The Hunter's Daughter

Chapter 11

The weekend was slow because I stayed home and did my school work, well I did most of it but a lot of the time I was thinking about Nick, and how he kissed me when he brought me home, well I drove but still. I remember it so clearly because I’d never been so scared in my life.

** It’s so damn cold! Except really the only thing that is cold is my face, everything else is warm because of Nick, holding me while I ride the way back to my place. I was strange because when we first got on the bike and I felt Nick’s arms wind around my waist I had to fight the urge I’d self built to flick my arm back and break his nose, but when they settled firmly, my back tight against his chest that urge to fight went down to be replaced by something different.

The whole way back was silent, the roads were clear and I felt like I was flying, it was so surreal but it was a good surreal, like I was living a good dream. When I stopped at the bottom of the street – out of view of my house, Nick’s arms took a little longer than normal to let go and we stepped off of the bike.

There was a minute where we both just looked at each other, not sure what we were supposed to say or do now that we’d decided to be together, in the end Nick smiled and stepped towards me, reaching out with his hand he tucked my hair behind my ear and let his fingers slide up and down my cheek before they cupped my neck and slowly, he leaned into me, staring into my eyes his nose rubbed against mine gently just before his soft lips pressed onto mine.

You know all those stupid books you read that tell you how fireworks fly when you kiss that special guy? How you’re supposed to tremble and go weak at the knees, that kind of thing? They aren’t so wrong, it’s more that the fireworks are flying in you and luckily Nick had switched his hold to be around my waist so he kept me up pretty good. It was a simple peck on the lips but it left no illusion on either side for how much we wanted it to be more. **

 By the time Monday came around again I was little nervous to see Nick again, wondering if we’d be like nothing happened, that Friday was a great day and it had ended with nothing following after. I have for a while thought that it might be a good thing if it was like that, not because it’s what I wanted but because it’s what was safer and so, better.

I don’t really care what happens to me anymore, at least I haven't since the incident. I know myself well enough to know that if danger comes my way I’ll still fight, it’s just that the outcome of that fight doesn’t go beyond my own human instinct to survive, conviction doesn’t come into that equation anymore. I do care however, what happens to Nick though and, I worry about him even now, just because we agreed to be together I feel like I owe him honesty, but I can’t ever give him that.

For one he’d think I was crazy, talking about Werewolves and then even trying to begin explaining the complexities of how and why someone would hunt them, on top of all that having to tell him about what I do? He’d probably call the guys in white coats to take me away and that would be him being nice.

I shook the stupid thoughts out of my head and decided to wipe the slate clean, and if by some miracle he really meant what he said about us being together then, I’d give it a really genuine try and if it doesn’t work out for whatever reason, even though it will probably be because of me, then I’d let it lay to rest and chalk it up to real life experiences.

The walk to school was cold as usual but I don’t mind it that much, I always feel like the cold brings a certain clarity to your thoughts, kind of like a slap in the face does. There weren’t a lot of people outside. I know I’m not late so I’m not worried about it, they’re probably all trying to get warm in this freak weather.

I scurried inside the school building, trying not slip in my old UG boots that had started to lose their purchase on the ground over the years. Just when I started to be happy and settled into my routine, checking my books were in order and straightening out the mess I left Friday Mr Bronze popped out from behind my locker door.