The New Guy in Town

Chapter 3

"So any questions at this moment? I'm assuming you want to be the one to tell Cora about your bond?"

"Only one. What exactly does the treaty say has to happen to keep peace?" I ask shakily.

"Well as you might've guessed, if you kill a hunter, they can kill any one of your pack. That's why he killed Cora's brother. She isn't a vampire but by living with me, she has unknowingly become a part of our pack, which is good because I can protect her better now but also bad because hunters can hurt her if she does anything reckless. A hunter can not kill a vampire unless they have proof that they killed someone. If they only have proof of them drinking blood, they can not harm them. Vampires had to agree to have "check-ups" where a group of hunters can come to their home unannounced if deaths start to happen in their area. You can't escape that, I've tried to. If you change your name to something completely different, they know how to find you. I myself think that the elders of the vampires tell them when someone moves in case its a rouge trying to hide for committing a crime, or are about to commit one. Hunters are allowed to try to spit up mates but not by harming or killing them. Sometimes if they are human, the hunters get to them and take them on their side, making the vampires seem like monsters in the mind of whoever they took. We need to keep her close and safe, away from them. By now Kane would have realized why she went to such lengths to protect you and you her, but they can not challenge you yet. Hunters can challenge a newly changed vampire but only from their 18th birthday to their 19th. They have a year to have their chance, after that they can't bother you. After you turn, you can have the choice to turn Cora, if she wants. You can not force someone to love you. Just know if you do, she will face the same thing with the hunters."

I took a shaky breath, "Then how do I protect her?"

She smiled at me in the mirror, "Right now I'm taking us to a place only our family knows about. A safe house, if you will, for vampires or the occasional human from the Mikall family who feels threatened. Not even the elders know of this house, if they do they never asked about it or told anyone."

Cora mumbled something in her sleep and started moving a little bit. Her eyes started to flutter open, then they opened all the way. I blew a sigh of relief at seeing she was awake.

"Hey," I whisper, "You ok?" I ask. She looks like she's trying to talk, but can't so instead she just nods.

"Aunt M, what's up with her?" I asked worry creeping into my voice. Cora must've heard it because she slowly reached up to touch my cheek very lightly, causing me to look down at her. I'm glad she was smiling at me because it calmed me down a lot.

"It's the effects of the dart. She'll feel a little weak but I'm honestly surprised she woke up this early. Those are powerful darts, even the ones for humans."

Cora looked at me a little freaked out, "What...does she...mean for...humans?" She whispered out.

Aunt M looked at me in the mirror, "I need to focus on the road and make sure we aren't being followed so you tell her everything. If you need help explaining anything just ask."

So I told her everything, surprisingly without Aunt M having to help me out. She was quiet for a long time, I was afraid I scared her. I was accepting because as I told it to her, something clicked and I knew it all to be true without a doubt. I just hoped she did too.

Aunt M finally spoke after a few minutes of silence, "Cora, I really don't want to tell you this, but you have the right to know. It's about your father." Pause. "The reason the hunters were there was because of a recent death where the body was drained completely of blood. It was your father. That's why I suggested going to the mall out of no where. I didn't want the hunters to tell you. I'm sorry."

She was quiet for a while. Finally she looked at me and said, "Ok."

"Huh?" I really was confused.

She was still whispering but clearer as she slowly talked more and more, "Ok. I believe you. I guess deep down I always knew about this world, I just needed someone to enlighten me, I guess." She yawned really big after she said that.

I knew she was going to fall asleep again so I had to ask her something before I lost my courage, "Hey, I know we're 'destined to be together' and all that but...do you want to be my girlfriend?" She had been already close to falling asleep but she snapped her eyes open to look me straight in the eye to say, "Yes. I'd like that." She closed her eyes and fell asleep but I leaned down to quickly peck her on the nose.

*Shortly after*

We arrived at the safe house, Cora still asleep on me. Rather than wake her up I took her into the house bridal style and felt Aunt M's eyes on me the whole time. I found a room across from what I assumed was the kitchen and gently laid her in the bed. I crawled in next to her and, our hands still together, fell asleep.

*Kane P.O.V.*

Burned the house down. Huh. Smart move Minerva, but I will find them and tear them apart. I grinned to myself and rounded up my fellow hunters.

"Alright boys. We need to search every house the Mikall family has been known to live in, even if it was burned down like this one. They might have a cellar or something they are hiding in. Let's go!"