Lust by Abigail Livinghouse (good ebook reader TXT) 📖

Chapter Twelve

In a way, the story of Parker and Hanna was much like my current situation, minus the lustful second mate and unknown questions about science needed to be answered. Keep in mind that didn’t mean there weren’t questions that needed answers, and they may just be as complicated as the scientifically ones Parker faced, if not more.

 

Trekking back to our small cottage, the conversation with Trine repeatedly ran through my mind. Obviously, he was suspicious of me. Of something. I couldn’t blame him, if he would’ve disappeared in the forest and been found lurking around vampire territory then yes, I would have a reason to be concerned too. But his motives, whatever they may be, are driving him to ask questions that certainly neither of us can answer. I couldn’t help but grimace. While there were questions that I couldn’t answer, he had no problem giving me the answers that I wanted.

 

 Sighing, I reached the tiny home and went inside, not surprised to find Pearce lounging in the living room, a book nestled in his lap. He may not look it, but Pearce is an avid reader, and the collection stocked in our mini library here is the majority of his favorite works, with a few additions of my own.

 

  I dropped my bag at the door and headed over to where he sat, settling down on the arm of his chair. He looked up at me and smiled, his perfect teeth gleaming in the small light the flickering flames of our dying fire gave off. 

 

 “You’re back earlier than I expected.” He observed, closing the book and setting it aside. “And I see you haven’t brought anything back. Slow day I assume?”

 

 I shrugged, uninterested in sharing anything of what happened in the forest with Pearce. While I trusted him completely, there were a few things that even I didn’t tell him, and this was one of those things.

 

  “I suppose. There’s not much to catch out there when you guys have already caught it and grilled it up for dinner.” I said, a hint of teasing in my tone.

 

  He grinned, wrapping his arms around my waist and pulling me onto his lap, placing a sweet kiss on my lips. I smiled under his touch, returning the kiss with one of my own.

 

 I do not mean to disgust you with my talk of love or affection, but the feeling of Pearce’s lips against mine was one of the best in the world. When he kissed me, I could nearly forget about everything else. All of our other troubles simply melt away. At that moment, I was grateful to be fee of my own thoughts and give in to the temptation of Pearce’s gentle touch.

 

 He pulled away for a moment, murmuring, “I love you.”

 

  I barely had enough time to respond before his lips returned to mine with a new hunger than before. His tongue slipped smoothly into my mouth, as mine returned the favor, and suddenly we became locked in our own little world where we were the only two that existed. And that was exactly how I liked it.

 

Chapter Thirteen

The story of Hanna and Parker was told to me by Miramar. I was always curious about vampire history, considering the limited knowledge back at my village. So, I went to one of the only people I trusted in the house. I had already asked Pearce so many questions, and I wondered if Miramar knew anything about the immortal past as well. And obviously, she did.

 

She told me the story of the first Transform vampire and her lover, Hanna Versale and Parker Brice. It was a true romance, much like Romeo and Juliet, but instead of dying at the end, they both lived out their immortal lives in eternal despair from the inability to have what they desired most.

 

  "In a way", Miramar had said, “that is a much more terrible fate than death.”

 

  Hearing the history and how Transforms came to exist, what I took from it was that it would’ve happened eventually. Even if Parker hadn’t changed Hanna because he was thirsty and she was beautiful, some vampire would’ve eventually come along, gotten bored, and bitten a human to see what would happen.

 

 So really no matter how you look at it, Transforms would’ve come about at some point in history. It was just a matter of sooner rather than later.

 

 Back to the present, Pearce and I were lying on our large bed in our room in the cottage. I dozed off a few times but whenever I woke up I found Pearce wide awake, looking at me as if he was waiting for me to wake.

 

 He seemed so at ease and calm, if only I could feel the same. There was still Trine, lurking in the back of my mind with his incessant questions and a demand for answers.

 

  Where was he now? Was he back home in the village tending to his family and mine? Or was he still waiting in the forest for me to return and respond to his questions? For his sake I hoped he had gone home.

 

 While I was in meager danger here, as far as the vampires around us knew Trine was just another human, just another meal. They wouldn’t think twice about sinking their teeth into him whether he was my friend or not. I couldn’t let that happen.

 

 I knew that I would have to leave eventually and go in search of Trine. He knew what he was doing, but I couldn’t let him wander around vampire territory alone.

 

 There was one question that I still didn’t know the answer to, aside from all the obvious ones Trine had thrown at me. What I was curious to know was: why was Trine out here in the first place? I don’t believe for a second his little explanation about hunting. We never hunt this far away from home unless we’re desperate and have someone willing enough to go with us. But alone? Never.

 

  Which leads me to believe that he must’ve been looking for something, or someone. I didn’t know who was up for a bounty in town anymore, it had been months since I was there last and when I was there Pearce was the one who would bring in the money. Was he still the most hunted vampire out there even now? That’s what I feared.

 

 What if my people hadn’t removed Pearce from the hunting board, what if they were still after him? I could just be paranoid,  but I didn’t think so.

 

   I knew how my town worked, and when they’re after a certain vampire then they don’t just give up easily.

 

 I took a deep breath and shifted in the bed, Pearce moving aside and looking down at me. "Awake already love? No nightmares I hope?"

 

  I smiled despite myself at the joy on his face and shook my head. "No  my dear, no nightmares."

 

  "Wonderful. If any of those monsters come lurking in your dreams again, I'll chase them away baby. I promise." He said in a low, protective tone as he placed a sweet kiss on my forehead.

 

  I sighed in content, snuggling closer into Pearce's warm embrace as his arms tightened around me. Here in his arms, I felt safe and protected. I felt like I was at home.

 

 Pearce leaned down and nuzzled my neck playfully with his teeth, sending a warm sensation all throughout my body. I sucked in a breath and laced my fingers through his soft blonde hair. Pearce shifted so that way I was underneath him as he began trailing kisses along my neck.

 

 A knock at the door made us stop, and my hand that was in his hair clenched into an annoyed fist. Pearce chuckled amusedly. "Don't worry love, there's plenty more where that came from."

 

   I grinned mischievously and nibbled on his lip. "There better be."

 

 With a smile Pearce jumped up and opened the door. I followed him out to the living room where I saw Miramar standing at the opening, a teasing glint in her eyes.

 

   "I see you two have been having fun." She giggled and ruffled Pearce's already messed up hair. I couldn't help the blush that crept up my cheeks at the mention of "fun".

 

  "Anyway", Miramar said as she came inside without an invitation.

 

  "Can I help you with something?" Pearce said, obviously annoyed as he smoothed back his hair.

 

 Miramar plopped down in Pearce's reading chair and picked up the book that he was in the middle of, scanning through the pages as she talked.

 

 "No, but I thought you might want to know that we found a mortal nosing around the main house and we're debating what to do with him. I'm here to receive your vote." She said and set the book down.

 

  I felt my heart drop down to my feet, and my stomach slide into my throat as Pearce and Miramar continued talking.

 

 "What does he look like? I've also seen a human wandering around here and I wondered if anyone knew who he was." Pearce asked, talking about a man's life as if it was the weather.

 

                He. Oh god no.

 

 "Fairly tall and muscular. I believe he's from one of the more local hunting settlements. We confiscated a large amount of weapons from him but he's not sharing any information with us. It's frustrating, and if he doesn't talk soon there's been gossip that we know what's for dinner tonight." Miramar laughed at the end, shaking her head at the ridiculousness of it.

 

  I on the other hand, was shaking from head to toe. I grabbed the wall to steady myself and leaned my head against it, the pounding only growing worse with each word they exchanged.

 

 "Some of the Naturals have been getting a bit annoyed with the fact that there hasn't been any fresh meat around here. They're getting tired of having to drink "bottled blood" as they call it. I'm wondering if maybe this human will be enough to hold them over for a few days. Maybe settle the storm down a little." She informed in a tone strictly of business, and my stomach took a southward spin at the mention of using a human as one of their personal blood bags.

 

  "His name", I cut in before Pearce had a chance to respond. "Do you know his name?" I asked again.

 

 Miramar nodded, cocking her head to the side. "I think he said his name was Tyrant or something like that."

 

 That was it for me. Without paying any mind to Pearce calling my name and asking questions or Miramar's complete obliviousness to the situation, I grabbed my bow and arrows and shot out the front door, heading straight to the main house.