by Jinni James
Andrew, Lena, and Victor were all over the one vampire Mat, while Daniel was being pinned by the other. I had to help him. I jumped up off the floor and phased as quickly as I could. It is getting easier and easier every time I do it. The sounds of the room were horrifying. All I can really hear is yelling and things being smashed.
I honestly don’t know how much of this the house can hold. I run to go help Daniel as quickly as I could. I had no idea how to fight. I have never fought ever in my life, but John was right. My instincts were taking over, and somehow, I just knew what to do.
I managed to get the vamp off of Daniel then between the both of us we ripped him in half making sure to decapitate him as well. When I look over, I see John being pinned to the wall by Nicholas with Jaci on the floor trying to recover from whatever blow she just took. I have to get to John!
I jumped across the room within seconds and knocked Nicholas to the ground. Suddenly, I felt every eye in the room on me, but I could not hear a thing. All I could hear is my heart pounding in my ear. I was furious. This man or I should say this vampire that I now hold down is responsible for everything bad that has happened in my life. This vampire is the reason I grew up with no parents, he is the reason my aunt took me in and gave up her life. He is now the reason I have no actual family left. He is the reason that my best friend is now a vampire. He is also the reason I have felt like such a failure. Up until now seems like such a waste. I could have been happy, but he seduced me and for what? Revenge? For fun? What was the purpose? At this point, I did not even need answers from him. I no longer cared. I just wanted my life back. I wanted to be able to be with John and be happy. I wanted to know that my friends, my remaining family was safe. I wanted to finally live.
The more I thought the harder I pressed him to the floor. I was now standing on top of him with one of my paws at his throat. I had no idea how I was holding on to him since surely he could have broken free at any moment or so I thought. As the red slowly started to drain from his eyes I could finally hear Nicholas.
"Avalon. How? You. Cannot. Kill. Me." He was choking out every word, but I did not care. I was done playing his games. I snarled at him, as my weight on him grew heavier, I could feel Jaci on one side of me while John was on the other.
"Ava. Let us take care of him." She placed her hand on my back.
"Avalon, this man turned me into a vampire. I want him. I deserve to kill the man that basically killed me."
That I could not deny. I dropped in defeat. She was right. I would not be able to live with myself if I killed him, plus Jaci did have the right to kill him herself given how he has taken her life away. There is probably no way she could go back to being a doctor now. If my aunt and parents were here, I would have let them do it, so I gave in. As soon as I let go, I could hear Nicholas as Jaci and John take him outside.
"I knew you couldn't do it, Avalon. I knew it! You can be as strong as you want on the outside, but on the inside, you will always be the same weak little girl that I made miserable!"
Those were the last words I heard from Nicholas. Daniel and Victor went after them to help while I just stood there in the crappy living room, looking out the window. A small part of me was sad. A very small part. Nicholas was the first man in my life. My parents had died when I was so young that I didn’t really have a male figure in my life. Nicholas stepped up and took that position, and for a short while, he was good to me up until I moved in with him that is.
As I look out the window, I can feel Lena and Andrew next to me. I can see John, Jaci, Daniel, and Victor walking back up towards the house, and finally I am beginning to feel free. I was about to turn to walk out towards John, when I hear cracking sounds. It sounded like wood cracking and splitting. As I look around, I see one wall crumble down while the ceiling threatens to go with it.
Shit! We have to get out of the house! Lena and Andrew jump through the window. As I begin to follow a huge piece of wood from the ceiling falls and lands on my leg. I am pinned down. I try to push the plank of wood off of me, but it is no use. It is too heavy. How ironic. I nailed Nicholas to the floor, and now so am I. I howl as loudly as I can manage. The house was falling apart around me, and all I could think of was John.
I finally found the love of my life! I cannot die now! I refuse! I fight as hard as I can. It is no use. I see the other side of the house beginning to fall. The ceiling is about to crash down on top of me. There is nothing I can do but wait.
Suddenly, I see John. He slips his head underneath the wood and lifts it up just enough for me to squeeze my leg out. He sinks his teeth into my neck and with a thrust I am flying out of the house. I barely hit the ground when the house completely falls into a pile of rubble. JOHN! NO! I scramble to get up, but Jaci is next to me. "It is okay, Ava. Stop. John is right over there." I look over, and there he is! Oh my John! He is safe! I could tell he was hurt but he was safe. That was all I cared about at the moment. John limps over to where I am lying then plops down beside me. Our heads touch as we lay there together. Thank the heavens my John is okay. Everyone is around us now with their arms wrapped around us both. All I could feel was contentment and a sore leg. Daniel sits up first and places his hand on John's back.
"How about the rest of us run back to the vehicles, the wolves can shift back into humans, get dressed, and we will drive the vehicles back here to get you and Avalon? I do not see how either of you will be able to walk the distance right now." John nodded, and then they all took off into the woods.
It is over. All of it is finally over. I have this amazing man who actually loves me, who would risk his life for me, and I know would never hurt me. I have all of my friends and a few new ones as well. I could feel a family forming between us all, and while that would not replace my parents and my aunt Melanie, it made me feel content.
Once we all made it back to Millinocket, I begged John for us to go back to his house in Cape Elizabeth. I missed his house, I missed Portland, and I missed feeling normal. I knew we all probably needed to sleep given how it was the middle of the night, but I just did not want to wait. We all packed up, loaded back into the vehicles, and began to head back to beautiful Portland.
The sun was beginning to come up as we were driving through downtown. It was amazing how beautiful everything looks now that I am free. I look over at John driving and I cannot help but smile. Yes, I am free. Free from the horrible man I was with, free from the stress, free from that prison I used to call home, and free to be with the man I love. I could barely hold in my excitement as we drove over Casco Bay Bridge. I think John could tell because he reached over and squeezed my hand, reassuring me we were almost home.
Finally, we were on Ocean Street and I could see the two luminous lighthouses in the distance, which told me we were on Two Lights Road. The morning sun in the sky that was lighting up the ocean was truly breathtaking. We started to drive down his long driveway and his gorgeous house comes into view. I have no idea why I feel such a pull to this house. It just felt like home. This is where I belong, and I belong here with John. The house looked even better than I remember it. Maybe it is because I can really appreciate it now.
Once we walk in the house, I felt at peace. Nothing was new about the house; yet, it felt different. John was kind enough to invite everyone to stay there since it was early morning and after everything we have been through he knew they all needed to rest. Luckily, Jaci, Daniel, Lena, and Andrew agreed to stay, but Victor and Michael decided it was time for them to head back home. I couldn’t blame them. I knew how eager I was to leave Millinocket and come back home. Michael gave John a big bear hug then stepped back.
"What about JR?" Everyone stood completely still. We had all forgotten about JR. John just gave my hand a squeeze that I had not realized he was holding and patted Michael on the back with his free hand.
"I’m not worried about JR. We will take care of that eventually. He is too much of a worm to try anything now. With Nicholas gone, he has no one. He is probably in hiding
somewhere. If we ever see him again, I will take care of it."
Michael and Victor nodded their heads in agreement, and then John led them to the door. Once John said his goodbyes to his friends, we all headed towards our bedrooms. We showed Jaci to the purple bedroom that she was in during the change and Lena remembered hers. Instead of going into another bedroom, Andrew followed Lena to hers. How nice the two of them found each other. I was so happy to know about Lena now. Surely, she felt more at ease with all of us knowing she is a shape shifter as well as knowing we were all shape shifters as well. It felt like a bond has started with us all.
"What are you smiling at, Ava?" John came up and pressed a feather light kiss to my cheek.
"I was just thinking how I have never felt more content and happy than I do at this moment. I love my family and I will always miss them, but now I feel like I am a part of a new family and it is absolutely wonderful." John kissed me again.
"We are a family, Ava. All of us." I could not help the smile that claimed my lips once more. John held out his hand for me. I placed my hand in his while he led me to his bedroom. It was just how I remember it, except minus the rose petals and the candles. I let out a small giggle as the memory of the last night we were in here filled my brain. We could have many nights like that now. John led me to the bed then sat down next to me.
"I am so happy to have you in my life, Ava. I am so grateful that you are safe, and now, we no longer have to worry about Nicholas. I hated the way everything had to happen, but I am so happy it did. You have no idea how long I have waited for you. I tried waiting patiently on the sidelines, but as soon as I realized how unhappy you were, I knew I could change that. I am sorry for how everything ended, and I am so sorry about your aunt. Had I known...?” He felt bad. He felt as if losing my aunt was his fault when it absolutely was not. Nicholas would have killed us both eventually. When? I don't know, but it was going to happen one day.
"John. Stop. You do not have to apologize for anything. Nothing that has happened was your fault. If anything, you saved me." I touched his cheek and could feel a tear falling from his eyes.
"Ava. I will love you forever. I want you with me always. Every day of every year of every lifetime, I want you there. What is mine is yours now. Everything can be ours." Now I was sure I had tears in my eyes.
"Are you asking me to move in with you John?"
"Well sweetheart given that this house belonged to your parents, it is technically your house. They left it to me since you were so young. I was going to give it to you once you were old enough, but you moved in with Nicholas and had no use for it. I should have told you sooner, but I kept thinking if something ever were to happen then you would have somewhere to go. So I should be asking you if I can live here with you."
My heart stopped beating, my entire body completely froze, and I could not breathe. That is why I feel such a pull to this house. It was my parent’s house. Yes, I can see it now. It even looks like them, from what I can remember and from what I have seen in pictures. This is why I feel like I belong here. It is my house.
"Ava, breathe." I let out my breath while tears flowed from my eyes. This was my parent’s house. This was my home. This was where I want my life to begin with John.
"Ava, are you okay? Are you mad at me?" Mad? How could I be mad at him? I took in a deep breath.
"No, John, not at all. I can barely believe it. No wonder I love this house so much. Our house." A smile formed on Johns lips.
"Our house..?"
"Yes John, my love, our house."
My life was complete. I had everything I have ever wanted. At this moment, all I wanted was John. I kissed him deeply letting my tongue do all the talking. I know it was early and we were exhausted from the night before, but I had to have him. As he kissed me back, he laid me back against the bed. I could feel the weight of his massive body on top of mine. It felt like heaven. John lifted his head and began placing kisses along my jaw line then nibbled at my ear lope. It sent shivers down my spine. I pulled his shirt off then unbuttoned his jeans, and soon, they were lying on the floor. My clothes were quickly followed. He went back to kissing my jaw and my neck.
While he kissed back down to my collarbone his hands were exploring my body. One of his hands started kneading one breast while making a trail of kisses to the other. Suddenly, he took one hard nipple into his mouth then pulled back and blew so softly on it making it stand up even more. It was driving me crazy. My body squirmed beneath him. I wanted to feel him inside me. I went to place my hands on his back to urge him on, but then he took both of my wrists in one of his hands and held them above my head. I was trapped. He held my wrists there as my body quivered. He laid on top of me, kissing me with so much passion I thought I may explode. I could feel his chest hair against my breasts, which just made it worse. I needed him. I needed him now.
"John." I managed a whisper. He rose up and looked deeply in my eyes. I could see all the love he had for me in his eyes at that moment. His eyes were full of fire and need, but also full of love. He leaned down to my ear and whispered softly.
"You are mine now." Then, he was inside me.
"Yes, John!" He pulled out then just as quickly pounded inside of me again. He continued the rhythm, finally freeing my wrists so I could touch him and pull him harder against me.
"Oh my, Ava!" We were both getting close.
"Yes, John!" We found our release together both screaming out at the same time then collapsing on the bed. Slowly, we drifted off to sleep with our arms wrapped around each other.
I woke sometime in the early afternoon. John was still asleep. He looked so peaceful; I did not have the heart to wake him. I noticed his desk on the other side of the room with his laptop open.
I sat down and could not stop myself. I opened up a new document and began writing. My fingers were moving so fast; I thought they might fall off. Suddenly, the story I have been trying to write for months was now finding its way out. Maybe Jaci was right. Maybe meeting John and having all of this happen finally opened that block I had in my brain. I could not stop typing. It was like my fingers were not my own. This was only the beginning. Finally, I have my story.
The End.
Keep on the lookout for the newest book in this series.
Find out all about Author Jinni James and her latest books at
https://www.facebook.com/jinnijames
Table of Contents
About the author
Acknowledgments
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
