The Forbidden: A Huntress Novel (The Huntress Series Book 1) (25 page)

I splashed water on my face and exhaled as I tried to compose myself for the sudden arrival of Violet’s friend.

I heard the front door slam shut as a high-pitched voice called for Violet.

She sounded as if she was crying.

“I’m in the kitchen,” Violet called. She sighed. “Something happened, I can hear it in her voice.”

“So can I.”

A distraught blonde with black low lights in her hair walked in the kitchen wiping her tear-stained face. She ran into Violet’s arms and buried her face in her shoulder.

“What is it?” Violet asked in a gentle tone as she stroked her hair.

She lifted her head and sniffled. “Lyla, is missing. I have searched everywhere and I can’t find her. It isn’t like her to not come home.”

I shook my head and smiled. I knew my hunters were behind Lyla’s sudden disappearance and so did Violet because she just so happened to look my way after being told that Lyla was gone.

“Eliana, this is Athena Bram, Lucas’s mate.”

She spun around and glared my way as her body grew tense and her hands fisted at her sides. “So, you are the one who had my sister come home all bloody.”

I pursed my lips as I looked her up and down comparing her to her sister. She had on a dark blue, silk dress that stopped a few inches above her knees. Yes, she is the classier sister.

“No, I had nothing to do with her injuries, that was all Lucas. I was busy battling it out with Violet.”

“Whatever, you were the cause of the fight. I know your people have Lyla, so tell them to give her up and you won’t get hurt.”

Even though her hostility toward me wasn’t the least intimidating, it still awakened the reaper in me as it came out alert and ready to snap her neck before she could even throw a punch.

“Honey, if my hunters succeeded in capturing your sister then she is already dead.”

She hissed at me as she used her speed to close the distance between us and grasped my throat. I grabbed her arm and squeezed, putting all of my strength and the strength of my reaper in it. She screamed as she dropped down to her knees and squeezed her eyes shut as the bones in her arm cracked.

“Stop it!” Violet yelled.

A gush of wind hit into us both, it was so powerful that it sucked all of the air right out of me and knocked me back against the counter. Eliana flew across the room and crashed into the curio cabinet, shattering the china plates.

“I fall asleep for a couple of hours and I wake up to this.” Lucas stood with his arms folded and frowning at us all.

“Well, it wasn’t me this time. I just broke the fight up. Athena, seems to have made enemies with both Perry sister’s now.”

“It wasn’t my fault, she attacked me.” I said.

Eliana slowly stood on her feet as she cradled her bruised and broken arm to her chest.

“I can fix that. I have a potion that will heal the broken bones.” Violet said.

“Don’t worry about it,” She mumbled as she stormed away and left the house.

Lucas opened a door where cleaning products sat on the shelves and mop and broom leaned against the wall. He grabbed the broom and swept the broken plates in a pile.

“We all know when Athena Bram is present in the house she leaves broken glass and furniture while she visits. It’s a good thing she has decided to end our relationship so our house doesn’t get destroyed anymore.”

I scowled. “Your sister can fix the broken glass and I never said I ended it.”

“Yeah, well, you really do a great job with leading me on then pushing me away.”

“I was afraid I wasn’t good enough for you. My doubts had nothing to do with not loving you.”

He stepped away from the pile of glass and put the broom back. “Do your magic.”

With a swish of her hand the broken glass floated in the air and mended back together as the plates stacked itself on the island in a pile, while the curio cabinet was pieced back together.

“His guard is up because you hurt him.”

He glared at her. “Stay out of it!” He hissed.

I closed the distance between us and grabbing his waist, I leaned forward and placed a kiss on his neck. His body shivered as goose bumps formed on his skin.

“I’m sorry. If you say that who I am now is enough, then I’m not going anywhere.”

He gazed down at me and sighed. “You being a huntress and me being a vampire always seems to get in the way.”

“Not anymore,” I assured him.

I kissed him on the corner of his mouth, took his arms and wrapped them around me. He made no effort to hug me back. He was still upset, even though I apologized and assured him I was here to stay. He doesn’t believe me, but with time he will see that I am here and I don’t ever want to leave his side.

I backed away. “Thanks for the hug,” I mumbled.

I didn’t have the strength to bicker with Lucas anymore tonight. I just wanted to focus on Eli. Hopefully Violet’s blood will be able to help weaken his immune system.

Chapter Twenty-Six

I slowly paced around the kitchen while Violet filled two cups up with her blood. The air in the room was thick, filled with hostility and anger. I glanced over at Lucas for the hundredth time feeling my insides crumble in sadness every time. Lucas has made it a point to ignore me and he won’t even look at me, which is driving me crazy. He has chosen to distance himself from me and I can’t say I blame him. This was the second time I almost gave up on our love, so I understand why he is upset and has his heart guarded. It wasn’t my intention to hurt him this time. I was trying to do what I thought was best for him. Now I know that leaving him would be the worst thing I could ever do to him.

“Finished. I hope two glasses is enough.” Violet said.

She licked her bleeding cut on her wrist until her skin sealed itself shut. Grabbing the glasses, she walked over to the table to Eli.

“His body may react badly to my blood, so don’t be surprised if he spits it back up.”

I climbed on the table and kneeled beside him as I opened his mouth while Violet slowly began to pour her blood in his mouth. Her blood coated his tongue and teeth as it slid down his throat.

“Please let this work.” I said.

Her blood was our only hope now and if this way doesn’t work then I am all out of ideas. I don’t want to see him suffer anymore and if I have to— as much as I hate to even think it—I will give Lucas and Violet permission to put him out of his misery.

“How long will it take for your venom to change him?”

She sat the first empty glass down and picked up the second.

“It will take at least a couple of hours for his body to digest it, then the venom has to become one in order to be as strong as we need it to be to weaken his immune system. After the venom takes over his immune system, it will take a couple of hours for his body to fully change.” Lucas said as he sat at the kitchen table with his arms crossed and his head leaning against the wall.

He has been sitting in that position with his eyes closed for a while leaving me to believe that he was sleeping. Now I know the reason he was pretending to sleep was so he didn’t have to deal with me.

“He talks,” I muttered under my breath.

“Vampires can hear very clearly. Our ears are sensitive to any sound, even talking, so don’t think I didn’t hear that. She is distracted so she wouldn’t have answered you anyway. I’m not talking anymore, though.”

I rolled my eyes. “You’re acting like a child.”

He shrugged and shut his eyes as a slight smile kissed his lips.

I narrowed my eyes. He’s smiling like it’s all a big game to him and he’s enjoying angering me. Well, I can play too.

Violet poured the last of her blood in his mouth. “How are you going to handle him when he reawakens?”

“I’m not sure.”

“The last thing he is going to remember is being a reaper. Now he’s going to wake up and have to deal with being the creature he loathes. Fireworks are going to fly and they are going to be aimed at you.”

“Yeah, I know. I’m actually anticipating it. He is going to hate me and after I tell him it was only to save his life, he still won’t forgive me. He can hate me all he wants, I just want him alive.”

“It has to be tough going against your own kind. Do you feel guilty, or even regret what you are doing?”

Lucas opened his eyes and looked my way. Of course that particular question caught his attention.

“No, I have never felt guilty for betraying my kind. I was actually afraid and slightly paranoid that I would get caught, but that doesn’t matter anymore because I intend on telling him and leaving. As for regretting everything I am and have done, the answer would be no because Lucas makes it all worth it.”

He smiled and leaned his head back against the wall. “He won’t stay mad at you for long. He’s actually fighting to stay mad at you now, that’s why he’s ignoring you.”

He glared at Violet. “Quiet,” He hissed.

She stuck her tongue out at him, then grabbed the glasses to place them in the sink.

I hopped off of the table. “Well, I’m relieved to hear that you won’t stay angry with me for the rest of my life.”

I was in the mood to play and this was the perfect time to join in on his little game.

I grinned. “I think I want to join in on your game.”

His brows furrowed as he shook his head.

“You’re going to continue to annoy me by ignoring me and you’re having a little too much fun with that. It’s time to burst your bubble. You want to ignore me, then I will ignore you and we will see who gives in first.”

He stood up grinning. “Are you sure you want to do that?”

I folded my arms and pursed my lips as I looked him up and down. “Why not, you’re already playing. I’m just joining in on the fun.”

His brows raised as he grinned and nodded. “Okay, I hope you’re not a sore loser.”

I smiled and shrugged as I walked out of the kitchen. He had no idea that I intended on getting on his nerves so he would slip up and talk to me first. I don’t have to talk to him to annoy him, it’s all about my actions.

****

I sat kneeled on a pillow beside the couch as I poured water in Eli’s mouth. His dehydration was worrying me and I thought although I wasn’t sure if having water in his system would affect the change I really had no other choice.

The food that Violet was busy cooking in the kitchen lingered in the air making my stomach growl and my mouth water. I haven’t had a proper meal in two days. Worrying about Eli was giving me a loss of appetite and food has been the last thing on my mind anyway.

Lucas was sitting in his recliner reading a book. I suspect he’s only reading to keep his mind and attention off of me. He can’t stand being mad at me for too long, so I know he won’t be able to stand my ignoring him. He will crack first, if I have to cheat to win, I will.

I crawled over to where he was sitting and ran my hand up his leg. He caught my hand and shook his head. I smiled and shrugged. He smirked as he returned to his book. Well if reading was his way of succeeding in ignoring me, then I guess I will have to do something about that.

I grabbed the book and placed it on the table. He exhaled as his eyes narrowed. I smiled sweetly at him while batting my long eyelashes his way. He shook his head, stood from the chair and walked to the kitchen. I followed behind him, skipping and grinning away. I was trying to be as annoying as I possibly could and I actually was enjoying this game a little too much.

Violet was stirring mashed potatoes when she looked up and saw us. “Are you guys still ignoring each other?”

“Vi, tell her that I know what she is doing and she can’t cheat.”

“Oh no, I’m not getting in the middle of this. Athena, could you grab the biscuits from the oven?”

“Sure, and you can tell Lucas, that I am not cheating. I’m just simply giving him my undivided attention.”

Opening the oven, I breathed in and sighed as the smell of golden brown biscuits blew in my face.

Sitting the biscuits on the counter I took my oven mittens off and threw them at Lucas as they hit him in the chest. He picked them up and chucked them at my head. I ducked as they went flying over my head and landing on the counter behind me.

“You guys aren’t going to be throwing any food at the table.”

Lucas grabbed his glass of blood and took a drink.

“Hey, no eating yet! Violet scolded as she took his drink away and smacked his arm.

“I’m starving.”

I placed the biscuits on a plate while Violet poured the mashed potatoes and gravy in a bowl. “You know it will take less than two minutes for me to drink this, right?”

“Drink slowly.” Violet said.

The kitchen was quiet as we sat down at the dinner table eating our food. Lucas and I stared at each other while Violet scowled down at her food. I could see the amusement dancing around in his eyes as he sipped on his blood with a big grin on his face. I smirked as I tore a piece of my biscuit off and popped it in my mouth.

“Wow, what a great dinner this is. I just love eating in silence.” Violet said as she ate her ham.

“Blame Athena.”

I ripped another piece of my biscuits off and threw it at him. He caught it and put it in his mouth. I grinned knowing damn well that he wasn’t going to like it. I watched as he spit it out on his napkin and took a drink of his blood, swishing it around his mouth to get rid of the awful taste.

“Tell Lucas that it was very idiotic of him to eat human food knowing he does not like it.”

“Tell Athena to stop throwing food at me and I won’t be forced to play it off by eating that crap you call food.”

“Well, you guys are practically talking to each other so I don’t think it’s necessary to repeat it. The rule of the game was that you both had to ignore each other and you guys fail to do that because you can’t resist annoying the other. You both lose.”

“I am ignoring him. I’m talking to you, not him.”

“But you both are using me to relay the message to the other person and that should be cheating.”

Lucas shrugged as he smiled. “I like the game better this way. It’s very entertaining.”

He tilted his head back as he drank the rest of his blood and stood from the table. “Well, that was a good dinner.”

Violet stabbed her fork in her mashed potatoes. “Actually, it was a very annoying dinner.”

I ate the last of my food and carried my plate to the sink. I stopped and narrowed my eyes as Lucas deliberately blocked the sink so I couldn’t wash my dishes. He stared down at me smirking as he folded his arms.

“Violet, tell your lovely brother to kindly move out of my way.”

“Tell Athena, that there are two polite words you are supposed to say when someone is in the way, it begins with excuse and ends with me.”

Violet growled and stood from the table, she emptied what was left on her plate in the trash. “I will wash your dishes. I want both of you out of my kitchen, my patience is running thin.”

She shoved Lucas out of the way and took my plate. “You two need to get a room.”

Lucas chuckled.  “Chill out little sis, there’s no need to get annoyed, it’s all a big game.”

I turned to walk away when Lucas grabbed my arm. He stuck up his index finger telling me to hold on as he grabbed a note pad and pen and began to write. Handing me the book, I read it aloud.

“You should consider taking a shower because you stink.”

I gasped and punched him in the stomach, but my hit had absolutely no effect on him.

“Violet, could you hit your brother and tell him that I smell perfectly fine because I’ve already had a shower.”

She took her hand out of the dishwater and punched him in his side.      He winced as he drew in a breath and rubbed the spot to relieve the pain.

“That’s going to leave a bruise, you hit my bone.”

Feeling satisfied, I smiled and walked away. I went straight to Lucas’s room as he followed behind me. I quickly shut the door and locked it before he had any time to stop me. A locked door wouldn’t keep him out, I just did it for my own amusement. I knew exactly what he was doing. He knew that if he told me that I stunk I would take a shower. He just wants to see me naked. So, I will take a shower, but he will not see my body…unless he talks first.

Walking into his bathroom, the cold white and blue tiled floor sent a chill through my body as I rubbed the goose bumps from my arms. I opened the glass shower door and turned on the water. Turning around, I saw Lucas smirking and leaning on the vanity.

My lips pursed as I pointed to the door.    

He chuckled and shook his head as he tugged at his shirt, telling me to take my clothes off.

I folded my arms and shook my head.

He pushed himself off of the vanity, using his speed he was in front of me before I could even blink or process what he had done until he turned me around and unzipped the dress that I borrowed from Violet earlier. As he began to remove my arms from my dress, I turned around and pushed him away. I walked into the bedroom, grabbed my purse, and took out my phone.

I typed, “You talk and you can have me” in a message and returned to the bathroom, giving him my phone.

He gazed up at me, rolling his eyes, and sighing.  He typed in his own message and handed me the phone.

“Kiss me and I will,” I read aloud.

I grabbed the back of his neck and pulled him to me. He wrapped his arms around me as our lips and tongues entwined.

“You win,” He said against my lips, then he claimed them.

He began to step forward as I automatically stepped back, feeling the smooth carpet underneath my feet and knew he had led me to the bedroom.

He gently tugged at my lip with his teeth before pushing me back on the bed. I pulled his shirt over his head with a smile painted on my lips I balled his shirt up and threw it at him.

He grinned and shook his head. “That’s not very good manners. Hasn’t anyone ever taught you that it isn’t polite to throw a shirt in someone’s face?” He teased.