The Forbidden: A Huntress Novel (The Huntress Series Book 1) (19 page)

Chapter Twenty

The dress was a little too short for my liking, it stopped just below my butt and I felt self-conscious in it. I feel as if my butt is going to be hanging out of my dress. I’m used to dresses stopping at my thighs but this dress was a little to skimpy for me. No matter how many times I tried to pull it down more, the dress wouldn’t budge. As if pulling it down meant the dress would magically grow longer. After fighting a losing battle with my dress, I focused on my face. Jeez, I do look paler than usual and I could see dark circles begin to form under my eyes. My cheeks were slightly sunken in…I have lost weight, a lot of it. Chelsea was right, I do look sick. If I knew I looked this rough I would have hidden from Lucas instead.

I took my time dabbing concealer underneath my eyes while grinning in the mirror. Lucas would get impatient with waiting soon enough. After applying black eyeliner and loads of mascara, I applied pink blush to my cheeks. Since I looked sickly pale, I desperately needed some color to my face.

Lucas knocked on the door. “What are you doing in there? I know it doesn’t take ten minutes to put on a dress.”

I smirked. I knew he would knock eventually, and It hasn’t even been that long.

I pulled out my lipstick and painted my lips in red. “I’m getting ready for our date. You shouldn’t complain I’m actually doing what you want.”

I grabbed my curling iron and began curling my long hair. Yes, this would take at least twenty minutes.

“It shouldn’t take you this long.”

“I’m a woman; of course it should take me this long. There’s so much more that I have to do then just putting on a dress, I have to apply makeup and do my hair, that way I will look presentable.”

“Can I come in? I’m getting bored out here alone.”

“I locked the door but I’m sure you’ll find a way to get in here anyway.”

“Oh sure, you can’t walk to the door and let me in.”

I giggled. “Sorry, I’m curling my hair. That takes concentration and you sir, are one big distraction.”

The knob to the door turned, the door was then yanked open and fell off of the hinges.

My mouth fell open as I stared wide eyed at Lucas who placed my door on the floor.

“You broke my door!”

“Well it’s not my fault, it’s yours.”

“You’re going to fix that.”

He narrowed his eyes. “Sure, I’ll glue it back on,” Sarcasm dripped from his voice.

I pursed my lips, picked my hairspray up and sprayed him before spraying my hair.

He jumped back coughing. “Hey!”

“You’ll live, it’s only hairspray, I promise. It’s not some secret formula my Uncle made to kill you.”

He bent over and slowly ran his hand up my leg. My breath hitched as I dropped the curling iron and grabbed onto the vanity, trying my hardest to ignore the tingles that followed his hand as he moved against my skin. What really got me was the ache in my stomach, the more I ignored my attraction to him the stronger the lust got. All it took was one touch and my body stood to attention, aware and begging for more.

I looked at his reflection in the mirror as he stood behind me. His eyes were dark with desire. He wrapped his arm around my waist and pulled my body against his.

“See, I told you I distracted you in a good way,” He whispered in my ear.

“It should be illegal to be able to affect me this way.”

He leaned in and touched my neck with his lips. I tensed, fearful that his fangs would pierce my skin. He seemed to notice my reaction because he pulled back.

His eyes locked with mine in the mirror. “I’m not going to bite you.” He kissed my cheek and backed away smiling. “Yet.”

I scowled. “That’s not funny.”

He hopped onto my vanity and rested his head on the mirror. “It wasn’t a joke.”

“I wish it was,” I mumbled.

“I think apart of you wishes you could be normal, so that you could have the one person you won’t let yourself have.”

I stopped spraying my curls and eyed him. “Can you read minds?”

He snorted. “No, I read your journal.”

I gasped. “You can’t do that, my journal is very private.”

“Hey, I had to do something out there. My entertainment locked herself in the bathroom.”

I glared at him. “That’s not an excuse for invading my privacy.”

“Hey, it was either read your journal or go find some reapers to kill. Oh and I did find some lingerie in your closet I would like to see on you.”

“Not going to happen.”

He jumped off the vanity. “One day it will.”

He grabbed my hand and kissed it. “You look beautiful as always.”

Actually, I felt like a slut in this dress, but I wouldn’t tell him that.

My cheeks warmed and a smile slipped out on my lips. “Thank you.”

“I’m so glad you decided to come on our date,” He grinned.

I pursed my lips and glanced at him from the corner of my eyes. “Yeah, after being forced,” I said dryly.

“Hey, you’re stubborn as hell, I had to take charge.”

We walked out on my balcony. The hair on my arms rose as the cool air from the night touched my skin.

“This is our only way of getting out. Are you opposed to flying?”

“I’m not afraid of heights.”

“Good.”

He scooped me up into his arms and jumped on the ledge, then flew off into the sky.

“Where are you taking me?”

“Surprise.”

“That’s it? All I get from you is a one word answer?”

“You want a hint?”

“Yeah.”   

I looked up at him and smiled as I studied his features. He had the most perfectly shaped nose I’ve ever seen, he had a little stubble on his jaw line and I really had to fight the urge to kiss every inch of his face. I bit down on my lip as I looked down at his lips remembering how soft they felt on my own. He was beautiful and perfect, even for a vampire.

He glanced down at me and the corners of his lips twitched with a smile.

I quickly looked away, embarrassed that I was just caught staring.

“It’s not a crime to stare at someone, especially if they’re hot like me.”

I don’t know why but he just now reminded me of Taylor, he would say something like that and it made me smile.

“A little conceded, don’t you think?”

He chuckled. “It was a joke.”

“Well, I’ve heard better Mr. Comedian.”

He sighed. “You really shouldn’t be a smart ass to the guy whose holding you in the air.”

I smirked. “Oh, yeah.”

He smiled mischievously. “Yep.”

I gasped as he purposely let go of me. My heart leaped into my throat as I held onto his neck for dear life, while my feet dangled below. My whole body broke out into a sweat as I squeezed my eyes closed. My sweaty palms began to slip.

“Lucas, I’m slipping!”

He grinned down at me, grabbed my arms and removed my hands from his neck. My heart slammed against my chest as my stomach twisted in knots.

“Don’t let go of me!”

He snickered. “See you on the ground.”

I kicked and screamed as I fell from the sky. The powerful wind smacked across my face as I fell farther and farther down. I gasped trying to catch a breath of air, but it was impossible the wind on my face was just too much.

My tattoo began to sting as the reaper was just seconds away from coming out, desperate to protect me from the fall. I was suddenly hit in the stomach, grunting as I took the painful blow. The wind was nothing but a breeze now and I slowly opened my eyes to find myself back in Lucas’s arms and he was placing me on the ground.

I panted as I balled my hands into fists, furious that Lucas would pull an idiotic stunt like that. Bringing my fist back, I swung at him. He caught my fist and stared at me in shock. The very moment I attempted to cause harm to him, my powers quickly faded.

“Your eyes are changing back to your actual color.”    

I folded my arms and scowled. “I can’t even defend myself against you,” I mumbled.

“Because you belong with me. I am no threat to you and the reaper in you knows this.”

I turned and stormed away, starting the journey back home. I didn’t want to be near him at all, not now that he done pissed me off again by doing one of his reckless moves.

“Where are you going?”

“Away from you.”

He grabbed my arm and spun me around. “I’m sorry.”

“I hear that a lot from you.”

“Athena, I was only messing around. I wasn’t going to let you die.”

“I could have.”

“Not with me here to catch you.”

He grabbed my hand. “Look.”  He pointed straight ahead where a waterfall stood before me. I was so wrapped up in scolding Lucas that I didn’t even hear the sound of water stammering into the river.

“This isn’t the surprise.” He said.

“Oh.” I was a little disappointed. Spending our date by the waterfall would have been nice.

He grabbed my hand and took me closer to the waterfall as we carefully stepped on the nearby rocks.

“What are you doing?”

“I’m taking you to my world.”

My eyes widened as I yanked my hand from his. “What!” I said in a panic.

“Look.” He put his hand in the water and I watched as it disappeared.

So this is where the portal to their world is.

I stood from my rock and backed away. “I-I can’t.”

“No, it’s okay. They know you are coming, they won’t hurt you.”

I shook my head. “I don’t know about this.”

He held his hand out to me. “Trust me.”

I knew I could trust him, but I wasn’t sure about the others. They know who I am and what I do. I’m most certain Lucas won’t be able to fight off all of them, so I’m most certain that the ending result would consist of me dying.

“Athena, I need you to see for yourself who we are and experience our world. Just give me this one chance.”

I clenched my fists together and chewed on my bottom lip as I debated whether or not to go along. Just one chance to show me…no matter how afraid I was, I wanted him to have that chance. If I left him without experiencing his world for myself then I would always wonder what I could’ve had if I had only went with him.

“Promise me one thing?”

His brows pulled together as he nodded. “Anything.”

“If I die, bury me under the most beautiful tree there is.”

He rolled his eyes. “You’re not going to die, but I promise to bury you under the most beautiful tree in my world and plant your favorite flowers around you.”

He doesn’t even know what favorite flowers are.

I smiled. “You don’t know my favorite flowers.”

“Well, if you wouldn’t push me away so damn much then maybe I would know a lot of things about you.”

I stood on my toes and kissed his cheeks. As my lips touched his cold skin I could feel the electricity we shared warm my body.

“I really love Tulips.”

“Tulips it is then. Would you like to go first?”

I narrowed my eyes. “Considering I’m hesitant to step foot in your world that’s the most stupid question you’ve asked yet.”

He smirked and looked up at the sky. “I can always pull the stunt from earlier.”

He grinned as he looked down at me. “And I thought you weren’t afraid of heights.”

“Well I’m sure anyone in my position would’ve panicked also if they were falling from the damn sky.”

“As much as I’m beginning to love your smart mouth, I love making you pay for it also.”

I folded my arms and placed my hands on my hips. “I have a feeling that if I do wind up being bound to you, I’ll be tortured with your little games for the rest of my life.”

A mischievous grinned played on his lips. “That’s the joy of being with me.”

“Lucky me,” I said dryly.

His brows furrowed as he adopted a more serious face. “Athena, I want you to do something for me. I need you to decide what you want by the end of the date because I will not keep fighting to be with you. It hurts when I give you all of me and I barely get anything in return. If it’s a no, then you will never see me again. I want you to be happy so make your decision on what your heart desires most.”

He turned his attention to the waterfall and with one last look at me, he went under the water and disappeared.

As I stood on the rock trying to rack up the nerve to join Lucas, I couldn’t help but think that this was my last chance to turn away. I could go home and forget all about the waterfall that just so happens to be a portal to the dark side. Then I see Lucas’s face and my heart refuses to let me turn away.

Taking a deep breath in, I closed my eyes and stepped underneath the water. I didn’t feel any cold water running down my face and body, drenching my clothes, instead, it felt like Jell-O on my skin. I gasped as my reaper tattooed on my back began to sting, but the stinging didn’t stop there, it spread throughout my body warning me that I was stepping into the enemies territory. I breathed a sigh of relief as my body went numb.