Pretend With Me (Midnight Society #1) (29 page)

In that moment I wanted nothing more and acting on
instinct alone, I slowly raised my face to meet his. I felt
myself freeze for a second, wondering if I really wanted
this, but before my brain could form any type of argument
against it, my body reacted to the desires gushing through
me, and I brought my lips up to meet his.
This kiss was different from all the rest. It was slow and
timid almost, like the type of kiss a couple would share at
the end of their first date. It was unsure but there was
something in it that I had never felt before – not even with
Daren – and I couldn't figure out what it was. Even so, I
could literally hear my brain cells clicking off one at a time.
I could feel my heart pounding in my chest as my hands
hesitantly snaked their way to his neck.
Without breaking the kiss he gently laid me down on
the bed and then seconds later he was hovering over me,
his hands slowly travelling up the sides of my body, leaving
heated trails behind. My skin burned where he touched.
When he finally did break the kiss, we were both
breathless. I didn’t open my eyes. Instead I laid there,
completely wrapped around Eric, trying to find some form
of coherent thought.
“We should stop… before I can’t fight this
anymore…” Eric whispered, his voice husky.
“Don’t fight it…” I whispered back, keeping my eyes
closed as I breathed in his scent. He was driving me
insane. I wanted him. I needed him, and constantly
fighting this overwhelming lust and desire was exhausting.
I was tired of fighting it.
“Do you really want this..?” he asked.
Slowly I opened my eyes and found myself staring
straight into his face, and in that instant something
happened inside me. I changed. It was like a switch being
flipped on or a candle being lit. The feeling was so strong
that for a moment I couldn’t do anything. It struck me like
walking face first into a concrete wall.
Suddenly I wasn’t the broken girl anymore. I became
something more. I was someone else with a totally
different view of the world, a different mindset, a different
soul. The broken girl was still there, but she wasn’t all that
I was, not anymore. I missed Daren and the guilt
remained, but it didn’t hurt so much.
I could hear Eric’s words echoing in my head and I
knew what this was: A bond by fate; the strongest bond
that ever existed. We didn’t love like humans did; only one
person forever. This was the bond between purebloods. I
could feel it running through me; the love I felt for him,
the willingness to make him happy and to always keep him
safe. I never wanted to cause him pain.
“I want this…” I muttered back, crushing my lips to
his, not because I was tired of fighting these urges
anymore, but because I was in love with Eric Wilson.

When I woke up, it was still dark outside. The
moonlight peeked through the thin white curtains, giving
the room a soft, silvery, almost ghost-like glow. Briefly, my
eyes went to the small digital clock on the bedside table,
and I found that it was just after 2AM. Eric was still asleep,
his arms draped around my body, hugging me close to
him. It felt nice - warm and comfortable - and I turned so
that my front was now to his, pressing my face into his
chest and inhaled deeply. My eyes closed automatically as I
tried falling back asleep.

Sleep wouldn't come though. My mind refused to rest,
constantly thinking about my newly-found feelings for the
boy wrapped around me and at the very thought, my heart
swelled. I was in love with him, in a way that I didn't think
was possible, at least not after Daren. But along with this
love for Eric, came other things; things that I didn’t quite
understand or know how to deal with yet.

For one, now a huge part of me wanted this wedding. I
actually wanted to marry Eric. I wasn't fighting against the
wedding as I'd been fighting just a few hours ago. I wanted
to make Eric happy and give him what he deserved. This
wedding was what would make him happy and a part of
me wanted it too, but I didn't want it for me, I wanted it
for him.

Deep down I still wasn’t ready for this. I didn't want to
become a wife to someone yet. There was also the guilt
and betrayal I felt. Even now I grieved for Daren. All the
hurt and anger hadn’t left. I also felt so much guilt because
all the things I would do with Eric, were the very things
Daren and I had planned to do together. I was still
stumbling around, trying to find myself, because deep
down I was still the same broken girl. I was so confused
and lost.

Without thinking, I carefully removed Eric's arms from
around me and got out of the bed. The digital clock was
now at exactly 3AM. Grabbing the first set of clothes I
could find, I tiptoed to the bathroom and then turned on
the shower and climbed in. The water was hot on my skin,
almost scalding. But it felt nice and the heat seemed to
melt away most of the tension from my body. I could
literally feel my muscles unclenching under my skin. When
I was done I stepped out of the shower and started to get
dress. When I walked out of my bedroom, I went to Eric's
and found one of his hoodie. Then without thinking, I
pulled the jacket on and found myself walking towards the
front door.

I wanted to be out of the house, even if it was just for a
small walk. Over the last few days, my bedroom w as the
only thing I'd seen and I craved being outdoors. I wanted
the fresh air.

Once out the front door, I paused for a few seconds
and inhaled deeply. The air was cold and biting against my
skin, but I didn't mind. It felt so good being out here and
without giving it a second thought, I took off slowly
jogging. I didn’t know where I was going exactly and I
realized that I'd never really left the house alone before.
Someone was always with me. I picked a route and decided
that as long as I didn't go too far I wasn't going to get lost.

The streets were bare, except for cars that would speed
past me at long intervals. Street lights layered the
pavements, giving the sidewalk an orange-yellowish warm
glow. It was completely silent, and I found the stillness
somewhat comforting. Chilly air blew at my face and hair,
and in response I pulled the hood of the jacket over my
head.

I had been running for just about fifteen minutes, when
I began feeling strange. My body went tense and rigid. My
pulse quickened instantly as my entire frame became
suddenly uneasy. Tig ht knots formed in my stomach,
pulling and twisting tighter as the seconds passed me by.
The feeling was so intense that it was almost something
physical inside me, just screaming and crawling to get out.
Acting on instinct alone, I froze at once as my eyes began
scanning the empty streets, looking for the source of my
unease. I came up with nothing though. I was alone.

I forced myself to let out a loud and long breath I
hadn’t been aware I was holding. I was probably being
stupid and overreacting anyway. Trying to shove the
thoughts away, I shook my head, turned back to the
direction I’d come from and started back for the house. I
couldn’t shake the feeling though. It was like something
was watching me. I could feel its eyes on my body, burning
holes into me.

That was when it happened. Air whipped around me
with so much force that it pushed me back as loud
thunderous animal-like growls, vicious and angry tore
through the silence. Then suddenly there was a hot,
stinging breath blowing at the back of my neck.

My heart was pumping in my chest, pushing adrenaline
through my veins instantly. I shut my eyes tightly hoping
that by some miracle the menacing breaths would vanish
as I forced my foot to move, inching forward slowly. As
soon as I moved a low angry warning growl ripped
through the air, making me shiver and freeze immediately.
I didn’t risk even breathing now as the seconds dragged
on. Slowly and carefully, I forced my body to turn around,
ignoring all the warning snarls coming from whatever was
behind me. I then forced my eyes open, not even aware
when I’d closed them and found myself staring at two
rows of sharp vicious teeth. Instantly my hands shot up to
my mouth stifling the loud scream itching to tear from my
throat.

I literally couldn’t move. Every muscle and cell in my
body was frozen from fear as I stared at the beast before
me. I had never seen anything like it before, but I knew
what it was - the very species that wanted me dead. I was
standing inches away from a wolf, except this thing before
me was nothing like the TV version. It was a lot meaner
and much more deadly, and from the low menacing growls
rising from its throat, it wanted me dead. All I could do
was stare, wide eyed and scared at the monster before me.

Its eyes were like bright red glowing balls, even though
its pupils were pitch black. It had long pointed rows of
teeth that glistened as drool fell in clumps from its skinned
back lips. Even on all fours it reached my height, and its
deadly eyes bored into mine. It had a plain shiny black coat
that looked wiry and thorn-like and every breath that it let
out, pushed me back slightly and blew my hair behind my
head.

Involuntarily, I felt my body take a small step back and
as I moved so did the wolf. The thing raised on its two
back legs, almost doubling in size. I took another step back
and the wolf dropped back on all fours nearly touching my
face. It let out a low vicious snarl that sent a new, more
powerful ripple of fear surging through me.

“Easy Zoryiaa, you'll have your chance,” a musical male
voice said that I recognized as soon as I’d heard it, and in
response all the small hairs on my body rose as another
dose of crippling fear crushed me. All I could think about
was him and the night he'd killed Daren and Brandon. I
saw that night re-playing in my head, over and over again,
constantly on repeat. I couldn't think about anything else. I
couldn't breathe. I couldn’t do anything. He'd finally found
me and I knew that without a doubt he was going to finish
what he started. Zane was going to kill me too and this
time he would finish the job. There was no one here to
stop him.

With just the shift of its eyes, the creature before me
looked at the owner of the voice and then took a step
back, returning its eyes to me. “Hello, Jen, it's been a
while, has it not?” he said and I slowly turned in the
direction the voice had come from, ignoring one monster
to find another casually walking towards me. He took a
few steps and then stopped on the sidewalk, directly under
the streetlight, making his body seem to glow a warm
yellowish color. A small, venomous smile slowly spread
across his lips and then he gently brought his hand up,
wiggling his fingers at me sweetly.

The moment my eyes met him, something changed in
me. Suddenly I was no longer afraid. Instead all I felt now
was anger - pure and undiluted rage. It replaced the fear
coursing through my body and rooting my feet to the
ground. Hate towards Zane, and everything he did and
took from me burned away all the horror. It threw caution
out the window. I hated him more than I feared him.
Suddenly all I could think about and focus on was him. I
wanted nothing more than to rip him apart, limb from
limb. I wanted to take everything away from him and cause
him the same pain he caused me. It drove me insane and
blurred my vision red.

At my side, my hands clenched into tight fists, my nails
digging into my palms with so much intensity that the skin
broke. Everything else vanished from my sight, leaving
only us. I forgot that he was stronger than I was and that
he could kill me in a heartbeat. I forgot about the wolf’s
soulless eyes locked on me. It didn't matter. Nothing
mattered but the killer intent bubbling inside me, and
without thinking or as much as a warning, I launched
myself at him, my only coherent thought being to murder
his ass.

Immediately my fist shot out towards his face and
slammed into his nose, sending him stumbling back,
surprised. Blood gushed from his nose and I took another
step towards him, sending my hand towards his face again.
This time I heard a loud crack echo through the air as
soon as my hand met his jaw. I pulled my hand back at
once and then again sent it hurling towards his face,
ignoring the searing pain beating in my wrist now.

Just as my hand was about to slam into his face another
time, firm rough hands grabbed me, trying to haul me back
and away from Zane. I stretched my arms out, snatching
onto Zane's body, refusing to let him go, scratching at his
face and neck. My nails dug into his skin and warm liquid
pooled at my fingertips. The person behind me yanked me
away forcefully, ripping my hands away from Zane and
putting distance between us.

“Haven't you changed into a fighter?” Zane smirked,
wiping blood from under his nose. I stopped struggling,
glaring at him and the person holding me slackened his
hands automatically. I kept my eyes trained on Zane,
targeting him. “But I guess I did deserve that,” he mused
and flexed his jaw. “I did kill your boyfriend.” Immediately
I ripped out of the person's hand and launched myself at
his face again.

This time Zane's hand clammed onto my fist just
inches from his face. “But,” he continued as if nothing had
happened, forcing my hand down, between us. “He was
also your protector, which meant that he would have died
either way.” He raised his other hand and before I had
time to react, he shoved it into my stomach, using force
that was above a human's.

My hands curled around my stomach and I fell to the
street as pain made my entire body throb. “Something is
different about you,” I heard Zane mutter to himself and I
made myself look up to him. He was standing over me
flexing the hand he had just punched me with. He grabbed
onto my hair and then yanked me up to meet his face,
staring at me intensely. His eyes raked over my body,
looking for something, but I couldn't figure out what.