Book 5⌇54. Silence

Background color
Font
Font size
Line height

Chapter 54 ∣  Silence

-Maverick

"There's something different about you," Zak regarded me quizzically, his eyes calculating what my next move would be after doing something even he couldn't comprehend—a rogue vampire saving humans.

He knew my past.

He played a major role in setting my younger self on the path of destruction. If he had steered away from my father's influences, would he too, have seen the potential that Eris saw within me?

"I don't think you'd believe me, even if I did tell you," I replied, feeling that warmth within my chest as I imagined Eris, but immediately stopped, my head turning in the direction of where she had run.

She was being hunted, because of me.

"Maybe I would," Zak sighed, walking away from me and down the sidewalk, the lamp posts flickering while the sounds of sirens echoed in the distance, the fire drawing their attention to this area.

After looking over the humans, seeing that they were safe and that help would arrive for the ones who had inhaled too much of the smoke, I followed Zak.

"I carry a small remnant of a soul within my body," I stated, Zak, halting and swiftly turning around to stare into my eyes.

"That woman," Zak paused, thinking about how to explain the obvious encounter, but I stopped him.

"Why are you even here?" I asked, "Wouldn't you have followed with the rest of the hunters? With Rainier? With that wolf pack?"

Zak shook his head and I could see a slight embarrassment that crossed his face.

It struck me then and I chuckled, "Did you get played by my little vixen?"

"That—thing..." Zak stammered, "Sh-She took my energy."

"She could have killed you, if she really wanted to," I walked past Zak, knowing at this moment in time, he wasn't going to try and kill me. There would be no reason to, as he had more questions and only Eris and I held those answers. "Oh, Zakie boy," I sighed, "You were seduced by a succubus. My love outplayed the great hunter of my father's coven."

Zak's anger flared, storming behind me as he glowered, "That may be true, but she's about to be killed for your actions. Why does everyone else always have to pay the price for what you do?"

"I didn't d-"

"Cut the fucking crap Maverick," Zak growled at me, "You killed a well-known Alpha and Luna of a very large pack with very tight connections. Their Alpha king wants your head about as much as your father does. Why couldn't you just leave well enough alone and not kill everything that moves?"

Eris...she's smart, she can evade them, but her trail is all over the place.

"Now," Zak ended up in front of me, his two medium length daggers were drawn, and he placed them at the base of my neck, stopping me dead in my tracks with the blades crossing in an 'X' form. "I can kill you now and give both the vampires and the werewolves what they want."

My eyes shifted, black rose pools glaring at him while I felt my fangs elongating.

"Or," Zak brought his daggers away from my throat, relieving the pressure from my arteries. "I can let you live because I have a very ugly feeling in the pit of my stomach, that is telling me that this little feud, won't end with just your life. I believe you started something, that might not be reversed so easily as handing over your head."

His white irises met my black rose ones, our stare filled with tension, my breathing coming long and slow as I contemplated what he was declaring. Would the werewolves kill vampires who wandered into their territories unknowingly now? Even if they weren't rogues? Would they try and rid the world of the "evil" vampire race? They saw me as the one representing them, knowing I was the exiled prince that could possibly lead them one day, despite being cast away. Did that cause fear to stir within their bones? Fear of the unknown?

If Eris taught me one thing, spilling more blood isn't going to solve anything. She really could be the only being who could understand why nothing good could come of this.

"What are you really afraid of then, Zak?" I questioned, picking up her scent. Eris had run hard and fast, crossing over into the eastern part of Oregon. If she kept up her pace, she could easily move into Idaho. I knew what Zak was afraid of. I figured it out quite easily after he had either decided to stay out of the fray that was about to take place or because he didn't understand Eris completely.

Zak remained silent as I chased after Eris' trail, him keeping up quite well with my speed.

"Are you afraid of what part the hunters would play in this so-called war that is brewing?" I continued to attack him, trying to bring out what his choice would be, as it would be a very hard one for him to make, considering this enlightenment with Rainier.

Zak's heart raced, his mind wandering as he too, couldn't say what he was feeling, afraid that if he would, he'd show me his mind was already made up.

"You're supposed to protect humans, reign in all supernatural creatures who would cause harm to this world," I turned a corner, heading into the forest now, Zak continuing to weave his way through the dense trees. "Who would your race rather see live through this? Werewolves, who tend to stay out of the affairs of humans? Or vampires, who're a sole purpose in life is to take their life essence, more often, killing them in the process."

"I-I...you're seeing too much into this," Zak breathed out, but I heard his hesitation.

I laughed, "Do I look stupid to you? Do you take me for a fool? Every god damn hunter will easily side with those wolves, knowing even after the treaty was signed, there are those that still harbor begrudging feelings toward the vampires, after the many years of killing and persecution."

I stopped in my tracks, Zak having to pull back before he slammed into me. I whirled around and narrowed my eyes, "But you already know this. What you don't know and are very afraid of, is losing your best friend who has stood by your side since you were in your teens. You're terrified that Rainier will completely shut you out if you choose to stand by my parents' coven, while he will surely join with his beloved."

"Maverick, you don-"

"Am I being too blunt and harsh?" I cut him off, seeing the hurt that had finally surfaced. "Would you rather me say, you and Rainier will more than likely end up fighting each other? You'd never betray my mother. She saved your life a very long time ago and you owe her your life and allegiance. Even my grandfather risked his life for you, you're too good of a person to betray another life. Stop fooling yourself and pull the sheet down from your eyes, stop blinding yourself, Rainier will never side with the vampires. Not now, not ever, not after finding his beloved and what he truly is."

Zak's gaze faltered and he whispered hoarsely, clearing his throat, "Yes. Are you happy now? Are you so fucking ecstatic to finally bring my world crashing down around me?"

"You had no problems doing that to me, and I was only a child," I lashed out, not feeling sorry for shining light on the true worry behind Zak's sudden decision to not kill me. If this war would take place regardless if I were dead or alive, he sure as hell knew that the vampires would need me. After all, I could easily bring this world to its knees, why not save my own race and repay the debt I owe them all, regain their trust?

I breathed out, turning my head in the direction of the forest clearing, knowing we were close now. I could smell Eris as though she were right next to me, but the many that followed her brought anxiety through me.

"Hurry," Zak dashed past me, maneuvering his way through the trees. I started running again, feeling Eris growing closer and closer. She was within earshot, and so were the many footfalls of the hunters, the paw prints of the shifted wolves having torn up patches of the grass. Their claws were out, wanting blood for the blood that was spilled, and now they had the full authority of this werewolf king to end anything associated with me.

"Zak!" I yelled out, "How many hunters are there?"

"More than you'd like to have to chase you," Zak was worried, and I knew if there really were that many that had come for me, along with the wolves, Eris was no match. She would be hunted until she grew too tired to run anymore. We were almost there, the stench of those filthy creatures permeated the air, assaulting my senses as we finally made our way out of the thickest part of the forest.

Zak stopped all movement, and I felt my own heart skip a beat when I heard a gunshot ring out in the night sky. I faltered, tripping and crashing onto the forest floor as my eyes attempted to scan through the trees, Zak's footsteps were slow, walking between the tree trunks.

Three quick shots in succession followed that first one. The feeling of my heart being wrenched from my chest caught me off guard, my breathing was erratic, trying to stand to my feet as I placed a hand on my heart and the other to my forehead. It felt as though a bucket of ice water had been thrown on me, shocking and then numbing my senses, my eyes searching the trees when I took shaky steps through the tree trunks, following the path that Zak had taken.

The bridge of my nose stung, tears rushing to my eyes when the warmth of her familiar closeness faded away. The light was shut off at the end of the tunnel, my eyes brimming with tears, trying to breathe normally, but the air left my lungs when I edged to the clearing, standing next to a quiet Zak.

Eris' body lay face down and motionless among the vile creatures, both hunters and wolves that had gone to great lengths to shut her down. Her long ebony hair blew gently, the wind rolling through the clearing as the moon cast a dark shadow behind the clouds. The tears overflowed, coming down the corners of my eyes, trying to draw air, but my lungs wouldn't allow it, my body not knowing how to handle what I was seeing.

There was no breathing.

There was no heartbeat.

Only silence.

Published on Amazon as an ebook and paperback.

To Seduce a Succubus by K. A. Young.

If you don't have a Kindle and can't purchase the book off Amazon, you are more than welcome to join my Patreon page and receive downloadable PDFs under the Pack Tracker Tier.

Please click on the link on my bio.

https://www.patreon.com/SerenityR0se    

You are reading the story above: TeenFic.Net