Chapter 6

6

"I 'm sorry, what?" I shake my head.

Hunter stands from the couch. "Like I said, I've come to claim what's mine."

I jerk my head back. "I was right then. You're here to kill me and keep the underworld for yourself. Newsflash..." I stab my finger at my chest, "... I don't want it. I'd rather be as far away from it as humanly possible."

My body trembles as I stand. I'm attempting to put on a determined face because, if I'm being honest with myself, I am scared out of my mind. I don't want any of this. I didn't ask Hunter to save my life months ago. Right now, my lifeless body could be buried beneath the bitterly cold dirt, rotting away with no one any the wiser.

Hunter chuckles. "Oh, Red, I wasn't only promised the underworld, I was promised something else. Something that will help end all this violence between our families."

I fold my arms across my chest, my curiosity piqued. "What is it then?"

His dark eyes narrow, the air between us thickening. "You."

I hold up my hands, stopping him from saying anything else. "Wait...me? I was promised to you?"

Hunter shoves his hands in his pockets. "Yes."

"What the hell? I can't be promised to you. I don't know you. I don't want anything to do with this." My voice becomes louder with each word spoken.

"Red, the power we hold together, standing strong as one, is what our families need ." He steps toward me, but I move back.

"Don't come any closer. You need to leave. I will not be yours. I'm no one's. I don't even know who the hell I am now."

Hunter takes a step closer. "Red..."

"Don't call me that! My name is Aelina Beaumont, and you are no one to me. As far as I'm concerned, this conversation never happened." I pull my shoulders back, standing taller. "Leave. Now. "

"Aelina, you have to understand. You don't get a say in this matter. You will be mine. It may not be right now because I'm a decent person, but if my father finds out that I know where you are and you won't agree to be mine..." He takes a deep breath, swallowing hard. His eyes darken even further than I'd thought possible. Tension rolls through the air in waves, and the confidence I felt moments ago is starting to evaporate with just one hard look from Hunter. "Aelina, if you don't agree to be mine, you will die."

I gasp, my hand shooting to my mouth as I step back. He rushes forward and reaches for me as I back up against the wall. "Go to your grandmother. She can give you all the information you need."

My body ignites as anger fills me. I point my finger directly in Hunter's face, stepping closer this time, my confidence returning. "You do not get to dictate anything to me. As far as I know, I have no family. They didn't want me." I throw my hands in the air in frustration. "Matter settled. I don't belong to you or anyone."

Hunter moves so fast, snatching my upper arms in his hands before I can breathe. I open my mouth to scream, but he presses his lips over mine.

The instant his lips are on mine, something in me changes. There are sparks, an energy inside me, something I didn't know was there or could even exist between two strangers. My body relaxes, and the anger I was feeling a moment ago dies like the flame it was. In its place is a new calmness, where butterflies swarm my stomach in a fluttering wave of euphoria. My eyes close, and I relish his kiss, my body melting into his against my better judgment.

My head screams at me to pull away. I should slap him. To do anything other than be lost in this painfully perfect moment. Instead, I allow Hunter to devour my mouth. A low moan escapes me. Then, as fast as his tongue begins tasting mine, he's gone.

The instant his lips leave me, the tingling stops, and I'm left wanting. I pant heavily, craving his taste, but I am left in the darkness as he pulls away.

"You can deny me all you want, but know, you will be mine. I can see it in your eyes. I'm not an evil person. You know how to find me, and you know how to find your grandmother. It's time to decide what you want...answers or death. It's only a matter of time before another member of my family finds you."

He doesn't give me a chance to respond before he walks out the front door, and I'm left with my head spinning. I race to lock the door behind him, then collapse onto the couch. My eyes close, and I allow the darkness to swallow me up.

* * *

My reflection stares back at me as I stand in front of the window of a dress shop. My clothes are covered in dirt, and dark streaks are smeared over my tear-stained face.

I'm alive.

I could have been murdered.

That grave was meant for me.

I hold out my hand, which clutches a roll of money and a piece of paper. I stuff the paper back into my pocket and unroll the money. Counting it, I discover it's in bundles of one thousand, and there are ten of them.

Ten thousand dollars.

How is this possible?

I quickly glance over both my shoulders to make sure the man isn't following me. Thankfully, he's not.

Tall buildings and shop windows remain dark and stand silent in the blackness of the night. I turn in a full circle, trying to discover where I am. This part of town is the dirtiest. Even as I think it, a rustling of rubbish rolls past me. I need to move and get out of this area, especially with this amount of money. I'll surely be killed if I'm caught by someone with this kind of cash on me.

My legs pump as hard as they can and don't stop, no matter how tired they are. Suddenly, the echo of screeching tires startles me.

The sound of my phone ringing pulls me from my nightmare. Groaning, I rub the dried sleep from my eyes. It's been a while since I dreamed about that night. It's like I was reliving the moment once again.

My thoughts turn to last night.

Was it a dream?

Reaching over, I grab my cell. An unknown number lights up the screen, and I don't answer numbers like that. It's most likely a telemarketer, so I press the decline button, sending them to voicemail.

I pull my achy body upright. "This couch is not for sleeping," I mumble, tilting my head to either side and stretching out my stiff neck.

My phone rings again. Leaning over, I look, and it's the same number.

"What is going on with this number?" I mutter as I press the ‘accept' button. "Hello?" I make sure whoever it is can hear my pissed-off tone.

Nothing.

Silence.

"Hello?" I say again, waiting a few seconds. Still, no response. Irritated, I hang up. "Stupid people." I glance at the time on my phone— ten a.m. I have plenty of time to get some schoolwork done before I have to go to work at lunchtime for another late shift.

Glancing at my phone's screen, I notice I have missed calls and unread messages. I don't recognize the number, but it's different from the one who called me a moment ago.

Hunter:

They will make sense in time. You need to go to the woods, and there you will receive your answers.

Hunter:

Aelina, are you there? Are you all right?

There are no more messages, just phone calls from Hunter's number. "So it wasn't a dream." All the dots start clicking together from the conversation last night with Hunter, and a sense of dread washes over me.

A horn blares outside my window, and I scream, turning toward the sound, my heart now pulsing in my throat.

Getting up, I shuffle to my little coffee machine and add my favorite rich caffeinated pod. I need the pick-me-up to get me going this morning.

How can I be a part of some big underworld family? What the hell do underworld families do? There better not be vampires or something because that would just be messed up.

My phone rings again, and I race over to where I left it, sitting on the small coffee table—the same number as earlier. An overwhelming sense of dread fills me. My hands begin to shake, and I pick up my vibrating phone. "What do you want?"

Silence.

Then I hear it.

Breathing.

"Who is this? I can hear you."

Another car horn outside my apartment blasts, but it also comes through the other end of the call. The pit in my stomach falls.

The caller is outside.

"I'm going to hang up now and call the police," I yell, unable to hide the fear in my voice.

"So you are alive ..."