Tempest Read online

  I was pleased that I was able to plan everything so perfectly, now I just had to prevent Luke from screwing it up.

  I was relieved when finally Luke graced me with his presence. I drove quickly to school but Luke didn’t seem to notice. I was amused when we pulled in and saw Adriana’s truck a few spaces down, with her still inside.

  I watched in fascination as she got out and rolled her eyes. She rolled her eyes? That seemed to be directed at us; I couldn’t believe it. Why would such an attitude be directed towards us? Sure, the whole reason for us being here was because of her, but she didn’t know that. Could she sense us? Did she know that we were after her? I shook my head. Surely, she would not still be here if she knew. I cursed. This was getting very complicated and I looked forward to being in the next few classes with her.

  When I walked into her first class I felt the same feeling I had this morning, what was that, excitement? Eagerness? I had given my new teacher the form for the schedule change and managed to exchange a few pleasantries with him. Later, I could tell you that he was an aging man who suffered from diabetes based on the healing poke on his finger, he recently separated from his wife based on the tan line left behind by his ring, and that he was generally over-qualified for this position. But right then, I was focused on only one thing.

  The teacher told me to sit anywhere I’d like and when I saw the desk next to Adriana’s was empty, without even giving it a second thought I sat next to her. I hadn’t realized what I’d done until I saw her face as I sat down. She was surprised, and I almost saw a hint of suspicion. Was it because I was staring at her yesterday, because I had pulled into the parking after her, or because I was suddenly in her class? Oh well, too late, I thought without an ounce of regret that I should. I was becoming sloppy.

  The class went by too fast. Time was never an issue for me and days, even weeks, would pass like nothing. An hour? That was a blink of an eye. When the dismissal bell rang, I waited until she got up to leave the classroom. But she didn’t. She was drawing out her actions so she wouldn’t have to be the one to leave first. It almost seemed like she was trying to avoid me. Avoid me of all things! I couldn’t understand why that thought bothered me. I wasn’t going to give her the satisfaction, so when she saw I wasn’t moving, she got up; all I got was a forced smile as she made her way out.

  I exhaled in frustration and finally left my seat.

  “You’re an idiot!” was what I was greeted with when I went into the hall.

  “That’s funny. That’s what I usually call you.” I wasn’t in the mood to deal with Luke’s accusations right now.

  “Yeah, well even I wouldn’t have been that obvious. You switched into most of her classes and then you had to sit right next to her. I couldn’t believe my ears when I heard people talking about Adriana and my usually perfect brother.”

  I looked at him now. “People are talking about us?” My heart did a weird ticking thing at the mention of ‘us’.

  Luke shook his head and looked at me like I had lost all reasoning. Maybe I had. “Yeah, that’s not a good thing. How is it going to look when she is gone, or have you forgotten your own plan already?”

  Why did he care if people were suspicious after her disappearance? “Did you forget what you suggested at lunch?” But he was right. I was being careless. “It won’t happen again,” I clipped.

  Luke scoffed. “I gotta go to class. See ya later.” He was shaking his head as he walked away.

  Adriana had wanted to avoid me anyway and so I sat as far away from her as I could for the next three classes. That should please both of them. My thoughts were a little bitter. I would do my best to cover my tracks but when it came down to it, she would be coming with us, and I didn’t care how much suspicion it rose.

  * * *

  Luke had surprisingly gone along with the idea that we would have to watch Adriana a few more days until we could find out who or what had wanted Adriana dead. I suspected Luke’s reasoning was because he wanted to see if anything else would be after her, too. Luke never missed the opportunity for a good fight.

  It was an excruciating rest of the week, trying to pretend to avoid Adriana. Finally, school let out for the week and it bothered me that Adriana wouldn’t be spending her Friday night at home. Her house would have been easier to watch. We could protect her easier there than out in the open in the most haunted and supernaturally-populated city in the world.

  Hunters had territories and ours was the South. It had been ever since the curse first started with my father centuries ago. The year was 1828 and my father worked as lawyer here in New Orleans. The Supernatural had always been attracted to this place, even back then. 1828 was also the same year that he met Claude, Luke’s father. My father was representing Claude on charges of murder. He really believed Claude was innocent, even after trial and jury voted him guilty. Claude was sentenced to be hanged the next month. My father did everything he could in his power to save Claude; he even led the investigation that proved his innocence. Things were different back then and what they really wanted was to teach a lesson. They didn’t care who hanged for it. Claude’s fate was sealed but my father wouldn’t let it go. He went to a young voodoun priestess named Marie Laveau and she gave him the solution he asked for, just at a price he could have never imagined. They would become Hunters, cursed to an eternity of service to the Underworld that could be passed on to their heirs. If and when they produced an heir, at the age of eighteen, that heir would become a Hunter, transferring the duty from father to son but always remaining immortal. I turned eighteen in 1896.

  I turned my thoughts back to following Adriana. I would keep my distance for now, but I couldn’t leave her unattended. There was some kind of festival going on that night and Adriana was going. Something centered around food or music, I imagined, which took place practically all the time in New Orleans. She had arrived at the fairgrounds with a group, mostly family members I couldn’t identify. I made a mental note to obtain a full background check later. I admitted I was a little relieved; at least she was surrounded by humans and not in the dark, mysterious streets of downtown.

  I'd been following her on foot and hadn’t realized I had lost her in the crowds until it was too late. Luke had no idea what I was doing and I couldn't have cared less what he was doing tonight. I was almost going to call him to assist me when I discovered I was looking in all the wrong places. I couldn’t find her in the crowds because she was no longer in them. She was walking toward downtown. I went back to my car and followed her on a parallel street before parking. What was she doing, walking on a deserted street in New Orleans by herself at night? Why did she leave her family at the festival? I would continue to watch her from a distance and only interfere if I had to.

  I watched her take out her phone. How amusing it was when she cursed at it for not turning on. I smiled; perfect, I had the excuse I needed to give her a ride home, to spend more time with her.

  My smile died as I saw she continued walking toward one of the old mansions. It wasn’t so much as if she were walking there, but being propelled, by a force that only I could see. It pulled her toward the house, enchanting her with false feelings of euphoria. Only I could see the red cloud that surrounded it, the evil that resided in it. She was standing in front of the LaLaurie house and I understood just then who had wanted her dead so badly. The thought filled me with rage. All my instincts flared to life. It seemed ironic that the one of whom she should be in danger was now protecting her. But I knew, with my entire existence, that that is what I would do - protect her. The realization was startling and before I knew it, I was next to her, pulling her away.

  “Hayden?” The spell was broken and she was able to look away from the house toward me.

  I couldn’t answer her yet. The rage and possessiveness I felt while her life was in danger was confusing to me.

  “What are you doing? And where are we going?” Her once fearful blue eyes were trying to harden.

  “I’m taking you
back.” I resented nearly growling the words and instead focused on the feel of her in my arms. I felt her stop walking and it took all my strength not to throw her over my shoulders and keep walking.

  “Thanks, but I can take care of myself. And you didn’t answer my question. What are you doing here?”

  Her beauty had momentarily arrested me and I struggled to find my next words. “You were lost and I happened to be in the neighborhood.” I had to look away from her. Her eyes would be my undoing.

  “I wasn’t lost.” She tried so hard to be convincing.

  I genuinely laughed. No, she was in a much more dangerous situation than being lost. As I was laughing, I felt her slip out of my grasp. My arms suddenly felt cold, even though temperature never affected me.

  I realized I was looking at her like she could offer me an explanation as to why I had these feelings for her. And why had she pulled away from me? I laughed when I realized I had forgotten my human manners. “Oh, I’m sorry. Would you care for a ride?” I held out my hand, anticipating her touch again. I could see the emotions displayed across her face. Hell, she was actually considering it! I wanted her to say yes. I wanted to spend more time with her. But she shouldn’t. She should say no and stay as far away from my immortal self as possible. Much to my satisfaction—and dismay— with what finally looked like resolve, she met me at my side.

  “I take it I am bringing you to the Fair Grounds?”

  “How did you...?“ Her eyebrow furrowed suspiciously.

  I quickly realized my mistake. “The Crawfish Festival is going on. It’s where everyone is tonight.” I smiled to make my point.

  She believed me, although her brow didn't smooth entirely. “No, actually you can just take me home.”

  I nodded and didn’t know if I should be thrilled or not at the extra time with her. I should stay away from her.

  “I appreciate you giving me a ride but you can’t just grab people like that.”

  I smirked, wondering what she would think if she knew I had really wanted to carry her out of there. . She didn’t say another word to me the rest of the brief walk to my car, which was fine, because I needed to straighten out my thoughts before I said, or did, something stupid. I watched her as we came up to the car. Would she be impressed? We had money, and I knew how important that was to humans. It was their downfall. But she barely noticed the car. Amusingly, she looked at the expired parking meter and seemed to frown of all things. She wasn’t even impressed by the car. I smiled at my foolishness; just a few moments ago, didn’t I not want her to be influenced by our money?

  As I opened the door for her, I caught a hint of her smell. The vanilla coming from her skin combined with the lavender from her hair had made it too tempting not to touch her again. As she got in, I brushed her arm. I smiled when she didn’t even notice but rather looked surprised that I was holding the door for her. Good, I thought. At least I knew I could still surprise her. The tips of my fingers still burned from when I had touched her skin. It was then I realized something was seriously wrong with me. I was beginning to lose all sense of judgment when it came to her. What possibly could I gain from this? I was a Hunter, and she was a mortal who was wanted dead by a centuries-old ghost.

  Not to mention the price that was on her head. I could not complicate things by my careless feelings. I tried to talk some reason into my head during the drive but the whole time her arm was a mere inch away from mine on the arm rest. How easy it would be to lace my fingers in hers…

  “Are you lost?” Adriana broke my train of thought.

  Yes, I wanted to say. “No.” I made the mistake of looking into her eyes. Suddenly, everything I tried to tell myself before went out the window.

  When we pulled up to the line to board the ferry, I knew she had really asked if I was lost psychically. Instead of taking the bridge across the river, I had unintentionally driven us to take the ferry across. Had I done it to prolong our ride and gain more time with her? Or had I forgotten what year it was? I didn’t know what possibility would be worse.

  There were four cars in the line ahead of us when the Ferry came. I saw a familiar face as we pulled up to board. I handed the ferry operator a dollar and immediately recognized him as Pierre, a former Grimm. My memory instinctively went over our history. Pierre was reckless, indulgent, and the most infamous Grimm this side of the Mississippi. Now he was spending the rest of his immortal life as a ferry operator? That wasn’t the Pierre I knew. No, he was up to something. And it better not have to do with Adriana. As I passed him, I asked the question with my eyes.

  He gave me a quick reassuring nod and I wondered if Adriana had caught that. Moreover, what kind of explanation could I offer her if she asked if I knew him? That he was a former coworker? This was getting complicated. When I pulled around to a spot, I shoved the gear a little too harshly and stopped the engine. With the air conditioner off and the windows closed, her scent was pooling around me. Lavender and vanilla teased my senses. Damn it! I had to get out of the car. I had to keep away from her. I should just let her go. I could never have her and I couldn’t believe I was actually considering it. But for some reason, I just couldn’t help myself.

  Funny enough, this reminded me of how my parents met.

  No, the plan was still to do whatever it took to get answers from her, to find out why LaLaurie wanted her dead and how she could give us our freedom in return. And with a price that high, surely there would be others after her. So no, technically, I couldn’t just let her go.

  I felt bad for leaving her in the car alone with no explanation but God knows, I had to get away from her just then. I walked upstairs to the upper deck. I went straight to the railing to lean over the water’s edge. I clenched the railing when I sensed she had followed me.

  “You don’t have to do this; I can call my aunt for a ride home,” I heard her soft, hesitant voice from behind me.

  She walked close enough so I could smell her, then stopped. I clenched the railing harder. What was she asking? There was no way in hell she would be getting out of this ride home; did she know what could be after her? “I said I would give you a ride home and I intend to see to it that you make it there.”

  The wind blew across the Ferry. I closed my eyes to try to get through the assault on my senses.

  She took another step closer. “Is this like a damsel in distress thing? Because don’t worry, I’m not that kind of girl.”

  I laughed genuinely and was glad that her humor could ease my emotions. If I only knew what kind of girl you were. I kept watching the water, counting the lapse of the waves, anything to keep me from going out of control.

  And another step. “Seriously though, I wasn’t lost.”

  She was not going to let this go. Part of me wished she would and the other part wanted her to press me until I told her the truth about everything.

  “Can’t you see why I’m confused? You want to give me a ride home, yet you’re ignoring me the whole way?” She took two steps this time in growing anger and I felt her right behind me.

  I turned around suddenly. I couldn’t let her think that she had done anything wrong. “Look, I apologize for my behavior. I know I have not been the most agreeable this evening. I just have never felt this …“What am I exactly? “… conflicted.”

  “It’s just a ride home!”

  “It’s not about that.”

  “What’s it about then?” She looked at me not with the usual response of dread but with curiosity and intrigue.

  Damn, she just gets more and more appealing!

  Did she really want to know what this was really about? What would she think of me if she knew what I was? “You don’t know me, Adriana.”

  “You don’t know me either,” she spit out. It was clear we were not referring to the same things. “Why were you there? At that house, I mean? And why did you drag me away like that?” Her demeanor quickly changed and I admired her for confronting me.

  I looked at her with bated breath. I should jus
t tell her everything. Just tell her the truth now. No, I exhaled. Too cowardly to confess something I never told any mortal before.

  She let out a little sigh, as if disappointed I didn’t reveal what she already knew.

  She joined me at the railing, her nearness alarming. She was looking at the water thoughtfully, just as I had done moments ago, hoping it would give me the answers I needed. What could she possibly be debating? All I could think about was that I didn’t want to confuse her. I didn’t want her troubled by unanswered questions the same way I was.

  A little crease formed on her forehead and before I knew it, I was standing right behind her, close enough to bury my nose in her lavender scented hair. She turned around suddenly, realizing my presence. Her blue eyes met mine.

  “I don’t want to lie to you.”

  She backed up slightly but the railing stopped her. I stalked forward, unwilling to allow any distance between us.

  “Then don’t.” Her breaths came out in irregular spurts, the sweet warmth fanning my face with each exhale. I felt contented that I had the same effects on her that she had on me. It just confirmed that she would be mine.

  Mine?—The horn from the ferry blew and I had to turn away from her penetrating eyes and figure out where this possessiveness was coming from.

  I took a few steps back toward the car, then turned. “Are you coming?” My hand was held out, begging her to take it.

  “Yes,” she said after a pause. She ignored my hand and walked to my side. I clenched my fist, surprised at the pain of the rejection.

  To my disappointment, she didn’t speak again for the rest of our journey to her house. Maybe I had been too harsh on her. I know I had been rude, my frustration and confusion had shown in my behavior. It was clear I couldn’t think rationally when I was around her.

  When I pulled into her driveway, I realized I had made another one of many mistakes: I had never asked her for directions.