Orion roared and sliced four of the men, before landing in the middle of them. One guy jumped in the air and landed behind Orion. My blood heated and my heart pounded. I flew to him and ripped his head off.
Within minutes, we had left a pile of dismembered limbs, and blood through the street. We ran around the corner trying to get away. Three miles down the road a girl’s scream pierced the street’s silence.
“Is that Patricia?” asked Orion. He skidded to a stop.
“I don’t know.” Running down the next street where I heard signs of a struggle, I saw Bethanny fighting a guy. Her dress was hiked up over her hips and she was leaning on a car door trying to get away.
A guy jumped out of the dark alley and threw Orion into the wall.
She kneed the guy between his legs but that didn’t stop him. He punched her in the face and she slid to the ground.
Grabbing the guy, I threw him off her. He hit the wall and I pulled her up.
“Let’s go.”
“Thanks,” said Bethanny. She placed something hard and rectangular on my chest. I looked down. There was a soft click and then a jolt of electricity ran through my chest. Every muscle in my body spasmed and I fell to my knees. Why would Bethanny use a taser on me?
My vision was foggy, and my brain almost blank. The darkness lured me closer as I blinked rapidly the guy came toward me. Bethanny held me down. I struggled but each time she hit me with a higher electrical current on the taser.
The guy stood over me and injected the syringe into my heart. I heard Orion’s roar just as everything went dark. The needle dug into my skin. Melody walked toward me and my mind went fuzzy.
Chapter Twenty
Trevor
I broke Kyra’s heart and for what? Locating Claire Sands. Celeste is predicting the next light year. Kyra blocked my phone number so that I can’t talk to her. Women are stubborn and hold grudges. Celeste’s snide comments about Kyra are rubbing me raw like jock itch.
Two weeks had passed since I told Kyra it was over. It felt like an eternity banned in darkness. Her laughter and light touched something deep inside of me. I’m not sure if she touched the ice-cold heart that beats in my chest or my mind. Kyra was smart and she kept nuggets of information in her brain like a high-tech processor.
“Why are you pouting? You’re too sexy to brood like that,” said Celeste. She tossed her hair over her shoulder and flopped down on the couch.
“Why is this person so hard to find? It should not be this hard to find Claire.” I was beginning to think that she didn’t exist. Why was this so hard? The way things looked right now; I would just have to kill the vampires in Jonesboro and worry about getting my hands on some more of the virus.
We have this beautiful house and Kyra isn’t here to enjoy it. I was looking forward to watching how the light crept into the window and warmed her face. I’m still looking forward to it. If Lily could forgive me for killing her, surely Kyra could forgive me for breaking up with her. After all, she is not dead. I can touch Kyra’s heart too; I just need to find out what makes her happy.
“I think you’re missing your girlfriend, but she won’t have anything to do with you after you embarrassed her like that,” said Celeste.
“Go home or make yourself useful and find Claire.” I turned from the window. The beauty outside didn’t do anything to calm my nervousness or frustration.
“It’s not my fault that you made her think we were sleeping together. You led me on too, but I’m not complaining about it,” mumbled Celeste. She jumped up and stormed to the kitchen.
She’s right baby, Celeste is not the reason that Kyra hates you and wants you dead.
Victoria, get out of my head. You and I both know that you are to blame and you did not hold up your end of the bargain. Every time I trust you, I end up getting screwed.
I held up my end of the bargain. You have what you need to wipe the vampires off the face of the earth, and instead of acting like you don’t miss her; you’re standing here with your lips poked out like a baby.
You were supposed to deliver Claire Sands and you have not done that. Besides, Kyra is upset, but she would not wish me dead. We’ll go outside of the school ground, and if Leonardo is not dead Celeste dies. She hurt Kyra and she has not proven herself to me.
If she saw you in the street and she had a gun, she’d unload the entire clip in you and wouldn’t think twice. When a woman’s fed up, there’s nothing that you can do about it. Chin up, you’re getting what you truly want.
“It’s been two weeks; we should go near the academy to see if Leonardo is dead. If he still lives…” I allowed my voice to fade and glanced at Celeste. She wasn’t the least bit afraid of me.
“If you want to kill me just take your shot. That’s a joke. Stronger people than you have tried and failed,” said Celeste. She waltzed over to me palms facing up in submission and her neck exposed to me.
“You are mistaken if you think I will not snap your neck like a twig.”
Baby, she knows your thirst for vengeance. Celeste has had a hard life, and she has lost faith that you will make the people that did this to her pay. She’s tired of being used.
I always do what I say I’m going to do. I wasn’t the one that used Celeste, therefore she only has herself to blame for allowing people to use her.
You didn’t hang all over Celeste and tell her you were taking her home in front of Kyra? You led her to believe that you cared for her, so you used her just like the other jerks that experimented on her.
Nonsense. Just because I made Kyra jealous does not mean I used Celeste.
Trevor, Celeste has been staying with you for two weeks. Who is responsible for hurting her? What did they do?
Victoria, she has not told me anything. What does that have to do with anything?
Trevor, you use everyone that you meet and you don’t think twice about it. You’re just a user.
Celeste’s lips thinned and she backhanded me across the face. “This isn’t about the vampire virus, or even killing them. It’s about you regretting breaking up with your girlfriend. Man up and win her back if you want her. Men like you lose the women you love because you’re too stupid to acknowledge that you love them in the first place,” said Celeste.
My cheek stung and I wiped the blood that trickled down to my lip. “Rest here and get your hormones in check. When we get back you will tell me what they did to you.” I yanked her by the throat and flung her over to the couch.
My phone vibrated. “What’s up?”
“You need to get down here. We’re in the dead alley over here on Peach Lane and Henderson Road. Winston and the others aren’t listening to me; they want to kill Arianna Deeds,” said Dylan.
“Good.” Why would he call me for this mess? Arianna is too bossy for her own good. She should die.
“Not good. Kyra and she were fighting, we showed up and Kyra ran away thinking that you were here.”
“If Kyra is not there why should I come up there. I hate Arianna. Feel free to cut her head off.”
“No, you need to call Kyra and tell her if she wants to see Arianna dead to come up here. She hates her sister and will come then you can talk to her and work your crap out.”
“Dylan, my relationship is not crap. I’m on my way.” After turning the ringer on I slid the phone in my pocket. Kyra did hate Arianna. Snapping my fingers, I walked to the door. Dylan has always had a way with women and this sounded great. Kyra wouldn’t be able to resist knowing whether I had Arianna and she would come just for curiosity alone.
“The guys are in trouble?” asked Marco. He tossed the beer in the trash.
“I should go and make sure this isn’t a setup. You might need me,” said Celeste. She stood and pulled her hair into a ponytail.
“You need to stay here. Tonight, you will tell me everything I need to know about the jerks that messed up your life.”
We got there in twenty minutes. Jae- Ho drove the truck and parked it off the road deep in the
woods. We could have walked but I did not want the meeting to take longer than needed. This had better work because I was ready to see Kyra.
Frowning I saw Antonio and Winston standing over Arianna. She was crumpled up on the ground. Her chest wasn’t moving. Dylan was holding Phil back from going over to Arianna.
What are they doing? I held up my hand and we stayed just beyond the trees. Where they couldn’t see us.
Trevor, you see only what you want to see. This is the price for being your friend. Dylan is a real friend to you and he’s willing to die for you even though he knows you wouldn’t do the same for him.
I would never kill him. I haven’t asked him to die for me.
You demanded all of them die for you when you went against Valcrum and got them stripped of all their powers.
I protected them. They can shapeshift so they are not totally defenseless.
You stubbornly think because my power flows through your body that you are the strongest person on earth but you’re not. I keep telling you this but you refuse to listen.
“Trevor says she lives for now,” said Dylan. He pushed Phil back and Phil threw up his hands yanking a cigarette out from behind his ear. After he lit it, he handed it to Dylan. Dylan took a couple of puffs and handed it back to him.
“He won’t know that we killed her. He’d be completely in the dark if you would stop calling him, telling him everything you know. You’re so weak and one day my blade might be found buried in your heart,” said Antonio.
“You’ll either stand with us or stand with Trevor,” said Antonio. He nudged Winston who nodded.
“Trevor got us thrown out of Xundar and now we work and do his bidding while living like slaves. At least in Xundar we lived like Kings and had everything we wanted. We had rules to follow, the rules that Valcrum established, but now we have rules that Trevor established and he doesn’t care about any of us,” said Antonio.
“When he wipes out the vampires, and he’s distracted we’re going to kill him. If you stand against us, we will kill you now,” said Winston. He jerked his eyes to Antonio who lunged and grabbed Dylan from behind.
Winston threw his knife at Phil and it landed in Phil’s heart. He sank to the ground as blood poured from his mouth.
“What are you doing? You killed Phil!” Dylan struggled against Antonio’s hold and flung his head back trying to head butt him.
“What’s your decision? Are you with us or are you ready to die? Trevor got you kicked out of Xundar too or did you forget,” said Antonio.
Dylan looked at Phil, who had stopped moving and his eyes were fixed and glazed over.
“He’s my best friend and I choose him, so do what you have got to do. You can’t kill him and you will never be half the man he is on his worst day,” said Dylan.
Antonio swept Dylan’s legs from underneath him and jabbed a knife in his back. “You are stupid, and you’re going to die on your knees. Where is your best friend now? He doesn’t care about you. If it were him here and not you, Trevor would save himself and allow you to be killed.” Antonio twisted the knife and elbowed Dylan in the head. Dylan landed face forward in the mud. Winston picked Dylan’s head up and took his serrated blade out of its sheath. “So long sucker.”
I channeled all my energy, allowing the black in my veins to flow harnessing that energy I shot the orb at Winston. Winston’s body exploded and his blood and guts flew over Dylan and Antonio.
Antonio took off running but Arianna opened her eyes and stuck her leg out tripping him. He fell face forward in the street. He scrambled to his feet and began running again. I shot another orb and hit him in the head. His head exploded.
Dylan stood up and ran to Phil and dropped to his knees. “Don’t you die on me. Hang in there.” He rocked Phil’s lifeless body and applied pressure to the wound. When he ripped the blade out of his heart, he didn’t make a sound.
Dylan got up and jerked Arianna to her feet.
“Why didn’t you let them kill me? They were going to kill you too. How can friends kill friends?” She looked from Dylan to Phil who was lying on the ground.
“He wasn’t protecting you. Nobody likes you. I just thought Kyra would want to see you die before we kill you,” I said.
“My sister hates me. I can’t deny that, but she may hate you more. Everyone is talking at the academy about how you passed her around to your friends like a cheap trinket.”
My hand close around her throat and my nails dug into her flesh. I watched as her eyeballs began to bulge out of the sockets and her face lost all its color. “You will do well to shut up. Don’t be mistaken, your miserable life will end out here in this street regardless, but if you don’t close your mouth it will end now rather than a few minutes from now.”
Dropping my hand, I pulled out my phone and dialed Kyra. “If you want to see your sister die, then you need to meet me outside of the gate around the corner at the dead end.”
“She should die for making my life a living hell but I don’t want to see you,” said Kyra. I rolled my eyes. She sounded like a feral cat hissing and ready to sink her claws into me. I wish she would just come do it.
“This isn’t about me it’s about Arianna dying, come watch her die or stay gone, the choice is yours.”
“Oh, I get a choice now. You’re a douche bag and I don’t care what you do with her. I don’t want to see you. I hate you more than I hate her.”
“Oh well, it’s your loss.” I hung up the phone.
“Is she coming,” asked Dylan as he looked down the street.
“Nope. She hates him more than she does me. He has messed up any chance he had with my sister. When she loves she loves deep and he has screwed up royally.”
“Let’s give her ten minutes.” I looked at the rest of my guys. Today was a hard day. They blamed me for being here and they don’t like me. Once I get rid of the vampires and integrate into this city ridding it of anyone that could oppose me, I will kill them. How loyal can I expect them to be when they are killing themselves and plotting to kill me?
Kyra might be upset with me, but she loves me. I’m like a poison and I have infected her, integrating myself in every aspect of her life, and I intend for it to stay that way. She is never leaving me, so she had better get over it.
Arianna snorted. “Fool,” she mumbled.
Ten minutes came and went. I was ready to kill Arianna and go home. It was getting later and later. People were traveling the streets at night, so I couldn’t keep her here much longer. Her time was up.
“Let’s get this over with.” I nodded at Dylan who held her tight and flush up against the wall.
I hear soft footsteps approaching, I held up my hand just as Ivan held the sword high above her head.
My heart sank when I saw Chasity Jones. She sauntered toward me looking at Arianna and then me.
“I just came to see if she was dead,” said Chasity. She looked around at each of the men, and when she didn’t see who she was looking for she turned her attention to me, where it should always be.
“Where is Kyra?”
“She’s in my bedroom. She’s not coming, so she sent me,” said Chasity.
“Well it’s too bad for you. You’re going to get her out here, or I’m going to kill you.”
“I can’t make her come out here. Whatever you did, she hates you now,” said Chasity. She turned and ran toward the school, but I yanked her up by her throat and slammed her against the building.
“I’ll be waiting here for Kyra. If she doesn’t come out here, you’re dead.” I continued to cut off her air until she started to turn pale. Letting her go, she dropped to the ground coughing and holding her throat.
Chasity rushed around the corner, but she stopped to look back at me twice before disappearing toward the front of the school.
“Do you think she’ll come back or run from you,” asked Dylan.
“It does not matter. If she does not bring Kyra she dies. I will kill her in her bed while she sleeps if I h
ave to.”
Three minutes later Kyra showed up dragging Chasity behind her. Kyra looked different. My eyes roamed over her. Her hair was curly instead of long and straight down her back. She never wears her hair curly.
The oversized shirt didn’t hide the fact that she had put on some weight. She was still beautiful, but she looked different. Her curvy figure was more curvy than normal, and the weight was centered around her breast, butt and middle section. It couldn’t be more than ten pounds or so, but it was like she was hiding her figure. She always wore revealing clothes and exposed her skin every chance she got.
“Tell him what you told me,” said Kyra. She flung Chasity in front of me. Kyra crossed her arms across her chest and glared at me.
“I told you that Trevor said he would kill me. He said I had to make you come outside or I was dead,” said Chasity.
“I meant it too.” I pushed Chasity out my way and she moved away from Kyra and me.
“Trevor she is my friend. You won’t touch her.” Kyra jabbed her finger in my chest.
“I did what you asked me to do so leave me out of it,” said Chasity. She turned and ran back toward the front of the building.
“Who do you think you are? Go back to your tramp.” Kyra started crying as she pounded my chest. “You liar. She isn’t dead,” shouted Kyra. She pointed to Arianna and pounded my chest.
“I need to know. We argued but are we back together? We are never breaking up again. You’re mad now, but you will just have to get over it.” I grabbed her hand and brought my lips to hers.
Kyra sounded like a cat being strangled. When I lifted my head, she stomped on my foot and I let her go.
“We both said some things we didn’t mean, and you have gained weight. We’ll deal with arguments differently in the future,” I said.
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