Chapter 6
Rose’s POV
Okay, I was really starting to get bored in this room, wasn’t it night time yet? Every time I got the inclination to go outside something inside me held me back.
I was lying on my bed starring at the ceiling, one arm tossed over the side of the bed carelessly while the other supported the back of my head. I sighed heavily.
“I want out!” I grumbled to myself “I’m bored”
But of course nothing happened, so I was left only with my thoughts. My mind began to wander to the past couple days and of course, to Hunter and how he continued to be there exactly when I needed him.
It was strange, but he was supposed to be my protector right? Maybe he was just really good at his job.
But then I thought about the wounded expression on his face when I had begun to have sour thoughts about what he was, was it really that plane on my face how upset I was about what I was going to become? I didn’t want to hurt him; it actually hurt me when I thought he was hurt.
Which was nerve racking for me, I didn’t want to have feelings for that man. He was the reason I was here, until he saved me on the beach that day my life was perfectly normal. Now I was days away from becoming a mermaid, which I now learned was part vampire. How freaky was that? I didn’t want to become that, I was perfectly happy being human, I rather liked having legs.
But Hunter hates you as a human, a little voice in the back of my mind said; if you stayed human he would be gone forever.
I shivered involuntarily, why did Hunter leaving scare me so much?
The door opened and I jumped up. Hunter stepped inside, wearing a plaid pair of shorts and a navy blue t-shirt that fit him perfectly, my eyes lingered for a moment.
“We’re here” he said, his voice a little gruff “You can come out now if you want, Troy and I were going to go ashore for dinner. Do you want to come?”
I blinked a couple of times; clearing my mind from the dangerous territory it was heading into. I unfolded my legs and stood up.
“Sure” I said “Where are we going?”
Hunter smiled
“The only place to eat on this island” He said “Come on I will show you”
The island was beautiful, the beach was all white sand with the odd colorful shell or stone scattered here and there. There was a little hut nestled in the trees just up the beach. Turns out it was a really small tavern, with only a couple of tables and one tan bar man.
“Hunter” The man said when he came to our table “I wouldn’t have ever expected to see you here”
“Neither did I” Hunter replied “But plans change”
I watched the exchange with curiosity, Hunter’s eyes flashed to mine and they softened immediately.
“Rose, this is Pedro” He said, gesturing to the man “He runs the tavern here on the island”
“Pleasure to meet you” Pedro offered me his hand and a wide smile “Welcome to the island”
“Thank you” I said politely “It’s beautiful here”
“That it is” Pedro agreed “Though we don’t often get pretty ladies here such as yourself”
I opened my mouth to give back a flirty reply but a wave of anger came over me, it hit me so fast that I didn’t understand it. I clamped my jaw shut and starred down at the table in shock. What the hell was going on?
“We will just have the usual, Pedro” Troy cut in, watching me with a careful expression “And whatever sea food you have for Rose”
Pedro nodded and headed back to the kitchen, when he was gone I felt myself relax. The anger had disappeared just as fast as it had come, like earlier that day. I leaned back in my chair and took a shaky breath.
Troy was giving Hunter a hard look, Hunter just stared back with a blank look.
“You guys are weird” I muttered
Hunter looked at me and raised an eye brow in amusement
“How are we weird?” He asked
I shrugged
“You just are” I stated
Pedro returned, setting down a glass of water for me and two metal glasses for the guys. Hunter’s expression hardened when Pedro returned and so did my earlier annoyance. Weird.
“I will be right back with your food” Pedro told me, before shooting Hunter a glance and disappearing back into the kitchen.
“Why are your glasses metal?” I asked, picking up my own clear glass
“If we told you we would have to kill you” Troy said, picking up his own glass and taking a sip of his drink.
I looked at Hunter who didn’t meet my eyes but instead took a sip of his own drink, looking anywhere but at me.
Pedro returned with my food and left us be after that. I picked at my sea food absently, not really hungry.
Finally I just gave up all together.
“Can I go take a walk on the beach please?” I asked “I haven’t been out all day and I’m bored”
“You’re a big girl” Troy said “Go for it”
I didn’t wait for Hunter to stop me like I knew that he would. I jumped up before he could even say anything as I was out the door into the night.
The moon was full and shining brightly over the water outside. The tide had gone back out so the sand was nice and squishy for me to sink my toes into. I deeply inhaled the scent of the fresh sea. This was nice, walking along the beach, out here it was like I had no problems at all in the world.
“Rose!”
I sighed and rolled my eyes. The source of all my problems was jogging down the beach towards me.
“I can take care of myself Hunter” I said, feeling distressed “I’m not a child”
Hunter stopped, he was looking at me with a wounded expression
“I know you’re not” He said “I just thought you would like some company”
I studied him, looking for anything suspicious on his face but found only innocence. I turned on my heel and started walking down the beach again, Hunter fell into step beside me.
“Why wouldn’t you tell me what you guys were drinking?” I asked, after a few long moments of silence,
Hunter tensed slightly beside me as we walked.
“I don’t know if you’re ready to know that” He said, his voice grim. I reached out and grabbed his arm, stopping us both. He turned so I was looking him in the eyes.
“You need to tell me” I said “If I’m going to be like you, I need to know what it’s like”
Hunter’s eyes were tortured as they searched mine, I stared straight back into his, willing him to tell me, finally he sighed in defeat.
“Alright” He said “I will tell you. What do you want to know?”
“What were you drinking?” I asked
Hunter grimaced
“Can we start with some easier question?” He asked “Ones that won’t make you run from me screaming?”
I frowned, that didn’t sound very good.
“What’s it like?” I finally asked “Living under the water?”
Hunter’s expression softened and he turned to start walking again.
“It’s just like living up here” He said “You breathe, but you breathe through your neck, it doesn’t feel any different”
“Can you see?” I asked “Isn’t it dark down there?”
“Yes” Hunter said “We can see, that’s why my eyes were black the other night. It’s a special film that covers my eyeballs that protects them and allows me to see in the dark”
“How do you communicate?” I asked “You can’t just open your mouth can you?”
Hunter smirked
“No” He said “We use telepathy, we can block out what people don’t want us to hear and they can do the same, but if we feel like talking then we talk, in our heads”
I shook my head, this was all so strange, how could I possibly do this?
“Do you want to go in the water?” Hunter asked, I shook my head “It will make you feel better”
I wrapped my arms around my elbows. The water was so dark and cold, I didn’t want to experience the same thing that I had the night before.
“Nothing will hurt you Rose” Hunter said softly, holding out his hand “Im right here”
I looked at him, something in his eyes was begging, pleading with me. I looked back at the dark water.
“Only to my knees okay?” I said
Hunter nodded
“Only to your knees” He repeated
Hesitantly, I reached out and took his hand. It was much larger than mine and my fingers fit perfectly between his. I couldn’t help but feel warmer and safer holding his hand.
“I got you” Hunter murmured, keeping his eyes on me as he led me towards the water.
We had almost reached the edge when I hesitated, it looked so dark and cold.
“It’s okay” Hunter murmured “Just hold onto me”
He squeezed my hand tightly and gently tugged so that I had no choice but to take a step forward. My foot landed in the water and I gasped.
“Feel it?” Hunter asked “Let your senses feel it”
At first I didn’t know what he was talking about, but then I knew what he meant. Right where my foot was, in the water, I felt a tingling, like something was flowing into me from my foot. I stared down at the lapping water in confusion.
“What is that?” I asked Hunter, looking up at him with a creased brow, he smiled down at me.
“It’s the water” He said “it gives you energy; it’s a part of you. Come on”
Slowly he lead my farther into the water until it had reached the tops of my knees. As the water beat against my legs I could feel it hitting me with energy, it was so exhilarating that it was taking my breath away.
“Oh my” I gasped, feeling an exceptionally strong wave of energy hit me. Suddenly the undercurrent hit me hard and I stumbled, grabbing onto Hunter’s forearms for support, he reacted my grabbing onto my waist.
“Do you feel it to?” I asked, my voice breathy
Hunter smiled and brushed a loose lock of hair out of my face.
“Yeah” he said “I’ve always felt it”
I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, this was amazing, how had I never felt this before?
“Do you want to go deeper?” Hunter asked
I shook my head
“Not yet” I said “I like it just like this”
Hunter’s hands slid farther around my waist, pulling me a fraction closer to him. I opened my eyes and looked up into his face. He was staring back down at me with an intense look, one which I couldn’t place.
But whatever the look was it made me want to reach up and close the distance between us.
“Tell me what you were drinking” I whispered “Please?”
Hunter hesitated, his breath lingering on my face.
“I don’t want to frighten you” he said
I shook my head
“You won’t” I said “I promise”
Hunter hesitated again, but finally I could see the resolve in his gaze.
“Blood” he whispered “I was drinking blood”