by Amira Rain
“Well, if you did, no matter. Nick will soon be dead, and then you'll just have me. Once you get all your boo-hoos about Nick out of your system, I think we could make something of a good pair, what with you having the were-gene and all. You can think of yourself as 'first lady of the Dormios.' That should cheer you up."
"If you kill him, John, I will kill you."
With adrenaline flooding my body for the second time that morning, suddenly I could speak again, as the ice that had seemed to flow through my veins at the sound of John's voice became something like hot lava.
"And I hope you’re listening to me, John, because I mean it. If you kill Nick, or allow him to be killed, or even allow him to continue to be hurt, I'll kill you. And if I don't do it myself, I'll at least see that it gets done. I'm sure all the many vampires who will fight to the death for Nick are charging to help him right now, as we speak."
"Well, no, that was so three minutes ago. They tried to charge, but they got a little caught up in a line of Dormios. See, a single Dormio is strong enough to take on at least ten Everglen vampires at a time, you know. Which will be helpful to me when I’m ready to kill all the vampires in this damned city.
I suddenly found myself jamming tennis shoes on my feet without even being aware of having decided to do so. "Where is Nick, John? Where do you have him?"
"Oh, well...let's just say that he himself is on the street in front of the building, beneath a pile of Dormios, but the vast majority of his blood is now all over the white awning in front of the cafe. Really, it's a vivid red awning now. But I'll tell you what. I haven't exactly been enjoying the tone you've been taking with me during this conversation, so I think Anton and I are going to bring the show up to you. Just give us a minute to grab our vampire punching bag, and we'll be right up. Have a look out your bedroom window. One of my spies told me exactly which one is yours.”
A strangled cry escaped my mouth, and I wasn’t sure if I could be strong enough to look.
THE FINAL CHAPTER
After dropping the phone, I ran into my bedroom so fast that my tennis shoes barely touched the hardwood. Trembling from head to toe, I threw open one of the large windows and the screen, causing a blast of warm air to rush my face. I hardly even felt it, though. I was too focused on the top of the building across the way, knowing this was where John intended to have his little show.
I wasn't going to let him. I was going to do whatever I had to do to save Nick's life, even if that meant putting my own life at risk. After all, I knew he'd do the same for me. I knew he’d do it without even needing to take a second to think about it.
After a quick, dizzying look down at the ground and seeing what appeared to be a teeming swarm of several hundred vampires on the street far below, my brain did some kind of a funny short circuit. Maybe half a minute passed where I had no awareness of what I was doing and no recollection of it once I finally "came to."
Even many days later, I wouldn't be able to remember the half a minute, if that's how long it was, that went by after I looked down at the street. I was never able to recall it, in fact. Never able to remember the moment when I must have hopped up on the windowsill, and then out onto a very narrow steel beam eleven stories above the ground.
I was never able to recall if I took a deep breath beforehand, or said a prayer, or even briefly passed out from sheer terror but then came back around, gritted my teeth, and then just forced my body to do what it needed to do. I can only assume that’s what I did.
All I knew was that one moment, I was glancing down at the street far below, and then the next moment that I had any awareness of at all, I was maybe halfway across the steel beam between the two buildings, putting one foot in front of the other carefully, but at a pace that wasn't exactly slow. Someone was saying something, and almost instantly, I realized that the words I was hearing were coming from my very own mouth.
"We just put one foot slowly in front of the other...just like that. Then we just do it again. It's actually easy. Step...step...step. That's it. Just a few dozen more...maybe just twenty. Maybe forty. We just keep stepping. Just...like...this. Each time, nothing bad happens at all, we just get closer. Just closer...with each...step...step...step. Just like that. It's not hard. It's actually pretty easy. And everything...is just fine. Step...step...step. Now just do it again."
I wasn't looking down. I knew that doing so would cause disaster, probably even death, unless one of the Everglen Coven members on the ground happened to catch me. However, from what I'd seen from my glance down out my apartment window, it looked like everyone's focus was surely on what was happening on the ground, not up above. I couldn’t count on anyone even seeing my falling form in time to catch me.
I could see below from the bottoms of my eyes as I held my head up, my gaze squarely on the length of narrow steel beam in front of me. Below seemed just like some hazy background of an impressionist painting, and that was exactly how I wanted it to stay. That was exactly how I needed it to stay.
My self-talk out loud was somehow keeping me upright and pulling me along, or at least, I thought it was, which felt like pretty much the same thing. I had the sense that if I just kept doing it, nothing bad would happen to me, and I was certain to just keep moving right along without a bobble. It was as if my muscles were almost being directly powered and steadied by my talking to myself, like it was some sort of a self-powered talisman.
So, when a stiff breeze that was probably always present that high up, intensified, I began talking to myself a little louder and a little faster. "Just a step, Tiff...a step...and a step. Maybe just ten more. You’re getting pretty close now. Step...step...step. Still easy. Still just one foot...and one foot...and one foot...right in front...of the other. Piece of cake, Tiff. Piece of step...a step...and a step. That’s it. Nice and slow. Nice and easy."
I'd never been more grateful for my tiny, block-shaped feet in my life. And actually, it was the first time I'd ever been grateful for them. A person might have thought that the smaller the feet, the less steady of a base they'd make, but I was honestly finding the opposite to be true.
It felt like my smaller feet were serving me much better than larger ones would, because with the steel beam maybe being only five inches across, give or take an inch, my feet had more room for minute little missteps and errors that might have made a person with larger feet have to curl their toes to keep balance and stay upright.
With only two steps to go, though, even the inch of extra space my feet had to maneuver couldn't help me when a strong gust of wind threatened to tip me right over. Instantly, every pore in my skin seemed to exude boiling hot sweat, despite the fact that the wind was actually kind of chilly and I was only dressed in jeans and a t-shirt.
Acting on instinct, I bent my knees and held my arms out to my sides, "surfing" the wind, in a way. "Just steady...steady. Just keep your eyes right on the duct. We'll make it there, Tiff. You can do this."
I wasn't exactly sure if the duct I was referring to actually was even a duct or what. It was just some sort of large metal outcropping on the upper western corner of the flat roof of the building that I was approaching. It might have been a heating vent of some kind or some sort of air conditioning unit. It also vaguely resembled an ultra-wide and tall smokestack, like one that might be on the top of a manufacturing plant. Regardless of what it was exactly, I was just thinking of it as a metal duct, and it was what I planned to hide behind in order to ambush John, Anton, and any other Dormios they brought with them when they got Nick up onto the roof. From behind the large metal duct, I'd shoot my beam of fire at each of them in rapid succession, and then try to use the fire to "stab" them by shooting each of them through the heart with it. I'd then try to decapitate them by repeatedly shooting beams of fire at their throats. If that didn't work, I figured it all would at least injure them badly enough to buy me a little time to get some help for Nick.
While I'd been racing to my bedroom after John's call, it had occurred to me that I mi
ght be able to shoot at the Dormios from the safety of my own bedroom window, but I'd quickly rejected the thought. That would be a distance of at least fifty feet, maybe even a bit more, and the furthest I'd been able to shoot my fire beam the previous day had been about twenty feet.
And I knew it was unlikely that my "throwing" distance would suddenly increase just because I wanted it to. That would be too lucky. Too easy. So the idea that I had to cross the beam to get to the roof of the adjacent building had immediately come to my mind.
Once the gust of wind had passed, and once I felt sufficiently steady, I straightened up from my semi-crouch and continued down the remaining length of steel beam, a distance of just a foot or two. "Last steps. You’re doing just great."
Except that I knew I was running out of time. I knew that John, Anton, and the Dormios would be leaping up to the roof at any second, and I could hardly believe they hadn't done so already, being that my journey across the narrow steel beam had felt like hours. In reality, probably only a couple of minutes had passed since I'd left my bedroom window. Maybe only even three minutes.
When only a single inch of steel beam separated me from the roof, I paused for just a second, determined not to screw up now that I'd come so far. "Just one more step. That’s it. Steady. And...go."
The moment my foot connected solidly with the surface of the roof, which was some pale gray shingle-type substance that appeared to have the texture of coarse sandpaper, I took off at a sprint, not wanting to waste precious seconds in getting to the metal duct. And it was a very good thing I didn't.
Not ten seconds after I'd concealed myself behind the duct, which was gleaming in the bright sunlight, the Dormios made their appearance, rocketing through the air above the building, then descending and landing on the roof slowly and gracefully, like a bizarre group of murderous angels. Peeking out from the duct, I swallowed, sweating. I hadn't expected there to be quite so many of them.
Six of the Dormios, all men of average height and build and identical pale, sickly complexions that I didn't recognize. Then there was Anton, who was blood-spattered and grinning, and next to him, John, tall and terrible-looking, with a short, jet-black beard and eyes of a similar dark shade. Nick, limp and bloodied from the top of his head to the tips of his boots, was slung over John's shoulder like a sack of potatoes. The sight just about shattered my heart into a million different pieces.
Immediately, John slammed Nick to the roof, the force of the impact causing a tremor beneath my feet. "Get up! Get up, you filthy, Everglen Coven scum! At least make some attempt to fight me like a man!"
The very sound of John's deep, gravelly voice made me sick to my stomach. I couldn't believe I'd ever trusted him. I momentarily hated myself for it.
In response to John's commands, Nick barely stirred, groaning. Knowing it might only be seconds before John stabbed and then decapitated him, I decided to make my move, thinking that it was now or never. Trembling, I took a deep breath. However, before I could spring out and begin shooting beams of fire at the Dormios, something curious happened. Although maybe remarkable would have been a better word. Or thrilling.
On his back, just kind of feebly writhing around, Nick suddenly drew one muscular leg back, paused for just a split-second, and then kicked John right in the shins. Which maybe wouldn't have been that remarkable, though certainly heroic, considering how badly injured Nick appeared.
But what was stunningly remarkable was that John literally went flying from the force of Nick's kick. And he went flying so fast and with so much backward velocity that it seemed as if he had some massive, tight metal spring attached to his back, and it had yanked him off the roof at warp speed. But I'd seen with my own eyes that it had only been Nick's kick, nothing more.
As John soared backward, above the apartment building, Nick kicked another Dormio vampire, sending him soaring away as well. Nick then immediately leaped to his feet with a low growl, raking a hand over his eyes as he did so, clearing away blood that was probably obscuring his vision.
As hope swelled in my heart, I silently willed Nick to keep on fighting. I know you can do it. Don’t give up.
However, the remaining Dormios, along with Anton, were all attacking him now. Fists and feet flying, moving so fast they were almost a blur, his six opponents were punching, kicking, and slashing at him. One of the Dormios had bared his teeth and elongated his fangs, and he was now trying to get at Nick's throat, presumably to bite it right out.
Nick was fighting back, though, and not just holding his own, but appearing to be doing some real damage to his opponents. Seeming suddenly possessed by some rush of incredible strength and energy, he grabbed one of the Dormios by the collar and headbutted him so hard that the sound was like a bat connecting with a baseball. Immediately, blood poured from a wound on this particular vampire's forehead, and he slumped to the ground just in time for Nick to turn to another Dormio who was charging his way again after being shoved away.
For a while, I just watched the "show," as John had said it would be. I was sure he hadn't expected this particular kind of show, though, because this was clearly the Nick show. It didn't seem that my fire-shooting power would be needed at all.
However, before long, Noah joined the scene, clearly shocked when he surveyed what was happening and saw Nick not only alive and standing, but quite obviously kicking some Dormio ass. Taking advantage of Noah's shock, Anton charged him and right away managed to knock him to the ground. The force of the impact shook the roof like an earthquake, and Noah went motionless. Anton was still moving with all speed, however, and within a blink, he had produced a knife and was drawing it back, looking like he was about to stab Noah through the heart.
With Nick very occupied with several Dormios, I knew I had to shoot a beam of fire, even though I knew that doing so would reveal that I was on the roof, putting me in danger. But with Noah's life on the line, I didn't feel like I had a choice. I couldn’t just let him be killed right in front of my face, leaving Dana a widow and Stephanie without a father.
Stepping out from behind the duct, I shot a beam of light that hit Anton right in the side of the head just as he was moving his knife in a downward arc toward Noah's chest. Howling, he fell over, the sound and movement alerting the rest of the Dormios, and Nick, to my presence among them.
From that point on, everything became pure absolute chaos. One of the Dormios tried to charge at me, but Nick got to him first and body-slammed him onto the roof, causing the roof to shake and rumble again, as if from an earthquake. I was pretty sure I even felt the building sway a little bit. I felt this just a split-second before the roof began falling into the floor below with a sound of screeching metal as loud as two freight trains colliding. I screamed, but I couldn't even hear the sound myself above the other noises around me.
The light gray surface beneath my feet disappeared, and I felt myself falling through thin air. However, I felt this just for a second or two before I was caught in very strong arms. Even though my eyes were squeezed shut, I didn't even need to open them to see who'd caught me. I already knew who had. I could tell by the feel of his strength and the smell of his masculine, woodsy scent. It was Nick. It was the man I was now sure I wanted to spend the rest of my life with.
He began carrying me off somewhere, with lightning-fast speed. Even with my eyes still closed, I could just sense him practically flying. Immediately, the sounds of fighting and shouting, and of twisting and crunching metal receded, and I tried to open my eyes but found I was too dizzy to do so for some reason.
With a low, soothing voice, Nick whispered near my ear. "You're safe now, Tiff. I've got you…and I’m not going to let go."
Within seconds, I found myself back in my bedroom, which I identified by the scent of rose linen spray I'd just spritzed on my sheets that morning. Once Nick had placed me in my bed, I finally managed to open my eyes, though I was still dizzy, and becoming incredibly so.
"Nick? Please, go help Noah and everyone else in the ci
ty who needs it, and then please come back to me. The room is kind of spinning."
"I'll be back here before you know it. Just close your eyes and try to rest."
He planted a hasty kiss on my forehead, took off, and leaped through my open bedroom window. Growing increasingly dizzy, I did as he'd told me to, unbelievably actually soon falling asleep.
Sometime later, I wasn't even sure how long, I awoke to find Nick lifting me out of bed.
"Just keep resting. I'm taking you to the hospital right now."
Instantly fully alert, I searched his blood-smeared face for signs of serious injury, but I didn't see any. "And what about you? Are you okay?"
Telling me that he was even before he spoke, he cracked a small grin. "I will be in just a couple of hours. Vampires heal much faster than humans. Noah's going to be just fine, too, thanks to you, and the same with the rest of the city's vampires. Everyone is going to be okay now. Even the collapsed floor of the new building will be easy enough to repair with a little work. So you just close your eyes again and rest now." Moving through my apartment at a rapid clip, Nick planted a quick kiss on my mouth. "We'll be to the hospital soon enough."
Immeasurably relieved that everyone was okay, I did close my eyes, resting my face against Nick's hard chest.
However, in the elevator down to the ground floor, I suddenly remembered what I'd done and experienced a mini-surge of adrenaline, flicking open my eyes. "Nick. I didn't know I had that in me...that level of complete fearlessness. I never dreamed I did. I actually walked across the whole length of the steel beam just because I was so desperate to help you, not knowing that you wouldn't even need help in the end. It wasn't even all me, though. It was some funny, subconscious part of me, I think. I actually blacked out for a little bit, but not in a fainting sort of way. It was as if my brain just shut down but took over at the same time, like it just felt like it needed to do that in order for me to do what I had to do, but without completely collapsing or freezing from the fear I felt." With my recollections making my heartbeat accelerate even then, I paused for a second. "I guess sometimes a witch discovers powers she never knew she had, powers that aren't even supernatural in nature. I feel like this special power must have just come from love…my love for you."