Blood Awakening (38 page)

My heart skipped a few beats as I remembered what was happening before. “The vampires,” I said. Sebastian grinned. “So what you’re saying is that the prophecy can’t be fulfilled until I’ve killed a hundred vampires?”

“Precisely.”

I suddenly found a bit of my missing confidence. “Then I won’t do it.” Sebastian raised an eyebrow in surprise. “I won’t.” I looked to Zyris, who seemed to be enjoying my pain most of all. “I refuse to help you destroy humanity to fulfill some sick need you have to be in control. I won’t do it, and neither of you can make me.”

Zyris smiled. “Fortunately for us, we do not need you to.”

Now I was the one raising a brow. “What?”

“Yes,” Sebastian said with a stomach-turning grin on his face. “The souls being sacrificed for our cause have no connection to you, Ava. They simply must die.”

It took a moment before the realization of his words sunk in.

“No,” I said, shaking my head.

“You don’t have to kill anyone, Ava. You never had to, actually.” Another lie exposed. Another piece of the foundation beneath my life crumbling away. “These deaths are a necessity, yes. But how it happens has never mattered. Just that it does.”

“Sebastian, don’t do this.” I was begging him, something I never imagined doing. The evil grin on his face was mirrored on Zyris’s. They both looked at me with pride, like they had duped me in some grand way.

And they had.

Zyris turned toward the dark, icy Hudson behind us, staring out over the still waters. I could do nothing but watch with a sense of wonder and dread as she lifted her hands into the air and spoke.

“My children,” she started, her voice carrying on the frigid night air into the depths of the seemingly empty river. “The time has come for you to prove your loyalty to me, to our race.” Her expression never wavered, never parted with its harsh lines and emotionless features. “Tonight, I am asking you to make the ultimate of sacrifices. To give yourselves, so that others can survive. To do what is necessary to ensure we take our place as the superior species.” A slight pause, then, “I command you all to give your lives to us.”

She lowered her arms and turned from the water, evil emanating from her as she stepped toward me. The vampires holding Erik, Kayla and Lacey shuffled my friends closer to me as the thick darkness surrounding us began to break apart. We all stared in horror as flames erupted through the pitch black of the shadows, illuminating the night sky. Fire filled with the screams of dying vampires spread out all around, shattering the painful silence.

“Zyris, stop!” I screamed, charging after her. Sebastian lunged at me, stopping me just as I reached her. “Don’t do this! You’re killing them!” More and more screams pierced the night as the number of fires increased. With most of the dark water now lit up, I could see the vampires more clearly. Each of them looked as Chance did, lost and defenseless in Zyris’s powerful compulsion. I prayed that he wouldn’t suffer the same fate.

“I told you, Ava,” she said above the screams of her sires, “this is but a means to the ultimate end. Each of my children is fully aware of what has to happen tonight, each ready to do what is necessary to ensure success. Do not think that they were misled in any way.”

“That’s not true. You compelled them—admit it.” Sebastian had a firm grip on my arms, keeping me from attacking her.

“Merely to ensure they did not give up on what fate handed them, Ava, nothing more.” I could feel the heat from the nearest burning vampires, could hear the fire crackle and sizzle as it destroyed everything in its path. Nausea swept over me as the acrid scent of burning, undead flesh filled my nose. I closed my eyes tight, hoping to ward off the unforgettable images.

“You truly are a monster,” I said, my words carrying on the scent of death.

“I never claimed to be anything else. It is you who refuses to accept that you are equally as monstrous.”

“I am nothing like you.” I spat the words at her like venom.

Zyris laughed at me, truly laughed. “You and I are much more alike than you care to believe, Ava. You will realize that soon enough.”

“Go to hell.” I let Sebastian pull me away from her, back to the others. I stood in silence with Erik, Kayla and Lacey as the last of the fires and screams subsided, and we were surrounded by darkness and silence once again. I held on to my friends until Zyris approached us.

“How could you do that?” I asked her, disgust littering my words. “You created them, Zyris. They were a part of you. How could you kill them so easily?”

“I did not kill them, Ava.” She was standing next to Sebastian again, the two of them looking as though the horror we had just witnessed never even happened. “They gave themselves freely to the cause. It was their wish to be a part of this monumental event.”

“That wasn’t free will, Zyris. It was murder. You just killed innocent people!” My anger and rage was only fueled by Zyris’s overconfidence. Kayla’s hand reached out to mine, gripping it tightly. Her effort to calm me was a wasted one; I would never be calm, not anymore.

“I did what I had to, Ava. Just as you did what you had to when you killed.” Zyris’s eyes brightened. “Still believe you are not a monster?”

“Compared to you?” I said, my rage toward her growing faster than I could contain. “I know I’m not.”

“We will work on your perception of things, Ava. For now, it is time to go.”

The fact that I had agreed to give my freedom to this murdering scum had all but escaped me. “Where?” I asked, doing my best to control myself. Given that she had just forced members of her own coven—her children, as she so eloquently put it—to death, I feared what she would do to my friends if I didn’t back off.

“Where we are going is irrelevant. You must leave with us, Ava, to ensure that our plan is successful.”

“No way in hell you’re taking her anywhere with you,” Erik said, again fighting against the superhuman holding him. “I’ll kill you first, you crazy bitch.” I expected Zyris to kill him instead, to hurt me even more by destroying the only real thing I had left.

“Be very careful, Erik,” Sebastian said, stepping in front of Zyris. “Or you will suffer the same fate as your dear departed sister.” Though he wasn’t beside me, I could feel Erik’s entire body go crazy with rage. I quickly went to him, begging him without words to back down. He did, but his anger toward Sebastian was strong enough to feel.

“I’m not going anywhere with you, Zyris.” I stood my ground. “I changed my mind. I’m not helping you kill more innocent people.”

“That is certainly your choice, Ava,” she said, no emotion behind her words. “But remember the consequence of that choice.” I stayed quiet as panic climbed my spine, and I fought hard to keep it hidden. “If you do not accompany me, I will be forced to kill everyone you love.” She glanced to the right, a quick look before turning back to me. “Including the one vampire I am certain you want to keep alive.”

My heart burst inside my chest, and an unnatural, primal pain crippled me, as the truth behind her words slowly crept into my mind.

If I didn’t go, she would kill Chance

G
IVING IN

“No.” I heard Kayla’s voice, her words choking on her tears. “Ava.” I couldn’t look at her, or Erik, afraid to see their fear. The same fear that was eating me alive.

“It’s okay,” I said, more to myself than anyone else. “It’ll be okay.” I had no idea where the words were coming from. My mind was too far gone to put together a coherent thought, and yet I was spewing forth words of comfort.

“I heard you say goodbye to him,” Zyris said. “Perhaps you are prepared to call my bluff?”

I fought back my own tears. “Why are you doing this to me?” It was the one question I had that still remained unanswered.

Why was I the one chosen for such an impossible, unimaginable task?

Why me?

“There is no other choice, Ava. This is how it was written to be.”

I opened my mouth to protest, to tell Zyris and Sebastian to go to hell, that I would never do what they wanted of me. But I stopped myself. How could I possibly tell them no now? Five minutes ago, I made the hardest choice of my life when I chose to say goodbye to Chance.

Now, I would make an ever harder one.

I slowly turned to face Erik, every second we had been together flashing in my mind like a silent movie. Every word spoken, every touch, every kiss; all the memories flooded my senses, turning my stomach and making me sick. Sick, because I had just realized how much I loved him—and now I had to say goodbye.

I stepped close to him, desperate to touch him. “Erik…”

“Ava, no.” The fear in his eyes fell on his words. “You’re not doing this.”

I fought back tears. “I have to.”

“No. No.” He was fighting back his own tears. “I won’t let you do this.”

“Erik, I—”

“—don’t say it,” he interrupted. “Please don’t say you have to.” He looked away from me, over my shoulder to try and avoid the pain. “I have to stop you.” His voice was frayed, broken. “I have to stop you, Ava. I won’t let you kill yourself to save him.”

I cried for the millionth time, giving in to the hurt. “He saved me, Erik.”

I fell against him, wishing the vampire latched onto him would release his arms so he could hug me one last time. Erik’s rapid heartbeat pounded in my ears, the frantic scent of his blood consuming me with desire. I closed my eyes to ward of the bloodlust, wanting only to hold him, to hold this moment.

“Let me save you now,” he said, his hand caressing mine. “I can save you now.” I pulled away to see his face, his tears shattering my heart.

“I—I love you, Erik,” I cried. “Please always know that I love you.”

“I love you, too.” His face was hard as he fought to regain his composure.

“Then you can’t fight me on this.” I pulled away from him. “I have to do this. I have to.” I kept repeating it, over and over. For Erik, for myself, I kept repeating it. As painful as it was, I walked away from him yet again. I could almost feel his silent screams for me to stop, their unheard pleas pounding in my ears.

“Ava, please don’t do this.” Kayla echoed Erik’s plea, crying as I stopped in front of her. “You can’t. You…you can’t go.”

I cried with her, wrapping my arms around her. “I’m so sorry, Kayla. I’m so, so sorry. But remember what I said, what I promised you?” She didn’t speak, only nodded. “I’m gonna find your dad. And I’m gonna get him back to you.” More silent nods of affirmation. No matter the outcome of my leaving, no matter what hell was in my future, finding Kayla’s father and saving him was a task I had no intention of failing. I hugged her even harder, with all the strength and fight I had left in me. The pain of saying goodbye to her was overwhelming, crippling. “You are my best friend, Kayla. I love you so much.”

“I love you, too.” She was fighting back sobs as I broke our embrace. “I’m so scared.”

“Me, too.” Scared wasn’t a strong enough word to describe the fear that was eating me from the inside out, one slow, agonizing moment at a time. “But I’m more scared for him.” We both looked at Chance, and in that moment, I knew. I knew that what I was doing was the right thing.

Chance had risked his life helping me.

Now, I had to do the same.

“Please be careful, Ava,” she said, and I hugged her one last time. I held on to her a bit longer than I should have, not wanting to say goodbye. “And you know we’re gonna come after you, right?”

“Kayla—”

“—we are,” she said, wiping away tears as she did her best to smile. “So don’t even waste your time trying to argue.” She swallowed. “We’re gonna find you, Ava. I promise.”

“We promise,” Erik added, trying to sound confident and sure, but failing.

My eyes fluttered between them. “I love you, both,” I said, stepping away from my best friend to my new one.

“I’m not even gonna try to pretend I like you,” Lacey said, a cold shot of wind lifting and swirling the blond tuft of ponytail on the back of her head. I couldn’t believe that I was going to miss even her. “But…” She started to speak but paused, a softness spreading across her face. “Be careful, Ava.” I couldn’t help but smile. If someone had told me that first day of school that Lacey and I would one day share a moment, that we would actually become friends, I would have laughed until I cried. But here we were, surrounded by vampires and death and change, doing just that.

Without realizing it, I was hugging her. “Help them,” I whispered in her ear. “Help Erik and Kayla deal.” She didn’t say a word, only hugged me back, gentle and sincere. I gave all of them one final, whole-hearted smile, then walked away.

“It’s time,” Sebastian said once I took my place beside him and Zyris. Aldric had been standing behind his former friends, but slowly moved up as I approached, stopping in front of me. I had hated him that first night in the cemetery, but I’d told myself to trust him, that I had no other choice. Tonight I learned that everything he had told me had been a lie, and what little trust I had allowed myself to give was shattered. Now, I was surprised that I was glad he was here, that he would be there for my friends, to protect them.

“I’m sorry, Ava,” he said. The statement was short, simple, but held so much meaning. I knew that he was truly sorry, that he hadn’t meant for any of this to happen. It was difficult to trust in that, that he was being honest for the first time. But I somehow knew he was.

I watched in silence as Aldric left me and stood next to my friends. He and Erik and Kayla were the only people in my life who hadn’t abandoned me. Even Lacey, who I’d never truly understood until tonight, had always been there, in the most annoying yet unexpected way. Those four people were the only ones who were willing to fight for me, even when I couldn’t fight for myself. In some way, I loved each of them. And though I didn’t want to admit it, I knew that I would never see any of them again.

“Don’t worry, Ava,” Sebastian said, his words like acid to my ears. “We will take excellent care of you.” He was smiling as he said it, clearly happy that he had finally won, that he had beaten me.

I hadn’t thought it possible to hate him more.

“I’m still going to kill you one day.” I stared into his dead eyes. “I promise you that, Sebastian.”