by Last, K. A.
THIRTY-ONE
GRACE
People were arriving all around, but I wasn’t paying attention. So many thoughts danced through my head, just like the flames dancing in front of me. They had me mesmerised and it was hard to look away. Josh was on the other side of the bonfire talking to Abby’s brother. From what I read they were good friends. I’d never met him, but he seemed nice enough.
My earlier encounter with Seth was weighing on my mind, as was Josh’s reaction. I didn’t know where to start, trying to explain it to him. With Archer it was easy, once I’d shown him, he’d accepted it. That’s what brothers did. Josh was mad at me and I couldn’t blame him. If Abby had approached Josh like that, I would be mad, too.
I was actually angry at myself more than anything. As much as I hated to admit it, I liked it when Seth touched me. The more I thought about it, the more I wanted it, but how could I trust him after all the things he’d done? How could I even be thinking about him? When I glanced up I saw Abby and Josh talking. I caught Josh’s eye and he quickly looked away.
Grace, we need to talk. Seth was standing in the shadows on the edge of the clearing. He’d been there for some time, watching everything, and I hated myself for wanting him. I walked to the car port where he came out of the darkness and waited for me, arms folded across his chest. The moonlight made his blond hair gleam and his dark eyes sparkle. I hated myself even more, feeling a hidden desire rising within me.
“What do you want from me, Seth?” I whispered.
“You know what I want, Grace. Now that you’re on my side, we can…”
“No. We can’t,” I cut him short. Don’t touch me.
I know you feel something for me, Grace.
It doesn’t matter, I’m with Josh.
What can he possibly give you?
“What can he give me?” I scoffed. “Everything you can’t; love and trust, I could never trust you.”
My world was falling apart. I was being pulled from both sides, and I didn’t know what to do. Josh was still near the bonfire; I could feel him watching me. If I had my way what I did next would never have happened, but I was powerless to stop it. It was like I was fighting gravity and I had no choice but to give in to the pull.
Before I knew what was happening, Seth had hold of me. He wasn’t rough, but he wasn’t tender either. He stroked my cheek again, and I gave in. My eyes closed and I pushed my face into his hand, feeling the memories of our entire life together flood through me and engulf me completely. He leant down and pressed his forehead to mine, and I knew he wanted to kiss me; it was taking all his strength to hold back. Surprised, I discovered how badly I wanted him, and deep inside my heart I knew we were right for each other.
When I pulled away I was gasping, wanting more, and craving his touch like an addict craves a fix. Seth drifted back into the forest leaving me feeling empty and alone; my face wet with tears. I turned to where Josh was standing.
How could you? he screamed at me before dropping his head and walking away.
Slowly, I backed into the shadows of the forest, and my emotions engulfed me. Through a blurry haze I watched Josh until he disappeared down the driveway. Abby’s brother went to follow, but Josh waved him away.
Seth’s breath was warm on my neck. He tilted my head to the side and caressed my skin with his fingertips. I closed my eyes, attempting to think straight. What the hell am I doing? I thought, but I was unable to resist. I was under his spell.
“We need to find Angelica,” I finally said, pulling away from him.
Seth’s body tensed and he grabbed my arms. Looks like she’s found us first. Then he did something I never expected; he pulled me around behind him to protect me. Angelica threw an orb of white light at us and Seth blocked it with his fire, the balls collided then imploded and fizzled out.
“We will have Charlotte by the end of the night.”
“Over my dead body,” I said, stepping out from behind Seth. “Oh wait, I can’t die.”
“She’s out there for the taking,” Seth said, “why are you here wasting time with us?”
“Because there’s too many innocent people around, aren’t there?” I smiled.
“Annie is surveying the scene, it won’t be long.”
“Listen to yourself,” I said. “I can’t believe you’re scheming to kill someone. That’s something Seth would do.” He threw me a sideways glance. “Sorry.”
“Don’t mention it.”
“Charlotte isn’t someone, she’s a vampire,” Angelica said, with her hands on her hips.
“A vampire who does more good than you ever have; or will.”
“What’s happened to you? Don’t you remember what it was like in Heaven? Don’t you wish you had that back?” Angelica shook her head.
“What happened to me? I stood up for what I believe in. As for wishing for anything, I wish to be anywhere you aren’t. I wish you didn’t exist.”
Seth’s smile confirmed what I’d been denying all along. It didn’t matter that I fought the forces of evil. We were still on the same side, and had been since the moment I fell. It was us against them—the Dark Angels versus the Angels of the Light. I was no longer one of them. As much as I hated to admit it, I was an angel of darkness.
A faint scream sounded into the night, but was drowned out by the drone of voices in the clearing. I forgot Angelica, and instantly searched for my friends. Charlotte, Archer and Ryan were together and surrounded by other people, but Josh was a different story. He wasn’t where I expected him to be. When I found him, he was screaming my name. Quickly, I grabbed Seth’s hand and misted.
We landed in the mouth of my driveway as several things happened at once. I didn’t know where to look first. Josh was knocked down by Matthew, Jesse arrived on the scene, panting and out of breath, and Angelica and Annie orbed in next to the blue ute parked on the edge of the shadows. I called to Archer in my head, telling him to get his butt to the road.
The blur of Matthew’s body engulfed Josh and sent him crashing to the ground, knocking him unconscious. Matthew pounced again, smiling wickedly. Before I could react, he dug his fangs into Josh’s neck. Cain was standing close by and threw his head back, laughing. My legs felt like lead as I tried to move.
Everything seemed to be happening in slow motion. I turned towards the sound of more screams; Jesse was on the ground beside the car, cradling Abby in his arms. I hoped to god Angelica and Annie would do something about it.
Help them, Angelica, I pushed at her.
Don’t tell me what to do, Grace.
Now is not the time to be petty.
“Grace! What happened?” Archer said as he arrived with Charlotte.
I could see Angelica was torn between her duty and going after Charlotte. I breathed a sigh of relief when she chose to help the girls. Seth hauled Matthew off Josh and fought until he got the upper hand. His face was contorted with rage, and he threw ball after ball of fire at Matthew until he fell to the ground in a pile of ash. I watched as Seth kicked it with his boot. Cain turned and ran down the road in a blur, he didn’t even look back. I sprang into action and ran to where Josh lay in the road, motionless.
Balls of light whizzed past my head. Fire and light lit up the dark sky as Seth countered the attacks from Angelica and Annie. I hoped they’d seen to the girls properly first.
I didn’t see when Ryan had turned up, but he looked like he was about to crack. Charlotte’s face was the whitest I’d seen it, Archer just looked tired and Josh was barely breathing. I lifted his head and laid it in my lap. He was losing blood from the wound in his neck so I pressed my hand against it, trying to stop the flow.
The ute’s engine roared to life and Jesse floored it, tires screeching on the bitumen. Bits of gravel flung up and hit us as he drove away.
I had to know if the girls were ok. Angelica, are they…? I asked staring at the back of the ute.
Yes, Grace, we healed them. They’re fine, and won’t remember a thing.
; Josh’s blood seeped through my fingers and ran down my arm. What about…?
No, Grace, not everyone is meant to be saved.
“Are you serious?” I screamed in frustration.
“Grace, what are you doing?” Seth said. “I’m trying to fight here.”
We needed to get out of there. Angelica was not going to help Josh, and I couldn’t believe she was willing to stand by and let an innocent person die.
“What do I do, Arch?” I sobbed. “I can’t heal anymore, and Angelica won’t help. He’s going to die.”
My fingers trembled as I pressed harder against his wound. Archer crouched beside me and rested a reassuring hand on my arm. Ryan paced in front of us mumbling under his breath and running his hands through his hair. Charlotte hung back, hovering at my shoulder, and that’s when I came up with an answer.
She saw my face and shook her head. “No, Grace, no way. No.”
“Charlotte, he’s going to die, we don’t have much time. I can’t lose him.”
“Grace, I can’t hold them off forever, get out of here now!” Seth yelled, throwing another fire ball.
“Charlotte?” I pleaded, my tear stained face begging her to agree. All it took was one slight nod of her head. Seth? I’ll find you. “Everyone, hold on to me.”
“Just go!” Seth shouted. Annie and Angelica were pounding him with their white orbs.
I made sure everyone had a hand on me, then took us to the one place I thought we’d be safe. The room we landed in was pitch black, but I knew every nook and cranny like I knew my name was Grace. I traded places with Charlotte then quickly went to a corner and found some matches sitting in a crevice. Once I lit the oil lamps that were set into the sandstone walls, the darkness subsided.
“Where are we?” Ryan asked.
“The mausoleum,” I said, “at our family cemetery.”
“Where you saw Emma?” he asked.
He had been listening when I returned from my walk on Friday night.
The room was home to one solitary resting place. My first father, John William Tate, lay in the centre of the room under a white marble slab, but it wasn’t the time to start reminiscing.
“Please,” I said to Charlotte. “Do something.”
“You know what you’re asking of me, don’t you?”
“Please…” I whispered again.
“What are you expecting her to do? Grace?” I looked at Archer and saw it snap into place in his head. “No Charlotte, don’t.” Archer went to her. “You don’t have to do this.”
With my back against the wall I sank to the floor, sobbing, whispering please over and over again, and pleading with Charlotte to do something.
“I can’t heal him; he’s lost too much blood. It’s all or nothing.”
“I know, Charlotte, just do it. Please.”
Ryan looked on in horror. He sat beside me without taking his eyes off Josh. “What is she going to do? Is he going to die?”
Josh’s breathing was shallow, and his skin was ashen grey. He lay on the cold stone floor clinging to the last strands of his life while we all watched.
“He will die if she doesn’t … turn him.”
I wiped my eyes and drew a deep breath. What had I asked her to do?
“What, no!” Ryan said, making to get up.
I pulled him back down and he didn’t struggle, just shook his head as if to say he didn’t want to believe it was all happening. I didn’t want to, either.
Charlotte cradled Josh’s head in her lap then gently picked up his right hand. She extended her fangs and they glistened under the light of the oil lamps. She hesitated, then bit into his wrist and drank what was left of his blood until he was almost dry. Then, using one sharp pointy fang, she slit her own wrist and let her blood run into his mouth.
Streams of blood coursed from Charlotte’s eyes, staining her cheeks. The enormity of what I had asked her to do hit me smack in the face. She’d never been a creator before, and she’d never tasted human blood. Charlotte once told me she swore she would never inflict this life upon anyone, and here she was, breaking her own promise. Uncontrollable sobbing wracked my body. I knew my brother was torn between comforting Charlotte or me. In the end, Archer came to my side and held me tight, while Ryan slipped his hand into mine.
Charlotte gently laid Josh’s head on the ground. She removed his stake belt and tried to make him as comfortable as possible on the stone floor. When she was satisfied, she scooted back to the wall, wrapped her arms around herself and began to rock. Across the dim room our eyes met briefly, and again I saw the locked box inside her mind. Whatever it was, she was desperately trying to keep it hidden. I knew she felt completely alone with us on one side of the room, and her on the other, but I knew Archer would always choose me.
Charlotte stared at Josh with sad eyes. “Now, all we can do is wait,” she said.
THIRTY-TWO
GRACE
Early Sunday Morning
None of us knew what was happening back at the shed and I hoped everyone was alright. Josh definitely wasn’t. His body was covered with a film of sweat, and every now and then he cried out in pain. It was heart breaking to watch. I tried to listen to what he was thinking but there were no coherent thoughts, just blackness.
Charlotte wasn’t sure how long the change would take. She couldn’t remember most of hers and had never seen one happen. She flinched each time Josh made the slightest movement. We’d made him as comfortable as possible on the hard floor.
Archer and I hadn’t set foot in the mausoleum for a long time, so everything was coated in a thick film of dirt. Light seeped through the narrow windows which meant we’d been watching Josh half the night.
“I have to get out of here,” I mumbled. My butt was numb and cold.
“Where are you going?” Archer jumped up. “You can’t leave now.”
Someone called my name and I held my hand up to silence Archer. No one had spoken out loud so I strained to listen, hoping it was Josh, but the voice had gone. Frustrated, I rubbed my face and sighed.
“Someone has to find out what’s going on. Cain is still out there with Charlotte’s blood.” I also wanted to know if Seth was ok, and before I could stop the thought, Archer heard it.
His brow furrowed. “I’m coming with you,” he said.
The room was silent except for Josh’s shallow breathing, if that’s what he was still doing. I knew Archer wasn’t going to take no for an answer.
“Fine,” I said. “Just don’t slow me down.”
Charlotte and Ryan stayed with Josh. He would need someone when he came round and I had a feeling he wouldn’t want it to be me. If he was angry, Ryan was probably our best chance at calming him down.
Archer followed me out the wooden door and into the cemetery. Walking back to the shed was not an option; it would take too long, so I grabbed Archer’s hand and misted us into the dining room of the cottage. I went to the kitchen and splashed some water on my face, wishing I had time for a shower, but there were more pressing issues to deal with.
The clearing was covered in dew. It reflected the early morning sunlight making the grass sparkle like diamonds. It would have been magical if it wasn’t littered with cans, rubbish, and overturned chairs. But I liked the eerie silence, and if the knowledge of death, changing vampires and betrayal wasn’t hanging over my head, I may have actually enjoyed it.
Archer walked silently beside me to the shed while I tried to figure out what to do next. Seth’s wellbeing concerned me because I needed him if we had any chance of getting to Angelica. Caught up in my own thoughts, I didn’t feel Archer sneak into my head again.
“Why are you so worried about Seth?” Archer asked when we reached the shed door.
“In case you didn’t notice, he helped us last night.”
“That doesn’t mean he will again, and it doesn’t erase the past.”
“Tell me something I don’t know,” I mumbled.
“What is going on between you tw
o, Grace?”
That was a question I couldn’t answer. Archer blocked the door and waited for my reply, but I didn’t have one. Seth was complicated, the whole damn mess was complicated, and I had to focus on getting Angelica and Annie’s rings. Or finding another way to stop them, because I didn’t think they would give up in a hurry.
I pushed passed my brother, and I knew Seth was inside the shed before my hand even touched the door handle. When he got up from the couch, Archer moved in front of me. I could see the hatred dripping off him.
“Would you quit it,” I said, pushing him out of the way. “And what is it with you two trying to protect me? I can look after myself.”
He scowled and retreated to the kitchen table, shouldering Seth on the way past.
“Watch it, Tate,” Seth said. “I could kill you with a flick of my wrist.”
“I’ll pretend I didn’t hear that.” I walked over to Seth and he sat down again. “Are you ok?” I touched a cut near his eye that was weeping. “They must have got you good if it hasn’t healed yet.”
“Don’t worry, it’s nothing,” he said, taking my hand and pulling it away from his face. He didn’t let it go; instead, he turned it over and traced the lines of my palm. If someone had asked me a few days ago if Seth was capable of doing something so gentle, I would have laughed in their face. He raised his eyes to mine. “Are you ok, Grace? Is Josh…?”
I drew a deep breath, willing myself not to cry. I’d done enough crying in the past week to last myself a thousand lifetimes. The weight of Seth’s hand around mine suddenly felt awkward and I pulled away, instantly regretting it. Why did it feel wrong when he touched me, but when he didn’t it was all I could think about?
“I’ve been better,” I managed to reply. “Josh is…” changing. I finished the sentence silently. I couldn’t bring myself to say it out loud. Seth’s body stiffened and he moved away a little. I knew what he was thinking because we both had our mental guards down. Seth had been comforted by the fact we had forever. He could spend years trying to win me over. Josh should have been dead in sixty years or so if he lived out his natural existence, but the bar had just been raised.
