Three days. That was how long it took for my fever to break. By the time it did, I felt weak beyond repair. I couldn't move, and the worst part was how empty I felt. I didn't feel the bond between Xander and me, and it had been days since I heard his voice in my head. Angie, or whatever the fuck her name was, had been right. My blood destroyed our bond. I asked the skies above whether I deserved this treatment. Didn't deserve so much pain and suffering for the crimes I had committed, even though I never meant to? I'd been used as a pawn from the very beginning, and I would continue to be used as one until further notice. Now that there was no bond between the two of us, what did that mean? Would he still come for me? Would he care?Or would he be terrified of what I was capable of?I'd almost forgotten what this whole Endorian witch thing meant, especially when I was with him. I didn't feel dangerous, and in my mind, I couldn't see how I could ever inflict harm on them. Whatever
My mind was a clouded mess and there was nothing I could do about it. Leon was creeping inside, and although I was totally aware of this, I couldn’t stop it. I felt him messing around in there, not with my thoughts exactly, but with my feelings, much like he had that night at his place, when I’d almost given in to his desires. This time, he wasn’t trying to make me sleep with him. He was convincing me to accept Cassian’s plan and destroy Xander’s pack. The worst part was that it was working. I was filled with anger that instead of being directed at them vampires, was directed at the werewolves, even when they hadn’t done anything wrong to me. He could only influence my feelings and not my thoughts, but honestly, it felt like it was the same thing. “Kill,” he said. I closed my eyes as a wave of pure rage crashed into me. I was only thinking about Xander now, and it was like I wanted to burn him down. Rip him apart. These feelings weren’t mine, but they flowed through me, leaving v
When the van stopped, that was when my nightmare began. This whole time, I was hoping that something would intervene and that I wouldn’t have to do such a horrible thing to the pack that literally saved my life. But it seemed I was wrong. Someone opened the door of the van, and Felix looked at me. He looked at me intently, and for a fraction of a second, I thought that he might help me. That he might put a stop to this madness and not make me do this. I realized that I was wrong when he looked away. I was dragged out of the van. This time, I resisted a little bit. I was already here, so there was no point in doing so, but it made me feel a little better. Knowing I was resisting made me feel like I was at least trying to fight, and that I didn’t gladly accept their plan. I wasn’t like them. “Now she puts up a fight,” Cassian said, shaking his head. “I don’t understand this girl of yours, brother. She’s too peculiar a person.”I was no match for Felix. I’d tried to plead with him
Cassian was enraged. “Brother?” he asked, tilting his head. He touched the side of his head, which was bleeding, and then wiped his blood on his pants. “I told you to stop,” Felix said, using the same voice he’d used earlier. “This isn’t going to continue. I’ve had enough.”“You’ve had enough?” Cassian asked in disbelief. “What about me, who spent centuries rotting inside a cage, starving to death? Do you think there’s such a thing as ‘enough’?”“I won’t let you use Jade,” he stated. “Our plan was different before. This would have all been done with her consent. But now, it’s done. It didn’t work. We should all move on.”Cassian paced back and forth, pointing a finger at Felix and then putting it back down. He was still holding me, and I had to admit that I felt very much safe standing next to him, and I knew that he wouldn’t let his brother put his hands on me again. He’d stopped it, and that was what mattered to me. “You’re choosing this whore over me?” he asked. “Is that what t
I must have fallen asleep because I woke up on the bed.I sat up, alarmed. My heart started racing as fear clawed at me. I hated that I'd fallen asleep in a territory that I wasn't familiar with. Where was Xander?I allowed myself to relax when I realized that I wasn't in immediate danger. The bedroom door was closed, so I had no idea what was going on outside. I had to go check. I climbed out of bed and peered outside. I didn't see anything of notable significance. The corridor was dark and empty. It was also impossible to tell whether it was day or night, which meant that I had no idea how long I'd been out for. I was disoriented. Did I want to risk going downstairs and looking for Xander? What did I even want? I didn't know what I wanted to do. What was my plan here? Felix said I had to stay here because it was safer. I wouldn't doubt him because I now knew that he had the best intentions with me. He wouldn't have said that if he didn't actually believe that I was safe here. B
Our first stop was their apartment. Since it was daylight, there wasn't much that we could do, so we had to kill time by paying for a room in a shitty hotel room nearby. It was five buildings away—we wouldn't be able to keep an eye on their building and monitor movements—but it was the best thing we could do. Although we kissed right when we left his new pack, I wasn't sure where we stood. It wasn't like we'd completely reconciled, and right now, my thoughts were on Felix. But I was grateful that he came with me, and his gesture spoke volumes. He sat on the edge of the bed while I stared out the window. "So, what now? What's your plan exactly?""I'll ask them where Felix is, and then I'll go to him.""Just like that?"I cut him a look. "It's the only plan I have.""It's not the best plan, Jade," Xander said with a hint with impatience. "You're running back to the very people who wanted to use you as a weapon without a plan. What if they don't let you walk away? What if that Cassian
Xander still hadn’t said a word to me, and it was starting to make me feel really uneasy. I wished he’d say something. Then again, maybe I deserved the silence. I was taking him to a dangerous place all because I felt the need to save Felix (even when I’d been told that he didn’t want to be helped). He was risking his life here.We rode the subway to reach Konstantin’s neighborhood. I still recalled where it was, but honestly, I was starting to seriously doubt my plan. There was more than enough time to turn back, but something wouldn’t let me. Gratitude, perhaps. He’d saved me many times when I was in danger, and it only felt right to do the same thing for him. Besides, Cassian had to be stopped. Was I supposed to live my life looking over my shoulder for him? I would prefer it if we got rid of him permanently. And because only a vampire could kill another vampire (successfully), I’d need a vampire’s help. And Sven suggested Konstantin, so that was that. As we sat side by side,
Konstantin’s house was as terrifying as it was the first time I saw it. The shutters made it seem like there was never anyone home, and I wondered if any curious soul ever tried to break in and found themselves standing face-to-face with a monster. A blood-sucking one at that. I took a deep and steadying breath. Now that I was here, I couldn’t turn back. I’d come too far. I crossed the unkempt lawn, and onto stopped when I reached the front door. I raised my fist and knocked. At first, there was no reply. I had a moment of derealization. I was having them more frequently. I felt dizziness and an intense disbelief for a handful of moments, and then there was nothing. I heard his voice from within. It was tinged with curiosity. “Who dares to knock on Konstantin’s door? Do you willingly seek death? If so, you’re in the right place.”I lamely said, “It’s me. Jade.” “Jade?” he asked, sounding confused. “I was here with Felix.”He opened the door right away. I heard him unlock it,