Too weak to open her eyes, she moaned in response.
Voice softer and shaking from his sobs, he admitted, “If you die, I don’t think I could survive. I’d die right along with you from a broken heart.”
She could feel her eyes roll back, her heart a faint thumping. There was something about his confession that stirred her from her impending slumber. It took every ounce of strength she had left, but she opened her eyes. The effort was painful, and she moaned.
Wiping his eyes, he kissed her forehead. “I know this is difficult, baby. I can feel your pain, and my heart hurts for you.” Caressing her jaw, he kissed her on the lips. “But you need to focus on us. We haven’t even had time to discuss our wedding. Tell me how you envision our wedding.”
Their wedding day was something she’d been thinking a lot about. “I want red and white roses tied to the chairs and arranged on the tables. Bridesmaids’ dresses will be ankle length, red silk with spaghetti straps.” She coughed, and warm liquid seeped from the corners of her mouth.
His intake of breath let her know it was blood. “Oh, baby.”
To keep him distracted, she continued with her wedding plans. “I want the groomsmen dressed in red tuxes with white vests and shoes.” She blinked the tears out of her eyes. “Your tux will be the opposite, white with a red vest.”
“What about your dress? Have you thought about what you want to wear?”
She’d sketched a design for her wedding dress. Spaghetti straps that crisscrossed in the back, the front dotted in red beads, a ruffled elongated train, and a veil tied to a silver tiara. That information would not leave her lips. That would have to be a surprise.
Unbearable pain racked her back. When would this nightmare end? Then as quickly as it came, it went, replaced by a warm, honeylike sensation. It covered her like a blanket, soothing her pain and warming her bones.
“Wait…Serienna?” He shook her. “What is that? I feel something strange happening to you.” Her eyes drifted shut, forcing out the last of her tears. “Oh no.” He stroked her face. “Baby, you were doing so well. Don’t leave me.”
It was no longer her choice. The warmth enveloped her, and she was powerless to fight it — didn’t want to fight it. The last thing she felt before being pulled out of her dream-walking state was the soft brush of his lips on hers.
Chapter Sixty-Four
The silver in Serienna’s eyes faded away and she blinked, looking up at Tanya. It was obvious to see that her vision was fuzzy, her eyes scanned the area of Tanya’s face as though she couldn’t determine where Tanya’s eyes might be. “My time here is over. I can feel it. The essence of death.”
“Serienna, you can’t talk like that. Earadessa is doing everything in her power to save you.” Tanya brushed a wild lock of hair out of Serienna’s eyes. “We just need you to stay with us.”
Serienna’s eyes drifted shut.
“Talk to me, Serienna.” No response. “Hey…hey,” Tanya whispered. Serienna cracked an eye open. “Good girl, you keep those eyes open.” Tanya was grasping at straws trying to get her friend to stay coherent. “Hey, I heard you talking to Vaughn about your wedding. Where do you want to have it?”
Tanya already knew this bit of information, it was all Serienna had talked about during their trip to the mall. This was the worst experience of her life, watching her best friend die right before her eyes.
Serienna grunted, and her body convulsed. No, this couldn’t be the end. Tanya caressed Serienna’s forehead. Why couldn’t they stop the bleeding? Didn’t Ratri see Serienna was injured and dying?
Once the convulsions stopped, Serienna whispered, “Mountains.”
Tanya breathed out a sigh of relief. “I love it. A red-and-white wedding in the mountains. It’s so unique.”
One side of Serienna’s mouth turned up in a smile, the other side remained still. Was that a sign of a stroke or something? Oh, Ratri, where are you when we need you most?
A raspy breath left Serienna. “I haven’t told you about your soul mates.”
Tanya couldn’t help but cry. She knew what Serienna was doing. The girl wanted to get all her secrets out before she died. Like the rest of them, she knew she wouldn’t survive this.
“You don’t have to do this,” Regina said.
“Yes, I do.” Serienna’s voice was weak and faint.
Dannika wiped at her eyes. “Go ahead, we’re listening.” Her voice was rough and raspy.
“I don’t know which mates belong with whom, but I can tell you all their names.” A coughing spell left her mouth bloody, and she spit out the red liquid. “I just want you to know who they are in case I don’t make it through this.”
“Don’t you dare talk like that. You will make it through this, and we will plan your wedding. You just need to be positive.” Dannika’s hands trembled. “Remember what Dessa said about thinking positive thoughts?” Serienna didn’t respond, and Dannika stood and stormed toward the SUV. Sabastian followed her, opening the back door. Tanya watched as her cousin sat on the seat and let her head fall against his chest, tremors wracking her body as she cried.
Serienna’s eyes rolled back, and convulsions overtook her body. Tanya struggled to hold her head steady so it didn’t hit the pavement, and Earadessa struggled to keep pressure on the wound.
Out of the corner of her eye, Tanya saw a purple glow light up the night. She turned her attention toward it and gasped in astonishment. Makinzee was engulfed in purple light, it seeped from her pores and sparked from her fingertips. “Oh, dear goddess,” Earadessa gasped. “You’re a healer.”
“No, Serienna, don’t give in to the darkness. Earadessa was right. All I needed was to face danger for my powers to kick in. Stay strong, sis.” A battle cry left Makinzee as she made a mad dash toward them.
The convulsions grew worse, and Tanya knew time was short. Even though Makinzee finally had her powers, would she have enough time to save Serienna?
Kneeling next to Serienna, Makinzee stretched her hands above her friend’s broken and bleeding body. Purple seeped into Serienna’s flesh from Makinzee’s hands. Minutes passed and the convulsions ceased.
Tanya cried when Serienna’s body fell limp.
Bonus Scenes
Lazarith
lazarith stripped off his jeans. It had been a long day, tracking the movements of his son. He would never understand why he had been granted one child only for that child to lose his damn mind and choose the path of evil and power over love of his family.
He no sooner slipped under the covers than his cell phone buzzed. Glancing down, he saw the face of his beautiful wife. “Hello, my love.”
“I miss you.” Her sigh melted his heart.
“I miss you too.” In all the years they’d been married, this was the longest they had ever been apart. “How are the young men?”
“They’re just as powerful as you always said they would be.” She paused, and he closed his eyes, imagining her in his arms — her body pressed against his. “They have already developed their abilities and have nearly mastered them.”
“Excellent.”
“Yes,” she agreed. “But we have a problem.”
He sat up, alarmed. “What is it?” He hadn’t noticed anything off with Damion, but who knows how many minions he now has working for him.
“Our previous residence was just attacked.” A sob escaped her as she spoke.
“Elizabeth and George?” If Damion had anything to do with this, then his girls were in danger and needed to leave so he could keep those vile creatures off their trail.
“Elizabeth didn’t make it.” Sniffling, Aaliyah took a cleansing breath. “George is at L&A Medical receiving the best our people have to offer, but it doesn’t look good. There’s too much silver in his blood.”
“Prepare the boys.” Throwing
the covers off the bed, he retrieved his jeans from the floor. “It’s time to start moving.”
“I’ll make a call to Earadessa.” Aaliyah’s voice shook but she seemed to be pulling herself together. “As soon as the girls have a destination, the boys will be ready to go.”
The last thing he wanted to do was leave the girls while they were still so new to the whole night life, but what choice did he have? If he remained with them, then Damion would be able to find them.
Leaving was his only option. Damion had no clue who they were. If he left and visited Tanya in her dream, he could convince her they needed to leave his mansion and set out on a journey out of Nebraska.
He sat at his desk and wrote a note to leave in Tanya’s room.
My Dearest Child,
I have made the decision to leave you now. Please know that this decision pains me greatly, but it is necessary to help you evolve. I will miss you all very much. You have become strong enough now to survive on your own. The rate at which you have grown is astounding. I have placed an envelope in your top drawer. In it you will find enough money to get you started in your new life. As you set out to discover the world you will find others that you will feel connected to. Let me briefly explain. When I choose a child, I give them my blood which gives us a special bond, like that of a mother’s bond with her birth child. There are many of my children out in this world, you are all family and can turn to one another for help in your time of need. This will not be the last that you see of me. My children, I do love you and long for the day that we meet again.
Always and forever,
Lazarith
Sabastian
Sabastian had spent the day at the creek catching fish to take home to his mother. It had been a peaceful and profitable day. His bucket was full of fish, enough to last through to the next evening.
Slinging his net over his shoulder, he began his trek back home. An eeriness filled the air, and he swallowed, hard. Stopping, he slowly turned his head to look behind him. The sight of the creature drained all color from his face. In an effort to preserve his life, he lowered the bucket of fish and stepped away.
The bear’s nostrils grew wide as it sniffed above the bucket, saliva dripping from its lips. Sabastian continued backing up, thinking that the bear would pay him no mind now that it had food. How wrong he was.
The bear reared back its paw and knocked the bucket over, raising up to roar.
Fear pierced Sabastian’s heart. He was surely going to die without ever finding love and starting a family of his own. Looking to the heavens, he prayed for salvation. Surely the creator would send a defender to his rescue.
Not wanting to see the attack before it happened, he closed his eyes. The pain that radiated from his jaw tore a blood-curdling scream from his throat. Claws ripped the flesh of his abdomen, thighs, and neck. This torture lasted for what felt like eons, and then his body thudded against the earth as he fell from the bear’s grip.
***
It had only been two years after he’d added Earadessa to his family that Lazarith would add another to his growing family.
He set out on his daily stroll in the forest, when a tinny scent wafted in the air. He’d know that scent anywhere, blood. Stopping, he inhaled, and his fangs automatically descended. Following the bloody aroma, he trekked half a mile to a nearby creek. To the far right, next to a tree, he saw the source. A young man lay in a large pool of blood, an overturned bucket near his head.
Judging by the rips and tears on this man’s body, Lazarith determined he must have been attacked by a bear while out fishing. At first, he thought the man was deceased, surely no human could withstand such an attack. There was far too much blood. Turning on his heel, he was surprised by the faint thumping he heard. It was weak, but the man had a heartbeat.
Picking him up, Lazarith promptly ran to his cave. The young man didn’t have long to live, and Lazarith had no intentions of letting him die.
About the Authors:
Tich is an Oklahoma resident and the mother of five. Her passion for reading started at an early age when her Aunt Vicky gave her the novel Heidi for Christmas. She didn’t start writing until middle school, after being inspired by her best friend’s short stories. “Genny’s stories weren’t just great but they inspired me to put my pen and paper to good use.”
tichbrewster.com
Teresa grew up in Oklahoma and developed a love for reading and writing at an early age. She currently resides in Virginia and is the mother of two wonderful boys. Her inspiration comes from her family.
teresafuentez.webs.com
Princesses of the Night (Royal Blood Book 1) Page 23