Diary of An Unnatural (BOOK #2)

The Truth Bites

Ava's POV

            "Liv!"

            Derek had finally found Liv curled up underneath a tree, her legs to her chest and her eyes blood red. I paused for a minute, gazing at her dark form. This was not the girl I'd known since middle school. Liv was brave and bold, never scared.

            This is all Hansen's fault. He made her this way. He compelled her for his own selfish game. And now she was in the deep woods surrounded by mostly strangers--the only people she knew were probably the last ones she wanted to see.

            Angelina ran over next, bending over Liv and whispering reassuring words. "You're going to be just fine," she said. "I promise..."

            She looked over to Derek who had backed up slightly. And then something strange happened. It was like something in her brain clicked--her eyes darkened and her expression changed from fearful to neutral.

            Angelina didn't seem to notice, but Derek turned away and started walking away. I went over to him quickly.

            "What happened?" I asked him, my voice rough and near broken. "What did you do to her?"

            He kept his eyes straight forward. "I don't know what you're talking about."

            I stepped in front of him and tried to keep my voice quiet enough for Liv not to hear. "I saw her. She was scared. And then something changed. She looked at you, and something changed. What are you? Who are you?"

            His eyes found mine. "I told you. My name's Derek. I'm a Hunter."

            "Derek who though? All I know about you is that Jane and you go back. But how far back? You don't look that old."

            He stuffed his hands in his pockets. "I'm flattered, but I bet I'm a lot older than what you think."

            I ignored him and went on. "And for some reason, you know about this safe house. The same house that I went to after my transformation. Did you know that? And you said it was protected by some Hunter thing. How did you know that I knew about the cabin?"

            He sighed. "We don't have time to talk about this. I think you and your friends should go back home. It's not safe for you around here. Not for long."

            "Then why are we here?" I threw my hands up in the air. "What the hell is even going on? Every word you say is so ambiguous. You don't answer questions. You just bring up more. Is this how you do it? How you get by? Because, Derek, that must be an awful life you live."

            His eyes locked on mine, darkening and his eyebrows pulling down over them. "Says the girl you doesn't know what she wants," he snapped. "You think you know so much, don't you? The all-wizened seventeen-year-old girl who was in the wrong place at the wrong time. You know what would've happened if your sister or I had been there keeping watch at that party? You wouldn't be here right now. You'd be safe at home with her, oblivious to this life."

            His words sent an electrical shock through my body. I flinched and closed my eyes. How did he know so much about me? From my mother? Val? The wrong place at the wrong time. Keeping watch at that party.

            I opened my eyes. "You knew Hansen was there," I said in a low voice. "You knew."

            "No, we knew he was in town," Derek said, as nonchalant as he could possibly be. "When an abundance of people start disappearing, we take notice."

            "Then why weren't you there to stop him?" I hissed through my teeth. "Why weren't you there watching his every move? Why am I here right now?"

            Silence passed between the two of us. Both of us lost for words. Me, out of fury and rage. Derek, for only God knew why. Then the sound of a cry came from the distance. We both turned in the direction of it.

            By the time we got there--Derek only a few feet behind my vampire speed--Liv was standing with Jane of all people at her feet.

            "You bitch!" Jane hissed, her hand over her throat.

            "What happened?" Derek asked before I could get a word out.

            Jane stood up and brushed herself off. I noticed the pulse of blood flowing from her neck. "She bit me. This is why we can't have another Newborn around. Especially one of such God awful standards."

            Liv snarled. "What did you just call me? Sorry, I couldn't hear you over the stoutness of that bleach in your hair."

            "It's natural, you idiot!" Jane readied herself to pounce before Angelina stepped in between the two. "Ang! Move!"

            "No," Angelina said, her voice strong and mature much unlike the two girl she stood between. "Liv is clearly going through something right now. I'm sure she didn't mean any of it."

            "Oh, I meant it," Liv replied.

            I stared at her. The way she stood, shoulders back and head up. Similar to Sober, Free Liv. But her words came out a lot more like Drunk, Truth Liv's.

            "Liv," I found myself saying, my voice catching no volume, only air. "Calm down."

            She glanced over at me. I don't know what I expected. Maybe shock, maybe anger. But no. She showed no emotion. She looked at me like I was a pair of knock-offs not worth any amount of her time.

            And I realized at that moment that everything I ever lived in my human life was a lie. My mom. My sister. My friendship with Liv. Myself.

            "What is she doing here?" Liv nodded her head towards me, but she spoke only to Angelina.

            "She's one of us," Angelina answered. "You're okay now. If you come with me, we can find you some blood. Your throat burns doesn't it? You need to feed. It's the only way you'll make it through the night."

            Angelina reach for Liv's wrist, but Liv jumped back.

            "No!" Liv screamed. And then she grabbed her head and squeezed her eyes shut. "Don't tell me what I need to do. I make my own decisions."

            Angelina glanced over at me and then back to Liv. "And what would that be?"

            The next words out made sense in oddest way, all things considered. But I couldn't help but stare stunned and disgusted back at her.

            "I want to see Hansen."