Two Hearts: The Hunt [Slowly Editing]

Chapter Thirty-Nine

Adrianna's POV

I wasn't sure where it was my feet had carried the rest of my body-the thing about vampire speed is that if you aren't careful, you might just wind up on the other side of the world. One must always be aware of their surroundings as they speed by, as well as estimate how long you've been running at that speed. I was doing neither.

The image of Caleb and Jess had burned itself into the backs of my eyelids, branding my vision with a freeze-frame of that moment in what I assumed was her bedroom. I had been too distracted with anger and hurt that I had lost track of time while I ran.

I slowed down to a halt atop of the crest of a green hill that overlooked a large, sparkling lake. A faint breeze lapped at my long, unkempt-from-sleep hair as the Sun beamed down on me with full force, its morning rays attempting to warm the inherent iciness that ran through my skin and lived beneath it in my blood and bones.

Beside me was a slender pine tree, stretching out infinitesimally into the clear blue sky, where the occasional puff of white cloud streaked across along with a couple of chirping birds, their wings flapping gracefully against the wind.

I turned around and stared out into the direction from which I had come; I assessed that was I still within the confines of Moonlight Shadows, judging by the familiar peaks of wooden rooftops that peeked up at me from behind a maze riddled with trees. Nobody was in sight. Caleb hadn't even come after me.

I suddenly felt very deflated. How could Caleb do such a thing? Had he truly not cared for me as much as I had assumed? Was this his way of "giving me space?" I was a mix of confusion and anger and pain; the hollowness in my chest felt more pronounced as I turned back around and-

And was met face-to-face with a luminous pair of gold eyes.

I jumped, startled and completely shocked at myself for having overlooked his presence. And he was so close. Before I went ahead and took a hasty step back, Caleb had been standing just inches away from me, wide-eyed and thin-lipped as ever.

He wasn't going to fool me with that puppy stare. Anger took hold of me and I swiveled around, away from the sight of him. I had just taken the first step when I felt hot fingers clamp around my skinny wrist, tight enough to be deemed unwavering.

"Cat," Caleb began, a trickle of desperation weaved in that single syllable. I tugged at his relentless hold; he tightened it in response, pulling my arm backwards. My lips were pursed but a frustrated groan escaped them as I kept my gaze fixated on the rolling slope of the hill before me.

"Cat," he tried again, "Cat, it wasn't what it looked like."

That made me pause. But only because I found that statement to be completely ridiculous. Did he think I was a fool? I asked him that very thing, making sure my voice was as reproachful and cold as I could make it. Even then I found it quite difficult to be stony towards him.

"No," Caleb laughed a little, and my anger spiked. How could he be laughing at a time like this?

I turned to him and his smile faded beneath my smoldering glare. "Do you think this is funny?"

He shook his head quickly, reducing his hold on my wrist by a fraction. "Cat, you've got it all wrong. I know it looked like me and Jess-"

"You two kissed!" I intercepted loudly, refusing to beat around the bush. My accusatory words sounded betrayed and angry-an open window into my inner turmoil of emotions.

Caleb's eyes widened at that, his lips parting in what looked like surprise. Maybe he thought I hadn't seen them lock lips-which was true; I hadn't because the sight of that would have undone me- but I didn't have to. I just knew.