by Amy Richie
“There were none,” Paris answered.
“This must be Lexi.” One of the brothers stepped forward. I hadn’t seen him since I was eleven, but I recognized him right away. That didn’t stop Paris from introducing us.
“Damien, this is Lexi,” he held his hand out to me.
I knew which one was Damien before Paris introduced us. He smiled at me, but it wasn’t pleasant. The sight sent a chill straight up my spine. I could easily imagine any human he came across being frightened of him.
My mouth fell open slightly as I studied his features. Such a strong jaw line. No wonder the sisters had fallen for him. How could they resist? Especially if he smiled for real. That had to be a devastating sight.
Paris nudged my back with his shoulder, bringing me back to reality and away from drooling over Damien’s jaw line. “It’s not really that straight,” I whispered back to Paris.
“And you would know,” he whispered back, “you’re staring at it awfully hard.”
“I…just…” Heat flamed up my neck and settled in my cheeks. I wasn’t staring at him.
“Yes, you were.”
“Not any more than…”
“Yes, you were,” he cut me off. “And he’s staring back.”
My eyes tried to slide past the man standing across from me with the dark eyes and short cropped hair. I didn’t want to catch his quiet stare, I didn’t want him to start talking and shatter any relief I felt at seeing them here.
Was he angry that Paris had changed me? Is that why he was watching me like that? Is that why his eyes were narrowed so severely and his mouth was held so tightly closed?
There was nothing he could do about it now. I raised my chin slightly at the realization. Damien wouldn’t hurt me, not with Paris standing so close to me. Did he know he was the one who changed me? He had to know.
Paris’s hand slid past my shoulder to rest at my elbow. I was only watching Damien so I saw that he noticed the possessive movement. Maybe everyone else noticed, too.
“The wolves are gone,” Damien finally spoke.
“Did you kill them?” I took half a step forward before the hand at my elbow stopped me.
“Not all of them,” he answered slowly.
“Why not?”
“The rest ran away before we could.” One eyebrow slid lazily up on his forehead.
“They ran away?” The confusion must have shown on my face. Surely the vampires could have chased them down.
“Yes.” He inclined his head sharply. “Most of them were killed,” he added in the same lazy draw.
“That’s… That’s great.” I turned my bright smile to Paris, who immediately returned it. “They were horrible creatures who deserved to die.”
“I hear that you got one yourself,” Achilles turned to me, “while you were still human.”
“I didn’t have much choice.”
“Same wolf that took down the Pattons,” Paris bragged.
“Addison and Owen?”
“A shame,” Damien added without any change to his tone.
Miranda’s vamps.
“What about Miranda?” I blurted eagerly. “Did you find her?”
Paris exhaled deeply, not looking as eager. A strange pitter-patter started deep in my heart at the sound of that sigh. Achilles wouldn’t have good news.
He just stood there though, not saying anything, staring at the ground. I took a deep breath and let it out slowly.
I knew what his silence meant. I didn’t need to be able to hear his thoughts to know what that meant. Miranda was dead, too. When they cleaned up the mess that the wolves had made—they were thorough.
And what choice did they have really? She was only a human that had been tortured and left for dead. What right did she have to live? It was right that they should kill her along with everyone else. It was all she deserved.
I wanted to scream out loud, to pound my fist into Damien’s chest until one of us were bleeding. He was the one who had ordered her head without any second thought. I knew he was.
I didn’t say anything, though. I didn’t even move. Part was shame because I hadn’t kept her safe, so I couldn’t exactly blame Damien entirely. Most of it was probably left over obedience. One word kept breaking through my stupor though. The wolves.
The wolves did this.
The thought continued through my head until it became a song of hate. The wolves were the enemy, not anyone else. They were dead now, at least most of them. And those that weren’t…
My lip upturned slightly at the thought of any of them still running free, but there wasn’t much I could do about that yet.
“The wolves did this.” The words slipped out, but no one paid much attention to me.
Melody squeezed lightly on my upper arm. “They didn’t get you, though. That’s what’s important.”
Liza scoffed lightly. “The wolves did get her. They would have torn her to shreds if Paris hadn’t rushed in to save her.”
“The point is,” Melody glared for all her tiny height was worth, “Lexi is still alive and well.”
“She’s a vamp,” Gloria said as if I were diseased.
“A Letrell vamp,” Liza seconded scornfully.
“What’s wrong with that?” I challenged.
Her eyes strayed to Paris, hovering over my shoulder. “Nothing at all,” she said way too sweetly.
“We’re leaving,” Gloria snapped to abrupt activity. She always hated to be standing still.
“You’re leaving now?” I took a step forward. It had been my plan to go with the sisters after Paris changed me. I couldn’t leave him now, though.
“Of course,” Gloria tilted her head to one side. “Why would we stay here?” Her eyes betrayed her, they strayed to Damien.
My eyes found Paris. The bond never went away, did it? They all still loved Damien the same way I loved Paris. The difference was, Damien didn’t love them back. I was lucky.
“Hey,” Liza stepped forward until she was only a few inches from my face.
“What?” I didn’t trust her small smile, I had never trusted that smile.
“I’m sure we’ll see each other around.”
I nodded, still cautious. What was she planning? “It’s a big world, easy to get lost in.”
“Truer words were never spoken.” Her eyebrows knitted briefly. “At least not from you.”
Gloria laughed lightly while Melody reached out to embrace me. “We’ll miss you,” she whispered.
“We’ll get the wolves,” Liza added. “We’ll get all of them.”
I bit down hard on my lip. There was no way I could start crying now, not in front of the sisters. And it would probably cancel out all the toughness I had gotten form killing the white wolf while still human.
I realized something, though, as I watched the sisterly trio dash away from us. They hadn’t abandoned me after all. Even when they knew I was with Paris and not their responsibility any longer, they came back for me.
Gloria had always told me that I wouldn’t be able to travel with them forever. One day, it would become too much and things would change. I didn’t believe her at the time. I thought our “family” would always stay together. I was wrong, she was right.
Did she know even then that one day I would be a vampire? There must have been something there kind of like friendship though. They hadn’t left me behind.
Chapter 44
A new feeling seeped through me as I watched the Letrell brothers watching me. Paris told me I belonged to his family now, but it didn’t feel like it. They all just watched me without any hint of a smile. They were probably pissed that I hadn’t just went quietly with Paris when he first asked.
Before I could drop my eyes in shame, Paris took my hand in his. I looked down at our joined hands and suddenly knew exactly where I belonged.
Our fingers intertwined perfectly, as if they were always meant to be together. Had my whole life been leading to the moment when I would meet Paris Letrell? If fate was rea
l, it had brought us together. It didn’t take much to meet his eyes; he was already looking at me. Sympathy played a dominant role in his deep brown eyes, but there was also a fierceness that I trusted. It was comforting and protective.
I had only known Paris for a few days and he had turned my world completely upside down, but I didn’t regret anything. I needed this new perspective to be able to see.
Well, there were almost no regrets.
Miranda.
I swallowed over the lump that her name created in my throat. Miranda was so young and she trusted her vamps to keep her safe. Even after they were gone, she trusted me and I failed her. We had all failed her.
The only thing I had left to hope for was the she didn’t suffer. I took a deep breath, willing back all the emotions that wanted to take over. I couldn’t just break down here in front of all the Letrells. What would they think?
Paris leaned down to kiss the top of my head, an almost silent gesture of understanding. Paris had failed, too, I remembered. He had promise Addison that he would take care of Miranda. His guilt was so much stronger than mine.
We had both watched it happen, though. The wolves took her while we were standing there watching. There wasn’t anything either of us could do.
My jaw tightened until I was clenching the back of my teeth. Miranda was young and trusting. She didn’t deserve the fate she got. Damien was wrong. Miranda would have been ok without her vamps.
We would have stayed together—I would have helped her. Maybe she would have been my pet. My nose wrinkled at the thought, but it could have happened. I would have been able to keep her safe. And I wouldn’t have left her to go chasing after the white wolf.
I gritted my teeth tighter, until my jaw almost hurt. If I was still human, my jaw would have surely broke into pieces. I wasn’t human, though, and Miranda didn’t die because of me. It wasn’t because I left her.
It was the wolves. The wolves killed Miranda as much as the Letrells did. What right did they have to take away my friend? I let my jaw relax so I could breathe again, but the anger didn’t lesson any.
I hated the wolves; more than I had ever hated anything I my entire life. They had punched a hole right through me, leaving a huge ugly mass behind. At least I still had Paris.
He shifted behind me, knowing what I felt without any words. “At least you killed all the wolves,” I told Damien.
“We didn’t kill them all,” he denied.
“Most of them.” He had said that some of them ran away before they could kill them.
“This isn’t the only pack,” another of the Letrells said. He looked so much like Paris, only older.
“You must be Marcus.”
“I wouldn’t miss this for anything.” He smiled weakly.
I understood the meaning behind his words, even though this was the first time I had ever met him. Paris had been in danger and he came to his rescue. He would have done whatever he had to, to keep Paris safe. I felt the strength of their bond pulsing through Paris. I understood it.
“There’s more packs out there,” he said again, “but this is the largest we’ve ever encountered. This is the most…trouble they’ve ever caused.”
I nodded slowly. Trouble? They just considered it trouble that the wolves killed all those humans. That they dragged Miranda away to be killed at the hands of avenging vampires? I considered it more than a little trouble.
I didn’t say anything out loud, but inside I was screaming. I wouldn’t let them get away with it. I was going to hunt down every werewolf in the world and kill them. None would escape me.
Paris walked forward the few steps away to join hands with his brother. They didn’t say anything out loud, but neither looked very happy. Marcus scowled and shook his head while a fifth brother that I didn’t know glared at me.
“We’re leaving,” Damien spoke suddenly. So intent was I on watching Paris that I didn’t realize that Damien had been talking to the others. I cringed at the thought of that conversation.
“Where will you go?” Paris asked.
Was he asking me or them?
“Where will you go?” Marcus asked instead of answering.
“Paris and Lexi will come with us.” Damien half smiled at me. “Of course.”
That was what Paris must expect, too. We were…bonded now. That meant that I would go with him wherever he went. Why wouldn’t he go back to Blakesly House with his brothers? That’s where he lived, too.
The only problem was I didn’t want to go to Blakesly House. I still wasn’t sure that I trusted Damien, or even Kiera for that matter. And it was clear that not all of the Letrell men agreed with Paris’s choice either. I must look like a wild animal to all of them.
“We’re not going with you, Damien,” Paris shocked me by saying.
“We’re not?”
“You’re not?”
Marcus and I spoke at the same time, bringing a small smile to Damien’s face. That small smile made him so much more likeable. Not that I completely trusted him now, but the smile warmed my heart a little.
“We’re not,” he affirmed.
“Don’t be ridiculous, Brother,” Achilles grumbled. “Where will you go?”
“I’ll see you around.” He clapped him hard on the shoulder, making him jump a few steps. Maybe that was brotherly love in their family.
Paris came to stand next to me as we watched them all disappear one by one. He wrapped one arm around my waist, but I still couldn’t talk. Marcus was the last to leave.
“Paris.” He nodded once in our direction. “And his Lexi.” Then he disappeared, too.
“I can’t believe you just sent them away,” I mumbled. Had he sent them away just for me?
“You didn’t want to go to Blakesly House.” He shrugged as if that meant nothing at all.
“But you did.”
“We have plenty of time.” He noisily kissed the top of my head.
“Paris.”
“Lexi.”
“You can’t just…”
“Listen to me.” He turned me around so we were face to face. “It doesn’t matter to me where we go or where we are.”
“As long as we’re together?” I guessed his next cheesy line with a roll of my eyes.
“Yes.”
“They are your family.”
“And you, what do you think you are?”
I didn’t have any response to that. So I just tucked my hair back behind my ears and turned away from him.
“Where do you think they’ll go?” I tried not to let my voice sound sad.
“My brothers? They’ll go back to Blakesly House for now.”
“I don’t mean them.”
“I know.”
“I don’t have any regrets.” I knew as I looked up at him that I was telling the truth. I didn’t regret staying with Paris. He was my destiny, my fate. Maybe I had always known that.
“But you’ll miss them.”
“I spent most of my life with the sisters. They are what I know.”
“You’ll see them again. Lexi, one day you will be reunited.”
“I’m staying with you.”
“Of course you will.” His eyes widened slightly, shocked that I would have thought anything else. “But you will see them again.”
I shook my head though. I knew the sisters better than he did. They hated the Letrells. I was a Letrell now—they wouldn’t be coming anywhere near me.
He bent his head to touch his forehead lightly to mine. Somehow, when we were standing so close together; other things began to fade away. This was how pain healed, how people go on after their hearts are broken into so many pieces. They had something else to hold onto.
Paris made everything else see unimportant. The sisters were leaving, but that was ok. I would rather be with him. And Miranda…
I took a deep breath. No, she was still there—a small tear in my heart that would most likely never heal all the way. That was ok, too, though. It meant that I was human.
/> “Or at least that you used to be,” Paris murmured right before his lips pressed gently to mine.
“Yes, I used to be,” I murmured back when my lips were free. “I don’t feel very different.”
“You’ve always lived with vampires. They aren’t that different for you.”
He was right, of course. It was more of a jolt to realize I could care so much for another person. Someone else had left an ache in my chest just from missing them. I hadn’t been sure I was capable of that.
I smiled up at him. “I guess you’re probably right. I was always going to be one of you.”
“Or die trying?”
“Or die trying to keep up,” I corrected.
“I’m glad I found you first.”
I laid my head against his chest, relaxing at the sound of his heart. “Where will we go now?” I felt him shrug, but he didn’t say anything. “Chase down the wolves?” My voice rose to a hopeful lilt.
“I don’t think so,” he pulled me tighter. “I’ve seen enough wolves for a while.”
I considered pouting, but I was too content pressed against him to care where we went. “Ok, then where?”
“Oh, Lexi.” He pushed me away but only enough so he could look down into my face. “We could go anywhere. The possibilities are… Infinite.”
The sun burst free suddenly, lighting him up until it was almost painful to look at him. “Yeah?” I cocked my head to one side.
He moved slightly, pulling me along until we were in shadows again. “Yeah,” he raised both eyebrows.
“Well, I was thinking…” My face broke out in a huge grin.
“Yes?”
“There’s an awfully nice cave not too far from here.”
“Oh yeah?”
“Yep.”
He took my hand in his, his grin almost as wide as mine. “What are we waiting for then?”
Epilogue
I leaned forward eagerly, waiting for more of the story, but Lexi had settled back in her seat. “Wait,” I gasped, “What happened after that?”
She smiled, small and knowing. “The wolves were gone.”
“But you and Paris.” I searched Anya’s face, expecting her to have the same questions I did, “Did you stay in the cave? For how long? Where did you go after you left the woods? Did you catch the wolves? Where are the sisters?”