Chapter 2

"What do you mean you're a part of me?" I question. He stares at me deeply, another smile held on his lips.

"What do you think I mean?" he asks in reply. Colton sits up and grabs my hand. He opens my fingers from a fist and places my hand on his bare, masculine chest. I quickly pull my hand away in complete shock.

"What the hell were you doing?" I question. He looks down at where he had placed my hand on his chest. I follow his gaze with my eyes. There, on his chest, is a bite wound. It still hasn't healed all the way yet and I can smell the sweet scent of his blood.

"That wound came from you last night," Colton says in a smooth voice. "And, you enjoyed it as much as I did."

"No!" I exclaim. "I couldn't have done that! I'm not a vampire! I hate vampires! I hunt and kill vampires!" Colton just laughs at me mockingly. I stand up. The room seems colder than I remember. I look down at myself to see that I am only wearing a skimpy little lingerie nightgown. It is black and silky with a see-through section around the stomach.

I look toward Colton with anger rising inside me. His eyes are fixated on me, but not my face. His jaw is slightly dropped and he is breathing a little deeper now. He licks his lips before he realizes that I am glaring at him.

"I can't believe you!" I exclaim. "Why am I wearing this?"

"I couldn't help myself," Colton replies. His cheeks flush and are a light pink color.

"You're embarrassed?" I ask. "You don't think I look good do you? I mean, I'm still a witch, and I thought that you hated me."

"No, I m-mean I... I don't know," Colton stutters.

"Do you think I'm pretty?" I ask to see how vulnerable he is right now. I crawl back onto the bed. As I slowly crawl toward him, his bottom lip twitches slightly and his eyes now hold a look of nervousness. He sits up and leans his back against the headboard of the bed. I pull the velvet comforter off of him. He is wearing only a pair of black colored boxers.

"What are you doing?" he asks, as I maneuver myself onto his lap. "I th-think that m-maybe I sh-should g-get dressed." If I didn't hate him with everything inside me, I would have found his boyish stuttering to be cute.

"Why, you're not nervous are you?" I question, already knowing the answer to be a yes. I run my fingers through his jet-black hair, and then pull it so that his head is now being held tightly against the headboard. I can feel his steel-hard muscles quiver as I run my other hand up from his stomach, toward his chest, and behind his neck.

A girlish giggle escapes my mouth as I bring my head down toward his pale chest. My lips meet his icy flesh and I kiss him from his chest down toward his belly. Small sighs escape from him in pleasure. Is he enjoying this? Or worse, am I?

One of his hands rubs my back and the other one holds my head against him. Then, as my mouth reaches the side of his waist, I feel my heart quicken its pace again. My teeth sink into the tender skin of his waist and blood starts to fill my mouth. I pull my head away as fast as I can. The red, sweet flavored liquid slides down my throat, making me feel nauseous again.

"I knew you couldn't handle it," Colton says with a laugh. "Looks like your little plan of vulnerability failed sweetheart." He pushes me back and climbs on top of me, trapping me underneath him. He grabs a lock of my long, black hair and brushes it over my right shoulder.

"Please don't," I say. He takes the lock of hair and brushes it over my cheeks. I try to push him off of me, but he is much stronger than I am and doesn't move an inch.

"You know, you have lovely hair," Colton says. He takes a handful of my hair and lifts it up to his nose. He breathes the scent in deeply, savoring it. "Yes, such luxurious hair." He leans in and plants a soft kiss on my lips, before he gets off of me and walks to his closet.

He pulls out a black, long sleeved, button up shirt and puts it on, leaving the buttons undone. He then pulls out a pair of black pants and puts them on. I watch his every move, staring at his irresistibly handsome face.

I can't be watching him like this. I hate him, but he is so beautiful. What am I thinking? He's a monster, a blood sucking vermin. He is so pretty though, I just want to hold him, and kiss him. His silver eyes flash me a glance of interest. I can feel my cheeks grow hot, as I remember that he can read my thoughts.

"How long do you plan on keeping me here?" I ask.

"As long as I want to, it's not like you have anywhere else to go," Colton replies. "You know that the other hunters will kill you on sight, so I wouldn't suggest that you go back to the academy."

"Do you really think that my family would kill me?" I question.

"They were trained to kill any one who carries vampiric blood," Colton replies. "Of course they would kill you. They would probably have a hard time doing so, but they would still kill you. "

"This is your fault!" I exclaim. "Now, I won't be able to see my family ever again! You did this to torture me!" I feel my eyes start to water before hot tears start to roll down my face in streams of sorrow. I press my face into the comforting softness of the bed, hoping it would ease my emotions.

I was forced to not show emotions when I was growing up. Crying just goes against everything I was taught. In fact, this is the first time I have ever cried. I quickly pull the comforter over my head and bury my face under my arms. I can feel my face getting wet and I can taste the salt as tears rest in the corners of my mouth.

"Please don't cry," Colton pleads. I can hear the tenderness of his voice. It is soft and fragile, and the type of tone most people would use to talk to babies with.

"You ruined my life!" I yell, as tears stream out of me like a storm of sadness. I feel Colton start to rub my back with one of his hands and for some reason I decide not to move away from him. "Why didn't you just run away again like you always do?"

"I wanted you to see what it's like," he replies. "I wanted you to know what it's like to live without your family. To be hunted like an animal. I wanted you to feel what I feel every time I have to leave my home and start over in another place."

"Why?" I ask. "You could have just killed me."

"I didn't want to kill you," he says. "I wanted you to learn that I am not a bad person."

"You didn't have to turn me into a blood sucker like you!" I cry. There is a long pause that seems like hours of quiet, but it must have only been about ten minutes.

"I'm sorry," he finally says. He then gets up and leaves the room. I really didn't want him to leave. I wanted to tell him that I think I like him. I used to hate him, but now I feel so different about him. I don't know, just something about him makes me feel warm inside.

Sometimes I hate being what I am. I never had a boyfriend; I'm not allowed to. I was taught that getting entwined with the opposite sex would weaken me. I want to know that feeling of love though. I want to be cradled in a guy's arms and just lie there in the warmth of him.

I imagine lying in Colton’s arms. His masculine chest against my back and his soft lips kissing my shoulders and neck. His fingers caressing my stomach and his hot breath in my ear.

~*~*~*~

I quickly sit up and open my eyes. I can’t believe the dreams that I’ve been having lately. Colton Goodcourage is my enemy and here I am having fantasy dreams about him. What the hell is wrong with me?

I wipe the sleep from my eyes and get up out of bed. I head into my walk-in closet and pull out a leather skirt and a matching black leather spaghetti strap shirt. I’ve always liked leather. The way it smells and the way it feels against my skin. I quickly undress and redress in my leather outfit.

I pull on a pair of thigh high combat boots and brush my long black hair out. I’m going to find Colton tonight, even if it’s the last thing I do. I have to find him and prove to myself that I hate him. I put on some dark eyeliner and accent my eyes with some silver eye shadow. Then I put on the finishing touch, a layer of vixen red lipstick.

I reach under my bed for a metal case and open it to reveal all of my knives and a single pistol with silver bullets. I pull out a knife and place it in the sheathe on my back. I grab two more knives and tuck them into each thigh high boot.

A hunter must always be ready for anything. A surprise attack can happen at any time so a hunter always makes sure to bring enough weapons. I flash myself a quick crimson smile in the mirror then head out of my room.

The sounds of sleep escape from my older sister’s room. If she knew what I was about to do, she’d kill me. The number one rule of a hunter is to never go anywhere alone, but vampires like Colton get a little uneasy when too many people are around at once.

To find Colton, I must go alone. I quickly, yet quietly run down the stairs. I look up them one last time just to make sure that my sister didn’t sense my leaving. When I see nothing, I smile again then grap my keys from the table next to the front door and I leave.

I get into my black Mercedes and head toward the next town. The next town over is at least a half hour drive. My sister and I have found plenty of vampires there. They seem to like residing in busy towns with big houses and that’s exactly where I’ll find Colton Goodcourage.

Most vampires around my area like to live together in groups or clans, but Colton is different, he’s a loner. It was said that a Vampire Lord named Cassius was disowned by the VanderGild line for being too vicious. Cassius would torture young beautiful girls, then drink their blood in thought that he would become the most handsome vampire of all.

The power got to Cassius’s head and one day he even murdered a girl of kin. His lust for blood grew stronger and human blood would no longer satisfy his hunger. He began slaughtering his own kind until one day all the vampires got together and they buried the barbaric vampire alive.

Then months later a boy around the age of seventeen claimed he was the changeling of Cassius VanderGild. At first no one believed the boy because Cassius normally only went for females. The boy lifted his shirt to reveal a scar on his back that was outlined in ink.

Tattooed on his back was Cassius’s notorious trademark of a serpent. Not just any serpent, but the deadliest snake of all; the King Cobra. The vampires, who now believed the boy, refused to help him for fear that he would be just like his vampire father. The boy had no other choice but to become a rogue. That boy is Colton Goodcourage.

I park the car near the curb about fifty yards away from Colton’s house. I quickly get out and sneak up to the house. The house is dark; none of the lights are on, not even a porch light. There’s a car in the driveway the color of blood with a sporty look to it. Knowing Colton, it’s a very expensive car.

I easily climb the fence that surrounds the brick Victorian house and jump down. As a hunter I was trained in many different types of things like combat and reflex courses. Thanks to that training, I have cat-like reflexes.

I walk onto the porch; my only light is the moon and the stars. Before I can take another step, the door suddenly opens. I quickly pull a knife from my boot as Colton stands before me. I knew he would sense a witch on his property. I toss him a sly grin.

“Magick,” he says, throwing a wicked smile back at me. “I should have known it was you. So what do you want?”

“I’m sure you know exactly what I want,” I reply. I take a few steps toward him and he just stands there watching me get closer to him.

“How many times are we going to dance this dance Magick?” Colton asks. “You just don’t learn do you? You can’t beat me.”

“But I can sure try,” I say and quickly throw my knife toward his handsome face. He dodges it and the knife hits the wooden door behind him.

“Maybe,” he says and is suddenly behind me. “You should try harder.” His hot breath is in my ear one second and the next I’m unexpectedly being held against the door. “Want another shot?” he whispers into my ear then kisses my neck.

“Of course,” I reply and push him off of me. I kick him in the shin and he sighs with slight pain. I then jump up and kick both of his kneecaps. He falls to the floor, but not without taking me down with him. He grabs my legs and we both fall; me on top of him. He rolls over and pins me down under him.

“I always had a fetish for girls in leather,” he says, holding my arms above my head.

“Let me go!” I nearly shout and he just laughs.

“Well aren’t you precious,” he mocks then leans in and slightly nibbles my ear. I knee him between the legs and he whines in anguish. He lets go of me and I quickly jump up to my feet again.

“Who’s precious now?” I ask him in a mocking tone. He casts me a scowling look before I kick him in the side. He yelps and I continue to kick him. Then before I know it, I’m on the ground again. He pulled my foot and brought me back down next to him.

I try to get back up, but he holds me down. He quickly recovers and climbs back on top of me, this time he pins my legs down with his knees. “Don’t ever touch me there again,” he says and I spit in his face. “You’re disgusting!” He wipes off his face with his hand and I try to hit him while I have the chance, but he’s too fast for me and grabs my wrist.

“Damn,” I sigh. I’ve lost again, this is the fourth time this week.

“There’s one thing you should know,” he says. “And that is that you should never wear a skirt to a fight.” He slides his left hand up my leg and I try to squirm away, but I do not succeed.

“You’re such a fucking pervert!” I exclaim and glare at him. He smiles at me again then gets up from the floor.

“Why don’t you go ahead and come back another night,” he says and begins to walk back inside, but before he can take even one step inside, I grab his wrist and pull him back around to face me again. “You just can’t keep your hands off me can you?” I suddenly blush.

“That isn’t true,” I say, but it’s too late he already has a wide grin on his lips.

“Gee Magick, what would your sister say if she knew you had a crush on me?”

“I do not have a crush on you!” I exclaim.

“Oh, but I think you do.”

“I do not!”

“I’ll see you tomorrow Magick,” he says with a smile then turns and walks inside. “Don’t worry, I’ll come out and play.” He closes the door and leaves me outside alone. I stare at the door in disbelief before I begin to pound on it with my fist.

“Come back out here!” I shout. Colton opens the door again and just stands there staring at me. I stare back then he smiles again.

“Go home baby,” Colton laughs. “This isn’t a place for you to be this late at night.”

“Now you just sound like my sister,” I say. “Well come back out here and lets finish this.”

“Alright then, come on,” he says and makes a gesture with his hand to come at him. I smile then at full force run at him with a knife. He doesn’t move and I stop abruptly.

“Aren’t you going to run or something?” I ask.

“Why?” he asks. “You want me, here’s your chance.” I stare at him with questioning eyes. “Well come on Magick, I don’t have all night.” I begin to cautiously walk toward him again.

“But I can’t do it like this,” I complain. “It’s not the same.” I stop, now just inches from him.

“Then may I get back inside?” he questions. “I was in the middle of a movie. Perhaps you would like to join me?”

“Join you?” I laugh. “Why would I want to watch a movie with you? I hate you, I want you dead.”

“You lie,” Colton says. “You want me and you want me bad. You think I’m irresistible. In fact, that’s why you won’t kill me.”

“What the fuck are you talking about?” I question.

“It’s in your dreams,” he replies. “You want me close to you. You want to snuggle into my arms and you want to feel my breath on your skin.” I just stare at him and think about the dream I had over an hour ago.

“But that was just a dream,” I say. “You can’t possibly think that what I dream about has anything to do with my real thoughts.”

“Oh and why not?” Colton asks. “Dreams can mean anything Magick. The possibilities are endless.” He wraps his arms around my waist and pulls me to him. Perhaps he’s right.

His beautiful eyes seem to stare right through me with their piercing shade of ice blue. His gorgeous face looks so smooth and sharp with a slight boyish touch. His lips seem so delicate and my dreams suggest that I long for their compassionate kisses.

Wait! What am I thinking? I can’t like him, it’s impossible. I’m just attracted to his power. His immortality feeds from my soul, which makes him so hard to resist. I can’t like this creature when I hate him, or at least I think I hate him.

Then he brings his face closer to me and places his warm lips on mine. I nearly jump out of my skin that feels as though it’s crawling. My whole body is tingling from this moment that seems too real to be real.

He was right after all. I want him and in a bad way. I kiss his neck and his lips and his ears. His flesh tastes so delicious, so sweet. I want all over him and I can’t take my mouth away from him. What will my sister say? She won’t say anything, if I don’t tell her.

Colton finally pulls away, though I know it was hard for him. I can sense that he wants me as bad as I want him. He cups my face into his hands, holding the sides of my cheeks with his palms. He brings his head back down toward mine and I close my eyes, hoping for more of his kisses.

Instead, he whispers, “told you so” into my ear and releases me. I give him a wickedly lustful smile then grab his waist and pull him back to me. I stand there and just stare into his seemingly soft eyes before I kiss his mouth again. Alas! I’m just as bad as he is. I slightly bite his bottom lip before I pull away.

Curse him for being such a deliciously gorgeous boy. I stare into his majestic face. His sexy mouth holds a lusty smirk and his beautiful eyes seem to dominate me.

“Come inside,” Colton finally says and pulls me into his house. It seems darker inside his house than it is outside. I can’t see anything at all, but I hear something. It sounds like music blaring from either the basement or an upstairs bedroom. I’m guessing it’s coming from the basement though. I cling tightly to Colton’s arm as we saunter through his house.

We walk down a staircase made of stone and enter a corridor. We walk for ten minutes down and around hallways lit by torches heading towards the music. Then finally we get to a room full of people and fog from a fog machine. Loud dark music fills my head instantly and makes me feel light and slightly dizzy.

Girls are clinging to guys and dancing and grinding into each other. There is a couple sitting on a couch. The girl is sitting on top of the guy’s lap and licking his tender neck. His head is leaning back and his eyes are closed in enjoyment.

There are girls dancing with girls and guys are watching. There are people dancing against the walls as if the music were hypnotizing them. My skin begins to feel cold and chills are running down my spine. The hair on the back of my neck is standing on end and I feel as if I am floating. I think this is some sort of Vampire Rave Party.

“Stay close to me,” Colton whispers into my ear and his breath seems to calm me down a bit. I hug closer to his body for his heat. He leads me through crowds of dancers and finally into an empty hallway again. He pulls me into a smaller, dark room that is empty except for us now.

“What the hell was that?” I question.