Ever After (34 page)

“Shut up Todd you know nothing!” I couldn’t get over how different he spoke now. It was like becoming a vampire made him smart.

“Oh I know enough, and I know pretty boy over there is sick as well, you both are in bad shape. That dead blood Vincent gave him was highly concentrated, much more potent than your average stuff. I pity him really, from what I hear he has a painful few years coming to him.” I felt my breath catch. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing.

“What do you mean?” I pulled my blanket closer to my neck. I looked over at Will; he was still sleeping soundly.

“Well…. I suppose I can tell you, since you’re not going to be around here much longer. The blood he drank will slowly break down his system; it’s a long agonizing process. If I were him I would have rather just drank the whole vial and died, he could suffer for a good year or more before his body gives out.” He shrugged and pressed his lips together.

“Vincent never really meant to kill him, but when he refused to go back to the Dark coven, he lost his temper. He did that a lot, so he instantly decided to kill him, you were next of course. If Doc had not shown up, Vincent would have drained your body of every last drop of blood to be sure.”

I figured the last part, but to know now my William was going to suffer and my blood had not healed him but sentenced him to days of agony was enough to push me over the proverbial edge. Todd knew too much. I knew this was going to get bad, really fast. The dark coven was lethal, and they wanted Will and me dead.

“You are wrong Todd, Doc, and Pratt will help him, you’re just trying to be hateful!” I snapped.

“No Corrine those are strait facts. Will is…let’s see now… what’s that old saying?” He stopped to think. “Up shit creek without a paddle? Yes that's it.” The look in his eyes sent a cold chill down my spine.

“I also could say the same for you. Vincent made me like him, so I could complete the elimination of you, William and the Followers if he should fail. He was stronger when he changed me, so fortunately I am not a half blood.” He laughed. “Finishing this will be easy.”

He sat down in my pink armchair and nodded his head. “Leo will be the one you will meet next, and he is the one who will decide how and when to kill you. I will warn you he has no feelings for humans or half bloods. Did you know we hunt both even when we are not hungry, it’s rather fun actually. I especially like to smell the fear it’s like a fine wine, and the terror in their eyes is merely the icing on the cake.”

“You won’t get away with this!” I snapped at him, wanting to punch him in the face.

Leo warned me of how protective the Followers are with William, since he is so weak. It seems they all feel the same about you. Doc threatened Leo’s son Trevor over you two scrawny little vamp wanna be’s. That was not such a good thing to do on his part. Leo could care less that he and Doc were brothers in their human lives. Leo has wanted to kill Doc and eliminate the Followers for centuries.” He inhales and smiles confidently at me.

“I am now Leo’s right hand man and his choice to be the next elder of the coven. This little mission is my chance to prove to him I am worthy of such a position in the coven and I will not fail.”

I knew it was over now, I couldn’t breathe at all. I tucked my head down on my knees and closed my eyes. I had no idea what Todd had planned for me but it would end in my death. Will was also heading that way, and I couldn’t bear the thought of it. I caught my breath and slowly looked up pushing the hair out of my eyes.

“You're going to kill me aren’t you?” I said weakly and why I even asked I didn’t know. I already knew the answer.

“Yes and… no Corrine, I would love to kill you right now, but I must let Leo decide if I can enjoy that. You are bait right now. Where ever you are William and the Followers will come and try to save you. Do you see what I mean? You Corrine are live bait!” I saw just then Todd was not alone, he had another vamp with him. He stood watching near the window, in the shadows.

“I see that you’ve noticed Kyle over there, don’t worry he will not eat you. He is here to help me out if I should need it.”

“We should get going Todd, Leo is expecting us in an hour you know how he is.” I could see fear in Kyle’s dark eyes as he said Leo’ name.

Kyle looked a lot like Todd but with dark brown hair and he was shorter, he wore a black coat and baseball hat nearly pulled over his eyes. He seemed nervous and kept looking at William. It was in that moment William did wake up; he heard Todd and Kyle talking. The look in his eyes when he saw Todd even scared me, they went from blue to nearly black, as he was enraged. Will jumped up ready to attack; he was at my bedside in seconds.

“What the hell are you doing here Todd?” He snarled, putting himself in between me and Todd as a shield, he held his arm out in front of me as a block, if Todd was going to go after me.

“Ahhh glad you could join us William old pal, long time no see eh?” He prodded sarcastically knowing Will was pissed off.

Will’s body suddenly tensed up as he was sensing Todd was a vampire; all vamps even half bloods could feel another vampire presence form a mile away. This explained why Todd could never be tracked. The Followers had been looking for
a
human
and he was no longer one and remained hidden from Doc and the coven. They would never have expected him to be a vampire.

“I see you’ve joined my world. I don’t need to ask what coven, do I?” William was studying Todd as it seemed assessing him.

“No… you don’t need to ask, and I am a full blood, not a half ass vamp like you!” He took a step closer to William who still was blocking Todd from me.

I was in so much pain I was getting tunnel vision and my ears were ringing. I was glad Doc had un hooked the heart monitor or they would have known it was beating out of control. I put my face in my hands, trying to pull it together, but it was not working. Doc and Pratt were not kidding when they said stress was my worst enemy, I was going down fast, and I had no way to stop it.

“You think you can come in here and hurt Corrine, alone or even with your side kick over there? You’re a fledgling vamp; you can’t even have been one a full year yet. I may be a half blood but you are younger and not as strong as me.” Will remained in a guarding position ready if Todd should try to get to me.

“Really? Well in most cases that may be true, but not right now. It’s a well know fact you are sick William, that dead blood Vincent forced you to drink is tearing up your system as we speak, you know it and I know it.” He smiled at Will, and gave a Kyle wink of self-assurance.

“You’re wrong, I am fine. Your stupidity amazes me Todd it really does. I may be somewhat weaker than I was before the attack, but I m still stronger than you! I’m also not alone here; if you knew how a coven really works, you would remember that. If you threaten one you threaten all.”

“So I’ve heard.” Todd laughed.

“Well you’ve set yourself up to fail as Vincent did!” Will said in a low voice. The words set Todd off. I could see his hands ball up into tight fists.

“I have a mission to complete, and I will not let some runty half blood get in my way, so save your pathetic threats William!” In that, instant Todd lunged at William who in a split second moved. Todd tumbled into the couch next to my bathroom. Todd was back on his feet instantly and he and Will circled each other.

‘Save the macho display William, I know all about it. Vincent knocked you on your ass last fall. I was just filling Corrine in on the details while you were getting your beauty rest. I can kill you; you are nearly as weak as a human right now, and no match for me! Why don’t you let me put you out of your misery right now?” He was pushing Will, trying to get him to make a move.

“Bring it Todd, I will rip out your throat and kill you like the animal you are!” Will was in a full on rage now, like I had never seen him before.

Before I knew what was happening, the two were going toward each other full force. Todd grabbed Will and threw him down hard into the love seat he had been sleeping on. I flinched as Will gasped in pain; he slowly got up holding his side. Will was after Todd now, grabbed him, and threw him to the ground. Will had Todd pinned to the floor, refusing to let him move. I could see Will still had some strength left as he wrapped his hand around Todd’s neck.

The two struggled, trying to overpower each other. I worried Will would get tired, he was starting to breath harder, and Todd was not even letting up. I could only watch. I worried Todd’s friend Kyle would join in the fight, but he only stood there silently. I prayed Roth and Taylor might come up here or just somebody and help us. I wasn’t sure how long Will could keep Todd from hurting him or even killing him.

“Give up already you’re not going to beat me, it’s a joke!” Todd hissed his eyes were as black as Williams. I could see Todd had blood running down the side of his face, but William had blood on the side of his mouth. They were tearing each other apart.

“Never, I’ll die before I let you touch Corrine ever again!” Will snapped as he moved closer to me.

“Then so be it, you’ve chosen what you want, who am I to deny you?” Todd moved so quickly he was like a blur.

Suddenly he was holding both of William’s arms back, as he fought violently to break free from Todd’s hold. Todd jerked Will around so they were facing me. I scooted back to the top of the bed. I could see now William was really hurt badly, he was bleeding and taking shallow breaths, trying to pull free from Todd. He had hurt Todd too though, as he looked exhausted. Kyle moved now closer to them.

“Take a nice long look at her William; you won’t be seeing her again for sometime perhaps… ever again.” Will looked up at me his eyes back to their brilliant blue. He was fighting to stay conscious, blinking hard.

“I love you.” I whispered to Will, as I tried to block out my own pain.

“I love you Corrine, I’m so sorry.” He sighed trying to focus on me. Will tried to yank free again but this time Kyle grabbed him and he had no power to get away.

“Enough of this, we’ve wasted enough time here!” Todd slammed William into the floor so hard he gasped in pain. Todd looked down at William, he seemed satisfied that he had hurt him enough to knock him out. I stared at William he was not moving at all now. I was terrified he was hurt really bad or maybe even something worse, dead.

“We shouldn’t be bothered by him anymore.” Todd smoothed his hair back into place and wiped the blood off his face onto his shirtsleeve.

“Well Corrine,” he gave me a wicked smile. “We have to go, so get dressed, and make it fast or I will take you in your pajamas. I really don’t care.”

I was in shock he was taking me. I couldn’t go anywhere, I could barely walk very far right now. I just yesterday walked alone to the bathroom without hanging onto Will, Gran, or Libby. I knew this could be really bad; they wanted me to lure Doc and the coven in, and then attack them no doubt. Leo and the crazy freak vamps would try to kill the Followers.

I didn’t think their plan would work, little did they know that if I went more than a day without the serum Pratt gave me I would probably die. I thought about it as I pulled on my jeans, my legs felt like lead. If I died, the Followers wouldn’t have a reason to come after me and try to get me back. I didn’t care if I had to sacrifice myself really. I didn’t want Will, Doc or any of the Followers to die trying to save me.

I watched Todd as he sat in the window seat talking to Kyle; he kept his eyes on me as I struggled to get myself dressed. I was not going to let him win, even if it meant I had to sacrifice myself. I was not going to be responsible for luring William’s coven, “my” coven into a trap. I just would simply not allow it to happen no matter what I had to do. A war had just begun, between Todd and me and this time I was going to win.

Chapter
18

Missing

I looked at William, he was still not moving at all. I tried to see if he was breathing but I couldn’t. I found a shirt, and a pink hooded zip up sweatshirt to throw on. I pulled the closet door open and stepped behind it so Todd and his friend couldn’t see me. I found a white knit hat to throw on and my jean jacket, hardly warm enough for January, but it was all I had on hand in my closet.

I tried to move fast. Todd kept telling me to hurry up. They knew the Followers would be here to look in on Will soon, so they wanted to get out of there. I got my shoes on and stood at the edge of the bed, and doubled over in pain again. My stomach seemed to hurt more than my lungs. I wasn’t sure if I could even walk, but Todd wasn’t waiting for me anymore.

“Hurry it up Corrine, suck it up!” Todd yelled.

“I… can’t.” I gasped in pain I closed my eyes, as the room seemed to be spinning.

“You
can
and you will, you have no choice here! We are going now even if I have to drag you! You’re wasting my time. Doc and his stupid coven are going to be here any second now, they will sense something’s wrong.”