The Hunter

Chapter 6

It’s been exactly one week since I had the meeting with Daniel. He was gone a few days after to attend the ceremony with the higher ups on welcoming the new Alpha. The maids are bustling around preparing the house for the arrival of the people Daniel wanted to attend. I swerved a maid in the hallway who was carrying what looked like bathrobes. Does Daniel intend for people to stay? I reached Luna’s door and knocked. She had locked herself away after Daniel left, refusing to speak to me.

“Luna, open the damn door or I’ll kick this f*****g thing off its hinges!” I yelled. I heard scrambling from the other side of the door.

“Go screw yourself, wolf!” she yelled back at me. I groaned loudly. A butler that was passing by, stopped as he watched me banging on the door. “Go away!”

“Don’t blame me for not having a door.” I said under my breath. I stepped back a little and with one single forward motion I planted my heavy boots on the door with force. The poor door creaked and splintered in half. The butler looked at me with fear in his eyes, turning quickly to avoid this situation. I don’t blame him. Luna jumped at me from behind the broken door when I was distracted. I grabbed her arms and twisted them behind her. She roared and pushed herself off the ground and flipped in the air, causing me to lose balance and slam on my back. She twisted on the ground bringing my arms to my sides and putting them between her legs as she straddled me, knife at my throat. I stared at her, eyes wide and no air in my lungs. Her eyes gleamed red and her canines had become elongated as she gave me a growl. I wiggled under her, but it was no use. I had no air in my lungs, and I could see dots clouding my vision. With pain I’m all too familiar with, air rushed back into my lungs after I went a few seconds gasping viciously. I coughed and felt the knife cut my throat. I gave her a long growl.

“Leave me be and I won’t end your life.” She said, murder in her eyes. I brought my legs up, planting my hands and with a single thrust of my hips, I got her off me just enough to maneuver. I grabbed the knife throwing it away to the side. I wrapped one of my legs around her hips, bring my body up and putting my forearm on her throat. She laid there, shocked.

“Listen here, I’ve put up with your s**t for a long time, I even voiced my concern to your father. You want to end my life? Go ahead, have fun with a protection detail that won’t let you do half the s**t I let you get away with.” I said, my breaths coming out fast. “Get f*****g dressed and I will meet you by the top of the stairs, Daniel comes home in 20 minutes.”

“f**k!” Luna roared. I let her go and she laid there for a few moments, her eyes closed. “I got you there for a second.”

“It was pure luck. I had my guard down.” I said extending my hand out to her. She took it and I pulled her up. “Ain’t gonna happen again, sweet cheeks. Now, get dressed.”

“Ain’t gonna happen.” She mocked me. I laughed at her and it only made her throw up her middle finger. I brushed myself off and tighten the high pony. I turned, the maid who served me when I first arrived, stood there with her eyes wide.

“Um,” I rubbed the back of my neck. “It’s a best friend thing.”

“I’ll get someone to clean this up right away!” the girl announced before running in the opposite direction. I looked back at the half door that held on for dear life by a single bent hinge. Maybe I could have just broken the knob and let myself in that way. I shrugged to myself. This isn’t the first door the housekeepers had to replace because I kicked it down. Last time it was a male vampire who endured my wrath.

Luna stepped around the mess, careful not to walk over the pieces of wood in her heels. I’ll admit, she knew how to dress very well. She came out in a dark grey knitted dress that came mid-thigh. She paired it with a dark blue mid length Burberry trench coat and knee-high cream-colored suede boots. Her usually straight hair fell in effortless Beach waves that framed her delicate features. She had light make up on, but her bold dark brown lips accentuated her plump lips. She gave me a once over.

“You’re wearing that?” she asked, raising a perfect brow.

“What the hell do you mean by that?” I inquired. I looked down at myself. I typically wear band tees, jeans and my boots. This time I decided to go with fitted emerald green long sleeve, high waisted leather pants and my knee-high combat boots. I wore a black leather jacket instead of my usual bomber. Hell, I even slapped on a bit of blush to add some color to my skin and concealer to hide my dark circles. I even opted out of my usual low bun for a high pony with wispy hairs falling around my face. I’m not an animal.

“You’re always so blah. You could’ve have at least worn a dress or skirt.” She said walking around me. I scoffed at her.

“I’m dressed to kill, not impressed.” I reminded her. I opted for my leather jacket to hide my knives and gun, boots to hide my throwing knives and my pants served a great purpose to hide my magazines. We may be at home, but there will be strangers in the house. The security detail posted around isn’t for Luna, it’s for the other guest. I’m her protector, therefore I’ll have my clothing tailored for that.

“Live a little.” She said dismissively and waving her hand, walking around me to continue down the hallway. I was a step behind her in a flash.

“I’m on the job, not gonna happen.” I pointed out.

“You’re always “on the job,” you never enjoy yourself.” She remarked with air quotes.

“You’re a full-time job.” I said under my breath.

“I heard that.” She announced.

“Good, I’m glad!” I exclaimed. Just as we were coming down the stairs, Owen and Daniel came through the front door, noticing the sun was setting. Daniel smiled as he saw his daughter.

“You look positively radiant!” he said clapping his hand together once. Luna twirled while Daniel laughed. He looked over to me and smiled but stopped once his eyes landed on my neck. “What happened there?”

“Your daughter happened.” I said, injecting venom in my words. I went to touch my neck, feeling the warm blood. I wiped it off, noticing my wound already healed over. I knew this scar would disappear in a day, but for now it was just pink and puckered.

“She gave you a hard time?” Owen asked, laughing a bit. I rolled my eyes.

“Yeah, another door needs to be replaced. And I think I scared the new girl.” I commented. “Oh, and you’ll be happy to know, she was able to take me down. Only because I was distracted.”

“So, what does that make the score?” Owen inquired, jabbing his elbow into my side. It was a funny sight because he had to bend down to do it.

“Eight hundred and ninety-six to fifteen. I’m leading.” I spoke, feeling proud.

“Uh, that means out of all the times I’ve tried to ambush you, you failed to win and figuratively die fifteen times. It’s not a good look.” Luna expressed, sticking her tongue at me.

“Are you sure it’s not you figuratively dying about eight hundred times?” I asked sarcastically. Daniel chuckled. This was how our friendship had become. It was more like a couple of sisters fighting than employee and employer. I have spent most of my mid-twenties in her company.  She knew how to push my buttons more than anyone I cared to. I think after the loss of my family and a very messy breakup, she was one of the first few people I showed my real side. Everyone I ever met either saw me in work mode or was simply ignored. I did not have the time to deal with people and their baggage. I had too much of my own to deal with. Luna had given me a off handed remark about how she wasn’t easy to kill, but I chose not to answer her.

“Our guest will be arriving in ten minutes, Your Highness.” A blonde vampire said coming from the shadows. I took a mental note of how he was dressed. All black with a long sword strapped to his back. If I had to guess, most, if not all, the vamps were dressed similarly with their own weapons on their person. He gave me a quick glance, nodding briskly before Daniel had dismissed him.

The vamps are now in work mode, often recognizing that I was present and giving me some sort of formality. I had to confess, while they usually treated me with disrespect most of the time, the few times we all had the same goal in mind, they recognized me as their equal. I didn’t have a place in Daniel’s army, I was simply contracted to protect the princess. While I did train with them, I was never under the command of Owen. I was free to come and go as I please, often taking up tasks that Daniel didn’t want to send a small unit to deal with issues. I was quick, quiet, and efficient on my own. I would sometimes join a unit if Daniel requested me to, but that was rare.

“Daniel,” I began.

“Yes?” He said turned his head slightly in my direction.

“Do you intend guest to stay at the mansion?” I asked, remembering the maid with bathrobes in her arms.

“The Alpha King and a few of his pack members will be staying with us. As sort of a formality to welcome him into his position. I was surprised he agreed, but nonetheless I was elated to hear he did.” He informed me. I grunted in response. It had been a rather long time since I was in contact with a pack. My last encounter was when I had just lost my family and pack members. I went in search of a nearby pack in hopes to be able to live with them as I was orphaned. I was not greeted with open arms. Rather they kicked me out the moment I stepped into their territory, deeming me a rouge. It broke my heart knowing I was not accepted by my own kind. That was the last time I came into contact on my own.

The other few times I did, I was working with the hunters. That pack called me derogatory terms that cut deep into my soul. I was called a deserter and a traitor and few other terms. I knew it wasn’t true, but to be considered rouge by my own kind when I first sought them out, angered me. That’s why I refused to be anywhere near them at any given moment. Today was different, they were coming to the vamp’s territory, and were being allowed passage. I had to play nice. Plus, I wasn’t here for the meeting, I was here for Luna, and Luna only. Daniel gave me piercing glare, as if he knew what my thoughts were. This man knew everything about me, I wasn’t going to try to anger him by starting drama.