Her eyes were focused on my father’s limp body. “Please trust that I’m on your side,” she said. “This was not supposed to happen.”
My face flushed. “For years, I thought my father was dead,” I replied, “and then by some miracle, he is returned to me.”
“Angelina…”
“It’s your fault he’s truly dead.”
“No, Angelina, don’t say that,” she said.
I paced back and forth in front of her. “You did this, Ctephanyi. This is your fault!”
“Oh, Angelina, can you believe this? She truly is the reason your father is dead,” Tristan said behind me. “If she wouldn’t have betrayed you, your father never would have jumped in front of that kill shot.”
“Shut up!” I screamed at him.
Tristan’s mouth instantly closed and he struggled to open it.
“I didn’t ask for your opinion.”
He shot me a dirty look and took a step toward me.
My hand rose in front of him, and he halted, “Maybe you didn’t hear me the correctly. I said, I did not ask for your opinion!” I repeated.
Anger filled his eyes once he realized he no longer had control over his body.
Returning my attention back to Ctephanyi, I said, “What I can’t wrap my mind around is why my father would save such a traitorous creature from death.”
My words had hit their mark. Ctephanyi’s eyes shifted to meet mine. “I am no traitor.”
“I’m assuming you must miss death.” I glared at her, my gaze unfaltering. “Perhaps we should return you there.”
She stared at me, her icy white eyes brightened in anger. “Angelina, I do not wish to fight you.”
Shrugging, I gave her a deadly look. “I never said I wanted to fight with you. I want to kill you.”
Everything seemed to move in slow motion. Ctephanyi pointed at me and a white light emerged from the tip of her finger and stopped within inches of my stomach. My hand instantly rose in front of my stomach protectively.
“Do you see that?” a voice whispered.
Confusion washed over me and my eyes darted around the room. Everything had grown eerily still. I looked back at Ctephanyi and it was like she had been frozen in time.
“She was going to murder your unborn children to take back her son,” the voice whispered.
“No,” my arms wrapped around my stomach protectively, “she can’t take them.”
“Angelina, look at me,” the voice beckoned.
I turned around and Tristan’s face was within inches of mine. His emerald-green eyes seemed to peer into my soul. “How did you get free?” I croaked.
He smiled and held up a beautiful necklace that shimmered with runic symbols.
“What is that?”
“Angelina, time is merely a tool that can be altered to our benefit.”
I looked down at my stomach, “You stopped her from killing them.”
“I love you, and I want you to rule with me—I would never let anyone hurt you.”
“I see that now,” I whispered.
He held his hand out to me. “Be my Queen. I will protect you and the children—forever.”
My human emotions begged me to kill him and return to Nicolai. “Tristan, I…”
“Do not allow your emotions to control you. Emotions are going to be the downfall to all human existence. They are the reason for so many wars, death, and destruction.”
He was right. My emotions had done nothing but get the people I loved killed. They had betrayed me time after time. Love was simply an emotion that caused pain and suffering. What good had ever come from it?
“Don’t let your humanity destroy you. Let me protect you from this world,” he said.
We joined hands, and he smiled. “Together we will rule the world.”
“Yes.” I nodded. “We will.”
He took the necklace and wound it around our hands. Every rune glistened beautifully, casting symbols across the ceiling and bare walls.
An odd sensation filled my body, and I looked up at him in confusion.
“Don’t worry, my love. In a moment, we will be bound forever. Our souls forever intertwined so that not even death will be able to separate us.”
I closed my eyes and let my mind wander to a place of happiness. Nicolai’s beautiful sunset-colored eyes flashed in my head and I frowned. What had I just done?
Chapter 38
Time
Nicolai felt a sharp pain tear through his chest and fell to his knees. What had just happened? He tried to compose himself and remembered that he had only felt that pain once before—when Angelina died.
“Are you okay, old man?” Stephen asked with what Nicolai guessed to be concern in his voice.
He grabbed his chest as another sharp pain sliced through him. “I don’t know,” he said.
Stephen yelled into the darkness. “Daniel! Hey, we got issues over here, bro.”
Nicolai heard Daniel’s footsteps hurry towards them. There was concern on his face. “What’s wrong?”
Nicolai grabbed his chest in pain. “It’s Angelina. We’re too late.”
Daniel grabbed Nicolai’s hand and pulled him back up to his feet. “Suck it up, tough guy,” he said. “We have work to do.”
“Tristan has the pendant,” Nicolai said.
“We have to stop him!” Daniel said in return.
Nicolai’s eyes began burned brightly. “He’s going to make her his. We don’t have much time.”
Daniel nodded. “What happened just now? Why were you on the ground?”
Nicolai ignored his question and began to pace back and forth. “I hope we’re not too late.”
“Nicolai, answer me,” Daniel demanded.
Just then, Nicolai heard a loud thud coming from up ahead.
“Hello?” Jeremiah called out.
“Jeremiah! Where have you been?” Stephen asked excitedly. “You missed out on all the fun!”
He limped toward them. “Well, after my exciting capture, I somehow managed to escape. It was almost too easy, actually…” His voice trailed off.
Nicolai put his hand on Jeremiah’s shoulder. “It’s good to see you’re alright. There’s much to tell you, but for now, we must hurry.”
Jeremiah gave him an inquisitive look.
“We fill you in,” he promised.
Stephen put his hand on Nicolai’s shoulder and halted him with one forceful squeeze. “Dude, I don’t like you. You don’t like me, but if Angelina dies again, who the hell am I supposed to pick on? Most certainly not Bethani. She’ll shoot an arrow in my ass.”
Nicolai peered into the darkness. “Speaking of Bethani, where did she disappear off to?”
Daniel looked around. “I don’t know. I thought she was right behind me.”
Stephen grinned. “That girl is such a rebel. I like it.”
Daniel shook his head. “Instead of thinking with your other head, why don’t you focus on the task at hand?”
Nicolai frowned. “If he has the pendant then he’s activated it.”
Stephen grinned mischievously at Daniel. “Can we not talk in code? I have no idea what the hell you’re talking about.”
“You just reminded me why I hate vampires,” Daniel said.
Stephen held his hand to his mouth and let out a fake gasp. “Why would you hate little ol’ us?”
“Stop it, both of you,” Nicolai said. “The pendant we speak of controls time. Tristan has the power to start and stop time at any moment he pleases.”
“And with Angelina by his side, he will become the deadliest creature to ever walk this Earth,” Daniel finished.
Stephen’s perfect eyebrow rose in question. “Well, that just doesn’t make sense.”
“What about that doesn’t make sense?” Daniel asked.
“If he activated the pendant and he’s messing with time, then why aren’t we affected by it?”
Daniel and Nicolai looked at each other. That was a great question.
“He’s right, Daniel. If he was using the pendant, we would be frozen in time and wouldn’t even be having this conversation,” Nicolai replied.
Daniel’s eyes grew wide with excitement. “What if…”
“What?” Stephen and Nicolai asked in unison.
“Oh my god, what if it’s the babies?” Daniel whispered. “They’re a species that’s never walked this Earth. Think of the power they must possess. What if Angelina isn’t the key to saving the world, but a locked door? What if they’re actually the keys to unlocking her?”
Now Nicolai’s full attention was on Daniel. “It’s very possible!” he said in excitement.
Daniel’s eyes were met with a fiery-orange look of determination. “We can’t rule it out.”
“It makes sense,” Nicolai said. “If the pendant is active, we should not even be having this conversation. That is the only explanation.”
“Let’s hope we’re right,” Daniel said.
“Look at you guys hoping for the best,” Stephen interjected.
“I’ve seen crazier things happen. I mean, look at you,” Nicolai stated.
Stephen wrinkled up his nose in disgust. “Always such a comedian, aren’t you, Nicolai?”
The smirk faded from Nicolai’s face as another sharp pain struck him. He steadied himself next to Daniel and rubbed his chest with the palm of his hand.
Stephen gave him a worried look. “You okay, man?”
A weak smile formed on Nicolai’s lips. “You worried about me, man?”
He shrugged and dug his hands into his pockets. “No, not at all.”
“Yeah, sure.” He nodded, an understanding crossing between the two of them.
“If what you guys are saying is true, we don’t have much time,” Jeremiah interrupted. “Tristan’s time on Earth is about to come to an end.” He disappeared into the darkness ahead of them.
“Wait!” Nicolai yelled, and disappeared behind him.
“Forget this bromance shit,” Stephen mumbled awkwardly. He followed them into the darkness. “I need to kill something.”
Chapter 39
His
Ctephanyi stared in silence as the runic symbols engulfed Angelina and Tristan. Their skin shimmered in the golden light that surrounded them.
“Angelina!”
Ctephanyi’s eyes darted to the door where Jeremiah appeared, a frantic look on his face. She raised her hand to stop him, but it was too late. He ran towards Angelina at full speed and was flung backwards by an invisible force field. He hit the wall behind him and slumped to the floor.
Ctephanyi sighed and rolled her eyes. “Humans.” She scooted over to him and ran her hands over his chest. She could feel the familiar warm sensation of her healing powers leave her body and enter his.
He slowly opened his eyes and stared at her. “What happened?”
“You ran into a wall,” she replied, expressionless.
“Really?”
She nodded.
“Why would I do something stupid like that?” he asked, sitting up and quickly answering his own question.
Ctephanyi watched his face run through a multitude of expressions. First, it was a look of surprise, then anger, then sadness, and finally disgust. “You can’t do anything to help her at this moment.” She put her hand on his cool arm. “She’s his.”
Tears formed in his eyes. “No,” he whispered. “It can’t be too late.”
She looked down, her own eyes filling with tears. She looked back up, surprised by the human emotion that filled her.
“Mother!” Nicolai’s voice entered the room.
A tear of shame fell down her ivory skin. “My boy, oh, my sweet boy, I’m so very sorry.”
Nicolai’s eyes burned with a fire brighter than Ctephanyi had ever seen. For a moment, she saw Elias in him and shuddered. She knew what her husband had been capable of and what Nicolai could do if he wanted to.
“Angelina!” Daniel called out, entering the room, with Stephen following close behind him.
“She’s glowing,” Stephen gasped.
“We have to stop this!” Daniel looked around the room frantically.
“Well, don’t try running towards them…” Jeremiah frowned, rubbing the back of his head.
“They’re being protected by the pendant. It’s created a circle of protection around them. They are untouchable,” Ctephanyi whispered.
“There has to be a way,” Daniel urged.
“Oh, but there is a way,” a sweet, girlish voice chirped.
Everyone turned their attention towards the door, including Tristan. They were all surprised by what they saw. Standing beside Bethani was Elias, who happened to be carrying a very angry Marie.
“Marie?” Jeremiah’s mouth dropped open. “What in the hell are you doing here?”
Ctephanyi answered for her. “She’s a traitor, Jeremiah. She was the one helping Tristan all along.”
Anger filled his eyes. “Marie?”
She squirmed in Elias’ arms.
Elias grinned, his eyes burning bright red. “Oh, you think so, huh?”
Jeremiah’s eyes were full of hurt. “Marie?”
“What?” she shrugged her stiff arms. “It looked like a great opportunity to get what I wanted in life.”
He shook his head in disgust. “You were her best friend. How could you?”
She rolled her eyes. “Oh please, she had everything. It was my turn to have it all.”
“Do you want to see what happens when you betray a friend?” Bethani asked, her lavender eyes full of mischief.
Marie scowled. “Listen here, you little blonde bitch.”
Bethani nodded to Elias and he hurled her forward towards the golden light that surrounded Tristan and Angelina.
“Oh my god, what are you doing?!” Jeremiah watched in horror as Marie’s body disintegrated.
A loud explosion rocked the room and they were all thrown backwards against the wall. Dust filled their lungs and they all struggled to come to their senses.
“Nicolai,” Ctephanyi croaked. “Elias?”
“I’m here, mother,” Nicolai called out from the rubble.
“What the hell just happened?” Stephen growled, his features beginning to change quickly.
“Where’s Angelina?” Daniel bellowed from across the room.
“Angelina?” Nicolai said.
The dust from the debris was thick, which made it hard for anyone to see anything. Nicolai stood up and made his way over the debris that covered the room.
“She’s over here!” Jeremiah called out from behind him.
“Keep talking, Jer. I can’t see you,” Nicolai ordered.
“Over here!” Jeremiah yelled again.
Tristan’s laughter filled the room. “I told you I would take her from you,” he said. Suddenly, Nicolai felt a searing pain rip through his chest. He looked down, his eyes wide with surprise. Sticking out of his chest was a golden dagger.
Tristan smiled, pure evil emanating from his eyes. “Say hello to my father for me once you get to Hell.”
Chapter 40
No Pity
I opened my eyes and focused on Tristan and Nicolai. I saw the golden blade sticking out of Nicolai’s chest and my heart stopped, right along with his. Lightning soared through my veins as pain and anguish tore at my soul.
What had Tristan done?
What had I done?
I stood up and allowed the vengeful hate to rip apart any emotions and shred any sort of pity I had left for humanity. So, this was what pure hate felt like. It coursed throughout my entire body and I let it consume my soul. I was about to show the world how hateful I could be.
My arms raised unconsciously above my head. Bolts of electricity surged out of my fingertips and through the rocky ceiling above. The beautiful blue sky begged me not to destroy it; however, the time had come for the world to know my sorrow and vengeance.
The clouds began to form and swirl in quiet protest. I blocked out the muffled cri
es from my companions, as they now meant nothing to me. Every single cell inside my body tingled with angry anticipation. The lightning continued to surge out my fingertips. The sky became pitch black and I called upon the moon. It rose to my beckoning and appeared the same color as the sunset at dusk—a deep crimson. The world as I had known it to be had disappeared and a new world appeared before me. One with fear, loathing, and hate. Every ingredient needed to cause mass wars between the species that inhabited the Earth. It was time. If I felt all these feelings, then the world would feel them too.
“You don’t know what you’ve just done,” Ctephanyi croaked.
I lowered my arms and swung around to meet her icy glare. “See, that’s where you’re wrong.”
She watched me, her stare unfaltering, as if to test me. “How so?”
“Angelina, remember…all you have to do is remember,” I mocked. “Well, I remember, and now you will see just how powerful I really am.”
“Listen to yourself, Angelina. Just listen to yourself,” she said.
A small twinge of guilt stabbed at my heart. “I don’t need another lecture from you.” I turned back around and stared at the crimson-colored moon and mumbled. “Especially because you don’t matter to me anymore.”
“I hope I still matter to you,” a sweet voice chimed in behind me.
Breathing out slowly I said, “Bethani, don’t.”
“Angelina, you knew this day would come.”
“I made a choice.”
She nodded. “Yes, you did.”
“It was the right choice.”
“You don’t sound so sure.”
I sucked in my breath. “I’m sure.”
“You can undo this,” she whispered. “You can bring him back.”
A warm tear slid down my cheek and shook my head. “No, I can’t.”
“Yes, you can,” she reassured.
I turned to face her. There was promise in her lavender eyes as she smiled and pointed at Nicolai. “You can undo all of this.”
My voice trembled. “How?”
“Tristan has the answer,” she replied. She pointed to the rune-carved pendant that hung around his neck. “That pendant not only stops time, but also controls it.”
Crimson Moon: The Crimson Chronicles Book 2 Page 14