maggieveach@g*******m

Hunter's Choice Chapter 22 (This chapter contains explicit content. 18 plus only)

Chapter 22: Penny Thoughts 

--------Cassie's Perspective-------

I did it. I punished them. It's over. I can finally be at peace. Things can get back to normal. Normal. No, things will never be normal again. 

"Why so sad, Momma?" s**t. I need to be more aware. 

"I'm not." 

"Don't lie to me." Her face becomes stern. Damn she's cute. 

"She is right. You are sad." Mal is filling up yet another plate full of food. He keeps on stuffing me. I guess it's to be expected. I was out for two weeks. So much has changed. 

"Penny for your thoughts." His blue eyes stare into me. 

"It's nothing. I'm fine." I take the plate and start eating. Maybe then they won't ask me so many questions. I don't have answers. I did the right thing. Julian got what he deserved. After everything he did to me. It was the right thing to do. And my Mother....

No. I can't think about her. I can't think about what she said. She was just manipulating me. I know it. She's cold and calculating. She doesn't feel. She doesn't love me. Mal loves me. Dani loves me. No one else. No, she was just trying to save herself. She didn't mean it. She never means it. She's said "I love you" before. She always says it when she needs or wants something from me. She doesn't actually feel that way about me. I wish she was the one who had died that day. 

I know that's an awful thing to wish for your Mother. I can't help it. She never cared for me. Not like Dad did. She was too busy being Head Huntress. She never saw me as anything but a tool or weapon. 

"Please say something, love. I am beginning to worry about you." I look up and Dani is gone. What? 

"Where's Dani?" 

"I sent her out. I think we need to talk about what happened in the dungeons." 

"What's there to talk about? They got what they deserved. End of story." 

"It is alright if you have regrets. If you wish to see them. If you wish to see her. She is still your Mother." His eyes are so kind. So damn kind. I hate it. I hate how he can see through me. I hate how much this hurts. I hate that she said that. She said those words. 

"I can't. I can't do this, Mal. I don't want to love her. I don't. It just hurts. I'm so tired of loving people who don't love me." I can feel the tears on my cheeks. So weak. No. That was her way. It won't be mine. Crying isn't weak. He puts his arms around me. Feels good. So good. 

"I love you." 

"I know you do. I love you too. Thank you for seeing me for who I am. For loving me as I am." He wipes the tears from my eyes. 

"Of course, love. Anyone who does not love you, does not see you. They do not know you. Perhaps, if they caught a glimpse of who I see every day, they might change their mind." 

"Mal. There is no changing her mind." 

"Who says I was talking about your Mother?" He smirks. Bastard. 

"Fine. I'll go to the dungeons tonight. Check up on them. See if she's still alive." 

"Right. Do you want me to come with you?" 

"Please." 

"Of course, love. I will always be here for you." I love him. I love him so much my heart could burst. I need him. I kiss him and slip my tongue into his. He responds and I'm pinned to the bed. Hmm, I love this position. He pulls back. 

"How do you want me to pleasure you?" God, even the way he asks is sexy. What do I want? I want him to kiss me....down there. 

"Um...if you could.....pleasure me....with your tongue. You know.....down below." His eyes spark and he smiles.  

"As you wish, my love." He slowly removes my jeans. Pulling them down, along with my underwear. Oh God. This is the first time he's seeing me. His eyes go even darker and he growls. 

"Mine." 

"Yours." He licks his lips and positions a pillow underneath me. His head dips down. Hmm, so good!! His tongue licking my insides. Lapping at every inch of my nexus. Exploring, teasing, causing me to go insane.

"Mal!!!" He looks up with a smirk. He goes back down. I don't know if I'll survive this. His tongue flicks at my c**t. s**t!!! So good!!! I can feel the heat starting. Everything is on fire. All of me burning. Can't seem to help myself. He sucks on my c**t. I'm dead!!!! I can feel it building. Building, building, building. He inserts his tongue into my depths. Going deeper than I can imagine. So good. He flicks inside me, so fast. God, so fast!!!! Can't hold on. Building, building, building. Building!!!! 

"f**k!!!!!!" 

He pulls out his tongue. Hmm, every inch of me is tingling. My breath is heaving in and out of me. Can't seem to focus my eyes. 

"Are you alright, love?" Am I? I stick a thumb up and he laughs. It intertwines into my being, pumping through me. 

"You are glorious. I love you." I want to say it back. I don't think I have the breath for it. I give him another thumbs up. 

"Clearly, I have worn you out. Allow me to clean you up, love. Then you can rest." He smiles and he is beautiful. He goes towards the bathroom. That was....so motherfucking better than my dreams. It doesn't even compare. Not even close. Hell, I've never brought myself that much pleasure. I can't even imagine what full blown s*x with him will be like. I'll probably die. No, scratch that, I'll definitely die. But, it'll be worth it. Oh yeah. Totally worth it. 

--------End of Cassie's Perspective------

--------Julian's Perspective--------

It burns. It always burns. In my throat. It won't ever go away. I can't shake the thirst. I need blood. I yearn for blood. I can't help it. I'm a monster. The things I've done to the Head Huntress. They're unspeakable. The other vamps had to pull me off of her. Despicable. What's worse though, are the looks she gives me. As if she wants me dead. But, she can't. She's still healing. The second she's healed, I'll die. What a mercy that will be. 

I hear people coming. Everything is heightened. Everything. It drives me crazy. I can't take this. The loud noises, the sights, the smells. No wonder all vamps are monsters. This is Hell. I glance at the bars. No. What the Hell is she doing here? 

"Hello, Julian. How are you doing?" What the f**k?!!!

"Go to Hell, bitch." I run to the bars and bare my fangs. He is there pulling her back. The bastard. He did this to her. He made her into this monster. I f*****g hate him. 

"Well, now that is rude. Clearly, you need to be taught manners." 

"f**k you. And f**k your manners." 

"So, have you killed my Mother?" 

"No. Your vamps kept me from doing it. I'm still thirsty. Always thirsty." God, it burns. All the time. 

"Here. This will help." He tosses a blood bag into the cell. I jump on it and suck. So damn good. Feels so good. 

"How disgusting. You turned him into a monster." I finish the bag. I can feel blood on my chin and I lap it up. She's right. I'm a monster. I hate myself. 

"No. It's up to him whether or not he becomes a monster. Just because he was turned, that doesn't make him evil." What the hell is this? More manipulations? 

"Whatever you need to do to justify what you've done." 

"Funny, I could say the same thing about you, Mother." 

"I know you will never understand this. Even though you are a monster, I still love you." Cassie doesn't deserve her. She doesn't her love or compassion. Not after what she did. 

"No. You don't. You never have. And you never will." I see her eyes flicker. What is that? That's the old Cassie. No, it's a trick. It can't be her. She's gone. Replaced by this monster. 

"But, that's not why I came down here. I want you to know Julian, you're not alone. I'm here and so is Mal whenever you want to talk. I know that you probably hate me for forcing you to turn. Don't blame you for that. I hated you for tricking me, lying to me, knocking me unconscious and basically putting me into a coma. So, I think we're a bit even now. I know this is a big change for you. You're probably full of self loathing and rage. I promise you, if you don't want to be a monster, you don't have to be. You can change. Start over. You don't have to be what she made you into." What the actual f**k? 

"You're the one who had me turned. He's the one who turned me. I can still feel him in my veins. I hate that. I hate you. I want to die. But, I can't. You won't let me. I hate you. I am a monster because of you. Your Mother has done nothing but take care of me. She isn't the monster, here, Cassie. You are." I see something flash in her eyes. 

"First time hearing you call me Cassie. It's a bit weird. Guess I got what I wanted, right? I got my independence. Only thousands had to die. Yeah, and my best friend is in a cell with my Mother. I got exactly what I wanted, right? All this bloodshed, all this death, all for my freedom. All for my independence. My master plan worked. Right?" I see the tears falling from her eyes. Cass. No!!!

That's not Cass. She's manipulating me. She's trying to get me to turn. I won't. 

"I see through you, Cassie. It won't work. You are a monster. I don't care how many tears you shed. That doesn't change." She looks into my eyes. Her green grey rimmed with tears. 

"Right. I didn't cry for you. I cried for the thousands who died. For the life I once knew. For the world that will never happen now. It's not always about you." She wipes the tears from her eyes. Dammit. This feels like the old Cass. But, it can't be. I know it's a trick. 

"And what about you? Do you feel regret for the lives you slaughtered? For the men you killed?" His blue eyes pierce mine. s**t, he's so powerful. 

"Yes. I do. I regret that so many innocent men had to die at my hands. In every war, there are casualties. Always. I wish that she had not attacked. That you had not hurt Cassandra. I wish you could see her. The real her. I fear that may never come to pass." What the hell is he babbling about? 

"Okay. Whatever. I know this is all for show. I know this is a trick. I won't fall for it." 

"Did you know, that vampires can smell a lie?" What?

"Um, no. That's not possible." 

"Anything is possible, fledgling. Simply breathe in. Smell if we are genuine. If we are not, you will know." This is f*****g ridiculous. Another trick. Still, doesn't hurt to humor them. I breathe in. It smells.....good. Like a summer breeze. So warm and yet....sad. I look at Cassie. I can see the sadness in her eyes. No, it can't be true. It can't be. This isn't Cass. 

"It can't be. It just can't be. It's another trick." 

"I promise you, it is not. What you scent is the truth. Who you see before you, is Cassandra. The truth of her. You are finally meeting the woman I have fallen in love with." 

"Hi....Jules. I know this is a lot. I know it'll take time to rebuild the trust between us. I just hope you can see yourself not as a monster, but as a person. Because that's how I see you. As a messed up person who hurt me. You're a non-human being. Not a monster." I can see the hope in her eyes. This is her, this is Cass. God, she's so beautiful. So warm, so compassionate. Yes, this is the Cass I remember. 

"God, Cass. I've missed you." She starts to cry again. 

"If you start crying, then I might too." She wipes them away with a laugh. I've missed her laugh. 

"Yeah, that'd be messy. Vamps cry blood." Wait, what?!

"Seriously, that's f*****g gross." 

"It's not that bad. One of the many things you'll need to get used to. I promise you, you won't be in here forever. I just need to re-build the trust between us. It's gonna be hard. But, I think we can do it." 

"Yeah. I think we can. I don't know if I'll ever be able to accept that I'm a vampire. But, I see you, Cass. God, you're beautiful. So full of light and compassion. I thought you'd changed. That you were somehow some monster. And what you did was monstrous. But....I did hurt you. I am sorry for what I've done to you. I never meant to hurt you." 

"I know. I forgive you. I don't trust you. Not yet. But, I'll visit. And we can talk." 

"I think I might vomit." I look over at her Mother. 

"And what about her? She really does love you. In her own twisted way." I see darkness cloud her eyes. 

"No, she doesn't. She's a monster. Nothing will ever change between us." 

"If you can forgive me, why can't you forgive her?" She seems shocked. 

"I can't. It's too much. She tried to kill me, several times. She led thousands of men to their deaths. She knew she wouldn't win, she knew they would die. She didn't care. She's heartless. Completely heartless. I will never forgive her. Never." 

"That's alright, my darling girl. I still love you." 

"Stop saying that!!!!" s**t. Cass is really hurting. God, I had no idea how much her Mother hurt her. 

"Enough. Head Huntress shut up or I'll shut you up. You should probably go, Cass." I can see her entire body shaking. 

"Yeah. I'll be back." She runs out. 

"Thank you. I hope we can come to an understanding. I mean, I am your sire." Right, he is. 

"Yeah. I'll try. It's a lot right now." 

"I understand. Take care, my fledgling." I can see a glimmer in his eyes. My heart skips. What the hell? Some weird vamp bullshit, probably. 

"Um...bye." He laughs and it curls through my skin. f*****g weird. He goes out. Damn, I'm tired. I do feel a bit better though. Maybe things will work out. 

"You really are a fool. You keep making the same mistakes." 

"I could say the same of you." I can hear her shock. Yeah, things are different now. I still don't know if I can accept all of this. But, for Cass, I'll try. 

--------End of Julian's Perspective--------

End of Chapter 22