by Amy Sparling
Hope springs to my chest, filling my blood with warmth again. For the first time since I stepped out from behind the vines, there’s hope that we won’t die right here on the balcony. Theo has an ace up his sleeve.
This bitch is about to get what’s coming to her.
“I believe you,” she says after a long moment. She lifts her hand and flicks her wrist. “So you die first.”
I expect Theo to fly backwards again, but he doesn’t. Instead, his shirt rips open. The immortality stone on his chest flies through the air, ripping off his neck and landing straight into her hand.
Theo’s shocked expression meets mine and then his skin turns blue and he crumples to the floor.
Chapter 29
It’s worse this time. When Theo collapsed in the parking lot that day his lifeblood died, he’d had a few minutes of consciousness. Now, as I drop to my knees in front of him, he goes pale, his breathing slows to a faint gasp every few seconds.
The sun is beginning to set now, the orange rays of light casting an eerie glow on this rooftop balcony. Just a few feet away from us, a gentle breeze ruffles the pine tree needles. It is a warm summer afternoon and below us, the whole house is going about their business, oblivious to the hell that’s raging on this balcony.
The sound of laughter comes from a few feet away. Alexo is back on his feet, gripping his stomach as though this is the funniest thing he’s ever seen. He might be a little delirious, but I’m not taking that as an excuse to laugh about Theo’s quickly approaching death.
Anger like I’ve never felt before claws through my subconscious, embedding itself into every fiber of my being.
I gear a growl of rage and realize it’s mine as I launch myself at Alexo, ready to punch the stupid smile right off his ancient face.
Then I get a better idea.
He’s not wearing a tie with his suit today, and the top two buttons of his shirt are undone. His hair is a little messy too, worse now that Lady Em has thrown him around, but I remember it was also askew when he first walked out here, planning to make a phone call. Alexo made himself sexier for his call with Lady Em.
What a pathetic asshole.
Through the opening in the top of his shirt, I see a thick silver chain. Behind me, Theo gasps for air. Blood pours out of his mouth, staining the painted concrete patio.
I don’t have time to think about the consequences. I reach forward and yank the necklace right off his neck. Alexo snarls and reaches for me, but I step back and kick him, hard, right in the abdomen. He stumbles backward, his skin darkening as the life quickly drains from him. He’s much older than Theo, because it happens even quicker. Theo once told me that the older the immortal, the quicker they die without a stone. I watch Alexo’s eyes widen, then shrivel as he steps backward, thrusted by my kick. He crashes into the banister, then topples over it.
Alexo’s immortality stone glows bright blue, warming my hand. I get an instant nausea feeling when I touch it. I run the short distance to my love and then I press it to his chest, putting the stone right over the blue marking where his last one was.
Theo’s body convulses to life. He gasps for breath and his skin returns to its normal tanned shade. I hook the necklace around his neck so it won’t fall off, and then I press a quick kiss to Theo’s cheek. I need him with me. I can’t fight these battles without him by my side.
“Very well done,” Lady Em says. She claps her hands together, her eyes sparkling with joy. “You just killed a man to save your own.”
My stomach rolls over. She’s right. I’m a killer.
“Amésos,” Theo utters as he pushes himself up to standing.
Lady Em’s eyes narrow. With a flick of her wrist, I’m pulled right off my feet. My body feels like it’s being sucked into a vacuum, as I hurl through the air until I come to a sudden and painful stop just in front of Lady Em. She flattens her palm against my back. I am still, unmoving. My nerves stand on end and every inch of me hurts like I’ve suffered a bad sunburn. I don’t even try to move.
“Utter another word and I kill her,” she says.
Theo closes his eyes. When he opens them, all the light has gone out. His beautiful amber eyes are now as black as the night sky. “Release her and I’ll bring you to Embrook,” he says, his voice a low growl.
“You want more than that,” she says. “I can see it in your eyes.”
He nods once. “Release her and safely remove her bracelet. I want her to stop being a lifeblood. Do this, and I’ll bring you anyone you want.”
Beside me, Lady Em seems amused. “That would be impossible.”
Theo’s jaw clenches. “If anyone can make her stop being a lifeblood, it’ll be you. I’ve never seen power like yours.”
She tisks. “That is true. I am more powerful than most immortals because I follow my own rules. I have cast off the orders of the clans and I have forged my own path. Soon, I will take over every clan and all of these men shall bow to me.”
“So do it,” Theo says. “Give me Cara back and remove her bracelet and I’ll bring you to the Embrook leader.”
My body aches and my eyes fill with tears. I want to be free, more than anything. But I can’t let him compromise his clan now that I know the leader of this one is pure evil. I gasp for air, try to tell him to stop.
He doesn’t even look at me. “Release her,” he says again.
“You two must really love each other,” Lady Em says as her beautiful pink lips dip into a pout. “You’re willing to give up anything for this girl, and she’s already given up everything for you.”
“Do we have a deal?” Theo asks.
“We do not, Theodore Price.”
It hurts to breathe, but my breath catches in my throat anyway. This doesn’t make any sense. Theo is offering to give her what she wants. Why won’t she take it?
Lady Em sighs. “When your precious girlfriend heroically killed my assistant to save your life, she solidified her own death. I could remove her bracelet, but I won’t.”
Theo’s fists tighten as he tries to maintain control. “Why not?”
“Because,” she purrs. “If I remove her bracelet, her lifeblood will die.” Lady Em strokes my cheek with her free hand and I try to pull away, to no avail. My body hurts too much to move. She peers at me, her flawless skin radiant in the sunset. “This angel was Alexo’s lifeblood. And now she’s yours.”
I can hear my own heartbeat in the silence that follows. Theo’s face falls and he walks over to me, placing a hand on my cheek as tears fill his eyes.
Lady Em keeps her hand on my back, refusing to release me from her painful hold. “Your love is true, and I very much adore that, sweet child,” she says to me. “When you killed Alexo, your bracelet was unlocked. You could have taken it off and lived a nice long life. But now you belong to Theodore. If I save you, he will die, and—” She exhales and shrugs. “I can’t lose him. He is valuable to immortals everywhere.”
“I will not help you if you don’t save her,” Theo says through clenched teeth. “I will never betray my clan.”
Lady Em chuckles. “Sure you will. Eventually. I don’t know about this doll,” she says, smacking my cheek, “But you will live forever. And forever is a long time to deny my request.”
She presses her hand to Theo’s chest, her palm covering the new immortality stone. Theo’s eyes go bloodshot and he sways on his feet. “Are you going to cooperate, sweet child?” she asks me.
I try to nod but I don’t think it works very well. “I like you,” she says, giving me a flirty smile. “And now that you’re Theo’s lifeblood, I think it’s best that you both come with me.”
Her hand leaves my back and the pain instantly disappears. It’s replaced with a warm, woozy feeling as if I’ve suddenly drank too much alcohol. She nudges me in the arm. “Let’s go.”
I walk. I don’t know why I listen to her and somewhere in the back of my mind I feel like I should be defiant, try to break free or leave. But I’m warm and fuzzy and my thoug
hts are mush. She’s done something to my mind, but at least this time I feel floaty and happy instead of drenched in pain.
She leads both of us into the stairwell and then through another hidden door. We enter a concrete tunnel that smells like damp earth and we walk for what feels like miles. Eventually another door opens. I am tired now, woozy. Like I’ve stayed up for twenty four hours straight and all I’d like to do is sleep.
We are outside.
There’s a van. It’s shiny black. Windowless.
The door slides open and there’s a man inside. He reaches for my hand and pulls me into the empty back area. Theo is beside me. I reach for him, and I think I hold his hand, but maybe it’s just a dream.
The floor of the van rumbles and vibrates as we drive over a rocky terrain. Bluesy jazz music plays from somewhere far away.
I open my eyes and Theo is there. I can’t really remember who he is, but I know that he makes me happy. I lean over and rest my head on his chest.
And I fall asleep.
***
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Don’t miss Book 3, The Immortal Bond
Releases on March 31st
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Also by Amy Sparling
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About the Author
Amy Sparling is the author of The Summer Unplugged Series, Ella's Twisted Senior Year, Deadbeat & other awesome books for younger teens. She loves coffee, the beach, and swooning over book boyfriends.
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