by Gwen Knight
The thought brought a fresh wave of tears. Having never met him would have truly sucked, but I would do anything to end this soul-crushing pain.
A shadow darted in front of me. A clawed hand latched onto my arm, and Alexei’s face took shape in the darkness, his teeth flashing under the dim streetlight. “Be careful what you wish for, little girl.”
I sucked in a deep breath, about to scream, when he struck. His fist took me straight across the jaw. I spilled to the ground and shook my head in an attempt to stave off unconsciousness.
“Winter!”
“Be patient, old woman. You’re next,” Alexei growled.
“Run, Ms. Doyle!” I cried out.
Eyes alight with murder, Alexei fisted my shirt and shoved me against the concrete. “Think you can kill one of mine?” he hissed, his putrid breath fanning my face. “All I wanted was what I was owed. But you…” He shivered with rage. “You had to get involved and screw everything up.”
My gaze shot to my bag. If I could only reach it…
Alexei snatched my pack out of reach and tore it open. His eyes grew wide the moment he caught sight of my dagger. “Well, well, what have we here? I knew there was more to you… A slayer. How keen.” He tossed the bag aside, my dagger clutched in his hand. “I’ve always wondered how it would feel to kill one of you.”
I knew the moment he planned to use it, saw the flash of savage intent flicker in his gaze. With a cruel grin, he drove the blade down through my middle, plunging it into my stomach like warm butter. An explosion of pain ripped through me. I shrieked and grasped at the dagger, clutching it between my sticky fingers, the steel wet with blood.
My blood.
Distantly, I heard movement. A choked gasp, a scream, and then silence. Ms. Doyle.
The pain wrung tears from my eyes, but I hadn’t the strength to knuckle them away. I needed to move, to reach her in time, to save her before Ethen lost someone he actually cared about. But my body refused to obey. How could it when I was pinned to the cement by my precious blade?
“A life for a life,” Alexei snarled. “You stole one of mine from me. This is your payment. But don’t worry, little one. When you wake, the world will be an entirely different place. Now, drink.”
Something hot, wet, and bitter splashed into my mouth as darkness crept over me. I instinctively swallowed to keep from choking. Alexei kneeled over me, his voice drowning in the murky water I floated upon. The pain had lessened, but I knew what that meant. I only hoped Ethen realized how much I cared for him and how much I’d enjoyed our time together. How sad he would never hear the words.
The devil had come, and with him, oblivion.
Chapter 15
I hungered.
The rumbling in my stomach snapped me awake. My eyes popped open, only to find I was enclosed within a gilded cage. Surprised to be alive, I sucked in a shuddering breath and immediately lifted my shirt off my stomach. A long puckered scar ran from my navel to groin.
What the hell?
I remembered Alexei’s attack. His fist slamming into me and knocking me down. Him driving my own blade through my gut, and the agonizing torture as I bled out in Ethen’s garden.
So, how was I alive?
My gut gave a painful twist, and I grimaced. I was ravenous. I’d never felt anything like this hunger. Saliva pooled in the back of my mouth…a mouth that ached, my gums tender. Had it been a strange dream? The memories were hazed, almost distant, and the more I attempted to root them out, the harder they were to latch onto.
“Evening, little one.”
That voice. My head snapped to the side, and there he stood. The beast himself. The bastard who’d killed me.
Though fuzzy, I knew my memories were real. He’d stabbed me. With my own knife to boot. My fingers ran down my stomach again. Scarred. Much like Ethen’s chest. Then I remembered the taste of Alexei’s blood. The way it had pooled in my mouth and slipped down my throat.
A savage, rumbling sound echoed through the room, one born of rage and revulsion. It wasn’t until my fingers touched my throat that I realized the sound came from me.
The animalistic growl ripped free of my lips before I pushed to my feet and lunged toward him, my clawed fingers latching onto the bars. “What did you do to me?”
“I should think it obvious, no?”
I shook my head, but I knew the truth. I was a vampire. Heat pricked the back of my eyes as everything clicked into place.
The bastard had turned me.
I let loose a long scream and yanked on the bars. “You bastard! I’ll kill you!”
“Ah. Fantastic. I wasn’t sure what state you’d wake in. Glad to see you have a little fight left in you.”
Oh, I had more than a little fight left. My fingers trembled with the desire to rip his head clean off. “Let me out of here.”
Alexei rolled his eyes and circled the cage. “Sure. Why don’t I get right on that? Oh, wait. Maybe because I’m not stupid.”
I beat against the bars, wrenching with every bit of strength I could muster.
“Quite the specimen,” he commented, delight tugging at his lips. “Maybe I should try changing other slayers. See if this sort of gusto is shared among your kind. What do you think? Genetics, perhaps?”
“What the hell are you going on about?” I growled.
He circled back. “Each vampire wakes differently. Some docile, some aggressive, some ravenous. Guess which category you fall under.”
I curled a lip, my tapered gaze tracking him as he moved. The pain in my gums returned. Fangs, I realized. Horrified, I reached up and touched a finger to the sharp canines wedged between my teeth.
“Excellent. You’re progressing well.”
I drew in a shuddering breath, my lashes fluttering against my cheeks. I would not cry in front of him.
“I’m going to rip your heart out,” I vowed.
“Tsk, tsk. Now, is that anyway to speak to your master?”
I slapped the bars. “You are not my master!”
Laughter shook his shoulders. “Deny it all you like, little one. But I am. I turned you, so…now you’re mine.”
I trembled with rage, then wrenched on the bars again. They had to give.
“Hmm. Perhaps it’s time I show you what that means.” He turned toward me, a smug look on his face. “Sit down.”
Something powerful washed over me, and, without thought, my knees crumpled, and I dropped to the floor.
“Good.”
“What did you do?”
He stepped toward the cage and ran his hand along the top. “I’ve always had the ability to control those I’ve turned.” He shrugged. “Comes in handy with vampires who wake in a violent mood.”
“Why—”
“Be silent.”
My throat closed, and my voice ended on a squeak.
“Wonderful.” Darkness flickered across his face. “You stole one of my vampires from me. Seems only fair that you take his place. But don’t worry, Ms. Amelia Winter. You won’t be alone for long. See the cage next to you?”
I cut a heated glance in the direction he pointed.
“That one is reserved for Tessa. In case you’re wondering, she missed her deadline. Too busy running around looking for you to pay me my money.”
Fury rippled down my spine. I had to get control over myself, but I couldn’t seem to find a sense of calm. The man had murdered me, changed me, and now he intended to do the same to Tessa. I wanted to lash out at him, wanted to close my hands around his throat and rip his head from his shoulders, but I couldn’t move, couldn’t even speak.
“A sad story, really.” He forced a pout. “Turns out Ethen returned home to find his beautiful garden dripping with his beloved’s blood. A tragic end to this woeful tale of Juliet and her Romeo.”
I ground my back molars together.
“Now, sleep.”
My eyelids drooped.
“Soon, your bestie will arrive, and you’ll take your first meal.”
/>
His words distantly echoed in my head. I’d never…never…
Sleep crested over me, and I fell into the darkness once more.
***
More than once I woke, only to find Alexei nearby, always watching. The hunger…it was too much. It cramped my stomach and made me dizzy. It didn’t take long for me to realize that was exactly what he wanted. I was out of my mind with starvation, my fangs permanently elongated in my mouth, my throat so parched, it burned.
Every time I woke, he sent me back under, condemning me to dreams of blood and death. No. Not dreams. Nightmares. Tessa’s flesh splitting beneath my teeth and her blood rushing down my throat. And each time, I jerked awake, only for Alexei to repeat the cycle, no matter how much I begged him to stop.
Miserable.
But I couldn’t die. No matter how much he starved me.
***
“Winter!”
My eyes fluttered open at the sound of my name. Tessa stood in the center of the room, watching me in my cage. A dream. Another dream. Always a dream. My attention narrowed in on her throat, the thudding pulse beneath her skin calling to me like a siren song.
“My God.” That soft, beautiful throat swallowed. “What did you do to her?”
For the first time since waking here, I could move. My limbs were leaden and awkward, but I managed to reach toward the bars. One drink. That was all I needed.
“Payment,” Alexei laughed as he reached into the cage. “She’s responsible for the death of one of my vampires. She’s his replacement.” His chilled hand touched mine. Too weak, I didn’t pull back from him. “Wake up, Winter.”
Adrenaline flooded my veins. I blinked, my chest heaving as the world came rushing back.
Not a dream. Definitely not a dream.
Tessa whimpered. “Winter?”
I met her gaze. How much time had passed since he’d forced me to sleep? Long enough to snatch her up.
My focus sharpened on her delicate throat. So soft and smooth. Her blood thumped beneath her skin, her pulse quickening the longer I stared.
“You may speak now,” Alexei said with a chuckle.
Instead, I simply growled, a dark sound full of hunger and desperation.
Laughter rose throughout the room. So intent on her jugular, I hadn’t noticed the two vampires clutching Tessa’s arms, holding her in place.
“You have me now, Alexei.” She lifted her chin. “Let her go.”
“Oh, no, I’m afraid that isn’t how this works. Both of you owe me a debt. And once I turn you, you’ll both be mine. A collector’s set.”
Her pulse throbbed, drawing another growl from my chest.
“Someone woke hungry,” he teased. “Good thing we have a fresh source of blood for her right here.”
I clawed away from the bars and battled down my hunger. This was Tessa. I wouldn’t drink from her. “No,” I snarled.
“You haven’t a choice, my dear. Now, I’m going to open the cage, and you’re going to feast. Understood?”
My head bobbed without consent.
“Good girl.” Alexei approached my cage, his gaze narrowed on me. Finally, he swung open the door, and the entire room fell into a hushed silence. Though my legs could barely hold me up, I stepped forward.
No! I fought with myself every step of the way. Reminded myself of who I was. I wasn’t this monster. I wasn’t someone who could be controlled by a vampire. Still, my legs moved of his volition, my hands rising toward her throat.
“Winter.” Tessa held up a hand. “Don’t do this.”
“I have to,” I bit out through clenched teeth, my fangs piercing my bottom lip.
Compassion softened her countenance for a brief moment. Then she screamed, “Now!”
An explosion rocked the building. The ground beneath me swayed, and I stumbled to the side, my knees slamming into the floor. Chaos erupted through the room. Staving off my hunger, I glanced up to find the room under attack. Shouts, screams, and blood. So much blood. And amidst it all was…
My family.
No!
I had to be hallucinating because they couldn’t be here. It was far too dangerous. And if they saw me…
Panic rose hot and fast within me, wringing my breath from my lungs. They’d come for me…only to find me changed into this beast. No. This wasn’t happening. It had to be a trick.
But it wasn’t.
I watched as my oldest brother charged into battle, crossbow in hand, and Tessa at his back. My father raced across the room while my other siblings fended off Alexei’s minions. Wooden crossbows, hollow daggers, katanas, battle axes…my family had come prepared.
I crawled forward, the pounding in my head too loud to bear. So hungry. And so much blood, human and vampire alike. My fangs lengthened, and my fingers curled into claws. I wanted nothing more than to rip out someone’s throat and lap up their blood.
And then I heard it. My name. Shouted above the din.
My head snapped up, only to see Ethen rushing toward me, cutting down any vampire that stood in his way.
Ethen.
Now I knew this was a dream. Nightmare. Whatever.
My family would never assist a vampire, not to mention, I knew Ethen wouldn’t have come for me. Not after everything. I’d betrayed his trust, lied to him when I could have been truthful, and, as a result, had lost my life.
“Winter!” he shouted.
He beheaded the nearest vampire then charged toward me. Blood splattered his face, but he hardly paused, leaping past my brothers.
“Ethen,” I mumbled.
He was here. He was really here. Fear forced me to respond. He had to get out before my family turned on him, as they inevitably would. He didn’t know them like I did.
“Ethen!” I cried, my voice louder.
I scrambled to my feet, slipping in puddles of blood. He’d come for me. After everything. I wanted to weep with joy but now wasn’t the time. All that mattered was finding my way back to him.
Steeled hands gripped my shoulders and wrenched me back. Alexei.
My gaze leapt to Ethen’s, and I watched as fury rippled over his face, saw the desperation to reach me before Alexei tore off my head.
“You’ve brought a lot of trouble into my life, little one,” Alexei hissed.
“Then maybe you shouldn’t have gone after my friend,” I hissed back, pleased I could finally speak my mind.
He cuffed me upside the back of my throbbing head. I saw double until my vision cleared a few seconds later.
“You’re not done here,” he growled. “I’ve given you a job. Do it.”
He turned me and planted me in Tessa’s direction. I watched as she grappled with one of Alexei’s vamps, her pulse thundering with the effort. I could hear it, all the way over here, the delectable thrum of her heartbeat. My tongue swiped across my chapped lips, eager for a taste of blood.
“There you go,” Alexei murmured. “Don’t fight it. You’re hungry. So feed.”
Feed, he said.
And I would.
I whirled on my heel and struck. My fangs pierced Alexei’s flesh without any resistance. He was too startled by my sudden attack to fight back. His blood flooded my mouth. It was heaven, so rich and hot. My grip tightened as he screamed a string of obscenities and struck me hard against the side of my head. I felt my fangs rip through his throat before I slammed to the ground.
“Bitch!” he shouted, his hand cupping the gaping wound.
Madness stole my mind, and I lunged for him again, my actions controlled by my hunger. I knocked his hand aside and latched onto his throat once more. With every swallow, his weakness gave me strength. He’d starved me, all with the hope that I would drain Tessa dry. He’d stalked her, abused her, and taken everything from her. Now it was his turn.
I struck again, and again, the proverbial viper refusing to let her victim escape.
“Winter!” someone shouted. “Winter! Stop!”
I growled and shook my head like a rabid do
g. I knew the moment my fangs pierced his jugular. The blood that rushed into my mouth was sweeter, intoxicating almost. I wanted every last drop. Needed it.
Hands gripped my shoulders, but I shrugged them off, shoving the meddler away before returning to my meal.
“Amelia,” a soft voice rose in the discord.
Ethen.
I paused, my mouth softening against Alexei’s throat. Logic snapped back into place, and I could think again. Gasping, I released Alexei and dropped his lifeless body to the floor. The sight of Alexei’s pale, drawn face wrung tears from my eyes.
What had I done?
A distressed chill racked my entire body, one that soon morphed into a sob. I’d killed him. I’d drained him dry. His death was on my hands…my bloody hands.
“Shh.” Ethen’s arms curved around me, turned me away from the body, and drew me into his chest. But I couldn’t stop the flood of tears. “It’ll be all right.”
It wouldn’t. I knew that. I’d intended to kill Alexei, but not like that, not so viciously.
“We’ll take it from here,” my father murmured. “His head needs to be removed so he doesn’t heal.”
“Fine,” Ethen consented. “But Amelia comes with me.”
I stiffened against him. Had he forgiven me, then?
“You can’t take her!” Tessa shouted.
I winced at the sound of her voice, recalling how tempting it’d been to drain her dry.
“She’s our sister,” my brother, Michael, snapped.
So many voices but the only one I wanted to hear was Ethen’s. There was so much I needed to say to him. But I couldn’t ignore my family. They’d helped save my life. And now I had to face the music—or their rejection, as it were.
I turned, only to find my father and four brothers standing in the middle of the room, their weapons still drawn as they faced down Ethen. Behind them stood Tessa, her face ghostly white and her gaze locked on me. I swallowed, knowing my life would no longer include them. My heart broke a little more with each passing second.
Michael notched his crossbow and aimed it at Ethen’s heart.
I bared my teeth at my eldest brother and hurried to put myself between Michael and my lover. “Release that arrow, and I will whoop your ass into the ground.”
