Origins: Silver Mountain

Chapter Fourteen

Lukas

My brother had been driving me crazy. I was reminded why I rarely visited. Ever since I ventured to the supernatural realm to find the other half of my family, he had been a true jerk. But he never left me down and out. He was loyal, reliable, and was a protector of his family. His wife was breathtaking. Her slender body and chiseled jawline made her look modelesque. Her bright orange hair and hazel eyes were attention grabbers, for sure. She commanded attention without ever speaking. I was somewhat smitten.

"Any word on the witch?"

I rolled my eyes. I had given up on finding Emmeline. There was no point. I could take accountability for my greed and the harm I caused her. I was still rather upset, which surprised me. There wasn't much that moved me. However, the thought of watching my seed grow inside of a beautiful woman was soothing to my heart. I experienced that with Emmeline, but it wasn't destined. I wanted my beloved; to have, to hold, to cherish, to impregnate.

"There is no reason to go looking for her anymore. Lukas sees the error in his ways." Katya's smooth voice almost made me swoon. I had to remember she is my brother's wife. It was difficult. My attraction to her was very unsettling.

I only nodded in response. My brother, Guillermo, sighed and waved his hand dismissively.

"We're going hunting tonight, Lukas. You are free to join us, if you'd like." Katya gave me a warm smile.

"Of course." My breath caught in my throat as she held my gaze.

"I'm going to get some rest. Katya?" Guillermo started toward the door and Katya gave a nod as she followed him out of my room.

I took a deep breath. Her scent lingered. I fell back onto my bed and stared at the ceiling for several minutes. As those minutes turned into hours, I slowly began to fall into a slumber.

***

I was startled awake by a commotion just outside of my door. I couldn't hear what was going on outside of harsh whispers. A soft knock made me sit up. I waited before hearing the sound of footsteps become faint. I released the breath I had been holding in. It was a little too much for my whole family to be living under one roof, but our compound was big enough. My father and his father amassed a great deal of wealth over the centuries, which benefited us all.

Guillermo and Katya were very obviously the bosses around here. It was nice to just exist without the pressure of being responsible for other people. Unsure of the time, I reluctantly rolled out of bed and put on my robe.

I hadn't been hunting yet, but everyone made it seem like fun. Despite being a vampire hybrid, I never had the taste for human blood. It actually sounded gross. The only traits I inherited from my father were my fangs and speed. I couldn't shimmer like the others, but I was ok with that. I had other traits from my werewolf side that I used to my advantage, like my ability to heal quickly. My vampire family was rather impressed by that. I started to think about my mother's side of the family. They raised me up much differently. I often wondered if I messed up by connecting with my paternal side.

Being a king wasn't all it was cracked up to be. There was a piece of my heart that felt terrible for being so ruthless with the pack members. The territory did need some order, but the harmony of the people who lived there was... something I had never seen. A pack of refugees, from all over, who got along and cared about one another; it was bound to fail, right? I never gave it the chance. All I could see was the opportunity to seize power and get what I wanted. I was seeking the approval of my father's family. I needed them to see that I was one of them.

I loved them for certain, but over the years, I had begun to witness a side that made me struggle to understand myself. Do I go along with their ways? Or do I hold on to my compassion for others? Obviously, vampires and werewolves lived very different lives. Werewolves were more family-oriented; there was a sense of respect for all living things and they were adamant about connecting with the world around them. Vampires didn't make such connections. I could understand why they were more individualistic.

As my thoughts raced, I was interrupted by the soft knock on my room door. Katya poked her head in and smiled.

"We're about to go hunting. Are you joining us this time?"

I nodded and returned her smile, signaling for her to give me a minute. She closed the door and I walked sluggishly to the bathroom. I sighed, removing my robe and hanging it over the towel rack. My reflection was pitiful. I looked like I had been dragged through the ringer.

After splashing some warm water over my face, I exited the bathroom and rummaged through my clothes to find a decent outfit for hunting. I wasn't quite sure what one would wear for such an occasion, so I chose a black t-shirt, black jeans, and a pair of black sneakers. It was a nighttime event, so my assumption that I should blend in as much as possible made sense. The tea I had my servant prepare was still sitting in the teapot on the side table near my bed. I poured a cup and drank it swiftly. It was lukewarm.

I carefully sat the cup back down and met my kin in the hallway. Guillermo and our cousins, Wilbert and Lolli, were there waiting with Katya.

"It's about time." Lolli rolled her eyes and began walking down the hallway. Guillermo nudged me and we all followed.

"What's the rush? Humans enjoy the nightlife. There will be plenty out." Wilbert shrugged.

I cringed. Hopefully, they didn't expect me to drink human blood. It just wasn't my thing.

"We're going to the portal." Katya gave me a warm smile.

"It would be quicker if we could shimmer." Lolli rolled her eyes again. I bit my tongue to keep from saying what I wanted to say.

"Don't mind her. She hasn't been hunting in quite some time. I had to confine her to our compound for some ... issues." Guillermo shot her a glance. Lolli folded her arms. Wilbert snickered.

"Well, let's go. Think you can keep up?" Guillermo didn't wait for me to respond before his sped off, the others joining him. I hurriedly joined them and before long we were at the portal to the mortal world.

"Good job, brother." Guillermo raised a brow and smirked. I shrugged in response and we all crossed through.

"My favorite hunting grounds." Wilbert licked his fangs hungrily as we stood across the street from some club, watching people socialize outside on the sidewalk as a line steadily grew. Lolli inhaled deeply. When she opened her eyes, her irises glowed red. I was confused, as I had never seen that before.

"Lolli, reel it in." Guillermo placed a hand on her shoulder. She tensed up and then relaxed, her irises returning to their normal color.

"Alright, family. Happy hunting." Everyone crossed the street to get to the club. I followed, unsure what to expect.

To my surprise, they walked straight to the door. The security guard was a vampire. I was certain. We locked eyes and he glanced at Guillermo, who introduced us. The security guard nodded and let us all in. The place was packed with people, dancing and sipping colorful drinks. I made note of the exits, as Katya had instructed me to do. But there was one human who caught my attention in a way I had never experienced. She was stunning; an absolute beauty.

Her strawberry blonde hair was straightened and fell just past her shoulders. She had on a skintight red dress with red leather heels. Her slim frame made her look like the models in magazines.

"Someone has found their prey." Wilbert leaned in and spoke just above a whisper.

"Go get her!" He nudged me forward. I was disgusted that he would think I wanted to drink her blood. I just found her attractive.

However, I did move closer. My feet wouldn't stop until I was directly in front of her. I was taller than her. She slowly looked up until we were making eye contact.

"Lukas?"

I immediately frowned. I didn't recognize her, but somehow she knew who I was.

"It's me! Amanda!" She grinned wide, throwing her arms around me. I was still confused as this woman continued hugging me. I caught my brother's confusion as well as he watched the scene unfold from his corner of the room.

Who is she?