ripped apart

Hunter felt the woman’s presence before she even made it to his door. It was funny how the one day he stayed home to work on some things, she appeared. And by the sound of it, really upset. He wanted to ignore her; just block her out completely. But his heart wouldn’t let him. Stupid heart. Since the last time he saw her, e had been trying to hate her. The vampire wasted years looking for her, meanwhile Saphira and her must’ve been laughing at his foolishness. And yet he couldn’t bring himself to hate her. Nor ignore her when she needed him. The man opened the door and looked at her, nor showing any emotions. “What do you want? You already made it clear that you don’t need me, so why are you here?”

“Jacob!”

“Yea, I”m a selfish prick. I’m not gonna deny that. But I’ve never had the wrong intentions. Not when it comes to you, and definitely when it comes to your brother. The only wrong I ever did was love you too much and for that you punish me, yourself and your brother? You ran away from the only family you had all because I did you wrong. Do you know how childish that is? I would’ve left you alone had you just asked me. Because I would never force someone who doesn’t wanna be with me to be with me. I’m not that selfish.” he responded, angrily. “You make it seem it seem like I ended your life completely, but you’re still living. You’re still with your brother. Not only that, but you can protect your brother better than you ever could. I’m not saying I did you a favor, but I could’ve easily just let you die that day. But I didn’t. Because I fucking loved you and when you love someone you’d do anything for them. Anything. You do whatever you think it’s better for them, just like you’re doing with your brother. So how does that make you any better than me? When it comes to bad, we’re just the same. You’re making this about you and our problems, instead of your brother. He’s a grown man who can make is own decisions. And you know what? You’re right, I wasn’t a big part of his life. But he was a big part of my life. You both were a huge impact in my life. That’s why I wanna help him. Because even if I only babysat, you both lived in my house for over a year. Maybe I’m not cold-hearted like you and when I live with someone and spend enough time with someone, I start to care about them.”

“That’s exactly why I left you.You were the person I loved, someone I trusted and the last person I ever expected to hurt me like you did. But --- don’t be confused. I left you, not everyone else. Saphira? She’s like my sister and I would never leave her like that. So, no ... I didn’t lave my only family. My best friend is the only person from Boston that kept contact with me.” Harley scoffed, removing herself from the place and stood before him -- arms folded over her chest. Brown hues stared up at his with nothing but anger, refusing to lose eye contact. This conversation about her brother was not something she wanted to have with Hunter. He was the last person who’d ever understand. “Funny because my memory of our last moment seem to be a little different. I don’t know about you, but when I did try to leave you, you begged me not too. ‘Minah, we’re not breaking up. Be mad at me all you want, but don’t leave me. Please.’ You really couldn’t take no as an answer back then and you still can’t take it now. I’m not saying I didn’t care about you. I loved you and at the time, you were only person I ever pictured myself with. But now? Times have changed, I’ve changed. And you need to let the past go.”

“Then you talk to him, Minah. Or Harley –whatever you wanna be called. You talk to him and you tell him that you don’t want me investigating this. If he backs up, I won’t contact him anymore. But he is eighteen and can make choices for himself. If he wants me to still contact him for this, then I will and there’s nothing you can do about it. I’m sorry.” he responded. He felt like it was his fault that Minah became this heartless person that she was now. Before she was the complete opposite of this. It seemed with age she resembled her once best friend Saphira more and more. “He asked and I told him. I have nothing to hide to anyone. I wasn’t going to lie to the boy. Just because you have him thinking he’s someone he’s not doesn’t mean I’m gonna do the same.”

“He has no choice but to let this go, Hunter, and this whole conversation with you is really starting to piss me off now more than ever. My brother is no longer allowed to keep contact with you or anyone else in your rebel gang. I raised him and he know I have his best intentions at heart, so he will listen to me. Worst comes to worse, there’s compulsion and I have no issue using it on him.” Upon hearing his answer to her previous question, Harley lost it. “You had no right to say anything to him. He’s my kid, not yours. You think that just because you knew him for a couple of years it gives you the right to meddle in? Stop acting like you were a big part of his life, Hunter. You were there for three years. I was there his whole life. Do you honestly believe that because you babysat while I worked , you have any type of say in what goes on? I didn’t want him to know and you should’ve respect my decision. But, of course, everything is about you and nothing has changed. Still the same self-centered and selfish prick I left fourteen years ago. ”

“Three days?…A lot can happen in three days. Don’t worry, though. We’ll find him.“ he assured the boy. Dead or alive, they were going to find Jacob’s friend.Hopefully alivve tough. “You really don’t remember, huh? Fourteen years ago, your sister and I used to date. We were good friends, then we started dating. The two of you lived with me for a while. Before……before I turned her.”

“So ... you and Harley were thing?” Jacob stared blankly, unable to believe or how to react. His sister was involved with the leader of the rebels? It was surprising news to him, but the following information? It threw him off. “You changed her? You made her into a vampire? No wonder she doesn’t want anything to do with you.”

“I’m sorry, Mina. But your brother didn’t come to Hunter for help, he came to the leader of the Rebels for help and I am not gonna turn my back on him because of my personal matters with you.” he said, sternly. It’s not like he wanted to spend more time around her when he knew she didn’t want him in his life. If it was up to him, he’d leave and she’d never hear from him again because that would make her happy. But Jacob needed him –he needed someone to help find his friend and he wasn’t going to turn against him now. “Mina you better than anyone should know that your brother is nnot gonna let this go. If he went as far as seeking my help, if I tell him no he’s gonna go on his own and get answers and that’s even more dangerous. If I’m investigating, no harm will come to him. It’s just gonna be me and my team. You and him will only see me when I have something to share with you. Hell, you don’t even need to see me since this is between me and your brother.”

Michelle jerked her head to look at her friend. She shook her head, clenching her fists. “I just can’t go back there. No, I won’t go back there. They’re not helping me anyway. Besides, I have all of this under control now. I really do.” She reassured her friend just as the hallway light burned out behind them. “I-I have to go before they wake up. Distract them, please.” She slowly took a step back as if she was getting ready to run at any moment.

“Your brother came to me, I’m not gonna turn my back on him.” Hunter said, even if he bothered her Man Se needed him. He once cared about that little boy like it was his own child, even though he grew up and didn’t remember Hunter, it wasn’t going to change how Hunter felt. He hated that he had to go against her, but he wanted to at least do this for Man Se and get to the bottom of this issues. The Rebels handed all vampire business –whether it was helping them or punishing them. “When did you turn this cold-hearted? It’s your brother’s friend –someone he really cares about. Is that really wanna you wanna tell him? To just move on because his friend is probably dead anyways? Do you think that’ll help him? You’re really something else.”

“Let. Me. GO!” Michelle screamed, jerking from the other’s grip. Her eyes turned a flash of gold, sending the other backwards, hitting the wall. “Don’t make me go back there. Please.” She begged, her eyes back to her regular brown.