The Complete Crimson Forest series

Onyx: Chapter 1

          

Only a couple of months ago, I thought my life was as boring and uninteresting as they came. I worked two jobs, resided in Seattle with my best friend in a petite apartment, and came home to view TV reruns in my free time. That all changed immensely when I got the call about my mother's death. I had no idea that one call could change my entire life so incredibly much. I went from leading the most boring, regular life, to living with four immortal beings in a house warded against other supernatural beings in Saskatchewan, Canada of all places in the world.

"Kade!" my brother's boyfriend Kai shouts. I'm not sure exactly why he shouts when Kade has the ability to hear a whisper from a mile away, but maybe it's just habit.

Kade rushes into the house in a blur and stops in front of Kai, looking at him with concern on his brow. "What?"

Kai quirks a single brow. "It's your turn to run the perimeter. Did you forget?"

Kade scoffs and rolls his eyes in annoyance. "What the hell do you think I was out doing?" He shakes his head and turns back around.

Kai shrugs and then a cocky grin emerges on his lips. "I thought maybe you were tending to your vegetable garden."

I roll my eyes at Kai as well. Kai has been making fun of Kade for planting a garden in the backyard for the last three weeks. I have to admit that it was unexpected. Why would a vampire, who doesn't even eat human food, plant a vegetable garden? I never took Kade for a gardener. I've seen the guy tear apart vampires who were intent on killing he or I; I've watched him spar with Kai and my brother Daniel, leaving both of the men pretty scuffed up and Kade not even having wrinkled his shirt.

Kade sighs and shakes his head, his back still turned to Kai. "Maybe you should try a hobby other than running that mouth of yours. You're lucky May likes you or I'd go a little harder on you in sparring practice. Don't think I'm not going easy on you, kid."

This seems to actually rattle Kai a little. Kai is extremely young in the terms of the Bryxx society and he has his mind set on becoming a professional level black hunter, the highest ranked, most dangerous demon guards that the Bryxx have, but he has a tremendous ways to go before he gets there. Not that Kai's not a good fighter, but he has nothing on Kade who is ranked a level black.

Daniel slowly enters the room, looking groggy with disheveled hair and a pajamas still on. He eyes Kai with a warning glare. "Could you please try not to piss off the vamp? Unlike you, I do value your life."

I know Kade would never hurt Kai, no matter how lippy the guy can be, but Daniel and Kai don't trust Kade as much as I do. They were raised to hate vampires, to kill them, not befriend and trust them.

Kade crosses his arms and turns to eye Kai sternly. "I'd listen to him."

Kai gives Daniel a look I don't understand before nodding to the checker board in the corner of the living room. "How about if you win, I'll stop harassing the vamp for the rest of the day. If I win, you take my shift running the perimeter tonight."

Daniel scoffs. "You're on, Kai!"

I shake my head and enter the kitchen to make some breakfast. Kade beats me there, and by the time I get into the kitchen, he's standing in front of the stove with a jug of milk in one hand and a box of cereal in the other. "Let me guess...cereal?" he asks with a wink. It's all I've been eating for breakfast the last two weeks. "You're sure you don't want me to fry you up something better?"

"I would like two eggs and a package of bacon, please!" Kai calls from the other room, eavesdropping.

Kade glowers towards the voice and the turns back to me with a grin. "So?"