Forever Immortal

by Amelia Hutchins

  “Fuck you! Fuck you and your lies!” I hissed as I stood up and slammed my hand against the glass, watching as it didn’t crack. He stood up, staring down at me as he shook his head and pink tears slipped down his cheeks.

  “Your mother was one of the creatures they captured, Isadora. That grave you stand in front of every day? That’s your father’s. That graveyard you think is full of unmarked heroes is where they bury the monsters they take apart, or the humans who they took out to get to them. It was all a fucking lie. They’ve been studying you. The shots, the thousands of appointments you’ve endured as they poke and prod you, it’s because they’re learning you. You’re not the monster, they are. You were a child, one placed into my path that ended up with you being placed into that white room over and over again, as I was questioned about how your mind worked, or why you protected me. My entire life has been about protecting you from them, and I knew…I knew if I told you the truth, you’d never hear it. You thought they were making a difference, when in reality, they only want to figure out how to make humans immortal like the creatures they have in that building.”

  “Shut up!” I screamed as I placed my hands over my ears as denial and rage pulsed through me. My power erupted, sending my hair floating into the air around me.

  “That bus of children who went missing last year, do you remember that? Remember how enraged you were that the elders forbid you from searching for them? Or how there was no news coverage even though it was an entire bus of orphaned children on their way to the orphanage? You remember how sad you were that they just vanished without a trace and no one else cared but us? We took them, Isa. They are inside the compound even now. I saw one of the boys days before I was given you as a target. I told the elders that you were to be my last mission for the Falcon. He said I would be reassigned to the trial children. Trial children, Isadora! Meaning they injected them with enhanced abilities from the immortals they’d been studying. The boy, he had fangs and had attacked three children already, and as I spoke to the elder in his office, his corpse was brought in as a misfire. They did something to him and created a fucking monster, and then sent him into the compound to see how he responded to being in the population.”

  “They would never do that! It would endanger every child there, every hunter!” I snapped as my claws extended and the glow of my eyes reflected in the glass.

  “Yes, they would, because they did. Underneath my bed is a safe. The combination is the numbers on your father’s grave. Inside of it are pictures I took when they weren’t watching me. Every woman I took to them is in those pictures, and every child I could remember from the one news broadcast is there as well. There’s a file, my file on you is inside it too. Everything they’ve ever asked me about you, and asked me to do to you to tempt the siren out of you. They never understood that there was no siren without you. You are the siren, Isa. You’ve always been her. You have been on a placebo this entire time. I know, because I’m the one who has changed the drop-off meds every time. You’re not the monster, you’ve never been one. You never hurt me, not once. Becoming what you are isn’t going to change you. You are exactly how you are supposed to be. They believe you’re on their meds, so let them. They think the siren slumbers dormant within you, so let them think that. You can enter that building and burn it down. We have to undo what we’ve done for them, before they create a monster that destroys everything and everyone.

  “They’re working to make a new race of hunters. One that will not adhere to the laws of the others,” he said as he placed his hands against the glass. “Why the hell else would they need children no one would miss, and creatures that should have been kill-on-sight orders that turned into captured orders? When was the last time you were ever sent out to capture a creature, Isa? Never. Hunters don’t capture them, we kill. We don’t take children and use them to experiment on. That isn’t what we signed up to do, is it? Help me take them down. Help me save innocent lives like we used to do together. I need you now!”

  I slammed my hands into the glass and watched as it shattered, his eyes flying wide as he stepped backwards. I could feel the magic rushing through me, the power that ignited from within as I let loose the controls I held as I took down the barrier between us.

  “Kiss me, Jesse,” I whispered in a multi-faceted tone that made his body jerk to do as I bid him to with his weakened newborn mind unable to refuse me. The room exploded with doors opening, and then I was thrown backwards against the wall.

  Men pulled a struggling Jesse away as Cian held my throat against the wall, holding it closed from speaking as my anger turned to focus on him.

  “Kiss me,” I hissed and watched as his lips turned into a sinful grin as his black eyes flecked with gold grew large, spider webs of black seeming to surround them as his own power filled the room, smothering mine as if it was child’s play.

  “Oh sweet girl, ye doona need tae use that voice tae get me tae kiss ye. There is nothing aboot ye that I would deny, other than ye are nae wanting tae kiss, are ye? Ye seek tae destroy. He is nae who ye want tae kill, is he? He just spoke unfortunate truths that ye cannot swallow yet.”

  I jumped, wrapping my legs around him as I jerked away, sending him sailing across the room to watch as he caught himself, crouching into a pose to strike against me.

  “Ye want tae play, Isa? Let’s play,” he growled as he stood up, anticipating my move as I moved to the left, intending to use the wall to escape him before I pounced, only to end up on my back on the cold floor. “You’re weak,” he purred as he smiled down at me with his fangs elongated, his eyes black with thin black veins that stretched over his face to disappear beneath his shirt. “Fight me,” he demanded as I bucked against his hold, unable to dislodge him as he held me down. “Come on, ye can do better than that.”

  I lifted my mouth, crushing it against his as I rolled us, staring down at him as I lifted my hand, full of razor-sharp claws. He rolled us again, trapping my arms with his as he stared down at me. He rubbed his hardness against me as he watched me.

  “Come on, siren, show me what ye got.”

  I opened my mouth and screamed, sending my song so deep into the room that glass exploded, shattering into tiny shards. The walls cracked as the doorknobs blew off of them, sailing across the room to be embedded in the opposite wall. I didn’t stop, I put every emotion and need into it and let the scream of the siren rip from my lungs. His hand pressed over my mouth, and I moaned as I shook against him, unable to stop the tears that broke free as I gazed up at him as he fought to end my life. Darkness fought to pull me into the murky depths, and I let it, knowing that if what Jesse said was true, everything about my life was a lie. I had helped them take out their enemies to pave the way for them to murder innocent babes. I didn’t deserve to live, not with their blood on my hands.

  Chapter 13

  I awoke to something touching my face, moving it from one side to the other, as if examining it. My eyes pried open, and I stared into obsidian mixed with golden flecks that turned and smiled at me. He stepped back, letting his hand fall to his side as another male stepped into my line of sight.

  “Isadora, I am Caspian, Caspian MacCameron. Cian’s brother. My friends call me Casp,” he said.

  “Is that so, Caspian?” I hissed as I tore my eyes from him to watch Cian, who silently gazed at me, his eyes burning with anger.

  “Ye are nae in a position tae be a bitch. There’s a device attached tae yer spine, and with a simple swipe, I can hit the kill switch. My brother thinks ye can be of use tae us, but I’m nae sure using something vitriol would be wise. Nothing tae say aboot it?” he asked.

  “There was no question asked.”

  “So ye can be a good bitch?”

  “Enough,” Cian growled.

  “Nae, our sister is in the hands o’ monsters enduring God knows what, and this creature is the only chance we ‘ave o’ getting in tae that building, so if I ‘av
e tae beat her tae death tae get my point across, ye best believe I will do it, brother.”

  “Enough, boys,” a third voice said, and my eyes shifted to the shadows. “Isadora, there are some verra important things tae discuss.”

  “I got that part already.” I stared at their father, who looked a lot more like Caspian than he did Cian. Caspian had red eyes as he stared at me, which meant he was a vampire, and he needed to eat a Snickers candy bar because he was hangry. Their father smiled, and my gaze drifted back to Cian who stood off to the side, peering at me with heated eyes. “Get to the part where you let me go.”

  “My name is Cameron, and I am the laird of an entire clan of hybrid creatures. Ye understand what I am saying, Isadora?”

  “I’m not slow, Cameron. I’m pissed. There is a huge difference between the two. I understand you want me to go back to the hunters and be captured, so that I can open up some door for you and your men, but what makes you think they won’t kill me before I ever get inside that compound?”

  “They need the blood that flows from yer veins. Sirens are powerful creatures and with the voice o’ a siren, they can control men. They want ye alive tae understand what makes ye tick. Ye might get tortured a bit,” he said with a shrug. “I doona intend tae leave ye in there longer than is needed, because my son would like ye back alive.”

  “There’s a problem. I don’t believe any of this, or any of you. You have no proof other than a newly turned hybrid asshat who used to be my best friend before he started pushing up daisies to the tune of his new maker. Not to mention he has a serious dental issue that proves he is no longer alive or to be trusted. Give me proof.” Cameron grabbed my neck, hissing as I stared him right in the eye without fear. “You can’t scare me, I was raised with humans. I’ve put corpses back together so that a family could identify the remains. I’ve ripped spines from monsters to watch as they slowly suffocate to death. I do not fear death, for everything dies, even us. You want me to help you by risking my life? Show me proof. If what is being said is true, I will slaughter them all and bathe in their fucking bone marrow. I will burn them to ashes, but I will not do it without knowing that they deserve it. I’m not asking for a fucking miracle, I’m asking you to show me that I won’t be the monster who takes them down. I’m more than willing to be a monster that goes head-to-head against other monsters. Of that, you can be certain.”

  “Get the safe,” Cian said as he moved closer to me, nodding at the men behind me. “If she opens her fucking mouth, snap her neck. If she screams, anyone who isn’t hybrid dies. Be a good lass and keep yer bonnie lips closed fer me, darling.”

  I smirked and then was dropped to the floor as the chains were released. I brought my chained hands down slowly as I rubbed feeling into them as men entered the room with a safe and my overnight bag, dropping both onto a table. I lifted my eyes to Cian and at his nod, I moved closer to it.

  “We did nae ‘ave the combination, as we never chanced getting close tae ye as we had surveillance on ye.” I studied him for a moment before I moved forward, pushing in the numbers of the grave I’d always been drawn to. With a loud pop, it released as my fingers pulled it open.

  Inside were pictures and memory cards. I picked up the pictures, placing them on the table one by one. The first was of me, the date on the back a delivery date and the location of the drop. I set it aside and watched out of the corner of my eye as Cian picked up the smiling photo of me as I flipped Jesse off outside a theatre we’d went to last year. The next was of a golden-eyed woman with jet-black hair, delicate features that reminded me of Cian more than the other men. I wanted to ask if she was hybrid, but having my neck snapped wasn’t on my wishlist this week. More and more pictures of women Jesse had captured slipped through my fingers until they turned into children. I stared at one, the familiar freckles making nausea push against the back of my throat.

  I set them down and handed Cian the memory chips as he lifted his hand to cup my chin. I pulled away from him, stepping back towards the guards who would take me down if I made one wrong move. I didn’t want or need his comfort. I wanted to know what was on the cards. I pointed to them as he watched me.

  He took his phone from his pocket, and I watched him use his inhuman speed as he texted a message and then moments later, the door opened, and equipment was brought in. Watching in silence, they brought in a TV, another device, and then Cian knelt in front of the device, pushing the one thumb drive into it. Within seconds, I was on the television in my leathers, with my face hidden by a half-skull mask. Training day, where we gathered the youth into the main courtyard and made them wish to be like us.

  “What is this?” Cian asked, his eyes watching me.

  I shrugged his question off as I watched Branson stepping up to face off against me with swords. I was wearing leather pants, combat boots, and a tight shirt that exposed my midriff that Branson couldn’t seem to look away from. My eyes strayed to the crowd as I heard Jesse cussing behind the camera that he ran. Even the ‘me’ in the video heard it and looked over at him before I turned to look into the crowd. I got closer to Cian, pushing him out of the way as I scanned the faces in the crowd, noting several men who I didn’t recognize. Branson swung his sword, using my distraction to get the advantage and I swung out, easily disarming him as I once again eyed the crowd before I stared into the camera.

  “What the hell is up with you? Need me to kick your ass so you can focus?” I asked the camera, and I made a face when he offered me an obscene gesture. “Seriously, you’re weird lately. Maybe you should go bang Sarah and see if it helps.”

  “You’re not allowed to speak like that,” he hissed barely above his breath.

  “What are they going to do, spank me? I may like it,” I laughed as I wiggled my brows, and then turned as a vampire was brought out as the dome above us closed to block out the sun. I swallowed as I turned my focus to the men who marched him to his death. “Crime?”

  “What does it matter, MacPherson, he’s a vampire. It’s crime enough.”

  “It matters to me, so spill it.”

  “He was discovered in an abandoned house, feeding from a toddler after murdering its entire family.”

  “So why wasn’t he just killed in the field?” I asked as a frown marred my lips.

  “Don’t ask stupid questions,” Jesse growled. “Focus, or you may finally get to feel what it is like to be eaten, whore.”

  “Fuck you, bitch,” I said with a brilliant smile lighting in my eyes. “I’m all for self-discovery, but fangs are a hard limit for me.” I flipped him my middle finger as I stepped forward, withdrawing both blades as I moved towards the chained vampire. “Unchain him.”

  “No fucking way,” the guard said in a strangled voice.

  “Are you afraid? Don’t worry; I’ll protect you, Hanson. Your virginity will be safe with me guarding it.”

  I watched as they started to unchain him; Jesse was there, telling me just to take him out, but that wasn’t what the elders wanted. They wanted the kids to see a fight, because he promised them that if they trained enough, they could be like me.

  “You know what they want, and taking his head off isn’t it. They’re watching me.”

  “You know what happens when you fight, and what they do to you afterwards,” he hissed as he pleaded for me to just take the vampire’s head and be done with it.

  I turned and eyed the camera with sad eyes. “I’m used to it, it doesn’t hurt anymore.”

  “Isa, it hurts me, it hurts me!”

  “Isn’t that cute?” Hanson chuckled as he pulled off the last chain to free the starving vampire.

  I stepped forward, ignoring Jesse as my eyes captured one of the elders as I nodded to him as I rushed towards the vampire, rolling when he lunged, letting him think I was clumsy as he struck me. He rushed at me again, and I jumped, spinning sideways in midair as I sliced through him, landing and twisting
to face him again. He lunged and my swords crisscrossed in front of me, and I watched as he stalled, staring down at his body as it slowly slipped apart. I turned, winking at Jesse as the elders moved into the field with the men in the white jackets behind them. I lifted my blades once more, taking his head. I tossed my blades aside as Jesse backed up. The children were ushered from the stands, and when they’d vanished, it began.

  “I didn’t change,” I whispered.

  “You know she enjoys murdering everything. She is a monster, and no matter how hard you try, she comes soon after the kill to continue murdering those who do not deserve it,” Drake said as he nodded to the doctors.

  The doctors pushed injections into my arms that burned like poison as it raced through my system. A long, round and oval gag was pushed into my throat and secured behind my head. I choked as my body shook with a force I couldn’t withstand, my entire system starting to shut down as I drowned in the foam that filled my throat and escaped from my nose. I screamed as tears escaped my eyes until my body could take no more. I fell onto the ground, next to the vampire I’d killed, my punishment for doing what they wanted from me.

  “Turn it off, Jesse. Go tend to the children below in the cells. See that they are fed the remains of the vampire before he grows cold.”