The Forbidden: A Huntress Novel (The Huntress Series Book 1) (13 page)

I sat back in my seat. “You’re right.”

My father scowled and shook his head. He was already showing signs of being stressed and I am certain he would like to rip his hair out from dealing with me.

“So, Mr. Peterson, you have been pursuing my lovely daughter.”

I pursed my lips. I am sure he was being sarcastic when he said lovely. I am more like his worst nightmare, instead.

“Yeah, we have gone out a couple of times already. We have actually been quite inseparable…you raised a fine young woman.”

“Well, good luck, you are going to need it, she is a handful.”

Brody placed his hand on my knee as he glanced my way. “She is, but I like the challenge she brings.”

“So, tell me about your family.”

“There isn’t much to tell, my father is a dentist, and my mother is a high school teacher.”

“Do you have any siblings?”

“No, I am an only child.”

Why is he all of a sudden interested in Brody’s life? Last I checked he didn’t care about anyone but Isaac…but since my dad was asking questions I thought It was a good time to bring up Aubrey.

“Any ex-girlfriends that live in the manor?”

His brows raised in surprise as he looked at me. “What?”

“Aubrey, have you dated her?”

“What gave you that impression?”

“I saw you guys out in the hallway before we left for dinner.”

He glanced over at my father. “We shouldn’t talk about her right now.”

“Later then.”

“Yeah, later,” He mumbled.

“Trouble in paradise so soon?” My father asked as he eyed us both.

“No, it’s not a big deal I was just curious.”

Brody cleared his throat. “What about you Sir, how did you get so wealthy?”

“I was in the oil business before I focused on hunting.”

The limousine came to a stop and my dad opened the door. “We have arrived, children.”

Chapter Fourteen

The elegant restaurant had a silver and white color theme going as a big piraled crystal chandelier hung in the middle of the spacious room. We took our seats by the restaurant’s fireplace and looked over the menu as our waiter, a young brunette boy waited to take our orders.

“How old are you, Brody?” My father asked.

“Twenty-two, sir.”

“I am assuming you would prefer wine opposed to the liquor since we are in a restaurant. Bring us red wine and a Shirley temple for my daughter, please.”

I rolled my eyes. “Like I haven’t drank before.”

“You certainly showed me that you could handle liquor in the limousine, but last I checked you were nineteen going on twenty, not twenty-one.”

“And you didn’t even ask Brody if he wanted wine, maybe he doesn’t like it.”

My father sighed. “Brody, is it okay that I ordered you wine?”

“I don’t mind.”

He smirked at me. “See, he doesn’t mind…I hear they have fine lobster here.”

The waiter came back with our drinks and we placed our orders. I ordered stuffed chicken and it tasted amazing from what I did eat of it. Throughout the dinner I played with my food more than I engaged in conversation. I was trying to figure out the cause of this dinner. I know it’s important and it has something to do with Isaac and myself. I was growing impatient waiting for him to finally reveal the big news.

My dad stood up. “If you will excuse me, I will return shortly.”

“Are you okay?” Brody asked me when my father left.

“Yes, why?

“You barely touched your food and you have been spacing out on me. Did the liquor in the limousine get to you?”

“No way, I have a high tolerance for alcohol.”

He chuckled. “Because you have zero tolerance for your dad.”

“Well, if anyone would drive me to drink, he sure would be the one.”

“It was a one night stand.”

My brows raised as he caught me off guard. “What?”

“The Aubrey situation. You asked about her in the car. I was never with her, she was just a one night stand…I didn’t realize she had feelings for me until after we finished.”

I grabbed for my drink and took a sip. “Now I know why you refused to talk about it in the presence of my father.”

“Well, I know we aren’t actually together, but he still has to approve of me.”

“She has it out for me doesn’t she?”

“You don’t need to worry about her, I will handle her.”

“I’m not afraid of her. I just don’t want any more boyfriend drama.”

“I’m not her boyfriend.”

“Well, she thinks you are.”

He shook his head. “Aubrey, was one big mistake.”

I groaned and took a bite of chicken as my father returned.

“Athena, I wanted to tell you when you and Isaac were together, but I had a will made and I put you and Isaac down as the beneficiaries of my estates. When I die you and Isaac will get my money and my business.”

“So what is the catch here?”

“You know me well. I will keep you in the will only if you marry Isaac. If you decline then Isaac will have the rights to everything.”

I tried my hardest to remain impassive. I had to remind myself that I was in a crowded restaurant and that I didn’t want to flip out and cause any embarrassment to myself or Brody.

“That is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard. You are trying to force your daughter into marrying someone she no longer loves, don’t you care about her happiness at all?”

I pushed my plate away, grabbed Brody’s wine and chugged it down. I stood from the table and walked away from my dad aware that they were following right behind me. The second I got outside I turned around and punched my father in the nose.  He winced as his blood streamed out of his nose and left drops of blood on his shirt.

“How dare you try to pull this, I will not for the last time marry Isaac. Give him everything because I don’t need anything from you!”

“What is it that you want? Do you want to marry Brody? Don’t believe for one second that I bought this whole relationship.”

Brody wrapped his arms around me and kissed me. He pushed my lips a part as his tongue invaded my mouth. The whole time I thought about Lucas and wished it was him I was kissing. I resisted the urge to push him away because I didn’t want my father proven right. He would never let me hear the end of it.

Brody gasped and held his head as an apple fell to the ground. “What the hell!”

“Hey, you get the hell out of here!” My father yelled.

I looked across the street and saw Lucas standing there glaring my way.

Oh no, this was the last thing I needed. He told me not to kiss Brody, but in my defense I wasn’t the one who kissed him, Brody kissed me. The kiss was very unwelcome but I couldn’t stop it from happening I had to prove to my dad that I was indeed with Brody. He is angry, and I know there will be no reasoning with him.

Lucas shook his head before turning to walk into a bar.

“I can’t believe he threw a damn apple at me.”

I had to talk to Lucas; I know this may not be the best time with his temper flared, but I had to explain myself, even if he didn’t want to hear any of my excuses.

“I think I’m going to stay behind and clear my head. I’ll stay here and go shopping.”

“Fine, just call after you’re done and I will have the limousine pick you up.”

“Do you want me to stay?” Brody asked.

“No, I want to be alone.”

“Okay. I’ll see you later then.” He leaned down and placed a kiss on my cheek.

I ran my hand through my hair and exhaled in exasperation. Facing Lucas is already stressing me out. I crossed my arms and walked across the street feeling a slight chill on my arms as the wind blew.

The bar smelled like cigarettes, sweat, and beer as I walked around searching for Lucas in the crowd. He was sitting in a corner with a beer in his hand, glaring my way. I walked over to his table and sat down.

“Please, don’t be mad.”

His brows raised as he lifted his glass and took a drink. I waited for a response but then realized I wasn’t going to get one.

“Are you ignoring me?”

He sat back in his chair and directed his eyes to the television that was broadcasting a game.

“Fine, pretend I don’t even exist.” I grabbed his glass and took a drink.

“Since when do vampires drink beer?”

He growled. “Why are you here?!”

“Because I want to talk to you. Are you going to answer my question?”

“We get a high off of beer and liquor, question answered, now leave.”

I tried to pretend that his pushing me away didn’t affect me, I fought against the tears that welled up in my eyes as I looked away from his icy glare.

“You were spying on me weren’t you? That’s why you are here.”

He shrugged. “What does it matter anyway? I’m not in the mood to talk to you right now, you should go before you really make me angry.”

“You already are angry, and I will leave after we talk about Brody.”

“I’m not angry, I’m upset.”

I narrowed my eyes. “Lucas, please.”

He closed his eyes and clenched his fists together. “I told you not to kiss him,” He said through his teeth.

“You knew it was a possibility.”

“But I asked you not to.”

“It didn’t mean anything. The kiss was only for show. My father didn’t believe that we were dating, so Brody and I had to kiss to prove him wrong.”

“But you’re not a couple, you’re mine and I am the only one you should be kissing.”

“You knew I had to go on a date with him. I can’t risk anyone finding out about us. Kissing wasn’t part of the plan but it had to be done.”

“Getting involved with me wasn’t part of your plan either. I am getting sick of waiting for you to make up your damn mind.”

“You are a vampire, it’s going to take some time. I’m not ready to make any life changing decisions yet. Being with you is a big step,  it takes me away from everyone that I love and being a huntress.”

He narrowed his eyes, stood from the table and walked over to me. He leaned down, his lips brushed against my ear. “You want to see a vampire, I will show you a vampire,” He whispered.

He walked over to a red headed woman and a blond who were playing pool. He started chatting up the blonde who had her breasts spilling out of her shirt. Blondie started laughing and placed her hand on his arm. He must have said something funny, but the only thing I am going to find comical is kicking his ass. He smiled reached up and placed her hair behind her ear as she bowed her head and blushed.

My insides were shaking with anger as I watched him flirt with another woman. I banged my fist on the table as my heart accelerated. My tattoo began to sting as an overwhelming rush of energy stormed through my body.

I closed my eyes and drew in a breath.    

“Please don’t change,” I whispered to myself.

Just as my body began to change, it quickly faded and I knew it was because my rage was directed at Lucas…oh no, the reaper in me could never hurt Lucas. I rolled my eyes, annoyed that he not only had power over me but he had power over the beast that lurked inside me. One day I want my reaper to obey me and change when he angers me so I could take him down just once.

I grabbed the beer and chugged it down as I fought the urge to get out of my seat and punch him. Of course the punch wouldn’t hurt him because I don’t have the reaper power. It will, however, relieve some of the anger I have toward him.

He leaned in and whispered in her ear, while she smiled and bit down on her bottom lip. She nodded and he grabbed her hand as they walked to the door.

I shot up from the chair, grabbed the empty glass, and threw it at them. It just missed his head as it slammed into the wall. They turned around and gaped in shock. Lucas shook his head, grabbed her arm and left.

The bartender, a bald, husky middle-aged man scowled. “I want you out of my bar, now!”

I stormed out of the bar, wiping away my tears. I heard a scream come from an alley beside the bar. With the reaper alerted, I walked to the alley and saw Lucas holding the blond against the wall with his hand around her neck. Her glassy eyes were filled with fear as she looked my way.

“What are you doing?!”

His eyes were cold and distant as he averted them toward me. This wasn’t the Lucas I knew, he was unrecognizable. It pained me to know that I was the cause of this change in him. I brought out the dark side…a side of him that I never wanted to see again.

“I am showing you what a vampire does. You don’t want me because I am violent. Trust me, you haven’t seen violent yet.” He pulled back his lips and bared his pointy fangs.

My eyes widened as I gasped. “Don’t!”

He grabbed her hair and yanked her head back, baring her neck. I couldn’t let him harm an innocent woman right in front of me, and even though I was defenseless against him; I was determined to stop him.

I grabbed his arm and pressed my lips together as I struggled to yank him away from her. He growled and sunk his teeth in her neck.

“Stop, Lucas, please!” I cried.

I punched on his back as I desperately tried to make him stop. Maybe just maybe he would get annoyed enough at me and come after me instead. But he didn’t, he sucked hard on her blood as he ignored the fact that I was beating on him like he was a punching bag.

Her face was ghostly pale and lifeless, her purple lips were parted as she stared directly at me, not even blinking once. She was gone and it was all Lucas’s doing.

He threw her to the ground as he turned around and wiped the blood from his mouth.

“You killed her!” I cried.

I balled my fist and punched him. He didn’t wince or even bleed, he remained unaffected by my hit and that infuriated me.

“This is what you wanted. You wanted to see the evil side of me. The side of me that greedily kills humans to survive!”

“Stay away from me. Whatever it is that we have is over!”

I stormed down the alley as I wiped the tears from my face as they streamed down my face. My heart was breaking and I felt so hollow inside. I wrapped my arms around myself for comfort, but it did no good. I no longer had my other half and I felt so incredibly lonely. With tears flooding my eyes, I sniffled and started the long journey home.