Chapter 43“Well it’s something that before I found you, I never thought could affect a Human. But it’s a mate the gods gift to a Vampire. Someone to spend the rest of your life with, someone who will love you and only you for eternity. But it’s more than just a partner, it’s literally your other half. Like two halves of a whole. It's extremely rare, only 12 Vampires in the world are known to have one. Excuse me, 13 Vampires.” He said. I remained silent while I processed what he was saying. “Is that why you took my memories?” I asked him. “Yes, I originally took them because I didn't accept the bond. It couldn’t be true, you were a Hunter, and I was your prey. There was no way I could accept you as my gifted mate. The gods must have played a cruel joke. But I found myself unable to stay away. I chose to visit you every year on your birthday but I couldn’t let you remember as you were too young. As the years went by you finally accepted me when you were 18… But I wasn’t ready... And I
Chapter 44“Thank you. This is actually fantastic, I just hadn’t gotten around to replacing it yet.” I said. He nodded. “I’m going to go now, and it’s up to you if you want me to take your memories or leave them. But the last time I left them you almost got yourself killed on a contract because you were distracted. It’s your choice, but if anything ever happened to you, I would never forgive myself.” Damien replied. ”Did you know I never wanted to be a Hunter?” I asked Damien. He nodded to me. “You have said that before.” He replied. “The hardest part of this entire situation is trying to trust that you wouldn’t leave me again. Trusting that you wouldn’t tamper with my memories and that you wouldn’t leave. The rest doesn’t even matter.” I said. “I know, Snow. I know more than I think you realize. But I will not stop, I will be back and we will try again. And someday, I hope you can forgive me. And when that day finally comes, I will never stop showing you how much I love and care abou
Chapter 45He hesitated for a moment and then reached for my hand. I let him take it so I could get a read on him. He reports to the council, what is the council? That is strange… I wasn’t aware The Academy had a council. “Look I'm not trying to be weird, I'm looking to move up, away from Hunting into something bigger. I just need to know who to talk to after I complete this checkmate. You know this will earn me any title I want basically.” I said. “Ok, ok, you’re right. I report to the Council. They are a group of 4 that run The Academy behind the scenes. My direct report, his name is Max. He’s one of the original guys to start The Academy. If you want to move up I suggest you get a hold of him. He can definitely be of help. And honestly, I’m sure you can get whatever you want from him. He’s easily swayed, if you know what I mean…” Bartholomew said, with a wink. I swallowed my disgust, he meant sex. Jesus. I couldn’t imagine Humans being like that, but I guess there were bad apples
Chapter 46‘I miss you too. Honestly it’s crazy how I went from being perfectly fine with being alone, to perfectly not fine with it. It’s like when you aren’t here, a piece of me is missing.’ I replied. I was being honest though, I know it had only been a few days this time around, but my subconscious knew Damien and remembered him. He was my comfort zone, my rock. I couldn’t imagine having to live without him again, not after everything. I’m kind of sad it took me this long to realize it, but I really needed the time to get over his rejection I suppose. I’m just glad it happened this way and not after I had accepted Damien sooner and was unaware of the hit. This way I could actually do something about it. Hopefully. ‘I think that's part of the gifted mate bond. Feeling like we are two parts of a whole that are incomplete without the other. I’ve been feeling this for years, I’m sure you have too, you just didn’t realize it.’ He replied. ‘Now that I have some of my memories back I
Chapter 47This had me thinking for a moment. Sure I wanted him to mark me, in fact the urge was stronger than ever now that we were talking about it. But was I truly ready? If he marked me on my neck/shoulder where I wanted him to mark me, in the spot that was visible to others, that could be a dead giveaway while I'm still Hunting. I couldn’t risk that, not yet. But if I had him mark me somewhere where it wasn't visible, then I could still be marked and still Hunt. But then later, when I want it to show, I don’t think it could be moved. This was difficult. “Look, I still have some business to figure out with work, and having a mark on my shoulder/neck would be a dead giveaway that something wasn’t right. There isn’t a way you could move the mark to a different place once it's on there, could you?” I asked him. He chuckled. “No, I can’t move it. Once it's on you, it stays there forever. So we have to make sure that you're ready when we do it.” He replied. “Ok, then I would like to wa
Chapter 48Jericho remained silent for a moment but I could hear him typing on his laptop. “Perfect, I actually have a device that will be perfect for this. Are you still in Maine, love?” He asked. “Yes I am, I plan to be here for a while.” I said. “Ok good, I am getting on the next plane there, and I will call you when I arrive so we can meet up. I can’t step a foot inside The Academy, of course, but we can meet up at another location. I will contact you when I arrive.” He said, and then hung up the phone. I sighed in relief at the thought of seeing Jericho in person. It had been quite some time since I actually had seen him in person. Though we spoke on and off through the years and much more recently regarding The Academy and their bullshit, it was different than actually being together in person. I missed my friend and couldn’t wait to see him. I went into my closet and found a different black dress and tossed the one I was wearing to the floor. Once I changed I checked the mirror
Chapter 49He smiled at me, and something about the smile hit me right in the gut. I had a strange feeling that if I met with him in person I may never come out alive. There was something else in his eyes too that bothered me, and it wasn't the typical lust I always see. This was something more. I just looked deep into his eyes for a moment while he processed my reply. “I will text you with an address and time. See you tonight.” He said. And with that he ended the call. I felt like I had fallen into an endless abyss, like I was drowning and he was going to save me. I didn’t know what kind of fuckery that is, but I didn’t like it at all. We arrived at The Primrose and I couldn't shake the feeling that Max was still somehow watching me. That had to be crazy though. Right? I pushed the thoughts away as I went to open my car door but it was already opening. Jericho stood on the other side with his hand held out to me. I put my hand in his and his thoughts wafted through my mind like a ge
Chapter 50I shuddered as I set my phone down. It just seemed like I could feel him, even though a text. It was the strangest feeling I had ever felt. “Care to explain?” Jericho asked, pulling me from my eerie mindset. “Oh, fuck i’m sorry. That was super weird. So when I killed Bartholemew, remember he gave me the name of Max from the council? Well that was him.”I said. “Huh? Wait, WAIT, that was Max, from the council? Texting you? What, how?!” Jericho exclaimed. So remember when I told you I asked Shadow about a meeting with the council? Well I asked him to give Max my regards hoping that the personal call out would urge him to agree to meet with me. Shadow said he would see what he could do, but then he never called me back. Instead, Max called me.” I explained. “Holy shit, Snow. That is insane! I have never in my lifetime of snooping through The Academy’s files, found that the council ever speaks to anyone in person, or anyone ever really. Maybe the couple of people that report d
Epilogue(Snow)Damien took my hand in his as we locked eyes. “Are you ready?” He asked. I nodded then looked back at my mother who smiled at me. Today was our funeral, and against my wishes Damien had sweet talked me into attending. Not that we could see the whole thing, but what kind of funeral would it be if we weren't there at least for a moment? That argument to me seemed silly, but Damien was gung ho about it. We tuned into the funeral proceedings. I was surprised to see Jericho leading them. It had only been a week since we had passed on and I knew he was still a new Vampire. The amount of control he was showing around a room full of potential food, was impressive. I wanted to hug my friend and tell him how proud of him I was for his progress. I turned my head to check out the room from Jericho’s view. That’s when my mother gasped out loud. I almost copied her when I saw the sheer amount of people who were in attendance. Every single seat in the entire place was filled. There
Chapter 79“Clark, It’s Damien. I’m going to need one last favor.” I said. “Of course, Damien, what is it?” He asked. I have 2 bodies I’m going to need you to pick up. Funeral arrangements have already been specified in the document I will leave for you. As always, money is no issue and I trust that you will charge me for all of it.” He said. “Of course, sir. I can have the coroner there in a half hour.” He replied. “Thank you, Clark. Truly, thank you, my friend.” I said, before hanging up the phone. I looked at Jericho and nodded. He nodded back to me. I walked over to Max’s body and pulled Snow’s knife from Max’s chest. I walked over to Jericho while Xavier grieved over my gifted mate. “Do not feed from him, he needs to stay alive. Snow would kill us both if she ever found out that something bad happened to him. You have my will, you have everything you need. Give this to Clark when he arrives. It has the instructions I have specified. Burn this fucking place to the ground once Clar
Chapter 78Xavier ignored us both and kept trying to find a way around the barrier. It was no use, I couldn’t even penetrate it. I could still feel Snow, but it was pointless trying to get inside. I sent Xavier home after a few hours and just kept coaching Jericho down, and helping him to understand his Vampire tendencies. He was going to struggle with this, just like I did. Which was normal. Snow, on the other hand, was a unicorn. She barely struggled and was able to keep her composure easily. It was her powers that she struggled with and I knew this. I wanted to know what the hell Max was doing to her to cause me to not be able to feel the gifted mate bond anymore. Jericho needed sleep and even though I didn't plan to sleep, I knew I needed to as well, otherwise tomorrow was going to be a lot harder. It was just too hard to sleep with my gifted mate in danger. And I knew she was in danger, I could feel it. I sent Jericho back to the house, but threatened him not to eat another perso
Chapter 77(Damien)I had a terrible feeling as I watched Snow leave my house to meet with Max. Something inside just nagged at me not to let her go. Had I known what the next 72 hours was going to bring, I would have never let her go. Rarely does my gut instinct send me astray. This was a fact. I started making preparations immediately after her departure. “Jericho, you still here?” I called out from the hallway. He poked his head out of his room a few doors down. “What’s up boss?” He said. “It’s time.” I replied, and I watched him stiffen and pull his head back into the doorway, coming out a second later without his equipment. He walked up to me and nodded. ‘I’m ready.” He said. I ushered him into my room and over to my desk while I rifled through papers until I found the will. My last will and testament.The second Snow became a Vampire I had a feeling that something terrible was going to happen to her. I took Jericho aside and made him promise me that he would be my sole beneficiar
Chapter 76I looked over at my mom with wide eyes. “See, I told you.” She said with a laugh. I smiled, this place was so strange. I looked out the window as we drove. Everything looked the same as before I died. The town was the same, I was still in Maine, still close to Damien. It baffled me that I hadn’t ended up somewhere else. “How does it decide where you end up? Like why am I here, in Maine still? And not home in Nevada?” I asked. My mother shrugged. “I guess it knows where your unfinished business is.” She said. My heart sank as we pulled into the resort that Max was staying at. I knew exactly where Damien was, and I wasn’t sure if I was ready to walk up there and see him like this. I knew full well that he had found my body, and he would be absolutely distraught. My mother had always been a mind reader, I swear. “This is where you were killed?” She said, as if she knew exactly what I was thinking. I nodded. “I killed myself on accident, actually. Its stupid, but I had to in or
Chapter 75I found myself in the front foyer of The Academy, covered in someone else’s blood. I briefly recalled the events that I believe led me here, but they were a blur. My heart ached at the loss of my fake life. It was just a physical pain, I knew that what I had in the real world was better, much better than anything Max could have given me, but my mind was still jumbled from his hallucination. My thoughts then strayed to Damien. I was relieved that he would be safe in my real life. No matter what this place is, no matter what happened to me, he would be safe now with Max dead. That, I was sure of. My thoughts vanquished when I snapped back to reality, or whatever this was. I was in line behind a few others. These were Hunters I recognized, friends and foes. People I had grown up with, people I had spent my life working with. No one was talking, and everyone looked as beat up as I did. The line slowly moved but I couldn’t hear anything that was being said at the front desk. It
Chapter 74We got back to the suite and Max immediately turned his gaze to me. I knew exactly what he was thinking. I snickered to myself at the smile creeping on his lips. How did I get so fucking lucky? He was such a damn catch. Way out of my league. “I know what you’re thinking, doll. But… We need food.” He said, putting his finger to my lips. “I’ve got something you can eat.” I said, with a smirk. Within seconds he had me pinned up against the wall next to the closet and smashed his lips into mine. I knew that would get him. At this rate we would never eat, or leave this room. I decided to play hard to get, switch things up a little. I snaked out of his grasp and took off running across the room. I smirked when I heard Max’s growl at my escape and I could feel his feet padding on the floor behind me. I felt like he was letting me get a head start, I knew he was much faster than I was. I turned as I got close to the bathroom just in time for Max to tumble into me, tackling me causi
Chapter 73He pulled away first. “No more, I have already had a hard enough time keeping my dick in my pants, let’s not make it public, doll.” He purred. I just laughed. “Ok, ok.” I said, with my hands up in defeat. “Let’s just make it through the conference, and then you can have me the rest of the entire day if you choose.” Max said. “Deal.” I said. He grabbed my hand as we headed out of the suite and to the elevator. His thoughts were a mess of me naked, the conference, the merge. He was nervous but also more excited than he had ever been. The company was about to take off, and the shareholders would benefit from buying stocks right about now. I let my mates' thoughts calm my nerves as we headed past the front desk. “Oh dear, you look so much better this morning!” She said. I thanked her and waved, catching Max’s eye as we went outside. “What was that about?” He asked. “Oh I don’t know, something about looking like I was crying last night. I’m not sure.” I said. He chuckled. “If yo
Chapter 72The elevator opened and I headed towards the end of the hall. I pushed open the doors to Max’s suite and walked inside, taking my heels off and setting them by the door. Max walked out of the bathroom wrapped in a towel and we locked eyes. “Ah, Snow. you’re back sooner than I expected.” Max purred. “And you’re a hell of a lot less clothed than I expected.” I said with a smirk, letting my eyes roam his nearly naked form. His rippling muscles cascaded down his chest and arms. His towel hung low, accentuating the deep V that was partially hidden by the towel. “I think you forget that I am the one who has won the grand prize here.” Max purred, as he sauntered towards me. I met him halfway as our lips collided, sending lightning and cool fire dancing between us. Max pulled away and leaned his forehead against mine. “I love you, Snow. I love you so fucking much.” He said. “I love you too, Max. You know I do.” I replied. He pulled away the rest of the way and looked at me. I could