Hybrid - The Countess's Heir (Under Rewrite)

Eight

Ever since the attack, Jean couldn't take her mind off of the demon vampire. And of course, she never had the courage to ask Jenna about her. She could tell that something was bothering her other half, but for some reason, she couldn't find the strength to bring the topic out.

She was in deep thought when she felt a stare at the back of her head. The hair at the back of her neck. She knew who it was already. She had been with the man for five years; she knew who it was.

She turned with a big smile on her face. "Hi, Evan."

"Hey, Jean. How are you?"

"I'm good, Evan."

"I missed you," he said as he leaned for a kiss, but Jean quickly pulled away. She was well-trained in controlling her anger, but seeing the man who kidnapped, tortured, and whipped her other half made her remaining blood boil. She could just rip him apart in their establishment, but it could raise a lot of questions, of course. Evan was still a human, after all. And he was the leader of the Vindicators, and Taylor made the point that they may need some insider information about their group.

But if she would be able to keep a charade, she wasn't sure.

And that demon rider. What was her connection with the Vindicators?

"Why are you so..."

She raised her brow at him. "So what, Evan?"

"Different and distant these past few weeks."

She stopped herself from glaring at the man. She may be on her turf, but she could not lose her cool in front of Evan.

"Listen... I made a reservation at the local restaurant. I'd like to take you out on a romantic dinner."

Jean gave Philip a subtle look, and he gave her a small nod.

"Okay, lead the way."

Evan took her hand as they went to his car. And everything in her body seemed to be repulsed.

Mom? She called through her mind.

Yes, little one? Everything okay? I could feel your anger through our link.

I'm with Evan. Could you... I may need a backup.

I'll be there. Tell me where.

They went for a drive for thirty minutes, and Evan wouldn't stop talking about the attack on their warehouse—the night they saved Jenna.

"I just didn't understand how those monsters found their way towards our base. It was well-hidden, and I couldn't believe they risked attacking us for one dirty little vampire."

Jean almost jumped and tore his throat apart for speaking like that towards her other half, but she stopped herself.

"Why do you hate vampires so much, Evan?" She asked once she unclenched her jaw from anger as they arrived at the restaurant. The man guided her inside and helped her sit down. He was a real gentleman, and she remembered why she fell for him. Aside from the fact that Evan had sworn to erase vampires from the face of the earth, he was nice.

"They're monsters, Jean. They deserve what we give them."

Evan began to order food for them. Jean may be a vampire, but unlike Taylor, she had learned how to eat like a human. Taylor was born as a vampire, but Jean was not.

But at the moment, she had a hard time keeping the food from her stomach as she ate with the man who would rather have her race dead.

"How have you been, Jean? You rarely call me and return my messages."

"I was... busy."

The man smiled. "Ah, of course. I get it, being a bar owner and all."

Evan tilted his head towards Jean, and she could see a certain gleam in his eyes that she could not put her finger on. She was about to ask when their order arrived, and both of them ate in silence, but she could tell that there was something in the man's head. He kept fidgeting and looking at her under his lashes.

He's a vampire killer; surely he knew what a vampire would feel like to be around. Doesn't he have a single clue that I am a vampire?

Dessert finally came, and Jean's eyes widened as she noticed something sitting at the top of the crepe. A ring.

A silver ring, to be precise.

Evan smiled sweetly and stood up. He took the ring from the dessert and wiped it with a handkerchief as he knelt in front of her. If her eyes could go wider, they would.

"Jean, we've known each other since we were in preschool; we've been together for five years, and I never wanted anything more than you. And now I want to ask you something," he paused and held the ring in front of her, "will you marry me?"

Jean's jaw dropped at the question as she looked at the ring and stared at Evan's hopeful eyes. She turned her head around and saw how the other patrons of the restaurant were looking at them; surely the gesture got their attention. They were waiting for her answer.

But, of course, there was only one answer.

"Evan... I can't."

"What? What do you mean you can't?" He said through his gritted teeth. And she could see how furious he was as his nose flared, but he was keeping his anger contained.

"I can't marry you!" Jean answered and stood up and ran outside as she tried to calm her nerves. She felt Evan follow her outside.

"Why?!"

You hate my kind. "I don't love you anymore, Evan."

"Is this why you've been distant?"

You experiment on our kind. "I have other reasons."

"Tell me!"

You tortured and killed my kind, she wanted to say but kept her mouth shut.

"Why?!"

She began to run as fast as she humanely could, but Evan caught up with her and yanked on her arm, making her turn. Out of anger and frustration, she bared her fangs at him.

The shock on his face was almost indescribable. He looked pained, disgusted, and betrayed at the same time.

"That's why."

"Yes, Evan, that's why. You were so deadset on killing us all."

"You're a vampire. But... you don't burn under the sun." The surprise in his voice was evident.

"I guess you never heard of a hybrid before." A voice spoke, and from the darkness came Taylor and Jenna. Taylor had her detachable naginata strapped to her back while holding Jean's twin swords, and Jenna stood beside her holding a spear.

Evan snapped his head towards the duo and gasped.

"You!" His finger pointed at Jenna. "The demon's pet," he spat. Jean hissed and snarled at the comment. She saw how her other half's jaw clenched and her grip on her spear tightened. Not long after, black panel vans arrived, and men began to pour out. Evan walked behind them.

"Kill the two vampires," he pointed at Taylor and Jenna, "but I want my girlfriend alive."

Taylor quickly threw her weapons at her, and as soon as she touched both hilts, they glowed under the moonless sky.

"I guess we'll get our hands bloody again tonight," Taylor said.

"We better get out of here alive, or Andrea's going to kill us," she commented.

The men began their advance, but she saw Evan turning back, giving her one last look before getting in the van. And she could see the hurt and anger in his eyes.

But both of them would never be with each other. They already made their bed, and it was time to sleep in it.

He had hated vampires ever since they were children. He swore to wipe them away from the world. Jean had vowed she would avenge every single vampire that died at the hands of the Vindicators.