Huntress

“IT’S OVER!!!” I exclaimed my arms above my head as I stretched with relief as we walked to the senior parking lot, student chatter filling the cold air.

Sam laughed causing many heads to turn to look at her, she had quickly gained a lot of attention as her faerie aspects started to take over, she had several invites to the prom already, I had none, well technically Sean had asked me but I hadn’t taken him seriously.

“So dad is picking us up tonight around 9pm, make sure you are at my house by 8pm,” Sam reminded me as she drove me home.

“If you want to wait for me, my stuff is packed and ready to go,” I replied my eyes skimming the inside of the beautiful car, I fiddled with the radio.

“Perfect! Your aunt and uncle wont be upset you aren’t going to hang out with them before you go?”

“They have Pride stuff after work so they wont be home anyways. We could go to The Alley for a while if you want.”

Sam shrugged noncommittally as she pulled into my driveway of my house. It was two stories made of brick in a modern colonial style with four bedrooms and sat on a 1-acre lot with a heated pool and a wonderful backyard. I grew up in this house but it didn’t always feel like a home.

Inside Damon and a friend, another Pride member, sat on the couch watching a movie. School season had its perks; Damon went to a university two hours away and stayed on campus during the semesters but was home during the holidays.

“Well well well if it isn’t our future leader, you stilling hanging out with the mutt?” Michael said pausing the movie and turned to look at us.

“Go to hell, Michael and take my cousin with you,” I snapped my magick crackling within me, hate was too weak a word for Michael.

“I do love that tongue of yours,” he said with an evil grin, “sharp edges and all.”

Sam was glaring at Michael, “I would do well to tread softly Hunter, she is my kin and I protect my family,” she said softly, her entire mannerism and aura changing, becoming cold, very cold.
Michael blinked and stood up slowly, Damon along with him and I knew this was about to get ugly. I stepped in between the boys and my best friend but luckily they hadn’t come around the couch.

“Enough!” I growled, “if anyone gets to kick Michael’s ass its me but today is not the day. Remember that I will become leader Michael and when that day comes well…you better be ready for my vengeance.”

Sam backed up but Michael went around the couch and walked towards me, “really vengeance? What do you have in mind?” he asked cloyingly, his hand reaching for my short hair.

I made a sound of disgust, stepping back, “don’t touch me. Don’t ever touch me. The day you touch me again, I will crush every one of your fingers on both hands. That’s a promise.”

I turn my back on him and walked up the stairs, Sam followed me like a cold wind at my back, goose bumps covered my skin.

“How can you…just walk away like that? Let him be in this house?” she asked when I closed my bedroom door behind her.

I turned and looked at Sam leaning against the door while she sat on my bed, “what else can I do? Anything else is revealing what happened and I can’t do that. I just can’t. The Pride already thinks I am not a good heir, if they knew what happen, despite my being the victim they would see me as even less. I couldn’t defend myself then … how can I protect them?”

Sam seethed, “It wasn’t your fault!”

I sighed, really not wanting to have this conversation at the moment. I knew Sam meant well but shockingly she could be pretty hot headed for a winter Fae, I blame her human blood.

“It’s been what two years now?”

I blinked caught by surprise by the question; I had been about to tell her to drop the subject.

“Yes, I don’t’ know if it’s a blessing or a curse…the more time that passes the more the memories fade but at then sometimes…especially when he is around it seems like it just happened yesterday,” I said the last part more of a whisper but I knew Sam heard me.

“Lets get my stuff and go,” I said trying to shake off the memories.

Sam was up and grabbing my suitcase before I could finish my sentence, and headed to the door. Pushing away from the door and heading to my desk in the corner to drop my backpack on the chair.

“Crap my charger go ahead I will meet you downstairs,” I mutter already wiggling my desk out of the way to grab my phone charge from the wall as Sam exited the room with a nod.

I gave the room a once over in case I forgot anything as I stood at the door. My room was a nice size with a bay window looking over the backyard on the right wall, with a huge soft seat, book cases frame the sides, my bed was just in front of me on the opposite wall of the door, my desk tucked between my bed and the left wall where my closet was.

The wall were painted blue, the ceiling, door and lower molding was black, the ceiling covered with stick on glow in the dark stars. I loved my room. I exited the room and stopped fast finding my way blocked by Michael.

“Get. Out. Of. My. Way.” I said through clenched teeth.

“Or what?” he asked stepping closer, forcing me backward where I hit my closed door, his hand cupped my cheek, his thumb running over my lower lip, my body shook.

“You know we should celebrate, our two year anniversary is coming up. I know a very good way to celebrate it.”

“I don’t think so,” I growled and lashed out with my magick throwing him into the opposite wall.

He hit with a loud slam and groan, while I raced down the stairs without looking back but his shocked laughter echoed behind me.

“KIT!!” Michael shouted behind me, “How I have missed you!”

“Tell your friend he better stay away with me if he doesn’t want to lose anything important,” I snapped at my cousin as I tore through the living room and out the door.

Sam knew immediately when she saw my panicked state. She climbed out of her car and slammed the door close.

“I am going to kill him,” she growled stalking back towards the house.

“Sam leave it,” I said, she whirled around to face me ready to protest.

“I said LEAVE IT!!”

Sam jerked to a stop, fuming, staring at the house with a look of pure Fae hatred, her beautiful features twisted into something dark, cold, cruel yet still so beautiful.

“Lets go Sam. I don’t want him to see me hurting. He doesn’t deserve to see what he caused.”

She stood for another second before whirling on her heel and walked back to the car jerking the door open and slamming it shut. I winced, poor car. I knew I hurt her feelings, she was only trying to protect me and I rejected it. I climbed into the car with a sigh, closing my eyes as the engine roared to life.

“Ro…I just can’t stand that he…got away with it.”

I opened my eyes and turned to look at my best friend noting her white knuckles on the steering wheel.

“He didn’t get away with it. He will get what he deserves. When I am leader he will be Pride-less. I am exiling him.”

“Can you do that?”

“With the elder’s vote yes…which means I will have to tell them what happened.”

“You don’t inherit for years though and what about proof?”

“I know, ok, I know. My revenge will take time but it will happen. I plan to lull him into a comfort zone, let him make a place for himself in our community then he will be thrown out, he will lose everything. I still have the medical reports stashed away. I am so glad for the protection act despite having been a minor.”

“You kept them,” she repeated softly tension slowly leaving her body before adding, “Ouch talk about long delayed cruel punishment.”

“I plan on it. I thought we were going to your house?” I asked confused as we approached The Alley.

“You mentioned going to The Alley, no point stopping at home too far to drive all the way back into town.”

“You hate The Alley, I figured you would distract me with a movie or Faerie rules or something once we got to your house.”

“Ya, I thought about it but you need the distraction,” she smiled at me.

“Thanks.”

“Lets just not get into a fight tonight please? I don’t want to take you to Faerie bruised and bloody.”

I merely grinned in reply, making her sigh. A fight was exactly what I needed right now.

Notes

Same as before, feedback please. I have been thinking about removing the whole scene with Michael and taking their bad blood past out, as it really isn't needed for the story.