Forbidden (Book One)

Family Reunion

    "Hello, sister." I swallow hard, feeling my heart pound in my chest. The white room forming a sunny meadow, wild flowers and weeds brush against my legs as I face him. He's sitting at a table, wearing a white suit to match my dress.  His golden hair combed back, mine draped over my shoulders. His eyes were bright yellow, no doubt shinning against my deep blue eyes. He stands, holding his hand out to me. Much like he did eight years ago, when he asked me to join him in ruling the world, before I disappeared from his life. Ignoring his hand I take a seat at the table, he lets out a simple sigh and returns to his seat, looking into my eyes. "My, how you look like mother." I roll my eyes, and smooth out the skirt of my dress. "What do you want?" He moves back a bit, looking around as if I was speaking to another. "Ouch, I'm fine thanks for asking." "Stop with the games Lio." "As you wish." He snaps his fingers and cups appear on the table, one for each of us. The stench of blood fills my nostrils as I peer at the red liquid. 

    "Don't worry, it's pig blood, well your glass is anyway." I take another whiff, he's not lying it isn't human blood. I take the glass to my lips, taking a nice long sip of blood. Licking the remnants off my lips. I hear my brother breathe heavily as I lower the glass. "My how I missed your red stained lips." I glare, my eyes now yellow as I feed. "You really hurt me you know, pretending to be dead. I thought I had lost my other half." "I'm assuming your Pureblood friend is the one who picked up my scent." He chuckles, "yes, Kathline is the one who found you. Well, not where you are. But, I know you are by the Hunter Agency in California." "So her name is Kathline." I take another sip. "She your mate?" He simply nods, "what was I supposed to do Reya, I thought you dead." "I'm glad, I finally don't have to worry about you trying to mate with me, which is honesty the most disgusting thing you've ever tried to do."  He laughs darkly now, simply watching me. "Trying to rule this desolate world with my own sister is not disgusting." "It is when you're trying to have children with her." "I see your point. But fear not, for you can still have a place in my new world." "Oh yeah? As what? A noble?" He simply grins, his voice now low almost a growl. "You love the humans so much, I figured once those still left alive after the war could use someone like you to look after them, you know once they become our blood slaves." I throw the rest of the pigs blood in his face. Watching it stain his golden locks. 

    He laughs, grabbing me by the wrist. "She will find you Reya, no matter where you hide, no matter who you are with, they can't keep you from me. And when Kathline finds you, you can either join us, or rot in a prison cell until we rule this damn planet." I pull away, only to find him and the meadow gone. "Reya." Echoes in my head, as my eyes open, returning me to my home, I'm laying on the couch, the entire family surrounding me, I wonder when Takan came home, how long was I asleep? "Hey there kiddo, welcome back." I look at Bruce, who helps me sit up. "He knows I'm alive..." my voice is horse, my tone cold, scared even. "I figured it was him calling." My father must have explained mind linking to him, something only Purebloods can do to each other, immobilizing both parties, but it can become a test of strength when it comes to using it to locate someone. "I'm going to call Amanda, she'll want to know you made contact." Bruce heads downstairs to giver her a call, I sniff the air. "Deer." Takan speaks for me, "caught two of them, big boys that's why it took me a while to get them in." "Could have asked for help." I say smirking, knowing full well that he hates pack hunting, nothing against us, but his birth pack ambushed him on a hunt for loving Crystal when he was about my age. 

    He chuckles softly, "well seems to me you've got your own damn problems, don't need to add helping my old ass hunt to the list." Crystal nudges his shoulder and he clears his throat. "Well, best get dinner ready then, and Rey don't worry, I'll make sure to squeeze some blood out for you." I thank him before he leaves with most of the pack, leaving me and Jason alone. "I feel you staring, you can speak." I hear him sigh, taking a seat by me. "Did he say anything about the Pureblood who killed the Nun?" I nod, "his mate did it, her name is Kathline, that's all I got, that and the fact he's sending her to find me." I feel his hand gently brush my red hair off my shoulder, his fingers graze my neck slightly, the warmth of him sends chills down my spine. "I won't let that happen." I nod, "I know you won't, but I hope you know if it comes down to me surrendering and you, Jakob, Kayla, Alison, or the other's getting hurt I will surrender, no one is going to die for me." He goes to protest, but that's when the sound of tires on gravel pulls our attention. "Well that was fast." 

    "Are you sure that's all he told you about this woman Reya?" I nod as Amanda takes notes, the boys standing behind her like f*****g statures as usual. "Okay, I'll look into the database, see if we have anyone on file that fits the description, I doubt it but it's worth a shot, being I doubt we'll get another chance to talk to the Vampire Council." She caps her pen, "call me if anything comes up." We all nod as they leave the house. 

    Dinner feels slow, the happy voices of my family fade into my mind as I stare into my cup. Yellow eyes stare back, the same yellow eyes that belong to my brother, the same eyes that threaten my freedom. I swallow hard, looking up now at my family, knowing full well they face danger because of me. Sure, they know how to hunt and kill Vampires, but not only is this threat a Pureblood, but she's also fighting for her mate, making her even more dangerous. A mated Vampire will die before failing their love, and they don't go down easily. "Reya..."  I pull myself from my head, finding Jason's eyes locking with mine. He tilts his head towards the back door, signaling for me to follow. I nod, placing the glass on the table, taking my leave with Jason. 

    "Figured you'd like some fresh air. You looked pale, well paler." I laugh softly at the joke. "Thanks, I just can't shake this feeling. Knowing that I'm being hunted, that I know am a risk to this pack." I freeze up slightly as he pulls me into him, my head laying against his warm beating heart. I feel his lips fall onto the top of my head. "I swear to protect you, as your brother, friend, and the future leader of this pack." I look up into his ocean eyes. "Only as my friend?" He smiles softly, kissing my lips gently, so warm against me. "Thank you for making me feel better Jason." 

    Everyone slept well that night, except me of course. Knowing you're being hunted never feels right, human or not. Every time the leaves move on the trees, or I catch the soft rustle of a bush I can't help but feel she is there. And yes, I know it sounds dumb, we are both purebloods after all. However, she drinks the blood of humans, making her already significantly faster and stronger than me, not to mention she's mated, and a mated pureblood is far more dangerous, as they will do anything to please their mate, even break council rules. The sudden brightness of the light shakes me from my thoughts. It's Kayla. "Rey? The hell? It's three in the morning." I laugh softly as if I wasn't just filled with fear. "Oh s**t, is it really? I guess I lost track of the time." Not buying any of my crap she takes a seat on the couch next to me, looking out into the darkness with me, seeing what I see clear as day, an empty valley of trees, no enemy in sight. 

    "You know you don't have to be afraid, not by yourself anyway." I swallow hard, a knot forming in my throat as she speaks. "You know by now that Bruce considers you his daughter, I damn well consider you my sister. And judging the way Jakob acts around you I can tell he does too." She moves a strand of hair from my face, I feel her finger flinch against me, she sees my yellow eyes, So caught up with this I'm not eating regularly and I fear taking my pills. "And, you may not be willing to kiss and tell, but I know there is something going on between you and Jason, and I don't want to hear anything other then a yes because I know when you are lying." That makes me laugh a bit, and I simply nod. "Reya, what I'm trying to say is that you're family, you may not think you are and you may think you need to stay away to protect us, but you are in fact a member of this pack. And we protect each other." Peering over at her I can't help but smile, she's right, after my parents died this is the closest thing to a real family I have ever had. 

    Taking a deep breath I simply smile at her, thanking her for the much needed pep talk. "Come on, let's get to bed. I'll tell dad to let you sleep in tomorrow." Thanking her again I walk with her to our room, plenty big in size, so much so it feels like we have our own space most days. Still, I can't shake this feeling, the "hairs on the back of my neck standing to no end" type of feeling. Deep down I could just feel, somewhere out there in the night, there was someone watching my every move.