Soulless (Book #2 of Hunted)

Hurry

I woke to the harsh, blaring sound of the at&t ring tone. I blindly kicked off my bed covers and reached for my cell on the bedside table. I flipped it open without looking at which number was calling and put the phone to my ear with my eyes still closed.

"Hello?" I asked groggily. There was nothing but unsteady breathing on the other end of the phone. Just when I was about ready to yell some random non-word into the receiver and hang up, I heard it.

"Lorelei," his voice was nothing but a whisper.

"Zane?" I asked in confusion, my eyes snapping open and my body springing into an upright position. Why in God's name was he calling me? I heard him draw in a slow, ragged breath.

"What's wrong?" I asked; I could feel unwanted panic tighten in my chest.

"I need your help." I heard his voice break mid-sentence and heart-wrenching sobs rang through the phone. "I-I didn't know who else to call...I've done something horrible," he cried. A macabre scene of over a dozen bloodless cheerleader corpses flashed in my brain. Something horrible indeed. He admitted that he had done something wrong, and he was being crushed by guilt. The first step to recovery is admitting you have a problem and asking for help. Did this mean Zane was getting better?

"Where are you?" I asked grudgingly. I couldn't do this. I couldn't help him after everything he'd done.

"My house in Jasper Lake," he whispered as if the certainty of what he was doing was slipping away from him. I could not believe I was doing this. I sighed.

"I'll be right there." Why was I relenting so easily? He had hurt me! He had dropped me, and I had shattered into a gazillion pieces! He didn't even have the decency to sweep me up, and glue me back together before leaving. Yet here I was, giving in like the addict I was. Zane had been quiet during my internal rant; it was a stagnant silence that seemed louder than the most blood-curdling scream.

"Hurry-" was the last word before the line went dead. I closed my phone and exhaled loudly.

"Alright! No time to think about it. Let's go!" I said to no one in particular. I jumped out of bed, threw on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt, brushed my teeth, and grabbed my keys off the hook as I passed by on my way to the front door without waking up Phoebe. I reached the door, and when I opened it I saw Malick standing in the frame. "What do you want?" I asked coolly.

"Don't go to him, Lori," he said.

"Go to whom?" I asked innocently as I tried to edge around him. He braced both arms against the door frame.

"Don't give me that innocent shit, Lorelei! I heard the whole conversation," he growled at me. I sighed.

"Eavesdropping were we?" I tsked sarcastically. His eyes narrowed.

"I can't help what I overhear," he said truthfully.

"You can hear everything within a five mile radius," I said while trying to think of a way to get around him without injuring myself.

"So it's not my fault," he said logically. I grimaced at him.

"Thanks for the info smartass. Now get out of my way." I pushed him as hard as I could in the chest and his arms broke away from the door. A burst of Hunter strength. Nice timing. I started towards my car. Malick caught me by the arm and spun me around.

"He's only playing you," he said. The words didn't seem to want to register in my brain. I tugged on my arm which only made him grip it tighter. "He's just trying to get you to feel sorry for him so you won't see what a monster he is and take him back." What he said made sense, and believe it or not the thought had actually occurred to me before now. I glared at Malick.

"You know, I do feel sorry for him, and I know he's a monster, but I don't actually give a shit." My words seemed to have stung him worse than a slap in the face. He let go of my arm like my skin had burned him and I continued towards my car.

"Zane wouldn't even be in this mess if it weren't for you and your stupid leader, Clay," I shouted over my shoulder. He suddenly grabbed my hand and squeezed it tight.

"This isn't our fault. It would've happened eventually; we just made it happen faster. Vampires aren't meant to feed on livestock, they need a constant supply of fresh human blood or they will go insane just like your leech of a boyfriend. Sooner or later the Hunger always wins," he said darkly. People kept talking about this 'Hunger' like it's a freaking person!

"The only reason why Zane is insane is because of the stupid hex that Clay's stupid family put on him! I know I broke the hex, but it was because you guys nearly tortured him to death that I even had to give him my blood!" I screamed at him as I yanked my hand out of his. Malick's gaze fell to the ground.

"Maybe you're right," he mumbled shockingly as I wrenched open my car door. I got in the car and backed out of the driveway. I looked at Malick's in the rear-view mirror; his expression was furious at me, frustrated with me and terribly confused, but the confusion didn't seem to have anything to do with me. I shook my head to clear it. I couldn't worry about the Hunters right now; I had to focus on Zane.