by Angela Horn
“Gigi,” he said too strongly and she flinched. Anton took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, “I am not a virgin. I’ve dated plenty of females before I met you and dating never made the loneliness go away. Why would it fix anything now that I know who I want?”
“We can’t be together. It’s fate.”
“Fate implies I didn’t make a choice that night. A choice I wish I could take back.”
Gigi thought to tell Anton about Finn, but she feared he might react out of spite and refuse to keep their secret. She also sensed it would hurt him to know she loved someone else and Anton already looked unhappy enough.
“I shouldn’t have bothered you. I just wanted to make things better, but I made them worse,” Gigi said and the pain of the night when he rejected her returned. Sobbing, she wished she hadn’t spoken to him, but she wanted to fix things in case she died. “I’m sorry.”
Anton came around the desk and pulled her into his arms. Unlike the day they argued in his office, this time she let him hold her. She wanted to tell him goodbye and let him know she didn’t blame him. He always told her the truth about not having a mate, but she hadn’t listened because she wanted a different outcome. She didn’t say these things now because she didn’t want him to suspect her plan to kill the master.
“I miss you,” Anton said in a soft, yet desperate voice as he held her. “I hate the choice I made that night and I need you to give me another chance.”
“I can’t,” Gigi mumbled, pulling away. “It was fate.”
Anton sighed and looked exhausted as if he could no longer hide his true feelings. Gigi again wished she could tell him about Finn so he wouldn’t think she was just punishing him. Yet the truth wouldn’t necessarily help. Anton needed to feel hope. Even as she pushed him away, Gigi found the words to make him see a hopeful possibility without outright lying to him.
“It was fate that night. I know you can’t see it, but I believe it was meant to happen the way it did. Maybe one day it’ll be fate for us to have another chance, but we can’t force it. Fate is just another word for God and you can’t make God do things.”
The way Anton studied her face made Gigi think her words did give him hope without promising another chance. While she wanted to keep Finn forever, Anton was lonely and afraid of the future. Yet one day if he survived the war, he might find a female who would make him happy.
“I should go before the others come back and see me crying,” Gigi finally said as she wiped tears from her face. “The guys get weird when I cry.”
Anton forced a smile, but his eyes were lost with need. He truly believed Gigi was his only chance at love and he resented himself for not reaching for the opportunity to be happy. Even loving Finn, Gigi resented Anton a little too because some part of her would always wonder what might have happened if he hadn’t left that night and she hadn’t gone home to Finn. Now they would never know.
Long after leaving Anton, Gigi felt a strange unhappiness cling to her. Only talking with Finn on the phone helped to settle her bad mood. While Gigi pretended to be in high spirits, Finn must have known better. He accused the kittens of making her sad and asked for her to put them on the phone. His request and the cats’ subsequent excitement over hearing his voice sent Gigi into hysterics.
Finn had her translate his words because he believed the kittens could understand her like they couldn’t understand others. At first the kittens licked at the receiver. Yet when he accused them of being bad kitties and making mommy sad, they hissed at the phone which only made Gigi laugh harder. By the time she calmed down, Gigi was in the best mood and she remembered why she loved Finn. He wasn’t a powerful Alpha or Master Vamp, but he knew how to make her smile and he was always there when she needed him. Dependability was an underrated quality, Gigi sensed.
Later during the first half of her shift, Gigi worked the witch floor with Justine who didn’t pay her much attention. Even after Gigi saved her, Justine found her inconvenient to have around. Nolan never flirted with Gigi, but he found reasons to talk with her at the bar. He mostly asked questions about her recent experience with the flying monster. Justine listened to him and must have known he was only asking for his mother, but it did little to erase her frown.
By the time Gigi switched to the Vamp floor, she was thrilled to be away from Justine. While she wanted to be friends with Justine and Dahlia, they didn’t make it easy. Males wanted to have sex with Gigi more than with them which made the blonde their enemy apparently.
Simon didn’t want to be Gigi’s enemy though. In fact the Master Vamp immediately requested for her to join him at his booth. When his hand found her thigh under the table, Gigi scooted away.
“Ah, someone’s found a lover,” Simon said with a grin as he moved closer.
“I can’t talk about it.”
“With me you have no secrets. I am your confidant.”
Gigi grinned, mostly because Simon was giving her his most devious expression. Finally she laughed and he returned his hand to her thigh.
“I am in love,” she told him and he nodded solemnly.
“It won’t last.”
Gigi’s smile faded. “Don’t say that. He’s all I want.”
“Because he’s all you know. Once you know me, you will forget all about the Were.”
“Maybe it’s not a Were?”
“Oh, I know neither Spencer nor Nolan would have made a move so quickly and no Vamp would dare court my sweet Gigi. While Tobin might spend much of his free time masturbating to thoughts of you, I can’t imagine you being so gaga over him. No, it’s a Were.”
“It doesn’t matter what he is. I love him and I’m happy.”
“Good. I want you to be entertained until I can make you my bride.”
“I can’t be your bride, Simon. I’m in love with someone else.”
“Yes, for now. Once I can make you mine, you’ll have no need for him.”
“That’s not how it works.”
“How would you know?” Simon asked with a smirk. “First love always feels eternal, but rarely is.”
Gigi felt a stab of panic because she didn’t know as much as Simon, but she did know she never wanted to lose Finn.
“I want to keep him.”
Simon’s smile faded. “Calm yourself. It could take some time before I can make you my bride. Until then feel free to enjoy your doggie toy. In fact when you are mine, you can even keep him as a lover. I am not the possessive type.”
Gigi didn’t know what Simon saw in her expression, but he threw his head back and laughed loud enough to startle the other Vamps who became very still. They even halted their crotch dancing while their master enjoyed a good chuckle. When he settled down and the crotch dancing resumed, Simon wrapped an arm around Gigi.
“To be so young,” he whispered in her ear. Simon kissed her cheek softly then pulled his arm away and smiled. “Don’t be so serious. Did you think I would stop desiring you once you gave your virginity to some dog?”
“Yes.”
Simon smiled wider. “I haven’t been a virgin in hundreds of years, yet you still desire me with your every breath.”
Gigi couldn’t help laughing at Simon’s confidence. “You’re the third person who’s talked about their virginity to me today.”
Simon eased back in the booth, looking wistful. “Ah, I remember my first time. It might shock you to know I wasn’t a perfect lover the first time out. I believe it took a total of three times for me to attain perfection.”
Gigi laughed again because Simon was being utterly serious. “What were the first two times like?”
“Good and better. Third time was excellent. I’m a quick learner.”
“You started off with good. I think that’s supposed to be impressive.”
“I’m sure you were quite good your first time.”
Blushing, Gigi rolled her eyes. “I made a lot of weird noises.”
Simon laughed. “I look forward to hearing them.”
“Even if I
ever did become your bride, I doubt I’d still make weird noises. I’m a quick learner too.”
“No, please don’t give them up. I love weird noises. My last bride Amelia was often too silent for my taste. I had to frequently stop to check her for a pulse. It ruined my rhythm.”
Gigi leaned against him laughing even though she knew the other Vamps including Dahlia were glaring at her.
“I’m making them mad,” Gigi said once she calmed down.
“They fear you.”
“Because of my blood?”
“Because you swore to rule them with an iron fist.”
“How would they know that though?”
“I put it in the monthly newsletter.”
Gigi leaned her head on her arms as she laughed. She felt Simon’s hand slinking around her thigh, but he was teasing quite patiently.
“Are you really my confidant? Can I tell you anything?” Gigi asked Simon whose lips were nuzzling her hair.
Pulling back, Simon studied her. “Of course. If I weren’t completely serious about making you my bride, I would view you as a threat. At the very least, I would want you off the Vamp floor. Yet here you are, attaching yourself to me.”
Gigi ignored the part where he blamed her for the fact that his leg was pressed against hers. His hand was still on her thigh, now just making little circles with his fingers.
“What is it, Gigi?”
For a moment she thought to ask him about her plan, just to tell someone so she would feel less alone in her quest. Instead Gigi shook her head.
“It’s nothing. I just want you to know how much I care for you.”
Simon frowned. “Are you in trouble?”
“No. I’m just feeling safe here with you. I like being with you even though I love someone else.”
Unconvinced, Simon said nothing, instead studying her for the rest of her shift. When it was time for her to leave, Simon forced the other Vamps to turn away. Once eyes were off them, Simon took her hand and pressed it against his chest.
“You are mine. Never forget this fact. If it aids you in remaining safe, feel free to share this information with others. Do you understand?”
Gigi nodded as she stared into his too green eyes. When he let go of her hand, Gigi caress his face before the Vamps began to move normally. Taking a deep breath, she smiled and pulled away slowly. Once she stepped out his reach, Simon released the other Vamps.
Gigi walked away, knowing Simon’s eyes were on her. Some part of her wished she could have shared her plans, but she knew he would try to stop her, just as Finn would have. This task was hers to complete and she had to compete it alone.
Chapter Fifty Two
The house was big and pink with an overgrown lawn and baskets of dead plants hanging from the porch. Gigi walked up to the front door and turned the knob, never considering being stealth. The master already knew she was coming for him.
The house smelled bad – like rot covered up with too much potpourri. Gigi covered her mouth as she walked further into the house, finding a home without care. Everything was old and left to decay.
Past the foyer and down a dark hall music played. Gigi followed the sound of it until she reached an atrium. The room was dimly lit and filled with a several empty metal tables and a line of shelves along the wall. Gigi’s hands were tingling painfully now and she knew the monsters were near, but she wanted their master.
Sensing movement behind her, Gigi turned to find a half dozen black creatures creeping into the room. Some were bear-sized bird monsters, some just little rotted rats. They hissed at her, trying to intimidate her. Yet Gigi had killed them before and she was willing to die to kill them again.
“You’re a persistent little bitch, aren’t you?” a voice echoed from the dark hall Gigi had just exited.
A figure approached and the monsters in the atrium backed away respectful of their master. Gigi felt a hint of fear, but she was mostly excited. This creature was the one who took the girls – took Sara – and Gigi wanted her friend back. Once she found Sara, Gigi wanted payback.
A female entered the atrium and Gigi frowned, having always assumed the necromancer was male. All the monsters on TV were male – human freaks who stole girls away in the night. The female necromancer smiled slyly.
“I underestimated you. That was my bad, but your mistake was thinking you could come to my home and challenge me.”
The necromancer was young, not much older than Gigi. She had long red hair and fair skin like Ella and bright green eyes which reminded Gigi of Simon. The female wore a long red robe which when she moved revealed pink pajama shorts and a tee underneath. The master of the monsters, the necromancer Gigi wanted to kill, was just a young female getting ready for bed.
“What are you?” the necromancer asked as she leaned against an empty metal table which rattled when she touched it. The noise startled her monsters who hissed at Gigi. “My creatures tell me you smell human, but you clearly aren’t. They say you have no scent of magic. So what’s your secret, bitch?”
Gigi realized this necromancer couldn’t be the one who healed her and tampered with her memories.
“I want my friends back.”
“Oh, do you?” the necromancer sighed. “I’m afraid you have nothing to offer me in return.”
“Are you a necromancer or a witch? I thought necromancers were all male?”
The female sneered. “I am no filthy witch.” Her beasts hissed at Gigi for angering their master. “Witches are evil and stupid. While I might be evil, I’m not stupid. I hate witches even more than I hate you, bitch.”
“If you hate witches, why do you take humans?”
“Because all the magic in witches makes them taste like shit. It’s like eating poison, but your friends have just a hint of magic from working at the sluthouse. Think of magic as ketchup. A squirt gives food flavor while too much drowns out the natural allure of flesh. Witches have too much magic and a standard human is a bit bland, but your friends were just right.”
“You ate them?” Gigi balked, panicking at how Sara was gone. “Why would you eat people?”
“Because I can and because the witches made me crazy. Witches are terribly evil and they steal children just like the folktales warn. They stole me when I was a tiny thing, still innocent and sane. They experimented on me and planned to harvest me, but witches are stupid and I destroyed them. I now use my magic to make a family for myself,” the necromancer said, waving her hand at the creatures who gazed at their master with dead eyes. “I didn’t let the witches kill me and I won’t let you.”
“You don’t seem crazy,” Gigi said as a hot emotion burned up from her stomach. “You’re just like the witches who hurt you. You’re evil because you kill innocent people and you’re stupid because you let me find you.”
The necromancer smiled as if she sympathized with Gigi. “You’re truly stupid, aren’t you, bitch? I sensed as much the night in the alley when you just stared at my child and didn’t run. You tried to save the foul dog who left you to die then you apologized to me for interfering. So much stupidity in such a small package. If you weren’t so stupid, I might keep you around and rip you apart slowly, just to see what you are. Yet I’m worried your stupidity might be contagious.”
Gigi’s hands no longer tingled as she tightened them into fists. Noticing her anger, the necromancer grinned.
“You have no magic in you while I am only magic. I have more magic than those witches who tortured me. I have more magic than anyone in the Circle. I am god here. You should bow, but you won’t because you’re too stupid. I can make you bow though.”
The necromancer raised her hand and flicked her fingers at Gigi who felt the hot emotion spreading to every nerve. The third rule was to not get angry, but Gigi couldn’t stop the rage. She wanted to destroy the necromancer. She wanted to destroy everything.
The necromancer frowned when Gigi didn’t move. “Bow, bitch. Can’t you do anything right?”
Shaking violently, G
igi thought of Sara’s smile. She thought of Sara’s hugs. She thought of Sara’s dreams. Then she thought of Sara’s scream as the monster took her away and ate her.
“Sara was going to be a teacher. She told Simon no because she had a dream to be a teacher and now she can’t be a teacher.”
“I don’t care,” the necromancer hissed, flicking her fingers again. The monsters also hissed then the female threw her arms out and the lights in the room darkened. “Maybe I will tear you apart slowly after all.”
A gush of wind whipped through the sealed room while the lights flickered. Gigi knew the necromancer was using her magic, but she didn’t care about the lights or wind. She only cared about how Sara couldn’t be a teacher or get married and have children. Sara was gone and death was final.
A flash of light drew Gigi’s attention behind her. On the shelves, two lines of containers covered by black sheets began to tremble. The black sheets peeled back as a light illuminated each container and Gigi saw faces – dozens of faces, all girls with dreams like Sara, now nothing more than floating heads in some freak’s rundown house.
Gigi studied all the faces from the top row to the bottom until she saw Katia who looked asleep. Next was Monica who cried when the Weres hurt her feelings. Finally in the last jar was Sara, her blonde hair floating around her.
“Sara was going to be a teacher,” the necromancer mimicked in a whiny voice and the light in the jars grew brighter as the heads began to tremble. “She told Simon no because she had a dream to be a teacher and now she can’t be a teacher.”
Suddenly in the jars, the heads morphed so their mouths gaped in silent screams and their eyes opened in blank horror. Gigi shuddered at the sight of Sara screaming, just as she must have screamed the night the monster took her life.
“Don’t be fooled by their pretty little heads,” the necromancer said while the heads continued their silent screaming. “I ate their brains and filled up their heads with rocks. Even though none of them were as stupid as you, the rocks were actually an improvement to what their brains ever accomplished.”