“I’m just excited that we’re experiencing this together, sis!” We grabbed each other in a tight embrace.
“Creek, dial it back some, sis. You’re really freaking strong,” Healani confessed with a whine.
“Oh, I’m sorry, babes.” I let her go.
“Alright, you’ve gotten enough rest. It’s time for you to train and learn our customs and traditions, sis. So, let’s go!” Healani slapped my thighs lightly.
I climbed out of bed and stretched. “I’m ready.”
“Beautiful, you know Dax as my business partner, but he’s also chief of security operations. When it’s time to hunt rogue blood-drinking vampires, he makes sure we’re covered and protected. You’ll meet Linx in a few minutes. He trains everyone in defense,” Pryde stated.
“Okay, let’s get started then,” I voiced excitedly.
“Hold on one minute. First lesson is controlling your direction as you use your super speed!” Pryde chimed. I watched as Pryde, Healani, and Dax sped up and down the stairs and then quickly returned to me.
“You give it a try now,” Pryde offered.
I exhaled. “Here goes nothing.”
I speed-walked up and down the stairs, landing on my stomach on the couch. I laughed but continued to practice until I had it down pat. When I was able to super speed around the warehouse without messing up, I felt like a true vampire. I removed my oversized tee so I could move around freely with no restrictions from my clothes. My hair was placed in a high bun, and I moved around the mat-covered floor nervously. Linx walked down the stairs, and Lord, was I terrified. Linx looked about six foot two with very defined muscles and a dark chocolate complexion. As angry as he looked, he was still very handsome.
“Beautiful, relax. He’s going to teach you how to defend yourself, not assault you. Breathe, baby, breathe,” Pryde coached me.
“Okay, baby,” I replied in a soft tone. I snapped my fingers at my sides. It was something I would do when I was nervous or worried since I was a kid.
Linx gave Dax a bro hug and dapped up Healani. He swaggered over to Pryde and gave him a bro hug. When our eyes connected, I almost shitted on myself.
“Pi-Pi-Pierre… is that you?” I asked, stuttering and trembling.
“Rasta gal?” he asked, in his deep Patois accent.
“Yes, it’s me!” I cried in my Patois accent as well. He rushed to me and picked me up in his strong arms. “I thought you were dead. Dead!” I shouted in his ear. “I mourned you for fourteen years, brother.”
My tears trailed down my face as if my tear ducts had a leak in them. I was so overwhelmed with emotions that the only thing I could do was cry uncontrollably and hold him tightly. I never wanted to let him go ever again.
“Shh, it’s okay, surfer gal. I’m here now, and we can start all over again,” he voiced. Pierre placed me back on my feet.
“So, I take it you guys know each other?” Pryde asked jokingly.
“Yeah, man. Creek, here, is my baby sister. I’m sorry I led you to believe I was dead, but I had to in order for you to get away. Pops was going to kill all of us to get what he wanted from you. Your heart is more special than you know. That day, after you ran and they went after you, I stumbled into the woods and came across these guys. They were tracking Pops for breaking all kinds of laws and turning me, unlawfully. They took me in and taught me their ways. In exchange, I pledged my allegiance to them,” Pierre relayed to me.
“Brother, I’m just so glad you’re alive. We can talk about all that extra stuff later. I'm just blessed that I have you back in my life.” I cried and hugged him again, and he hugged me tightly.
“Alright, so let’s get to this training, surfer gal because Dad is coming with an army of newborns that we will need to defeat along with him.”
“Wow, I didn’t see this coming. That man is still carrying on with his shenanigans, but let’s get to it, brother because I'm ready to rid him of this world. I'm tired of looking over my shoulders, and we're all overdue for some peace,” I recited.
“I second that, sis.”
Pierre extended his arm, and I placed my hand inside of it.
Chapter 6
Pryde Magers
Iwatched as Creek DJed her last set. Her training was going well with Linx—or Pierre, as she still called him. Creek was DJing the town's end-of-the-summer seasonal event. The townspeople mulled around as they ate, drank, and had a blast. We had the town surrounded with our men as we waited on edge for Rik’s sneak attack. Linda's son, the newborn that turned Creek, sang like a canary after one round of being tied down with our poisonous flora. The concoction was no joke for the blood-sucking species of our kind, so I knew once it hit his bloodstream, burning him from the inside, he would see things our way.
After I retrieved all the information about Rik's plan, I killed him. There was no way I'd let him live after he unlawfully turned my mate. In addition to that, we had to create a plan and backup plan for Rik. We had to expect the unexpected. Strategically, I had to assume Rik would switch his plan around to throw us off. That’s what good leaders do. I tried to be two steps ahead, but Rik was a savage, out for blood, and a trickster, so sometimes I fell behind. Not this time, though. I was prepared to take that son of a bitch down.
