by Tish Thawer
"Dad!"
I ran to meet him in the open space between my clan and the carnage before us.
"Oh, Rose. Are you okay?"
I buried my head in his chest and felt myself grow a little warmer as tears of joy filled my eyes. "Yes. I'm fine now."
I hugged him tightly before pulling back to get a good look at him. "How are you? And how in the world did you become a hybrid?"
Before he answered, he flew to Meredith, who'd taken a few steps in the direction of the surrounding forest, and lifted her into the air by the throat. I laughed out loud as she dangled from his grip like a wet noodle. She kicked and yelled, but Dad silenced her with a quick shake as he bared his fangs and growled in her face.
Turning his attention back to me, he called out, "William! Could you come out here please. It looks like you have some explaining to do."
We all watched as William and two of his vampires climbed out the truck that was parked at lot's farthest edge. A truck with a huge hole in its roof.
"William, will you be so kind as to explain to everyone how we arrived here?" Dad asked as he motioned to himself with his free hand.
William proceeded to explain that after Evie told him about the demons and what her plan was, he'd decided to follow in her footsteps, using Jeremy to protect his own clan. He'd specifically paid special attention to how she worried that Christian had turned dark due to Rose's blood and formulated a way to avoid that part of the process. By performing a blood transfusion and immediately cleaning the demon blood from his system, there would be no contaminates to cause him or Jeremy to drift dark once he awoke and fed from him. His plan had worked perfectly, but it was when Jeremy's anger and emotions flared over the realization of all Meredith had done, that his wings literally sprouted forth the moment he burst through the roof of their truck.
"Wow." I didn't know what else to say. Christian and Evie had made their way forward to join me during William's rapid explanation. As Christian placed his hand around my waist, I felt him nudge my mind with a question; one I repeated to Dad immediately.
"So what are we going to do with her?" I pointed to Meredith, who was still dangling like a rag doll in my father's grip.
"I'll leave that up to you, Rose. She killed your mother and has been after you and your clan for months. Not to mention tricking and controlling me. It's your choice."
Everyone stared at me while I contemplated. A day ago I would have ripped out her throat and drawn pictures in her blood and not even blinked, but now...I wasn't sure how I felt or what the right thing to do was. But, before I could truly process my feelings, something strange started to happen.
Meredith started convulsing, causing my dad to lose his grip. She hit the ground hard, but instead of fleeing, she remained coiled as her entire body twisted and popped. The sounds of her bones snapping and cracking, accompanied by her horrible screams, filled the air and blood started pouring out of her mouth, nose, and ears.
Everyone took a step back in an effort to distance themselves from the gruesome scene. The startled expressions we all wore confirmed that no one had any idea of what the hell was going on.
I quickly put my scanning ability to use to see if I could understand what was causing such a horrible reaction. Christian, Evie, and Dax must have been doing the same thing because as I looked up we all shared a sense of shocked understanding.
"What's happening, Rose?" Dad asked.
"It's the baby. Your transformation into the hybrid has affected him through your bond. He's changing and it's caused Meredith's body to reject him and the blood she's ingested. I'm sorry, Dad, they're not going to make it."
The stoic expression that settled on my father's face mocked the feelings of the entire clan. I was about to say something like, "Maybe it's for the best," when suddenly, I caught a whiff of more demons. I snapped my head towards the forest and watched as two elderly women emerged from its edge.
With their hands raised, one announced, "We come in peace."
As they approached the macabre scene, horror showed in both of their eyes. They stood over Meredith, crying as they watched her contorted form struggle for its last breath.
"I'm Meredith's grandmother, and this is Lupé, an elder and demon in Meredith's army." Tears slid down her cheeks as she gazed at her now dead granddaughter. "Lupé came to me tonight and explained Meredith's plans." She shook her head. "I tried to warn her that drinking human blood would be the downfall of our race, but I had no idea it would end like this. Her greed for power and immortality caused her to experience a severe case of bloodlust, one she could no longer control."
She wiped her face and reached for Lupé's hand before continuing.
"Drinking blood is something demons are no longer meant to do...that is your lot in life, not ours. Meredith chose not to heed my warnings and paid the ultimate price, but it's our hope that with this ending we can start anew. Lupé and I will never allow our kind to drink again and will share what's happened here with the elders of our race. We have no quarrel with you or those like you. Will you accept our offer of peace and agree to a truce between us?"
Evie started to walk towards the women but paused when she reached Christian's side. Placing her hand on his back, she smiled and gave him an encouraging nod.
Christian walked towards the women and extended his hand. "We accept."
And just like that, the threat that had plagued my family for the last year had come to an end. Christian hugged me, then released me into my dad's embrace. The rest of the clan, including William and his vampires, starting piling the body parts on top of Meredith's remains as the demon elders simply walked away. We all stood back when Terrance flicked his lighter and tossed it onto them. It was fitting, after everything Meredith had put him through, too.
We all watched as the flames licked the sky. I knew there were other demons out there, but with the ability my father and I possessed to literally sniff them out, none of them could threaten us ever again, even if they did choose to break the truce. I looked and Christian and gave him a slight smile, as our "battle" came to a fiery end. My entire family was finally safe, and while our wings limited my father and me to only coming out at night––just like true vampires––we were free to live our lives together and without fear, and that fact alone made everything right as rain.
The End
Author's Note
As I stare at the words, "The End," I feel a hint of sadness but also one of renewed wonder at the thought of my next adventure. While it's hard to say goodbye to Rose and Christian, I feel that they will always be a part of me in whatever story I'm trying to write. I will carry with me the strength these characters have in whatever else I do, for they are such an inspiration to me. The devotion they have for one another is so subtle throughout the series, that sometimes you forget that they are basically newlyweds. They seem instead like that old married couple who has been through so much together, that they could complete each other's sentences, or come to an understanding with just a simple look. That is Christian and Rose; truly, madly, deeply in love with one another, and I with them. Goodbye my friends. e
Turn the page for an excerpt from
Raven's Breath
by
Tish Thawer
(Coming Spring 2014)
~ PROLOGUE ~
Siren's blared, cutting through the quiet night. I watched from the shadows as the man who'd just been hit by a taxi lay bleeding on the cold, grime covered ground. People gathered and were staring at the gruesome scene, while the driver of the taxi sat on the curb, crying into his hands.
I scanned the crowd, picking out who'd seen death before and who hadn't. I could always tell.
My attention was brought back to the dying man the moment he started to take his last breath. Images began to take shape in his mind; images that due to my job, I could see too.
Images of him riding a motorcycle for the first time, images of him falling in love, images of his big, successful promotion at work...al
l images of him. It was the usual replay of one's life flashing before their eyes as they die. When the images stopped, it was time for me to go to work.
I stepped out of the shadows and took two steps in his direction. To the people watching, his wide eyes marked his final passing, but to me they continued to grow as he took in my features; my dark hair blowing in the wind, my curvaceous body wrapped in tight black leather, my large wings the color of the night sky. No one could see me but him, for he now resided in the netherworld...in my world. I extended my hand and offered my usual greeting. "My name is Raven and I'm here to help you."
He reached for my hand, realizing he was more floating than moving, then looked back to take a final look at his body, as most of them do. "Am I really dead?"
"Yes."
"And you're the..."
"Grim Reaper." This was the exact same conversation I'd had with thousands of souls; souls it was my job to gather. Which was why I knew that now would be the best time to comfort him, before he got scared to death––no pun intended––and tried to flee from me. If he didn't come willingly he'd become a lost soul.
I extended my wings and let my divine light radiate from within. "Please don't fear, as I am only here to help you find peace."
This usually worked since I looked more like an angel from heaven than the old man with a scythe that everyone envisioned. Maybe that's why I had been chosen to become the first female Reaper in history. I think the boys had been losing too many souls.
Other Books by Tish Thawer
The Ovialell Series:
Aradia Awakens (Book #1)
Prophecy's Child (An Ovialell Short-Story)
The Rise of Rae (An Ovialell Short-Story)
Shay and the Box of Nye (An Ovialell Short-Story)