Hunter: Cursed

Chapter Twenty-One

Ever walk into a room and have everyone stop what they're doing to stare at you? Well, that's exactly what happened when I walked into the Last Drop. The band went silent as soon as I walked through the door and one by one the whole room turned to look at me. So, I gave them a one finger salute and made my way to the bar, thankful the music started as soon as my ass hit the leather of the bar stool. Signalling to the vampire behind the bar, he needed to get over here pronto and serve me.

"I got this." Leo appeared out of no where and waved the vamp away as he got down a bottle of vodka. He looked unusually happy, which kind of made me want to murder him so much more. "One day, I'm going to sit down and work out how much you owe me."

To shut him up, I pulled a twenty out of my pocket and slapped it on the counter. "Bourbon and cola."

Instantly he frowned, putting the lid back on the bottle and did as I asked.

"I was kidding, you don't have to pay."

I didn't answer, taking my drink once it was made and went to hide in a booth in the back. The music wasn't bad with the band covering various eighties rock hits and thankfully the abundance of vampire wait staff stopped me from having to go up to the bar again. Despite that, I could feel him constantly looking my way and there was a certain presence in the room that didn't come from a leopard shifter. No, that came from something else - which was soon sitting opposite me.

"You okay? I thought you might come here to make sure there were no hard feelings from where you're Tracker attacked me."

I look up at him, almost tempted to smile at that. Jordan had told me about how Logan 'lost his shit' at Leo and while I didn't blame him, it could have ended badly. Luckily this Leo version of Cain didn't seem set on holding grudges so I said to the first thing to come to mind.

"Fuck. Off."

"Have you been crying?" He asks distractedly and I quickly look away - was it that obvious?

"I came here for a drink. Now go, bartend or whatever it is you are meant to do here!"

"Elise, what-"

"We're not friends. You don't get to pretend you care. I'm just your fucking pawn in what ever fucked up game your playing with all your stupid gods. Now piss off, before I decide killing you is in my best interest." I sit Apollo's dagger on the table beside my drink, glaring at him in a silent challenge.

After a minute, he holds his hands up in surrender and leaves me alone. The bottle of bourbon that finds it way to me soon after is clearly meant to be some kind of peace maker, but instead I decide it's time to go. I should have just stayed home - put up with Mums hovering and Alfie's stupid sad face, while telling them both I'm fine and not to worry about me. Problem with that is, they both know when I'm lying and I'm not fine.

I walk the longest way possible back home and my stomach sinks as Logan's bike isn't back in the garage. Slowly I go and stand in its spot, trying to hold everything in yet I fail at that as the tears start to come hot and fast. Taking out my phone, there are no messages or missed calls and rather than go inside, I go up to the main building. Buluc was an idiot to think blowing it up was something new that had the ability to hurt me. I'd seen it happen before, yet as I got closer, the screams from inside stayed with me.

"Not, real. That wasn't real." I mumble under my breath.

I barely make it to the cafeteria when Tom appears and rolling my eyes, I'm not in the mood to deal with him tonight.

"How are you?" He asks minus any jerkness.

"Fine. You?"

"Good. Look, I am hoping we can move on from our past. You saved not just my ass, but my brothers too, again, by sending us back. Thank you." He offered me his hand, and with a shrug, we called truce. "You do make a great leader Bunting. I'm, sorry."