Well shit. I was not expecting all that. The Hunter just verbally spilled his guts and essentially bared his soul in one sitting. And of all the reasons he could be on the run, I hadn’t considered that he killed someone that high up in his guild, least of all his mother.
But he did it for a good reason. He did it to protect his sister. As someone with a sibling, there isn’t anything I wouldn’t do for Mariana. I would kill thousands if it saved Mariana. And I’d be more than happy to start with killing our father. His death has been a long time coming.
My emotions got the better of me. I empathize and sympathize with The Hunter. I know how it feels to have to face family, fight a parent, to save someone you love. That’s the only explanation for why I sat beside him and squeezed his hand.
He at least won. He saved his sister. I lost the one I was supposed to protect. I was too weak back then, too powerless to stop my father. But I’m not weak anymore. I’m finally strong enough that I can kill him. I can’t and won’t fail this time. I will have my vengeance.
“I take it you are speaking from experience.” The Hunter sighed, turning his hand in mine to squeeze back.
It was strange to have someone hold my hand. I’ve never been the hand-holding type. Thinking back, the last hand I held was his, in that one blissful moment we shared before my father snatched his life away. Before that monster left me broken, defeated, and worse immortal.
And while I’ve had lovers over the decades, I don’t think I ever held their hands. And even if I did, it wouldn’t be like this. My lovers had been vampires or, in the rare case, humans that I turned into vampires, so their hands were as cold as mine. Yet here I am, letting this human, this Hunter hold my cold hand in his warm one.
“Yes, I speak from experience.” I confirmed, watching our hands as this thumb absently stroked my hand.
“Aww, you two are just adorable together. And while I don’t mind being a voyeur and seeing where all this goes. Khalid did fulfill his part of things. He told you why he’s being hunted and by who. It sounds like it’s your turn, Dani. Come share with us. This is a safe place.” Diana smirked as I became acutely aware of her sitting on my coffee table in a lotus pose.
“Jesus fucking Christ!” I exclaimed quickly, taking my hand away while glaring at her. She had to go and make it all weird and put a spotlight on me. “You are seriously the weirdest and creepiest person I’ve ever met. You know that, right?” I rolled my eyes.
“As uncomfortable as her methods are. She makes a point. I told you my story. So, it’s your turn in this game of show and tell.” Khalid, no The Hunter shrugged, leaning back, schooling his facial expression as he stretched an arm across the back of the sofa.
I don’t care what his sob story is. I’m not going to use his name even in my head. I have to keep that in mind. I don’t want to slip again. It’s a slippery slope, and I don’t need any distractions. There cannot be any distractions this time. This time I will succeed and have my justice at long last.
“Fine!” I threw my hands in the air in defeat. “A deal is a deal. You gave your story, so it’s only fair. The clan wants to turn me into their Ductus because I’m here to kill him.”
“I guess that makes sense. Though why do you want to kill the Ductus? Looking to become Ductus in his place? Sent by another clan’s Ductus? A price on his head? Or is this a personal situation?” Kh…The Hunter questioned.
“I don’t want to be a Ductus, certainly not of this clan. No offense Diana, but this clan can burn in hell.” I scoffed. “And while I’m sure many would pay a hefty sum for his head, this is personal.” I explained.
He was pensive for a few silent moments before nodding as he came to some conclusion. “I see. So, he’s the monster you couldn’t stop in the past.” He concluded. “Who did he kill?” He cocked his head as he turned to question me.
“The most important person in my life.” I answered, being vague. He doesn’t need to know the details. I will not share such private information with anyone, least of all this Hunter. Diana only knows about Agustín because of her gifts. If not for that, she’d never know as only my sister and our bastard father knows about Agustín.
I could see Diana giving me the pleading, puppy eyes. She wants me to open up further—no way in hell. I’m not telling him about Agustín. He doesn’t need to know it was my infant son that my father killed. He also doesn’t need to know it’s my biological father that I’m here to kill.
“Okay. So, a personal vendetta to avenge the loss of someone close to you. I can understand that. And you came alone? You plan to cut through the largest vampire clan in Mexico to kill their leader solo? Do you have anyone other than Diana to back you?” He questioned, furrowing his brow.
“I can reach him easily enough. He’ll let me walk right in. He wants me in his clan, at his side, and I refuse. And he’s too full of himself to consider that someone could harm him. He doesn’t see me as the threat I am.” I scoffed.
“Right. Whatever helps you sleep at night, Daniela. Don’t forget, if I weren’t around, those guys would have done worse than bring you to their leader. And something tells me you wouldn’t be amenable to a gang bang.” He pointed out.
I narrowed my eyes before slapping across his face, sending him tumbling off the sofa into the coffee table. Diana winced on behalf as his head hit the edge. I could care fucking less. To think I’d felt empathy for this bastard.
“You can get the fuck out of my house. Don’t ever assume I am some helpless damsel in need of saving. I am a vampire, a highly skilled one at that. A minute longer, and I’d have had them all dead.” I hissed, jumping to my feet.
The Hunter groaned on the floor, holding his head as the scent of blood drifted into the air. It’s a good thing I recently ate because his blood reminds me of the smell of my madre’s Sopaipilla, something I haven’t been able to enjoy since she died, and I was turned.
I tempted fate to glance at him just in time to see him take his hand away from his head to see it was a minor cut with a bit of blood. But I still wanted a taste, even if it was only a little. Usually, I’m in complete control of my hunger. But instead of walking away, I turned and bent down, licking the blood from his brow.
He froze, heart racing. Good, it’s about time he realized he’s in a house of vampires. He needs to learn that being a hunter doesn’t change his designation as food. Just as humans keep cattle, chickens, pigs, and all sorts of animals as livestock, vampires keep humans for the same reason.
“Diana… you can deal with your new pet. I’m going to shower and lay down as the sun will rise soon.” I instructed, standing. “And, Hunter, stay out of my way, or you’re my next meal.” I warned him as I stepped over him, heading to my bedroom.
I can’t believe I did that. What in the name of Caine was I thinking!? I LICKED his blood! Shit, I can still taste it on my tongue. Of course, he’d be delicious. Fucking asshole.
I surprised myself with how calmly I walked away and shut my bedroom door. I wanted to slam it. But I felt that I’d break something if I exerted any strength. And I do not wish to have a broken door. It’s my one guarantee of privacy since Diana volunteered my home as a safe house for him.
Let her deal with him. I plan on limiting all my interactions with him going forward. Obviously, being around him pushes my buttons, and I lose my usual control. I cannot have that happen. I must completely control my emotions if I’m going to kill Toño. I need to be distraction-free.
I stripped as I went to the bathroom, carrying my clothes in my arms and tossing them into the hamper just inside the bathroom. If I get into the shower quickly enough, I won’t have to deal with Diana coming in here wanting to discuss what just happened. I don’t want to recap the events in the living room. And I don’t want her to convince me to apologize; he doesn’t deserve one.
I sighed as I stepped under the scalding spray of the shower. I closed my eyes as I leaned my forehead against the shower wall. I tried to clear my mind, but The Hunter was still there, probably because his blood was still dancing on my tongue.
He needs to get out of my head and, better yet, out of my house. I knew he’d be a distraction, and he’s living up to my prediction.
What the HELL just happened?! We were having a rather serious conversation. I was trying to express the level of insanity to Daniela’s plan to take on the Ductus of the Sonora clan, and okay, so I might have crossed a line. I was crass by bringing up what those assholes intended to do to her.So I’ll accept I earned that bitch slap. I tend to open my mouth and insert my foot. Being her nephew is the only reason Auntie Sarael didn’t do the same when I was in Oregon. And the only reason her Beta mate John didn’t hospitalize me.I should have seen the hit coming. I wouldn’t have hit my head on the coffee table if I had. And if I hadn’t hit my head, I wouldn’t have found myself on the floor bleeding with two vampires looking at m
If I wasn’t so drained from using my abilities earlier, I don’t think I’d have slept a wink. Having the scent of a human in my house would be mildly annoying on any given day. But now that I’ve tasted his blood, it’s got me on edge knowing he’s just beyond that door. It took a lot of self-control to remain in my bed. It seemed to be working for a while but then that blasted alarm started going off, and he was sleeping through it. What is the point of setting the alarm if you sleep through it? I grumbled, throwing a robe on to force him awake. Maybe waking him up was well timed. He was twitching on the sofa; I don’t think it was good whatever he was dreaming about. He was shaken when he woke up. I could have and should have mocked him and continued to build that wall between us. But I didn’t. I couldn’t bring myself to do more than scold The Hunter for looking at my legs. I don’t know what his nightmare was about, but given the story he told us, I can imagine several options. The mos
Where am I? What’s going on? Why can’t I feel… well, anything? I mean, I kind of feel my body, but it’s somewhat fuzzy. It’s very surreal. Like the voices that sound like either they are, I am underwater. I’m so disoriented I can’t make out what is being said. I can at best tell they are speaking Spanish, so I’m still in Mexico and not dead. It took so much effort to get my eyes to open even a sliver. There weren’t any harsh lights, and while I could hear the beeping of machines, nothing smelled like sanitizer, so I was not in a hospital. Or at least not in a reputable one. Based on the pillows and generic comforter I can see, I’m on a bed. So I’m also not a hostage of the vampires or Guild. So I’m back to asking where I am and what the FUCK is going on. The last thing I remember is the central beam of Daniela’s place falling, separating us as the house burned. Did she leave me, or did she save me? Is she okay? Did they capture her while I was out? I do not need another failure unde
Do you know how agonizingly dull it is to be stuck in a motel room for a week? Now I’m supposed to remain in this room for another fucking week?! And now I won’t have the distraction of Diana and the doctor? Seven days alone with Khalid Adio, this is not going to be fun. It was easier to be cooped up in this room with Diana and the doctor as distractions. But now it’s just us. And he will be dependent on me, to a degree, as he continues his recovery. If I had acted faster, maybe told him about the escape path, things would have been different. I’ve got nearly eighty years’ worth of shoulda, woulda, coulda on my shoulders. At least Khalid is alive. So, I don’t have his death weighing on me too. Have enough blood and innocent lives on my hands. Granted, I probably shouldn’t consider Khalid innocent. His hands have plenty of blood on them just from being a hunter. “I would rather handle killing him alone. It is personal, and no offense, but I don’t include you in people that get to kno
Yeah, that just won for the most embarrassing moment of my life. Daniela not only helped me into the bathroom but to undress and walked out with that comment that a vibrator could outperform my dick. Yeah, this was the most embarrassing moment of my short eighteen years. The worst part is I have no clue how old she is, so there is a high probability she’s seen bigger dicks. Yeah, that’s an excellent thought to be left with as I sit on a shower bench, unable to stand on my own, washing a weeks’ worth of filth off. Yes, I just admitted I hadn’t washed since before I killed my mother. Even if you count that gas station where I changed my clothes and scrubbed blood off me with wet paper towels as washing, it’s still been since her death. And now I’m in a proper shower to wash, but I must be extra careful and use lukewarm water to avoid more damage to my burned back. Won’t feel comfortable taking my shirt off in public for a while. I’m going to have a scar for the rest of my life. I have
He is infuriating! I didn’t want him in my house in the first place. I told Diana it was a bad idea. I said he would be a distraction. But she was adamant I would need him for my revenge. I do not see how that is in the cards. His face is plastered all over the news, increasing the target on our backs. And as if all that wasn’t enough, he’s injured, and I have to help him get around. I can’t successfully escape my father, infiltrate his operations, and kill him while babysitting this hunter. I don’t care how hot he is! I can’t afford distractions, no matter their attractive package. At least he was quiet on the walk through the tunnels and for most of the drive to Los Mochis. I say most because he opened that mouth of his about halfway there. “Does anyone else know about your safe house in Los Mochis?” Khalid broke the peaceful silence. I shouldn’t have been so irritated that he spoke. It was a reasonable question, given why we had to flee the last two safe spaces. Yet I still can’
I was brought to Daniela to protect her. And beyond our first encounter, I haven’t done that. I’ve been out of commission for a week, and while I should rest and continue to recover, I don’t think I can. I hate feeling useless. Especially as I feel like an ass sleeping in her bed when she’s on the sofa. I don’t want my injury to mean I’m treated with kid gloves. I tried resting for a while. I was exhausted from the long walk through the tunnel, and the burns on my back were sore from the car ride here. So, I did end up falling asleep, even if laying on my stomach is not how I prefer to sleep. I was somewhat surprised that it was nearly noon when I woke up because I was hungry. With some effort, I managed to get out of bed. At least I can stand and walk on my own, so that’s a good thing. As hot as the nurse fantasy may sound, and Daniela would look good in a nurse uniform, I don’t want to depend on her. I need to stand, literally and metaphorically, on my own two feet. I tried to qui
kay, so he gets points for having more skill than I would give a hunter credit. I always figured hunters used whatever bits of magic they picked up to hunt us down and find new inventive ways to kill us. Though I suppose being able to disguise themselves as well as Khalid’s Clark Kent glasses would help them better infiltrate and make stealth kills if their target could recognize them. But points aside for creativity, I’m still not sold on this. Khalid better not use those often or behave in any way that would make him stand out in a crowd. It may be daytime, but that doesn’t mean the dangers of we who stay cling to the night aren’t out there. Plenty of humans eagerly act as minions for a vampire in hopes of being turned. I’m not a heavy sleeper. I have never been. Even when I was still human, the slightest noise could wake me. Which was an issue when I was turned, and my senses were heightened. Of course, in my sixty years as a vampire, I’ve learned to control it so I can rest witho