The Hunters Saga #3: The Hawthorn Pearl

Chapter 7: Revelations

A/N: Guess what DAY it is?? What day is it, guys! It's Saturday :D Update Day! You know what that means ;) Chapter 7 is comin' at ya! Now, I should warn you, this chapter is a little sensual for the younger readers out there reading this. There's no outright sex in this chapter, but there could've been (a what-if :P) #TONRI lovers, you'll enjoy this chapter so much ;) So, now that that warning's out of the way, enjoy chapter 7! :D <3

Chapter 7: Revelations

   I'm surprised no one looked at us funny as Jeremy, Henri, and I slid back into yet another rental car. You could say I was giving us unnecessary attention due to my... condition. I had all the qualities of a drunk person, expect for the disgusting smell, of course. Alone in the backseat with my sire while Jeremy drove to who knows where, I kept insistently pulling at Henri's T-shirt – I was too drunk to understand why – but he only pushed my hand away every time. I ended up pouting a lot. Soon, I'd be hysterical, laughing and giggling for no apparent reason as the blood finally sated me and I calmed down.

   Good thing no one was around to see me like this... well, with the obvious exception of Henri and Jeremy, who didn't say a word the entire time.

   When the drunkenness had dissipated completely, I had a serious headache. Yeah, vampires can get those, apparently. It's probably because I was now so hung over.

   "That wasn't fun at all, Henri," I groaned, squirming in my seat, tugging at the seatbelt that secured me. Henri had my hand in his, and he squeezed it, saying: "It'll get easier."

   "Being drunk?"

   Henri laughed at my guess, and it even earned a scoff from the vampire behind the wheel. Jeremy lifted his shoulders in a shrug. "Feeding will get easier with time and practice-"

   "Now you sound like Henri," I muttered with disdain before returning my attention to my sire. "The hunger, it-"

   "-Controlled you," he finished for me. "I know. All newborns have dealt with it while tasting human blood for the first time. It's nothing to be ashamed of."

   I cocked a suspicious eyebrow at him. "I just killed two human girls. How is that nothing to be ashamed of?"

   "She has a point, Henri," Jeremy chimed in, earning a shake of the head from the vampire sitting beside me. "I don't blame you for your natural instincts. All vampires have gone on an uncontrollable blood binge at some point in their immortal existence."

   I bit my lip. "I guess." The space grew silent, and I leaned against Henri's chest. "Are we almost at that place?"

   It was Jeremy, of course, who answered: "Just a while longer. Shouldn't be too long."

   Good.

   Henri's shirt felt soft beneath my sensitized fingertips. I wanted to drift off to the sound of his heartbeat against my ear, but I knew that was impossible. Death had its drawbacks, after all.

   No, really?

   Yeah.

   True to Jeremy's predictions, the car came to a complete stop not 30 minutes later. Henri led me out into the cool night air, and I froze where I stood. I could smell... werewolf.

   Henri led my stiff body toward the only building within walking distance. Without my knowledge, we'd left the heart of Chicago, and had traveled to the very outskirts of the city.

   My mental clock told me that it was only about two in the morning. Plenty of time before dawn to settle down to rest.

   Jeremy led the way to what looked like a boarding house of some kind, maybe even a motel. It had three stories of cubic rooms, from what I could see. Most of the windows were dark, and there wasn't a single sign out front. Not a parked car either.