CHAPTER NINETEEN—I can’t lose you too!

Freya Rose I awoke to the smell of fresh coffee and bagels. I was laid on the couch with a blanket draped over me. I sat up and stretched while wiping the sleep out of my eyes. Mason was right about one thing, being here had given me two nights of the best sleep I'd had in a long time.

“Morning love, how are you feeling?” Samael asked when he entered the living room with a cup of coffee and a plate of delicious looking bagels.

“I feel great, thank you. Are those for me?” I asked in excitement.

“No! They're mine, I didn't walk all the way into town to buy fresh coffee and bagels just for you,” he said while trying to be all serious, but the smirk on his face gave him away instantly.

“Just give them here you joker,” I said with a snigger while holding my hand out waiting to receive my goods.

“I can't get anything past you, can I?”

He handed me the plate of bagels then placed the coffee on the table. I sniggered as I thought to myself, like the food would have been for him, who's he trying to fool? Did he think that I'd suddenly forgot that he's a vampire? I rolled my eyes at his silliness. He left the room, and I took a giant bite out of the soft warm bagel and tried to chew it as quickly as I could before he returned. Unfortunately, I wasn't fast enough, and my cheeks were still puffed out like a greedy squirrel when he walked back into the room. I stared at him wide-eyed with embarrassment and he cracked up.

“Oh my God, look at the state of you. It's like you've never been fed before. Are you always this messy?” He asked while he leant over and gently brushed the crumbs away from my mouth.

I wiped down my t-shirt while he sat down beside me. I waited until I'd swallowed my food before I even attempted to speak. I was embarrassed enough. I didn't need to be spitting food at him too.

“Thank you for the coffee and breakfast, you really didn't have to.”

He took a sip of his coffee and then replied, “It's no trouble, honestly. And besides, I had to find something to do while I waited for sleeping beauty to wake up,” he smirked at me, then took another sip of his coffee.

“Oh, did I sleep that long? What's the time?” I asked while I searched around for my phone, then I realized that my phone must be upstairs still, because I hadn't checked it since I arrived.

Instant panic swept over me as the thought hit me, what if Mason had tried to call me? I placed my bagels on the table and jumped off of the couch.

“Hey, I sorted someone to come and fix the window…” Samael began to say but I didn't stick around long enough to let him finish, I sprinted out of the living room and straight up the stairs to Mason's room.

Once in the Spiderman themed child's bedroom, I ran over to the bedside table and there sat my phone plugged into the charger. Mason must have charged it for me. Just speaking his name in my mind made my eyes sting, I missed him so much. I took the phone off the side and unplugged it from the charger. I sat down on the bed and crossed my legs. I held the phone in my hands for a little while and just stared at the empty blackness of its screen. I finally took a deep breath and held in the on button and closed my eyes while I waited for it to boot up. The silence was haunting, and the wait was excruciating. Finally, my ears were bombarded by high pitched dings from the hunk of plastic sitting within my clenched hands. My eyes sprung open, and I quickly unlocked my phone to see what notifications awaited me.

Seven unread messages and two voicemails. I debated for a second on which ones I should start with. I startled when my phone began to vibrate and my ringtone Glitter and Gold by Barns Courtney began to play. The display flashed with an unknown number, and I hesitantly hit the green button and answered the call.

“Hello?” I questioned nervously.

“Freya! Thank the angels. Baby, are you okay? Where have you been? I've been trying to get a hold of you since I left.”

He sounded panicked and was rambling just like Sadie.

“Yeah, I'm okay…I've only just found my phone and turned it on. Why didn't you ring your mom's house phone?” I asked bluntly.

I missed him and was excited to hear his voice, but I didn't want him to know that. I was still mad at him for leaving without saying a word and wanted him to sweat a little longer.

“Yours is the only number I know off by heart. I forgot my phone when I left, so I bought a new one on the way home once I'd realized that I'd left it behind,” he said as matter of fact.

His words pissed me off, left it behind? Left it behind? I raged inside.

“Well, you seem to be leaving everything behind lately, don't you, Mason?” I said angrily through gritted teeth.

I heard him let out a soft sigh and I guessed he was rubbing his head thinking about how to reply.

“Look, Fi. I am sorry about leaving you the way I did, I really am. I just need to face them alone. I didn't want to get into it with you, because I knew that nothing I said, would have stopped you from wanting to come with me,” he said sincerely.

I knew that he was right, but being the stubborn ass I was, I had to carry it on.

“Well, you could have tried to explain to me. You could have tried to convince me, or at least let me have a fucking choice, Mason!” I shouted down the phone, letting my anger get the better of me. “Christ, Mason! You didn't just have to leave me here. Leave me here feeling alone and scared that you're gonna get yourself killed!” I shouted again, but this time my voice was breaking as I tried to hold back the tears that threatened to escape my eyes and wash over my face like a tsunami.

“Oh baby…” He said softly trying to calm me down, but it just made me angrier.

“Don't oh baby me! Did you forget that I have just lost both of my parents, Mason? How did you think I'd feel, waking up and you're gone? I told you, I can't lose you too, it'll kill me,” I screamed at the phone as I held it out in front of me.

“Freya, I'm so sorry, I…” He began to try to explain, but I couldn't listen anymore.

“I can't handle this right now.”

The walls holding back my tears burst and I began to sob uncontrollably. I could hear Mason trying to talk to me while I placed the phone onto the bed, then dropped my head into my hands. Within seconds Samael was by my side, he scooped me up and sat me on his lap, bringing me into his not so warm embrace. I laid my head on his chest and cried my heart out.

“Mason, is it?” Samael asked as he answered the phone.

I couldn't fully hear Mason's reply, but to be honest, I wasn't interested in listening once I heard the words 'who the fuck…?'

“I'm Samael, Freya's friend. Look she can't talk right now, she's extremely upset. But I promise she is safe and well cared for. I will get her to call you back once she's calmed down and she's ready to talk to you, okay?” Samael said quite bluntly but was polite.

He hung up the phone, not even bothering to wait for a response from Mason. He then turned it off and threw it across the bed, before wrapping his arms around me like a strong shield. I was grateful that he had taken over for me. I knew Mason would be pissed off and have a lot of questions, but I really couldn't function at that moment. It seemed as if all my tears that had been building up over the last few months finally wanted out and I couldn't stop them even if I'd tried.

***

Mason Hart “Okay? No, it's not okay! What the hell…” I shouted down the phone until I realized that the damn bloodsucker had put the phone down on me. “Fuck!” I shouted into the air in frustration and threw the phone down onto the floor then stamped on the blasted thing, shattering it into pieces.

I slumped to the floor of the parking lot outside the convenience store where I'd just bought the phone. A woman and child were watching me while they walked past. The little boy no older than about five years old was curious and stared at me, so I politely smiled at him. The little boy smiled back, to the complete disgust of his mother, who proceeded to scowl at me then quickly ushered the child away. I sat on the curb with my legs crossed and my head bowed, asking myself, how did my life get to this point?

A year ago, I was perfectly happy hunting bloodsuckers and dirty mutts with Damien, Evan, Finn, and the others. Partying and falling into bed with whoever took my fancy. Now look at me: sitting alone in a parking lot with women dragging their kids away from me, all while trying to work out how to save my Fianna from the hunter's council, who want to use her as the ultimate weapon to create an army of hybrids.

I began to pick through the rubble that was my mobile phone and managed to salvage my sim card. I flipped the sim card over and over staring at it as I continued in my thoughts. I know leaving her the way I did was cowardly, but seriously, the second my back's turned, she's got Samael sniffing around? Like what the fuck is that about? I swear to the angels, once all of this is over, I'm killing that son of a bitch.

Now more angry than sad, I stood up and stormed across the parking lot and back into the store to buy another mobile phone. Once I had the new phone all set up, I left. When I knew the coast was clear, I ascended and flew up into the air and headed for home. I flew for around twenty minutes or so, then slowed my speed when the cabin came into view. I spotted a van and two cars that I didn't recognize, and I guessed they were Kali and her crew’s. I dropped down to the ground and took in a deep breath as I prepared to face the bitch. I knew she wasn't going to be happy. I was supposed to be back here yesterday with Freya, but as I couldn't get a hold of her, I panicked and stayed away from the cabin until I'd heard from her. I couldn't focus not knowing that she was safe. I strolled towards the cabin with my head held high and ready to face my fate alone. I just hoped to God that Stevie and the male hunter were the only two that Kali had killed, but I doubted that very much since she was a twisted psychopath.

As I approached the cabin, the door swung open and the person that greeted me wasn't at all as I expected. After hearing stories about Kali and hearing how sadistic she was over the phone, I had an image of her built up in my head. I thought she'd be ugly and the very sight of her would make my skin crawl, but she wasn’t, and it didn't. She stood there in the doorway, arms folded and tapping her foot on the ground, and I swear to God, it could have been Freya standing there pissed off at me for coming home late from the bar or a hunt. She was the exact image of Freya, she was the same height around five foot four and had the same mousy brown hair, but she wore it slicked back into a tight ponytail. Even her eyes were the same bright blue color, except hers had a slight gold hue to them. Her slim build was the same too and all of her curves matched her nieces, exactly. I with my mouth wide open while scanning my eyes across her body in shock and awe. I couldn't believe the uncanny resemblance.

Before I had a chance to react, Kali raced towards me and within a split second she had her ice-cold hand tightly gripped around my neck and had lifted me into the air. I choked and wiggled my legs around as I gasped for air. I tried to pull her hand away from my throat, but it was no use, her grip was like a boa constrictor around a rat.

“Was you seriously just checking me out?” She snarled at me, the gold of her eyes getting brighter as white flecks began to form into circles around her pupils.

Hunters' eyes mixed with vampires are really a stunning combination, I thought as my mind drifted. It must have been the lack of oxygen. I shook my head as best I could, but she just squeezed harder, crushing any hope I had of breathing. Her nails pierced through my skin allowing tiny streams of blood to trickle down my neck.

“Don't lie to me. I don't like liars,” she said calmly while tilting her head to the side and distractedly watching my blood as it ran down her arm. She licked her lips then looked back up into my eyes. “Where is Freya?” She demanded. I opened my mouth to speak, but no words came out. I felt lightheaded, and my eyes began to roll back into my head as I felt myself beginning to pass out. When my eyes closed, I felt a sharp pain in my temple when Kali's other hand punch me upside my head. “Wake the fuck up! I said where is Freya?” She screamed out, clearly getting impatient.

But I don't know what she wants me to do, I can't breathe, so how in the hell does she expect me to talk? I thought while I frantically pointed towards her hand that was still squeezing the life out of me. She began laughing like a crazy lady, then hit herself on the forehead with her palm a few times while she rolled her eyes.

“Silly me. How can you talk when you can't even breathe? Really sorry about that, please continue what you were about to say,” she said politely while lowering me to the ground and letting go of my neck.

She stood there licking my blood off of her fingers. It was truly disgusting and made my stomach turn, but I had to let the small things go while I got my breath back and thought of my next move. I bent over and gasped, sucking in copious amounts of much needed air into my deflated lungs. I held one finger up to indicate to her to give me a second. She huffed and folded her arms while tapping her foot again. Patience clearly wasn't her strong suit. Once I'd gasped, coughed and spluttered enough, I stood back up to face her. It was still surreal seeing Freya's face staring back at me, but I had to ignore the resemblance and figure out what to tell her. The woman definitely wasn't the kind and sweet-hearted Freya that I knew and loved. That woman was her murderous, twisted and sadistic aunt Kali.

“She left me,” I said sadly, trying to put enough emotion in it to sound convincing.

“She left you? What the hell does that mean? I told you to bring her back. I don't give a shit about your relationship status,” she hissed at me.

She gradually approached me with her bloodstained hand stretched out ready to grab my throat again. I stood my ground, showing her none of the fear that was beginning to creep up inside of me. She really was exactly like my father and Damien had described.

“No, but you may be interested in who she left me for…” I said with a raised eyebrow, I paused to gauge her reaction.

What I was about to say next would go one of two ways, bad, or disastrous, but it was all I could think of to distract her from wanting to kill me. She stopped her advance and tilted her head, then furrowed her brow and rolled her eyes at me.

“Well? Continue,” she said impatiently while swirling her hand around to speed me up.

I took in a deep breath, then exhaled.

“Samael,” I said calmly then dropped my head like I was broken-hearted.

I knew that Freya hadn't left me for Sam, but I also knew that despite Kali's anger towards him, she was still in love with him. Yes, this would make her want to kill Freya, but that, we can deal with later. For now, she has no idea where Freya and Sam are, and I need to get her away from here so that I can protect the faction.

“That sneaky son of a bitch, he couldn't have me, so he took my niece!” She snapped, then doubled over cackling away to herself.

I stood there, gob-smacked at her outburst. She really was mad, how she hated Selene so much, I didn't know, because to me they seemed like two peas in a pod. Both as insane as one another. Once she'd managed to calm down, she stood up straight-faced, then glared at me, like she was trying to work something out, or see if I was lying. I kept a sad look on my face trying to seem legit and she bought it. She stepped closer to me, and I stiffened up, not knowing what to expect. She placed her arm around me and patted my back.

“I'm sorry Mason, but he is a charmer. You couldn’t have competed with a man like him. Just like Freya can't compete with a woman like me. Don't worry, I will find them and bring them both back to the council. They will soon regret crossing us,” she said sweetly as she led me towards the cabin.

***

Freya Rose I had finally managed to calm down and ease my tears. Samael carried me downstairs and placed me onto the couch while he went to make coffee. I held my phone in my hands, contemplating whether or not to ring Mason. I closed my eyes and sighed while I placed it on the table. I wasn't ready.

“Are you okay, love?” Sam asked when he walked back into the living room with two cups of coffee.

I lifted my legs and he sat down, and I positioned my legs back down on his lap. He handed me my coffee then sat back and got himself comfortable.

“Yeah,” I said with an exaggerated sigh.

“Do you want to talk about it?”

“No, not really.”

Suddenly he pushed my legs off of his lap and stood up. After slamming his cup onto the table, he began to pace. I sat up and put my coffee down too. I watched while he pressed his two fingers onto his forehead, closed his eyes and furrowed his brow in concentration.

“What's wrong? Is it Selene?” I questioned with concern.

He held his finger up to shush me, then nodded as he said out loud, “Okay, Selene. I understand. I'll take her somewhere safe.” When he finally opened his eyes to look at me, he said in an unsteady voice, “Kali's on her way!”