Changed (The Hunters #1) (19 page)

The two boys looked toward to the
door. Gabriel took a step back, as a girl entered.

The girl was the same age as Jason and
Philip. She had long, platinum blonde hair that fell over her back.
Her golden eyes looked at Philip. Then her gaze slid to Jason. She
wore jeans and a white T-shirt.

The girl was pretty, and she smiled at
them with a confident smile.

Why is
she here?
Jason asked
himself.

As if Gabriel had read his thoughts,
he said. “Madeleine is now living with us and will support you in
your tasks.”

Jason frowned. “And why?” He didn’t
have anything against a pretty girl that would work with him, but
he couldn’t understand why. Otherwise, he had always done
everything on his own or with Philip and his friend, Marco. They
never needed any help.

Gabriel looked at him. “I thought you
could use a little support.”

Jason waited for a more extensive
answer, but he did not get one.

Philip went to Madeleine and gave her
his hand. “Hi. Nice to meet you. I’m Philip.”

She smiled and took her hand. “I’m
Madeleine.”

“
Jason,” Gabriel said with
a stern tone.

Jason took the hand of Madeleine. “I’m
Jason, and of course it’s nice to meet you.” He winked at
her.

She blushed and shook his hand.
“Likewise.” He let go of her hand.

“
Madeleine is a trained
fighter and has already killed a few hunters. I’m sure she’ll be a
huge help,” said Gabriel.

Jason
looked at her. She didn
’
t look like a fighter with her kind
eyes and sweet smile. He would find out if she really was a good
fighter.

“
Philip, Madeleine,”
Gabriel said. “Would you please leave me alone with Jason? I have
to discuss something with him”

Philip and Madeleine nodded and left
the room together. Jason crossed his arms over his chest, raising
an eyebrow. The smile vanished from Gabriel’s face and he looked
angrily at his son.

“
Jason, you will stay away
from Madeleine,” he demanded and took a step closer, so he looked
directly into his son’s eyes. Jason responded to his father’s gaze
with hostility. He had never thought he could hate his father so
much.

“
You’ll
leave your hands off her,
and
leave your friend in your pants. I do not want to
have the same story as with Tasha. Understand?”

Jason
gritted his teeth. “Of course, father,” he said through his teeth.
He certainly wouldn
’
t do what his father told him. His father could not provide
him anything.

Gabriel looked at him suspiciously,
but nodded. Jason turned around and started to leave, but Gabriel
grabbed him by the arm and pulled him back.

“
I’m not finished yet,” he
said in a stern voice.

Jason took a deep breath.
“Yes, father?” He pulled his arm from Gabriel’s grip.

“
How far are you with the
search for Jasmine?”

“
I’ve got a lead that she
could be in Boston. I’ll get to the bottom of it.”

Gabriel nodded. He had put Jason in
charge of finding Jasmine, no one else. Gabriel did not seem upset
that the search had lasted months now.

“
Can I go now?” Jason
asked impatiently.

“
There is something you
have to do for me.”

Jason shook his head. “No, father. I
will not do it. Do your dirty work on your own. I have to find
Jasmine.”

He turned around, but then Gabriel
grabbed him by the arm, and shoved him against the wall. Jason
defended himself, but his father was stronger than he was. Gabriel
grasped him by his throat, staring into Jason’s eyes. Feeling his
breath on his face, Jason turned his head away. Gabriel caught his
chin with his other hand and turned his head towards
him.

“
You look at me when I’m
talking to you!” he hissed between clenched teeth. Jason was about
to spit in his father´s face, but he controlled himself.

“
I am your father! You do
what I say. I do not accept no for an answer. Or do you want me to
tell everyone how you really got this scar?” he asked, pointing to
his scar.

Anger rose in Jason. “A father doesn’t
threaten his son.”

Gabriel laughed, but left his hand on
Jason’s neck. “A son doesn’t bring shame on the family.” His eyes
hardened. “You know what Archangel Michael would do with you if he
should learn the truth about your scar, and about Tasha. He would
break your wings with his own hands and stab the dagger into your
heart. I think you don’t want that, or do you, son?”

Jason swallowed. Archangel Michael was
the leader of the archangels and Nephilim all over the world. He
was God’s deputy.

He came first, then the other
archangels, and at the end the Nephilim. Michael decided what
should happen in the country, which ruled the angels. He was more
than six hundred years old and a feared archangel. He ruled his
country with an icy fist. Whoever broke his rule was immediately
executed, and he did not tolerate mistakes.

Jason had made a mistake. He had
broken the rule and he would be dead if Michael knew it, but thanks
to his father, who had covered up everything, and made it look
different, he was still alive. Jason owed his father, and was very
grateful.

“
Of course, father,” Jason
replied, lowering his head. He could not fight against his father.
He was aware that he could not win as long as his father knew his
mistake and used it against him.

Gabriel released him and
nodded.

Jason rubbed his throat. “What should
I do?”

“
The usual. A couple of
pets rebelled against us. You have to punish them,” he replied with
a serene countenance, as if it were perfectly normal to kill
humans—pets—only because they wanted a better life. The world
worked like that when angels and hunters ruled it.

“
Take Madeleine with you,”
Gabriel continued. “The pets are living on the beach in a wooden
hut. Bring them to the prison and the rest … you know.”

Jason nodded. Yes, he knew the rest
and it was the worst part of the whole thing.

“
May I go now?” he
asked.

Gabriel nodded. “Of course. I’m done.”
He smiled blankly.

Jason said goodbye and
walked out of the room. Philip and Madeleine were nowhere to be
seen. He took a deep breath and asked himself why his life was such
a bitch.

Rosa struck the punching
bag with full force again and again. Sweat ran from her forehead.
Her sweaty T-shirt stuck to her belly. Her heart was pounding and
her breath came in short bursts.

Rosa let out her frustration and pain
on the punching bag. Sports had always helped her—just like
painting—to deal with her feelings. She let her emotions run wild.
It relieved her.

To tell Matt they couldn’t be
together, and then watch his hurt face, was clearly too much for
her. So she went immediately to the academy, and trained for more
than an hour. Her muscles ached, but she ignored the
pain.

“
I wouldn’t like to be the
punching bag,” a familiar voice said behind her. Rosa stopped and
turned around. Colin stood at the door; his arms were folded across
his chest, and he was leaning on the doorframe with a little smirk
on his face.

“
Yes, I would say that,
too,” said Rosa, taking off her gloves.

Colin came over to her and joined
her.

“
What happened to your
face and leg?” he asked concerned.

“
I fought against a
mermaid.”

He nodded understandingly as he gave
her a strange look. Rosa raised an eyebrow.

“
What? Why are you looking
at me like that?” she asked.

“
Rosa, I think we both
know exactly why I’m looking at you like that,” Colin
replied.

She nodded. Colin knew her too well.
He always knew how she felt, or when something had
happened.

Rosa sat down on the floor and sighed
deeply. Colin sat down in front of her, resting his chin in his
hand. He looked at her expectantly.

“
What do you want me to
tell you, Colin?” said Rosa, drawing her knees to her
chest.

“
What happened?” he
replied.

Rosa took her time. She didn’t really
want to talk about it.

“
It’s because of Matt,”
she began.

“
Did he finally tell you
he’s in love with you?” said Colin excitedly.

“
Why did everyone notice
this except me?” Rosa threw her arms in the air.

Colin smiled. “Everyone noticed it,
Rosa. The way he always looks at you.” He sighed. “It was clear you
didn’t see it, Ice Princess.”

“
Hey! What does that mean
now?”

“
That means you don’t know
anything about love.”

Rosa nodded. “Yes, I know.”

“
And what about
Matt?”

“
I told him I can’t be
with him because of the hunter clan.”

Colin eyes widened. “Oh, not good. How
did he take it?”

“
What do you think? Of
course, not well! I don’t know what to do now.”

He squeezed her shoulder gently. “And
are you in love with him?” he asked carefully.

Rosa looked at him for a long time,
and then she shook her head.

“
Did you tell him
this?”

She nodded.

Colin grimaced. “Uh, pure
drama.”

“
What is drama?” Valerie
said as she entered the room.

“
The fact that Rosa told
Matt that she doesn’t love him,” said Colin.

Valerie grimaced, put her arm around
Rosa’s shoulder, and pulled her close. Rosa put her head on her
shoulder. Colin sat beside Rosa and laid his head on Rosa’s
shoulder. For a while, the three friends just sat there, feeling
comfort in each other.

Then Valerie broke the
silence. “If he really loves you, Rosa, then he will accept that
you don’t love him and will still want to be your best
friend.”

Rosa sighed. “I hope he understands. I
don’t want to lose him. Why did he have to fall in love with
me?”

“
Welcome to the
complicated and painful world of love, Ice Princess,” said Colin
and sighed.

“
I should never have
entered this world,” said Rosa as she straightened up. “I have
nothing against the idea of getting old alone, and living with a
lot of old cats in the forest.”

Valerie laughed. “That’s what you want
to do when you’re old?”

Rosa nodded. “Yes, what else should I
do? I can’t still be fighting at the age of sixty.”

“
Yes, that’s true. But you
can live differently if you are old.”

“
Ladies, just one
question,” Colin tampered. “Since when do women talk about ageing?
I thought you were very careful, and bitchy about this
topic.”

Rosa smiled. “Well, you can see we’re
different, Colin.”

“
Speak for yourself, Ice
Princess,” Valerie said and raised her hand. “Of course, I won’t
talk about it. I don’t even want to think about it.” Valerie
shivered at the thought of being old.

“
Why did you bring it up a
few seconds ago then?” Rosa asked.

“
I’ve
spoken about
your
ageing, not mine. There’s a big
difference.”

Rosa smiled. “Uh-huh.”

Colin stood up. “I actually came here
because the Master wants to talk to you, Rosa.”

She jumped up immediately, almost
losing her balance, if Colin wouldn’t have caught her.

“
And you tell me this
now?” Rosa asked upset.

“
Sorry, but I had to know
what happened after I saw your face.”

“
Okay, not a problem. I’m
going now.” Valerie and Colin nodded simultaneously.