The Forbidden: A Huntress Novel (The Huntress Series Book 1) (8 page)

Chapter Nine

We walked into an fifty’s themed diner with check-board floors, a juke box and roller skating waitresses. The diner wasn’t that crowded, which is surprising on a Saturday night. Maybe dinnertime was busier.

I gasped and turned around the second I realized Lucas had entered a room filled with humans.

“What?” He asked, worried.

“You can’t be in here, you won’t be able to control yourself,” I said in a panic.

“Relax, I already ate.”

My eyes widened at the thought of him feeding on a human’s blood.

“Oh.”

He laughed and shook his head, clearly amused with my reaction. He grabbed my hand and took me to a booth far away from the other diners.

“So, when you are full you don’t crave blood?”

“It’s easier for me to control the urge I get when I am around humans, so I have to satiate my thirst before I come around you or anyone else.”

A blond young lady rolled up to the table, she had her hair pulled back in a ponytail and her bangs covering her eyes as she looked down at her pencil and pad while writing our orders down. I wasn’t all that hungry, but I didn’t want to upset him if I didn’t eat so I ordered a burger and fries. Lucas however didn’t order anything.

“Why do you like me? I have been killing your kind for years, you should hate me.”

He grabbed a napkin and began tearing it up into little pieces. “Because I know things that you don’t.”

The waitress returned with my Pepsi, and I waited until she skated off to continue my questioning.

“What does that mean?”

I took a drink of my soda and began swirling the ice around with my straw.

“I have a friend, she is a witch. When I started dreaming of saving this beautiful woman with white blond hair and the most intoxicating scent I have ever smelled, I questioned her to. I needed answers I needed to know if there was any importance to this recurring dream of mine. She knew all along that I would have these dreams and she told me that the time was almost near.”

“The time is almost near for what?”

“I’m getting to that part…she explained to me that sometimes when two souls are meant to be together they will dream of the person they will eventually be with. It is more common with immortals, so I was surprised to see that you were a huntress and not a vampire.”

He stopped talking and looked behind him. “The waitress is coming back.”

He sat back in his booth as the waitress emerged from the kitchen with my food and brought it to the table and skated off.

“Well it is strange that we had the same dreams if I am not an immortal.”

His brows raised, but he said nothing.

I narrowed my eyes. “Well, go on and explain then,” I said before taking a bite of one of my French fries.

“It’s not that strange if you were meant to become an immortal.”

I gasped and started to choke on my food.

Lucas shoved my soda in my face. “Drink,” He urged.

I took a big gulp of my drink and held onto my chest as the food slid down my throat.

“Are you okay?”

I ignored his question.   “What do you mean I’m supposed to be an immortal?”

This is going way too far now, sure sneaking around with a vampire is one thing, but actually becoming one of them…oh no, not going to happen.

“Well that is the beauty of choices deciding your fate actually. If you don’t want to be an immortal you could try to deny it…but it won’t work.”

“I am a reaper; hunting is what I was meant to do.”

“And this is also another reason why you’re dreaming of me. Your soul is calling out to me and is fulfilling its desire to have me while you’re asleep. It knows you won’t give in to our love and approve of being with me.”

“And is your friend ever wrong?”

“She’s pretty accurate. When she tells me important events of my future it is always the same and the ending doesn’t change…it never will.”

“The ending is about me, isn’t it?”

“It’s about you and plenty of other people as well.”

“If I stay away from you, then the ending will change…it has to.”

His lips parted as his brows pulled together. Panic and hurt filled his scowling eyes.

“If that’s what you want, you could try to change the outcome, but I know you won’t stay away and I refuse to stay away from you either…so I won’t make it easy on you.”

I scoffed and shoved my food away. “You have to leave me alone Lucas, I can’t be who you are it’s…unnatural.”

“So you turning into some superhero reaper/huntress is natural?”

“It’s better than going around killing people.”

He leaned back and glared my way. “Don’t be such a hypocrite, Athena. You kill, also.”

I chuckled. “Killing your kind doesn’t count.”

“Why, we are people too.”

“I don’t think you are.”

His brows raised as he nodded slowly. He scowled down at the table, not saying a word. I folded my arms and sat there in silence, angry with how the night turned out. I didn’t want Lucas walking into my life and changing everything. If I chose him I would no longer belong to the reapers, I wouldn’t be a huntress or have my best friend Chelsea, and Adam, and Taylor.

Those same hunters who are there for me now would disown me for betraying them. If I chose him, I would eventually turn into the one creature that my kind hunts down and kills…and I can’t let that happen.

“Your food is getting cold,” He finally said.

I kept my eyes casted down. “I’m not hungry.”

He leaned forward and grabbed my uneaten pickle from my plate.

I looked up, watching, as he smelled the pickle. “What are you doing?”

He bit a piece off and chewed it with a disgusted look glued on his face.

I laughed and shook my head. “That’s not your usual meal.”

“Your food is so nasty; I don’t know how you stomach it.”

He grabbed my soda and took a drink, swishing it around his mouth to get the pickle taste out.

“I don’t think Pepsi is going to be much help.”

“Actually, I can handle this. It has a sweet taste to it like blood does. It’s not that great but I don’t have the urge to spit it out.”

“I really didn’t need to know that. Don’t forget who you are talking to here, I am the protector of humans.”

“Trust me I will never forget that.” He slid my plate in front of me. “I don’t want to argue with you anymore and I certainly don’t want to be the cause of your sudden loss of appetite.”

“I agree.”

I picked up my burger and bit into it, the meat was warm but not cold just yet. Closing my eyes, I savored the juicy taste. It was the best burger I have ever tasted.

Opening my eyes, they widened slightly in surprise after seeing Lucas leaning forward with his elbows rested on the table and him grinning at me.

I leaned back in my booth as my brows knitted together. “What?”

“You have ketchup on your face.”

He grabbed a napkin and removed the ketchup from the side of my mouth.

My cheeks warmed in embarrassment. “Thanks,” I muttered.

“No problem. I tend to get a little messy with my meals, also,” He grinned.

I scoffed. “Good to know.”

He was talking about his prey on purpose. He must like the reaction he gets out of me.

“So, do you have a family?”

His smile faded as the shutters came down over his eyed. He was shielding himself from me. There was only so much he would discuss with me because of what I am.

“No.”

“No, you don’t have a family?”

“I mean no as in I am not discussing my family with you.”

“Why not? This is a date to you and I don’t know if you know this but when two people are on a date they tend to talk about their life and who is in it.”

“This isn’t a normal date.”

“Right, because I am talking to a dead person.”

“And I am on a date with a reaper.”

I rolled my eyes as my lips curved into a smile. “Oh no, beware of the big bad reaper,” I giggled and shook my head.

“Big, no, but when the other side of you comes out you are pretty intimidating.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, it’s seems as if you get a huge adrenaline rush with rage in the mix.”

“That about sums it up.”

I swallowed the last bite of my burger and drank the rest of my soda.

“Done? Would you like some dessert?”

“No, I am very much full.”

He stood up and pulled out his wallet where he laid fifteen dollars on the table as a tip. I thought it was unusual for a vampire to actually carry around money. I grabbed his wallet and looked inside seeing hundred’s, fifty’s and twenty dollar bills. For a vampire he looked well off.

“You have money.”

He smirked. “I’m not poor.”

“Well, how do you earn your money?”

“No.”

I scowled. “One day you will tell me all about yourself.”

“When you become an immortal, then I will let you in on everything you need to know about me.”

“Don’t hold your breath on turning me into your kind…it simply will not happen.”

He narrowed his eyes and sighed, but remained tight-lipped.

“Okay, so you are wealthy immortal who is generous by giving waitresses fifteen dollar tips and doesn’t like to talk about his family.”

He nodded. “Yep, let’s go for a ride.”

I stood and pulled my leather jacket on. Grabbing him by the waist I stood on my toes and kissed his cheek. “Thank you for the dinner.”

He smiled and grabbed my hand. “If I get a kiss every time I feed you, then I’m going to have to do this on a regular basis.”

I was surprised I was actually starting to like him. He is a vampire for crying out loud, he’s not supposed to be normal or even act like a human being…or maybe it is what I was taught about them that made me see them in a different way.

Lucas threw me his helmet and turned on his bike.

“Do you trust me?”

Oh no, he must have something up his sleeve…something I might not even approve of. “What are you up to?”

He grinned. “Answer my question.”

I rolled my eyes. “So mischievous…I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t trust you.”

“Hop on then.”

I sighed and swung my leg over the bike. “Whatever it is you plan on doing, make sure it doesn’t consist of killing me.”

“Hold on tight, baby.”

I gasped and clung to his waist as he sped off down the road. My hair blew behind me as the wind smacked across my face. We were going a little too fast for my liking, despite his warning for me to hold on, it didn’t register that he would speed down the road until he actually did it.

“Lucas, you’re going too fast!”

I was afraid he would crash; he may be immortal and just walk away with minor cuts and bruises, but I still have my human side and I could die.

“It’s okay, I know what I am doing.”

The trees zoomed past me as we turned the narrow road. A car’s bright headlights blinded me as it made its way straight to us. Instead of Lucas slowing down and changing lanes, he snickered and sped up.

I gasped as knots twisted in my stomach and bile rose in my throat. I was terrified that he wasn’t going to turn in time. I flinched as my tattoo stung and a rush of adrenaline coursed through my veins. My eyes blurred as it changed color. The beast was coming out because of my fear, even with Lucas here his presence didn’t affect my power because my distress wasn’t aimed at him.

I dug my nails in his stomach as I tightened my hold on him. “Lucas!”  I growled.

The car horn rung through my ears as we grew closer and closer to a collision. I squeezed my eyes closed as Lucas made a sharp turn, forcing me to cling onto him for dear life. With tires screeching and Lucas laughing hysterically,  I looked behind us seeing that the car has swerved and was blocking both lanes.

“Stop the bike!” I demanded.

My stomach turned as I broke out into a cold sweat.

He looked back at me with his brows furrowed.

“I’m going to be sick.”

The bike swerved as we came to a sudden stop. I jumped off and fell on my knees as my dinner made its way back up and spilled out all over the road. His hand rested on my shoulder as I fought to catch my breath.

“Athena, I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking clearly, my adrenaline was up and I got excited.”

So he’s an adrenaline junkie then. Regurgitating in the middle of a road was not how I saw this night ending.

I stood and ran my hand through my hair. “I just want to go home.”

He exhaled. “I ruined any chance of you meeting me again, didn’t I?”

“I really don’t know.”

I wish I could say yes, but I knew that his idiotic move didn’t change the fact that I wanted to see him again. It was infuriating to know that he had power over my heart because at the end of the day, I am a huntress and he is an immortal. Enemies must stay enemies. I refuse to let Lucas change my mind about his kind and most importantly my heart can never love him.