Opening the curtains to the day, I see Nathan is in the garden watering the plants. Probably sounds stupid but I kind of miss him. I hate not being around him. I feel like a part of me is missing when I’m not with him.
Going downstairs, I don’t bother with breakfast. Instead I go straight outside to see him. He turns, lowering the hose, puts the clip down, halting the water. He smiles at me. It melts me to the ground.
“Hey,” he murmurs. “You enjoy your lie in?”
He holds his arm out for me and I move into his embrace. I reach up on my tiptoes and kiss him.
His deliciousness warms right through me. “It was okay. Would have been better if you’d been there.”
“Work to be done,” he says.
“You need a hand?” I offer.
“Sure.” He smiles. “Go have your feed and I’ll find a job for you.” A wink.
“Okay,” I sigh, mock-drama, and reluctantly move out of his hold.
As I turn, I hear before I see, Craig in the tractor at the far side of the field, driving along singing to himself. He’s a funny guy. I like him a lot. Then I see Jack and Scarlett coming out of the woods, heading in the direction of the barn. She must have gone with him to visit with Sol. I’ll go later. I’m sure Nathan will be ready to visit again.
We went a few days ago to visit Sol’s grave. It was hard for Nathan. It was hard for me to see him so broken up. But this time he let me be there for him. He didn’t cry. I could tell he was holding back, but we talked about Sol for a long time.
I tried to make him see that Sol’s death was not his fault. Just like Carrie’s wasn’t mine. He said he could see that Sol’s death wasn’t his fault. I know he was lying to me, telling me what he thought he should be saying. Nathan will always blame himself. Like a small part of me with always blame myself for Carrie. Even though I know events are out of our control, the rational side doesn’t connect with the guilty side.
Just these last few days I’m already seeing the heavy burden of Nathan’s guilt lifting just a tad, allowing him to finally grieve for Sol, and he’s slowly finding a way to cope with it.
I’m just walking back through the garden toward the house when I feel the squirt of water on my back, soaking through my T-shirt.
I spin around to Nathan, who is wearing a big playful mischievous look on his face. He raises the hose again, aiming it straight for me.
“You bloody better not!” I warn, putting a hand to the damp patch on my back.
His eyes are alight with a wicked glint. “Call it long overdue payback for the time you soaked me at the lake.”
I put my hand up protectively. “I never soaked you! I just wet you a little.”
Mischief sparkles in his eyes.
Aim … fire…
“Arghh! You shit!” I screech as he squirts me again, this time drenching me. “I’m bloody soaked!”
Right, now it’s game on. And with nothing to lose, I run at him – my sole aim to get that hose off him and give him a good soaking.
He moves quickly, laughing, dodging me at each turn, but I finally catch him from behind and try to wrestle the hose from him, but he’s not letting go, squirting it under at me, soaking me through. I manage to grab a hold of the hose in his hand and twist it around and spray it up in his face, soaking him.
Laughing, breathless, and both ending up drenched, we flop down on the grass side by side. My breaths are coming in fast and heavy, and it’s not because I’m worn out – it’s because I am exhilarated. And happy. So very happy.
I turn my head to the side to look at him. He stares back at me. I can read Nathan’s eyes like they are his thoughts. He’s so clear for me to see. And then I desperately, urgently, want him to kiss me. He rolls on top of me, taking my face in his hands and kisses me, deeply, passionately. I kiss him back with fervour. We stay like that for a long time.
“I’m soaked,” I grumble, pouting, as I start to become aware of the dampness all around me.
“You look beautiful,” he says. “But we should really get you out of these wet clothes.” He tugs at my soppy T-shirt, which is clinging to my skin like a second skin. “I don’t want you to catch cold.”
“Hmm, no we wouldn’t want that, would we?”
“Well if you get sick, I won’t be able to do this.” He leans down to my neck and ever so gently licks a running drop of water off my skin. Every particle of me is sent into frenzy from that one single action.
“No. We definitely don’t want you to stop doing that.” I turn my face to his, “I love you.”
Pressing a gentle kiss to my lips, he whispers, “I love you too.”
Lifting off me, he gets up and pulls me to me feet. I look up at him, feeling all shades of pink ridiculous happiness. A movie kind of happiness. The kind of happiness that not so long ago I didn't think I deserved, let alone would ever have the chance to feel. And I feel it, right now, because of him.
He might be hard work at times. Rough and damaged. Harsh and callous. He has demons. So do I. Mine are quite possibly worse. I have the potential to be a killer. One drop of pure human blood past my lips, and I know I’ll be changed for good. For the worst. There’s kind of no topping that.
He is so gentle and tender with me. So utterly sweet and loving. And boy is he good in bed. Really good. Am I grinning? Yes. Damn bloody right I am.
He’s mine and I am his. And nothing else will ever come between us again. I wrap my arms around his soggy waist, resting my head against his chest and holding him tight. He puts strong arms around me and presses his lips to my wet hair.
And then it’s this exact moment that I know, all those words, all this happiness is lost. For now at least. Or maybe forever.
They are here. And there is not another second to think.
I break away from Nathan wide eyed. He looks back at me equally taken by surprise. Then we are both moving into action.
Is that all these guys ever do – surprise attacks? I guess so because I’d sense them, well, if I was listening out for them.
Silver, I need silver.
Thinking fast, I run for the house, I manage to dodge a vampire coming straight for me, striking him with an elbow jab to his ribs, temporarily winding him.
Nathan is yelling my name, telling me to run, but I’m not running away. I just need to get in the house and get a gun. There’s one in every room. Nathan made sure of that since I came back. Ever the cautious. I guess we just didn’t plan for an outside attack. Not an attack at all really. How do these fuckers keep finding me?
Focus Alex.
I fly into the house, yanking open the kitchen drawer, I pull the gun out, safety off, and I fire straight for the bastard who is still hot on my tail. I hit him in the chest, but not the heart, so as he advances quickly, I hold my breath, aim, and fire. He dusts before my eyes.
I grab the pack of silver bullets out the drawer, ram them in my pocket, grabbing one of Jack’s large sharp silver cooking knives. I head for the back door.
I’m grabbed from behind. Spinning, I’m just about to drive the knife into the heart of my attacker when his voice comes in my ear.
“Bunny.”
“Zeff?!” I spin around, wild and wide eyed.
Surprising to me, I actually feel an overwhelming rush of affection for him, and I also kind of want to punch him too. But knowing he is here gives me a huge sense of relief. He’s an Original. A one man ninja bad ass kicking band. Or something less dorky sounding. I’ve seen him in action. He fears nothing.
“I need to get you out of here.”
He grabs my arm and tries to tug me toward him.
“NO!” I yell, yanking my arm free. “I’M NOT LEAVING THEM OUT THERE!”
Is he fucking insane.
I’m moving quickly toward the open back door. Then Zeff is in front of me. For a second I think he’s trying to block my path, then I realise he’s protecting me.
Another vampire appears through the doorway in an instant, this one armed with a g
un. But he’s not expecting Zeff, and Zeff drives a silver blade which appeared from out of nowhere straight into his heart, dusting him. Does he keep them up his sleeve or something?
He glances at the gun on the floor. Picking it up, he says, “Tranquilliser gun. They came prepared.”
Not caring about the gun, just needing to get to Nathan, and knowing there’s no more vampires lurking outside the house, I push past Zeff, searching for Nathan.
I see him. He’s fighting two vampires. My heart thuds with a dull thump, down into my feet.
I see him throw one off him, and then with one hard swing Nathan knocks the other one off his feet.
That’s it baby, kick his arse!
I start to run toward him, shoving the knife into my back pocket as I move. I raise the gun. My aim is going to be shit while running, but I have to do something. Nathan might be holding his own, but he’s unarmed. And both of them are already back and up on their feet.
For a split second, I catch Nathan’s eye as he turns in my direction. A silent communication passes between us. A second later he drops to the floor and I start to fire at the vampires. Bullets hit them – arms, legs, shoulder.
I’m all over the place, because I’m still moving. Then my gun clicks empty. And they’re still standing. And not looking pleased at all by the fact I just emptied my clip into them.
I’m not going to have enough time to reload before they come for me. I am, after all the one they’re here for. I pull the knife out of my back pocket, readying myself.
As they make a move to come for me, Nathan jumps one of them, taking him down to the floor. Then I see Zeff blur past me. The first one is dusted in less than a few seconds. Nathan’s knelt on one pounding his face in.
I stare as Nathan's pushed backwards and Zeff moves in, allowing him the space he needs to drive his knife into the vampire's heart.
As he turns to dust beneath Nathan, he sags to the floor.
I run to him, sitting at his side. Putting my gun and knife down, I roll him onto his back.
That when I see the blood, oozing out of his left side.
“Oh God!” I say, instantly panicked, my hands on him. “Did I shoot you?!”
“No,” he groans. “One of the vamps got me. Sliced me with his fucking blade.”
My insides freeze. “Silver?!”
He can tell from my tone what my worry is.
“Silver doesn’t hurt me like it does you. Don’t worry baby, I’m fine. I’m cut but it’s nothing that won’t heal.”
Putting a hand to his ribcage, he starts to sit himself up. I take his arm, helping him.
I look at the blood seeping out of his side from in-between his fingers, and my natural instinct takes over. I feel that familiar pang in my mouth. I stop it from happening.
That’s how disgusting I am.
The love of my life is cut and bleeding and my natural reaction is to want to feed. I hate myself in this moment.
Nathan gets to his knees, then his feet. Zeff is just stood here to the side of us, eyes on me and Nathan.
I’m trying to pretend he’s not here. Nathan isn’t. He turns to face him.
“You’re the Original?”
“Zeff,” he nods.
Nathan turns to me. Apparently that’s the extent of their conversation. Can’t say I’m not relieved.
“There’s more of them. I saw two of them make for the barn where dad and Scarlett were.”
His hand is still gripping his side. He’s in obvious pain, though he’ll never admit just how much. I’m worried over how deep that cut goes.
“Where’s Craig?” I ask, in the same instance as I reach my senses out. But Zeff speaks before I even get a read.
“There’s a human, a werewolf, and a shifter, in the barn over there. No vampires.”
The relief I feel is astronomical.
“We should get to them,” I say with urgency.
Much to his protest, I put Nathan’s arm around my shoulder, giving him some support. Then me, Nathan, and Zeff, make our way to the barn. Now there’s a sentence I never thought I’d say.
Jack, Craig, and Scarlett, walk out of the barn, meeting us on the track.
Craig looks pretty beat up. Jack’s bleeding from the nose. Scarlett looks unharmed, but terrified. Making sure Nathan can stand on his own, I go straight over to Scarlett.
“Are you okay?” I ask her, putting my arm around her shoulders, pulling her close.
She’s shivering with fear.
“Um … yeah … I think so…” she says quietly.
This is all my bloody fault. I’m so fucking stupid. Of course they would find me here. I’ve almost just let happen again the very reason I left the last time. One of them could have died.
What, I thought Zeff finding me made it okay for me to come back here? In what fucking warped world do I live? I’m so unbelievably selfish. I just can’t see past my own love for Nathan at times.
I glance at Zeff. He’s standing back. His eyes on me.
He knew this would happen. He warned me. And I didn’t listen.
“Thank you,” I say with sincerity. If he hadn’t have been here who knows what would have happened.
He nods, eyes still scribed to mine.
I guess the question is, what was he doing here? Actually, no. I think I already know the answer to that.
“How did you know they were coming?”
“I was nearby.”
“Oh,” I say. His face tells me the rest. I was right in my thinking. He’s been here the whole time.
I don’t know whether to be freaked out or grateful. Both, I think. I can feel Nathan’s unease and anger emanating from my left, but I can’t look at him. Not yet.
Eyes still set on me, Zeff says, “You need to get out of here, and soon. More will be coming for you. A bounty has gone on your head.”
A chill slivers through me. I can feel Nathan’s stare on me, but I daren’t look at him. Not yet anyway.
“A bounty?” my mouth barely forms the words.
“After we killed those vampires … well, let’s put it this way – Elijah doesn’t know I was here - so his assumption is you have help or you took them out alone, either one will scare the hell out of him. He doesn’t do scared, or losing, so basically he’s taking no chances now when it comes to you. He wants you dead. And he’s paying big.”
I slide my arm from around Scarlett and wrap them around myself. I feel like it’s only me and Zeff here right now. How does he do that?
“Every supernatural being you wouldn’t want coming after you, now is,” Zeff continues. “Which means Isaiah will also pick up pace to find you before anyone else does. It didn’t take those ones long to find you. It won’t take the others.”
“Why is it always the bloody vampires that find me?!”I cry at Zeff. Not that I want any of them to find me.
“Because they’re excellent trackers. Vârcolac’s are blood driven, lazy, and mostly stupid. Out for themselves and what they can get. There is no loyalty in my off-breeds.”
“Wow. You must be so proud,” I say, snarky.
He gives me a look. I feel a pang, and realise I’ve actually missed those looks of his. I don’t like the feeling one little bit.
“Not really.” He shakes his head, dragging my eyes in movement with his. “For me they could all be eradicated. I don’t care for any of it – I told you.”
I slide a glance in Nathan’s direction. He’s still holding his wound. I meet his eyes. There’s no real connection in our gaze. I want him to come over to me, to put his arms around me, but he doesn’t. I don’t think I want to know why not.
“Vampires are dangerous because they’re smart and loyal to their makers requests. If they are on a hunt, tracking a mark, that’s all that counts to them, and they will find it without a doubt. You need to leave here, yes, and you can keep running, but running will only be effective if they have no read on you. No way to track you.”
I almost know what’s coming.<
br />
“There is something we could try to keep you hidden.” Pause. “I could spell you. I’ve never done it to another before, but it’s worth a try.”
“What’s the catch?” I ask.
He stares at me for a long moment. Almost as if he’s forgetting there are others here. I know I keep forgetting there are.
What is that all about? Is he somehow doing that to me with his magic?
I start to feel uncomfortable under his heavy stare, and I’m about to look away when he says, “You have to stay with the power source.”
Nathan strides over to me, putting a protective arm around my shoulders. Fingers gripping a tight hold of me, staring a hard look at Zeff, he says, “You? No way is Alex leaving here with you.”
I look up at Nathan. I see it all in his eyes.
“Promise me something?” he said
“Anything.”
“You’ll never leave me.”
“I promise.”
“Say it.”
“I’ll never leave you.”
I promised him. I can’t break that promise.
I drag my eyes from Nathan, back to Zeff. “You want to help me. Okay, that’s great. Thank you. But if you spell me and I go with you–”
“Alex–” Nathan butts in.
“Nathan has to come too. You want to help me like you say you do, he comes too. If not, thank you for your offer, but we’ll take our chances alone.” I emphasise the we’ll to let Zeff know that’s how I see things. It’s not just me anymore. It’s me and Nathan.