Hunter: Eclipse

Chapter 9

I thought I had seen terrified people before. I'd run into battles we had no hope of possibly winning and felt what pure, raw fear felt like. It was something I would never forget or seeing similar reflections in the faces of the people around me. Now here I was, safe, warm, unharmed with no immediate threat or danger around in Raya's living room seeing that awfully familiar look of total terror on Portia's face as the beautiful Olivia was placed in her arms. Typically, this would actually be hilarious, but here I was, perched at the edge of the sofa with that familiar tingling subtly growing in my hands at the prospect of her doing anything that may harm that little girl.

Raya didn't seem to feel any of the unease I did. What happened to motherly senses, shouldn't she be wary of the woman that lied to all of us for so long. The woman was one of the three fates for god's sake! How trustworthy could she really be if she was this scared at holding such an adorable, precious little infant? I get some people don't like babies, I was one of them and still am unless it's to with my godchild. The fear Portia was showing wasn't normal.

"She's not going to break," Raya spoke calmly as Olivia found her way into the bent arm of Portia. "See, there you go."

Olivia made the most adorable sounds humanly possible, and Portia's face relaxed. With this, her free hand boldly came up, and Olivia grasped one of her pale fingers. The creature smiled.Maybe I was overreacting, and I sat back in the lounge as Raya casually flopped down beside me. "She's lovely, Hunter." Portia mused, now confident enough to even make some little clucking sounds of her own back at the baby. Tiny little legs kicked as her small body squirmed in delight and Portia tickled that round little belly. "What a future you have my dear."

Now Raya tensed, glancing at me before we both looked at expectantly at her. She ignored us, fussing with Olivia who seemed perfectly content with whatever secret they now shared."So, Penny talking to you yet?" Raya asked, moving the conversation on but now she kept her eyes on the other two.

"Yeah. She messaged me last night. Apparently, busy with an average joe human and declares her passing interest in Zane was simply because she spent too much time around him with his shirt off. But, whatever." I tell her.

"An average joe? I call bullshit." My friend laughed.

"I know. Wanna know something crazier, I kind of almost wish she'd go for it. He's been alone for a long time. I mean, I don't know what he gets up to exactly, but he never talks about anyone or even mentions it."

"He's like so many of them Elise, they just don't get attached. That, human part, gets switched off and it's just easier in this life. He may hook up with someone every now and then, but it doesn't mean anything." She shrugged.

"I know, but he's changed since we first met. So much. I just wonder if he is lonely, or might even deep down want someone to be with."

"He walks his path alone. The Slayer puts no value on such relationships or human needs. He was an orphan. He found his half-sister, and she was removed from his life before he got to know her, bond with her and let himself feel a true, human, connection." Portia spoke up. "Yes, he did. But he's not so bad. Not as bad as he wants you to think he is. No, he's not."

The baby talk threw me a little.

"Yeah, but he has us now. We're his family?" I point out.