by Tara Brown
“I can't bear this.” She glared at Ari.
Ari sobbed. “I don’t know. I don’t know what changed.”
Aimee staggered through the hole. “Blake. He never helped them perfect the hellfire bomb. He never went evil. It changed everything.” She wrapped her arms around herself, appearing frighteningly fragile.
Aleks put his arm around her. “What happened?”
Ari sat on her knees, rocking. “I pushed again. I pushed Blake and changed his choice. Instead of betraying Aimes to Shane and chasing her out of the house, he found other supernaturals online.”
Aimee cringed. “His guild on the World of Warcraft. He helped me change. He came with me here. He convinced Dorian to help me.”
“I know all that.” Aleks sounded lost.
“We got Giselle to use her compulsion to make sure we remembered.” I sniffled.
“She's still in the hospital?” Aimee seemed dazed.
Lydia explained, “Blake never took them to the blood bar. They never recruited him from MIT.”
Aimee looked at Lydia. “Alise is safe. She's at home with Dad. They're safe and so is Shane.” Aimee’s face flushed as she glanced up at Aleks.
“You and Shane are together, Aimes.” He broke into a grin. “Were we together in that other place?”
Aimee slowly shook her head, lying.
He stopped. “My dad?”
She winced.
Aleks frowned. “I died?” He sounded completely mystified.
Aimee swallowed hard. “You and Ben.”
Ben snapped his head around to her. “Me?” He turned to Lucas who wiped his eyes.
Ari shuddered. “I can't seem to make it so we are all okay.”
Ben raised an eyebrow at me. “If I was dead, then you and I never—?”
“No. I don't even know you.”
He nodded slowly. “That’s explaining a few things.”
Lorri burst through the hole in the kitchen wall and stormed over to Ari, lifting her off the ground. “I had him in my hands. In my hands, Ari. For Christ’s sake. I said not to use it. I said no.” She dropped Ari and paced the yard like a wild cat.
Ari slumped onto the grass again.
Lucas went to where Ari sat and put himself between Ari and Lorri.
Lorri turned and pointed. “They had Jon too.” She raged around the yard. “THEY CAUGHT JON!”
Aleks stepped forward. “What? My dad? Who had him?”
Lorri looked savagely at him. “The wolves.”
Ben frowned. “Us?”
Lucas turned back. “The guys back home were tracing him for us.”
Aleks' eyes flamed. “How? How did they do it? Where was he?”
“He came for me,” I whispered.
Aleks groaned, “Oh, I should have known. Of course. When Lorri and I got to your house that first night to get you, his scent was everywhere. If we'd thought to call the pack, they would have been able to trace him.” His stare hardened at Lorri. “If the Roses Academy hadn’t been more important, as usual, I could have had him.”
Lorri pointed. “Don’t you start with me right now, Aleks. I swear to God, I will rip your head off. In the other version of this fiasco, the wolves were there because of Sam. He thought of the wolves. He brought them.”
I remembered being in the cell and turned to Lorri. “He still has my sister.”
Lorri covered her eyes with her hands. “Oh sweet Jesus, save me from this moment.” Her face was filled with rage. “I am not going to talk to you about saving a human right now. Sam was everything. He was the thing that made us win. It wasn’t you. Look in the scrying dish you haven’t stolen from Annabelle yet.” She was gone as lightning struck the ground where she stood.
Aimee sighed. Lydia rubbed her back. “I know, honey. It's been so long since they died that the pain is old and it won’t let me hurt as much as I want to.”
Dorian flashed into the yard and grabbed Ari and pulled her in. She started to cry all over again.
“I know.” He rubbed her shoulder softly. “I know.” He glanced back at Aleks. “Good to see you, Brother.”
Aleks frowned. “You look weird.”
Dorian pulled Ari back. “Is this what it's like every time?”
Ari sobbed and nodded.
Lucas joined the hug. “I can't imagine living through this more than once.” He kissed Ari's head.
I was totally out of the loop. “What can we do?”
Hanna continued to cry. “Move on. Once they're gone, that’s it. There is no bringing them back.” Her eyes hardened.
I went inside. I felt more at home in the house than I ever had. I had never stayed at the castle; I’d always been at Lydia’s. Through thick and thin, I had spent my time learning. There hadn’t been a vampire war in the yard or drama with Sam.
Ben wrapped his arms around me. It seemed less strange to be around him.
I turned and observed his handsome face.
He softly brushed his lips against mine. His shaggy brown hair and emerald-green eyes reminded me of Lucas. “I'll keep you safe, O,” he whispered.
My body relaxed into his. His touch wasn't just familiar, it was wanted.
Annabelle floated to me. “I was just lookin’ in on your momma. Your sisters have been taken. He's gonna give the gift to your brother tonight.”
“No, it's a trap. He must know about the snow globe.”
Ben peered down at me. “You psychic now?”
“No.” I sighed. “We went there in the other way things were. Oliver betrayed us and my dad was my brother.”
Ben raised an eyebrow.
I laughed bitterly at the words I’d said. “It's complicated.”
Annabelle put her hands on her hips and pointed at the hole in the house. “What in Sam hell is that?”
Lydia's face crumpled.
I started to feel sick again. “I'm going to bed.” I walked to the stairs. Ben scooped me up and carried me to my room.
Chapter 29
Her Highness has lost her crown
Ophelia
A knock at the door woke me up. I went to roll out of bed but Ben's huge arm was across me. I felt funny about him sleeping in my bed. I picked through my old memories, surprised that he hadn’t done it before. We didn't have that kind of relationship. He was a gentleman, even if he played it up in front of everyone else.
I slithered out from under him and walked to the door to open it a crack.
Aimee stared at me. “Want to help me?”
I rubbed my eyes. “Dude, it's still dark.”
“I know.” Aimee continued, “I have a problem. I need a favor from Hanna and she won't help me. She doesn’t like me.”
“You and Ari are kind of bitchy to her.”
“Please.”
“Fine,” I grumbled. “Just let me get some pants on.”
I pulled on jeans from the floor and stalked out of the room. We walked to Hanna's room. She was still asleep in a ball with tissues everywhere.
“Why are we in here?”
Aimee shrugged. “I need her to convince Marcus to turn Giselle.”
“She won't do it. They broke up. Remember? Marcus is an overbearing wanker.”
Aimee pointed. “My friend is dying. Do it.”
“Giselle’s an asshole,” I groaned and turned to Hanna, shoving her lightly. “Hanna, wake up.”
Hanna moaned and murmured, “No, Sam.”
I turned back at Aimee and glared.
Aimee snapped a finger and pointed.
I gave her the finger and turned back and shook Hanna again. “Hanna, wake up.”
Hanna rolled over and opened one puffy eye. “Wh-wh-what?”
“I need you to wake up.”
Hanna groaned, “Dude, this better be important.”
Aimee spoke from the dark doorway, “I need you to save Giselle. She's dying.”
Hanna stared at me for a minute. I thought for sure she was about to say no, but she climbed out of bed. She stoo
d, looking Aimee square in the eyes. “You hate me for something that never even happened, just so you're aware. I’m not doing this for you.”
Aimee nodded and put a hand out and we all touched. I squinted, seeing the bright lights of the hospital. We followed Aimee into a room. Blake sat there reading on an iPad.
“Hey, loser.”
He lifted his gaze to see Hanna and smiled. “Hanna. My favorite monster.”
She rolled her eyes. “Yeah, I've never heard that one before.”
Giselle lay in the hospital bed. It was weird seeing her sick. I was used to her being volatile and snobby.
Giselle opened an eye and smiled at us. Aimee leaned forward. “Hey, girl, how are you feeling?”
She frowned. “You need to turn my ass back into a vampire. This shit is not fun. I want to be drinking blood and stomping around Marcus’ castle in my big boots. This sucks.”
Hanna leaned in. “How do you remember that?”
Giselle shrugged. “When you guys said you wanted me to do the mind thingy on you, I decided I didn’t want to be the only bitch who was lost.” She pointed to Blake who frowned. “Look at his dumb face. He has no clue what's what. Anyway, I went to Annabelle and she gave me a mirror so I could do the juju thingy on myself.”
Aimee laughed. “That was pretty smart.”
Blake pushed his glasses up his nose. “That was brilliant, Giselle.”
She raised an eyebrow at Blake.
He pointed to Aimee. “She texted me everything.”
“Oh.”
Blake spoke to Hanna, “Sorry for your loss. Again.”
Hanna gave a slight nod. “Yeah. Guess the wound is healed and I'm over it.” She didn't sound over it.
A girl with dark silky hair came strolling into the room. Her eyes were on her cell phone as she texted and walked.
Aimee jumped up and grabbed her. She held her tightly.
The girl struggled. “Aimes, wtf? What are you doing? You're smudging my makeup.” She pushed her away.
Aimee pulled the girl back and I could see the resemblance. Aimee was a twin too.
“Never do that to me, Alise—never ever.”
The girl frowned. “Dude, I went for coffee.” She rolled her eyes and sat on Blake's lap.
Blake shook his head. “This is outright bizarre. I don’t think I will actually be able to process this one.”
Giselle cocked her head. “Uh hello—are you here for me or what?”
Hanna laughed. “Good to see you're still you. I'll send Marcus a text.”
Aimee glanced back at her. “You want me to go get him?”
“He won’t be long.”
Aimee rolled her eyes, “You and boys, Hanna, I swear.”
Alise frowned. “Who are you all?”
Giselle laughed. “Other girls from the liver ward. Me and Aimes met them a while back.”
Alise smiled and gave a head nod like a puppet. “Cool. So, you all got better after a drugging?”
Hanna frowned. “Uhm yeah.”
I laughed. “This is weird. Do you guys need me here?” Hanna flashed me a questioning scowl. I put my hands up defensively. “Okay. Just sleepy.”
Giselle gave me a sneer.
Blake stood and put his arm around Alise’s shoulders. “Want to go for a walk, Aimes?”
Aimee nodded and put a hand on Giselle's hand. “Want anything?”
“The desire to suck the blood from young men.”
Aimee grimaced. “Okay, well ewww, and I'll see what they have at the cafeteria.”
I sat in the chair in the corner. I was exhausted. It had been a brutal twenty-four hours.
Hanna sat on the edge of the bed. “He'll be here in like five.”
Giselle squirmed in the bed. “Good. Everything hurts.”
Hanna sighed. “Aimee's sister is a space cadet. Wow.”
“It’s so weird they’re related.” I laughed. “She knows nothing about nothing?”
Hanna swung her legs up onto the bed. “She knows nothing about the things she knows. Damn.” Her eyes lowered and her head tilted. “Whose pants are you wearing?”
Heat rushed up my cheeks. “Mine.”
Hanna laughed. “Those are Ben's.”
Giselle gave a weak laugh. “Oh busted.”
“He was just being nice.”
“I'd let him be nice to me any day of the week.” Hanna chuckled when she saw my glare. “What? I would. He smells like delicious fae.”
I made a face. “You make him sound like a snack. You know who smelled good—” I stopped.
Hanna's face crumpled.
“Shit.” I closed my mouth for a moment. “Sorry. It's like I expect him to walk into the room any second.”
Giselle turned her face up to stare at the ceiling. “I wish he would walk in. He made everything better.”
“Yup.”
A face at the door made my heart stop. I got up from the chair and mumbled, “I'll be back in a minute.”
When I rounded the corner of the corridor, he was leaning against the wall with a smug expression. “What are you doing here? You have some nerve. I should call Aimee to come kill you.”
He raised an eyebrow. “Have we met?”
I stumbled on my words, “The castle—Oliver, I know who you are.”
He leaned in too close. “I forgot how you smell. Your memory should be gone.”
I pulled away from him. “So should yours.”
He laughed. “I made sure my memories would be intact. I didn’t know Ari was his daughter until you told me, but I always knew what she did.”
I recalled something and cocked my head. “You never told Jonathan. My father—you never told him what Ari did?”
He shook his head.
“Why?”
“Because of you.” Chills washed over me as he ran a hand down my arm. “I told you. I love you.”
“So you let Jonathan take me prisoner and try to kill Aimee? That’s love to you?” I laughed bitterly. “Maybe I was wrong. Maybe you aren’t the tin man. Maybe you don't actually have a heart at all.”
His eyes hardened as his fingers bit into my skin. “If Aimee dies, it's one less thing for me to worry about. You think Lorri and Dorian wouldn’t sacrifice themselves to kill me and Jonathan off?”
“I don't care what any of you do.” I pushed him. “What do you want anyway? You think I don’t know that I somehow play into your lame-ass plans and that's why you’re here? You're playing my dad and me.”
He laughed and stumbled back. “I've never been anything but sincere with you. I did lead you into the trap, obviously, but I made sure you had the upper hand.”
“Sam died because of you. Where’s the upper hand in that?” I shoved him again and his shirt singed from the sparks off my hand. I let the energy shoot from my hands and sent him down the hall, riding the wind. I stood at the opposite end with the cool wind surrounding me. My dark wavy hair blew around my body. I sensed the darkness take over my eyes. My vision grew sharper with it.
His back slammed into the wall at the end of the long corridor. I strode toward him. He flashed out of the grip of the wind to me, his hands at my throat. “Don't make me do something I won’t recover from.”
“Do it.” I jerked, sending electricity from my body. He blasted from me and into the wall, dark blood dripping from his lip.
He laughed. “You’re getting more powerful.”
“Duh.” I sounded like Giselle. “What did you think I’ve been doing with all these lives I’m reliving? I’m learning magic.”
“Did you mean to hit me that hard?” He wiped the blood from his mouth and pulled his ass from the broken wall. White dust filled the air. He rubbed his back. “You know those walls are reinforced.”
“I’m gonna kill you.”
He flashed as the lightning bolts shot from my hands, starting a small fire in the plaster. My breath raged from my flared nostrils until I realized he was truly gone or hiding. I scanned the area to ensure no
one had witnessed his or my magical abilities.
Smoke rose from the wall. I leaned forward and blew ice across it.
When I got back to the room, Hanna raised an eyebrow. “What the hell?”
“Oliver,” I growled.
“He came here?” Giselle snarled with me. “I'm biting him when I turn again.”
Hanna turned her head. “You'll die, dummy. You can't feed off fallen.”
Giselle's dark eyes flashed. “I never said I was going to feed. I said ‘bite.’” She moaned in pain and clutched her right side.
All the humor and anger left the room.
Hanna stroked her face, her stare fixed impatiently on the door.
Her face dropped.
I turned, following her gaze to a stunning man walking through the door. My jaw dropped. Aimee’s weird phrase “sex on a stick” came to mind when I saw him.
Hanna stammered, “Mar-Marcus. Thanks f-for coming.”
His face looked pained.
I could taste the tension in the air and not all of it was because Hanna's bracelet glowed like it was a raging flame made of lava.
Giselle smirked at Marcus through the pain. “Hey, I need you to save me again.”
“Hanna, I need to speak with you.” He ignored Giselle.
I melted at his accent. He was sexy and had an accent. I envied Hanna for a moment. The hottest guys always loved her.
Hanna seemed to be battling her emotions. “Ari.”
“Ahhh, I see. So what was this alternate world like? Were we married? Living in Romania in the summers and here in the winters?” His smile was bitter and pained.
“You were dead.”
He looked baffled. “And yet, I reserved my last breath to save your friend? Aren't I kind?” He didn't sound kind.
Hanna's face was frozen. “The kindest. Will you help her?”
Marcus shook his head. “No.”
Hanna took a step forward. “I would be—grateful.”
He laughed. “Oh, Hanna.” He grabbed her hand. “You'll be grateful anyway, I'm afraid.”
I stepped toward him. “Let her go.”
He smiled at me. “If Hanna needed protection, I assure you she wouldn’t be my girl.”
Hanna pushed away from him. “I'm not your girl. We had this conversation.” Her eyes filled with regret. “I know where his heart is. I know how to free him.”