Hunger: Volume 4 Read Free

didn’t
know what to do. I didn’t plan on being changed. Cornelius claimed he was going
to kill me. Part of me was beginning to think that would have been the better
option.

 
    I
knocked gently on the door to Luca’s room. I wasn’t entirely sure what I was
going to say. We hadn’t addressed the fact that he had been lying the entire
time I knew him. I wasn’t even really sure how I was going to address it, or
even if I should.
    The
door opened and Luca looked me over. He looked slightly relieved. He pulled me
into a hug. I stiffened a little. As much as I tried not to let it I could feel
the hunger just beneath the surface. I could hear his heart pumping the blood
through his veins. I was starting to understand vampires, and I didn’t like it.
I pulled away and pushed the hunger back down. “Aubrey said you wanted to see
me.”
    He
nodded as he pulled me into the room and shut the door behind me. “I wanted to
make sure you were ok. I didn’t mean to knock you out like that. You were
talking about finding werewolves. I didn’t realize they were your friends like
that.”
    “It’s
ok. I understand you were afraid. I was too,” I said softly as I sat down on
the bed.
    “What
are you going to do now?” he asked as he sat down next to me.
    “Stay
here I supposed. Find a way to kill Cornelius. I have a few plans,” I said
absently as I looked around. It looked like he had made himself at home in
Aubrey’s hideout.
    “I
was going to try to join Colin’s group, but as you can imagine he isn’t very
happy with me. He seems determined to blame everyone for what happened,” he
said dryly.
    “I
know, he was yelling at Aubrey earlier. So are you staying here then?” I asked
watching him. I thought it was a little amusing that he was going to stay in a
vampire hideout. I frequented the place, but I didn’t stay permanently and I
never imagined I would.
    “Aubrey
said I could. I want to stay wherever you are. I swear from now on I will never
lie to you again.” He sounded more like he was begging for my approval then
asking.
    I
wanted to be angry with him, but for some reason I couldn’t be. We had too much
history. There were so many times when he was the only one there for me. He was
my only family. In a way I had betrayed him by joining the renegades just as
much as he had betrayed me. He was young and following orders, maybe I was just
being selfish. Everything seemed so messed up. Nothing was clear to me like it
had been before. “I don’t really know what I am going to do. Whatever it is, I
don’t want you getting hurt.”
    “I
owe you,” he said softly.
    I
sighed as I stood. “No you don’t. You didn’t know any better. It would be safer
for you to avoid me.” I turned to walk away, and he caught me by my wrist.
    “I
won’t take no for an answer,” he said firmly like he wasn’t going to be swayed.
    I
smiled softly. “Just get some rest. I will see you around,” I said as I pulled
away from him. I walked out leaving him sitting there. I wasn’t sure what I was
going to do next so I walked to the bar. I needed a drink. Vampires seemed to
drink alcohol a lot. I was hoping it would help me think more clearly in some
way, but I doubted it.
    I
stepped into the bar. The place quieted. It was probably shocking for some of
them to see a hunter turned into a vampire. They were probably worried I would
kill them. I could imagine a normal hunter would have been angry if he or she
were turned. The vampires probably thought I was out for revenge.
    I
ignored all the curious and worried stares, and walked to the bar. I took a
seat and the bartender looked me over. “Tough night?”
    “You
have no idea. I’ll take anything as long as it is strong,” I muttered.
    He
smiled and started mixing me a drink.
    “Well
I see you found Cornelius,” Justin said sounding slightly amused as he took a
seat next to me.
    “I
am glad you think it’s funny,” I growled trying to control my temper. I noticed
I