Forever

by Ashley L. Knight

  The script on the mirror taunted him. Your life begins now, your life begins now, your life begins now.

  Panicked, Flynn scrambled to his feet, throwing aside the sliding door. It tumbled off its slider and shattered against the wall. Barely noticing, Flynn flew down the stairs, wishing he could disappear into the earth. And then, he was falling, straight through the stairs onto the second flight. He landed in a crouching position, his hands stretched at his sides in surprise. Before he realized what had happened, he had fallen again, through the second flight onto the first. Terrified, Flynn sprinted out the front door and into the night.

  Flynn ran until he threw up. After that, he tried to walk a few more paces and crumbled into the mud on the side of the road. Wagons, carriages, horses, and travelers alike passed him without as much as a sideways glance. No one cared about a body lying on the side of the road. That was, until Anna.

  “Stop,”

  Images of a delicate fifteen year old girl with long nut brown hair and emerald eyes filtered through. She was happy, smiling at Flynn, lovingly reaching for his face.

  “I SAID STOP!”

  Flynn launched himself at me over the top of the maple colored Pizza Hut table and we tumbled through the wall into the parking lot. Dazed, I threw a shield about myself and shoved him off me with a flick of my wrist. He fell to his side, panting and furious.

  “She’s my memory!”

  I stared at him, trying to understand.

  His face twisted. “It’s all I have left of her.”

  Suddenly, I understood: Anna was the love of Flynn’s life and Stitches and Master had killed her as well.

  Thayde and Gavran burst through the glass doors and I held up a hand to stop them.

  “They took everything from you,” I said as Flynn pulled himself to a sitting position on the asphalt. He rested an elbow on one of his knees and leaned his forehead against his palm. “Their form of ‘breaking’ you, was to take everything you loved and destroy it.”

  He nodded.

  “Do you know why they wanted you?”

  “Hey!” Our waitress called from the door, “ya’ll need to pay for that drink! You can’t dine and dash!” Her eyes wandered over the two of us sitting on the asphalt.

  Thayde pushed some money into her hand. “Thank you for the drink,” he said, dismissing her.

  Flynn heaved a sigh. “I don’t know what they wanted. I left Europe and I haven’t seen any of the Farasi Family since.”

  “You guys done fighting?” Gavran called and I waved him off.

  “I’m sorry,” Flynn fought through his words, “I hate who I am. I never wanted to be a vampire and I can’t die. Anna,” his voice cracked as he said her name, “was the only one who accepted me for who I was and loved me for me, and he took her from me. There was nothing I could do about it.”

  He watched a couple climb from their tattered Ford pickup and survey the small scene unfolding. Scurrying through the glass doors of the restaurant, their quizzical looks explained their thoughts: too many crazy people in Florida!

  “I took care of Stitches no problem, but Master has special powers.”

  “What did you do to Stitches?”

  The evil smile returned to his face. “I dragged him 45 miles down into the earth and melted him in liquid metal.”

  “Impressive,”

  Flynn stood, offering his hand. Taking it meant I was forgiving him, but I needed to know a few more things. When he tried to release my hand, I held on, and immediately his body stiffened.

  “When’s the last time you drank merblood?” I asked.

  “I’ve never done it of my own accord.”

  Puzzled, I released his hand. “Then how are you still alive?”

  “I’m living on my natural life years and the first hundred the drink gave me.”

  “Do you go around killing people?”

  “No, and I haven’t touched human blood in over ninety eight years.”

  “What happens when the hundred years are over?”

  Flynn shrugged as if it didn’t matter.

  “Flynn?”

  “I won’t die. That’s all I know.”

  “But you won’t live either?”

  The realization of how much Flynn hated himself hit me.

  “That’s not a life,” I breathed, shocked to the core.

  “It’s what I deserve.”

  “You didn’t deserve any of this – none of it.”

  Flynn stared at the ground and I dipped down, making him look me in the eyes.

  “You didn’t want any of it. This life was forced upon you and,”

  “I’ve hurt people, Morgan,” he interrupted, his voice desperate. “I’ve,” he hung his head again. “I gave into the need more than once. I cut people and drank their blood.”

  “Have you ever killed anyone of your own will?”

  His face filled with disgust. “No!”

  “Have you ever turned anyone into a vampire?”

  “No.”

  I nodded. “You did what you could to survive and you did it as humanely possible.”

  He snorted, crossing his arms.

  “You’re not going to hell.” I added.

  Flynn sad eyes shot through me. “I will for the torture I’ve inflicted.”

  He was never going to understand. Walking around him, I reached for Thayde.

  “You need to wait on your plans. At least until after I meet with the head of the families. I don’t want any of us doing something we might regret later.”

  Gavran heaved a sigh of relief. “That sounds wise. Flynn?”

  Flynn nosed the ground with the tip of his boot. “Yeah, that sounds good.”

  “Then for now, let’s head back to Vero and get ready for the meeting tomorrow.”

  Thayde pulled the car keys from my hand and chucked the bike keys to his brother. “Ride the bike back. I’m driving Morgan home.”

  The guys rode off in a cloud of dust, leaving Thayde and I sitting in my Cobra. Thayde turned the ignition and adjusted the seat for his long legs. After moving the air vents, he rested his hand on my knee.

  “A lot happened today.”

  “Yeah,”

  “More than I expected.” He watched me nod. “I’m proud of you.”

  “I’m not proud of me. I almost got you killed!” My stomach flopped around, making me nauseous.

  Thayde chuckled. “I wasn’t almost killed.”

  “You were hit by a car!”

  “More like I hit the car,”

  “It isn’t funny!”

  “I think it is,”

  “That guy almost died.”

  The smile fell from Thayde’s face and he was silent. “We need to be incredibly careful, Morgan.”

  “I know. We can’t let people get hurt.”

  “That’s not what I mean,” Thayde shifted the car into reverse, backing away from our secret meeting place. “Vampires are dangerous. They are just as powerful as we are. Flynn is a huge exception to the norm. His power is very unique and I’m sure that the ‘Master’ as he calls him, wanted him for something important. What you said in there about the vampires making one of their own a merperson? It got me thinking – with today’s technology, honestly, it wouldn’t surprise me if something like that could be done.”

  “Are you serious?”

  “Very.”

  “Why do you think they’d do that?”

  “Power, control, you name it.”

  “But they already have that.”

  “Well, it’s like you said: it opens a whole new realm to them. What if they could have it all? Don’t you think they’d jump at the chance? I know Herra and she would do anything to be The Link.”

  Thayde shifted into first, smoothly entering the heavy traffic. “When we get home, I think you need to see if you can try and locate this ‘Master’. If you can, you’ve got to read his mind – see what it was he wanted with Flynn.”

  “Without him in front of me?” I scoffed
. “Impossible. And I’ve got to prepare for the meeting tomorrow. We’re on the brink of war.”

  “Morgan, I don’t think you’ve realized this, but short of bringing the dead back to life, nothing is impossible for you.” With a quick glance behind him, he moved us into the right lane and prepared to enter the freeway on-ramp. The pine trees began to shoot past us in a blur and I leaned my tired head against the window.

  Thayde continued. “Flynn and Gavran are about to attempt something really dangerous to defeat my sister. Despite the fact that it’s stupid, it’s also very brave of them. I wonder what’s in it for Flynn. Why did he befriend Gavran? What does he want? You could very easily find out and while I don’t think it fair to just read minds, I think you need to do us all a favor and just start doing what needs to be done now.”

  “Who’s this ‘all’?”

  Thayde downshifted and the car lurched forward, speeding like a bullet down the freeway. “Everyone,” he answered.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  BETRAYAL

  A wonderful thing about Floridian nights is the warmth that embraces you when you step outside. The irritating thing for those with sweet blood is that they are instantly bombarded by savage mosquitos set on draining their victims dry. But those fortunate enough to steer clear of the needle wielding parasites are left free of performing a one hit jig made popular back in the 1920’s to get away from them.

  Lars swore, arms flailing above his head as he retreated into the safety of the house, Aletheia hot on his tail. Mom and Tammer declined to attend the picnic dinner next to the pool. As everyone else had gone home, or said goodnight for the evening, my motley gang of friends and I were left alone on the enormous white linen sheet laid upon the soft grass. Though the market fresh meal of mixed salad greens, French bread and various cheeses from around the world, lightly seared cod and chilled peach Bellini drinks had proven to be absolutely delicious, the joy of eating such a fine meal had been greatly weighed down by Naira’s passing.

  The lightning bugs hovered about the lawn, setting a golden fairy-like glow between the trees, but the mood hadn’t lifted. What’s more, Tiesa’s little sister, Fallyn, had begged to stay with her and Tiesa, being more motherly than a sister, had agreed and she had spent most of the evening consoling the little girl.

  Gavran and Thayde caught up on old times and what had occurred since Thayde had been away at university, leaving Flynn sitting uncomfortably across from me. The fact that he hadn’t eaten anything had caught Ezen’s eye. Compounded with his noticeable aloofness and depressing air, Ezen quickly suspected the truth about Flynn. It wasn’t until Shirley came to take Fallyn to bed that Tiesa focused on Flynn.

  “Flynn,” she took a deep breath, tilting her gaze to the glowing stars forming in the midnight blue sky. “Your name means ‘son of the red-headed man’.”

  Conversation ceased as all eyes turned to Flynn. He was a statue.

  “Was your father a red head?” Tiesa ran a jeweled hand through her wild hair as she focused on the handsome vampire.

  “Yes.” His tight lips barely parted as he spoke.

  “Tiesa,” I interrupted, faking a smile. “What does that matter?”

  She continued as if I hadn’t spoken at all. “And you’re clearly from Ireland – there’s no hiding your accent.”

  Ezen put his arm about Tiesa’s shoulder but she shrugged him off. Her breathing quickened and tears formed in her eyes, as she continued to stare Flynn down.

  “Morgan, why is a vampire from the Farasi Family – the most deplorable vampire family in history – staying here?”

  I was speechless. Ezen took her by the hand as she found her footing, struggling to stand.

  “Stop,” he warned, standing with her, “you don’t have any right to judge him.”

  “How dare you say that! You of all people!” Tiesa wheeled on her fiancé, tears spilling down her cheeks. “How can you just sit there when you know what he has done?”

  I glanced at Flynn. His head hung, dejected and low as I’d ever seen. Sadness overcame all other feelings, making me nauseous.

  Thayde and Gavran pulled themselves to their feet, glancing at each other.

  “That’s enough, Tiesa.” Thayde ordered and she shook her head.

  “Morgan, that thing,” she pointed a thin finger at Flynn, “is precisely why Ezen has to wear these all the time! Do you know how bad his scars are?” She grabbed Ezen’s arm, holding it up so everyone, not just I, could see his cuffs. He pulled it away and took hold of her shoulders, forcing her to look directly at him.

  “Tiesa, we are leaving. Right now!” His voice shook.

  “No! She needs to know just how barbaric they are. You would have died if it wasn’t for Thayde and now,” she looked at the ground searching for words. “That freak wants to be friends?”

  Flynn twitched at her words and for a brief moment, I thought he would attack her. Instead, he disappeared through the ground.

  Tiesa gasped, her green eyes growing cartoonish in size. Ezen pulled her along with him into the house.

  “Is that true?” Gavran’s voice rang out in the silence and Thayde and I turned to him. “Did he have something to do with Ezen being hurt?”

  “No,” Thayde swore under his breath.

  “Then what was she talking about?”

  “He was slated to be drained for them. I hired a tracker to help me find him and we did.”

  The look on Gavran’s face wasn’t very convincing. “What was all that talk about his family?”

  “His family was murdered. You already know that.”

  “His vampire family.”

  I held out my hand. “Hasn’t he already told you all this?”

  “Did he lie to me?”

  Flynn’s voice rang through the trees like a bad omen, throwing all of us on alert. “I don’t lie.”

  “Flynn? Where are you?” I called.

  His words sent chills down my spine. “I trusted all of you.”

  “You can still trust us,” I answered.

  “I wanted to help!” He shouted, his voice echoing from a completely different direction.

  “Flynn, just talk to us,” Thayde said to the night.

  “I’m tired of talking.”

  “We want you to be our friend.” I urged, trying not to reach out with my powers and pull him straight to us. “Please come here.”

  “You merpeople,” Flynn’s voice filled with disgust, “so indecisive.”

  That was it. I reached for him in the dark, released the orb, and pulled him from the roof of the house straight to me, my hand circling his neck. His eyes sad, he grasped my upper arms and we fell through the earth.

  What do you think you’re doing? I spoke directly to Flynn’s thoughts.

  Kidnapping you.

  Any particular reason why?

  He didn’t answer me. I didn’t need him to answer; I already knew. He was desperate for someone to trust him. And so I didn’t struggle – I allowed him to take me. When he pushed through the earth on the other side of the world, he released his grip. Looking me deep in the eyes, he ignored the rising sun’s rays wrapping around my frame.

  “You remind me of her,” his voice was controlled and quiet. When I didn’t answer, he continued. “She was kind and she didn’t judge people. What I said earlier about you, I’m sorry.” His gaze broke away to the pink sunrise bleaching the horizon. “I am,” he paused, “broken.”

  “Flynn, I know you are forcing yourself to die, in essence. As much as a vampire can die. No one is going to make you change your mind in the end, only you can make that choice.”

  “What has been your greatest tragedy in life? You might say Anna’s death, but you’d be wrong. You loved Anna and she loved you. Do you know how lucky you were to have experienced that? Love?”

  Flynn’s sigh interrupted me and I took his cool hand in mine.

  “Flynn, the greatest tragedy in life is not death; it is life without purpose.”

  His
cold eyes met mine.

  “Your life has no purpose and without it, your life has no meaning. You sentenced yourself to a life without joy or happiness and it has been a living hell.”

  When he didn’t answer, I pulled him to a nearby rock, making him sit next to me.

  “Alice Koller once said ‘Perhaps loving something is the only starting place there is for making your life your own.’ You have been grieving for nearly two hundred years. You have not forgiven yourself for the deaths of your parents, even though it was not your fault. Anna is gone. Your family is gone. And now, you wish you would disappear as they did. Am I right?”

  “Yes,” his voice was a whisper.

  “You were given life. It’s a gift, not a right. What have you done with your life? Your best? You have loved. Have you lived enough – to your fullest potential? When given the chance to do good, did you take it? Can you answer these questions? If not, you’re not ready to go home.”

  “I don’t have a purpose,” Flynn repeated my sentiments softly.

  “Yes, you do.” I paused. “Everyone has a purpose – many of us have several purposes in life. Perhaps one of yours is to help the merpeople.”

  “I can’t help an entire race,” Flynn scoffed.

  “No, but you can help me and I can help the entire race.”

  The smile froze on his face. “What do you mean?”

  “Thayde and I believe Herra has been in contact with the Farasi Family. I think their plans involve changing us completely.”

  Should I tell him everything? Part of me knew my plan rested entirely upon whether Flynn was trustworthy or not. If he betrayed me in any way, I would fail. To trust a stranger, to place everything in their hands is an act of faith. I wanted Flynn to trust me as much as he wanted me to trust him. Despite my misgivings, I relented. I would tell Flynn of my suspicions and tell him what I needed to have done.

  Holding my hands up, I nodded to him and he leaned forward, his head resting against my palms. Ten seconds later, it was done and he pulled away from my grasp.