Tempest

Hayden Boudreaux couldn't decide which was worse— that he was falling in love with a mortal or that the only way to break his family's centuries-old curse would be to kill her. Of all that he was certain was the more time he spent with her, the more he knew he would do anything to protect Adriana Alexander, including sacrificing his eternity. What he wouldn't expect was that Luke - his brother that hated Ana, who wanted to kill her - would decide he would want her as his own.

Tempest

Jenna-Lynne Duncan

Smashwords Edition

Copyright (c) 2012 Jenna-Lynne Duncan

Edited by Rebecca Wahl

Cover Art by Elena Lee

All rights reserved. No portion of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without prior permission from the author, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages in a review.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Epilogue

Aftermath

Dedication

To my readers. Without your love of the Boudreaux brothers, this book would have never been written.

Chapter One

We are such stuff as dreams are made on, rounded with a little sleep

-Tempest by William Shakespeare.

What had I become? I hadn’t even bothered paying for the car I was driving. Worse, it was as if I didn’t even give the stealing a second thought, like it was second nature to just take and not think of the consequences to others. Wasn’t that exactly what the Supernatural thought they were? Super, as in superior to the normal, tedious doings of the human world? So what if the entire human world depended on the balance that we as Hunters gave it? What I do is nothing to be proud of. I would never be arrogant about it like some of the others…

My hand clenched the leather of the steering wheel at the thought. It took me a while to get off the main road. Soon, the entrance appeared through the vegetation. This was Louisiana and in swamp territory, what’s not there one minute can appear the next. Unfortunately, the same theory applied to the opposite. I turned into the unpaved entrance. The thin, one-lane road was the only thing cutting through the swamp. As I drove, the trees were becoming thicker, almost more sinister, like they knew what the end of this road held. I was almost there, I could smell it. It was the scent of incense, of candlewood, of death.

I pulled in front of the run-down house, barely putting the car in park before running to the front door. I was already doing everything else in supernatural mode, why not go all in? The humor almost led to a smile.

Sansha was at the door before I could give it another thought. She wasn’t surprised in the least to see me. Of course not. Giving me her pearl-and-gold smile, she held out the door for me to enter.

I kicked away empty bottles as I walked into her clutter. I would never pretend to understand the supernatural. Although, Sansha did chose to live in this modest house and that was something I could understand.

I realized that I hadn’t said a word of greeting, which may have triggered the intense silence between us. Before I could offer a hello, she spoke.

I hear you were out of your territory.

You hear or see?

She laughed without humor.

I needed to get away. I think even you could understand that, I offered as an explanation.

She nodded. Your brother is doing well. I scoffed, because I didn’t remember asking about him. You on the other hand, she continued, while giving me a once-over, you’ve really let yourself go, haven’t you? What a waste, having a human form! She laughed with a little more humor this time.

I was human. This is my form. I bit out. I wondered what she saw in me and I looked down at my bare torso. It was no wonder, I wasn’t even properly dressed.

Mmm, was all she replied as she left me to sit on a chair.

So, why am I here? I remembered my human courtesies and sat down across from her.

She regarded me for a while and I was silent, letting her play her games.

Her mouth parted for a while before the words came out, I think it’s time to go back to New Orleans.

I was just in New Orleans taking care of that vampire situation.

I meant for good. She leaned back in her chair, her braids thrown over her shoulders. Are you still planning on destroying yourselves just to break the curse?

I clenched my jaw and gave her a curt nod. Did everyone know what we were planning? That we would rather not exist at all then have to continue to serve the Underworld?

What if there was another way? Would you do it? How far would you go to be released from the hold of the Underworld?

Anything, I said with slightly more emotion. She already knew the answer.

Kill?

I scoffed. Wasn’t that what I was created to do?

A human?

Chapter Two

Why would they want a human murdered so badly that they would send supernatural hunters to do it? Especially since the payment was so high—our freedom.

Yes, I was most definitely intrigued…

On my way to Tampa, I backtracked to drop off a stack of cash from where I took the car. A courtesy of my conscious, if you could call it that.

I cut the drive in half by not bothering to follow most human roadway laws. It still left me plenty of time to think, and to think was what I needed. From the beginning, I decided not to bring Luke into this. How could I trust him not to do anything impulsive when I myself was unsure of what to do?

I would have to tell my mother and father because without their advice, how could I clearly know if this was the offer of a lifetime, even several lifetimes? Plus, the slip of control I was feeling lately could only be remedied by my father, always the one to pride himself on morals and finding the good in our monstrosities. Yes, they were exactly what I needed to figure this out.

I rolled down the windows instinctively as I felt the approach toward the ocean shore. Within minutes the scent of the ocean, humid and slightly salty, crept in. I could sense my parents were there but didn’t know if Luke would be home yet.

It was in my best interest if he wasn’t.

I instinctively pressed down the gas pedal and was pulling into our beachfront home within seconds. I thrust the car in park and left for the front door, leaving the car keys inside. That would be the last time I could drive that car anyway.

My father met me at the door; a smile was on his face until he took in my appearance. At least I had the chance to clean up a little for them.

Where’s mom? I ignored the questions on his face.

In the kitchen. She felt you coming. We walked silently into the other room. I saw her behind the steel doors of the refrigerator.

She let the door slam closed as she came out with container of mushrooms and something that smelled like parsley. I hope you’re hungry.

I wanted to laugh. Hunters never ‘got’ hungry. I don’t feel like going through the motions tonight, mom.

I felt a twinge of guilt at the pain my words caused her. She was always trying to be normal, always trying to do what’s best. I like what you’ve done with the place, I added as amends after seeing she redecorated again.

She managed to smile at this. I’m glad at least someone took notice. She wiped her hands on an apron and shot a playful glance at my father. She looked back at me as if to take in my demeanor. Then she frowned. She met me on the other side of the kitchen’s island and sat down on one of the steel bar stools. What’s happened? She touched the chair, too worried to say sit down with words.

I placed my hands on the counter and hung my head. I don’t know yet. It could be nothing.

My father crossed his arms but didn’t say anything, even though his face threatened me to continue.

I shook my head and decided it better to just come out with it. They want me to kill a human girl.

My parents loosened their arms, looking relieved. Well you know more than anyone that it is not in our contract. My father’s words were laced with confusion as if he were waiting for me to state my dilemma.

The reward? Mothers always knew their children best.

I smirked. Our freedom.

My mother’s gasp was drowned out by the sound of Luke in the kitchen. I cursed under my breath. I was so involved with telling my parents I had failed to sense that Luke was home.

He looked at me from the doorway with a knowing smirk on his face. You were trying to keep this little nugget of information from me, weren’t you?

It is not even something worth considering. I glared at him.

The hell it isn’t! Even your father didn’t jump right into the whole morality speech.

Wait just a minute now, boys..., my father quickly realized his mistake and tried to step forward.

Maybe the reason I was trying to keep it from you is because you’re young and irrational.

"Maybe you’re just too stupid to see what’s in front of you!"

I pushed the stool back with a