The school day passed with agonizing slowness, the classes sheer torture. Despite the fact that he was free. Free of the witches curse and its consequences. Victoria was absent, but then, so were Mary Ann and Riley. Aden wasnt worried. They needed a break. Hell, he needed a break, but he kinda owed Dan.
After school, he rushed through his chores. Or tried to. Finally, though, he finished shucking and bailing and showered. He changed into his best clothes, jeans and a black T-shirt, just as the moon made its appearance in the sky. He wanted to buy Victoria flowers, but didnt have any money and didnt want to destroy Megs roses.
He would just have to give her his heart. Again.
Because he didnt have a car, and wasnt allowed to date while living at the ranchgirls equaled trouble, Dan said, because they kept boys from working hard and studyingVictoria had to pick him up and convince everyone to think he was right there with them.
And God, did she look beautiful. Some of her wounds were still in the process of healing, and there were scabs on her arm, but she wore a tight blue sweater and a barely there miniskirt in a lighter shade. The colors transformed her from Vampire Chick to Little Slice of Heaven. Her hair hung down her back in silky black waves, and all he wanted to do was find a dark corner and run his fingers through them.
They climbed through his window and strolled away from the ranch hand in hand.
Do you like? she asked. She even pulled from his hold to twirl in front of him. I borrowed it from Stephanie, naturally. And speaking of my family, the girls have decided youre, and I quote, not so bad. You tamed their beasts, outwitted the witches and sent the fairies to their knees.
I love, he corrected. In the distance, an owl hooted. And tell your sisters I think theyre not so bad themselves.
They shared a smile. They were doing that a lot lately, he thought, proud. Bit by bit, she was losing her serious, somber edge.
Sowhat should we do? she asked. I cant believe we dont have a death curse hanging over us or goblins to fight.
I know what you mean. Tonight, they were just two people, hanging out and having fun. Want to go into town? I mean, a town other than this one, where no one knows who we are. We can see a movie, maybe. What did girls like to do? Hed never been on a date before.
I would love to! She reclaimed his hand, and a moment later, the world tilted, wind kicked up and his surroundings faded. He blinked, that was it, and his feet settled, buildings suddenly stretching at his sides.
He laughed. Youre getting good at that.
I know, right.
How human she sounded. How sweet. He looked around. They were in a darkened alley, a busy street sidewalk a few feet away and an even busier road a few feet from there. Where are we?
Tulsa. Not too far from home, but not too close either.
Perfect.
Aden, Elijah said. Go home. You have to go home.
Ill be fine.
Of course you will, but instead of going to the movies, what do you think of going to a dance club? Victoria asked, unaware hed been talking to the souls. He didnt correct her.
I think thatsdoable. He didnt know how good a dancer he was, never having danced before, but for her, he would try. And he would get to hold her close, so that was even better.
Aden, please.
One night, Aden thought. Thats all he wanted. Tomorrow, he said.
The souls? Victoria asked, getting it this time.
Yes.
Theyll be our next project. Victorias skin was hot against his as they strolled down the street, joining the crowd. I cant believe were doing this. I mean, I love you, you know that, but this feels sofrivolous.
Frivolous is what we desperately need right now. Do you hear that, Elijah? I need this.
So true. So guess what? Too excited to wait, she answered before he could reply, releasing his hand to jump in front of him. I know a human joke.
Oh, yeah? He hooked several strands of hair behind her ear. What is it? From the corner of his eye, he saw a strange movement and frowned. Had that trash can just moved several inches on its own? Surely not. Surely he was simply paranoid now, looking for danger in every shadow.
There was once a boy who Victoria frowned, too, and followed the line of his vision. What is it?
Aden. Aden, leave now.
A second later, Tucker seemed to appear out of nowhere, suddenly right in front of Aden, tears streaming down his face. What the
The crowd and cars disappearedVictoria, tooleaving Aden on a deserted street. A deserted street hed seen in countless visions. One hed dreaded finding. One hed hoped to avoid.
Aden backed up, gearing to fight. Tucker followed.
Im sorry, so very, very sorry, Tucker said. He told me you would be here. Why did you have to be here?
Before the last word left his mouth, before Aden could go on the offensive, a sharp pain he recognized, hated, dreaded, expected, lanced through him, slicing through bone, through muscle, throughorgan. Every beat of his heart sliced the wound deeper, wider.
The very heartbeat that kept him alive was killing him.
Tucker fled, footsteps pounding.
The pain exploded, as sharp as the blade. Aden looked down, saw the hilt dripping crimson. A gasp of blood gurgled from him, and he heard Victoria scream his name. Where was she? He still couldnt see her. He was alone. Was going to die all alone.
Not even a day. He hadnt even had a day of rest. Even God had had a day of rest. Strange thoughts, he mused. Worthit, he said, hoping Victoria would hear him, wherever she was. She was worth anything, everything. He wouldnt trade a moment of his time with her.
The deserted street shimmered, faded, the busy street coming back into view.
Oh, Aden, Elijah said.
Caleb and Julian shouted denials.
Not alone, then. He had the souls. Made sense. Theyd started life together, and now they would end it together. Oh, God. End. End. This was the end. With the word echoing in his head, he realized he wasnt ready. But the pain soon dragged him downhe was fallinga shroud of black was sweeping him under a burning tide
He knew nothing more.
SOMEONE MUST HAVE USED electric shocks on his brain, because suddenly Adens entire body spasmed, and he felt the pain, so much pain. Too much pain. The shroud of black quickly wrapped back around him, thank God, thank God, thank God, but the electric shock pulled him back out. The process was repeated over and over again.
save him, Victoria was pleading to someone. You have to save him.
Hes been injured too badly, an unfamiliar voice said, and youve given him all the blood you can stand to lose. Any more, and youll both die.
Hes not going to die, she screeched. We cant let him die. Hes our king!
Im here, he tried to tell her, but he couldnt force his mouth to move. The souls were still with him, he thought, because he could hear them crying, but they couldnt form a single word, either.
Was this it? The end?
The end. Familiar words.
Try and turn him, Victoria said on a rush. Drain him completely and fill him back up with what remains of my blood.
A sigh, weary and sad. Weve tried that before, princess, with others. This you know. Not since Vlads time has a turning ever ended successfully.
I dont care.
Sometimes the donor died, as well.
I know that, too! Just do it! Theres no other way, and I have to try. I have to try, she repeated on a sob.
No, Aden wanted to shout. Dont risk your life, Victoria. Anything but that.
Another sigh left the stranger. Very well. Hes all yours. But know this. When your people discover his weakened conditionand they will, we cant keep this a secret for longthere will be a struggle for the crown. No matter how worthy a king Aden has proved himself to be, there will always be those who hunger for power. Contenders will want to strike him while they can.
Theyll have to find him first. And when he returns, and he will, Im sure anyone who dared issue a challenge will be punished. Severely.
A knock sounded, several hard thumps. Footsteps. A gasp.
Riley? Victoria said.
What happened to him? What the hell happened?
Stay back! Dont touch him. Im turning him. Just stay here and keep everyone calm. Im taking him away.
Turning him? Away? Victoria, you cant do that.
I can and I will. Stay back!
A pause. Okay, okay. Ill stay back. But theres something I have to tell you. Several somethings, actually. And I cant stay here for long. Mary Ann ran away, and I followed her to make sure she made it someplace safely, and I only came back to talk to you. I have to return to her before she decides to head somewhere else and I lose her trail. So listen up. Youve been challenged by Draven for rights to Aden. Your father is alive and
A challenge? No! Not yet! Is Mary Ann okay? Andand what you do mean my father is alive? Riley, he cant be alive. He cant be alive. Hell hurt Aden, hell No! I wont let him!
Silence, then. Floating. Darkness. Then, Aden felt as if his neck was being ripped open, and this time, he did make his mouth move. He screamed.
He thrashed, he fought, he stilled. Nothing, he had nothing left.
The shroud, that blessed shroud. It covered him, protected him. Slipping away
cold, so cold
Stupid shroudhe tugged it back in place.
hot, so hot
He pushed it away Better, but not for long. Slipping again
COLD, SO COLD
He tugged.
HOT, SO HOT
He pushed, as hard as he could. He kicked. No shroud. No more shroud.
pain, so much pain
PAIN, SO MUCH PAIN
Time was an endless ocean of change. He drifted on the waves, was pulled under, struggled, was jerked back up, drifted some morecold, so coldand wonderedhot, so hotif hed ever find his way home. Home, where was home? The answer eluded him. Too much chatter, incoherent, bothersome. The pain had returned. But not the shroud. Thank you, God, not the shroud.
The ocean vanished in a sudden blink. He saw a cave, he hated caves now, saw himself, how sick and pale he looked, writhing, sweat pouring from him, washing away the blood that coated him, and he saw Victoria, how sick and pale she looked, lying beside him, thrashing, moaning, and he heard her thoughts, all her thoughts from all her life, so loud he couldnt deal with them, couldnt listen to them, there were too many memories inside his head, her memories, his own, her pain, his own, more than could possibly fit, and if something didnt give soon, he would break, break into a thousand pieces and never fit back together.
He wanted the shroud back.
Then there was silence. Calm. They came, but they didnt last. In the distance, he heard a roar. No, not in the distance. Louderloudercloserso close. Inside him. The roar was inside him, filling him up, nearly ripping from his pores. At least the chatter stopped. Hothe was hotter than before. Burning, blistering, smoldering to ash. Reforming, weaving back together, harder, heavier, still hotter.
Aden.
Where was the cold? He wanted the cold to return.
Aden, please. The voice blended with the roar. Open your eyes.
His mouth was as dry as cotton, his gums and tongue swollen, his lips bruised. His muscles and bones felt like theyd gotten up close and personal with a baseball bat.
Aden!
His lids popped open of their own volition. He was panting, still sweating. A wan Victoria loomed over him, her dark hair falling like a curtain around his face. There were circles under her eyes, eyes that were glazed with pain, and she was clutching at her ears, cringing.
Was this a dream? Or had he died and gone to heaven? No, he couldnt have gone to heaven. He still heard that godawful roar, still felt as if he were on fire, battered and bruised.
Aden, she moaned.
He jolted upright. Dizziness hit, then subsided. Pain hit, and remained. Whats wrong? The words were slurred, pushed through teeth he didnt recognize. Throughfangs? He flicked his incisors with his tongueno, no fangs. He wasnt sure what that meant. Wasnt sure what was wrong with him or what had happened.
Oh, he knew Victoria had given him some of her blood. Knew shed tried to turn him from human to vampire in order to save his life. He hadnt forgotten the conversation hed heard. But he didnt know any more than that. How was he alive if the change hadnt succeeded?
He wanted to ask.
The souls, she said before he could. I have the souls. Inside me. Talking. Why wont they stop? And youyou, I think you have my beast. As if shed managed to maintain her strength only long enough to issue her confession, she collapsed, falling into his arms.
Unable to process what hed heard, Aden gathered her close, held her tight. His brain hadnt sparked back to life yet, his thoughts fragmenting quickly, fatigue beating through him. He eased to his back, taking Victoria with him.
They were alive. That thought was clear. Whatever had happened to them, they were alive. The rest could be figured out later. And whatever changes theyd experienced, whatever they would next need to do, they would triumph; he had no doubt. Theyd defeated the witches and the death curse. They could get through this, too. They had each other, and that was all that mattered.
Dont let go, Victoria said against his chest.
He was surprised she had roused, surprised but glad. I wont. Ill never you let go.
Yes, they had each other, would always have each other. They could handle what came next.
He hoped.
Glossary of Characters and Terms
Blood-slaves humans addicted to a vampires bite
Bloody Mary queen of a vampire faction thats rival to Vlads
Brian resident of the D and M
Brianna Buchannan friend of Mary Anns, sister of Brittany
Brittany Buchannan friend of Mary Anns, sister of Brianna