Black Diamonds: Stalking Prey

Chapter 28

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At around seven o'clock, we load in the last of our luggage into our trucks and check out of the hotel. I'm honestly happy that we're finally leaving this hot ass city, but I still feel like we left some unfinished business here. Nic comes around the car and wraps his arm around my waist and places a sweet kiss on my forehead.

"Are you okay bella?" he asks me worriedly.

I give him my best smile and say, "Yeah I'm okay Nic. Just happy that we solved the case."

He doesn't look convinced but brush it off with a smile. "I know what you mean. I'm glad that we stopped the killings before they became too much."

I nod and feel around in my pockets for my phone. I let out an annoyed sigh and Nic looks down to me with a brow raised.

"I left my damn phone in the room," I tell him.

He chuckles as he rolls his eyes, and then releases me. "Hurry up and get so we can head home."

"Yessirrr," I drawl as I give him a mock salute. He rolls at this and goes on to talk to Tyrick about whatever. I run back into the building and go to the front desk where I see Mr. Caulden typing on his computer. When I clear my throat to get his attention, he looks up with a warm smile that made me automatically do the same.

"Miss Salene, what can I do for you?" he asks.

I scratch my head and smile sheepishly. "Uh I forgot my phone in the room we just checked out of and I was wondering if I can borrow a key to get it?"

He shakes his head and looks at me with a fond smile as he slides a key to me. "You better make sure that you keep up with your things young lady."
"I promise I'll be more careful with my things!" I tell him as I power-walk to the elevators.
I hear him chuckle silently and I can't help but smile at the sound. I press the floor number and I do a little shimmy dance to the elevator music but then stop once I realize that there's a camera on there. They're not about to get a show out of me.
When I get off the elevator, I start making my way to the suite we were in. I make it around the corner and I freeze.
The door was wide open.
A sick feeling settles in my stomach and I reach out my gun and aim it ready and slowly creep into the room. I scope the room with my gun and use my vampire senses to listen or smell something off. I smell something that seems like cigar smoke and a wave of familiarity and uneasiness floods through me.
I reach the room that I shared with Pam and the smell of cigar smoke grows stronger with step I take towards it. Slowly, I push open the door with my weapon ready to shoot and suck in a sharp breath.
The man that was standing in the middle of the road when we captured Cooper was standing there with my phone in his hand...and with the most sinister smile I've ever seen. A cold chill sweeps through my veins when I recognize the man's face.
"Well it's about time I've finally found you...my precious baby girl," he says in his devilishly deep voice that still sends absolute fear through my body. I should've recognized the scent as soon as I smelt it.
This man is... Bryson Richards... my father.
"What are you doing here?" I shakily say as I take a step back in fear.
He throws my phone to me and it hits my leg since I don't make any moves to catch it. Bryson continues to stare at me with that sickening smile on his face, and I just stand there in shock. After all these years, I thought he would have left the country or dead, but here he is in my face. I shake my head in disbelief, "There's no way you should be here."
Bryson cocks his head to the side and has a amusement swimming in his sinister dark eyes. "Why do you look so shocked that your daddy wanted to see his little girl again?" he says sarcastically.
Rage overcomes me and my grip on the gun tighten. "You killed my mother, you son of a bitch! You should still be locked away for it!"
Bryson's face scrunches up in anger and he shouts to me, "You better watch yo fucking mouth, you little bitch!"
I immediately shut my mouth in fear as old memories of his abuse flashes through my mind. He sees this and laughs menacingly.
"Yeah," he says cockily, "You better shut the fuck up." He then wipes off invisible dust off his shirt. "Now, I came to talk to my baby girl and ask you something I'm sure you know already."
I don't say anything.
He laughs at my fear and continues to talk. "So I've been searching for your ugly ass for a long time trying to see where the hell your mother is."
I feel my eyes water slightly from his insult, but blink them back before his words finally register. I look to him in confusion and say, "What the hell are you talking about?"
"Girl, you already know what I'm talking about! Where is that bitch at?!" he yells at me.
I swallow my fear and ask him warily, "What are you talking about? My mother is dead! You killed her!"
He pause and then a look of genuine amusement covers his face. "Holy shit, you don't even know do you?"
I don't say nothing and wait for him to elaborate.
Bryson demented ass starts clapping while saying, "This shit is fucking hilarious. You spent over a decade thinking that yo mama was dead?! That is too damn funny.
My breath stops in my chest and I feel myself tear up. No...there's no way my mom was alive. I look to him and scream to him, "No! You sick fuck! Stop playing with me!"
"Why you seem upset child," he says in mock concern and he then steps closer to me. "Your mama has been alive ever since that bitch ass muthafucka saved her hoe ass." He shrugs his shoulders nonchalantly.
"You're lying." I breathe out.
"I don't have a reason to lie. But yo mama," he shakes his head bitterly. "Yo mama is a good ass liar." Bryson then steps up close to my face and I feel the wall behind me. "She lied to me by saying that you were my child."
I whisper out, "What?"
He backs up and says, "Yeah, turns out that you ain't mine. Turns out that other damn vampire is yo daddy. But yo hoe ass mama had me believing that yo ugly ass was mine. And no bitch will make a fool of me." His eyes turn a menacing silver and I feel my breath rush out my lungs. He's a damn vampire.
"You're a vampire," I state as I feel the fear steadily climb inside me.
"Yep, I been a vampire for over thirty years now. And turns out that your 'real' daddy is too."
My mind is completely blown. All these years I've thought that I had a monster for a father and it turns out that he isn't. And yeah, my mother that I thought had been dead since I was seven is alive.
I'm snatched away from my thoughts when I feel a cold hand circling my throat and I'm thrown against wall, making plaster fly everywhere. Bryson crowds my face and chuckles darkly. "You're no child of mine and you don't know where yo mama at, so I might as well kill you," he then rakes his gaze down my body and licks his lips and I feel like I have to throw up. "Well I may use you a little before I do that."
"NO!" I scream as pull my legs in and then kick his groin with all of my strength. He lets out a grunt and falls to the ground, cursing me heavily.
"You dumb bitch!" he screams as he cups himself and groans.
I cough as I use my vampire speed to run out of the suite as fast as I can. I'm about to go through the doors to the stairs when I feel a harsh yank on my hair. I let out a piercing scream as I get dragged back and then thrown into wall, causing it to crack.
"Did you think that I was going to let you get away after pulling that shit?!" He shouts and begins making his way to me.
I close my eyes and wait for the blow, but I feel a gust of wind fly by as I hear Bryson let out a loud grunt. I open my eyes and they widen at the sight before me.
Bryson is laying on the ground, wiping the blood from his mouth as he glare up at the person who just hit him. My eyes grow in when the man turns around.
Mr. Caulden?
He gives me a worried and sad look as he rushes over to me. I didn't even know that I was on the ground until he gently helps me up. He lets out a soft curse, "Shit, you're bleeding."
I look at him in confusion, "What are you doing here?" And then remembering that Bryson is still here, I say in alarm, "You need to leave!"
Mr. Caulden gives me a soft smile and says in a soft voice, "It's okay Salene."
I open my mouth to tell him to leave, but Bryson stops me.
"Well well well, look who finally decides to show up," he says mockingly.
Mr. Caulden turns away from me and he tells him in the coldest voice, "What are you doing here, Bryson?"
Confused, I slowly back away from both of them and I jump at the sound of the door to the stairs burst open and the gang all rush through with Nic leading them.
"Salene! Are you okay?" Nic says when his gaze lands on me. With trembling hands, I reach up touch the place I had felt pain, but it had already healed. I nod my head and turn my gaze back to the men facing off with each other.
I feel Nic stiffen when he sees who it is and he breathes out quietly, "What the fuck?"
I look to him in confusion and he continues. "Bryson what are you doing here?"
Bryson laughs and says menacingly, "You already know what I'm here for." He looks to Mr. Caulden as he finishes. "Both of y'all do."
"You need to leave, she isn't here," Mr. Caulden growls to him and I furrow my brows. How does he know what Bryson is talking about?
"You know that you're a liar just like that bitch Christian," he shakes his head.
Pam comes to my side and grabs my hand while we both watch the scene before us. Mr. Caulden clench his fists and says, "Leave Bryson. I honestly don't know where Ashlyn is. I wouldn't tell you anyway."
I take a step up and ask Mr. Caulden or Christian, "H-how do you know my mother's name?"
Christian turns to me and his handsome face gives me a sad smile. "I'm so sorry mia bambina."
I hear Nic and the others take in a sharp breath and I turn to see them looking back and forth between me and Christian in shock. "What?" I ask.
I turn back towards Bryson when he clears his throat. "Well it seems like my time here has ran out. I'll be taking my leave." He then gets on the elevator and before they close, he sends a sick smile to me. "I'll see you soon honey..." he then looks to Christian with glowing silver eyes. "...you and yo daddy."

I stay looking at the elevators until I hear a soft, deep voice call out, "Salene?" I slowly turn back towards Christian and say, "What did he mean?" It can't be.

This is too much to take in at once.

Christian lets a slow breath and says carefully, "Salene...I'm your father...and your mother is still alive."

Stunned silence fills the air until hysterical laughter cuts through it. I realize that I'm the one that's laughing so loud and I close my eyes and throw my head back. I raise my head back up, still laughing, to see everyone looking to me like I was crazy.

"Bella," Nic says softly as he comes to me and the tears that I didn't even know are running down my cheeks.

I feel myself slowly stop laughing until I'm hyperventilating and dark spots start to cloud my vision. I see the world spin and then I feel my body falling. Before I succumb to the darkness, I see Christian, my father's, worried face screaming my name.

Hey everyone! This is the last Chapter of this book and the next book will be uploaded next! It is called Black Diamonds: Hunted!!!! I hope you all have enjoyed this book and thank you for the support!!!!! Much love to you all!