Discovery: Altera Realm Trilogy (47 page)

"Is she OK?" Noelle asked, as she heard a loud bang and crash inside the room. It was closely followed by a few more.

"I wouldn't go in there if I were you," Reed said. "She's been throwing things for the past ten minutes."

"Oh, OK. Did something happen that you know about?" she asked, concern filling her voice.

"Well, um ... I didn't want to listen."

Noelle put a hand on his arm and gave him a small smile. "It's OK. I know how it is. Things happen, and when you're around, you try to look like you're not paying attention. But I'm worried about Syney. So what happened?"

He sighed. "The princess and Hunter had some kind of fight. I didn't really hear much—honest. But he was mad and she was crying, and he said something about being disgusted by her."

Noelle's eyes widened. "What?"

"I mean, I could have heard wrong...but I'm pretty sure I didn't."

Something heavy hit the door with a thud, which made both of them jump. "Is Hunter in there?" Noelle asked, eyeing the door warily.

"No, he went to the gym. He looked like he needed to hit something."

Noelle nodded. What had happened between them? The last thing she had seen, Syney and Hunter were avoiding each other the best they could, and when they were together, they were nothing but cordial. And now he was disgusted? It made no sense.

"Do you think this has something to do with..." He leaned forward and whispered the last part. "...the Vampire?"

"Gabe?" she asked. He and Syney had been spending a lot of time together.

Reed nodded. "He's been in her room a lot. I try not to listen when I'm out here, but...the walls aren't really soundproof. Plus they're kind of loud."

Noelle stared at him. Sure she had thought that the two might have crossed that line, but she didn't really think it would happen. Syney wasn't like that and Gabe...well, she would like to think he wouldn't do that. Maybe thought of her feelings. But Hunter being disgusted—that would make sense. "OK, um, if the throwing stops, just check to make sure she's alive."

Reed nodded.

Noelle started down the hall, not quite sure what she was feeling. She was unsure of her feelings for Gabe beyond a physical attraction. And she felt that Syney was becoming more like family than just a friend. But when she thought of the two of them together, she felt almost betrayed. She needed to talk to Hunter and find out what really had happened.

Gabe

He wasn't going to run; there wasn't anywhere he could go. He needed to be here, to help Syney see what she needed to do when the time came. But if he wanted to stay, he needed to make peace with Hunter. He had grown quite fond of the wolf, but it wasn't that. He needed Syney. If he didn't do something, Hunter never would let him near her again. It didn't surprise him to find Hunter in the gym attempting to break a standing punching bag with his fists. Gabe walked up slowly and stopped a few feet away when Hunter stopped hitting the bag.

"You must really want me to kill you," Hunter said, not turning around.

"I don't really. I kinda like life, sometimes."

Hunter turned. "Then I suggest you leave, because I'm not done hitting things, and you're my ideal target."

Gabe nodded. "Makes sense. But I'm not leaving, because we need to talk, like adults. We are ad—"

Hunter punched him, knocking him off balance.

He caught himself and stood back up. "OK, I deserved that. Now let's—"

Hunter hit him again.

Gabe rolled his eyes. If the wolf really wanted a fight, he would get a fight. Lycins were strong and healed quickly, but Vampires were stronger and healed within seconds. It wouldn't be a fair fight. He was about to say as much when Hunter hit him again, knocking him to the floor. Gabe hissed and jumped to his feet. Now he was pissed. He went through a series of punches and kicks he
had learned many years ago, hitting Hunter with all but the first two. Hunter staggered a little, blood dropping out of his mouth.

"Can we talk now?" Gabe asked.

Hunter looked at him for a moment before charging him, knocking them both to the ground.

"Guess not," Gabe managed to get out as the larger man laid some punches into his gut. Gabe pushed him off and jumped to his feet.

Hunter did as well, his eyes wild. Gabe realized there was nothing he could do but let him get his anger out, which was going to hurt. He rolled his eyes and let Hunter give some punches and kicks. He gave some of his own, holding back as much as he could. They went on like this for a while, neither really getting the upper hand, although Hunter looked much more hurt than Gabe. Somewhere along the line, Gabe picked up on Leaf's mind close by. He dared a glance at the door and saw the wolf standing there with Noelle at his side. He didn't like the look either was giving him. He grimaced, distracted, and Hunter lunged in with a powerful roundhouse kick. Gabe staggered back. He didn't want to fight anymore, but Hunter looked nowhere near ready to call it quits. He glanced back at Noelle; her expression hadn't changed.

Hunter got close but wasn't hitting, which was good. "You want to screw them both. You do, don't you?"

"No, I don't actually," Gabe said, looking back at him.

"They're too good for you. Both of them. Any woman who would be with you is a complete and utter moron and probably a bitch."

Gabe clenched his teeth. Hunter was angry. He needed to let him get his anger out. But Gabe had had it. He wanted to kick the wolf's ass. He punched Hunter, knocking the wolf back a few feet. They started to fight again; this time Gabe didn't hold back. By the time he had Hunter on his knees with his head in the crook of his elbow, Gabe finally started to see straight again. He couldn't kill Hunter. He let go of the wolf, who fell forward, struggling to breathe.

Hunter crawled over to the wall and sat against it, while Gabe went to grab a towel from a stack at the side of the room. Gabe shot one more look to Noelle. Leaf shook his head and left the room, but Noelle stayed, a look of sadness on her beautiful face. Gabe looked away and handed the towel to Hunter, who looked like hell. His nose and lips were bleeding, and several bruises already were forming on his face. He took the towel and spat out a mouthful of blood before holding it to his mouth.

Gabe sat down next to him. "You bleeding internally?"

"Probably."

"You should get that looked at."

Gabe listened to Hunter's heartbeat and breathing starting to slow.

"Why her?" Hunter looked at Gabe, his eyes filling with tears. Gabe wasn't sure whether it was from the emotion or the pain. Both were surging through Hunter's mind.

"She needed it."

Hunter gave a bitter laugh. "I knew there was no point in talking to you. Everything's a game to you."

"No. This wasn't a game." He paused. "She's falling apart. In pain and depressed."

"You should have come to me and told me."

"Really? You were around her every day. You knew," Gabe said, shaking his head. "Anyone who looked at her knew."

"She's been sad. Everyone gets sad. Not everyone screws a Vampire." He paused. "And gets bit, or at least I'm assuming."

"Do you know what the bite does?"

Hunter tensed up. "I've heard things."

"It causes euphoria."

"So you made her happy by drinking her blood. That's so much better than what I was thinking," Hunter said, sarcasm dripping off his voice.

Gabe looked at him. He needed to tell him something. He couldn't tell him about the curse, though. He needed to get Syney more into his mindset before she went accusing people. An idea came to him, one that might actually work. "Everything finally caught up to her. Her parents. All of the attacks. The pain from her injuries. She got overwhelmed...and started to hurt herself."

Hunter rolled his head to look at Gabe. "Bullshit."

"She took pills. A whole container. And then she got into the tub. If I hadn't come in when I did, she'd be dead. And she was going to do it again."

Hunter stared at Gabe for a while. "You should have told me."

"You were part of the problem."

Hunter closed his eyes and rested his head against the wall. "What do we do now?"

"Get her away. She can't be here and be happy, at least not right now."

"I can't take her out of here right now. Not with the last attack."

"Ask your commander. I have a feeling he'll budge."

"Fine. Where do I take her?"

Gabe smiled. "Colchin. It's exactly what she'll need."

"That's in neutral territory."

"It is."

They stared at each other.

"You know, if you touch her again, I'll kill you, right?"

Gabe stood up. "I have no doubt and would expect no less." He started to head out of the room but stopped a foot away from Noelle. She stared at him, looking disappointed. He opened his mouth to say something but received a slap instead.

"You're an ass," she said, walking past him and over to Hunter.

He nodded and started to walk backwards out of the room. "Yes, I am."

Leaf

Leaf shut the door to his room and shook his head. He had known Hunter his entire life. He was the only person he knew who distrusted Magic Users more than he did. But there was no mistaking the fact that Hunter had just gotten completely pummeled over the virtue of one of them. That was a natural thing for a Protector to do, but not one who had just met his charge less than a year ago. There was much more behind that beating than just protection. He was in love with Syney, and somehow she had gotten into bed with the Vampire—literally. Leaf's first reaction was to call his friend an idiot and even reprimand him, but then he remembered why he was in his room and not the dining hall. He was waiting for Helen.

"We're both idiots," he said to the empty room.

And they were. Aside from the fact that their being romantically linked with Magic Users was going to get them killed, both of the women were royals—seated royals. What they were doing was suicide. At least Helen was going to take the vows of high priestess. Syney was much more important politically, and she didn't need to be bogged down with feelings for her Protector. Leaf needed to put a stop to it. But he couldn't—not only because Hunter was a friend but also because he'd be nothing but a hypocrite.

He looked over at the sound of a knock. He opened the door and got out of the way as Helen quickly scurried in with two trays in her hands.

"I couldn't get drinks. I wasn't built with enough hands," she said, putting the trays on his small desk on the far side of the room.

He couldn't help smiling. "You should work on that."

She laughed and put the hood of her cloak down. "I don't think there's a spell for that, but I can check in the library." She walked over to him and placed her hands lightly on his chest.

Leaf tucked some of her dark brown hair behind her ear before leaning down and kissing her.

After a while she finally pulled back. "We should eat before the food gets cold."

He rolled his eyes. "If you insist."

"I do. We need to keep our strength up." She blushed. "Not that I'm implying anything."

They sat down at the desk in the only two chairs in the room and started to eat.

"Did you see Syney earlier? I think something's wrong, but she keeps telling me she's all right. She's a bad liar," Helen said.

"Just leave it alone," Leaf said. He knew he had been too abrupt the second the words came out of his mouth, and Helen's look confirmed it. "It's just... she's going through some stuff and things."

"You don't have to tell me. It's fine."

"It's not that I don't want to, it's just..." He took a deep breath. This wasn't how he wanted to start off their relationship, with half-truths and omissions. "You need to keep this between us."

Helen's eyes widened. "It's her and Hunter isn't it?"

Leaf nodded.

"Oh, I should have guessed it sooner. They have this thing and... Oh, my goddess!" Helen's hand flew to her mouth.

"What?" Leaf asked, concerned.

"I thought it was nothing, just something in a book. But she really is a bad liar." She paused and smiled at Leaf. "A while ago she asked me about amator. She described it just like in the novels. You don't think she...and Hunter.