Vaughn’s squire, Peter, ran for the door, his hand on the gun in his shoulder harness. No one else should be on the property this time of day, and any breaches were dealt with seriously. Looking through the security camera, he hit the intercom button. “What do you want?”1
“Vaughn,” a pretty female replied.2
“Wrong address,” Peter said. 3
“Tell him it’s Helen.”4
“Tell him yourself,” Peter said firmly. “At his house, which isn’t this.” He grimaced when she remained where she was. “How’d you get through the gate?” 5
“I brought her.”6
Blinking at the new voice, Peter shifted the camera so he could see the speaker. A black jacket met his view, and he had to look up to see who it was. “Damn it, Ash,” he said as he pulled the door open. “Next time let me know so I won’t be ten seconds away from calling the cavalry.” 7
Ash smiled slightly. “Calling ahead isn’t nearly as fun as watching you freak out over someone making it past the fence.”8
“Remember that when someone manages to kill Vaughn in his sleep.” Pausing as if to consider the option, Peter shook his head to dismiss it. “Who’s she, what’s she doing here, and why does she want to see Vaughn.”9
“She’s Helen.”10
“Gathered that already.”11
“I brought her here.”12
“Got that too,” Peter said. “I’m very astute today.” 13
“Just point her in the direction of Vaughn,” Ash told him. 14
Peter shifted his view to study her. “You’re not a call girl, since Ash would never bring one here, regardless how many times I begged. And you’re not a squire.”15
“You are very astute,” Helen told him. 16
“So, you must be flaky demon chickie,” he said, then turned and motioned for her to follow. “If you’re going to kick his ass, I’d appreciate you letting me watch.” 17
Helen glanced at Ash, who merely shook his head in annoyance. Following the squire through a few rooms and assorted doorways, Helen was hopelessly lost within moments. “I just want to talk with him.”18
“Sure, sure,” Peter said. “That’s what they all say.”19
“They?”20
“Well, you, basically.” He shrugged, then stopped in front of a large door. “The entrance to the royal grouch’s domicile.” He quietly pushed the door open. “You sure you’re not going to kick his ass?”21
“Positive.”22
”Pity.” He took a step back. “If you need me to guide you back, there’s an intercom by the door.”23
“Thanks.” She blinked as the door closed, and waited a few moments for her eyes to adjust to the darkness.24
Across the room sat a huge bed, although it was dwarfed by the sheer magnitude of the room itself. She’d had houses that were smaller than this. Quietly walking across the thick carpet, she approached the bed, and the lone occupant. 25
Vaughn lay on his stomach, arms under the pillow that his head rested on. Like this, he looked peaceful, and not as likely to insult her at every turn. She really had no idea why she was here, only that she had to know why he walked away in the alley. It had prompted a call to Ash who, to her surprise, told her that he’d deliver her to Vaughn so she could ask herself. 26
So, here she stood in his bedroom, staring at him while he slept. Fighting the urge to brush brown bangs off his forehead, she contemplated whether to wake him or not. 27
Flinching as his body jerked in his sleep, she took a step back from the bed as she felt confusion coming from him. Expecting him to open his eyes and ream her out for breaching his inner sanctum, she tensed. 28
Vaughn’s eyes slowly slid open, and he stared at the pillow below him. There was an odd scent in the room, one that had pulled him from a fairly nice dream. Raising his head, he inhaled, and froze when he could hear the light breathing of someone else. Looking up, he saw the last person he would have ever expected to see in his room. 29
“Uh, hello?” he said calmly. 30
“Hey,” she replied. 31
Looking around, and satisfied that he was indeed in his own room, he looked at her again. “Did I miss something?”32
“Probably lots,” she said, then grimaced. She had no idea why he brought out the worst in her. “I had to talk to you.”33
“So,” he said, propping himself up on one elbow, and nodding to the chair that sat on the other side of the night stand, “talk.” 34
Her eyes were drawn to the double bow and arrow tattoo on flesh just between his collarbone and shoulder, the mark reminding her just who and what he was. “Why did you kiss me the other night?” she asked, remaining where she was.35
“Because I probably wanted to have sex with you,” he answered easily.36
Probably? Blinking at the response, she became confused. “Then why did you walk away?”37
“Because you reminded me just how big of a bitch you are.” He shrugged. “That it? Can I go back to sleep now?” 38
“God,” she hissed. “Why did I even bother?”39
“Dunno,” he said. “Why did you?” 40
“I don’t know,” she admitted.41
“Sure you do.”42
Shaking her head, she turned with a disgusted sigh and started for the door. Jerking to a stop as something thumped against her back, she slowly turned. Her eyes went from the pillow on the floor, to Vaughn as he lounged in his bed smirking at her. 43
“Jackass,” she said, grabbing the pillow and whipping it at him. Frowning as he easily ducked it, she snarled. “You’re an arrogant bastard,” she spat. “And I’d never sleep with you!”44
“That why you’re standing in my bedroom while I’m all naked under the sheets?” 45
Aghast and annoyed at his attitude, she placed her arms akimbo and stared. “Prove it.” Her eyes grew wide as he flicked the covers off to display himself in all his glory. 46
Lightly bronzed skin sculpted itself over muscles and a body that would put most men to shame. Scars dotted his skin, marring the otherwise perfection. Although she tried to fight it, her gaze was drawn to the area between his legs, and she gaped slightly.47
Amused at her, he watched as her expressions went from indignant outrage, to inquisitive, to desire. 48
“Can I cover up now,” he asked in a husky tone,” or would you like to ogle a little longer?” 49
That brought her anger back, and she snarled. “You are such a pig!” Spinning, she headed for the door. 50
“Stop,” he said apologetically. Waiting for her to turn, he pulled the blankets over himself. Any more of her gazing would guarantee him a very cold shower before he’d be able to function. “I’m sorry. You’re just so damn amusing to bug,” he told her. 51
Watching him as he reclined on the bed, she noticed that he was staring at her with an oddly intense expression. “I should go,” she said, when she really wanted to stay. Shocked at that thought, she blushed as he raised an eyebrow. 52
“I’d like you to stay,” he told her. 53
“Why?” 54
“Why not?” 55
Sighing, she shook her head. “I’ll stay if you tell me the truth.”56
“About what?”57
“The alley.”58
Frowning, he lowered himself slightly on the bed. “Best be going then.”59
“Damn it, Vaughn,” she barked, and stalked towards him. Lowering herself to the bed, she placed an arm on either side of him and glared. “You were all hot and heavy to screw me right there against the wall.”60
“What’s your point?” he asked, acutely aware of the body heat coming off her. It was taking most of his self control not to grab her and plunge himself deep between her legs. 61
“My point is that you stopped yourself, then got all pissy, and I think a little hurt when I questioned you on it.” 62
“You want me to fuck you like some whore,” he said in a gentle tone, “then I’ll take you to an alleyway right now.”63
Growling in annoyed frustration at his attitude, she shook her head and glared. Vaughn returned her gaze calmly, even with a bit of mockery hidden beneath. But when she looked further, a sad finality hid behind his arrogance. 64
Helen leaned over and kissed him with all the fire that he’d displayed to her earlier in the alley. He jerked slightly, then relaxed completely. By the way his tongue played with hers, she could tell he wanted this, even though every word out of his mouth seemed to deny it. Suddenly arms circled her and she was pulled over to the bed beside him, where his body quickly covered her. 65
Hardness pushed against her midsection as he continued to kiss her senseless. There was something trying to force its way through her brain… something about her possibly pulling away from him to see if he’d insult her again. That thought was lost as his knee nudged her legs apart and he gently pushed against the jeans that she wore. 66
“Get undressed, please,” he whispered against her lips. 67
Her hands went to her jeans, then she recalled what her mind had been hinting at. “I’m a demon, remember?”68
“Don’t care,” he said as he continued to kiss and rock himself against the area between her legs. 69
“And a bitch, too.”70
“Still don’t care,” he said, lowering his hands to help her out of her clothing. 71
~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~72
Flipping through the channels on the television, Jared wasn’t really looking for anything in particular. In fact, he wasn’t even paying attention to the screen at all. Too many voices called out to him, some happy while others held the anguish of the ages, and trying to shut them out would be like trying to put a finger in the Hoover Dam to stop a leak. Eventually it would require more to stop, and soon overflow… so, he found it better to just go with it, and accept it for what it was. Besides, after untold years, he was used to the constant chattering and wailing.73
Sighing as he stopped channel surfing and tossed the remote on the couch beside him, he pushed some of the voices to the side so he could concentrate on a rather large problem. He’d been free for nearly five days, and things were still the same with Helen.74
Well, not really the same, he corrected himself. Now if only the two would stop their arguing, then he could go back to his torture unbothered. But, they argued, and fought, and he didn’t have time for it. He couldn’t get extra days from Zephyra, since she was a bitch. Asking Ash to help was plausible, but his men had their own issues to deal with. Which left Nim… and Jared wasn’t looking forward to the argument that suggestion would bring. 75
Warning Asya outright could work, but would tip his hand at knowing Helen, and if it got back to Zephyra, then she’d go after Helen without hesitation. No, the best option would be for Helen to willingly give her soul to someone else. That way, Asya would be up shit creek without a soul to paddle her back, and all could live happily ever after. That just left the option of who she could offer it to. She didn’t really have to give up the soul… more of a promising it to someone, and it would be out of Asya’s realm of possibilities to claim. 76
Glancing as the door to the kitchen swung open, he watched as Nim walked out. 77
“Where’s Helen?” the young demon asked.78
“With Ash.”79
”Nim still doesn’t trust Ash,” he replied. “He smells too much like Charonte.”80
”You smell too much like Charonte,” Jared pointed out, reminding him that he was half of that demon line. 81
“No need to insult Nim,” came the response. Nim walked to the couch and looked down. “Jared should go do things while he’s free. It won’t last, and soons we’ll be chained to the wall again and hurt.”82
“You don’t have to come back with me,” Jared said, ready to lay down the basic suggestion of him remaining here for protection. “Zephyra is going to kill you one day.”83
“Then Nim dies.”84
Sighing in frustration, he tried another way. “Medea uses you to hurt me,” he said, referring to Zephyra and Stryker’s daughter. 85
“You don’t wants Nim to come back with you, do you?”86
”Exactly.”87
Suddenly looking far older than he was, Nim gave him a withering look that Jared could only imagined he picked up from Helen. “Well, too bads.” 88
~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~89
Caras wasn’t a patient being under the best of circumstances, and was striving to keep the tiniest trace of understanding as he stared at the failure standing in front of him. At least the idiot didn’t try to play off the latest gaffe, and was suitably cowering in fear. That alone would save his life. 90
“Four Charonte demons,” Caras said in a low tone. “You couldn’t take one bound demon with four Charonte demons helping you.”91
“She had a demon bodyguard,” Brin said. 92
“Who?” Caras demanded as he resisted the urge to roll his eyes in annoyance. 93
“No idea. Smelled Charonte, too, but held the tinge of another kind.” Brin thought for a moment. “Leimaxion, maybe?”94
Caras’ head titled at the news. “How old?”95
“Not very.” Brin looked hopeful. “You know who it is?”96
Ignoring the question, Caras glared, which made the other demon cower. “In other words, you and four Charonte demons couldn’t take Helen Vandis and one half-breed Charonte child?”97
“Why don’t you try?” The words were no sooner out of his mouth then he yelped in pain as the bond collar on his neck tightened momentarily. Giving a wary glare, he rubbed his neck and wisely kept silent.98
“It falls to you to betray your former friend and deliver her to me,” Caras reminded him. “If you cannot, then you won’t be alive long enough to enjoy your newly refound powers. Now get out of my sight and don’t come back until you have her,” he paused dangerously. “Which better be by the end of one week.” 99
Not wanting to push his luck any further, Brin nodded once, then vanished. Caras stared at the spot where the other demon had been, the newest information running through his mind. If he didn’t know better, the description of the bodyguard sounded an awful lot like the demon Nim who, as half Charonte, half Leimaxion, was a definite rare breed. 100
Everything he’d heard about the young demon pointed to someone so painfully shy and scared of all demonikyn, that it seemed virtually impossible for him to protect another demon. 101
But, he’d been wrong before… thinking that Brin would be able to deliver Helen was proof of that. And, if it was Nim, then Caras had plans for that specific young demon. 102
~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~103
Jerking out of a sleep as someone pounded on the door, Vaughn sat up and rubbed his face. “What?” he called out. 104
“Ash wants you to call him before you send Helen home,” his squire replied.105
“Uh.” Looking at the bed beside him, Vaughn stared in to her amber eyes for a few moments. “Okay!” He could hear the squire walking away, and he laid back down. 106
Staring at him, Helen started to feel annoyed. “Why did you have this weird look in your eyes just now?”107
“Could we possibly go ten minutes without an argument?” Vaughn asked, rolling over to his side so he could look down at her. 108
Exhaling in exasperation, she sat up, then stood from the bed. “We could do that the moment you stop looking at me like I’m trash.”109
“Whoa!” he said loudly as he jumped to his feet. Ignoring the fact that he was naked, he stared at her. “How can…why would…” he stopped, words failing him. “I don’t think you’re trash.” 110
“Sure.”111
“Damn it, woman,” he growled. “Why do you insist on talking everything I say or do and weaving some nefarious deed in to it?”112
Wrapping her arms around her own bare body, she sniffed. “If you didn’t say things to insult, then I wouldn’t think you’re being an insufferable snob.”113
“Okay,” he said holding his hands out to calm the argument. “What have I done to piss you off this time?” 114
“My whole life seems to offend you.”115
“What?” shaking his head, he tried to make sense of what she’d said. “Look, lady, not sure what you’re getting at, but I must be too dense to get it.” 116
“I’m a demon.”117
“Yeah,” he replied. “And a fairly bitchy one at that.” 118
“So you’ve mentioned.” Looking at the bed where they had so recently been in each other’s arms, she glanced up at him. “And I was a…”119
“A what?” he asked. Staring at her, an earlier conversation replayed in his mind. You want me to fuck you like some whore, then I’ll take you to an alleyway right now. Sighing, he lost his anger at her. “I don’t care about your past,” he said. “And I never meant to imply otherwise.” 120
Staring, she wanted to hold on to the anger that she felt. Then, he did something she never would have expected someone like him to do. Kneeling on the bed, he held a hand out to her, a gentle expression on his face. She wanted to bat his hand away, but something in his demeanor told her that far too many people in the past had batted aside his attempts to reach out to them.121
Smiling at her as she placed her hand in his, he gently pulled her on to the bed and over to him. Wrapping his arms around her, he moved behind so he could cradle her against his chest. 122
“I don’t want to argue with you,” he said into her hair. “Regardless how fun it is.” 123
“What was your life like before you died?” she asked. 124
“Why?”125
Shrugging, she moved her shoulders slightly so she could cuddle in closer to him. “You seem to have all this anger in you, along with a lot of hurt.”126
“A Dark-Hunter’s death is usually very violent,” he whispered. “It’s the reason we’re in existence, so the anger is rather typical.” Kissing the back of her head, he laughed lightly. “Besides, have to have something to whine about,” he said, referring to her insult from earlier. “Waaa, waaa, waaaa.” 127
“Can you tell me?”128
He grew still at her question, and contemplated telling her to fuck off, and get out. He wanted to, but something else inside wanted her to know that others had been through indignities, too. 129
“Typical life,” he said with a shrug. “Suffered more than some, but definitely not as much as others. There were times of absolute happiness, and times of devastating pain.” 130
“Don’t take this the wrong way, Vaughn,” she said gently, “but trivializing it won’t make the events any less real.” 131
Sighing, he continued without knowing why. “I was eldest son, and had to fend off attempts on my life from both those against my father and those in my own family.” 132
“Ouch.”133
“Yeah. Anyway, I grew up, got married, and all was well.”134
“Until?”135
He paused, not wanting to go through the memories with someone he didn’t really know… regardless if they’ve just spent hours romping in the sheets. “It’s almost time to get up,” he said instead.136
“Why avoid it?” 137
“I’m not avoiding anything,” he said, removing his arms from around her and rolling off the bed. Looking at her expression, he growled lightly, then shook his head. “Fine. My father was murdered, my wife told me that my youngest sister was a whore who caused my father’s death, and instead of believing in family, I took the lies of one major bitch and ruined too many lives in one fell swoop.”138
Shocked at what he’d said, Helen slowly moved to the edge of the bed. “I’m sorry,” she tried to apologize. “I didn’t think-“139
“No one ever does,” he snapped. “The past is the past. I’m not trivializing it, or embracing it, or anything else. It happened. It’s over, but it’s still the reason I’m a soulless demon killer, so there’s no choice but to be faced with it, and my wrong choices every day.” 140
She took one step, and he half expected her to strike him. Honestly, it was what happened every time he tried to open up to someone about something that he could have stopped but was too dense to see. What he didn’t expect was her laying a warm hand on his cheek and caressing slightly. 141
“Go back to bed,” she ordered gently. 142
“I don’t want to.”143
“Please?” Lowering her hand, she took his and pulled softly.144
Letting her guide him back to the mattress, Vaughn settled into the blankets as he watched her warily. Closing his eyes slightly as she covered him with another blanket, he looked away as she faced him. 145
“After our father died, I kicked my sister out,” Vaughn said quietly, leaving the major parts out. “Told her she’d done enough damage and to go whore someplace else. She threw the pendant in my face and left.” Exhaling, he avoided her gaze. “I really don’t want to talk about this anymore.” 146
“I know,” Helen replied gently. She started tucking the blankets around him, making a safe cocoon where nothing could hurt him. Tossing the words around in her mind, she realized why he’d always seemed to get tense when she brought up her past… it probably brought up unpleasant memories for him.147
“When I found out the truth,” Vaughn said, causing her to stop and look at him, “it was too late. She was dead.”148
Helen crouched down so her face was level to his. His eyes darted away from her gaze, and she could tell he was having a difficult time dealing with the issue even after all these years. 149
Laughing in disbelief, he shook his head. “I believed the lies, and I paid the price.” 150
“Tell me,” she whispered.151
“My brothers had me arrested for my father’s murder,” he said. “My own wife gave the most damning evidence when she told them that I confessed to her.”152
“Did you…?”153
His eyes flicked to her. “No. But there was nothing I could do to prove my innocence. After I was dragged to the central square and left basically hanging to rot in the sun so I could reconsidered my deposition, my wife came to me and taunted that she was the one that killed my father. And she admitted the lies that had caused me to hurt my sister and cast her out.” He closed his eyes. “I believed in her, loved her... she was my life, and to her I was nothing more than some dumbass she could treat like garbage and use for her own gain.”154
Helen bent over and kissed his neck, eliciting a twitch from him at the contact. “I’m sorry,” she said, slightly confused at the reaction.155
“And after all she told me, I still wanted to be with her.” Laughing again at his own stupidity, he shook his head. “I begged her to tell the truth, and told her I could protect her.”156
Gazing at him, Helen couldn’t really connect this person with the insufferable man that she’d known for the past few days. That Vaughn was all arrogance and attitude. This Vaughn lying before her seemed miserable, confused, and more than a little lost. “What did she say?”157
“Nothing,” he replied with a snort. “She just took my ceremonial dagger out of a small pouch and slit my throat.”158
Helen jerked at the easy way he said that. “She… what?”159
“I died staring at her, unable to even curse her.” He shrugged. “I took Artemis’ deal, but I couldn’t follow through on the revenge.”160
“Why not?”161
”Like Acheron said, my hell is my own making. I was the one responsible for being in that situation. I let her beauty sway me from what was really important.”162
“But she lied, and killed you.” 163
“I had my demons, no offence, and she had hers,” he said. “Seemed a little callous of me to punish her for acting out the only way she knew how.” 164
“You’re dense, you know that?” Helen asked in a disbelieving tone. 165
“Yeah, I know,” he said, not insulted. 166
167
168
In a list
Believable enough? Or soap opera-ville?
Comments
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Not Soap Opera-Ville
Hmmm...Vaughn and Helen getting together may have been a bit rushed in my opinion, but what the heck? It's fiction. One of the things that bugs me the most is when people get all mad at a certain book because it's not 'real' enough, when what they're reading is fiction, hence not real. Very good story though. I hope Caras gets ganked in the back for wanting to go after Nim.
. Rewarded 6
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I waited until chapter five!!! Which, in my Hunter world, is a loooong wait
But... this 'getting together' isn't quite what it seems... 
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aawwwwww
now i know why he is a complete and utter asshole
i would never do that to someone. that s just cold, cruel, and harsh. i feelz bad for the hunter.
now that i am actualy looking at the top of this and seeing the question i would say believable enough for all parts but the spernatural part [even though very deep in my soul i say tis all true!!!! XD] things like that happen in this cold cruel world
and people suk for that.
someone needs to shove a stick up brins arse and watch him scream in pain like a wee baby. i wouldn't mind. i mean seriously no one should go after nim. nim is to cool for that.
its cute how nim wants to make it all better for jared. im glad that jared was set free in the recent book that just came w/ jericho, but then again i feel bad for jaden. he is like stuck, collared in demon hell w/ those complete utter assholes. [srry if i spoiled the book for any1 who didn't read it. XP]
. Rewarded 8
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