Burning Souls (F.T Sequel)

Chapter Eleven

A/N: Eeeeeeeyyyyyy. *smirky face*. Be warned, this chapter is more heated than usual, but still, not too overboard. It's shorter than usual as well, but I couldn't find a way to end it that wouldn't make it seem weirdly organised. But I DO think that you'll like it, *winky face*. So, here you go.

Enjoy =)

-xoxo, Sophia

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The sun has been gone behind the peaking, forest-covered mountains for seven hours now, and I glance at the alarm clock on the bedside table between both mine and Julia's double beds. The electric numbers flash back 1:33 AM, and my eyes quickly fleet to Julia's sleeping form, nestled in the silky sheets of her bed.

I pull out my earbuds and set my iPhone on the nightstand, unable to block out the jumbling thoughts in my head with the pounding music any longer. Soundlessly, as not to wake Julia, I pull on cream fuzzy socks and pass the mirror: unruly blonde hair, messily pulled up into a ponytail; ghostly, golden eyes; crinkled pj shorts and a sweater tarnished by old age. In short, I look as bad as I feel.

I trudge down the hallway and end up in a large common area, with a country style kitchen and an open planned living area. Huge glass windows give view to the twinkling stars in the inky night outside, and the fireplace crackles and purrs with warm flames caressing the logs. I cross the room and end up in front of two double doors. The brass knobs are icy to the touch, and I pull the heavy wood open, letting it slam shut behind me again. This hallway is dark, as all of our rooms are located on the other side of the luxurious cabins, but flickering gas lamps on either side of the hallway cast an eerie glow on the wooden walls. I trudge over the cold floor planks and push open a single door at the end of the hallway. It falls open without protest, and I slide swiftly inside the dark room. Or, mostly dark.

In fact, standing no more than a couple of feet away from me, bathed in a warm halo of light, is Hunter. His back is to me, and I can see the tense muscles of his back underneath the loose t-shirt. His arms flex when crossing over his hard chest, and even though I can't see his face, I can sense that he's deep in thought.

"What are you doing in here?" The coldness of his voice sweeps over me and I flinch slightly in shock. But I take a step further into the room anyway, ignoring the obvious way that Hunter tenses as if my presence is an infection to the room.

"I couldn't sleep." I shrug.

"That's the worst excuse I've heard so far. Vampires don't sleep." Hunter then turns around to face me, and his eyebrows rise when he takes in my attire. The air around us seems to mount a hundred degrees as his cold, steely eyes sweep over my bare legs to my collarbone languidly, and then back down again just as slowly, before settling on my eyes.

"No one else is around, so I'm afraid that you'll have to do." I cross my arms over my chest and lean into the doorway. There's a problem though: there is no doorway. Before I can react I'm already falling, but inches before the ground hits me strong arms wrap around my waist and I'm crushed into a hard chest. A breath leaves my parted lips as I tilt my head upwards and take in the electric scar on his beautiful face.

"Why are you always so clumsy." He doesn't say it as a question, but I answer him anyway.

"It's purely for your entertainment." I say sarcastically, although breathlessly.

Wait, vampires don't breathe. What the hell is wrong with me?

If I didn't know any better, I'd swear that Hunter's eyes flicked to my lips for fraction of a second, before meeting my eyes again with a blank veil in front of them. Emotionless, cold. But I do know better, and I know that Hunter has no place for any sort of feelings, except for a twisted satisfaction in seeing his enemies writhe in pain. "Thanks." I say curtly.