by Ruby Raine
“Oh, shit, um...” the young man sucked in, and stared down the vampire glaring through the cell bars as if annoyed by his noisemaking.
“Sleepy? Bored?” William questioned testily. Daring him to argue or attempt to sleep, which was impossible with all the vampire’s raucous grumblings throughout the night.
“No. Um, I got a Feeling.”
The vampire’s features crinkled. How had he not thought about Riley’s gift as a potential problem? It was shortsighted. The bloodlust getting his brain all muddled.
Riley said nothing more, swallowing the feeling pinging at his chest. Ignoring the pull that made him need to go somewhere else and fix something. His gift, his magical inheritance. Which hadn’t done much for him other than cause trouble, so far.
William stared unhappily, a snarl rolling around his throat.
Riley had never been so happy to have secure iron bars between him and anyone else. He’d bet his life if the vampire could get free he’d tear his head off.
“I’ll just ignore the feeling,” Riley gulped out. He glanced at his phone for the time. Seriously, like one minute had passed. So still three hours until the next feeding. Or more like two hours and fifty-nine minutes, minus a few seconds, but who’s counting?
Mid-morning never seemed so far away.
Riley winced again.
William took a controlled breath and spun back around to stare down the young man.
“I can ignore it. Really. It’s...” damn it. It really wants me to go.
“Don’t be idiotic, Riley. Go. You must. Ignoring your true gift is not a smart idea. Just be back here in exactly three hours or there will be serious repercussions.” Mainly him, his head, and a wall, having a meeting.
“Um, are you sure? I mean, what if something happens and I’m late or something?”
“Do not be late.” William gave a hard roll of his eyes. “If you’re going to be late call Jean or Annie. I wanted to spare them this agony. Being around so much blood is tempting for them.”
The pull in Riley’s chest was too hard to fight. “Okay, I’ll go. And I’ll get back here on time. Even if I have to stop the damn world from ending!”
He ran back upstairs and out of the house, letting his gift take him where he needed to be.
William looked around at the hard stone, mumbling something about padded walls, and wondering just how many hours or minutes he had until he officially lost himself to bloody insanity.
SO MUCH FOR HER PROPHETIC dream dry spell. Melinda was flat on her back on her bed, eyes spinning wildly underneath closed lids. While not as frightening as some of her previous prophetic dreams, this one was telling, and in a way, sad, although not an unexpected outcome. But one that would have serious repercussions and affect more than one person, but most importantly, Lizzy Deane. An outcome she might fight, and perhaps was meant to change? Often, Melinda dreamed of tragic events in the hopes of changing the outcome; mainly, trying to keep someone from dying.
This, though, this was a tough one. And Melinda wasn’t sure how Lizzy would react, and on her part, she was sad for Lizzy. Because even an opposite outcome was also sad in many ways. There was no way someone didn’t get hurt in this future Melinda was dreaming of. And she guessed in the end, that was the point of this dream. The outcome was more or less chosen, but Lizzy had to deal the final punch. Pick a side, and forever go down that path.
Even with this realization, the dream refused to release its grip on her mind. And though still asleep, Melinda had the strangest sensation of not being alone in her bed. Something moved over her body. A wet, hot tongue raked across her neck and over her face.
The dream exploded into morning sunlight beaming through her bedroom window, Melinda’s eyes popped open wide. However, rather than her ceiling, her gaze was frozen on a wide, worried gargoyle grin. Finnegan. He was on all four legs standing over her body, whimpering.
How had he not crushed her bed with his weight?
He cried a little, nudging her cheek with his nose.
“I’m fine, Finn,” she breathed out the shock of seeing him there.
He cried again.
She shook her head, a smile spreading on her face. “Really. I’m okay. Promise.” He seemed to need to hear her say it. Satisfied, Finn bounced with soft steps back to the floor next to her bed and curled up.
“Thanks for waking me up,” she whispered down to him. He lifted his head and snorted in reply. This creature was so odd to her, yet somehow, it was worried about her. Had the sense to understand she was concerned about what she had seen. Or at the least, upset by it.
“I don’t know what I’m going to do,” she admitted aloud.
Finn’s head lifted, ears perked up as if he was soaking up her every word.
“There isn’t anyone who can help me solve this dream, Finn. Actually, there’s only one person who needs to hear about it, and she is lying in a coma in the hospital.” Melinda sighed and rolled to her side, eyeing the gargoyle. “Yeah, I know. There’s only one thing I have to do.”
Finn nudged her arm gently and whimpered again.
“It will be hard, but I don’t have a choice,” she explained. “Lizzy has to hear it, even if she is in a coma.” Melinda got the distinct impression the gargoyle was wishing he could help somehow. “You did help, Finn. You are helping. It’s so odd, but you’re pretty easy to talk to. Somehow, I think you understand what I’m saying, or feeling. You’re just a genuinely unique and wickedly awesome kind of gargoyle, aren’t you?”
He snorted in reply.
Melinda laughed lightly and plunked back down on her pillow.
“See, you’re making me feel better already.” A half-truth, and Finn sensed that too. Good thing the sun was risen. Melinda wasn’t going to be able to get back to sleep again. She officially gave up just as the last of the orangey hues disappeared up over the horizon, day in full bloom. Finn disappeared out her window to return to his statue form for the day, and she showered and meandered her way down to the kitchen. Where she found Michael and his shaking hands badly pouring a cup of coffee.
And she thought her night had been disruptive. He’d obviously gotten little to no sleep.
Courtney rushed up from the basement with an empty blood bag. “Grayson’s been fed.” She grabbed a mug of her own. “My turn.” She licked her lips and sipped on the red life sloshing in her mug.
Good thing they were used to that. Melinda let out an audible sigh, quickly realized it, and made her way hastily to the coffee. Michael didn’t bother bringing up the William subject, and Melinda ignored the Emily subject. There wasn’t much more to be said, other than plain old feeling all woe is me about it. Which solved a big fat nothing.
They each took a sip of the hot coffee and simultaneously let their shoulders drop in some sort of pretend, temporary relief. Nothing like that first steaming sip to make you think you’re actually waking up and ready to start the day. Even a false sense of security was better than nothing.
Melinda’s phone buzzed. “Someone else can’t sleep either,” she mumbled. “It’s Lucas. He’s heading to the hospital to check in on Lizzy. After that, we’re going to start in looking through all the paperwork Mack found for us on Levi Johnston.” Lucas’ mystery man who he was having visions about, and the reason Lizzy was in the hospital.
“If you can,” reminded Michael, “get Charlie to give you more of his blood.”
“Already?” Melinda returned.
“Yeah,” answered Courtney. “I have no clue if vampires can build up a tolerance to werewolf blood, or if we’re not dosing him enough, but Grayson is burning through a lot of it. Could be the curse, I suppose.”
They hadn’t thought of that.
“We’ve got enough to get through today,” decided Michael. “But, better safe than sorry. We don’t need a killer vamp on the loose again.”
“Okay. I’ll let Charlie know. I’m meeting Lucas at the hospital first anyway. If I’m lucky, I can talk Charlie into taking a br
eak and coming home to get some rest.”
“Good luck with that.” Michael didn’t expect for a minute his brother would be so easily talked into leaving Lizzy as he had not, in three days.
There was a raucous in the basement from Grayson, Courtney raced to check on him.
Melinda grasped Michael’s arm. “You okay?” She shook her head. “Um, I mean, obviously, everything is crap right now, just, if you’re not okay, like you need a break or something...”
Michael smiled weakly. “Thank, Sis. I think it’s best I keep busy. Taking a break leads to thinking, and thinking leads to...”
“Problems we can’t solve.”
He shrugged in half-hearted agreement. “Be careful out there with Lucas. If you guys need help, just holler. I’ll be here having loads of fun keeping an eye on Grayson.”
Melinda released his arm and left for the hospital. She stopped in front of Finn’s stone frame perched like he’d always been there. “See you tonight, Finn.” She patted his stone head, having no idea if the gargoyle was even coherent at all while he slept, and there was no response so she went on her way.
She met Lucas just arriving at the hospital and walked in with him.
“You look exhausted.”
“Long night,” he yawned out. “Sleep was optional apparently.”
“Seems to be going around,” she replied haughtily. And speaking of not much sleep; they spied her brother, Charlie, in a chair next to Lizzy’s bed. Slouching, elbows leaning on the edge of her mattress. Speaking to her softly, about what, who knew. Poor guy was looking more beat up every time they came to check in. But he was determined that Lizzy not spend a single minute alone, especially since horrifyingly discovering she was awake inside her unresponsive body.
“Hi,” Melinda called out to him as she and Lucas entered.
Charlie leaned back and stretched. “Morning already?” He had the drapes closed up tight.
“Early still, but yeah.”
“No change I take it?” assumed Lucas, dismally.
“No.” Charlie’s gaze drifted to Lizzy’s closed eyes. So peaceful on the outside, he couldn’t even fathom the storm brewing on the inside.
“How about you take a break and get some rest?” Melinda suggested.
Charlie sagged, but fought the inevitable moment he’d have to leave. “I can go a little longer.”
“And what good are you going to be to her if you’re so exhausted you fall asleep in your chair?” demanded Melinda.
“I... I can’t leave her alone. She can’t be alone.”
“I agree.” It was Lucas. “You’re not the only one who cares about her.” His reminder was kind, but firm. Charlie sagged even more at that. He was beaten, there.
“Michael needs more werewolf blood anyway. Just for a few hours, Charlie. At the least, take a shower, or you’re going to start stinking up the place. And seriously, that’s like the least romantic thing you can do. She might not be able to yell at you, but I’m pretty sure she can still smell you.”
He let out an exhausted chortle.
Melinda gave him a closed lip smile. His sister, suddenly being the boss woman in charge, even if it was because she was concerned for his personal care or hygiene.
It made it no less difficult to leave. “Lizzy’s probably yelling at me right now.” Man, how he wished she was. There were few things worse than not being able to hear a voice you were dying to hear, and fearing you might never hear it again.
“We won’t leave her alone for a second,” promised Lucas.
Charlie nodded, but it took him a few long minutes to get up, say his goodbyes to Lizzy, along with a hundred promises he’d be back soon, and actually leave the hospital room. And only after Melinda nearly pushed him out the door. No easy feat being she was so tiny compared to her werewolf big brother.
Once alone, Melinda pushed out a testy sigh. “Don’t worry, Lizzy. I got your back. He’ll come back looking all eye-candy, just like you like him. And yup, really can’t use that term any longer.” She attempted lightheartedness, for all their sakes. At some level, she hoped Lizzy appreciated it. It was difficult to fathom the level of insanity the ex-ghast had to be experiencing.
Melinda took Charlie’s seat, Lucas was about to drag another closer to the bed when Melinda clucked and made a face.
“What?”
“Forgot my coffee sitting on the kitchen counter.”
“Oh, um, I could use some of that too. Didn’t bother to make any this morning. You want me to go fetch a couple cups?”
“Would you? That would be great, Lucas. I’ll keep Lizzy company and talk girl stuff, I’m sure she’ll hate me for that. Hey, maybe that’s the key to waking her up.”
“By pissing her off?”
“Worth a shot.”
“I’ll let you handle that one,” said Lucas, sliding out to get coffee. At the same time wondering if it might actually work. They hadn’t tried that yet.
But it wasn’t Melinda’s true intention at all. The moment Lucas was out of range she took the chair and slid it even closer to Lizzy’s head, and spoke quietly.
“Lizzy, I um, may not have much time and I might not get the chance to see you again alone soon, so, well, damn it. This isn’t easy. I, um, had a dream. About you.” She blew out an anxious breath. “Wow, do I hope you really can hear me.” She paused. Nervous to continue. Bravery faltering.
She got up deciding they needed more privacy and shut the door. She returned and took her seat. “I haven’t told anyone else what I dreamed. This information is meant for your ears only, Lizzy. I only wish I didn’t have to do this because I understand the choice you have to make, better than most.” Loving two men, equally. Having to choose only one of them and hurting the other. Forever altering your own future by whatever path you choose.
She took a ragged breath and told Lizzy her dream.
Every single detail, leaving out nothing.
“So you see,” when Melinda finished, “the choice is still yours, however, if I know you, and I think I do well enough at this point, the choice is an easy one. Albeit not an outcome anyone would wish upon someone else, ever. And it pretty much makes the choice for you, which sucks too. But the reality is, I’m just the seer of the future, not the gal who plans it. But there you have it.”
Melinda let out a long sigh, giving Lizzy a few minutes of precious quiet. If she truly was awake in there, she was losing her mind at this moment with absolutely no way to show it. Melinda decided she deserved a few minutes of silence, from her, to let it all swarm around her brain, if nothing else.
Lizzy remained frozen in her useless body, her mind wide-awake. Her heart thundering in her chest, although this was only her imagination as in reality, it beat in a slow, rhythmic thud. In some manner which told the doctors she was awake, but nothing else.
And how could it not? How could the stupid machine she was plugged into not be shooting to the stars right now? Her brain was on fire! This dream was too much. It gave her hope, and yet left her with none, all at the same time.
“I’m sorry, Lizzy,” Melinda sniffled after a few minutes. “I wish I didn’t have to tell you this. It seems your choice is made for you. Maybe that’s a good thing, I can’t be sure. I’m not sure how to feel about it, but that’s not my job. Only to pass along what I saw. I wish I could make it easier for you. Regardless of my brother, or Grayson, or anything else. I truly wish so hard I could tell you something different. But in the end, it’s all you, and though you might have doubts or regrets, you are an inherently good person.” Which meant Melinda already guessed Lizzy’s choice.
The doorknob turned, and Melinda straightened herself out and put on a smile as Lucas came in with coffee. He eyed her for a second, but questioned nothing.
They proceeded to take turns filling Lizzy in on everything going on since the day before, anything they could think of that Charlie might have left out.
Melinda imagined Lizzy wasn’t listening, and even wondered if she
wouldn’t prefer more quiet time, to process all she’d just been told. Her hand sought out Lizzy’s, her fingers having a mind of their own. Her grasp passing along all the silent comfort she could offer, all the while, she and Lucas just talking and passing the time until Charlie returned.
Lizzy accepted the comfort as a silent understanding, because Melinda was right in her assumptions. And if this is how it was really going to end, she supposed it was better to know now. To have time to prepare, mentally, for this outcome.
It was so much to let go of. Could she really do it?
If she was sticking to her own rules, and being the good witch, there was no choice. It was made, for her. She simply had to follow through.
And the reality was, this was only a possible future, as she saw it in this moment, anyway.
But if it was true, then she would get out of this coma, even if what happened after was painful in a way that would stick with her, forever. And if she admitted what was in her heart, she’d already come to a similar conclusion. This dream simply hammered the idea home, and put the final nail in the coffin, so to speak. But step one... get out of this fucking hospital bed, or none of what Melinda saw would ever come to pass.
A LONG TIME AGO ON an island not so far away...
One year.
It had been one year since Grayson Moone had drunk a single drop of human blood. And to celebrate, they were having a party. Everyone in the witch community was invited. What a crazy eight months it had been since she’d first introduced him to her father. Followed soon after by her friends and fellow witches. And everyone loved him. He charmed the pants off all of them; most of all, Lisbeth.
Okay, so she was making it sound easy. It had not been. Although it had been easier than she’d expected, considering she was dating a vampire in secret and was trying to integrate him into normal life on the Isle. Those first days and weeks, though, those had been tense.
Sometimes Lisbeth wondered how she and Grayson had managed to stick it out. It had been rocky, and at first, he was frightened near to death all the time he might lose control and sink into a vein. But only Lisbeth ever saw that fear. In public, he was stable and maintained his confident charm. However, over the months that followed, people came around. And once enough people came around the entire community embraced the vampire.
