The Forbidden: A Huntress Novel (The Huntress Series Book 1) (9 page)

If I get caught with the enemy my dad will kill me.

Chapter Ten

I was running as fast as I could to keep up with my opponents, a Blond male and a red headed female who I have been hunting down for an hour.

These two vampires have been playing games with me the whole time, feeding off of my anger. Apparently, my temper is amusing to them, but they will feel my wrath when I get a hold of them.

A growl erupted from my throat as they laughed. I reached my hand out, biting down on my lip as I came close to catching the male. I held on tightly to my weapon as stores, restaurants, and cars breezed by my eyes as I ran left into a nearby alley. I followed them smirking because I knew this alley was a dead end.

The female spun around swinging her hand at my face as the male climbed on top of a dumpster, jumped on the fire escape steps from an apartment building and began climbing the steps.

I backed away, grabbed her arm, and twisted it forcing her to turn around with her arm as I applied pressure until I heard her shoulder crack. Her cries echoed throughout the alley as I shoved her into the wall and slammed her head against the bricks. Taking my dagger, I stabbed her in the back of the neck.

I climbed on the dumpster and jumped on the steps running up the stairs to catch up with him. I caught his ankle as he climbed up the stairs in a haste and pulled on him as he held onto the steps. It was like a tug of war as we both pulled the opposite directions, fighting against each other. He kicked his free foot backward hitting me in the chest. His ankle slipped from my grip as I grasped the steps to catch myself from falling. He kicked me in the face, my head snapped backward as I fell to the ground. Pain shot through my nose as it leaked blood.

“Hey!”

I jumped and looked up. Lucas was standing on the edge of the apartment building. I haven’t seen him in a week, so I knew he would eventually show his face. Of course it had to be when I was hunting.    

The vampire jumped to the ground, grabbed his dead friend, and flew off. Damn it, he let my vampire get away…and I know it was on purpose.

He jumped from the building and landed on the dumpster as it shook from the impact.

I glared his way and stomped my foot on the ground. “Why must you show up every time. You distract me and let them escape!”

“Well hello, honey, I have missed you too.”

I rolled my eyes and exhaled.

He narrowed his eyes and jumped to the ground. “You and your eye rolling, my presence must really annoy you.”

“Yeah when you show up and deliberately distract me when I am in a fight, of course you’re going to get an eye roll from me.”

“You hunting is the only time I am able to see you…anyway let’s get onto the more important topic here. I distract you in a good way?” 

His eyes burned with lust as he gazed my way…he wanted me badly.

Choosing not to get affected by his gaze, I looked away. He ran his hand over my back as he circled me. I tried to ignore the goose bumps his touch had caused.

“No, you don’t distract me in a good way. It’s a very bad way when you force me to look away from my kill, that vampire could have killed me.”

His brows raised as he adopted a more serious look and any desire that I once seen in his eyes washed away.

“That vampire knows better than to touch you when I am around. They all know you belong to me, but when you are constantly hunting them down I can’t stop them from defending themselves.”

I scoffed and folded my arms. “Don’t do me any favors in trying to protect me, I can handle myself. Having you as a shield is offensive.”

He chuckled and leaned against the wall. “Oh yeah, because you are a badass huntress slash reaper.”

“Exactly, so what do you want?”

“So hostile toward me…that’s okay, I understand why you are trying to keep a distance, but like I said before, you refusing to let me in is only prolonging what was destined to happen.”

He grabbed my waist and pushed me against the wall, pressing his body against mine. I would be lying if I said being this close to him had absolutely no effect on me whatsoever. My heart raced and my body craved him, no matter how hard I tried to resist him.

“What are you doing?”

“I’m going to give you a kiss as an apology for how I acted on our date.”

“It wasn’t a date, it was a meeting.”

His brows raised. “You called it a date.”

“I was being sarcastic.”

He scowled. “I know you don’t really mean that. Pushing me away isn’t going to change how you feel about me and you do feel something or else I wouldn’t see desire to have me in your eyes when I am around.”

“It’s the best decision for the both of us. It will protect us, I’m sure your family doesn’t agree with us.”

“It’s not their decision to make.”

He ran his hands through my hair as his lips brushed against mine. I gasped as the contact left my body burning and wanting him…but it wasn’t okay, my attraction to him wasn’t okay. Even though I knew it wasn’t right, my desire for him was so much more powerful than I wanted it to be and I would find myself giving into his touch.

“I can’t,” I breathed.

“Yes, you can.”

His lips found mine as he pushed my lips apart to gain access to my mouth. His hands ran down my body as he grasped my waist and picked me up as I wrapped my legs around him. His tongue tasted and teased my own as an ache settled in the pit of my stomach…the ache to have him so much more than just kissing him. His arms around me and his lips against my own was only an inkling of what my body needed. I didn’t care that I was in the alley kissing and rubbing against an immortal, I only cared about getting lost in the world of Lucas. I knew it was wrong, but I didn’t have the strength to resist him.

“Come with me, you can run away from everyone who stops you from having me.”

I shook my head and pushed him away. He released me and backed away.  “Where would we go?”

He smiled, showing his pearly white teeth. “It’s tempting, isn’t it? I will take you to my world.”

I folded my arms and smirked. “A world filled with vampires isn’t that tempting. I think you sometimes forget who I am and what I do.”

“There’s a difference between forgetting what you are and not giving a shit if you’re my enemy. You choose to remind yourself of what I am because you are afraid of the consequences if you dare let your heart love me. I welcome the fight it will bring. I will kill every last reaper or vampire who dares stand in my way from getting what is rightfully mine.”

“I guess I am not as courageous as you are.”

“Oh believe me, you are courageous, but I think you’re afraid of turning your back on the only life you have ever known.”

How could he possibly figure out my fear?

“Well since you do not wish to run away with me, how about I take you out again…you know for a meeting,” He smirked.

I pursed my lips as my brows raised. He put an emphasis on meeting, clearly trying to be a smartass.

I sighed and shook my head. I was aware that every time I lay eyes on him he becomes even more irresistible and I like him even more now than I did when we went out on our first meeting/date.

“I find it very hard to say no to you.”

“Frustrating, isn’t it?”

“You have no idea.”

“I do though. You frustrate me when you push me away. I guess it is a date then. I will see you Saturday by the manor’s gate.”

“Okay then,” I smiled.

He leaned in and placed a kiss upon my lips. “I will never grow tired of kissing you,” He backed away and walked down the alley.

Oh, so he thinks he can just come interrupt my kill and then leave.

“Where are you going?”

“Home, the sun will be up shortly. I’ll see you soon, try not to miss me too much.”

****

The whole way home, I thought about Lucas. I couldn’t get him out of my head. He practically seduced me in the alley and I wish I could relive that moment over and over again. He knows the power he holds over my body and heart, so I suspect that he used this as an advantage to get me to agree to another date.

I shook my head and grinned as I walked into the foyer of the manor. He thinks he is slick, but I caught on eventually, when he wasn’t there to keep my mind in a fog…well I will deal with him this weekend.

Isaac and Aubrey stormed down the staircase, scowling. Their scowls were directed at me and normally I know if I have done something wrong because half the time I do it on purpose, but I am certain I haven’t done anything wrong this time.

“What did I do?” I asked warily.

“You strayed away from the group when you know you are not supposed to.” Isaac said.

Okay, I did do something wrong, but it was not intentional.  I wasn’t thinking when I ran off after the vampires, I was in kill mode.

“Oh come on, did you actually think I would let two idiots make a fool out of me. They were purposely angering me by playing their little games. They ran off so I had to follow them.”

Aubrey folded her arms and glared. “You could have been killed.”

“Hey, I’m tough I can handle them.”

“The next time you run off on your own I am going straight to your father. He will not be too thrilled to hear about you breaking one of his rules.” Isaac said.

I shrugged. “He has too many rules; I just simply can’t keep up.”

Isaac closed his eyes and exhaled. “There is something else I need to tell you.”

Why must there always be bad news.

“What is it?”

“Eli had a seizure.”

I gasped. “The experiment,” I said through my teeth.

“What experiment?” Aubrey asked.

Anger boiled inside of me as I shoved past Isaac and Aubrey and made my way to the elevator. I fisted my hands at my sides as I tapped my foot on the floor, impatient that the elevator was taking so long. I wanted to choke my Uncle Nolan for injecting him with his experiment. He probably caused more damage to Eli and I could only hope that my Uncle did not ruin any chances of him coming out of his coma.

I stormed into the elevator and retrieved my dagger from my back pocket.

The blade still had dried up blood from my kill tonight. I didn’t necessarily plan to use it on my Uncle, I only intended to threaten him with it.

I stepped into the lab and glared at my Uncle who was behind one of his work benches. He was leaning forward resting his elbows on the counter and had his head in his hands. I grabbed his arm turned him around and shoved my foot in his chest. He fell back into his chair and gasped as I held my dagger to his throat.

“Athena, I know you are angry, but I did not expect his body to reject the experiment.”

“Oh, that is supposed to make me feel better?!”

“I was trying to help; you know anyone can react badly to an experiment. Next time I will get it right.”

My eyes widened as I squeezed the dagger in my hands, fighting the urge to stab the blade through his neck.

“There isn’t going to be a next time. You stay away from him!”

He nodded quickly and swallowed back his fear. “Okay.”

I turned and walked away holding onto my head as I fell into a dizzy spell. My cheeks warmed and my heart accelerated as it slammed against my rib cage. I held onto a chair and closed my eyes taking in a deep breath to maybe help relieve the dizziness.

Dr. Reed rested her hand on my back and moved my hair from my face.

“Are you okay?” Her brows pushed together as she shared a concern for my well-being.

“I’m fine,” I breathed.

“Your cheeks are flushed. Are you dizzy?”

“Yes.”

“Come sit down and let me take a look at you.”

I walked into the hospital wing taking a glance at Eli as I sat down on a hospital bed as Dr. Reed checked my blood pressure. I couldn’t help but too look over at Eli, a rush of sorrow and hopelessness filled my heart. He looked so lifeless and helpless and I wish there was something I could do to help him, but it is all up to his body.

My father and Livi were standing in the corner of the room engaging in conversation with Dr. Johnson. It must be about the experiment Uncle Nolan and Livi made.

“Just as I thought.”

I jumped as I was snapped out of my deep thoughts from her sudden talking.

“What is wrong with me, doc?”

“You have high blood pressure, which explains the symptoms you were just experiencing.”

“I don’t want any medicine.”

“Well considering you don’t normally suffer from high blood pressure the only medicine I am going to prescribe to you is a nice hot relaxing bath and a good night sleep. I think you should take it easy for a few days and let the stress subside.”

“I am a huntress, I don’t take easy days. I go out there and kick ass.”

“I understand that, but it is my job as your doctor to keep your body healthy. Now you don’t necessarily have to listen to my suggestion but I hope you do take it into consideration.”