The Skinwalker Hunter

Chapter 15 - Mia

I flopped back onto my bed feeling the exhaustion of the day heavy on my mind. Being invited into the truth circle wasn't as great as I thought it would be. I definitely didn't think it would involve being hunted by a vampire cursed into existence by my ancestor and having to train with a vampire to. I squeezed my eyes shut, willing sleep to take me only to be bombarded with sharp snapping fangs and burning witches.

Thump!

Pulling my knees up to my chest I scootched up until my back was against the headboard, eyes almost popping out of their sockets and scanning the room for the threat. An offensive pair of pink joggers, with matching pink sweat pants and hoodie, and a white shirt sat neatly on the corner of my bed. When did they get there? As I stretched myself out and reached for the stack of clothes, a rush of cold air swept through the room and an overly energetic vampire stared down at me.

"Are you ready," she asked, way too cheerful for my liking.

"For what," I grumbled following the line of her gaze from me to the pile of clothes and back to me. "Seriously. You want me to wear that?" I gestured towards the stack of fairy floss clothes. Pink and I had never really gotten along. Rosa nodded her head, her black eyes dancing with the challenge. "I can't, I injured my foot remember." A triumphant smile covered my face quickly dissipating when faced with her responding arched eyebrow. I let out an audible groan as I accepted the inevitable and changed into the clothes. Tying up the laces, I forced myself off the bed obediently following Rosa out of the house and onto the front lawn.

"You'll have to do some stretches first," she said staring at me expectantly. I just started back. She shook her head in mock disgust and gestured for me to copy her. By the time we'd finished stretching, ten minutes had passed and I was ready to call it quits. Rosa laughed at me while jogging on the spot. "Come on dancing queen I want to see your running moves."

I sighed loudly but followed behind as Rosa took off down the street. We had barely made it to the end of the street before my breathing became laboured. Rosa showed no signs of fatigue only mocking enthusiasm as she literally jogged circles around me. I glowered at her as she circled me for the fourth time, that sweet smile taunting me. She was making me start to dislike happy, energetic people.

After what felt like forever, we circled the block and headed up our street. I stumbled onto the front lawn and collapsed, panting loudly and coughing at the same time. "Nooooo," I moaned between ragged breaths as she pulled back up. "I can't go on. Kill me now and put me out of my misery."

"You need to warm down and do more stretches or you will cause yourself an injury." I shook my head in refusal. I was done. I was also embarrassingly unfit but willing to accept that fact. Rosa laughed at me, again and blew a raspberry in my face to shower me with her spittle. I wiped my sleeve over my face and glared at her once again. Her laugh was becoming fingernails on a chalkboard to me. I eventually complied and stretched out my aching muscles. When the torture session was finally over I dragged myself through the front door and collapsed onto my bed.

My eyelids refused to open when the call of nature stirred me from my sleep. I stumbled out of bed as my legs screamed in protest and decided crawling would be my new mode of getting around. As I crawled down the hallway, light assaulted me from every direction. I must have slept for the rest of the night I mused.

My legs regained some of their use after answering the call of nature and I decided that fermenting sweat was not a pleasant deodorant after a quick whiff of my armpits. Twisting both bathtub taps to full, I rummaged through the cabinets until I found what I was looking for. "A heavy dose of bath salts should do the trick," I mused to myself before sinking into the hot water. I massaged my aching limbs as I scrubbed myself clean, lathered the shampoo into my long Carmel coloured hair and dunked my head under the water to rinse it all off. When the threat of falling asleep in the tub was becoming a real possibility I climbed out, dried myself off and wrapped a towel around me. I hurried out of the bathroom clutching my bundle of dirty clothes in my arms. As I turned the corner to enter the laundry room I slammed into what felt like a solid wall. Stumbling backwards and landing on my butt with a thump, my eyes landed on a pair of thick, muscled, denim-clad legs in front of me. My face followed those legs up to a royal blue shirt that clung to the muscled wall I just collided with which was of course attached to Evan's amethyst gaze I felt the heat rise in my cheeks as I hesitated before accepting his extended hand. He pulled me up effortlessly as I felt my towel drop to the floor. My eyes snapped to meet his and I was paralysed. I was filled with embarrassment and horror as his eyes raked down my naked body then back again to lock on mine before bending down to grab the towel.

"You dropped this," he said, his voice deep and throaty. I grabbed the towel and wrapped myself in it.

"Thanks," I stammered, the heat burning on my cheeks. I spun on my heels before bolting down the hall and slamming my door shut. "Way to go, Mia," I scolded myself throwing the towel on the floor and selecting a matching pair of white panties and bra from the drawer. After pulling my black skinny jeans over my hips, I grabbed a white shirt with the cast of the breakfast club on the front. I scowled at the pink joggers and decided on some high top converse boots instead before turning to the mirror and the bird's nest of caramel hair bundled on top of my head. I set about detangling the knots and tying it up in a ponytail. Satisfied with my efforts and with no more stalling techniques left, I drew in a deep breath and headed to the kitchen inwardly hoping that Evan had already left. No such luck. I could hear him talking to Grandma in the kitchen. My shoes squeaked on the floor in betrayal and my eyes shot across the kitchen to meet his. Heat prickled my cheeks but I couldn't tear my gaze away. I was frozen to the spot, mouth slightly ajar and feeling like an i***t.

"Morning, sweetie." Grandma's voice broke the awkward silence, s***h stare off I was having with Evan.

"Morning," I replied opening the pantry door and hiding like the chicken I was. Please don't say anything. Please don't say anything.

"I can see you're dressed appropriately now," my Grandma commented and I inwardly groaned. Damn him, why did he have to say anything? "Perhaps the use of a dressing gown in the future, mmmm."

"Yes, Grandma." I picked up the jar of vegemite from the shelf, squeezing it until my knuckles went white. One well-aimed shot right between the eyes. Who are you kidding? I scolded myself putting the jar back and reaching for the Fruit Loops. You couldn't hit a barn with a handful of rice. Breakfast in hand I sat at the end of the table, pouring milk into my bowl before shovelling spoonfuls into my mouth.

"I'm heading into town today to run a few errands. Would you like to come with me?" I peered up at Evan through my lashes choking and sputtering on my mouthful as I realised he was talking to me.

"Mia," Grandma scolded dropping squares of paper towel over the milk and fruit loop chunks all over the table. "Chew your food properly and don't eat so fast or you'll get indigestion." She leaned down placing a kiss on my cheek before whispering in my ear. "And clean up this mess. You are behaving like you were never taught any manners and that does not reflect well on me."

I cringed at her words, nodding my head in acknowledgment as I picked up my spoon to finish my breakfast. I turned back to Evan forcing a smile and schooling my features before answering him. "That sounds good, thank you, Evan." His mouth curled up slightly leaving his expression unreadable. "What time were you planning on going?"

"You have time to finish that," he said gesturing at my bowl with a look of disgust "whatever that is."

"It's fruit loops," I stated defending the sugary goodness. "Haven't you ever had fruit loops before?" He shook his head and I gasped in feigned shock.

"I think I will go run myself a bath," my grandma interrupted before heading in the direction of her room. "Enjoy your trip into town."

"We will," I replied before turning my attention back to Evan. "You haven't lived until you've had fruit loops." Scooping up a good-sized spoonful I offered him a taste. He narrowed his eyes at the colourful offering shaking his head. "Too scared." I teased.

"Not likely," he replied. "That," he said pointing at my spoon, "cannot have any of the nutritional prerequisites someone in training requires."

"Don't knock it till you've tried it," I said eating it myself and finishing the last few spoonfuls left in the bowl. "Where are we going anyway?"

"Shopping." He leaned over the table picking up the half soaked paper towel before wiping it with a steaming cloth.

"For what," I prompted feeling his strong presence closer to me than I'd expected. He hovered above me like he was an eagle and I was the tasty morsel. A shiver ran down my spine as his fingers brushed against mine for longer than was necessary as he claimed my empty bowl. Dropping my hand away, I plopped my spoon into the bowl with a clang and shifted back in my seat. What's wrong with me? My body was acting like that of a swooning teenager over some movie star twice my age. More like triple my age, I think. He had to be over a hundred and fifty years older than me which was more like four, no five times my age. I was never good at maths but I did know that I was nothing but a child in his eyes and I had to stop reacting to him the way I was, or at least hide it better. That sounded more feasible.

"Mia!" The sharpness of his tone snapped my head around until our eyes met. His brows were pinched together and those eyes were almost as dark as violets. "Can you hear me? Are you alright?"

"Huh."

"You zoned out," he explained studying me with an intensity I didn't understand. "I thought you might have skin walked you were so still."

"I was working out a math problem in my head," I answered, feeling the heat rising in my cheeks and cursing my body for its betrayal once more. He tilted his head slightly then shook it like he had no idea what I was talking about. A smile flashed across his face so fast that I almost missed it. I scowled at him and then the table in confusion. My bowl was gone, the sink was clear and any evidence of me having breakfast had vanished. "Where is my bowl?" He let out a loud sigh and headed out the front. "I doubt that was necessary," I muttered to myself as I pushed out of my chair to follow him outside, grabbing my phone from where it was charging and putting it in the back pocket of my jeans. "You never said what you needed from the shops," I called out across the front yard. He was already in the drivers seat with the passenger door open waiting for me. He never said a word as I plopped into my seat and clicked the seatbelt into place, he only sighed more loudly than the first time as he drove down the street.