Shave & Shimmer
Page 7
“Yeah,” Ray scoffed. “Since you murdered James and tried your best to do the same to me. And a simple name change doesn’t exonerate you of your past.”
“What do you want me to do?” Obediah shouted, wild-eyed. Ropey veins bulged along his throat. “You might not be able to accept my apology, but I’ve explained myself. There’s nothing I can do to bring James back.”
“But there is something I can do to make you pay for his death.” Ray lunged, but Obediah was too fast. He stepped aside and circled back.
Ray recovered and spun. He forced all his weight and speed toward Obediah, aiming for his solar plexus. This time he hit his target. A gust of air raced over Ray, flesh and bone crunching. They tumbled to the ground. Ray was on top of Obediah, and his hands were wrapped around his nemesis’s neck as if they had their own murdering agenda. “I hate you!” Ray screamed in a voice he didn’t recognize to be his own. “Prepare to die.”
“No!” Tory shouted. “Stop!” But Ray didn’t. Tory couldn’t travel any faster, and he feared he wouldn’t make it in time to save Obediah. With a final push, he propelled himself forward. Extending his right arm, Tory caught Ray by the neck, pulling him off Obediah and taking Ray down.
“What the fuck,” Tory heard Ray say when they finally stopped rolling. Ray propped himself onto his elbows and looked at Tory, a few blades of grass lodged in his hair. “What are you doing? I thought you were on my side?”
“I am on your side.”
“Huh, I’d hate to see if you weren’t.”
Obediah was now on his feet, but he stood his ground, listening and waiting. Tory continued explaining. “I’m saving you from yourself. If you kill Obediah, you’ll be no better than he is. And I think I know you well enough to say that after the initial rush of the kill, you’d deeply regret it. You’re not a killer. If you were, you would’ve finished him off a long time ago.”
“You’re wrong,” Ray said. “It’s the only thing I’ve lived for, and now that I have the chance, you’re not going to stand in my way.” Ray sprang from the ground and landed on his feet, ready to pounce, fight in his eyes.
Tory got up and positioned himself between Ray and Obediah. “That’s where you’re wrong, Ray. I am going to stand in your way, quite literally. If you continue to fight Obediah, you’re going to have to fight me first.”
“Get the hell out of my way. I don’t want to hurt you, but you’re giving me no choice.”
“So, you’d kill me too? Stupid me, I thought we meant something to each other.”
“Please, Tory. I don’t want to hurt you.”
“Then don’t, but if you go ahead, I feel that I must warn you, for a little guy I pack quite a punch.” Tory lifted his balled fists. “Just sayin’.”
Ray eased back. “Tory, I can’t, and you know that. Why are you doing this?”
“Because the man I’m falling in love with is not a murderer. You’re good and kind and believe in what’s right. You have a passionate heart, and I want you to be mine. If you do this, I could never love you, especially after Obediah apologized. I heard him.”
Ray made a derisive noise in the back of his throat. “It’s easy to apologize.”
Tory glanced at Obediah then back to Ray. “No,” he said, “I don’t think it is. I can feel Obediah’s pain and remorse. This is a being who’s trying to forget what he did. That’s why he’s in Sangre, that’s why we all are.” Tory paused and licked his lips, his mouth suddenly dry. “I’m not proud of this, but I’ve killed too. Most vampires have. It’s what we did to stay alive. But now for whatever reason, our conscience won’t allow us to continue our old ways. Obediah is here for a new start. I am . . . you are. If you kill him, you jeopardize the future for us all. I plead that you don’t because I like my life here, and most importantly, I want you to be included in my life.”
Ray’s face grew slack, and the rigidity of his shoulders relaxed. Tears rolled down his cheeks. “I’ve wasted so much time hating Obediah. I was consumed with it. It’s the only thing that’s kept me going.”
“That’s no way to live.” Tory took a tentative step toward Ray. Then another. “I beg you to accept Obediah’s apology and allow the healing to begin. And if you’d let me, I’d like to help you with that.”
Asher, Niko, and Jerrod ran up. “We’ve been looking for you,” Asher said. “Is everything okay?”
Ray wiped his tears with the back of his hand. “Yes, everything is okay,” he answered. “Or it will be.”
He took the few remaining steps and swept Tory into strong, capable arms. Ray raised his gaze to Obediah. “This might be the hardest thing in the world for me to say, but I forgive you, and I truly hope you find peace because I intend to with the help of this man right here.”
With that, Tory felt the maddening crush of Ray’s lips lock over his. Tory knew that with time, they would be okay and that their lives would always be worth living as long as they had each other.
Stepping away from the loving couple, Obediah wished them eternal happiness as he turned to re-enter the ball, his eyes wet with tears but his head held high.
“I knew it,” Asher said with a joyful smile. “I knew they would hit it off. And you two thought I was sticking my nose in where it didn’t belong.”
Jerrod’s cough sounded more like a laugh laced with doubt. “Granted this ended on a happy note,” he said, “but it could’ve ended badly, very badly.”
“But it didn’t,” Asher pointed out. “I’ve found love for my best friend. Just look at how happy he is, how happy they are.” Asher clutched his hands over his chest unable to stop smiling. “True love is such a precious thing.”
Niko draped his arm over Asher’s shoulders. He kissed his cheek. “You did a good thing, baby. Sorry I ever doubted your matchmaking abilities.”
“In the true spirit of the evening, I accept your apology.” Asher returned Niko’s kiss ignoring Jerrod’s groan.
Coming up for air, Asher turned to Jerrod. “Now it’s your turn. You’ve been single for so long that you’re starting to get those weird habits that single people get when they’ve been solo forever.”
Jerrod lifted both hands, palms out, backing away. “Stay away from me,” he warned, “or I’ll sic Anoushka on you.”
“Actually . . .” Asher returned, an idea taking shape. “She’s your oldest and dearest friend in Sangre. I bet she would be full of suggestions for helping me find you the perfect boyfriend.” He turned, trotting up the sloping lawn.
“Asher!” Jerrod shouted.
But it was too late, Asher couldn’t hear over the swell of the music coming from the Grand Ballroom, and Madame Anoushka was in clear view holding center court. Even if he had, Asher would not have cared because it was time for Jerrod to find love if he wanted it or not.
* * * *
Tory and Ray left the ball to have their own celebration. There was no need to be surrounded by a room full of people; their only desire was to be with each other. They rushed to Ray’s apartment and into his bed. This time when they made love it was exactly that. Like before when they had shared Ray’s bed, there was lust, but now there was also love, only deepening their growing bond for each other. Tory offered himself up as Ray gladly received him. And when Ray was sated, he turned over, gave Tory that heart-melting, hard-on inducing gaze, and of course, Tory accepted vowing to make Ray happy for eternity. As the slivers of daybreak played across the Sangre sky, they embraced tightly, each whispered their love for each other and slept the most peaceful of sleeps.
RESURRECTION
Alderman opened his eyes and was faced with complete darkness. He managed to wiggle his toes and fingers as he registered the sensation of being cold. For a brief second he forgot where he was, but then it all came flooding back. He remembered burrowing down through the sea floor for protection, a place to heal. He no longer felt the gashes across his neck and back, delivered by the vampires known as Niko and Asher. He had feared the worst, but he had tapped into an
energy or life force he didn’t know he possessed. The discovery allowed him to dematerialize and escape before the permanent darkness had enveloped him, a darkness much worse than what he was experiencing now. They had almost succeeded. Almost.
Pushing up through the sand, silt, and the soil, Alderman sliced through the gritty debris straight into the water that warmed as he traveled upward. The salty sea licked at his renewed flesh, invigorating and cleansing him. Breaking the surface, he gulped oxygen to clear his lungs, and he stretched the cramps from his sedentary limbs, taking flight. Alderman was reborn, and he was ready.
THE END
To be continued . . .
AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY
When Alex Carreras is not reading, writing, running, or flying, he is usually eating. Please follow him on Twitter and Facebook.
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ALEX CARRERAS
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