Fate (The Edge of Forever) (39 page)

“Tell me where Grayson is,” I whispered, twirling the blade between my fingers I wanted to see how he liked his game reversed. I sat on top of him with one leg pinning one of Anton’s arms and my free hand pinning the other. He was not going anywhere and from the look of panic on his face as he struggled beneath me, he knew it too.

“What does it matter? He’s dead anyways.”

I sunk the blade between his ribs just barely missing his heart. He cried out in agony and I couldn’t help to feel a jolt of pleasure that he was getting a taste of his own medicine.

“I missed on purpose, Anton. I have studied anatomy. I know where to strike to make it count. Where in this building is he?”

He smiled cocky at me. “He’s just on the other side of that door.” I used my senses but I couldn’t tell if he was telling the truth. Even the worst liar can beat the vampire lie detector under this pressure. Their heartbeat becomes frantic and it’s impossible to tell which is causing it, the stress from the pressure or the lie. “But like I said he’s most likely dead.”

I remembered my mother said about knowing that Grayson was alive.
“You would know if he was not.”
I didn’t know how or what she meant but I put my trust in her words.

“If he is…” I couldn’t even finish my sentence. Anger gripped me. I removed the blade only to the plunge my hand into Anton’s chest. I could feel him struggling underneath me, trying his best to get away. I could only imagine the discomfort he was feeling having my hand invade his chest.

“Impossible!” he groaned almost choking on his own words.

“Oh, I guess I forgot to mention that. Not half human.” I shrugged like it didn’t matter, then beamed my biggest grin. “Part original.”

His eyes widened with shock and realization then they froze that way as I ripped his heart from his chest. “That was for Rachel.”

I didn’t even wait for the telltale signs of death before I was in the room where Anton said Grayson would be. And there he was, lying in a pool of expanding crimson. I blurred to him hoping to stop the bleeding.
 

“Grayson!” I cried. I was afraid to move him. I took a deep breath and focused. I could hear his heart. I sighed with relief. He was still alive but knowing for sure was much better than relying on some metaphysical bond. “Grayson?” I began scanning his neck for wounds, but found none.
Where the hell was he bleeding from?

“Gaby?” Grayson began coughing. From the sound of blood gurgling in his throat, I knew he had internal bleeding. I lifted his shirt and gasped in shock. His once perfect abs were now unrecognizable. His beautiful skin was now a field of red gashes with almost deep burgundy punctures. I instantly felt guilty for how long it took me to get to him. I knew there was no way he would make it to the hospital. I didn’t even know how he was still a live, much less conscious.

“How bad does it hurt?” I grimaced.

“Honestly, not that bad anymore. I’m just cold,” he whispered. That wasn’t good. It meant he was losing too much blood. “I’m glad you’re here.” He tried to reach out to touch my face but his hand flopped heavily back to his chest. His face contorted with severe discomfort.

I grabbed his palm, pulling it flush with my cheek and that was when I felt the first of the tears stream down my face. “Please Grayson you have to stay with me. I can’t lose you. I’m so sorry. If you had never met me…”

He sighed then winced in pain. “I love you Gabriella…more than anything else…in this world…and I will never regret you…coming into my life.”

“We’ve never talked about it, but I can change you.”

His brow furrowed. “You said you couldn’t.”

“I didn’t know I could, but I can. I can’t lose you Grayson. I’m sorry. Please don’t hate me.”

“Gaby, I…”
 

I didn’t wait to hear Grayson’s response. I was too worried if he told me he didn’t want to be like me that I would do as he wished, which meant I’d lose him. Biting my wrist, I pressed it to Grayson’s mouth forcing him to drink. I looked at the pool surrounding him and knew the majority his blood had already drained from him; the rest would flow out within minutes with no help needed from me. All I had to do was make him take all my blood in return and pray I had enough after my torture session with Anton. I would bleed myself dry if I had to. It wouldn’t kill me but I’d be weakened, and that didn’t matter. All that mattered was that I had to save Grayson, even if he hated me.

I could feel blood drying on my face not sure whose it was. My life source was draining from me and into Grayson. There was no sexual desire in that moment, only the desire to be able to spend one more day with Grayson. I continued to bleed myself into him until I heard his heart slow even more. With one final pulse, it stopped. I pulled back my wrist, my wound which normally would instantly heal, stayed opened. Suddenly, pain sliced through me tearing at my heart. It felt like a piece of me was being ripped away. It didn’t last more than a few seconds, but I would have taken Anton plunging his blade into me a thousand times over than to ever experience that again. The loss was unbearable placed on top of the grief I was feeling for Grayson. My mother’s words floated back into my mind,
“You would know if he was not.”
Was that how I would know? I looked down at him.
He laid there motionless with blood trickling down his mouth and throat. We were connected and when his life-force left him it took a little piece of me with him.

There is something indescribable about a sound. Something, about when you’re trying so hard to hear a sound that will not come, you’re not aware of the thousands of other insignificant noises going on around you because you are focused on the one you’re not hearing. And when you finally realize that it’s never going to come, you know that life will never be the same.

Grief engulfed me as I fell against Grayson’s chest. The tears I had been trying so hard to hold back, came crashing down in a rush, like the floodgates of a dam opening, releasing the pressure that had been building inside so long. There was nothing left that I could do. So I did the only thing I could, I waited.

Epilogue

Ava returned to the apartment building that had become her home where she lived surrounded by other vampires, feeling overly giddy. She felt confident that her plan to win Anton over was a success. After following Gabriella around for weeks and gathering the information that Anton would need, she knew that Gabriella’s indiscretion with the human Grayson would never be forgiven due to Anton and his overwhelming ego. Ava was no fool. She knew that Anton had been using her for his own physical needs, but the heart wants what the heart want, just like her mother had always told her. And hers wanted her sire.

Stepping up to the building, she noticed the chaos swarming around her. The front door had been shattered like it had exploded inward. Vampires scurried around inside try to clean the mess preparing for dawn. The humans outside the building paid very little attention. That was one good thing about New Yorkers, very little seemed unusual for them, which she was sure was why Anton had picked Manhattan to build his nest and turn it into one of the most elite in the country.

His was powerful, but that wasn’t the only reason why she wanted him or at least that’s what she told herself.

“Oh, there you are Ava. Last meal will be served soon.” A young, female vampire with dark ebony hair that was managing the mess informed her. Ava went to ask where Anton was, she was in a hurry for them to start their new lives together now that Gabriella was banished and out of the picture. Gabriella had sided with her human lover, but when Ava tried to ask the vampire about Anton, the female was summoned away.

“Oh well,” Ava thought to herself. She was sure Anton would be at last meal and she would see him then. She also needed to remember to ask about what happened to the door.

Ava walked down the familiar hallway, like she had done so many times before, but this time seemed different. Everyone she passed seemed to be in a bit of a frenzy. She had left early that evening hoping to give Anton time to get over his hostility with what happened with Gabriella. Ava had been patient with him after he found out about Gabriella’s indiscretion, allowing him to take his anger and frustration out on her body, not that she was complaining. The man had strong skills in that area. She never really understood why Gabriella never gave into Anton, but she was glad she never did. Anton was Ava’s from the moment he converted her into a vampire. Even though she was not his first, Persephone would always have that over her, but Ava would have him in every other way.

As if summoned by Ava’s thoughts, Persephone locked eyes with Ava as soon as she entered the dining hall. There was something in Persephone’s eyes that she had never seen before. Fear.
What was going on?
Ava wondered.

She took a step forward when a sharp piercing pain crushed against her chest. She hunched over gripping her shirt over her heart. If she didn’t know better, she’d swear someone had their hand buried inside her chest trying to crush her heart. People swarmed around her trying to help her to a seat, but she paid very little attention to them. Her pain was too overwhelming. She tried to breathe through it, but it was no use.

Was this it? Was this how she going to die? By some phantom pain,
she thought to herself. Her eyes clamped shut as she heaved an airy breath when her ribs exploded. Ava was afraid to open her eyes. Afraid that when she did she’d see her heart had been ripped from her chest by some phantom menace. But slowly the pain eased, she peeled her eyelids apart. There was nothing. Everything looked completely normal except for the crowd gathered around her. She looked down at her chest and her hand patted over the area where the pain had been only moments ago and again saw nothing. There wasn’t even a drop of blood.

She looked around confused, unsure what had just happened when her eye landed on Persephone who was panting in a similar manner as Ava.

How could they both have felt something that no one else had? What connected them both? Ava’s earlier thoughts flooded her mind and suddenly it occurred to her what linked them. Disbelieving, she looked around for the one face she was hoping to see.

“Anton?” she asked, begging that he would appear.

Persephone stood shoving everyone else away as they tried to help her stand. She made her way towards Ava. “Ava,” Persephone whispered delicately like she was afraid she would startle her.

Seeing the sadness in Persephone’s eyes made Ava immediately hostile. “Where is he Persephone? He must be here somewhere!”

Persephone shook her head. “It does not matter anymore Ava. He is gone. You know it and I know it. We both just lived his death with him. I am so sorry for your loss.”

“Persephone, as his eldest you most take his place until a time that another can be elected.” One of the gatherers mentioned. The onlookers knew what had happened from the moment both Ava and Persephone had become incapacitated. The pain linking the sire’s death to his fledglings was just nature’s way of trying to prevent fledglings from murdering their sires.

The transition in leadership needed to be smooth. If word got out that one of the largest nests in the United States was leaderless, it wouldn’t take long before someone tried to move in to claim it.

“I don’t know that I agree it should be Persephone. After all, it was most likely her daughter who ended Anton. I mean we all saw how she busted in here earlier looking for him. Can you all really think it’s a coincidence?” A male vampire towards the back stated.

Ava’s eyes widened as she replayed over what the man had just said. Persephone’s daughter… the busted door… looking for Anton? It couldn’t be. Gabriella was no match for Anton. She was half human and he was a master. Ava’s gaze sought out Persephone, who had her head bowed slightly. Her guilt only confirmed that man’s words. Gabriella was responsible. It wasn’t possible. Ava had only left Anton earlier that evening. He told her he had no plans that he needed time to think. She would have never left him otherwise.

“It does not matter what Persephone’s daughter did. Persephone is the rightful leader until another can be elected.” A male with light golden hair stated towards the front of the crowd.

“I’m sure I wasn’t the only one who noticed, but that child was recently mated. We all know Anton has had an obsession with the girl for some time now. Let’s not pretend she didn’t have just cause,” an older woman behind Ava said.

“It’s true,” Persephone stated speaking up for the first time since the request for master had been announced. “Gabriella was most likely the one to take Anton down. And by Vampire law, she was justified in her actions. Gabriella mated with a human.” There were gasps throughout the old hall. Whispers began to trickle around. “Anton wanted vengeance on her and her human so he kidnapped him to torment and eventually kill.” Persephone spoke to the crowd but her words were aimed at Ava almost like she was trying to explain.

The whispers grew to murmurs. “Then it was justified.” “But he was the master.” “Rules are for masters too.” “Gabriella had the right to defend her mate.”

Persephone looked eyes with Ava pleading for her to understand and find some semblance of comfort. Overcome with grief, Ava screamed silencing the room. “Don’t you all see? She would say anything to keep her daughter safe. Gabriella killed Anton. She killed my sire. Our master! No matter what the vampire law states, she should join him in death. It’s an old law and needs to be revised anyways.”