Sacrificed

by Anna Applegate

  Sighing, I let out an angry grunt before heading into the building in front of the others. While I believed every word I said, and that I should have been out there with the others and helping, at least, I was successfully selling the whole, I’m-going-to-be-left-behind frustration and doing it rather well.

  We proceeded down a corridor to an office room with one door. “We’ll have two Protectors posted here outside the door. We’re far enough inside the perimeter that the wolves couldn’t make it as far as these buildings before being destroyed. However, just in case, you have extra protection.”

  I folded my arms across my chest, using my body language to let him know I was listening against my will.

  “Ariya,” James approached me and held me close. “We’ll never have to worry again about Audrey or the wolves. She’s the only one who has ever rallied them to battle like this. Things will get better, you’ll see, once she’s gone.” He reassuringly rubbed my back as he held me.

  There was no way I could make him understand that there was nothing he could do. He’d never listen to me. Especially now, since I never mentioned seeing Ingrid when I was in Germany. I clutched his body tightly, praying that he wouldn’t become a casualty in this war. He’d be so far away from me, and I might not ever see him again even after I did manage to escape my confinement.

  “I love you, James. I’ll love you forever.”

  He looked down at me with a furrowed brow as I spoke. “I’ll see you soon.”

  He kissed me and I threw my arms around his neck. I didn’t want to end our kiss. It was the last kiss I’d ever have with him, and the last time I’d inhale his rich, woodsy scent. The last time I’d have my one true love right beside me.

  “Stop worrying, beautiful,” he cooed, misinterpreting my one-sided goodbye.

  “It’s time,” Nick said. “Try not to miss us too much,” he winked at the door before he disappeared. James followed and Caroline hung back for a moment.

  She nodded at both of us, silently letting us know we’d see her again. At least, I hoped we would. It was on her now.

  “Now we wait,” Riley sighed.

  “Why did you come back here, Riley? I wanted you far away from here and safe from this. Who knows what might happen if I fail? Or if the Protectors collapse after fighting off the wolves and Audrey for too long?” I rambled.

  “Ariya, ever since we were at Audrey’s, I’ve been a part of this world. You all are my family. I am not going to leave you, not even at the very end.” He sat on a leather sofa along the side of the office and motioned for me to join.

  “I want you to remain in one piece. I couldn’t live knowing you got hurt because of me,” I said, sitting down beside him.

  “Ariya, again, none of this is your fault! It’s Audrey’s. And the wolves’. They are the enemy, not you. If she prevails in this battle, I wouldn’t be safe even if I did run. She’s had me before, and she could go after me again; you know that.”

  And I did. If Audrey were victorious, no place on Earth would be safe. Riley may have been away from the actual war right now, but there was no place beyond Audrey’s reach if she chose to pursue her agenda. In her mind, she intended to use me to facilitate her insatiable quest for power. She can’t rest until she has more power than any of us could imagine.

  “Do you think she’ll be able to reach us?” Riley asked me, snapping me from my thoughts.

  I knew he meant Caroline. And I firmly believed she’d come through. “She has to. It’s the only way,” I sighed, resting my head on his shoulder. I closed my eyes and we sat in silence. My head stayed on Riley, and he held my hands in his.

  I opened my eyes at the sound of rustling and banging outside the door and jerked my head up. I first worried that it could be the wolves, or worse, Audrey. Panic coursed through me and I moved in front of Riley, who shoved me aside instantly before standing next to me. My mind raced a mile-a-minute. I was left unarmed here, lacking the one weapon I needed. I could only hope Caroline would be coming back for me and manage to make it in time. I doubted she’d be far behind any intruder into this building.

  A few more shouts and hard bangs later, I saw a shadow outside the door.

  “Ariya?”

  “Caroline! Thank goodness!” I rejoiced, utterly relieved.

  The door opened and she poked her head in. “Yeah, we gotta go. I’m gonna be screwed when they wake up.”

  I smiled, hugging her briefly. “I knew you could do it,” I said.

  “Riley, I’m sorry but I have to leave you here,” she turned, apologizing to him. “I think this is my only chance to get Ariya out.”

  “I know,” he said, his voice sounding shaky for the first time. “Ariya,” he took my hand and pulled me tightly into his chest. “I love you, you know,” he said.

  With tears in my eyes, I squeezed him tighter. “I love you, too.”

  I didn’t want to go. I wanted to stay and hold onto Riley forever. I was scared of the task before me. I was scared I’d never see him again. My fear would have easily overwhelmed me if I let it. I trembled slightly.

  “I believe in you,” he said, pushing my shoulders away from him and looking at me. “You’ll win in the end. And you’ll be okay,” he added, as if the validity of the last part owed its existence to the strength with which he said it.

  “We have to move, Ariya,” Caroline said sternly.

  I squeezed Riley’s hand one last time, keeping my eyes fastened on him as I followed Caroline out the door. “Be safe,” I yelled.

  We picked up the pace and started jogging down the long corridor, heading towards the front of the library where I’d initially been brought in with Riley. “We have a clear shot from the building and once we get there, I can take you to James and Nick. I will get you at least close enough to make them stop fighting and come over and protect you.”

  I stopped immediately, yanking Caroline’s hand.

  “Ariya, I don’t know how much time we have, and we need to keep moving. It’s a war zone out here.”

  “Care, you promised you’d give me the dagger and let me end this.”

  “You can have the dagger, but you need us to get you to Audrey,” she said, somewhat surprised at my obvious frustration.

  “And you think James is just going to let me take the dagger and go after her? While you all… what? Stand on the sidelines cheering for me? Caroline, you know him. We’ve talked about this. He’s going to take me far away. He decided I needed to remain in this stupid building during the war and told me it was for the best. You just got me out! Why would you take me back to them?”

  “I can’t let you do this on your own. I’ll never forgive myself if something happens to you, we need them too, and together, we can come up with a plan. They’ll have no choice,” she said, sounding almost desperate.

  “I am the plan, Caroline. I am the only plan.”

  She looked at me, visibly frustrated. “I know we can think of something smarter than you running straight to Audrey alone.”

  I took her hand and squeezed it. “You need to trust me. Just put aside your vampire sixth sense and trust me, your best friend. I really need for you to be my best friend right now, not one of my Protectors. Please have some faith in me, Care. Ingrid told me that it had to be me in the end with Audrey. Anyone else and this won’t end,” I explained, nearly pleading.

  “Ariya, what you’re asking goes against everything I believe in. I can help you.”

  “I can do what needs to be done. I swear. But I can only do it with my Protectors behind me, not standing in front of me like a barrier.”

  She looked at me long and hard but finally relaxed her face in a resigned sigh. “I don’t agree with this, Ariya. I don’t agree with you. But I do trust you. I know you talked to Ingrid, and she saved us before. So, I’ll do whatever you ask. Just tell me what you need.”

  Caroline handed me the dagger. I took it in my hands and recalled the words that I repeated enough times to say them in my sleep. The word
s that would destroy Audrey were with me always now. Reverse the time you stole on Earth, reverse the magic and the curse, reveal the true self held within, return thy gifts to where they onest began.

  “Hide it for now,” she said as she motioned to me. I moved the dagger to the inside of my jacket pocket. In my effort to be prepared, this was the best shirt I had for concealing something.

  “I need for you to get me as close to the battle lines as possible. If Audrey sees me, she’ll come after me. And she won’t be suspicious either, since sneaking away from you in order to protect you is my usual course of action.”

  Caroline rolled her eyes. “At least we have your stubborn insistence working for us, this time.”

  I smirked. “Where do we go?”

  “Follow me. And stay close.” Caroline was back to being a Protector again and we made our way around Mineral Point.

  The main battle was being fought in a large field. It was far enough away from the town that we would have plenty of cover in the woods. It didn’t take us long before we saw our first lone Protectors and the wolves going at it. Caroline darted around, weaving in and out of the trees and the smaller side brawls, helping me go undetected for the most part. Those who did manage to see us were too distracted by their own fights to notice us longer than a fleeting moment. Thankfully, most of the wolves that actually saw us instantly fell to the vampires they were fighting only moments later.

  We came to a clearing and my heart stopped. There it was. War.

  It was hard for me to see exactly what was happening. The vampires and wolves were all moving so fast, I couldn’t track any specific fight long enough to process it. All I could see were the massive numbers from both sides going at it – attacking or falling. I scanned the area as fast as I could, looking for James and Nick. Caroline, knowing what I was doing, pointed toward the opposite side of the large field and I saw both of them in the distance. They moved as if they were one person, handling all the attacks like it was easy for them, almost second nature. I guess, as trained warriors, it would be.

  “They’re going to be fine. It’s you I’m worried about,” she whispered.

  “I’m going to be fine, too,” I replied almost mechanically.

  “What now?” she asked.

  I had trouble seeing Audrey, but it didn’t take long to spot Tristan. Wherever he was, she wouldn’t be far away. If I could only get his attention, I knew she would be close behind.

  “No,” Caroline said firmly, following my eyes.

  “You know she’s near him.”

  “Then I’ll draw him out and you can follow…”

  “Caroline, I’m the only one that won’t get killed by one of these idiots. They need me. They want my blood. So I’m the only one who isn’t expendable. I’m going out there. And Audrey will be waiting for me.”

  She stared at me with unconcealed sadness in her eyes. “I know,” she said, sighing once more. “I know you’re right about this. But you don’t even know how to fight, Ariya.”

  “I took self-defense classes for years.”

  “You know what I mean, how to fight against people like us.”

  “Well, I know how to stab a dagger into something and that’s all I really need to know,” I retorted, watching her worried face strain as I hugged her. “I love you, Care. Thank you for taking such good care of me always.”

  The emotions I’d been avoiding as we made our way to this moment seemed to suddenly crash around me. So far, I managed to stay strong for the most part, but as the realization of my time coming to an end began dawning on me, I realized it was for good this time, and it scared me.

  “Good luck. Go get her, Ariya! And be careful. I’ll get you to her no matter who tries to interfere,” she promised solemnly.

  I smiled and looked once more out at the field of combat in front of me. The image around me was familiar, but that didn’t make it any better. I often dreamed of this before. As I watched my friends picking off the wolves around them, I was stunned. It started slowly, just a creepy sensation ahead of the excruciating pain that would shortly follow. My chest tightened and all the air evaporated in an instant.

  When your heart breaks, you expect it to explode, or shatter into a million pieces as they say, but that’s not how heartbreak feels. It’s a slow, trickling drain, a sluggish wrenching as the pain washes through your chest and inches down your spine. The feeling is usually accompanied by anger or tears. Thankfully, I felt anger. Tears were useless against Audrey. I had to come out now and find her. Watching the people I loved the most fighting so courageously for a futile cause was too much to bear. With Audrey’s magic protecting her, and an endless supply of wolves she purposely amassed for this war, we’d never win. Now, it was time.

  I looked for James’s face once more before I ran out to show myself. I knew Care would keep her end of the deal and make sure I got to Audrey. I caught a glimpse of him finishing off a dark-colored wolf, and its snarl faded abruptly.

  I had to move now or risk him sensing me. So I did. I emerged courageously to face the final battle. I came out to confront Audrey. And to save everyone I loved from the monster who never ceased trying to destroy us. The monster that would soon fail and die, if I could only stay as brave as I had to be.

  I managed to get halfway towards the back of the clearing where Tristan was lurking before he spotted me. A sinister snarl came over his face, and he looked way too excited to see me. I touched the dagger in my pocket subtly but kept moving towards him. I darted my eyes around cautiously, as if I were looking for my Protectors, even though I knew exactly where they were. I wanted him to think that I was sacrificing myself for them.

  I watched, but he didn’t move closer to me. I wavered only for a moment, wondering why he wouldn’t even flinch. I had to keep going, though. I couldn’t let my growing fear get the best of me. With every step, he remained frozen, observing me like the predator he was, staring at me until I finally got close enough to hear him speak.

  “Well, well, well. What do we have here?” he snickered. “Brave Ariya, coming to end all of this? Again? I’m afraid you’re too late.”

  “I need to talk to Audrey. And yes, I do intend to end this. Once and for all.” I said, forcing myself to be braver than I felt.

  “You already had your chance,” he slithered towards me and stopped, tilting his head to the side while continuing to watch me steadily. He slowly ran his hand along my chin as he began circling me.

  I shivered involuntarily. “Let me speak to her, Tristan.”

  “I love it when you say my name,” he whispered from behind me.

  “Enough,” a firm voice commanded. “We mustn’t scare her. Let’s not forget, we’ll all be working together from now on. Isn’t that right, Ariya?”

  Audrey finally graced us with her appearance.

  “You can’t kill them, Audrey. We can’t keep this war going.” I said quietly. My mind was racing with ideas as I suddenly realized I had no clue how to get close enough to her to stab her.

  “Ariya, I warned you time and time again. You knew that something bad would come to pass if you continued to refuse me.”

  “I… I do realize that now. Please… Now I just want this to be over; and I’ll do whatever it takes to ensure that happens as quickly and painlessly as possible. I just ask you to leave my friends alone.” I made sure my voice sounded defeated and meek, which wasn’t hard for me, knowing my time was rapidly running out.

  Audrey looked up from me towards the field, grinning before she, all at once, grabbed me by the wrist, throwing her hand up towards whatever her eyes were fastened on.

  She spun me around and I saw that James and Nick had just arrived. They were being held back by whatever magic she produced from the open hand she thrust towards them.

  “You’re too late, my dear son.” Audrey smiled, clasping my wrist like a vise while keeping her hand in place. She was preventing James and Nick from coming any closer. “Ariya has willingly agreed to work with me,
now.”

  “Ariya?” James shouted towards me, moving his hands around as if he were encountering some sort of wall.

  “James, you’re too attached to our Ariya. It’s time for both of you to say goodbye. You should have learned that lesson from your father. Now you’ll have to learn what it feels like to grow too attached to their kind.” She spat on the ground and James frowned, distracted but only for a moment. Of course, I knew exactly what she was talking about. And if she didn’t need me to help her accomplish her grand campaign, I felt sure I would have already been dead. The malice she harbored toward me, and my line, was dripping from the tone of her voice.

  James’s motions became more frantic and he tried moving quickly from side-to-side, and running. He wanted to get closer to me, but it was useless. Audrey was too strong for them. He began looking around, probably searching for Caroline, who was wrestling with a much bigger wolf, and not far behind them.

  “Ariya, how could you?” Nick shouted in disbelief.

  “Nick, I…” I paused, watching James’s tormented expression and hearing the words he used against me before the argument began about me. I hoped he’d understand my side in the end.

  “Tsk, tsk. Little Ariya refuses to play by the rules again. You fools have recklessly spilled so much unnecessary blood for her, when all along I knew she’d come to me eventually.” Audrey was glowing with joy and the pride of a long-awaited victory she had no way of knowing would be short-lived.

  “Please, Audrey. Call the rest of this battle off,” I begged.

  “Get Caroline,” James forcibly yelled at Nick, who obeyed instantly.

  “Ariya, whether I have you or not, their kind will fight. They fight for good, for light, blah blah blah. They’d face me regardless so they can either die now or wait until later, but they will die no matter what,” she said. It seemed as if she was starting to get bored with our conversation.