The Forbidden: A Huntress Novel (The Huntress Series Book 1) (7 page)

“Come on Bram, give in. Say mercy, damn it!”  I could hear the determination ooze out of her voice.

Pain…more pain ripped through my back making it throb. I couldn’t take it any longer…I just had to give in. Only would I, Athena Megan Bram, ever let myself give into one person and that person was Chelsea.

“Mercy, mercy!” I said it repeatedly until she finally released me.    

I let out a sigh of relief as I rested my head on the floor while Chelsea collapsed beside me.

“That was fun!”  She beamed.

I rolled on my back groaning from my stiff back. “You are massaging my back and neck. We will see how fun that task is.”

“You hurt my ankle and the damn thing is still throbbing.”

“Hey, you wanted a fight and you got one,” I grinned.

She rolled on her side facing me and wiped the sweat from her forehead.

“See, I knew it would help you.”

I let out a sigh. “Okay, battling with you certainly was therapeutic. I feel so much better…for now. Thank you.”

She brought my hand up to her lips and gave it a peck. “Don’t thank me, I am your best friend. I am just doing my job.”

She stood on her feet and helped me up. “Come on, let’s go get something to eat. I am starving after that workout.”

“You are starving and I am in need of a hot bath.”

I felt lighter, like the weight of the world that was once holding me down and drowning me in my gloominess was lifted off of me. I felt as if I could finally swim to the surface for a breath of fresh air. The sorrow was still there, but it was bearable because at this moment I was high in my spirits and I knew what I had to do now.

I am grateful for Chelsea, she knows me better than I know myself and knows exactly what I need when faced with a difficult situation. My best friend is the one person I lean on when my world comes crashing down before my eyes.

Chapter Eight

I stood in the middle of my walk in closet gazing at all of my clothes and shoes that surrounded me. I was supposed to meet Lucas in an hour and I had no clue what to wear. The fact that I wanted to look good for him bothered me to no end. I can no longer deny the attraction I have for him. With each passing day, it gets harder and harder to try not to think about him. I am aware that I am going against everything a huntress stands for and If I had a choice I would try to forget about him…but unfortunately my heart is in control and is now making all of the decisions I normally wouldn’t dare make. No matter how much my mind refuses, I am still pushed to do it anyway. I’m stuck between my heart wanting Lucas and my mind that is begging me to stick with the reaper ways.

I folded my arms and exhaled in exasperation. Deciding what to wear has left me frustrated and I am actually having second thoughts about meeting him.

“Have a hot date tonight?”

I jumped and scowled at Chelsea whose smiling face peaked in behind the door.

“You always scare me.”

She giggled and came walking in and began looking through my clothes.

“Well you must wear a nice dress or a skirt.”

“It’s not a date.”

She turned to face me just beaming away. “So you are going out with a guy.”

I took my black dress from her grasp. “Uh no, I’m not going out with anyone.”

Her brows raised as she folded her arms and tapped her black wedge on the carpet. “Bram, you wouldn’t be staring at your clothes for twenty minutes if you had no intentions of impressing anyone.”

I narrowed my eyes. “You were spying on me for twenty minutes?”

She waved her hand and shook her head. “That’s not the point. You’re being very sneaky with me. I should know about this secret guy and secret date, but you know what I get, I get nothing.”

I stepped back taking in her attire. She had on a flowing knee length purple dress with a black silk belt wrapping around her waist.

“And where are you off to?”

She smirked. “Changing the subject are we? Well, unlike you, I have no problem telling you where I’m going. Taylor and I are having dinner with his mom and step-father.”

Taylor is originally from California and was raised by very wealthy parents.

When his parents divorced five years ago, his father gave his mom the mansion and moved here to Colorado. A few months later Taylor joined his father in Colorado when his mom decided to run off and travel Europe with the guy she cheated on his dad with. That same guy is now married to his mom and is now his step-father. Taylor isn’t that fond of his step-dad, but he tolerates him for his mother. He only sees his mom three times a year when she comes here for dinner to catch up. He does have a younger sister who was shipped off to boarding school for getting into trouble and he barely even talks to her anymore. The only people he really had now is his father and Chelsea. Taylor met Chelsea when he was sixteen, a few months after moving here. She befriended him and trusted him enough to let him in on our little secret. So he became a reaper and after that, he got Chelsea.

“They finally came to visit.”

Chelsea rolled her eyes and started the search for my outfit tonight. “Well I am the one who has to deal with his moodiness when they show up. He’s been snapping at me all day.”

“His frustrations aren’t directed at you, it’s his mom he has problems with.”

“I know,” She breathed.

“Oh, and no dresses or skirts, it is not a date.”

“Whatever you say.”

She threw a red strapless sweetheart neckline shirt at me, followed by black skinny jeans. I glanced down at my C- cup sized breasts remembering that I had lost the only strapless bra I owned and forgot to buy a new one. A bra with straps won’t really look that great with this kind of shirt, especially if I have to do without one.

“I can’t wear this shirt.”

“You only wore it once. What’s wrong with it. It actually fits the occasion, you say it’s definitely not a date so I picked out an outfit that is casual but a little sexy at the same time.”

“I don’t have the right bra for this kind of shirt.”

She folded her arms and smirked.   “And why don’t you? I know you bought a strapless bra because I was there at the store when you purchased it.”

Heat warmed my face as I bit down on my lip. I really didn’t want to explain to her how my bra got lost.

She narrowed her eyes and pointed her finger my way. “Why are your cheeks red? What exactly happened to your bra?” She gasped. “It has something to do with sex and I know it does because you wouldn’t get all flustered and uncomfortable if it wasn’t.”

I stomped my foot on the floor. “Isaac and I were in the woods-”

She gasped. “You had sex outside?!”

“I lost my virginity outside. It was dark in the woods so no one saw. Anyway I couldn’t find my bra after that.”

She giggled. “I can’t believe this. How come you never told me about your first time?”

“You never asked and you never told me about your first time with whoever it was with.”

She scowled. “You make it sound like I am a slut.”

“Oh no, I wasn’t calling you a slut. I know before Taylor came along you were in two previous relationships.”

“Well I was seventeen when I lost my virginity and it was with Taylor. He was the only guy I actually fell in love with. He took me to his father’s cabin where we had dinner and he gave me flowers…it was really nice.”

“Oh, well when you tell me about your first time it makes mine seem so-”

“Athena, there is nothing romantic about having sex in the woods. Your first time seemed like it was a spur of the moment thing,” She cut in.

I shrugged. “Well it kind of was. We had just finished hunting and he told me that he loved me. He kissed me and it went a little too far after that—too far for my liking, but that was my fault because I could’ve stopped him and I didn’t.”     

I shook my head. “I felt guilty because I didn’t love him and I felt pressured into feeling the same way so I let it happen.”  

“Well one day you will find someone who you fall head over heels in love with.”

I smiled. “I hope so.”

She had no idea that I was falling for Lucas. He was irresistible, but I could never tell Chelsea this, best friend or not. I know she wouldn’t approve of  me loving a vampire.

“You are in love with Taylor then?”

Her brows furrowed. “Of course I am why would you ask that?”

I shrugged. “I thought you guys had a rocky relationship, you broke up twice.”

“Taylor was having a rough time forgiving his mom and then he was having trouble keeping his sister out of trouble and well that didn’t work out well. It wasn’t the best time for him to be with me. We broke up and I had a rebound to get over him, but when we got back together, Taylor had found out about my little fling and he got angry and jealous and ended it again. After months of not talking to me and dating other people he finally decided that he wanted to be with me again.”

“He wanted you back because he saw you all over Zach, didn’t he?”

She smiled. “He gets very jealous and that is the reason why I was all over Zach.”

I giggled and shook my head. “Ah, the jealousy.”

I started to strip off my clothes. “Do you have a bra I could borrow?”

“Yes, oh and wear a pair of your wedges, they will look good with your pants. Put on your leather jacket also, you look hot and badass in it”

“Hey, I kill vampires for crying out loud, I think I’m badass without the leather jacket.”

“You’re right, but still wear it.”

I grinned. “Chelsea, my own personal stylist.”

****

I quickly walked deeper into the woods, careful not to trip over a rock or a log in these shoes. I’m still not used to wearing heels that often, so it takes me a few minutes to get used to them. I was already running late, so I had no time to do my hair. Thank goodness I was having a good hair day and was able to run a brush through it without having to throw it up in a ponytail from frizz. My hair is frizz-free, a little wavy, but it still looks good.

     Lucas was sitting on a fallen tree; he too had on a leather jacket. Which only made him look even more desirable than he already was. I bit down on my lip to try to prevent myself from smiling. I was excited to see him, but I didn’t want him to know that. After all, I told him there wasn’t going to be any relationship between us and this meeting is definitely not a date. I’m just curious to know why I am seeing him in my dreams and well he has the answers to all of my questions.

     A smile curved on his lips as he stood. “I see we think alike,” He grabbed the collar of my jacket and tugged. “You’re late.”

“Sorry about that, I got caught up with my friend.”

“It is a good thing I decided to wait twenty minutes longer.”

“And what would you have done if I didn’t show up?”

He scowled. “What could I do if you didn’t show up…I would’ve been very disappointed.”

Yeah and I would have hated myself for not coming.

He slowly pulled my jacket zipper down showing my shirt.  “You look good.”

“Good as in your hot good, or good as in I could drink your blood?”

He chuckled. “Good as in your hot.”

My breath hitched as he gently ran his fingers over my stomach. I instantly stepped away from his touch. “So, tell me about the dreams.”

His brows raised as he smiled. “Trying to distract me, huh? Well your outfit is enough of a distraction for me, so it won’t work.”

I grinned and began to zip my jacket back up. “Well if my body is too much of a distraction, then maybe I should cover it up.”

He pushed my hands away and unzipped the zipper. “No, it looks better unzipped.”

“I’m sure it does. You have a very good view of my cleavage,” I said dryly.

He chuckled and grabbed my hand, intertwining his fingers with mine.

“And what a fine view that is.”

He led the way through the woods as we walked hand in hand. He had nice hands they were soft and he had long skinny fingers. I smiled down at our hands, realizing that he was absent- mindedly running his thumb back and forth over my skin. It felt good and sent goose bumps up my arms.

“Where are we going?”

“Are you hungry? We could go to the diner down the road.”

“But you don’t eat human food.”

The corners of his lips curved up into a smile as he glanced my way. “I know, but I can still stomach it, even though it’s disgusting.”

“We don’t have to go to a diner.”

“I want to talk somewhere where I can sit down and be comfortable.”

My brows raised as I looked up at him in amusement. “And you’re going to feel comfortable talking about vampires in a crowded diner?”

“Well it’s ten at night, so it won’t be that crowded.”

We reached the road where a shiny sleek blue motorbike stood waiting for us.

He grabbed the helmet and handed it to me. “To keep you safe.”

“This is yours? Don’t you fly?”

He smiled. “I would like to appear normal around you. I know you’re skittish around me and flying only reminds you that I am someone you loathe.”

“I haven’t forgotten who you are and you are surprisingly the only immortal I don’t loathe…the only thing I hate about you is that I don’t have it in me to despise you.”

“That’s a good thing, hop on, I promise you I won’t bite,” He grinned.

I smirked. “A little vampire humor.”

“Just trying to keep the mood light here, you are aware that you’re going to have to hold onto me, right?”

I chuckled and swung my leg over his bike. “It’s cool, I don’t care.”

“Wow, I am impressed. You’re actually not freaking out on me because you have to touch me.”

As much as I hate to admit, I like that he touches me…it makes me feel an over whelming desire that I haven’t had with anyone else before…but I refuse to tell him this.

“I held your hand, didn’t I?”

“Yes, and that shocked me also. The last time we were talking, you tried to shove me away from you.”

He started the bike as I wrapped my arms around his waist. I smiled as I rubbed his stomach feeling his abs through his shirt. 

“Do you like that?”

I rolled my eyes. “Shut up.”

I could hear him smile. “Yes ma’am.”