B007Q4JDEM EBOK (18 page)

I struggled to open my eyes. Slowly, his face came into view. He smiled, trying to conceal his concern, worry and possibly fear. I was laying on the sectional, draped in thick wool blankets.

“Was I asleep?” m
y voice came out in a dull croak.

Salem shook his head, “No. You nearly drowned. Do you remember what happened?”

“I had a bizarre dream...” I began to say, but from the look on his face I knew something was off. “It wasn't a dream, was it?”

“No...”

“This can't
be happening,
” I went to sit up but my head felt woozy. “Vampires
were
one thing, being the daughter of a vampire hunter
was a whole other
– but
turning into
a raven! This is impossible!” I shrieked. My throat burned. I curled up in a ball and covered my head with the blankets.

“Alex, calm down, please,
” Salem pulled the cover from over my head, “I told you before that it was possible...not likely, but possible...for Waldron's to become ravens. I never before imagined I would see it, and I especially never thought you would be capable...”

“
You said you thought it was a myth
,
” I sighed.

“Legend says that only the strongest, most dangerous hunters have
the
ability.
I admit I didn’t believe any
of it when Raziel first told me,” h
e didn't look at me, “
According to him only three Waldron’s had ever had the gift
. You make the fourth.”

“
Gift..
.”
I mused insincerely. “Salem
,
are you afraid of me?”

“No, just a little worried about what you could be capable of if Paul ever corrupted you int
o following his ways,” h
e glowered.

“I have no interest in hunting, Salem!” I was hurt that he could even think I might be.

“I know, Alex,” h
e repli
ed, finally looking at me again, “b
ut, imagining the possibilities makes me somewhat curious.”

“Curious about what?” I asked sharply, knowing where this was going.

“What you could be capable of,” h
e turned to look away again but I placed my hand against his cheek and held his head still, “What if you could make the world a better place...by accepting what you are, and defeating
the evil of my kind
.”

“You said before
that it would be too dangerous,
” I could not believe the words coming from his mouth!

“Perhaps you could train yourself to be careful about it. Imagine if we never had to worry about creatures like Mark attacking innocent people, because you were there to protect them.”

“You’re a creature like Mark!
” I reminded him bitterly.

“I am nothing like him!
” He growled.

“I
didn't mean it like that, Salem,
” I brushed my hand comfortingly across his cold cheek. “But, how would I know who was the enemy and who was
like you
?”

He thought for a second, taking my hand from his face and lacing his fingers between mine. “You would never be alerted of their whereabouts because they would never attack anyone.”

“
How does Paul even know about you then
?
Have you hurt someone here, Salem?
”

“
No.
Let's just say we met before, in
a very uncomfortable situation,” h
e grimaced at the memory.

“
What situation?
”
I started to grow more and more worried that Paul had been right. What if Salem had once fed on humans? What if he ever started again?

“It was somewhat similar to the i
ncident on the way to the creek,” h
e muttered. I sadly recalled the white rabbit. “I was hunting late one night in a deserted park. Little did I know, this happened to be the park beside a trailer community where a vampire hunter lived. Paul was driving to the trailer when he noticed me. He knew the park was closed to civilians after 10pm and stopped his car to watch me. He knew immediately what I was when he
saw my eyes,” h
e frowned. “There had been a squirrel – I cannot im
agine how that makes me sound…a
vampire feast
ing on the blood of squirrels!”

“I would rather you drank the blood of kittens than humans.”

“As would I,” h
e smiled now, “It would seem he always had a weapon on him, just in case. He came creeping into the park, crossbow wielded and pointing directly at me. I discarded the rodent and speedily dashed behind a tree before he had a chance to shoot. I h
astily told him I meant no harm and
that I wasn't like the others. He wouldn't believe me, despite the evidence lying before him.
Stupidly I even told him my name, hoping that perhaps he had heard of me in a good sense.
”

“
At least you got away
.
I think he is angrier about that fact more than he is of us even being together.
”

“I sincerely doubt that
,” h
e laughed.
“I think that is enough for tonight, Alexis. You’re still weak from what happened. Come, let me put you to bed.
”

I woke up nestled beneath the black silk blankets of Salem's bed. To my dismay, he wasn't beside me. I stretched across the wide bed and caressed the smooth fabric with the palm of my hand. The shimmering black material felt amazing, but it sickened me all the same. It reminded me of a raven's feathers. The bedroom door creaked open slowly.

“Good morning, little raven,
” Salem smiled. His pet name made me squeamish when it used to make me happy. I hadn't noticed right away, but he carried a tray in his hands. I rolled my eyes, although I did appreciate the sentiment.

“What am I being served
today
?” I asked inquisitively as I tried, and failed, to see what lay on the tray.

I sat up and Salem laid the tray across my lap. My mouth watered at the plate of chocolate chip pancakes drowning in syrup, with a light dollop of whipped cream in the
center. “Enjoy,” h
e said with a pleasant smile and gently
lay
across the bed beside me.

I savored each sweet bite. “That was
amazing
!” I said as I laid my fork down and placed the tray across the top of the nightstand. My stomach didn't appreciate the meal as much as my mouth did. That feeling was lost immediately by the feeling of Salem's delicate lips against my own. I felt his tongue trace the shape of my lips,
and then
he pulled away slowly.

“What was that about?” I asked quietly.

“You had some syru
p on your lips,” h
e grinned playfully.

I laughed and wrapped my arms around him in a tight hug. Three simple, yet powerful words fought to escape my mouth. My eyes widened at my own thoughts and I jerked back.

“Is something wrong?” h
e asked, “If it upset you, I apologize...”

“No, it's not that,
” I muttered, “I just feel kind of sick to my stomach.” It wasn't entirely untrue
, and it wasn’t entirely from the large breakfast either
.

“Oh,
” He frowned and pulled me against his chest. “I'm sorry if my food made you ill.”

“It's okay.”

“I was thinking,” h
e said as he ran his hand down my back in a relaxing caress. “You should see Paul again.”

I gritted my
teeth. “I'm not talking to him!
”

“He can train you how to hunt, Alex...if you wanted to.”

My mind wasn't made up yet. It was tempting, I'll admit that. But, me? A vampire hunter? It was difficult – no, impossible – to imagine. “I don't know if I want to or not.”

“Paul would be pleased,” h
e replied, speaking carefully. “You could even get on his good side again. Convince him that I upset you and y
ou aren't seeing me anymore, he woul
d like that. You need him, if you want to do this.”

“Aren't you worried I'll get hurt?” I frowned, thinking of the possibilities. If I reacted the way I had when we encountered Mark, I was definitely in trouble. I had never
been in a real fi
ght in my life, and just holding that weapon made me nervous!

“Of course I am,” his voice was soft and low, “m
ore than you can ever know.”

“Then why do you want me to do this?”

“I told you already, Alex.”

“I'll think about it,
” I mumbled. “This isn't
easy
.”

“Your body seems prepared for you to make the decision.”

I shivered. “I don't like thinking about
it
. How do I even control it?”

“That's something you will have to talk to Paul about
, too
.”

“Fine,
” I sighed heavily. “I will make arrangements to meet with him.”

Salem gave me a satisfied smile and kissed me gently. “Everything will be fine, trust me.”

After much convincing, I agreed to attend Janet's funeral. Salem offered to escort me to the event and hide out in my car until it was finished. I was anxious, distraught, and a whole mix of other emotions that I couldn't even think straight. I was hesitant to leave Salem when we drove up to the church, but he insisted I would feel better after some closure.

I wore a simple black dress and the only heels I had – which were white and clashed with the dress but I didn't care. Who was going to notice my shoes
anyway
? I spotted Paul sitting in the back row of pews and pretended not to recognize him. Jason and Karen were there, too, sitting in the middle row with a few other friends of mine that had been acquainted with my mom.
I waved at them briefly before scouring the funeral home for other familiar faces. I saw a few relatives that I had not seen in years, that I suppose technically were not my relatives at all.
What shocked me the most was finding Desmond and Melissa sitting in the front row.

I stopped in my tracks, gazing at the dark-skinned man I had not seen in twelve years, but there was no mistaking who he was. His hair was curled and nestled against the back of his neck in a short ponytail. I scowled at his girlfriend; she didn't deserve to be here. It seemed disrespectful to bring her to the funeral of the man's ex-wife. She was perhaps in her
late-twenties and had
long, wavy
,
blonde hair that curled in
fantastic
loops toward the ends. It took me a moment to realize Desmond was calling me over to him, and despite not wanting to, I went to him.

He draped his arms around me, which felt awkward. The last time I had seen him he was much less affectionate. I felt a pang of guilt as I thought through the hateful, painful memories I had of him leaving Janet. Being a kid at the time, I could only think that he didn't love me, didn't love her, and ever since that day I couldn't find it in myself to love him anymore. Yet, had I been mistaken? He appeared so happy, so healthy, with her. Was I wrong to have hated her, too?
Though if he had not left mom…Janet…then there wouldn’t even be a funeral.
I shook the thoughts from my mind as I barely returned the gesture.

“How are you faring, Alex?” Desmond asked sincerely.

I shrugged my shoulders as he
released me from his arms, “I’
ve been better.”

“Understandable,” h
e frowned, “You look well.”

“Thanks...so do you,
” It was hard to talk to him. I didn't feel like I even knew him anymore.

“Melissa and I would like to take you out to eat after t
his, if you would be interested,” h
e offered casually, returning to the pew beside his girlfriend.

I sat a few inches away from them, eying them ske
ptically. “I'm not sure...maybe,
” I
said quietly
. “I'll let you know when
it’s
over.”

The room had fallen silent as a man approached the podium before us. I had intended to listen to his words, but my mind had completely numbed as it occurred to me how real this was.
The woman that had raised me, that I had known as my mother for my whole life until recently, was gone – completely – and nothing I could do or say could change that fact.
The man’s
gentle voice faded from my ears and I began to feel like I was watching a muted TV show, barely able to comprehend what I was seeing. Desmond tapped me on the shoulder after what had felt like mere seconds.