“We are in your debt,” they both say in unison.
“Uh, thank you,” I say.
“How can we repay?” the one with the glasses asks.
I am just looking at all the torn bodies slowly flaking away. The amount of blood in the room is making me want to gag. I’m covered in its cooling stickiness. I just want to wake up from this nightmare, but it is real.
“There are humans in this house,” I say carefully, trying to get my thoughts straight. “Please save them and return them to their homes. One, Cara, she’s been deeply hurt by Charlie.”
“We can erase Charlie and return her home safely,” the one without glasses says.
“No, you will have to make Charlie out to be a horrible boyfriend that just left her. He’s done too much damage to just disappear,” I say.
“Consider it done,” the two say in unison before they disappear to do as I’ve asked.
Joseph turns to me, his eyes blazing. I can feel the blood lust inside of him. He is one who hungers for battle; it has been a long time since a worthy opponent has attacked him.
“You wish her alive?” Joseph asks me.
“No, I wish her dead, but we have to save Vincent first.”
“He broke our laws,” Joseph says.
“Because of me. The Sisters took my boyfriend. I went to save him. Vincent came to my rescue. If anything, I should be killed for it, not him.”
“I find you interesting, and you managed to save us. I will allow you to save Vincent.”
I nod my head, feeling as grateful as I possibly could that they are going to let him live. That means he has to be brought to full health. That means he is going to need a human, but I’ve decided I can’t sacrifice another person’s life. I’ve decided to give Vincent my blood.
We all walk into the basement. Vincent is in a fury of bloodlust, pulling at the chains, howling, his eyes burning silver in that skeleton of a body that is mere flesh clinging to a form. I can’t sense any of him in there.
“I still win,” Olivia says, laughing. “How are you going to save him?”
“I’m going to let him drink from me,” I say.
“You will die,” Olivia states.
“Maybe.”
“You would be better coming with us,” Ivanka says. “We can open you up to a world of power. We do not go about like Olivia does.”
“Thank you,” I say, and I mean it. The offer is tempting, I can see how unlimited their magic is, but I want to stay human. With Vincent. There is a chance, though a slim chance, that maybe I can find him in there.
“If he doesn’t drain me, let him drink the rest from his maker,” I instruct.
“That is one way to bring him to true health, though her death will still wound him,” Joseph says.
“But he will live,” I say.
Joseph nods his head. Olivia starts screaming in a language I don’t know as I slowly begin walking towards Vincent. He sees me as prey; I don’t see a trace of him left inside his mind. I’m hoping I can find him somewhere in there before he drains me dry. I see Mika with the keys; she waits until I’m close enough to Vincent to unchain him. I take a deep breath and can’t let it out before his teeth are sinking into my neck and his claws begin to rip into my side. The pain overwhelms me before I reach up with shaky hands to clench the side of his head and dive into his mind.
The pain is there as I feel myself freefall into what seems like oblivion. It is all blackness and suffering around me. I can feel the weeks of torture Vincent has suffered; the dreams were so real, and they come flooding back to me now. All the times he tried to reach out to me, to feel alive again, the despair at knowing he would die. The wish that it would just hurry up and happen. What is strongest in him right now is the need to live and feed. He has no idea it is me he is feeding on. I go deeper in through the pain, searching for any spark of him. I see it, down below, but I feel myself getting so weak, my pulse beating slower.
“Vincent,” I call out. There is no response; the thing that is him sits staring up into the darkness.
“Vincent,” I say again, my voice failing as I reach out a hand to him.
He stares at me, and for a moment there is no recognition. Inside his mind he is full, healthy, he looks the way I know him to be.
“Amy,” he breathes.
“You have to come to the surface,” I say.
“I don’t want to. Let the actual death take me over,” he says, pulling away from me.
“You’re killing me, Vincent.” I can feel myself fading.
“You’re not here,” he says.
“I am; you’re feeding on me right now. I will die. And it won’t be you that is left,” I say.
“You’re…I’m… what?” A fury mixed with fear shines in his bright eyes. He reaches a hand up to mine, but it goes through. I’m beginning to feel the pain again, but it is so distant. It didn’t work. I am going to die.
Vincent suddenly let’s go of my body and jumps back. Everything is going black around me. I try to smile up at him, but there is a look of absolute horror on his face.
“I think I love you,” I choke out before the blackness takes me over.
Chapter 13
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I wake up in a soft cushioned bed. A simple bed. My bed. I hold a hand up to my face and see the blood has been washed away and I’m dressed in comfortable pajamas. Damon is sitting in a chair in the corner of my room. As soon as he sees me stir he jumps to my side.
“You’re here,” he says, choking back tears.
“I am,” I mutter, trying to fill in the blanks of how I got here.
“Vincent brought you to my door. You were covered in so much blood, and the holes in your neck…I was sure you were gone to me,” he says.
So, Vincent didn’t drain me dry. I wonder what blood they gave me to keep me alive, or if they even gave me blood. I can feel the puncture marks in my neck, but my sides where his claws dug in are healed. Not enough blood to save me entirely I guess. Does this mean I am now in debt to Joseph? That thought makes a headache begin to swirl in my head.
“I’ll kill all of them,” Damon says as he kisses the top of my head.
“They’re all dead,” I mutter. At least the ones who matter are dead.
“What happened? You just disappeared after the text from Cara,” Damon says.
“It’s a long story. I just really need some rest right now. And maybe some water and Ibuprofen.”
Damon nods his head before getting up from the bed to go into the kitchen. I slowly sit up so I can drink the water and take the drugs, then snuggle back down into my bed. I feel the covers being lifted on the other side and Damon gently pulls me into his warm arms.
“I’m so sorry I wasn’t there for you, Amy. I’ll never leave your side again. I’ll quit hunting. I’ll get a regular job. We can live happily together away from danger.” Damon places kisses on my shoulder. I feel so safe in his arms. He’s offering me everything I want with him. A way out of a life filled with vampires – just him and me. Maybe we could even go out on dates like normal people do. It feels so right.
Except I told a vampire I loved him. And I think I really meant it.
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Paranormal Vampire Romance: Fatal Allure Box Set (Books 1-3) (Vampire, Alphas, Werewolves & Shifters, Detectives, Mysteries Romance) Page 32