Chapter Nine
Sherese
“All right.” She finishes combing my hair. “I think it’s done.” I start to turn around. “Not yet,” she shrieks, and I nearly fall out of my chair.
“What in the world?!”
“You can’t look yet!”
I stare at her. “And why is that?”
“Because we have to do a whole outfit.”
I stare at her in confusion. “What?”
“We’re going to do like a grand reveal. Put you in a new outfit, do your makeup, and all that.”
“Ava, I’m going to a fight.”
Her eyes widen. “Oh, I forgot about that.”
Now my eyes widen. “You forgot? What time is it? Am I going to miss it?”
I start to get out of my chair, but she stops me again. “No, wait. I’ll check.” She picks up her phone once she finds it. “What time is your fight?”
“Noon.”
“Oh, well, at least you’ll make an entrance.”
I’m out of the seat in a flash. “I’m not making an entrance. What time is it?”
She cringes. “Five til. It’s a good thing you’re a vampire,” she calls out behind me.
I yank open the drawer and pull out a pair of athletic, loose pants, and throw on a sports bra and the first t-shirt I can find that I think I’ll be able to move in.
In seconds, I’m wearing socks and sneakers, and my new dark hair—that I haven’t even seen yet—is in a tight braid.
“Thanks, Ava!” And then I’m out the front door.
I flash over to the fight area. I’m glad Hunter told me last night where it would be.
If it was going to be sunny, they were going to hold the fight inside.
But the weather cooperated. There’s a small group gathered, and I’m grateful it’s not more.
I slow down right as I get there and make my way over to a certain tall, dark-haired guy.
“Nice of you to show,” Hunter rumbles next to me.
I ignore him and take in the circle as my mind races through what I need to do to stay inside the circle.
I’m not sure if that’s one of the rules, but I’ve fought that way many a time.
I take off my sneakers and socks and take a breath and steady myself.
I’m a little unnerved at being late, but I push all that aside.
I need complete focus now. Hunter steps into the circle, and Alicia steps in next to him.
When I don’t move, he looks at me and raises an eyebrow.
I scowl at him and make my way over to them.
“Vamp, I thought you got smart and decided not to come,” Alicia says. I ignore her and look at Hunter.
“First person to make three points wins, unless somebody taps out first. A point is earned by getting your opponent to step out of the ring, by landing a blow, or by a takedown. You both understand?”
I nod, kind of surprised. I figured it would be a fight to first blood.
That’s how the vampires always fought. I’ll have to be careful to not let her land any blows on me.
Sometimes, I take a blow when I know it can set me up for a good move.
I won’t be able to do that now. Hunter moves out of the circle, and I watch Alicia.
“Begin,” Hunter calls out.
Alicia doesn’t wait. She attacks, and I dodge her blows.
She’s fast, but I’m so much faster. After fighting with vamps, her moves feel so slow, I can anticipate what she’s going to do almost before she does.
I let her go at me for a little bit, and then I attack.
I explode off the balls of my feet and fake a right hook before sweeping my leg out and taking both her legs out from under her.
She hits the ground, and I bounce back on the balls of my feet.
She recovers quickly and jumps back up, but I can tell I got to her.
I don’t leave any time for her to recover.
I begin a quick series of punches and kicks, and she can barely dodge them.
She steps out of the circle, and I win my second point.
I can feel her anger and see it in her eyes.
Her eyes light up, and I know her wolf has had it and is ready to come out and play.
I keep my focus steady, knowing that she could shift to her wolf at any second.
I can fight her wolf, but it will be more difficult and definitely more painful.
I need to end this quickly before she shifts.
If I had more time, I would play around with her and let her tire herself out before I made my last move.
But I really don’t want to fight a wolf right now, so I go on the attack.
I don’t hold anything back. She's down in seconds.
“Three points,” Hunter says. I walk over to her and put my hand out. She glares up at me but puts her hand out, and I pull her to her feet. I walk over to the side of the circle and put my sneakers and socks back on.
“Where’d you learn to fight like that?” I turn back. She hasn’t left the circle. I know if I tell her who taught me, it will just make her madder; so, I just shrug. “It was the vampires, wasn’t it?”
I meet her gaze and don’t sense any hostility from her, at least not right now. “Yes.”
She stares me down, hands on her hips. “Good fight, Vamp.”
“Thanks. You too, Wolf.”
She scoffs but doesn’t say anything more. A few wolves congratulate me, but most of them just step away from me. I start towards Hunter, and I feel him fall into step next to me. He doesn’t speak until we’re back at the house. “Was it the hair?”
I glance up at him in surprise. “What?”
He nods at my hair. “The hair change. Was that what made you win?”
I snort. “Sure.”
He doesn’t say anything, but when I glance up at him, there’s a small smirk on his face. We head inside, and he walks into the kitchen and opens the fridge. I’m just about to head back to my room, but he turns and tosses a blood bag at me. I catch it midair, surprised. “Thanks.”
“Do you need double because of your run as well as the fight?”
“Uh, no. I’m good. Thanks.”
I don’t tell him that I almost always feel hungry.
I’ve gotten used to it, of course. But it’s always there, taunting me.
The vampires told me it’s because I drink blood out of a bag and not fresh.
If that’s the case, then I’ll stay semi-hungry the rest of my life because I’m not ever changing.
I down the blood on the way back to my room, bury it in the trash can, and wash my hands with hot soap and water.
I almost head back into the kitchen to ask Hunter if he knows anything about the missing blood bags, but I think better of it.
He’ll probably just think I’m losing my mind.
Once I’m back in my room, I head into the bathroom to pick up, but Ava beat me to it.
I pull out my phone and shoot her a text, thanking her for picking up and for dying my hair.
Since I’m already in the bathroom, I undo my braid and finger my dark black hair.
It makes me look so different, and I find I really like it.
I head out to my closet and drawers and start looking through the clothes that Ava and Bryce bought me.
I have no idea what I’ll ever do to repay them, but as Hunter said, I can at least start by wearing them.
I find a black leather jacket and pull it out.
I dig through my drawers until I find a pair of black jeans, and then it’s just a matter of finding a shirt.
I find a V-neck black shirt and slip it over my head.
After a quick search in the closet, I pull on black boots with a small heel.
I slip on gold hoop earrings and then take in my image in the mirror.
It's a lot of black, and I find that I love it.
An urge to show Ava comes over me. I snag my phone and text again.
Me- are you free? i want to show you something
She doesn’t answer, and I pace my room waiting.
After a bit, I decide to leave my room. I head out to the living room and am shocked to see Hunter sitting on the couch watching.
..a fight? He turns to me, and his eyes slide over me, starting at my hair and ending at my boots.
Wanting to break the uncomfortable silence, I cross my arms. “I call it Hunter black.” He smirks then, and I swear it feels like a full smile.
My phone dings, and I glance down at it.
Ava- hey, sorry i missed your text
Ava- i was napping
I frown. Since when does Ava take a nap? She always has more energy than all the pack members combined. “What is it?” Hunter asks.
I shake my head, clearing it. “Nothing. I’m going to head over to Ava’s.” He nods but continues watching the fight. “Aren’t you going to go with me?”
“Nope.”
I watch him, trying to figure out what’s going on. He’s shadowed my every move since I got here. “You’re not worried about me? That I’ll go on a murderous—”
“No.”
I turn to face the front door and then turn back to him. “I can just go?”
He finally turns to me, frowning. “You’re not a prisoner here.”
I let out a laugh. “Right. That's why I’ve been trapped here since I got here.”
His scowl deepens. “You haven’t been trapped here.”
“Yes, I have.”
He turns back to his fight. “How many times have you gone over to Ava’s to sit outside?” I’m just about to answer when he speaks again. “How many times have you and Ava gotten together to watch a movie? And didn’t you go to the mall with her?”
“Okay. Fine. Whatever. I’ll see you later.” I stride towards the front door.
“You have your phone on you?” he calls out after me.
“Yes, Dad.” I close the door behind me, probably a little harder than I intend. I take in a deep breath and then make my way over to the alpha’s house. It only takes me a few minutes. When I get there, I put up my hand to knock, but Ava opens the door first.
“Oh. My. Word.”
I cringe. “Too much black?”
She grins slowly. “No way. I love it. You look like a sexy warrior.”
I frown. “Uh, that’s not—”
She laughs. “Your face. Come on. Get in here.” She closes the door behind me.
I sniff the air and look at her in surprise. “You’re cooking?”
She grimaces. “I’m trying, but it’s not going well.”
“What are you making?”
“Chicken enchiladas.” She looks at me with hope in her eyes. “Do you know how to cook?”
“Nope. My mom and I existed solely on takeout and boxed and canned foods.”
She stares at me, and I realize what I let slip. That's probably the first time I’ve ever said anything about my past. She quickly moves on, letting it slide. “I’ve been working on the chicken, but I just can’t do it.”
“Can’t do what?”
“Prep it.”
I frown in confusion. “What are you talking about?”
“Every time I pick it up, I start gagging. I just can’t do it.” She glances at her phone. “And Bryce is going to be home for dinner soon.” She groans loudly. “I am the worst wife ever.”
“I’m pretty sure that label goes to women who cheat on their husbands, so unless you’re doing that, you’re fine.”
“What?!”
“Are you cheating on Bryce?”
“Are you crazy? No!”
I shrug. “Then you’re not the worst wife ever.”