Chapter Fourteen.Nicholas's POV.The speed at which I run is flashy and stealthy, such that no human would be able to see me. They would only feel a gust of wind, passing by them, and before they even know what's going on, I'm off.In my run, my eyes glow a reddish glow around the lens and with that, I link up with Hillary, who has the connection to his mind opened for me. Once I am successful, I say, "Hillary, where are you?""Oh, you're on your way already. At the lake." "All right. And I'll be there soon." "Fine." Then, my eyes go back to normalcy and I increased my speed.Turning at a corner, I slide to the very end, to the left in order to avoid a vehicle. The road is silent, and that's why I'm passing through it. On busy roads, I dare not do this. Humans' eyes may not catch me, but trust me, Hunters' would. Hunters are our sworn enemies, oh, after the other ones that I haven't seen in a while and not about mentioning at all. And stories about these kinds of species will be
Chapter Fifteen. Anastasia's POV. I am glad that Mr Nicholas isn't around; it is absurd of me to think, I know, but I can't just help the fact that I am alone in his very fancy house and ready to take on an adventure of seeing all of it. It would be fun, and I can only imagine it. Jeez! The kids haven't been out since they finished eating. I don't even know where they are, but I'm sure wherever they are, they are likely to somehow, destroying the area with messes and ruins. Anyway, laying the subject back on me, after I finished washing the dishes, I ate again. Oh, my God! I know, right? It's not as though I am in my workplace. It is like I am on a vacation. I feel like I am on a vacation and it's so astounding. I love this feeling of euphoria. I just finished taking my bath, inside the tub, and not to lie, it is such a splendid bath. The tub was so captivatingly built with three step to getting inside its pinky painted inside. There are so many features built alongside it
Chapter Sixteen. Anastasia's POV Kira gets the exit door opened for me, and I give her the, "thank you," facial expression, making her roll her eyes at me. "It's fun, being here with you. I mean, I don't have to worry about the kids and stuff like that." She tells me. I look at her with a squeeze face. "What?" "Nah, nothing. It's just that you sound very human." "Well, I am looking human." I see. It's all I can say. It has been nothing but definitely strange since yesterday that we first met, and now, seeing her take the form of my mother's and acting so humanly...my brain can't take it. I need to know how she's created to be this advanced. I don't think I have ever heard from anywhere, artificial intelligence projects get this very advanced. "Can I ask you some things about you, your creation, how you got to be here with Mr Nicholas?" I make sure to look into her eyes...my mom's amber eyes. Although, I have hazel coloured, which I took after my dad, but his has some silver trai
Chapter Seventeen.Anastasia's POV.It took a while, and when she did, she is shouting at someone, before she says in a completely different voice, one that doesn't scare me any further. "Hey, babe. What's up?" "Hey, I am fine. What's going on?" I go straight to asking, as she should know I would. "The scream I screamed?" She asks, and I roll my eyes. "No, the shout you shouted," my voice is sarcastic. Kyra makes an, "he-he," sound. To be honest, it sounded more like a devilish, "he-he," than a friendly, "he-he." I don't know if that even makes sense. "I see you have grown wings. Anyway, I don't have the energy to fight, bitch..." She trails off. She sounds tired, anyway. "You, the bitch." I say back, and we laugh. In the background, I can hear the sound of a water, sprinkling. "Are you working in the garden behind the house?" "Of course. Of course. Something crazy happened. You can't believe that some drunk human being trampled, as though, he has the weight of an elephant, on m
Chapter Eighteen. Anastasia's POV. The rest of our conversation was very much placed on gossiping. We went back to talk about Mr Nicholas and Cole Hunter, how it turns out one is a boss of the other. Even though, we could not understand how that came about, it was still fun to talk about. By the hour, we would finish our conversation, it is late in the evening, and the sky is getting dark. Oh, my God! I am getting fired tonight. The kids, I didn't even remember to check on them myself or ask Kira how they are. It's strange why she has been silent, too, since the past an hour and few minutes. I know Mr Nicholas said some weird stuff, about the kids not eating, but it could have been just a test. "Kira!" I literally shout. "Yes, Miss Sanusi." "I thought we agreed to Ana?" I say back at her. My face raises up, to not anywhere in particular, as I talk to her. "Oh, yes. It's just...well, the tone of your voice earlier was rather demanding." I think she is trying to say that she g
Chapter Nineteen.Anastasia's POV.The entirety of the rest of the movie night faded from my consciousness. I just couldn't bear it when after finishing a comedic American movie, which is very interesting, that is to say, Anthony and Owen decided to want to rewatch. It got boring the second time, and thus, my reason for dozing off. My lids squint at the light, coming from the chandelier. It's not that bright, but at the same time, it isn't very inviting. My hands cover my eyes, as I sit up. Then, I brush my hair behind my ears. When I feel good, I look to my side, on the next couch to see that it is empty, and surprisingly, everywhere is clean. "Jeez." I whisper under my breath, as I take a stand and look around well. It is clean. Wait, who cleaned it? Could it be Kira? Oh, yes, I think it's her. I am about to call for her when I hear someone, clearing his throat. It sounded masculine. My body turns to the north, across from the shelves, containing some odd-time CD player and cass
Chapter Twenty.Anastasia's POV.When he didn't say anything else, I felt the need to add more to my phrase. "After meeting him from your office on my first day, which I had no idea of, he met me at some supermart, and there, we became acquaintances of each other. Since then, he's been nice." I finish, knowing not if I had to add that in. Well, I was just trying to make Nicholas see Cole as a good person, since he's working in the Eclipse publishing company... I can't make sense of my thoughts. "Oh, so, that's it." He tells, sounding more like he is talking to himself. I force out a smile. "How come Cole Hunter is working in your company?" I go right away. He looks at me with that eyes that says, "no heads-up before asking questions?" And yes, no heads-up. I scoff a smile."When I first got here, his father, Sebastian Hunter, didn't want us, staying around, so to prove that we can be easygoing, we had to take in his son, Cole Hunter, well, under his contract, who's watching us clos
Chapter Twenty-One.Anastasia's POV.The next morning, I wake up to the sun, beaming inside the room, its rays licking my skin such that I had to peel the sheets off of my body. Jeez! I forgot to close the curtains last night. Rolling off of the bed, I slip into my flip flops and go to stand in front of the sill, allowing the rays of the sun touch my face. The warmth is alluring, and the sensation behind is made me feel all bubbly. In my head, I think of how the day is going to go, but I just can't make sense of it. I have absolutely not even the faintest idea. I just know that I would be watching over the kids while they do their hair and, probably, other things, too. "Good morning, Miss Sanusi. I am sorry for not having woke you up early. I was busy throughout the day, so I wasn't monitoring your sleep." Kira says, in a sense, barging into my room without actually, but in this sense, with her voice. She can be still be very strange to me."It's fine. But if you don't mind me ask
Chapter one hundred and forty four.Anastasia's POV. Rare. This is the first time, I will see the birds so close that they flap their wings to keep them in balance near the closed window. Their chirping sound along with the wavering of the trees and blaring horns from the distance awakens me fully and that's when I notice the uncomfortablilty that the birds are in. Smiling to myself as I sit up to take a close look at them from the inside, I carefully open the window. I savour the beautiful skin of theirs. Beautiful. So beautiful.A bird from the crew, all of the sudden, flies over into the room and in my attempt which is involuntary to help myself out from the shock it gave me, I let out my hands and unintentionally hit the bird away, letting it fall down outside. The others flies away, surely in fear."Oops, sorry bird. I didn't mean to. And thanks for being my new alarm." I call after them as they fly away. God, it's morning. The gym I'm suppose to go with Carl. I rush out of the
Chapter one hundred and forty three. Anastasia's POV. Monday comes quickly, indicating my first day at Franklin regional senior high school. I make sure to wake up before mom comes knocking on my door as if she wants to yank it off. Taking a quick shower and other morning hygiene routine in the same hurrying mode, I start to dress up in a simple plain blue shirt; black rough jeans, coupled with a light makeup.I stare at my reflection in the mirror. I look appropriately to my age of seventeen, having silver grey eyes — rare in my family since dad has brown hazel eyes, while mom has amber — that looks a bit too big to fit inside my small socket; beige warm undertone skin, rhyming with my darker shade of blonde hair and light blonde eyebrows and lids. The mirror easily captures my figure of five feet, four inches. I turn to the bed, checking the time from the alarm clock next to the lamp, who's figure is resting atop the cabinet. It's seven-thirty and school will be starting in abo
Chapter one hundred and forty two. Anastasia's POV. "I felt the same as you when I knew them at first. The way they behave; the way they don't talk much, especially the guy, yet girls fall at his feet. I'm quite sure he doesn't even talk to them before they invite him to their bed. Their hospital baffles me as well, they always have this repetitive sets of people that patronize them for blood bags. It's a weird thing, but don't worry, I don't think they bite. More also, their hospital is approved by the government. You would forget them, existing in weeks more." Shade says to me, glancing at me through her natural, long lashes every now and then. "They'll soon appear as a shadow to you."I don't think I can forget them, the guy particularly, as he's like a stain I can't wash off. The way he looks at me at the walkway, I can still remember it. It is as if I'm seeing the same scene unfolds right in front of me again, and again, and again. "Maybe. How are your parents Shade?"She smil
Chapter one hundred and forty one. Anastasia's POV. Three weeks has passed and life hasn't been so fair to me. For Shade, her project is going fine, meaning fate is supporting her unlike me, who's sadden almost every time. She's submitted the atheistic portrait and it's pending, I think she'll get result of her success tonight which is the time the company gave to respond back to her. Mia, on the other side has changed completely— she and Shade are bossom best of friends. They spend time together than with each of them with me. Not that they wouldn't, but I haven't been paying much attention to them. I'm busy on offering my end of the bargain — finding out who Nicklaus Original is. And I don't care about distancing myself from my friends at all, finding Nicklaus hidden identity is my main priority. And I can't explain the obsession. It's like a charm— if that makes sense.When the bell rings, startling me as I'm brooding over my plans of discovery for today, totally not hearing al
Chapter one hundred and forty. Anastasia's POV. The conversation with Ylfa was, what's the word?, not very inspiring, and I do not think I would want to discuss anything further with her. I can tell it is unintentional, but when I am around her, she makes me feel like I am a mistake. As though it were my fault that I was back here,Fine, I do know that I'm a danger around them, but it wasn't my fault that Yaya Luna brought me back here. I am not being selfish here. And if need be or anything occurs, I will try my very best to make sure no one gets hurt because of me. And, oh, by the way, I almost forgot, but I brought the pistol Cole Hunter gave me. Actually, it wasn't intentional, but because of the meeting, I had put it in the trouser of the clothes I was wearing, and when Luna Daciana came to take me, I figured I did not need to put it down. We may need it on the way, and funny enough, I forgot again that it was with me until I changed this morning. I never thought I would use i
Chapter one hundred and thirty nine. Anastasia's POV. In a few minutes, we arrive in front of the door to my room. I smile at Luna Daciana as I turn to face her. By the way, I've been touching the pendant since without even noticing, as the tingling sensation would come in occasionally. At this point, I believe that it isn't coming from my head anymore, but I don't even think of complaining to her. "So, I guess I should leave you to your own space." She says, and I nod my head, affirming her. "Thanks, again, for today, and I'm so happy to be here, regardless of all that I said earlier." I refer back to what I said back in the storage room. She rolls her eyes as she waves me off with her left hand. "Don't sweat it." And with that, she clears her throat and takes one step backwards, away. "Sleep well, Anastasia.""Nighty night, Luna Daciana."She pouts. "Nah, we aren't back to doing that." What do I say? "We are Ana-mates." When she says that, I laugh. Does that even make sense?
Chapter one hundred and thirty eight. Anastasia's POV. My hands are tapped by someone else's, and I wake up with a gasp. It was more like bolting from the bed, actually. To be honest, my senses are actually at their peak here, and I can't say it's my fault. I mean, I'm literally still in danger and scared of whatever could happen to these werewolves and she-wolves just because their Luna decided to add to their plan, changing everything. Absolutely everything. I sigh and place my left hand on my chest when I see that it is Luna Daciana. "Sorry. "You know, I haven't gotten much sleep lately." I tell her, and she nods with a small smile on her face. I actually admire her understanding of my emotions and abilities as a human who's not supernatural like she is or any other of them are. I had dozed off earlier, and she's just waking me up. I now remember that she wanted to discuss something with me, and I'm guessing that's the reason why she had woken me up. By the way, I'm even glad
Chapter one hundred and seven. Anastasia's POV In the last few minutes since we've been here, resting, I have come near the fire to warm myself up. There is no snow falling here, but the cold is not comforting at all. By the way, there is a lake across from where we are sitting, and it's also bringing in mosquitoes around here. Anyway, apart from that and the cold, I think I'm a little okay. My mind is even at rest from all the running since yesterday night. At this point, a part of me believes that we cannot be found by Nicholas's men any more. We have distanced ourselves from the kingdom a lot. I caught Luna staring at me for the second time, and I think I just should speak out right now. "Why are you staring at me like that...or sort of glaring?" I ask a question, and she chuckles almost instantly. She isn't trying to lie, and she isn't, as she only finds it funny when I don't. I'm rather frowning, confused. "I am glaring at you." "That is offensive to say, right?" I say m
Chapter one hundred and thirty six. Nicholas's POV. As vampires, we are gifted with the power to bend some forces of nature. It didn't always used to be there until the time when the witches and wizards went into extinction. Most of us believe that we were gifted with these powers to show that nature still exists. Show that magic was never made so it can go into extinction along with the creatures meant to wield it. Anyway, I'm using this now for my own choices. Breathing in strongly, I run inhumanely towards the beach. My feet, because of the height of my speed, rove up heavy gusts of wind into the air. And the more I increase my acceleration, the greater the gust. Then, reaching the ocean, I head into it and begin swimming. I am not weakened by the change in gravity. My muscles help me move through the large body of water as though I am still on land and running towards something. In no time, I reach the ground of the water, and then, settling on its surface, I position myself