Chapter 5 - Khalid

I wasn’t sure what would happen when I was left alone with Daniela. A few outcomes came to mind, and most involved one of us dying. But of the possible results I was prepared for, she went with the one I hadn’t thought of.

Now I know I’m not supposed to find any supernatural creature attractive as a hunter. We aren’t supposed to allow a physical desire to interfere with what we are supposed to do. My family’s training included psychological training to control basser urges so that situations like this wouldn’t affect us on a hunt.

I’m the last Adio heir. I have always been top in my classes and expected to lead the guild. Yet here I am getting hard as Daniela uses her body as an interrogation weapon. Part of me is repulsed, reminding me not to mix with the supernatural. Yet another side is all for it.

That rebellious little voice in my head was whispering that I should grab her hips. Though I think the defiant voice is just my dick talking in this case. He wants to see how far she’ll take this sensual interrogation. It’s been a few months, and even if it’s a risk to my life, he’s all for fucking Daniela.

And the more he talks, the more sense he’s making to the rest of my body. But Daniela knows the effect she’s having on me, and I can’t tell if I’m affecting her. She’s got a poker face that gives nothing away. It shouldn’t be as hot as it is while she’s trying to seduce information from me.

And there is it. When I call out Daniela’s seduction tactic, she reminds me of how fragile I am compared to her. I may not be wearing my talisman or have the gun on me, but that doesn’t mean I’m unarmed. I have several weapons on me that I could use to at least injure her to escape.

“Don’t hide behind your friend Diana. Let’s not use excuses. Why does it matter to you? What business is it of yours who hunts me or why? If I answer, does that mean you’ll tell me why those vampires were trying to capture you?” I countered.

Oh, a tiny crack in that emotionless facade. It was brief, but I saw Daniela’s eyes narrow, the whites of her eyes flaring red with her anger. She was thinking about how to hurt me, how to kill me. I found the right button to push. 

“See. I’m trained to handle interrogations. If you don’t want to answer questions, you shouldn’t ask them. And given I barely know you, I have no reason to trust you, let alone tell you my secrets.” I shrugged.

That red in her eyes, the sign of strong emotion or hunger in a vampire, came back as she hissed at me. I gulped, tilting my head back as her sharp nail scraped up my throat with enough pressure not to make me bleed but still cause pain. If I keep pushing her buttons, I’ll run the risk of her losing composure and trying to kill me. Hell, she might succeed if she does lose control of her emotions.

“What did I say about not jumping his bones while I was gone? This is what I get for leaving you alone with someone I know is your type.” Diana tisked as she walked in, spotting us on the sofa.

“This has nothing to do with a physical interest.” Daniela scoffed, climbing off my lap. 

“Right… that’s why it looked like you were going to rip his clothes off and fuck him till dawn.” Diana snorted, setting a bag of groceries on the coffee table. 

“If I ripped his clothes off, it would be because I also wanted to shred his flesh.” Daniela denied.

“Sure, whatever you say.” Diana rolled her eyes, digging out a to-go box from the bag. “Here, Khalid. I picked up a couple of veggie tortas. I considered the meat options, but I didn’t want to assume that you are Christian and can eat any old meat.” She shrugged, handing me the container. 

“That’s very considerate. And I’m grateful given I am Muslim, so only eat halal.” I nodded my head in gratitude, opening the container. The scent of the seasoned corn and roasted poblano, grilled onions, sweet plantains, crema, avocado, and aioli sauce made my mouth water and stomach growl.

“While he eats, you can explain yourself, Dani. What were you doing if you weren’t looking to fuck him?” Diana turned back to her friend.

Innocently I turned my attention to my meal. It’s better than what Dania got last time from a gas station. And even if she had brought me food that isn’t halal, beggars can’t be choosers. 

“I was trying to get answers. Answers The Hunter still stubbornly refuses to give.” Daniela explained herself.

I don’t get why she keeps calling me that. I have a name, and she knows it. Though thinking about it, I do understand why she does that. It’s to make me feel inferior and create a position of power, distancing me from her.

“Really? That’s how you get answers from people? Didn’t realize dry humping was an interrogation tactic. Who taught you that one? I bet it was Mariana. Or did you learn it from observing strippers and seeing how easily men become putty with the mere hint of pleasure?” Diana snickered.

“Trust me. It works better than breaking or removing appendages.” Daniela rolled her eyes.

“Oh yes, he looked like he was going to snap The button and zip on his pants, that is.” Diana giggled.

I narrowed my eyes, taking another hungry bite of my torta. I didn’t appreciate being a joke. But I also can’t argue. As ashamed as the Adio hunter in me was that I got hard for a vampire, Diana isn’t wrong. I was on that edge of seeing how far Daniela would go.

“Enough of this conversation. The Hunter needs to explain himself. He needs to tell us why he’s being hunted and by whom. Suppose we don’t know what is hunting him and why it places us in danger by having him here. So he either tells us, or he leaves now.” Daniela stated firmly.

Diana frowned, looking from Daniela to me with concern. She was conflicted on this subject. When she looked at me, something about her expression told me she knew more about me and what’s happened than she ought to. I don’t know how, but she may read my mind or perhaps an oracle and knew all along. 

“If he has to tell you his reasons for being on the run, then it is only fair you tell him why the clan would want to capture you. He is, after all, supposed to serve as your daylight protector from the human servants of the clan. Forewarned is forearmed, after all. You both must share to protect each other best and work together.” Diana stated, not giving much room for arguments.

It was a Mexican standoff. There was no winning for Daniela or me. We would both have to lose to move forward. It became a matter of which of us was going to break first. I sighed, putting the empty box down, realizing from her cold gaze Daniela wouldn’t be the first to speak.

“Fine, only because your logic is sound, Diana. Vampires hunt me because I’m a hunter in their territory. And well now because I helped you.” I shrugged.

“As for my fellow hunters and Bloodmoon, it all goes back to our Guild leader.” I frowned.

“Explain.” Daniela folded her arms.

“The Bloodmoon Alpha captured her, and I pulled strings and made deals to free her. I’d thought getting her out would be the end of it. We’d go home, and she’d just let go of the prey she had originally sought.” I frowned, trying to be vague and not disclose my family connection.

“And this upset the hunters?” Daniela raised an eyebrow.

“Well, no. The hunters got upset when I….” I paused, closing my eyes because shit, even thinking it hurts, but now I have to say it.  “I killed the guild leader.” 

“Wait, what? Why would you free her to kill her? There is more you aren’t telling us.” Daniela questioned.

Diana looked at me with such sadness. She knows the whole truth. But I need to say this, or Daniela will never let it go.

“Fine, okay, fine. I’m the son of the guild leader, so that’s why I saved her. I saved her because I wanted my mother back. I wanted her to return home with me and leave my sister in peace.” I sighed, leaning forward and covering my face with my hands.

“But she had gone off the deep end and wouldn’t walk away from her intent to kill my sister. And I couldn’t let her. I couldn’t let her hurt my sister. Mother or not, I will always choose to protect my sister.” I confessed.

“So Bloodmoon hunts me because I set my mother free, and the hunters want me dead because I committed matricide. They want to kill me because my father put a bounty on my head. All because I saved my sister when it was a choice between my mother and little sister.” I couldn’t hide how much this hurt to retell.

“Whoa… wait… why would your mother want to kill your sister? What did she do that would be that bad?” Daniela frowned.

“My sister is proof of my mother’s infidelity and crime. My sister is a hybrid werewolf, conceived from rape.” I explained with disgust.

“Your mother was raped?” Daniela furrowed her brow, obviously trying to understand it all.

“NO!” I shouted. “She was the rapist. She called it science, testing the limits of the werewolf mate bond. Capturing a mated pair and forcing the female to watch as she drugged the male and raped him multiple times.” I shuddered, disgusted by my mother. 

“It all ended when the female ripped her heart out, unable to take the bond's pain and watch her mate hurt that way. The male died shortly after, finally free from what my mother did to him. Nine months later, my sister was born. She went to Bloodmoon because her mate is from that pack.” I sighed.

“That’s why my mother wanted to kill her daughter. No matter why or how my sister came into my family, she is my sister. As her big brother, it is for me to protect her even from our mother.” I exhaled a heavy sigh as I sunk back into the sofa.

“Happy now? You know my truths. You know what hunts me and why. I killed my mother to save my sister, but it’s my fault my sister was in danger. I should have let my mother in that dungeon for Alpha Logan to kill.” I demanded, glaring at Daniela.

“I… that is a lot. I’m so sorry. I know it doesn’t sound like much is coming from me. But family is complicated. Sometimes they aren’t what we thought they were. Sometimes parents disappoint us and prove to be the real monsters.” Daniela frowned, coming to sit next to me.

I blinked in shock as she placed her hand over mine and squeezed gently. “You did the right thing. Your mother would have escaped with or without your help. You said you got help to get her out. That means the pack had traitors, and whatever their reasons to help you, they could have still acted and released her without you asking.”

“In the end, you did take a life to save another. You saved the life of someone more important in your heart. Not everyone can slay the monster and protect the innocent. A lot of times, the monster wins and leaves you in misery to mourn the life you wanted to protect.” Daniela’s words were soft and pained, expressing more emotion than I thought she could.