He stops, holding himself in check. His eyes come back to mine, afraid, and I see the grotesque image flicker through them.
“Did they … ” his voice is rough, affected, “ … hurt you?” He’s deathly still except for the tremble of emotion I see rippling under his skin.
My eyes fill with tears. “He tried,” I wrap my arms around myself. Nathan’s face hardens with anger. “But I talked my way out of it,” I add, my voice quiet. “He didn’t. No one has.” I shake my head again as I rub away my salty tears and gulp down.
Nathan steps close to me, his boots flush with my bare toes. He lifts his hand slowly to my face and cups my chin. His touch so light, it’s like he’s afraid to touch me.
“I’m so sorry,” he murmurs. Tilting his forehead against mine, he looks deep into my eyes.
I breathe him in. “You’ve nothing to be sorry for. I’m the one who should be sor … ” He cuts me off with a kiss.
I crumble into him, wrapping my arms around his neck. The warmth of his body casts away any lingering chill I had. His arms go around me and he lifts me off my feet, holding me tight to him. But the kiss is far too brief and he rests me back down, moving his lips from mine. “You should feed,” he says, almost as if he can taste my hunger.
“There’s no animal blood here. Only human.” I cast a glance back at Scarlett and see Sol is standing with her examining the wound on her arm. I was so caught up in Nathan momentarily, I forgot they were even here.
A smile lilts Nathan’s face like a tune as he slips his hand into the inside of his jacket and pulls out a small flask filled with blood.
I breathe a sigh of relief, feeling my quivering lips crack into a smile. I’m so torn between laughing and crying right now.
Taking the flask from his hands, I can’t drink its contents quickly enough. But I instantly know something’s wrong. It’s not working like it normally does. It hasn’t satisfied my hunger at all. I run my tongue around my mouth, trying to savour the taste, but it makes no difference.
What’s going on?
My mind whirs. Then a thought clicks. I’ve been exposed to human blood, I’m still exposed to it, and now it seems, animal blood isn’t quite enough to curb my appetite.
This is bad. I can’t let Nathan know.
Maybe once I’m away from here, away from Scarlett’s blood, I’ll feel better. It’s not like I’ve tasted any human blood, so I’ll be fine. I know I will.
“How bad is the girl's cut?” Nathan asks Sol.
I hand the empty flask back to Nathan and turn around to them.
“She’s gonna need stitches,” Sol answers.
I look at Sol, smiling appreciatively, glad that he’s here. But he meets my eyes with a hardness in his and it shocks me. I stare at him, confused, but now he won’t look at me. I want to ask him if he’s okay, ask him what’s wrong, but something stops me.
“We can’t take you to the hospital,” Nathan tells Scarlett, his deep voice rumbling over me. “There’d be too many questions that we can’t answer. I’ll have to fix you up myself when we get back home.”
“You’re taking me with you?” she sounds surprised. I’m not. I think Nathan’s set on turning the farm into a halfway house for Vârcolac refugees.
“Well, we’re not gonna leave you here,” Nathan says stonily.
Taking hold of me by my hand, he leads me out of my prison, Sol and Scarlett following behind, into the darkened hallway.
The four of us move quickly down the hall and up the stairs. The door at the top is wide open, letting in a stream of light. Nathan goes through first, me behind, and I find myself in another hallway. This one is much nicer.
The marble floor is freezing cold beneath my feet, and for the first time I realise I’m in a house, a big house, a mansion if the length and swankiness of this hallway is anything to go by.
We all continue down the hallway in silence, passing by old looking paintings that look like they belong in a museum.
As we near the end of the hall, Nathan slows me to a stop. Sol carries on, leading Scarlett past us.
I watch them go, puzzled, then bring my eyes back to Nathan.
“There’s something you need to know,” he says. Worry trickles down my spine. “Cal is here.”
His words drop with a loud thud into my head. I take a step back from him, pulling my hand free. “What?” The word trembles out.
“I didn’t want him here either but we needed the numbers. He wanted to help and it made sense.” Nathan moves closer to me and tries to take hold of my hand again, but I snatch it away.
“And you trusted him?!”
He nods, not moving his eyes from mine.
“Then you’re an idiot!” I start to back away from him. “How could you bring him here?” My look is incredulous but my tone is pure hurt. “He’s the reason I’m here, the reason that I was nearly raped by that bastard!”
Nathan looks like I’ve just hit him.
Then the need to get out of here, and far away from Cal, becomes urgent. I turn to bolt but Nathan’s quick and he grabs hold of me from behind, hooking his arm around my stomach, lifting me off the floor, holding me tightly to him.
“I’m sorry,” he says urgently into my ear. His other arm goes around me, holding me tighter. “Alex, everything I’ve done, every decision I’ve made in the last ten hours, I’ve done with the sole intention of getting you out of here.” His tone is suddenly all military. “And I don’t regret one decision I’ve made because I’ve got you here with me, safe and in one piece. And, honestly, it’s a good job Cal was with us because there were ten of them and five of us. Any less and we might not have made it.”
“Five?” I do a quick mental count: Nathan, Sol, Cal, and Jack, I’m guessing. So, who’s number five? “Who else did you bring - Eddie?” I smart, yanking his arms off me. Dropping lithely to my feet, I turn around to face him.
He gives me a look. “Craig.”
“Craig - your army friend? The one whose life you saved?”
He nods. “He’s the reason I was able to find you.” He rakes his fingers through his hair and sighs, a tired sound. Then he moves in, taking my face in his hands. “I’m sorry it had to be this way, really I am.” His apology blows over my skin. “But don’t mistake this and think I’m okay with Cal, because I’m not. We’re done.” I close my eyes into a long blink and I feel Nathan’s lips against mine. “Are we okay?” he murmurs.
All my anger just dissipates. “Yes,” I breathe. And I’m just about to indulge in him when he moves away, my hand in his, him leading me forward.
Rounding the corner I find myself in huge entrance hall. There’s a double sweeping staircase opening up to my immediate right and a chandelier hanging from the high ceiling above.
Cal turns as we approach. I can’t even bring myself to look at him. Sol and Scarlett are with him, then I see Craig.
He looks nothing like I expected. He has short mousy brown hair that has a natural curl to it that he clearly tries to hide with the cut. He’s about 6’4” and wide, built of pure muscle. And I instantly know he isn’t a shapeshifter, which surprises me. Nathan never said either way, I just assumed. But I do know what he is - natural instinct, I guess, and that’s what surprises me most - that he’s here helping me escape.
Craig walks toward us. “I’m real glad to see you’re okay, Alex.” He smiles broadly at me, showing a set of perfectly lined teeth any movie star would kill for.
“Thanks.” Then the words are out of my mouth before my brain has a chance to consider them. “You’re a werewolf.” My voice comes out in a wisp, like a gasp.
I move closer to Craig, leaving Nathan’s side, and I can’t explain it, but I have this inexplicable sensation inside of me which is drawing me to him, and it’s not just simple curiosity. I feel like I already know him, like I’ve already met him, it’s the weirdest thing.
A light smile crinkles up the corners of his eyes. “And you’re wondering why I’m here.”
I nod slowly, remembering it was the werewolves who saved the Originals. They were the ones who raised them after the vampires had killed their parents and, from the story Nathan told me, I got the distinct impression there is still a strong allegiance there. I wonder if Craig’s the reason Nathan knows so much about Vârcolacs.
Craig scratches the back of his head, casting a brief glance at Nathan behind me. “Let’s just say we don’t all agree with the Originals idea of a better world and how to achieve it. And, of course, I owe this one here, big time.” He nods in Nathan’s direction.
I know there’s something he’s not telling me and that Nathan knows exactly what that is.
“Well, thank you,” I say, “for helping Nathan find me.”
He smiles warmly. It’s so warm I can almost feel the heat radiating off him.
“My dad not back with the car yet?” Nathan asks. I can hear the edge of urgency in his voice
“No.” Craig shakes his head, glancing at his watch.
I turn to Nathan. “Where is Jack?”
“He went to get the car. We couldn’t drive up to the house ‘cause they would have heard us, so we had to leave it about half a mile back. We came in through the woods up back on foot.”
“Maybe we should start on foot?” Sol suggests. “Meet Dad coming.”
Nathan nods. Looking back at me, he says, “You go with Sol and the girl. I’ll follow soon, I just need to torch this place.”
“Why?” I ask, puzzled.
“Because we need to rid the house of your scent so the Originals have nothing to track you on, and it’ll get rid of the bodies.”
I glance around but can’t see any bodies and, wouldn’t you know it, just as I think it, I catch sight of a boot sticking out from behind a door over to my right. Attached to the boot, a leg. Oh God. I’ve never seen a dead body before. The hairs on my scalp prickle, causing a chill to slowly tiptoe its way down my back.
No, actually, I’m glad, and I hope its Albino’s dead body that is attached to the rest of that dead leg.
“Are they all dead?” I ask, needing the reassurance from him that Albino is really dead.
“If you’re referring to our blonde friend,” he says knowingly, “then yeah, I pulled the trigger myself.”
Relief swims into me, coating my insides. Then out of nowhere I get this weird sense of foreboding. Panic slides down my spine, trickling its chill into my stomach, and all I’m left with is a feeling of impending doom.
I look at Nathan, wide eyed.
“Hey, it’s okay,” he soothes, mistaking my panic for fear over the dead bodies. He takes me by the shoulders, levelling our eyes. “Get out of here, go with Sol and the girl, and meet Dad. Me, Craig and Cal, will light this place up and then I’ll be with you.”
Something’s deep inside is telling me I shouldn’t leave him. “No I want to stay with you.”
He shakes his head. “And I want you out of here. Go with Sol and I promise I’ll be with you in five.” He brushes stray tendrils of my hair off my forehead.
Even though everything inside me is telling otherwise, I find myself making a noise of consent.
Nathan leans forward and presses his lips to my forehead. Something about the way he kisses me gives off an air of finality. I try to reassure myself he’ll be fine, it’ll all be fine. He’ll be out of here in five minutes and we’ll be together. But try as I might, I can’t free myself from the worry gripping me.
He tries to move away but I cling onto his jacket with my fingertips, keeping him close. He kisses my forehead one more time, looks down at me and gives me a heartbreaking smile. “Five minutes. Now go,” he orders, flicking his eyes in the direction of the open front door.
Reluctantly, I break away, turning for the door, and I catch Sol’s eyes on us. They clear the instant mine meet with his, but it’s too late. I saw it. I saw the longing. And then it all suddenly makes sense. It’s like someone’s just switched all the lights on, and I wonder how I never realised before.
I open my mouth to speak but Sol shakes his head gently. His disconcerted eyes flicker to Nathan and back to me. Swallowing against my words, I close my mouth, pressing my lips together in a tight line.
Sol ushers Scarlett toward the door. I move quickly, following behind. I catch hold of his arm. “Sol … ”
He turns, his face blank, but his eyes tell a different story. “What?”
“Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.”
Lowering my voice to a whisper, I say, “We should ... talk.” I glance around but Nathan, Craig and Cal have already disappeared somewhere into the house. There’s only me, Sol and Scarlett left, and she’s hanging back, pretending she hasn’t a clue what’s going on, and after what’s she’s witnessed tonight, I could almost believe it to be true.
“Why?” He lifts his voice, trying to look confused, like he doesn’t know what I’m talking about, but I know better.
“Sol, don’t … ”
He sighs. Putting his hand up to his head he ruffles his hair, keeping his eyes fixed on mine. He looks almost angry and I’m not sure if it’s with me or himself. “It doesn’t matter,” he says, deep and coarse.
I look at him, stunned. “Of course it matters.” Does he think I can carry on and pretend I don’t know how he feels about me?
“No, it doesn’t. Nathan’s my brother and that’s all that matters.”
“I know but we can’t just ignore this.” How is he going to feel when he sees me and Nathan together? How am I going to feel knowing what I know?
“That’s exactly what we’re gonna do,” he says low, eyes deep with meaning, “because whatever I might feel for you is nothing in comparison to how much I love my brother.”
Something like grief catches in my throat. I try to swallow past it but it won’t go. I open my mouth to speak but he’s already turned from me and is walking out of the door, down the steps and into the night.
I follow him out, not ready to let this go yet. There’s more I need to say. Then I see the blur move from out of the shadows. I cry out his name but I’m too late.
And I can only watch in complete horror as Jin sinks his teeth deep into Sol’s neck, tearing out his throat.
Chapter 22
The Lost One
“NO!” I scream.
Sol drops to his knees as Jin releases his hold on him, blood gushing out of his neck, running everywhere, soaking into his clothes. He looks at me, panic and confusion swilling around his eyes. Then something in them fades and he drops to the floor.
“SOL!”
Scarlett grabs my arm from behind and tries to pull me towards the house. I stagger back, tripping on my own feet, unable to move my eyes away from Sol.
Jin steps over Sol. I lift my eyes to him to see his sinister ones chasing us down, his sights clearly set on Scarlett.
“GO!” I yell. Turning, I push Scarlett into the house. Then I hear the gunshot.
I spin around.
I see a hole in Jin’s chest where his heart used to be. The gun goes off again. Jin’s body jolts like he’s being electrocuted and I see Nathan striding toward him, gun held high and aimed straight as he empties the clip into Jin’s chest until he drops to the floor with a thud.
Everything pauses to catch its breath. The gun in Nathan’s hand drops, clattering to the floor, then we’re both running to Sol.
I drop to my knees beside them. Sol’s alive. I can hear his weak heart beating but he’s struggling to breathe. I can hear the gargle in his throat as his own blood chokes him. He’s drowning in it. Oh God, no.
“Sol.” Nathan turns his face carefully round to us. I gasp, choking on tears at the gaping hole in his neck. Nathan puts his hands over the wound, trying to stem the blood flow. “HELP!” Nathan cries, desperation and panic overtaking his voice. “HELP US!” Lowering his voice, he moves closer to Sol, “Come on, wake up. You need to wake up.”
Cal and Craig come running out of the house seconds later.
“Oh God!” Cal cries, dropping down beside him. “What happened?”
“Jin,” I say sobbing, “he came out of nowhere.”
Craig reaches down and pries Nathan’s bloody hands off Sol’s neck. The look on his face says it all.
Sol coughs, coming round. “Nate,” he groans.
“I’m here, I got you.” Nathan holds him closer.
Cal’s hands are hovering over Sol like he doesn’t know which part of him to touch first.
Tears drip down from my chin.
Sol coughs again, choking. Blood trickles out of his mouth. His heart rapidly slows, beating intermittently. “Oh no, no!” Nathan grips hold of Sol’s face with his hand, trying to hold him here with his eyes alone. “You stay with me, you hear? You’re not leaving me, you hear me?” A sob breaks somewhere deep inside of Nathan.
Sol’s eyes focus in on him, “Tell Dad … ” but the words never come. And I watch as the life in Sol’s eyes fades, the exact moment I hear his heart stop beating.
Chapter 23
I Am Not There
You would think with the loss I have endured in my life that it would have prepared me for when it happens again. It hasn’t.
Losing Sol hasn’t even broken through my consciousness yet, and still it’s complete and utter agony.
And to have to watch on the sidelines as Nathan suffers in the worst kind of way is crippling me. He won’t let me help me. He blames me for Sol’s death. He’s hasn’t said this exactly, he hasn’t said anything to me at all. He’s cut me off. It seems to him I no longer exist.
I wish he’d shout at me, blame me. He’d be right to. Sol is dead because of me, another casualty of my existence, like Carrie.
These words are fast becoming an echo of mine. An echo I have to silence.