"You would betray me? Betray my mate? And for what, Amir? A promise of power from a liar?" Stefan hissed angrily. His hand tightened around Amir’s throat.
"I did what I had to do, brother. A few will have to die for the betterment of us all,” Amir choked out. He didn't struggle with Stefan. He'd accepted his fate and refused to fight back. He was going to be a coward and let Stefan kill him, leaving the guilt over his death for Stefan to carry with him for an eternity.
"What has happened to you? You stopped fighting the good in yourself and let yourself be fooled by a lunatic,” Stefan growled. He raised Amir from the ground and with a quick movement, smashed him into the ground again, his skull cracking from the impact. “And for what gain? To kill innocent people? To threaten the only thing in my existence that ever mattered to me?”
Amir coughed weakly and closed his eyes. “You do as you wish, Stefan. I accept my fate, Stefan. My death will not stop this.”
The heaviness from his words hung in the air, stagnant and putrid. Stefan stiffened and blurred into action. An arm landed near my feet, the skin slowly shrinking and turning into ash before my eyes. Then there was more tearing of flesh, the wet sound of bloodied skin and muscle separating from bone. I stood back, paralyzed as the man I loved killed his own brother, ripping him apart piece-by-piece.
Amir didn’t beg for mercy and he never once cried out. Only Stefan’s breathing and the sounds of death hung in the air.
Finally, when I didn’t think I could take any more, there was nothing but silence in the clearing. Fletcher stood stoically, his thoughts filled with shock and respect for Stefan. He admired him, unsure if he'd be able to do the same if things were reversed. Lukas was huddled in a ball on the ground, his face twisted in agony and despair. The man he loved had betrayed him and in turn, died before his eyes. And Liev... he wore an expression of guilt as he met my stare. His cowardice had caused this. All of this bloodshed was caused by his fear and weakness.
I knew it was time to focus on Stefan. I took a few steps closer to him. He was a shell of himself, covered in Amir's blood. His blue eyes were staring absently on the ground and his mind...his mind was in a disarray. He was filled with rage, guilt, fear...and revenge.
Vengeance would do no good. Unless he fought it, its pettiness would fester inside of him. Of course, I wasn't the one sitting with my brother's blood on my hands. However, it added to the growing arsenal of hatred for my father. He wouldn’t stop until he destroyed us, one way or another.
As I watched Stefan’s internal struggle, every fiber of my being wanted to console him. I thought about the things I could say. I could blindly assure him that it would be okay, or I could tell him he did what was necessary to protect us. Both seemed hollow and I just couldn't bring myself to do it. For every impulse to hug him there was this voice screaming at me that he needed time and space. He needed to come to terms with this on his own. He’d let me know when he was ready.
So I stood in silence. I just watched the horizon; I watched the sun rising in the sky. I stood and I waited for Stefan. I’d stand here for an eternity if that’s what it took to get him back to me.
The bond between us reopened, and I knew that was my cue to go to him. I took the final few steps and sat down beside him. He turned his face to mine and his blue eyes were dead. Lifeless. I couldn't blame him. He'd single handedly killed his brother. And Amir had taken the easy way out. He refused to fight, to beg, to ask for forgiveness for his behavior.
"Stefan?" I whispered. Tentatively, I reached out to him, resting my hand on his arm. The blood on his arm had turned a dark red, staining his pale, flawless skin.
"I killed the wolf," he muttered. His head tipped back and he stared into the bright, cloudless sky. "I killed my brother, Josephine. I had no choice. I had no other option."
My heart shattered into a million pieces as he begged for some sort of absolution. I would have told him anything to lessen his pain, to ease his guilt. "I know. You did what you had to do, Stefan. He was like Kian."
His head snapped back and those blue eyes gazed back into mine. "Did I? When did everyone change sides? When did this become a battle to exist, to survive?"
Swallowing hard, I shook my head sadly. "When you found me. Everything was set into motion because of who I am and what I can do." I looked down at my hand. It was still gripping his arm, holding on to the one thing that still made me feel alive. "He would have killed us, one by one. Fletcher, Lukas...then he would have tried to kill us. My shield isn't perfect. Certain abilities interfere and it doesn't work. Kian will find a way around it."
He was quiet and a still hung in the air between us. "His blood is on my hands. He let me murder him because he lacked the courage to end his own life. He chose greed over honor. He deserved to die for his crimes. As does his accomplice."
Glancing over my shoulder at Liev, I noticed his uneasiness and eagerness to flee. If Fletcher hadn't restrained him, he'd have bolted. I nodded to my brother and he stepped away, letting me wrap my shield around him, keeping him securely in place.
"He was a pawn. Stefan. Amir only used his weakness to get what he wanted…what my father wanted." I gritted my teeth and my voice sounded harsh when I spoke. "He'd been working with him all along, at least since the Council meeting. Amir killed Lenora and Adolfo. He would have killed us without a second thought or care. He wasn't the same man you knew all those years ago."
His blond head bowed and he looked at the pile of ash and clothes, which was all that remained of Amir. "You are right. I noticed the difference in him, the restlessness and deception is his eyes but I chose to overlook it. He had turned into the thing he feared the most."
My breath caught in my throat. "What was that?"
He raised his head and our eyes locked. The sparkle was back, but he remained solemn. His mouth settled into a thin line. "He turned into our maker."
Solveig. Amir had turned into the same power hungry vampire, hell bent on dominance at any cost. He had learned nothing from her death. His arrogance made him think he was invincible.
I scooted closer and pulled him to me, ignoring the blood that tainted his skin and clothes. Burying my nose into his chest, I hugged him tightly. It was then that I voiced his unspoken fear. "It won't happen to you, Stefan."
He breathed deeply and his voice was barely audible. "You sound so sure. There are no guarantees. Not anymore."
My embrace only grew tighter. My arms ached from holding him so tightly, but I refused to show him any weakness. A feeling of calm washed over me as I remembered the dream I’d shared with Garrett. Who knew I’d be using his words of wisdom so soon. "I am sure. You're everything Amir could never be. You're good, Stefan. To your very core, you're a good man. My uncle would have given you this advice if he was here, but since he isn’t, I’ll share it with you instead. You need to let the guilt go…and regret nothing you do if it means you live to see another day."
His mouth brushed against my forehead and I felt relief flood his body. His tense muscles relaxed and he melted against me. It was time for me to take over, to handle things and let him deal with the grief and guilt that plagued his heart.
"We need to go. Regroup and go home." I whispered. I gave him a final squeeze and stood, facing the group of men, each dealing with their own demons.
"I'm going to let you go, Liev. Don't take my forgiveness as a weakness. If you cross me or my family again, I will end you."
I drew back my shield and faced Fletcher. "We're leaving tomorrow. There will be a seat for you, if you decide to come with us."
He jutted his chin and his sharp eyes narrowed. "Thank you."
"You saved Lukas' life today. I should thank you." I looked at him curiously. “How did you know to follow me?”
“Call it brotherly intuition that you needed backup…and you left a note. And about the rest…we'll agree to disagree. You see, you gave me back something I'd lost.” Fletcher fiddled with his jacket and shifted uncomfortably. "You gave me back
hope. I didn't have much left until I met you."
My eyes welled with tears. He didn't like to be touched, but I launched myself at him anyway. I was surprised to feel his strong arms return the embrace.
“I hope you'll come with us,” I whispered in his ear. “I’ll be making arrangements to leave tomorrow. Be at Garrett’s tomorrow morning if you’re interested.”
He tipped his head and offered me a wide smile, the first I’d seen from him. "Goodbye, Josie. I'll see you soon."
Fletcher went to Liev and they headed out of the clearing together. All that remained was Lukas, Stefan and myself.
“We need to help him, Stefan. He’s a mess.” My mind reached out to Stefan. He slowly stood and walked across the clearing to his child who was slumped in the grass, still curled up into a tight ball.
“Lukas. Come. It is not safe not stay out here.” Stefan commanded gently. He knelt down on one knee beside Lukas. “I am sorry you were pulled into this. I did my best to keep you safe.”
Lukas struggled to sit up. He refused to look at either of us, keeping his eyes to the ground. He wrapped his arms around his legs and rocked back and forth.
“I’m sorry, Lukas. Amir…” I began.
“He used me. He fucking used me. How do you think that makes me feel? I was nothing to him except a bargaining chip.” He spat bitterly. “I loved that man. He wasn’t easy to love…but I fell for every word he said. I must be the most gullible man alive. He had me cock whipped.”
I had to bite the inside of my cheek to not laugh. Even in his moment of angst, Lukas still managed to make me chuckle with his over the top antics and dramatics.
“You had no reason to believe anything different. He had me fooled as well,” Stefan muttered. His large hand patted Lukas on the shoulder. “You had to watch me murder the man you love.”
Lukas smiled and he and Stefan exchanged a look. No words were exchanged, but their silent communication brought Stefan relief. The heavy shadows of his face lifted and he managed a small smile.
Lukas fixed his icy eyes on me. “And you. You are a bigger bullshitter than me. You can ramble on when you need to.”
Shrugging, I smiled crookedly. “It worked with Derek. I figured it would work with Amir.”
I noticed that Lukas cringed when I said Amir’s name. Lukas was angry and hurt, but he had lost a lover. It would take time to heal those wounds.
Stefan’s deep voice was soft as he spoke. “Enough of this. We need to get back to Garrett’s house. It is time to go home.”
***
I’d zipped up my suitcase and I gave the house a final walk through. I didn’t know if I’d be back. There was really no reason. I’d come to terms with my past and had only my future to look forward to discovering with Stefan.
I slipped out onto the wrap around porch and was surprised to see Fletcher lounging in one of the Adirondack chairs. His long legs were stretched out in front of him, a large duffel bag at his feet.
My hand flew to my chest. If I were still human, my heart would have been racing. “Fletcher?”
“You have room for one more?” Fletcher asked meekly. He pulled off his Ray Bans and balanced them on his knee.
Smiling, I nodded and crossed my arms. “Of course. You’ve decided to come back with us then.”
“There’s nothing here for me anymore. I figured I’d be better off with my sister,” he admitted. His hand reached up to stroke his scruffy goatee. “You’re the first real family I’ve had in a long time.”
We were so similar. We may have different mothers, but we were both new to discovering what it meant to have a family. It was a foreign concept to us; hard to swallow when you’ve been deprived of it for so long.
I sat in the chair next to him. “Fletcher, I didn’t go through what you did. But I’ve seen first hand what Kian is capable of. I’ve read his sick journals. What we have back in New York is the closest thing to a family I’ve had since Garrett and Meredith. And even then, I never felt like I fit in. But now…now I have someplace I belong. And for the record, I’m glad you’re coming with us.”
He nodded and fiddled with his glasses. Lukas and Stefan began carrying luggage to our rental car, stacking the luggage inside. Fletcher hoisted his duffle bag over his shoulder and sauntered towards them. I couldn’t hide my smile when I watched Stefan’s quiet acceptance of my brother. Lukas simply eyed him in silence, undoubtedly trying to figure out how best to annoy him.
Getting to my feet, I pulled the front door closed and locked the deadbolt. My fingers brushed over the brass doorknocker. I was saying goodbye again, only this time, I wasn’t alone.
Bounding down the steps, I joined them at the edge of the car. Grabbing the keys from Stefan’s fingers, I headed towards the driver seat. I ignored his protests and simply got in, adjusting the seat and fixing the mirrors. Stefan sulked as he folded his tall frame into the passenger seat.
“Don’t worry, we’re not going far. I decided to take advantage of the credit cards in my wallet and chartered a private plane out of the University Airport.” I glanced at Lukas in the rearview mirror. “We won’t be flying commercial anymore, sweet cheeks.”
Cranking the engine, I sped down the gravel driveway, leaving a cloud of fine dust in the air behind me. As I watched the farmhouse grow smaller in the mirror, I could have sworn I saw Garrett on the porch, waving goodbye.
***
Our arrival in New York brought back the apprehension of Kian lurking around every corner. I could sense he would be making an unwelcome appearance in our lives. It was a feeling deep in my gut, heavy and nagging at me for attention.
We’d hailed a cab and headed for the Flatiron District in Manhattan. This would be our new home; yet another property that Stefan owned. He felt the other address in Chelsea was too well known and was a risk for us.
The taxi slid to a stop in front of a 12 story, limestone building on E 22 Street. My eyes widened as I looked up at the building. This building made the other pale in comparison.
I felt Stefan’s warm breath on my neck. “Come, my beautiful wife. It is time to see your new home.”
Stefan greeted the doorman with an incline of his head and we headed towards the elevator. He extended a long finger and pressed the up arrow on the panel.
“You don’t do anything half way, do you?” I questioned. I looked up into his handsome face and saw a glimpse of the jovial Stefan peeking through the gloom that had surrounded us all for the last day. He was still carrying guilt, yet I could see his charming arrogance fighting to break free.
“I never do anything half way. You should know that, vackra.” Stefan waggled his eyebrows suggestively as the elevator door opened. We’d squeezed into the cab and Stefan pressed the number 12 button.
“There are two apartments on this floor. Anna, Lukas and Nikolaus are on one side. Fletcher, you are welcome to stay with us if you feel more comfortable. We have four bedrooms so there is plenty of room with us.” Stefan explained as the elevator ascended. “Take a look at both places and then you can decide…”
“Back up the train, Mr. Romance. Did you call Josie your wife?” Lukas interjected. I could hear his toe tapping and the irritable edge to his voice.
Stefan turned slightly and fixed a stony stare in his direction. “Yes, I did. She is my wife. We were married during our visit to Josephine’s hometown. There will be no further discussion about this matter.”
Fletcher stifled a laugh as the doors slid open. We spilled out into the carpeted hallway, each of us lugging our suitcases behind us. Stefan directed me to the right as Lukas veered to the left, muttering angrily under his breath about being left out of everything and stuck with the grunt work.
“I think I’ll be sticking with you,” Fletcher mumbled. He rubbed a hand across the back of his neck as he glanced up and down the hallway of the expensive apartment building. “How much does one of these cost, anyway?”
Stefan unlocked the door and looked back at my half-brother with
amusement. “An apartment smaller than this sold for over $3 million dollars last year. My investment company purchased this building in the early 1900’s. It was an industrial building and was converted to apartments in 1910.”
I started to step in but Stefan blocked my path. “It is tradition for the groom to carry their wife over the threshold.”
With that, he swept me up into his arms, bridal style. Giggling, I smacked at his chest. “You already did this in Ohio.”
“We should not risk any bad luck.” Stefan carried me into the apartment and took me from room to room. Much more spacious than the apartment in Chelsea, it was decorated in a similar style with its crisp, modern lines and light, polished wood. Sleek leather furniture adorned the living room and modern appliances sparkled in the kitchen. Like the apartment in Chelsea, this apartment also had wide, open windows with a great view of Madison Square Park. The tour was complete as we passed a formal dining room with a blond wooden table with sleek upholstered chairs. Two of the four bedrooms and bathrooms were on one side of the apartment, separated by the living room and kitchen. Fletcher had chosen a room on the other side of the apartment, quietly closing the door behind him. It appeared my overwhelmed brother needed some time alone to decompress. I couldn’t blame him.
“You can put me down now,” I chided softly. Actually, I was enjoying being in the comfort of his arms. After the events of the last few days, it was nice to see him act so much like the Stefan I fell in love with.
“If I put you down in bed, can we stay there?” Stefan’s voice was as smooth as silk and enticing. His blue eyes were blazing and dark, heavy lidded as they stared into mine.
Wetness flooded between my legs at his words…and darts of desire shot through my veins. “As much as I’d like to, I think we need to get settled in.”
Disappointed with my answer, he feigned rejection as he set me on my feet. “There will always be time to settle in.”
He always had to give it another shot because he knew my resolve crumbled easily. “I promise. I’m all yours later. Besides, I want to explore.”
Ascend (The Vampire Destiny Series Book #4) Page 16