Ever After

by Heather McBride

  Will was pushing him trying to knock him down; the ground was a mixture of ice and mud, making them slip. Will was a mad man; he was attacking his own cousin. I knew he had lost his mind, and it was because he thought I was dead. I tried to move but my body was frozen, as I watched Roth and Will fighting. The freezing rain was starting to come down and they began to start slipping more, as Roth struggled with Will.

  “Come on Will, stop it!” Roth yelled, he had slipped in the mud and Will had a hold of the hand holding the vial. “Don’t make me hurt you, damn it you’re crazy!” Will was fighting hard to rip the vial out of Roth’s hand.

  “Give it to me, now!” He slammed Roth’s hand down hard onto the ground hard.

  I heard a sound in the distance, it sounded like a low hum. I strained my ears, trying to figure out what it was. I was praying Doc was near, Roth needed help with Will. I could not turn my head, but I was in shock when headlights cut through the rain. A vehicle barreled through the brush, climbing up over the fallen trees near where Will and Roth were fighting. I could see it was a black hummer, and it had cut through the thick woods off road to get to us. Roth looked over and yelled to whoever drove it

  “Come on, hurry up!” He yelled.

  I knew Roth normally would have been stronger than Will, but he was out of control with rage and anger, over my “death”. I watched Doc run toward Roth. Taylor, had been driving he ran out following Doc. Pratt got out next, he scanned the woods, until he saw me on the ground.

  “Will its Doc, what are you doing here?” Doc’s voice strained. Pratt ran over next to Doc.

  “He’s flipped. Corrine’s dead, she’s over there.” He motioned his free hand over next to the tree where I laid.

  “What?” Pratt yelled, as he saw me laying there. “Jesus, this is a nightmare.”

  Pratt ran to me and slid in the mud on his knees, snatching up my wrist to feel for a pulse. I watched Will, who was now on his knees, the rain pelting him. His hair was pasted to his head from the rain; he was staring at the ground, not responding to Doc who knelt beside him talking.

  “Will, can you hear me?” Doc shook him hard. “Snap out of it son, it’s Doc, do you see me?” I waited as I felt Pratt trying desperately to find my pulse.

  “Will, its Doc, come on now look at me, say something!” He yelled. It seemed like he was frozen much like me. I started to think he was ok, as he slowly lifted his head.

  “She’s gone, there’s nothing for me now.” He whispered in a very soft voice.

  “We don’t know that, let Pratt look her over.”

  “Why? I felt her die in my arms, don’t you think I would know, if she were alive or not?” His voice wavered with emotion; Doc looked pained as put his hand on Will’s shoulder.

  “Let’s just not jump to conclusions here ok, we are going to take you and Corrine home, and sort this out right now.”

  I listened to Doc trying to talk to Will. He was not having any luck, as he would not answer any of Doc’s questions. I could hear Pratt talking to himself under his breath. He kept saying he knew I should never have been allowed to go home, it was not safe.

  The way he moved so quickly, looking for a sign of life from me, made me nervous. I knew my eyes were barley open so they would not take that as a sign, I was still here. I watched Lydia and Emma follow Taylor from the hummer, which was caked in mud, the running lights cut through the foggy night sky. Lydia went to Will’s side, and Emma ran to me and knelt next to Pratt. Taylor stood next to Roth as he filled him in, they both turned to look at Todd’s still motionless body, laying mere feet from me.

  “This is a frigging night mare, man!” Taylor sighed rubbing his head.

  “Tell me about it, I still don’t see how Will fought those three off for so long on his own, with him being sick and all?” Roth said softly, watching Doc still kneeling down next to Will.

  “Adrenaline.” Pratt said in a monotone voice as he was pulling out his stethoscope.

  “What?”

  “He was fueled by anger and adrenaline, unlike us; he still has that being a half blood. It gave him the strength to fight. He was trying to protect Corrine.” Pratt explained.

  “Oh… like when mothers lift cars up by themselves to save their kid or something?” Roth asked.

  “Yes, something like that.” Pratt ignored them as he focused on me now.

  “Is she ok?” I could hear Emma’s soft voice ask. I felt her gentle hand on my arm. She rubbed it in a motherly way, trying to comfort me. The silence that came from Pratt made my stomach turn. It was a few minutes before he answered her. He put his hand over his mouth and sighed loudly.

  “This is bad Emma, very bad. You must not say anything around William, but if what I am seeing here is correct.” He paused looking at William. “It looks like Corrine has died.”

  I wanted to scream to cry to beat the crap out of somebody! I was not dead. I was here right here, and nobody knew it. I tried to blink, but my eyelids would not move an inch. Pratt yelled to Doc to come over immediately, Roth and Taylor took over seeing to Will. Doc knelt in the mud next to Pratt on the other side of me now.

  “I can’t find a pulse here at all; I have looked and tried but nothing!” He said in a hushed tone, so Will would not hear him.

  “You must know of something dear, is she in shock maybe?” Emma asked in a whisper.

  “My God this is all we need, Will has lost his mind over there, and he won’t even look at me. Christ have mercy this will be the end of him Pratt, we have to try to get her back!”

  “I know… I just don’t know what happened. It’s almost like she got some venom, in her or….” I felt him pull my heavy ice coated hair off my neck. They all three gasped in shock, at the bite mark Todd left on my neck.

  “What in the hell is this!” Pratt yelled. “Roth, did you see this, who did it?”

  “That jack ass Todd did, he got Corrine before I could do anything, Will was trying to protect her. I had no idea he was a vampire at all!” He came over to look at me like the rest of them.

  “This is the worst thing that could have happened; she was too weak for any venom, much too weak. Her system was already shutting down; from the days she missed the serum injections.” Pratt shook his head sadly. “I cannot honestly say what this will do to her; it doesn’t look good at all to me though.”

  “I can’t believe Todd is a vampire now!” Doc was shocked. “Leo had to have something to do with this; it has his name written all over it!”

  “We need to get her and Will back to the coven house, as soon as possible. We need to do some tests, on Corrine.” Pratt said as he got up.

  They all were soaked from the rain, but the cold did not bother them, the way it was bothering Will, Emma, and I. I knew he had to freezing, as he knelt in the mud. Lydia from what I could see was still next to him talking softly in his ear. I wished more than anything I could just get up and go to him. It was killing me to have to watch him suffer because he thought I was dead, and I really wasn’t.

  “There has to be something you guys can do?” Roth knelt next to me and took my hand. “I don’t think we should give up on her so easily. She is Will’s life; he won’t get through this… I don’t think.

  “I will try all I can to help her Roth, but she was so weak this venom may have been the last straw. I have a fellow coven member who has been my research partner for decades, Xavier Benton. I will call him as soon as I get a cell signal and ask him for help.”

  I strained to hear what Lydia was telling Will, as she held on tightly to his arm. I could hear her telling him Doc and Pratt would cure me, and I would live. I knew she was lying, but I too wanted to believe her words. I was terrified right now. I wanted someone to tell me it was going to be ok too.

  “Corrine love, we will help you, listen to me you must be strong now. I know it is very difficult but try to do that.” It was Emma’s voice, the others were busy trying to think how to fix me and forgot I might actually be able to hear and need a
comforting voice. Emma had been like me, she was a half blood. She knew it was highly possible I was not dead, but in some kind of deep shock.

  “Good Emma, I had forgot she could possibly still hear us. If you see and movement let me know.” Pratt smiled at her, as she held onto my hand.

  I needed her, just to have her talk to me felt better. I had never known fear like this in my life. Todd didn’t even scare me like this, being dead to the world and still alive inside was much more terrifying to me than he ever was.

  “Let’s go then.” Doc announced, his voice sounded very strained. “Will is shutting down over there, he’s in shock and with his system weakened as well, and I don’t know what will happen to him. This whole situation is a nightmare, one hellish night mare and it’s all directly linked to Leo, and that band of vampires he calls the Dark coven.” Anger filled his voice.

  “I should have known he would do something like this! Leo is nothing but evil.” Doc looked sadly from me to Will. “I have failed them. They were innocent in all this, and they are the ones paying the price only because they loved one another, it makes me ill.”

  “We should have kept her at the coven house; she was never safe at her home. I thought that many times, but never said anything. I blame myself as well, Doc.” Pratt said looking down at me.

  “I should have seen this coming, but like you once told me your brother has a special gift, of blocking other vamps out of his thoughts. He knew I was here, helping you with Corrine and William. He made sure I never saw into his mind, to spoil his plans for revenge.”

  “Yes, I’m sure he did. He was always gifted at spotting the vamps that had mind reading abilities, he always told me in the early days of my vampirism that his kinds were hard to defeat in any kind of battle. I hated him for that, and I dislike hating anyone, but he is pure evil.”

  “We will have to be on guard. Leo will come after the rest of the coven, to get to you. It’s not safe for any Followers right now.” Pratt looked at Will and Lydia in the clearing of pine trees.

  “We need to leave; I do not want to run into Leo right now, although he will not likely come out in this weather himself. He sends his minions to do his dirty work, he is a master of torture, and he likes to have his victims brought to him.”

  “Good to know!” Roth grumbled.

  “He delights in torture, believe me you do not want any part of it!” Doc’s voice was dead serious. I cringed at the thought of what Sayann told me, how Leo was considering me for a partner or mate as they called it, can you say “sick”!

  I felt myself lifted off the wet cold ground, as they decided to get back to the safety of the coven house as soon as possible. I could barely see now, but I could tell Roth was carrying me. Pratt put his coat over me and removed Will’s rain soaked one, trying to keep me warm. Roth was not as warm as Will had been. I could hear Doc talking to Lydia as they finally got Will to come with them to the hummer. Doc was promising him, that Pratt had a plan for me in place and they would get me better. I could only hope he was right.

  “Is he going to be ok?” Lydia asked as she got in the third row of seats behind me. “I have never seen him act like this.” I could tell she was close to tears.

  “He’s in shock, he will come out of it slowly, Lydia. Pratt and I will watch over him, he will be fine in time.” Doc said in a low but calm voice.

  The engine of the hummer roared to life, Will sat next to me as Roth still held me in his arms. I was thankful Emma had put a blanket over me when we got in the vehicle, I was so cold.

  I could feel Will, pull back the blanket, and search for my hand. He held onto it the entire way home, he did not let go once. I thought he might say something to me, but he did not; he spoke to no one on the drive home. I could hear them all talking.

  Doc was anticipating more violence from Leo. Pratt was trying to get a signal on his cell to call the guy he called Xavier, to see if he had any idea how to help me. I hoped he could reach him soon. I had no idea how long I was going to last like I was now.

  This pretty much sucked, I thought to myself. It was 100 times worse than anything I could ever have imagined. I had thought being stuck in the hospital in a coma after Todd’s last attack was bad. This limbo or whatever you want to call it had this beat by a mile.

  It felt much like when I was in a coma, minus the fact everyone around me thought I was dead part. Not to mention the not having a detectable heart beat part too. I can’ forget that. I expected thinking of all this would make me feel like throwing up, but hell I couldn’t even do that. I could only hear, and feel when my stupid, apparently lifeless body was moved.

  I knew Todd’s bite should be burning my neck right now, causing me hellish pain. I should have been thankful I could not feel it. I wasn’t though; it meant something was big time wrong with me. The other thing worrying me besides me being “dead” was my beloved William. I could hear Doc telling Pratt how worried he was about him in a hushed voice.

  I knew he didn’t want Lydia to hear him in the backseat. Doc said he was in a kind of catatonic state, totally unresponsive to anyone around him. I had heard of that happening to people, when they got totally freaked out by something. Will was shutting down mentally, because he thought I was dead, or dying, ok well dead I guess. I just hate to say that. I was desperate to think of a way to show him I was still here, locked inside my own body.

  I had to find a way before he went totally crazy on me. Doc expressed concern to Pratt, about what Will might do if they couldn’t help me. It was defiantly a throw up moment now, hearing that, but again I could do nothing. The hummer pulled into the coven houses garage. I could hear the heavy door open than shut as we pulled inside.

  “I want the house on lock down, Leo’s crossed the line now he may have other plans and we don’t want to take any chances. I don’t want anyone outside till further notice.” Doc barked out orders to the others like a drill sergeant.

  “Ok I will tell everyone.” Roth quickly answered as he slowly and carefully got out of the hummer, me still in his arms.

  “Taylor help William to my office, that cut on the side of his head looks deep, it may need stitches.”

  “Ok Doc.” Taylor was at Will’s side right away, I could see through the slit of my barley open eyes, he was helping Will out into the garage.

  “Give her to me.” It was Will’s voice; everyone froze in shock, since he had not spoken in hours.

  “Roth has her Will, he will take her to my office, and Pratt and I will get to work getting her on her feet again.” Doc was next to Will, his hand on his shoulder.

  “Please, I want to take her upstairs.” I could hear the desperation in his voice.

  “Let him Doc, let’s not upset him, and if he feels he is able to carry her safely let him do so.” Pratt quickly jumped in defusing the situation.

  Chapter 31

  Pain and Understanding

  Roth gently put me into Will’s warm arms. It felt so good to be this close to him. I just wished he knew I was still here and that he wasn’t just carrying my “dead” body to Doc’ office. I could hear him breathing; he did seem tired as he climbed the stairs. I knew I wasn’t huge but my body was like dead weight, pardon the pun. Will was already weak and sick, and probably hurt from the brutal fight he had with Todd and Kyle.

  I could hear him whisper I love you to me as we walked, he told me he would not go on without me. I was his reason for living, or existing. Will came to Doc’s office or examining rooms as he called them. Will laid me very carefully on to the bed, and I was asleep in no time, sinking into the soft down filled mattress.

  Later, I awoke, but not really. I was amazed at how I slept so soundly, but could not fully wake up. I could not open my eyes, or move at all but I was aware of everything around me, and could hear extremely well. I heard breathing; someone was sleeping in my room very near me.

  I listened to the steady breathing. I felt myself desperately wanting to take a deep breath also. I tried to open my mou
th and take in air, but nothing happened. My lungs seemed frozen and immobile basically useless.

  “William, we need to examine Corrine. Your mother and Emma are going to clean her up some; she has a lot of mud on her like you do.” Doc’s voice cut into my brief silence. “He’s been here for the last hour since we got back, he won’t go up and have a shower.”

  “I know I tried to tell him he had to but he told me to shut up.” Roth replied. I could tell Roth was edgy, and tired. I had to imagine everyone was, after what we had all gone through the past few days.

  “Will, can you hear me son?” Doc sounded like he was next to my bed. I then felt Will holding my hand. I could see him now, blurry and very faint since I couldn’t open my eyes all the way. He had his head laying on the side of my bed my hand tucked in his.

  “You need to eat and get cleaned up. I must look at that cut or it may get infected as well.” I could tell Doc was getting impatient with him now.