The Vampire's Requiem [malexmale]

Chapter Fourteen

Hunter broke through a curtain of leaves and parted the tall grass to reveal the lake that rippled gently in the moonlight. He scanned the light across the water's surface as Xed came up beside him with a frown.

"I don't think anyone owns this one, surprisingly." Hunter muttered, eyes flickering. I frowned, wrinkling my nose in disgust.

"It stinks." I deadpanned. Hunter smirked.

"I said Michigan had fresh lakes, not Febreeze lakes." He responded, making me roll my eyes and fold my arms over my chest tightly.

"Oh, you're so funny." I answered sarcastically, shaking my head. Hunter shrugged and Xed shook his head at us before he approached the edge of the water. He stood there for a moment longer before jumping right in, making Hunter hiss and leap back to avoid getting splashed. He came to stand beside me on shore, shuddering.

"Gross. That water is nasty." He muttered. I snorted at that, but said nothing as I scanned the water, frowning. I couldn't hear Xed splashing around for a while and momentarily assumed he'd abandoned us or maybe there was a larger predator in the lake. After several minutes, there was finally a splash and Hunter pointed the flashlight just a ways down the shore where Xed had surfaced. We made our way over. I slowed to see Xed flicking pop cans away from him. I could tell by the disgust on his face that he too was not pleased with how the humans had treated the lake. No wonder there was no inhabitants of the lake.

"Glad you're not dead." Hunter said, but he didn't sound too sincere. Xed shot Hunter a deadly stare, the light from the flashlight making his mismatched eyes glint dangerously, reflecting the lights in a way that reminded me of a dog's.

"I am surprised there are even fish in this water." He stated instead of insulting Hunter, who frowned and shined the light on the lake. After our eyes adjusted, it was clear that the lake was definitely not someone's first choice for a home. Pop cans, empty laundry soap containers, clothes, boxes, cigarette butts, and boxes floated around or clung to plants. It was a bit sad.

"Anyway," Hunter drawled, turning back to Xed, who glared when Hunter shined the flashlight right in his face, "What do you remember?" I turned to Xed, who hesitated. I was surprised by that. Xed very rarely hesitated. Finally he spoke, slowly and carefully as he sank below the water up to his chest.

"I do not know what happened while he was with the yakuza, but after we returned, we went to Alaric's with the kitsune and Val. Alaric put us up at a hotel a few blocks down and also bought us some supplies before we returned to the hotel room." He explained. Hunter frowned, and I narrowed my eyes at that. I could tell he was holding back on something.

"What aren't you saying?" I demanded. Xed stared directly at me with a look that sent a chill coursing down my spine. It wasn't a hungry stare or a threatening stare, but one that told me he didn't like my accusation. However, I couldn't care less what he liked because right now, Xed was hiding something from me.

"Let's be more specific," Hunter said after a moment, "What happened after you guys got to your hotel room?"

"We went to sleep." Xed deadpanned.

"Oh, come on," Hunter retorted, "I don't think a merman and a vampire would be so eager to sleep during the night. Aren't you nocturnal?" Xed shot Hunter a threatening glare to which Hunter tapped his gun teasingly, making Xed growl low in his throat. I cleared my throat to get their attention before I turned to Xed, giving him a hard stare.

"Tell me what happened. I don't see why you're so reluctant. I want to know what happened. If you don't, I'll kill you myself." I threatened darkly. Xed visibly stiffened in the water before he glared back at me now.