Author: N. L. Hoffmann
Category: Vampires
Go to read content：https://onlinereadfreenovel.com/n-l-hoffmann/page,4,534269-demis_at_stake.html
Wondering where the hell my sisters were, I started up the stairs. Once Dante and Alex had shown up, they’d decided not to stay, telling me to fill them in later. Good thing they got away when they could. I, on the other hand, hated not being included on hunter business. I wanted to be involved in the decision-making. That was why Seth and I talked over most of the things we had planned. With him, though, it was to just to inform me, not to get input. Here, I felt like I could actually contribute. Felt like I could point them in the right direction. They were considering all the wrong options. In the end, we might pay for it with our lives.
Too exhausted to worry about my sisters, sure they were sleeping already, I went to the room Jesse had shown me earlier. The house had ten bedrooms in it, so there was plenty for everyone. It was going to be nice to sleep in a room by myself. That hadn’t happened for years.
Entering the room, I examined the plain décor. Two paintings of horses on the walls. Dark blue bedspread with two pillows. White walls. Good enough for me. As I turned around to close the door, I jumped, seeing Troy standing in the doorway, leaning against the frame.
“You doing okay?” he asked.
I nodded, walking to my bag, which Seth brought in at some point. When I began to dig through it, Troy walked up behind me. I spun around and leaned against the edge of the bed, giving him a curious look.
“Is there something I can help you with?” I asked.
“I was just checking on you.”
“Well, I’m fine.”
He reached out and brushed the side of my face with his hand, traveling down my shoulder, sending shivers throughout my body.
When he leaned down to kiss me, I didn’t pull away. His tongue entered my mouth, touching mine delicately. I moaned, grabbing his cowboy hat off his head and tossing it to the floor, weaving my fingers through his hair. He grasped my hips, lifting me so I could wrap my legs around his waist.
Kicking the door closed, he pressed me against the wall, grinding his hips. I raked my nails down his back, earning a growl in response.
Grinning against his mouth, I opened my eyes. “Are you sure you can handle me?”
He smiled, raising my shirt so he could place his hands on the bare skin of my lower back.
There was a knock at the door, startling us both. Troy set me back down onto the floor, panting as he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. “Shit.”
I glanced at the door, whispering, “Maybe you should hide in the bathroom.”
When he gave me an incredulous look, I chuckled, stumbling to the door. It felt good to have someone want me.
After he disappeared into the bathroom, I swung open the door, seeing Seth standing there. He stomped into the room, anger written on his face. Suddenly he stopped, looked at my disheveled appearance, and frowned.
“You’re not alone, are you?”
I shook my head. “Nope.”
“Disgusting. Who is it?” Then he held up a hand. “Wait, I don’t want to know. Just... Just be careful, okay? Do you have a condom?”
“Seth!”
“I know, but I have to check.” He pulled out his wallet and yanked one out. “Here.”
Shoving away his hand, I glared. “I don’t want that. And when in the hell do you have time to use it?”
Seth grinned. “None of your business.” He walked over to the bathroom door and knocked sharply. “Better treat my sister right or I’ll kick your ass.”
Ignoring my angry stare, Seth walked out of the room. “Hey, Jesse,” I heard from the hallway. “You might want to leave Troy and Demi alone.”
“W-what?” I could hear Jesse stammer, confused.
Growling in anger, I slammed the door. When Troy came out of the bathroom, he walked over and picked up his hat. “Guess that’s the equivalent as throwing cold water on someone, huh?”
I nodded, frowning. “Yep.”
I WOKE UP FROM A DEAD sleep, feeling like something was in the room with me. It was pitch black, so I couldn’t see a thing. Nervous, I reached under my pillow for the stake, ready to attack whomever it was.
Could it be the vampire again? Was he trying to scare the shit out of me? Maybe it was Troy.
I sat up and reached for the lamp, but someone grabbed my hand. “Troy?”
A hand touched the side of my face, slowly moving down to my neck. I shivered, not sure if I should reach for the light again. When the fingers grazed over the swell of my breast, I sucked in a breath.
“Troy, you should probably leave. I know we had a moment earlier, but I think it’s long past.” Was it? I could feel my body tingling like never before.
I felt light kisses on the side of my face, down to my neck. I let my head fall to the side, enjoying the sensation. Then I felt it. The scrape of fangs!
Tightening my hand around the stake, I swiped in the direction of the vampire. He must have leapt back, because I could hear him from several feet away.
“You’re so beautiful. I can’t seem to push you from my mind,” he whispered with an Irish accent.
Fear took hold of my body, making me freeze. Would he be able to stop me before I could put the stake into his chest? Was he anticipating my next move?
“Do not fear me,” Cathal said from behind me.
I spun around on my bed, leaping up as I prepared to lunge. “How can I not? All you do is kill... Oof.”
He tackled me back onto the bed, holding my wrists above his head. He leaned in, inhaling. “You smell amazing.”
“That’s what happens when you use soap.”
Cathal chuckled, coming closer to my neck. I lifted my knee in attempt to hurt him, but he was gone, my wrists free. I scrambled up and looked around the dark room.
“It’s not soap. Your female scent... It’s intoxicating.” He stood behind me once again. When he jerked me back into his hard chest, I started to shout out, but he covered my mouth with his hand. “Be silent, or I will kill them all.”
His arm went around my waist, making me shiver, not sure if I felt fear or something else. He groaned into my ear, removing his hand from my mouth. “All I want you to do is feel. Then you will know.”
“K-know what?” I asked.
His warm breath touched my ear, sending more shivers through my body. “I’m... I’m not sure,” he replied, sounding somewhat confused.
When his lips touched my neck, my knees buckled from the overwhelming sensations sweeping through me. He held me against him, pressing more kisses onto my skin. When my head fell back, inviting him to do more, he began to relax.
“Yes, like this.”
I didn’t know what I was doing. Hell, it felt amazing and I wanted more. But he was a killer. Yet I let him touch me. Kiss me. Secretly, I wanted more. I didn’t stay quiet because he had threatened to kill everyone in the house. I did it because his touch felt amazing. Was I that desperate for attention?
When his hand moved across my stomach, I sighed, hoping he would go lower. I felt the prick of his fangs in my neck.
“No,” I murmured, and he quickly pulled away.
Not feeling him behind me anymore, I blindly reached for the light, clicking it on. I looked around, seeing the room empty. Feeling a slight sting on my neck, I hurried into the bathroom. Sure enough, there were two tiny spots where he almost sank his teeth into me. I swallowed hard. What was I about to let him do?
Chapter Six
Staring at myself in the mirror, I debated about what to do. Everyone would probably notice the marks. I should just tell them the vampire came into my room last night, but then Seth would be pissed I didn’t come to get him right after it happened.
Deciding to just wear my hair down, hoping that would cover it, I finished putting on my makeup. Satisfied, I hurried to pack my things. We didn’t know where we were going next, but I wasn’t sure I wanted to stay another night.
Why didn’t Cathal try to kill me? I was a member of one of the families who imprisoned him. It just didn’t make any sense. Most of all, why did my body respond when
he touched me? My head knew it was wrong, but my heart was confused. I didn’t know what I was doing. Maybe staying away from the hunt this time was the best idea. Did I really want to leave my family to take on this monster alone? I could be the only thing standing in the way of him killing them.
Opening my door, I screeched. Jesse stood in the hall, like some kind of creeper. He examined me, giving me a slow smile.
“What’s up?” I asked, shoving past him.
Jesse grunted when my bag hit him on the way by. He jogged to catch up to me. “I was just wondering if you would be interested in dinner.”
Sighing, I looked at him, confused. “Like, do I want to stay for dinner, or are you asking me out to dinner?”
“Asking you out to dinner.”
Sighing, I dropped my bag onto the floor. “I don’t get into relationships with hunters.”
“You were about to fuck Troy last night. What’s the difference?” he demanded, arms crossed.
This was another reason I stayed out of relationships. Men were a complication I didn’t want to have. They latched on, wanting all your attention. I didn’t have time for that.
“Troy would have been a one-time thing, Jessie. And it didn’t happen.” I picked up my bag again.
“A relationship with a hunter is the best, though. We can hunt together.” He grabbed my arm, staring into my eyes. “It’s a great package.”
He was probably right, but I didn’t want to be in a relationship at the moment. We had to focus on this vampire. What about my sisters? Why wasn’t he chasing after them? It didn’t make sense to me. They were more beautiful and more outgoing than I was.
“I’m sorry, Jesse, but now isn’t a good time. We have a vampire to worry about.”
Taking the hint, Jesse frowned, walking away. When he disappeared down the stairs, I sighed in relief. Maybe he would lay off now. All that was left was Troy. Though I would still consider one night with him. What would have happened if the vampire had found Troy in bed with me? A chill went through my body. Maybe taking guys completely off my radar was a better idea. I couldn’t risk having a life if Cathal kept appearing.
Heading down the stairs, I could smell food cooking. Eric stood in front of the stove, filling plates with bacon and eggs, Franny taking them into the dining room. I walked in and dropped my bag next to a chair, sitting.
“Smells great,” I said. “But I thought Jesse was cooking?” Not that it was any of my business.
Eric shrugged. “He changed his mind, so I decided to do it.”
“You’re wearing your hair down?” Blair asked, surprised. I usually kept it up in a ponytail.
Nodding, I smiled. “I thought I would change it up today.”
Seth grunted, rolling his eyes. “You girls care too much about your looks.”
“Says the guy who works out every time he has a chance,” Ruby shot back, smirking.
“I need to stay in shape because of the job.”
“Is that why you flex in front of the mirror?” Blair asked, laughing.
Everyone joined in, causing Seth’s face to turn red. “Every man flexes in front of the mirror.”
Bear chuckled. “I do.”
“Disturbing.” Troy shook his head. “I don’t.”
“Yes, you do. I’ve seen it,” Franny said, setting a plate down in front of him.
I looked around the table to see Jesse wink at Ruby, who scowled. Well, his affection moved on quickly. I shook my head in disbelief. It didn’t matter to me. If Ruby got laid, good for her.
“You look a little tired. You okay, darling?” Troy asked, leaning forward a bit so he could look into my face.
Nodding, I forced a smile. “I woke up a few times during the night, but I’m fine.”
Seth raised an eyebrow, but went back to shoveling food into his mouth. At least he wasn’t asking questions. Maybe he’d assume I got some last night. Hopefully it wasn’t enough to raise any alarms.
Bear took a sip of his coffee, then wiped his mouth on a napkin. “Tonight, we hunt. I hope y’all are ready for it.”
“Do we have a plan?” I asked, leaning back so Franny could place my food in front of me. I gave her a smile of thanks as my stomach rumbled in anticipation. Taking a bite of the bacon, I sighed happily. As much as we traveled, you’d think we would have been to a ton of restaurants for breakfast, but we usually only had time for fast food. Good thing kicking ass burned a lot of calories.
“The plan is to stake the bastard and burn him.”
“I think we need to bury him in that cave again,” I offered.
Bear seemed to consider that for a few seconds. “It probably wouldn’t hurt. We’ll put a few rounds of wooden bullets into him for good measure, then drag his ass into the cave. He should be out long enough for us to get him back there.”
“So we hope.” Blair sighed. “I just feel like this isn’t going to be good enough. We need to know how they did it back then.”
“They didn’t have many options. I’m assuming stakes were the go-to weapon. Who knows? Maybe a stake to the heart is enough to put him down, at least for a little bit.”
Remembering what happened last night, I put my bacon down. Hopefully it would be enough. If not, we were in deep shit. Or at least I was.
FEELING UNCOMFORTABLE in the house, I decided to hang out in the city for the day. Troy offered to tag along, but I told him I needed to be alone. When Seth tried to force me to take one of my sisters, I snuck away when he went to go get one of them. He called me, of course, but I ignored it, deciding his bitching could wait until later.
Maybe it was dangerous to be by myself, but I knew Cathal had to wait until the evening to come out; otherwise, he’d burst into flames. That was why fire was so effective to get rid of their bodies. It was the ultimate goodbye.
After spending a few hours shopping, I decided to eat lunch at a little café downtown. It was nice being able to eat under the sun. Most of our activity happened at night, so we didn’t get out much in the daytime. Even though I was tired and probably should have stayed at the house so I could take a nap, it was worth the sacrifice because my brother wasn’t watching me. It had started to wear on me, like having an overbearing father. Not that I would know what that was like.
Sensing eyes on me, I looked around. I couldn’t see anything suspicious. Just people going about their own business.
“Your hair is beautiful that way.”
My whole body stiffened at the sound of the voice behind me. “Cathal?”
“Yes.”
When I tried to turn around, he placed his hands on my shoulders. “How are you out in the sun?” I asked.
He came around to sit in a chair across the table. I sucked in a breath. Cathal was stunning. His dark hair was swept back from his face, revealing gray eyes that seemed to see right through my soul. The vampire appeared slightly uncomfortable to be out in public, but the black suit he wore fit right in.
“This is my first time out in the sun. Hard to believe, no?” He grinned, flashing his fangs. I shivered in response, licking my lips nervously.
“Vampires burn in the sun.”
Cathal lifted his hand, examining it, then looked at me. “As you can see, the sun and I get along just fine. Tell me, my sweet, Demi. Do you wish I were on fire?”
“No.” It came out in a whisper. I shook my head. “I mean, yes. Vampires are blood-sucking monsters. You kill for sport.”
He raised his eyebrows. “You hunters are no different. You kill even if our kind attempts to fit into society.” He leaned forward, looking at me. “Tell me, Demi. Have you killed knowing that the victim is innocent? How many times have you killed when they have committed no crime?”
I looked away, not wanting him to see the truth in my face. “I do it to protect society.”
Sitting back, he held his hands out to his sides. “We do it to survive.”
“You can survive without killing.”
Cathal shrugged. “We could.” He watched
me carefully, as if studying his next meal. “We have a connection, you and I. I can’t really explain it. In all honesty, I should kill you for your relationship to the families who placed me in that prison.”
“Then why don’t you?” I challenged, gripping the sides of the chair.
He sighed heavily, looking away to watch the people around us. I wanted to bring his attention back to me. Was he choosing his next meal? My heart started beating faster, preparing myself to protect the public.
Finally, he looked at me, smiling. “Do not fret, my love. I won’t harm any of those who are here now.”
“But you will hurt someone eventually.”
Cocking his head to the side, Cathal shrugged. “It’s bound to happen. I can’t help myself.”
“You don’t have to kill.”
“I suppose.” He grinned. “Would that change your mind about me? If I promised not to kill another one of these humans, would you come to me willingly?”
I frowned. “Why would I do that?”
“You will eventually see there is no escaping what is developing between us.”
“There is no us,” I hissed. “I don’t even know you! You’re some freak who was locked away in a cave for God knows how long for murdering people. Why in the hell would I want someone like that?”
Cathal frowned. “Times were different then.”
“Are you saying you’ve changed?” I asked, not believing it for a second. This conversation was ridiculous, should be impossible. We were at a café in the middle of the day, for crying out loud!
“I am. If not, I would have murdered all of these people by now.” He raised an eyebrow. “Do you want me to murder them?”
“No!” I leaned forward, my arms on the table. “Why would I want that?”
“Well, you already assume the worst of me.”
“You’ve been killing.”
Sighing audibly, Cathal reached over, grabbing my hands in his. I tried to pull away, but he held on tightly. “I killed because I was extremely hungry. I was in the cave for a long time, my sweet.”
“So you’re not killing anymore?” I asked skeptically.