fine. You'll get everything you need," Jack smiles, chuckling under his breath.

  "Ok," I reply hesitantly, not wanting to get my hopes up.

  I follow him into a shop like I've never seen before. The lady looks at me in disgust, and I'm ready to turn around and leave. Jack pulls a black card out of his wallet and her face changes immediately.

  "How can I help you today?" she asks, her voice sugary sweet.

  "She needs a complete wardrobe," he repl
ies, barely hiding his disdain.

  "Give us an hour, and she'll be good to go," she lays it on thick. "Follow me."

  I take a deep breath and follow this fake sweet woman to get clothes I would never have worn in my old life. That thought makes me sad, but I push it to the back of my mind. I'm going to be strong for my mom, if for nothing else.

  "What's your style preferences," she asks me with a fake smile.

  “We should eat her,” Kylah growls.

  "Huh?"

  "What kind of clothes do you wear?" she asks, sounding irritated.

  "Just jeans and t-shirts mainly," I reply, biting my cheek to keep from snapping.

  She rolls her eyes, "We have a lot of work to do then."

  “Don’t let her speak to you like that,” Kylah nearly shouts while pacing under my skin.

  "If you're going to treat me like that, I'm sure we can find somewhere else to shop," I snap, walking back out front to find Jack.

  "What's wrong?" he asks, confused when he sees me stomp out.

  "That woman is horrible! I'm not shopping here," I reply through a clenched jaw.

  “Kylah told him what happened,” Jace whispers at the edge of my mind.

  "Let's go, there are other stores," he responds through clenched teeth. To the woman who chased me out, "I will be calling the store owner. The Huntsman have been doing business here for years."

  Her face goes pale white, and I secretly enjoy her discomfort as we leave the store. We walk down the street, about two storefronts down, and Jack enters the third store.

  "Welcome, how can I help you?" the sales lady asks, her eyes shining with a genuine smile.

  "She needs a complete wardrobe, can you help her?" Jack asks with a raised eyebrow.

  "Certainly, I'd love to. Can you come with me so we can see what you'd like?" she asks kindly, no fakery to her.

  “This one is better,” Kylah purrs, laying back down.

  I smile at Jack then follow her. She isn't rubbing me the wrong way like the first lady. We sit in a room with plush chairs and two doorways leading off the far wall from where we entered.

  "Do you have a particular style you like?" she asks, looking at me in anticipation for a response.

  "I just wear jeans and t-shirts really. I've never shopped in a place like this," I admit, feeling awkward.

  "That's ok. We have several types of pants and shirts to try," she smiles trying to make me comfortable. "Are you opposed to trying skirts and dresses?"

  "I can try anything. The worst that can happen is I say no," I reply shyly, chewing on my lip nervously.

  "Good, now I need to take your measurements," she responds, clapping her hands.

  I stand up, and she measures me every which way a person can be measured, then she goes off to find clothes. I sit there feeling a bit anxious on what she's going to bring me. She returns with a rack of clothes with all kinds of styles on it. My eyes get wide.

  "Ok, we need to find out what your personal style really is. Do you like the punk look, or the preppy look, or are you the princess type?" she asks holding up various outfits.

  "I like the punk look, if it doesn't go overboard," I answer, liking the outfit she’s holding up. "I like wearing black too."

  "Ok, great! That makes this super easy for us!" she exclaims, excitedly. "Wait right here."

  She takes the rack with her and I sit on my hands to keep from fidgeting. This is more uncomfortable that I had imagined. I used to love to shop, but that's when I got to look around and pick out clothes I liked. She returns shortly with a larger rack of clothes.

  "Take your pick of what you want to try on," she smiles, her eyes wrinkling.

  "Thank you," I grin and hop up to inspect the rack.

  There's lots of black clothes, but all have pops of color added in somewhere. I grab an outfit and try it on. It fits perfectly, and I'm in love. I go out and look in the three way mirror. The dark blue jeans hug my hips perfectly and the black t-shirt fits without being too baggy or tight. I grin at myself in the mirror then grab another outfit. Once I've finished, I'm excited about the wardrobe. I even picked some skirts and dresses.

  "I've added bras and panties to match each outfit," the sales lady tells me.

  "Thank you," I grin, loving the thought of having a totally new look.

  "Now, let's go get you checked out," she smiles back.

  "I take it you had a better experience," Jack smiles, raising an eyebrow.

  "It was very nice," I grin back.

  He chuckles then goes to the register to pay. I'm too nervous about how much I spent to listen. I wonder where we will go next, while I wait.

  "Come, help me carry your bags," Jack orders, in a very bossy voice.

  I walk up and grab the bags and we leave the store. I'm shocked to see the limo has pulled up in front of the store. We load up the purchases and the limo takes off.

  "Where are we going next?" I ask excitedly, getting caught up in the day.

  "We're going to the spa to get your hair and skin taken care of. You'll need to follow any regimens that they give you. Afterwards, we'll go take care of your makeup needs," he explains watching me closely as he speaks.

  "I don't wear makeup," I reply nervously.

  "You do now. Don't worry, they'll teach you how to apply it," he grins, finding joy in my misery.

  “He’s trying to help you fit in. That’s a good thing,” Kylah says, yawning.

  "I feel like I'm losing myself," I respond, sadly looking out the window.

  "I know it's all overwhelming, but it could turn out to be a positive experience if you let it," he says kindly.

  "I have my part to play; I guess I may as well play it well," I sigh feeling overwhelmed but not wanting to admit it.

  I wish my mom hadn't told me to be brave and not show weakness. It means I have to suck it up buttercup, as she used to say. We pull in front of a fancy day spa while I was lost in my own thoughts. Here we go, I think to myself.

  Chapter 4

  The driver opens the door and I climb out, feeling like a fraud. Jack gives me an encouraging smile then walks to the doors, so I follow like a lost puppy. He goes straight to the receptionist’s desk, but I'm busy looking around. Shades of black and white colored everything, from the stark white walls and black pillars to to the black and white marble floors, even the furniture was a mixture of white couches and black tables.The entire lobby felt cold and monochromatic, nothing like the warm and relaxing feeling I had imagined a spa to be.

  "Appointment for Amelia Huntsman," Jack tells the receptionist.

  "Ah yes. Right this way," she says extending her arm.

  I look at Jack then follow her. I straighten my spine and remember, show no weakness.The further into the spa we go, the warmer and richer the colors become. Leaving behind the cold and entering into the warmth of the soothing tans, browns, and light greens. I sigh feeling better already.

  "I know the lobby is a bit much," the receptionist chuckles, smiling at me.

  "It is a bit intimidating," I admit, grinning back.

  "You'll start with hair then move on to skincare. Have fun," she gives me a warm smile and leaves me in front of a stylist.

  "My name is Cassie; can I call you Amelia?" she asks her face lights up as she smiles.

  I nod, checking her over. She's tall with bright, fire engine red hair, shaved close to the head on one side and long on the other. Her blue eyes sparkle with mischief, and her high cheek bones show off her beauty.

  "Wow we need to get your hair healthy!" she exclaims as she looks my hair over. "What kind of hairstyle are you thinking?"

  "I just want to keep it long. It's naturally wavy," I reply, not wanting to make any more changes to my life.

  "We’ll focus on the health of your hair and what products you need to use," she grins then teases me. "I was hoping you'd let me shave one side of your head."

  "Actually, that sounds like a great idea! Will I be able to hide it?" I ask, feeling a sudden urge to
be spontaneous.

  "Yes, see how my hair is parted at the side? I move the part to the middle, and voila, shaved part hidden," she demonstrates, hiding her own undercut from view.

  "Oh, I so need this now!" I exclaim wanting something to make me feel edgier.

  I figure if I have to change everything about me, I might as well be a little daring in this new life. Cassie parts my hair at the side and grabs her clippers.

  "Are you sure? Once I start, there's no going back," she checks, raising an eyebrow, giving me a very serious look.

  "Yes, just do it," I squeak, afraid that I’ll back out if she gives me the chance.

  She grins and runs the clippers through my hair, shaving the side down. My heart starts pounding, and I wonder what I've just done until my mom's words come back to me. Be brave and show no weakness. This is brave, I tell myself.

  “This better not shave my fur,” Kylah huffs.

  "I need to trim up the ends, but I won't take any length off," she explains as she works on my hair.

  I open my eyes to look, but she's already parted my hair back in the middle. I can't wait to see what it's going to look like. She trims the ends up and turns and looks at me with an appraising eye.

  "Now scoot and go get your hair washed to get rid of all the little hairs from the clipper," she orders, hitting my shoulder playfully with her comb.

  I walk over to the sinks, where a girl waves me over to sit down.

  All of these changes today are overwhelming, but hopefully this new identity will be like an armor. I was a sport girl before, always in jeans and tshirts, now I have a wardrobe that costs more than I can fathom, and I have to do hair and makeup.

  She washes my hair which feels like heaven. It always feels so good when someone else washes your hair. When she's done, I give her a smile and go back to Cassie's chair.

  "Now, we're going to talk about styling and products," she says seriously.

  She goes through the products I need to use to take better care of my hair and to style it.

  “Now it’s time to see your new hair,” Cassie says excitedly, spinning me around to face the mirror.

  I look like me but different; my jaw drops. The shaved side gives me a edgy look, nothing like I would have expected to see on me, but somehow it fits this new me. I ask how to style it like this and she teaches me. She also shows me how to style my hair in a few different ways. I decide right then, if it's allowed, I only want Cassie doing my hair from now on.