The Forbidden: A Huntress Novel (The Huntress Series Book 1) (3 page)

It’s always the same ending with my dad. We argue and the one person who finds their way in the middle of our arguing is my mom. I hated the way he handled her death. I was against trying to erase my mom from my life, but he forced it on me. I have no pictures of her, no keepsakes, and I don’t even know anything about her. I see the way he looks at me sometimes and I know he hates the fact that I look so much like her and I am convinced that this is the reason why he constantly gives me a hard time.

“This isn’t about your mom. This is about you having to deal with your ex-boyfriend’s girlfriend. Suck it up, princess, she is here and she is not going anywhere!”

I scoffed and stormed out of the room. “I’m not the one with the problem, she is.”

Chapter Four

I thought it would be easy to forget about him, but I was wrong. I should have known it wasn’t going to be that simple, especially since he haunts my dreams. I know the vampire from the woods was the one from my dreams. I remember his eyes, his long dark eyelashes, and that look…he gave me the same look that I have seen in my dreams before he left. I wasn’t able to put the pieces to the puzzle together until now, but I am certain it is him. He has been haunting my dreams for a year now, and it started when I was still with Isaac. In the dreams I am powerless to his love, I am drawn to him…obsessed with him and I can’t and won’t break free. When I wake up it feels as if I have actually lived it. As if I could physically escape into my dream world to be with the only vampire who seems to have a hold on my heart.

The moment I laid eyes on him, it was easy to get wrapped up in him so quickly that I allowed the gates of desire and lust to open and flood through my body, and for that I am disappointed in myself. I wasn’t supposed to let myself become vulnerable to the enemy. Maybe it is fate’s way of eventually bringing us together, and if it is, then I must fight against fate and escape this monster’s love.

But how could I dream of someone whom until last night I have never laid eyes on? That is the question that I have no answer to. Every time I try to figure it out, I am left exasperated and flustered.

It is seven in the morning and I have yet to find a comfortable position to fall asleep in. My mind has been spinning from thinking non-stop and I can’t seem to shut it off. I’m bothered by the affect that immortal had on me, I’m bothered that once again my father found a way to get under my skin, and lastly Eli has been in a coma since last night, leaving my group of hunters down one member. My father will more than likely have to replace him for the time being.  That problem alone has left me anxious and tossing and turning. I know my father will choose someone that I don’t get along with, or they will be a rookie and I will be forced to take them under my wing. I need someone who will strengthen my group, not make it weaker than it already is now that I lost Eli.

I sighed and turned on my back. I looked around the room smiling at the millions of purple stars that glowed in the dark on every wall in my room.

Chelsea and Taylor had ordered Isaac to take me out and keep me busy so they could surprise me with an early birthday present when I came home. I have quite an obsession with stars, I talked their ears off with all the facts about them that I found the most interesting. That was the night Isaac and I really started to get to know each other. He was in my group before we began dating, but I never showed any interest in him until I was forced to spend time with him. Sparks certainly didn’t fly the first time, but after a while I found myself falling for him. So I came home to a nicely done up room and a second date. I had a new purple, silk bed set, a vase of sunflowers sitting on my bedside table, and when they turned the lights out I was surrounded in purple glow in the dark stars. It  was magical and I was in heaven. I haven’t changed it much since they did the makeover except add an egg shape chair that is now hanging from my ceiling and placed a couple of photos on my computer desk.

I crawled out of my bed, deciding to go bother Chelsea. She isn’t the only person who can crawl in my bed and disturb me. I just hope Taylor isn’t in the bed with her that would surely ruin my plans to sleep in there.

I crept down the quiet, abandoned hallway to her room, which was only five doors down from mine. The door creaked as I slowly opened it, careful not to wake her up. Her room matched her personality perfectly. She had pink all over, with sketches of her own clothing designs hanging on the walls. A mannequin that matched her height and build stood in the corner with a half done red dress on it. She likes to wear her own clothes when she has the time to actually make them. She not only could be a model, but she could be a fashion designer also. Instead, she chose to become a vampire hunter.

Chelsea and her parents came to live with us when she was three years old. She is the same age as I am. We became best friends and grew up together. She is used to this lifestyle just like I am, and hunting is in both of our bloods. We may not have much in common, but we bonded over the loss of our loved ones. She lost her parents when she was eight and because I had already lost my mom, she leaned on me for comfort.

She was curled in a little ball, holding onto a light brown stuffed bear that held a red heart. I climbed in bed next to her, gently moving her blonde hair from her face. Her long dark eyelashes were fanned out over her tan skin.

I ran my fingers down her face. “Wake up, sleepy head.”

Her light brown, groomed eyebrows pulled together as her eyes slowly opened.

She groaned and rubbed her eyes. “What are you doing? Why aren’t you sleeping?”

“I can’t sleep.”  I poked my bottom lip out in a pout.

She smiled and pressed her finger to my lips. “Don’t pout.”

She rolled on her back and yawned. “So you decided to come into my room and wake me up?”

“Hey, you do the same thing to me.”

“I do not. I quietly enter your room, lay next to you and watch you sleep.”

“Oh, that’s not weird at all.” I said sarcastically.

She crossed her arms and stuck her tongue out at me. “It’s not weird, and anyway, at least I don’t wake you up.”

I grabbed her hair and tugged it gently. “No, you don’t, but you scare the shit out of me because I have no idea you are next to me.”

She giggled. “As many times as I have scared you, you should expect to find me in your bed when you wake.”

She rolled on her side, facing me. “Bad dream, again?”

I shook my head. “The endings are always good though, but I was actually having trouble falling asleep.”

“Is something on your mind?”

I exhaled. “A lot is on my mind.”

“Is it about your dad? I heard from Owen that you guys were arguing again.”

I rolled my eyes. “What else is new, we are constantly bickering.”

“I am adamant that he will not give up on what he wants. What he desires the most is to see you and Isaac married and he will more than likely try to force him on you, hoping that one day you will give in and let him have his way. You are only nineteen years old; I don’t think you should be pressured into making such huge leaps because you’re not ready for marriage or running the family business.”

“Try explaining that to him.”

Her brows raised and her blue eyes sparkled with hope. “You could get Isaac to talk to him for you. Your dad would listen to him he loves Isaac like a son.”

I nibbled on my lip as I pondered that idea. “That’s actually not a bad idea, but I doubt Isaac would do it. I think I’ve pissed him off way too many times for him to do me any favors.”

“He would help you. Even with Cameron around you still have his attention.”

“No, he does not love me anymore, and that is how I prefer it. He cares for me. Besides, I don’t even know why he took an interest in me in the first place.”

She grinned and slapped my arm. “Athena, come on, you are a knock out. You have three guys who would kill to have you as their girl.”

“Isaac better not be on the list.”

She pursed her lips and narrowed her eyes. “Brody, Isaac, and Owen.”

“Two, because Isaac no longer counts. He did have me as his girl, but he was an idiot and ruined it.”

She shrugged. “I still catch him looking at you, a lot. I am a little jealous of you because they are all hotties.”

“What are you jealous for? Taylor is a total babe. He is the best looking guy in the manor. Not to mention all of the outsiders you went out on dates with.”

She smiled. “Yes, he is a babe…my babe. You should date Brody.”

I shook my head. “No way, I have a rule about that.”

“Well you should make an exception for him. He is new so he hasn’t lived in the manor long.”

I can’t date Brody, not when I want someone else. On second thought, maybe it wouldn’t hurt to go out with him, he could distract me from the immortal I can’t stop thinking about.

She shrugged. “It’s just a suggestion. I visited Eli.”

“How is he?”

“Nothing has changed. News travels fast around here. I didn’t even make it all the way home from hunting and I had a couple of people coming up to me telling me the bad news.”

When there is news, there are always rumors that go around the manor also. Our reapers are big on gossiping.

“What are the rumors?”

She chuckled and shook her head. “Well, some believe that it was an inside job, that one of our own attacked him, which is ridiculous. Another rumor was that he had ran out in front of a car, and my favorite was that he was attacked by a bear.”

Chelsea and I burst into laughter at that one. Eli being attacked by a bear was very unlikely because when our reaper side is out and we are hunting the wild animals sense us and the vampires and go in hiding.

“I can’t believe it. I hear about hunters getting killed or being put into comas all the time, but I never really thought it would happen to one of my friends.”

“He’s not going to die…he can’t die.”

Her brows raised as she gazed my way. “His injuries are pretty bad. Please don’t get your hopes up and assume that he will be okay.”

“Eli is a fighter; I know he won’t give up.”

Chelsea sighed. “That is the problem with you. You always see the good in every bad situation and when things don’t go as you hoped they would, you are left disappointed and sad. If you keep assuming that he will pull through and he doesn’t make it, you will be devastated. I just want you to be prepared for the worse.”

“I am prepared. I know there is a possibility that he could die, but I don’t want to dwell on that.”

She smiled and ran her fingers through my hair. “Okay.”

I sighed and closed my eyes as she massaged my head. This is not only a stress reliever for me, but it also puts me to sleep.

“Go to sleep,” She whispered.

I laid there content and comfortable as my once active mind that felt as if it was spinning out of control from all of my worries, calmed down and relaxed. Before I knew it, I found myself drifting off to sleep. Thanks to Chelsea and her magical fingers, they always do the trick.

****

My eyes slowly opened to a blurry vision. Rubbing my eyes, I rolled on my side. Hazel eyes and a pearly white smile was all I saw as I reopened my eyes. I gasped, not expecting to see Taylor lying beside me, grinning from ear to ear.

He had on a pair of faded ripped jeans with no shirt on. He had broad shoulders and a ripped stomach with the reaper tattoo marked on the right side of his chest.

“What is it with you and your girlfriend watching me sleep?”

His dark eyebrows raised in surprise at my tone of voice. I didn’t intend on raising my voice, really. It just happened.

“Feisty in the morning.”

“I’m sorry; I am not a morning person.”

“Yeah, I can tell.” He grabbed a twizzler out of its packet and bit into it.

“Do you want a bite?”

“No, it’s way too early for sweets.”

He shrugged. “More for me.”

I playfully punched him in the stomach, grinning as his body tensed and he let out a grunt. “Don’t you like have a shirt to wear?”

“Actually I have plenty of shirts to wear. I didn’t have anything on but my boxer briefs when I came in here. As it turns out, you were keeping my side of the bed warm all night. You certainly stopped my plans in getting lucky this morning. I was going to stay in just my briefs, you know make it a little uncomfortable for you for payback, but Chels made me put a pair of jeans on.”

Chelsea came out of the bathroom in nothing but her red bra and thongs.

Her hair was wet and messy from the shower.

She beamed. “Good morning, sleeping beauty.”

Taylor snorted. “More like snoring beauty.” He tapped me on the head with a twizzler before taking a bite.

I gasped. “I do not snore!”

“Well you kind of do, but we will blame it on exhaustion.” Chelsea said.

She disappeared into her walk in closet as Taylor began humming his favorite song and using the twizzler’s as drumsticks as he began tapping me up and down my arm and head.

I narrowed my eyes and jumped on top of him. He gasped in surprise as I managed to get one of the twizzler’s from his grasp and shoved it in his mouth.

“Take that, you little shit!”

Chelsea came out holding a pair of jeans and a pink tube top, coming to a stop as she took in the both of us.

She pointed her finger my way. “Hey, no straddling the boyfriend. Only I have that privilege.”

“He attacked me with twizzlers.”

She giggled and shook her head. “Oh my, the attack of the big bad twizzlers.”

Taylor grasped my waist and threw me back on the bed beside him.

“Chels, she attacked me first. It was my only defense.”

“I’m sure.”  She pulled her jeans up, leaned down, and kissed him.