Dying Forever (Waking Forever Book 3)

by Heather McVea

  “Pissed off may be an understatement.” Bryce wished she could disappear and avoid what was about to take an already strained conversation to an entirely worse level.

  Ash sat on the stool across from Bryce. In spite of her age and power, the vampire was verging on timid; but that wasn’t going to deter Ash from interrogating the woman. “How do you know her?”

  Bryce grimaced at the harshness of Ash’s tone, but knew she had this coming. “We met when I was still human and living in Boston.” Taking a deep breath, Bryce looked up and seeing the suspicious look on Ash’s face, the vampire swallowed. “We were lovers.”

  Ash leaned back on the stool and crossed her arms. Glancing to her right, she saw Emma standing perfectly still as Bryce continued. “I was turned, and then we were enemies.”

  Shaking her head, Ash pursed her lips. “Bullshit.” Emma looked at her lover and frowned. “I’m sorry, Em, but she needs to be honest with us.”

  Bryce cleared her throat. “She’s right. I’m sorry. In spite of decades of trying to be a better - ah, person, old habits die hard, and there’s nothing I’m proud of in this story.”

  Emma looked at Bryce for several seconds before sitting on the stool next to her. “I’ve never found much use for being comforted by a lie.” She made eye contact with Ash and smiled, remembering how her own dishonesty had nearly cost her the love of her life. “The truth is best.”

  Bryce kept her eyes averted as she spoke. “I killed her son after I was turned, to avenge her killing my maker. This and the inherently bad blood between our kind is why she wants me dead.”

  Feeling the guilt and shame of admitting to the murder building in her chest, Bryce got up and began to pace. “She and two others restrained me with silver and threw me in a remote lake north of the city. They had already drained me. That, along with being weighted down, ensured I would live out eternity at the bottom of a bog.”

  Bryce remembered her first conversation with Alison about the bog bodies, and the many reasons someone would be relegated to that fate. Humiliation washed over her, knowing her transgressions - both past and present - warranted the witch’s revenge.

  Emma got up and gently turned Bryce around. Their eyes met and Emma saw in Bryce’s the same self-loathing and hate she had once had. “Less than four hours after I was turned, I murdered my ten year old half-sister.”

  “Emma!” Ash’s startled voice filled the kitchen. “You don’t have to tell -”

  Emma smiled and held her hand up toward Ash. “I do. She needs to know we’re all sinners.” Looking back at Bryce, Emma placed her hand on the woman’s cheek. “In a manner of speaking.” Her tone was low and reassuring as she spoke. “You have to be able to look at your mistakes, face them - and ultimately accept they exist. Then you can move forward.”

  Bryce’s eyes filled with tears as she placed her hand over Emma’s. “Thank you - again.”

  Ash looked at the two vampires. In that moment, everything that bound her to Emma - love, respect, pride, trust - filled her heart until she felt it might burst. Then a frown replaced the smile on her face as a nagging thought bounced around her mind. “Bryce, how did you get out of the lake?”

  Taking a step back from Emma, Bryce looked at Ash for several seconds. She willed herself past the impulse to lie and into an honest space where she could own her actions. “A woman I’ve befriended - a human - she dove in and saved me.”

  “What woman? Did you feed on her?” Ash resented having to prod Bryce for information when the woman claimed she wanted to tell the truth.

  “I did, but only for a moment, and then I drove her off.” Bryce cringed at the memory of a terrified Alison running off into the darkness.

  “So now she knows about you? Or had you already told her?” Emma asked the next obvious questions.

  “She didn’t know. I had no intention of telling her, but now -” Bryce sat back down, her shoulders slumped. “I - I care for her very much, and I can’t bear the thought -”

  “How do you know her?” Ash’s mind raced as she was now more concerned with who Bryce’s friend might tell and how it may compromise Emma and her.

  “I’m taking classes at the University of the Incarnate Word. She’s one of my professors.” Bryce stated matter-of-factly. “I’ve told Coleen, and she -”

  “What class? What’s the woman’s name?” Ash stood perfectly straight, her fists clenched at her sides.

  Bryce was confused at Ash’s sudden interest in the details of her relationship with Alison and looked back and forth between her and Emma. “I - ah, her name is Alison Bailey, she teaches -”

  In a blink of an eye, Ash lunged at Bryce. Clearing the island in a single bound, she tackled the vampire to the floor. Her jaw had instantly extended as her head took on the characteristics of a large black wolf. Her hands had morphed into talons with long black nails protruding from each of the eight claws.

  Bryce held the woman off as razor sharp teeth and claws snapped and scratched at her face and neck. As quickly as the attack had begun, it was over. Emma grabbed Ash by the scruff of the neck and pulled her off of Bryce. Wrapping her arms around the shifter’s shoulders, the stronger vampire restrained her girlfriend.

  In a single motion, Bryce pushed herself off the floor and stood in front of Ash and Emma. Her teeth were fully extended as her iridescent green eyes glared at the two women.

  “Enough!” Emma’s voice was a low, menacing growl. “Ash, stop!”

  “What? What did I say?” Bryce was seething and pouring all of her self-restraint into not attacking the shifter.

  A moment later, Ash’s head and hands reemerged. The kitchen filled with the scent of burning leaves and damp earth. Both vampires stopped breathing to avoid the inevitable allure of the shifter’s scent. “I know Alison. We were together once, and I swear to god if you’ve hurt her I’ll put you back in that lake myself!”

  In spite of the look of utter embarrassment and guilt that consumed Bryce’s face, Ash still wanted to punch the woman in the throat. The image of Alison scared and hurt in the dark sent a rush of rage through the detective.

  “Ash, let Bryce explain.” Emma’s voice was low and soothing just behind Ash’s ear.

  Her girlfriend’s voice pulled Ash back from the brink, and she pushed the anger down until she felt some semblance of control returning. “Fine. Explain.”

  Emma continued to hold Ash as Bryce took a tentative step toward her. “My blood loss was massive. I only have a foggy memory of what happened, but once I realized I was feeding on her, I stopped.” Bryce’s eyes pleaded with Emma.

  “Ash, she stopped. Alison is fine.” Emma looked at Bryce. “Right?”

  Bryce nodded quickly. “Yes. The bite was to her forearm, and she ran away on her own.”

  “But now she’s in the middle of your crap.” Ash relaxed enough that Emma thought it safe to release her. “She didn’t ask for that.”

  Bryce looked down, her brow furrowed. “You’re right. I never should have talked to her. Or become friends with her.” Chewing nervously on the inside of her lower lip, the redhead closed her eyes. “I can’t do this right, no matter how much I want to.”

  Emma shook her head as she stepped around Ash. “Enough with the self-pity. You mentioned Coleen. She knows about all this?”

  Bryce nodded. “Yes. That’s how I found out you were here.”

  Ash laughed and looked at Emma. “I told you Coleen was up to no good. I can’t imagine she will let Alison go merrily on her way, knowing what she knows.”

  “She wants her turned. I refused, and honestly she seemed to lose interest when I explained about the Necromancer.”

  Emma gasped. “You hadn’t said the woman was a Necromancer.”

  Bryce sighed. “A very powerful one.”

  Emma looked at Ash, who, given the deep frown she wore, was clearly confused. “Necromancers have appeared in literature as far back as Homer’s Odyssey with varying powers.” The doctor began to pace. “They we
re thought to be able to raise the dead either in spirit or body through incantations or rituals.” She frowned. “Clearly, they can control life and death by bringing a vampire back to life, only to kill them minutes later.”

  “Jesus.” Ash eyes widened. “The bodies on the south side?”

  Emma nodded. Ash reached for the doctor’s hand. She had rarely been worried for Emma’s physical safety given her strength and speed, but knowing there was someone out there that could simply end Emma, the weight of worry bore down on Ash.

  Sensing her concern, Emma squeezed Ash’s hand. “It’s fine. Don’t worry.”

  Shaking her head, Ash pulled Emma to her side. “How can you say that? This Necromancer could kill you in a second and there’s nothing to be done about it.”

  Emma wrapped her arm around Ash’s waist. “There is no her and I.” Glancing at Bryce, the blonde frowned. “I’m sorry to say this, but I’m sure her energies and efforts are focused - for the most part - on you.”

  “Lucky me.” Bryce poured another glass of scotch.

  “You can’t be this casual about it?” Ash took a step away from Emma, her eyes narrowed as she looked back and forth between the two vampires. “Has it been so long since either of you had the proverbial specter of death hanging over your heads that you’ve forgotten to fear it?”

  Ash felt the frustration surging through her and was struggling to articulate her point. Looking at Emma, who stood with a concerned expression on her face, Ash rolled her eyes. “Don’t look worried for me, Em. Worry for yourself.”

  Reaching for Ash, Emma pulled the frazzled woman to her. “I am worried, but what’s to be done about it at this point? It’s Bryce that’s truly in danger.” She kissed Ash’s forehead. “I would imagine those other three vampires were a warm-up.”

  “How do you know they were vampires?” Bryce asked.

  Emma leaned back and looked at Bryce. “I pulled the files from the autopsies. There were trace amounts of the fibrinolytic enzyme found during the oral cavity exam, and when the dental x-rays were taken for purposes of identification -” The doctor hesitated before continuing. “There were channels in the skull - just above the incisors. Clearly facilitating the extension and retraction of the teeth. An interesting anomaly to the attending M.E., but nothing to do with the cause of death; so noted but not investigated.”

  The three women fell silent. Bryce cleared her throat and finally spoke. “What should I do about Alison?”

  Ash started to speak, but stopped when Emma grabbed her hand and interrupted. “You said you care for her. Then you should be honest with her.” Emma glanced to her left as Ash dropped her hand and turned her back. “Ash, what is it?”

  Shrugging, the detective hung her head. “That’s good advice, Em, and I should take it myself.”

  “You mean tell Alison about us? About you?” Emma’s voice shook as she spoke.

  Turning to face Emma, Ash nodded. “Yeah. I’m a lot of things, but a hypocrite isn’t one of them.” She looked at Bryce. “I’ll pave the way for you, but then it’s on you. Got it?”

  The redhead nodded, grateful for the assistance, and hopeful that Ash and Alison’s history together would allow for her to forge a future with the professor.

  Chapter 9

  “Well at least you’re not dead.” Lydia’s voice boomed from Alison’s cell phone.

  “Hey, Lydia.” Alison’s head was pounding as she put the phone to her ear. She felt sick to her stomach and hadn’t been able to keep very much food down since the incident with Bryce nearly three days ago.

  “Hey yourself. Are you okay?” Lydia’s usual garishness was replaced with genuine concern.

  Happy to hear from Lydia, Alison slowly sat up in bed. “Yeah, just a little under the weather.” The fact she hadn’t left her house for two days after stumbling back from the hotel didn’t seem worth mentioning. Nor did the fact she had phoned her department head to let him know her teaching assistant would be facilitating her classes for the next week. She wasn’t prepared to tell Lydia that her melancholy stemmed from an encounter with a vampire.

  “Can I bring you something? Soup? Scotch?” Lydia joked.

  Alison smiled for the first time in days. “No, I should be back Monday, but thank you.” Her phone beeped. Looking at the caller ID, she saw it was Ash. “I have another call. Thanks for checking in.”

  “Okay, hon. You take care of yourself and call me if you need anything.” Lydia said reassuringly.

  “Will do.” Alison tapped her phone. “Hello?”

  “Ali, hi. It’s Ash.” The voice on the other end was tentative. “Are you okay?”

  Alison was confused by Ash’s concern. They hadn’t spoken since she had called with the information on the unsolved murders, and their social circles didn’t overlap, so she wouldn’t have heard about Alison’s sudden withdrawal from the world.

  “Actually, I’ve been sick the last few days; so just taking it easy. How are you?” The long silence caused Alison to move her phone away from her ear to see if the call was still connected. “Hello?”

  “I thought we could get that drink.” Ash’s voice was tight.

  “Ash, I’d love to but like I said -”

  “Alison, I really think we need to talk.” Ash was rarely inconsiderate, so her persistence in meeting with Alison in spite of her not feeling well set off alarms in Alison’s head.

  “Why the urgency?” Alison pulled the navy blue quilt back and swung her legs over the side of the bed.

  “We need to talk is all.” There was a long pause and for a second Alison thought again that they might have been disconnected.

  “Ash?” Alison slid to the edge of her bed.

  “I’m here. Are you available to meet?”

  “What’s going on?” Alison stood up and ran her fingers through her tousled hair.

  After another long pause, Ash cleared her throat. “Have you taken any late night swims lately, Ali?”

  The room began to spin, and Alison sat back on the bed. “What did you ask me?” She felt a wave of nausea rise up from her stomach and settle in her throat.

  “Can we talk now?” Ash’s breathing was audible even over the phone.

  “When and where?”

  ***

  It was a little after four in the afternoon as Alison walked across the parking lot of the renovated Pearl Brewery complex to Blue Box Bar. She had read reviews on the bar since its opening over two years ago, but had not found the occasion to patronize the establishment. She had not imagined her first visit would be to discuss a vampire bite with her ex-girlfriend.

  Seeing her reflection in the large, tinted, plate glass windows of the bar, Alison was relieved to see the hot shower and lunch she had managed before leaving to meet Ash had greatly improved her appearance. Wearing a pair of black boot cut slacks and a cranberry-colored long sleeve wrap blouse, Alison pulled the large, black, swinging metal door to the bar open.

  The ambiance of the bar was modern industrial, with exposed brick and iron throughout an intimate space, and in spite of the purpose of her being there, she immediately liked it. Scanning the space for Ash, she looked up to see her friend, clad in a charcoal gray pant suit, waving from a second story balcony that looked out over the main floor of the bar.

  The bar was relatively empty as Alison made her way up the winding, wrought iron staircase. As she approached the table, she realized Ash wasn’t alone. Her breath caught as she assessed the beautiful blonde woman sitting next to the detective.

  The woman had a lean athletic build and pale, flawless skin that complimented her angular jaw and perfectly proportioned pink lips. Even in the dim light of the bar, her hair looked like strands of silk cascading over her shoulders. She was wearing a navy colored, short sleeve, silk blouse and a dark brown pencil skirt that hit just above her knees, accentuating her perfectly toned legs.

  “Ali. Glad you came.” Ash hugged Alison tightly to her, clearly happy to see her.

  “Given the a
pparent topic of conversation, I could hardly resist.” Alison tried to keep the suspicion out of her voice. “Who’s this?”

  Ash stepped back and turned toward the blonde woman. “Sorry. Alison, this is my partner, Dr. Emma Atman. I mentioned her at lunch.”

  The woman’s face lit up with a genuine smile as she extended her hand to Alison. “It’s so nice to meet you.”

  Taking the doctor’s hand, Alison gasped and her eyes shot down to where she and Emma’s hands were joined. “Your hand is -”

  Emma’s eyebrow arched. “Cold?” She slowly extracted her hand from Alison’s and looked at Ash.

  “Not a great segue, but it will have to do.” Ash pulled one of the wood and metal stools out for Alison. “Please have a seat. Are you still a Jameson on the rocks?”

  Alison was having trouble keeping up, but managed a slight nod and then watched as Ash disappeared downstairs to get drinks.

  “That’s the only drawback of this place: no table service.” Emma tapped her fingers on the table. “Ash tells me you’re a professor of American folklore at the University of the Incarnate Word.” Alison felt like her tongue had gone numb, and she had trouble doing much more than nodding. “I read one of your books when I realized Ash knew you. Beyond Salem - Heresy and Hysterics is a wonderful study on mass hysteria. It reminded me of the dancing plague of 1518 in Strasbourg, which, as I’m sure you know, was part of the Holy Roman Empire at the time. It began with a woman named Frau Troffea, who danced in the streets of the city for what has been reported to be over a week, until -”

  “Are you boring her with the details, honey?” Ash stood next to Alison, balancing three glasses in her hands.

  Emma quickly reached for the pint glass that held Ash’s Dogfish 90 IPA, allowing the dark haired woman to slide the two remaining glasses onto the table. “I was trying to.”

  Ash grinned. “Can she have her drink first?”

  Emma shook her head. “Don’t you think she will need it after?”

  “And during, please.” Alison finally managed to speak before emptying the glass of whiskey.