by Megan Duncan
“Will?” A familiar, sweet voice called my name and all thoughts of escape crumbled in my mind. “I knew you’d come,” Autumn’s angelic voice bubbled with happiness. My knees dropped like dead weights to the floor, cracking under my bulk as she strode toward me.
Ming reached out to her, grasping her shoulder like a proud father and her eyes traveled up to him in open admiration. My mouth fell open as he nodded at her approvingly, and she continued to close the small gap between us.
She knelt before me, her flawless beauty beaming at me through stunning emerald eyes and angelic features that were otherworldly. Was I dreaming? Had fate finally smiled upon me and allowed me escape from this world to be with the one I loved? She looked so real, but it was impossible.
Her eyes searched my expression, and when she seemed to find what she was looking for her lips began to quiver, pulling up at the ends into the smile that had healed my blackened heart. Elation ripped through me in painful joy, but it was short-lived when her grin revealed a horror I never wanted to witness. Ivory fangs bit through her innocence, breaking me completely. I reached for her face, tentatively at first, until I caressed her cheek and trailed my fingers down to her lips.
“What have they done to you?” I wept, my mind muddled with confusion. I didn’t know what was up or down anymore, nothing was making sense. They told me she had died, but here she was sitting right in front of me. Ming had won. If his goal was to hurt me, to capture and subdue me; he had succeeded. He was right; I would never leave as long as he had Autumn.
It was almost as painful to bear her passing as it was to see her as the creature I had so desperately sought to destroy. They’d doomed her to an eternity of savagery, lies, and an innocent mind that could be molded into whatever they wanted.
“Ming saved me, Will. He made me like you,” she answered, sweetly as if being like me were the loveliest thing she’d ever imagined. I opened my mouth but no words came out. All I could do was let the tears fall freely down my face as my shoulders sagged. Autumn pulled me into her arms, her embrace stronger than it had ever been before. There were so many things I wanted to say to her, but none of them seemed enough to beg for forgiveness in all the ways I’d failed her.
I closed my eyes, breathing in the familiar scent as her fingers ran through my hair. Unimaginable joy burned through me knowing she was still alive, that I could see her and touch her; but, my misery wouldn’t dissolve. Autumn, my angel, was now a creature of nightmare. A vampire. I had failed her.
“Now we can be together,” she said, pulling me away from her so she could look into my eyes. I stared back at them, and though they looked the same; still carrying the same power to penetrate my very soul, there was a small fleck of darkness blossoming in the distance. A darkness I knew all too well.
“Forever,” I replied sadly, as Ming’s wicked grin haunted my mind. As saddened as I was that she was cursed, I knew I could never leave her side. I would stand by her as I promised I would. Autumn needed me now, more than ever. Ming was using her to keep me tangled in his web and I refused to let him pull her in with me.
I had spent years searching for answers, but in the end all I found were lies and deceit. Too much time was spent on caging the beast within me when I should have been watching the monster trailing my footsteps. I brought darkness wherever I went; killing my dearest friend and cursing my true love.
Ming’s guards hoisted me off the ground, towing me out of Shady Willows and into the frozen night with Autumn gripping my hand in hers. I squeezed her hand back, as Ming led us to a waiting black suburban. The malevolent glare he cast in my direction before he disappeared inside answered all my fears. I knew for now he’d won, and he could keep me under his control forever but I’d never stop fighting. He knew my love for her was my greatest weakness, but it was also my greatest strength. Even if it took me an eternity; I’d find our escape somehow. We were now both pawns in an evil scheme, but the true battle had only begun in the fight to keep darkness at bay for all eternity.
***
The End
For now…
~
Other Titles by Megan Duncan:
Agents of Evil Series
Released
Chaos
Vengeance (Coming 2013)
Warm Delicacy Series
Savor
Indulge
Devour (Coming January 2013)
Find out about giveaways, new releases and more on Megan’s blog:
http://www.meganduncan.blogspot.com/
