by M. K. ROZE
“Latore, that’s enough,” Savina shouted. Her face was normal again. “Sunrise will be here soon. Mihnea can’t die until we get the Sicuro back.”
“Mihnea, let’s go,” I cried.
Mihnea pulled Latore in and spit in his face. “It’s time to die.”
Latore chuckled. “Is…that…so?”
Mihnea roared and punched his fist right through Latore’s chest.
“Rip his heart out,” Sorin ordered.
“I can’t,” Mihnea shouted, as he tried desperately to pull it out.
Sorin flew into the woods, returned with the Sicuro and tossed it to Mihnea.
Savina flew at Mihnea and grabbed the Sicuro.
Sorin charged her, took it back and tossed it to Mihnea.
Mihnea roared and impaled Latore’s heart with the Sicuro.
Latore laughed and looked down at me. “You’re the only one who can kill me. You can thank your father Potent for that.”
I turned to Dragos. “Fly me up there, and I will kill him with it.”
Latore smiled. “Sorry, Doll. You’re not immortal, so I’m afraid you will be wasting your time. Then again, I could be wrong—being you still possess one of your many powers.”
“Bring Viata up here,” Mihnea shouted.
Latore flew backward, ripping the Sicuro out from his chest.
Savina caught him.
Mihnea narrowed his eyes on them, burning their flesh off.
Savina screamed as she shot up into the sky, holding Latore.
Sorin and Mihnea flew down to us.
I ran up to Mihnea and embraced him.
He cradled me in his arms. “I’m sorry you had to witness this.”
“It’s alright. Why didn’t you tell me about our children?”
“It wasn’t the right time.”
“I’m confused. I thought vampires couldn’t reproduce.”
“We’ll discuss this another time, love.” He tilted my head back and sucked the Mânca dust out of my lungs.
I coughed, and he did too.
“Are you ready?”
I nodded in a daze, still in shock.
Moarte came back out of the woods still limping.
“He’s hurt. Help him,” I said.
Mihnea patted him on his head. “Go rest. I will need you soon.”
Moarte nodded and ran away, disappearing into the woods.
I wiped away my tears. “Will he be okay?”
“Yes, he heals fast. Hold on tight.” Mihnea held me and shot up into the air. We flew over the ocean with Sorin and Dragos on the side of us.
“We won’t make it,” Dragos shouted.
“Don’t worry about me. Take the Sicuro and go,” Mihnea ordered.
Sorin grabbed the sword, and they picked up speed, flying ahead of us.
The sun started to rise, and Mihnea shouted from the pain.
I touched his face with tears in my eyes. “I love you, Mihnea.”
When his eyes met mine, I could see the agony on his face. “Were not far from the beach. Drop me into the ocean, so you get better speed.”
“No, I can make it.”
“Mihnea, I can smell your flesh burning. You will die, and I won’t. Now drop me, or I will never forgive you.”
He slowed down and lowered me to the surface. “If I don’t make it, remember that I will always love you.”
“Don’t say that.”
“I’m sorry, love.” He kissed me on my lips like it was our last time.
I looked down at the choppy waves then back at him. “It’s okay, release me, release me now.”
His eyes filled with blood as he let out a roar and dropped me into the deep sea.
I swam up to the surface and screamed out for Mihnea, but he was nowhere in sight. I trod the water, crying for him, and watched as the sun rose.
My body was weak from being thrown around. I couldn’t hold myself above the water, sometimes going under. I told myself that he made it and I swam to shore.
On the beach, I lay face down, trying to calm my breathing. Tears filled my eyes as I dug my fingers into the sand. I didn’t know if Mihnea was alive.
A few minutes later, a man came up to me. “Ma’am are you okay?” he asked.
I looked to my side and nodded.
He ran off. I assumed to get help.
I got up and staggered off toward the main road. My clothes were soaked, with sand everywhere, and my hair felt like a rat’s nest.
Drivers were looking at me as I walked. Some were beeping, but I didn’t care. The only thing on my mind was how I was going to get to Mihnea’s place.
An older woman pulled over and rolled her window down. “Do you need a ride?” she asked me softly.
Usually, I wouldn’t dare get into a car with a stranger, but from what I had witnessed, I thought, what could she possibly do to me?
“Yes, please,” I said and got into her old car.
The smell was horrid, with tons of fast-food bags covering the floor.
“Where would you like to go?” she asked. “And why are you all wet?”
I wanted her to take me to Mihnea’s, but he lived too far. Plus, I didn’t want her to know where I was going.
“I passed out on the beach,” I said. “The waves on the incoming tide woke me up.”
“Oh,” she replied, but she didn’t seem convinced.
“Where would you like me to take you?” she asked again.
“Augustine High is fine.”
I didn’t think she believed me, and I didn’t care. I just wanted to get home so that I could get to Mihnea’s.
When she dropped me off, I jumped out without saying a word and ran down the street until I reached my place.
With very little energy, I continued to the back of the house and took the key from the lockbox. The key wouldn’t go in the hole because my hand was shaking, so I gave up and kicked it in until it opened.
Thirsty, I ran over to the sink and drank from the faucet. Sand fell in my eyes, so I stuck my head underneath, rinsing my hair and face off as quickly as I could.
Dripping water all over me and the floor, I rushed over to the house phone to call Dad, so he could pick me up and take me back to their house to get my car. Not thinking clearly, I slammed the phone down after the second ring. I must do this on my own.
I raced to my room and ransacked it, trying to find the extra credit card I had.
As I paced the porch waiting for the taxi to get me, Liam pulled up. Before he could get out, I ran up to the passenger side and got in. “Take me to Mihnea’s, it’s an emergency,” I ordered.
“What happened to you? You look like a wet rat. And who’s Mihnea?”
I shook my head. “I meant Constin, and thanks, I’ve been called much worse.”
“What’s going on? Is he beating you? And where’s your car?”
“No, Liam, enough with the damn questions, just drive.”
“Okay, chill out.” He pulled out and drove faster than usual down the road.
Liam asked me a million questions, but I didn’t respond because I was too busy thinking of how I managed to give Mihnea more power and if he was still alive.
When we arrived at the cabin, I opened the door and jumped out before the car came to a stop.
“Go!”
“Screw you,” Liam said. He spun his wheels, kicking dirt up in my face, and took off.
I spit out the dirt and stumbled over to the porch, calling out for Mihnea. With no answer, I turned the handle, but it was locked. “Dammit!” I ran back down the steps, grabbed a rock and threw it at the window, shattering the glass. I kicked the glass away, climbed in and ran upstairs calling out to Mihnea, Sorin, and Dragos. With no answer, I raced back down and opened Sorin’s room.
As soon as I entered, a cold breeze rushed through me. I walked over to the closet and opened it up. There was nothing but rows of shoes and racks of clothes. I called out to them again, but still nothing. I plunged to my knees and thought tha
t maybe they flew somewhere else, but I didn’t know. I punched the door. The intense pain caused me to groan. I was lost and didn’t know what to do or think.
A thump came from within the walls. I got up and started sliding the clothes frantically to the other side of the rack. A secret door hid behind the black suits. I shoved them out of my way and slid the door open. It was freezing and pitch-black. I rushed back out and found a candle in the living room, next to a lighter. I took them both, raced back to the hidden room, and continued down the long hallway with a red carpet that led to three more doors.
I opened the first door and gasped when I saw Sorin lying on a bed with his arms folded across his chest. He looked like he was dead.
“Sorin,” I called out as I walked over to him.
He didn’t answer. I shook him, but he didn’t budge. It was like he was in a trance.
The wick started to go out, so I shielded the flame with my other hand and continued to the next room. As I stepped in, Dragos was also in a bed in a trance. I walked up and nudged him, but like Sorin, he didn’t budge. I stepped out and shut the door.
My heart raced as I grabbed the last door’s handle. I wasn’t even sure if it was Mihnea’s room or not, so I closed my eyes. “Mihnea, please be in here,” I said in a whisper.
I opened it slowly and stepped inside. When I saw he wasn’t there, I walked over to the end table that sat on the side of the queen-size bed. I saw a picture of me at Kaylee’s aunt’s wedding. It was the photo Kaylee had taken of me before we went inside.
I grabbed a shirt that was on the floor next to me and smelled it. The fragrance of vanilla still lingered. I knew then that it was Mihnea’s room and threw myself face down on his bed, crying and shaking uncontrollably.
Seconds later, I felt fingers running down my back. I quickly flipped over.
“Mihnea,” I screeched.
He grinned and sat on the bed next to me.
I straddled him, embracing him tightly. “Were you here the entire time?”
He nodded with a smug look.
“Where?”
“Around,” he replied.
I smacked his face, kissed him, and stopped abruptly. “I thought you were dead.”
“I am dead,” he said, smiling.
“You’re not funny. Are you sure I gave you more powers?”
“I’m positive, and now I fear Malign will want to kill us because of it. We need to prepare ourselves for the creatures he will send.”
I gasped. “What?”
Mihnea flipped me over onto my back. With his body on top of mine, he began kissing me, then abruptly stopped to examine my eyes. “I wish this could last forever,” his voice cracked.
I buried my head in his neck and cried. “I don’t want to forget you, Mihnea. I love you so much!”
“I’m sorry, love. I wish there was another way.” He held my face gently. “My beautiful Divinity, from the realm of Divine. Are you ready to become a goddess again, kill Malign, and save the world?”
“But if I still have powers from when I was a goddess, then why do I need to die?”
“Unless you can gain full power, I’m afraid there is no other way.”
“Will you help me get them back?”
“I can try, but if it doesn’t work, will you accept your destiny?”
I stopped breathing and lay frozen, staring into his gorgeous green eyes as he patiently waited for me to answer.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Starting my first new series last year—has been a difficult task. I couldn’t have done it without my family and friends. Without them—Immortal Visions wouldn’t exist.
Many thanks to Hampton Lamoureux at TS95 Studios, and Andrei Bat at 99designs. You both create incredible book covers.
A special thanks to Lana Sowards for sitting there with me for hours, helping me create cool names and so much more.
Tracie Sowards, thank you for helping me write the police scene. Without your expertise in the field, it would’ve been a mess.
A huge thanks to Steven MacIntosh, for sticking by me when other writers made fun of me. You told me to stop listening to negative people and keep writing.
Mel Perkins, thanks for listening to my motor mouth and telling me to publish it already!
Joseph Gilio, Scierra, Scienna, Diana Hurwitz, Emma Crain, David Barry, Terry Caruthers, Wren Hollowell, Abbey Luebke, Katlyn Webb, David Russell, and Tiffany Elliott.
A huge thank you for either reading my book or helping me revise it.
With lots of love, I thank you all!
M. K. ROZE
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
M. K. ROZE, a former New Yorker, moved to Florida for the palm trees and beautiful weather. When she isn’t designing weddings and events, she spends time with her beautiful children.
www.MKROZE.com
