The Hunger Saga Read online

  His long, beautiful lashes shuddered. Even in his near-dead state, he had fight left in him. I’d tasted it. Oceans of determination that were spiced with loyalty. I’d expected as much. I’d looked forward to it. What I hadn’t seen coming, was the bitter doses of guilt and sadness.

  I stroked his cheek until his lashes shifted, and he stared up at me with the most soulful green eyes that I’d ever seen. They were glossed, but not yet marbled. Despite everything he’d been through in his short mortal life, he didn’t seem concerned at all. He trusted me.

  I bit my wrist and placed it over his mouth.

  A thin crimson trickle spilled over his lips, and the color immediately started to return. He gasped, and I shushed him with a tender kiss. It took no effort at all to scoot his spent form to the pile of thick furs that I’d laid before the fireplace. I could have healed him completely, but he hadn’t earned that. Not yet. No, he’d accept this misery and know that he lived by my mercy alone from now on.

  It was our way.

  I wrapped my arms around him and stared into the fire. Time passed. The silence thickened. And eventually, the flames no longer licked at nothing. The orange and yellow bled into images of tomorrow. Things I didn’t really understand, nor did I care to see. Fallen Dark Ones. Crowns bouncing on the marble of an ancient throne room, and blood. So much blood. Dark-red blood. Our blood.

  I closed my eyes and squeezed Angel, drawing from him as much as he was drawing from me.

  Sometimes, it was a gift; sometimes, it was a nightmare.

  Why show me death, if you won’t tell me whose? How does that help anyone?

  In the end, I always stressed for no reason at all. It didn’t bring about answers. I know nothing, until the thousand Dark Ones that I channel decide to share it with me.

  I closed my eyes, and I could feel each of their cursed hands roaming and rubbing. They kept my senses alive and whispered secrets in my ear.

  He has seen them. Even more, he is familiar with their side.

  It only took a simple glance to his wrist to confirm it.

  He was well-acquainted with their world. Three thin lines on his wrist showed the evidence of just how deep his mother had scarred him. I brought the limb to my lips, closed my eyes, and pressed my lips against the faint drumming of his pulse point.

  In an instant, I could feel Janice’s wild blows raining over my shoulders and face. Incessant screaming over who had taken her needle.

  The much younger-looking Janice, with vibrant red hair, and eyes that were already void of life was coming down, violently. Her arms were a rash of knots and sores, but when I glanced to the arms I was channeling from, they were clean.

  He hadn’t stolen her needle.

  It didn’t stop the beating. His body ran, perhaps five or ten foot, before she caught him with the baseball bat and left him bleeding from the back of his head. She knew he didn’t have her damn dart; she didn’t even search him after he had fallen.

  Hours later, when he awoke, he found her needle. It was next to a straight blade above the medicine cabinet.

  Just that fast I was shown images of similar scenes. Confusion. Neglect. So much pain. He’d had a horrid mortal life. Even as a young adult she manipulated and berated him at will.

  “Junkies don’t live forever,” I promised on a whisper, causing a few strands of his hair to flutter, before I took a moment to simply inhale the scent of it.

  I had to leave him. To put distance between myself and those thoughts or I’d unleash something on that woman I didn’t mean to. If and when I repaid her favors, it would be with a front-row seat.

  “I figured he’d do well,” Talon said, from the corner across the room. “You two are a natural fit.”

  He was a mist, and didn’t bother moving; he didn’t have to. I felt his nails trickling over the back of my neck without him moving a hand or gravitating toward me. He used his touch to bid me to face his shadow self.

  I turned toward the nothingness and kissed his invisible knuckles when I felt the weight of his palm on my shoulder.

  “He is beautiful. Thank you,” I said, before catching a glimpse of him in the mirror. I sat down on the vanity and started to brush my long, thick hair.

  “Don’t thank me . . .,” he whispered, before evaporating.

  I curiously turned to find out what he meant, but he was gone, leaving me with more questions than comfort. Angel stirred on the furs and sucked in air like he might not take another breath. I shook my head, knowing well the type of emptiness that provoked such sighs.

  It occurred to me, that for all her uselessness, Janice might have done me a favor. She’d created a man who could survive at any cost. He was a fucking soldier, and now, he was mine.

  Chapter Four

  Jaysen

  It had been six months since I lost my best friend. In another six months, I’d be gone too. I probably should have been more concerned with the fact that like him, I would soon be a snack.

  Instead, all I had was regret.

  How did I let him go without a word? For months I had envisioned various ways of telling him how I felt, but . . . it was hard. What if he didn’t feel the same way? I mean yeah, he was bisexual, but that didn’t mean he liked me. What if I ruined our friendship just by speaking on it? In the end there were too many what ifs, and not enough action.

  “Jaysen, come on, Love. Get dressed,” my mother urged.

  I sighed like I had to lift the world from my chest to take another breath.

  Each morning drug me closer to my fate. In less than twelve months, I’d be ripped away from everything I owned and left to the mercy of the cold, eternally hungry Dark Ones.

  I’d taken to making myself as unavailable as I could, but it was of no use. There would always be nights like tonight, when the Coven had one of their special meetings and we were all expected to attend. There was no getting away from Dom. He’d be there. Stalking me with his eyes and smirking. Damnit, I hated that smirk and his invasive glances.

  I groaned and made my way to the back bedroom. I started flipping through the clothes in my closet like I actually gave a fuck which pair of jeans I slid my ass into. I didn’t want to leave the damn house, so none of it really classified as appealing. I groaned and cursed my life before I finally settled on a pair of worn loose-fitting jeans, a thermal, and my favorite black shirt layered over it.

  I raked the mess of curls that I called hair with my fingers and turned toward the door just as my brother doused himself with enough cologne to suffocate a small army.

  “What the fuck?” I scoffed, and spit in the waste can, but I could still taste more of the garbage than I could actually smell of it.

  “Don’t act so offended.” He smirked, “You’ll thank me later.”

  I called him an idiot with my expression alone and made my way back toward the living room.

  “For fuck’s sake. You smell like a brothel.” Mom laughed while fanning the air in front of her face.

  I forced a tight smile and nodded, “I’ll be in the car.”

  “Jay . . .,” she called, but I kept on like I didn’t hear her.

  A pleasant chill clung to the air. It suited me just fine, I much preferred the shivering to the indifference of my family. They carried on every day without acknowledging our waning time together. My mother spent more time visiting Talon than she did at the house. To make matters worse, everyone pretended not to know why I was so moody.

  The car was a quick warmer anyhow. In no time at all, I rested my eyes, waiting on her to finish her make-up, or whatever the fuck always took her so long.

  I guess I nodded off, because the next thing I knew, the unexpected thud of her car door sent me into an episode of manic cursing.

  “Really?” she asked, without removing the cigarette from her mouth.

  I stared into the crystal-blue eyes that I had inherited and then waved towards the windshield. “Can we go? Can we just go?”

  I was a nervous wreck, and all twisted up
inside. I was dying to see Angel. The chance that I would was slim to none, but I still held on to it. I felt sick every time I thought of finding him with someone else, even if that someone else was his Sire.

  I still had to see him. I craved his presence. Just being around him made me feel understood and comfortable with myself. His smile and advice were what had kept me going for so long.

  The air thinned and grew colder in the half hour it took us to get to the compound. Bikes littered the lot. Only a few arrived by car.

  While my mother crawled through the lot looking for a place to park, I surveyed the people congregating outside. There were no free humans here. Harvests and familiars were the only breathing beings, save for my mother and me.

  She shut her door and stood proud, despite the hundreds of eyes that anchored on her. The sound of so many people laughing and whispering was disturbing. It made the hair on the back of my neck stand up.

  “C’mon.” She wiggled her fingers in the air, bidding for me to follow her without even giving me a backward glance.

  Her leather jacket pinched in an annoying sticky sound each time she hugged someone or moved her arm to wave. Everything annoyed me. The music, the cold, and yes, I may have even been annoyed with myself.

  “Damn. That the mug you walk around with these days?” Angel asked, he fell right into place with my brisk pace and bumped my arm with his elbow. I nearly choked on air. My mouth opened, but I couldn’t really do anything but smile.

  I probably looked silly as hell, but I didn’t care. Nothing mattered but me and him.

  “Gah, c’mere.” He lugged me into one of those hugs that he was so infamous for. It was genuine, the kind that promised everything would be as it was meant to be.

  I melted against him without meaning to, and he turned his face toward my neck, sending a chill straight to my soul.

  “Damn,” he drawled, before hauling me in for a second hug. “You smell good.”

  I gave a poor attempt at a laugh and found tears in my eyes.

  “Hey . . .,” he murmured, slipping a finger under my chin. His hand snatched ahold of mine, and he led me around the side of the compound.

  “Wai . . .” I knew I should tell him to wait, that we would be killed if we were caught alone, but I couldn’t finish the word. I didn’t have time to. Once we rounded the corner, he turned on me, and effectively pinned me against the back of the compound.

  “What is this, hmm?” He was taller than me by a few inches, but he tucked his chin and searched my eyes until I felt them gloss over again.

  “They should have just taken me with the last harvest.” I whispered, once I found enough air to form words. “I can’t take this.”

  I tried to weave side to side without any real commitment, each time I did, he shifted with me.

  “Jay?” he gently bid. “Talk to me. What can’t you take? What’s going on?”

  I brought my hands up and covered either side of my throat, subconsciously rubbing my pulse points.

  “I have nightmares of him. I wake up feeling teeth snapping into my throat and his hands on my body.” I cringed, unable to help myself. Angel brushed my cheek and quietly shushed me.

  “You’re afraid of the unknown.”

  “I’m afraid of being someone’s main source of sustenance, for fuck’s sake.” I gasped.

  “Mmm.” A voice vibrated from behind him.

  My breath hitched and my eyes bugged.

  “Shh,” Angel whispered.

  “You boys go from hot to cold. One minute, you’re close enough to suck face, the next, you’re cursing each other,” Miss Julie playfully crowed.

  Her tone only amplified the terror that was pounding in my chest.

  “I think ya’ll need a playdate,” she drawled.

  “Is that what they need?” Talon boomed.

  “Fuck,” Angel whispered, dropping his head.

  “Mhmm,” Talon agreed, he cut me a look that made me long for death, but then he just headed off around the building, leaving Julie to deal with us.

  “Please don’t excommunicate me,” I begged, almost inaudibly.

  “Excommunic . . .” She laughed, unable to even finish the word. She hooked an arm through mine and laced her other around Angel’s elbow.

  “Come on.” She pressed a lip-glossed kiss to my cheek that dropped my heart to my asshole.

  Chapter Five

  Jules

  They were so cute together. I loved Angel’s protective nature, and the concern he showed Jaysen. Once I’d drained all the negative energy off of Angel, he was a whole new person. I had a feeling however, that this side of him had existed even before I cleansed him.

  It was refreshing, even if it was forbidden. We didn’t often see such pure friendship. I wasn’t stupid, I knew it was more, even if they didn’t, but I was okay with that. The truth was, I wanted to share it with them.

  When Talon caught the three of us out back, I’d been sure he would be merciless, but instead, he’d merely barked and hurried back to Danika.

  I knew he expected me to punish them, but I felt my heart rip in two when I looked into Jaysen’s expressive pale-blue eyes. He looked like Angel had, when I’d first brought him to my cabin. Lost and alone, only this one didn’t have the ambition behind him. He was motivated by fear. I got the distinct impression, that it was all he’d ever known.

  I rubbed his arm and the back of his hand all the way back to our tiny cabin. It would belong to Angel and me until the end of the harvest season. Then, we’d pack up the first few chapters of his siring and really settle him into his slavery.

  I knew he’d be my familiar in no time at all. I didn’t even have to ask him for a vein anymore. He supplied it. Willingly, almost passionately. Angel’s blood tasted purer than anything I’d ever sipped before. There was no adrenaline or fear tainting it, only oceans of love that he had been too scared to freely give.

  Sometimes, I felt bad for taking as much pleasure as I did from it.

  “You two wait here.” I said, holding the rickety screen door open for them.

  They froze and stared at me like I was playing a trick on them.

  “I have to go get my bladed whip and the salt.” I snorted and shook my head.

  Jaysen paled so fast I thought he would faint, but Angel belly laughed. He knew I would never do such a thing. Not unless they had committed treason or something. Perhaps then, before I drained them of every drop.

  They slipped past me, and I couldn’t help but giggle when Jaysen started subconsciously rubbing his flanks.

  “Your secrets and your ass are safe here . . .,” I assured him, with a wink that caused him to blush.

  He was too fucking adorable.

  “Settle in. I’ll be back soon,” I said, before shutting the door behind me and set off for the woods. It was an illusion of privacy, nothing more. I could hear them breathing, like it was next to me from a mile away if I focused, what was a hundred yards?

  I rather liked the forest and nature in general, so once I found a spot that seemed rather scenic, I flew up to the top branch. It’d let me see Talon coming and keep an eye on my entertainment.

  Their shadows were close to the window, it almost looked like they were standing in front of the fireplace. I tipped my head forward and closed my eyes, straining against the breeze to hear what they were whispering.

  “It’s nothing. It’s just . . . nothing.” Jay awkwardly stumbled.

  “Aww . . .,” I murmured.

  “. . . it’s clearly something that has you on edge. “ Angel said with an awkward laugh.

  “I don’t . . . I don’t want . . .” Even the wind seemed to quiet and hang on Jaysen’s words.

  “You don’t wanna tell me?” Angel asked. Was that hurt that spiced his tone? “It’s okay. Hey . . .”

  I opened my eyes, just in time to see his shadow step closer.

  “I don’t want it to be with Dom. I don’t even know how to look him in the eye, let alone bare myself and su
bmit to his will. To be . . .” His words betrayed a shiver and the limb shook beneath my feet.

  “Tell me . . .,” Talon mused, “was this part of your vision, too?”

  My hand shot out with surprise and my nails bit into the tree so hard I broke one. My breath hitched, and I completely related to Jay in that moment. For the life of me, I couldn’t meet Talon’s icy gaze.

  How the fuck did I tell my King, that his Oracle could no longer see? What would he say, if he found out that I’d been spiritually leading our people on intuition and a fistful of hope?

  I was too scared to find out.

  Chapter Six

  Angel

  I rested my hand on his shoulder and palmed his tense muscles.

  There was an unexpected satisfaction when he said it wasn’t my brother he wanted. Well, he hadn’t exactly said that, but that’s the gist of what I heard. Without meaning to, my hand started to crawl toward the side of his neck. “It’ll be okay. I know it’s a little weird if you’ve never done that kind of thing . . .”

  “I’ve never done any of it!” he exclaimed, before tipping his head so that the curls covered his eye.

  “What do you mean you never done any of it? What have you been doing while I was gone?”

  His head shot up and his eyes locked with mine before they glossed, and he quickly looked away.

  “Hoping to not wake up.” He laughed in that way that was more of a defense mechanism than humor.

  “Don’t fuckin’ say that.” I gave his neck a tender squeeze and ducked my head so that I could see those expressive eyes of his. He averted them with more determination than I’d ever given him credit for.

  “Angel . . .,” he whispered, drawing my attention to the blush that had crept up the side of his face.

  I stopped trying to force him. Fuck, I damn near stopped breathing when I realized what the problem was. All I could do was blink and reflect on what a dumbass I was.