29. Chapter 29
Chapter 29
Sage
My father figure, my dad, was bleeding to death, refusing to feed off any vampire, and all I could do was stare at my blood-soaked hands as they trembled.
Luka stood on the driver’s side of the Jeep, his eyes locked on mine. “Get in the car!”
My gaze went from him to the van when Zeke screamed, “My brother is dying!”
Glancing back at Luka, I had to make a hard decision.
Get in the van with Marcus, who may be dead before I see him again, or go with the man I love. Shit.
“I have to go with Marcus! I’m sorry.” I sprinted toward the van just as Winnie was about to shut the door.
He held it for me until I jumped in. Lynx slammed the gas and I almost fell out the back, then Winnie pulled me inside before shutting the door.
“Someone do something,” Zeke screamed.
Squeezing past him, I kneeled next to Marcus, my eyes meeting Winnie’s with a pleading question.
He shook his head. “I can’t do it, Sage.”
“You can’t or won’t?”
“It’s too late now. He’ll turn and he’ll be pissed because he doesn’t want this. He said it repeatedly and even refused Ravage’s blood at the hotel before we even left!”
“You have to,” I whimpered, and then the words Shayla said to Marcus played in my head.
For the sake of the prophecy and everyone involved, I hope he chooses wisely. A soul like yours is too rare to lose.
“Oh my god, Winnie. Shayla said he would die if he didn’t choose wisely. She meant you. You’re the one who has to choose to save him.”
“If he wakes up with humans around, he’ll kill all three of you. And he doesn’t want to be a vampire. Is that not enough for you?”
“Please,” I whispered, my voice lowering, tears rolling down my cheeks. Peering up at him from the floor, I picked up his hand, and caressed it between mine. “He’s my dad.”
Winnie’s jaw clenched as he stared into my begging eyes before ripping his hand away. “Fuck you, Sage! Zeke, get the damn blood bags out of the cooler. You, go up there with Lyric.”
“I’m not leaving his side until he opens his eyes.”
“Goddamn it, Sage!” Winnie screamed, making the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. Small purple and blue veins popped up on his face, sending goosebumps across my arms. He opened his mouth and bared his fangs with a hiss. “Do what I said!”
I forced back my need to help and, for once, I did what I was told. Squeezing past them, I lowered my ass onto the edge of the passenger seat, next to Lyric, but kept my body facing them in case they needed help.
Winnie put his wrist up to his mouth and bit into it, leaving blood on his chin.
“What the fuck are you doing?” Zeke asked frantically.
“Turning him into a vampire,” Winnie answered, halting his wrist at the brim of Marcus’s mouth. “Unless you say otherwise. He’s your brother.”
Zeke’s panicked eyes went from Winnie to me and back again. “Do it! Save him.”
Winnie pressed his wrist against Marcus’s mouth. “Babe, I’m going to need you to switch seats with Lynx. We’re going to need more vampire strength back here.”
Lyric slunk past me and the van slowed as she took over driving.
“Should I pull over and—” Gunshots sounded from behind us.
“Don’t stop, we’re being chased.” Winnie removed his wrist from Marcus’s mouth. “Hold his legs, Zeke, and try your damndest not to give in. Because if this works, he’s going to try and kill us all.”
“If you thought he was strong before, he’s going to be a literal god if he transitions,” Lynx added. “When people are already strong, they—”
A large growl filled the van, almost deafening me.
“Zeke, grab the blood,” Winnie yelled.
Zeke removed one hand as he reached for a blood bag, and Marcus flailed, flinging Lynx and Winnie off like they weighed nothing.
Marcus lunged for Zeke, grabbing him by the shoulders. Winnie put him in a choke hold and Lynx grabbed onto Marcus’s arms, but he was much stronger.
He flung her off like she was only a bothersome mosquito, then did the same to Winnie. They both responded quickly, hurling themselves on top of Marcus, pinning his back to the van floor. He snarled, revealing his newfound fangs, the sight leaving my heart racing.
“I can’t feed him the blood and hold him down,” Winnie shouted, then his eyes met mine.
I was ready to bolt out of the seat, my fingernails dug into it, barely holding me in place.
He shook his head, let out a hard breath, and finally relented. “Fuck. Don’t get killed or Luka will kill me!”
I leapt to my feet and dove for the blood bag, barely having it in my hands when Marcus thrashed again, sending everyone flying.
The bag got knocked from my hand and I fell flat on my ass. I desperately went for the bag again and as soon as my fingers grasped it, a wave of absolute terror washed over me.
Marcus snarled inches from my face and I froze.
He grabbed my shoulders, fangs bared, and leaned in for the kill.
With the blood bag gripped tightly, I did the only thing I could do. I turned my head and at the last second, slid the bag in between Marcus’s fangs and my neck.
He bit into the bag, sending blood pouring down the front of me.
The trio pulled Marcus back and he yanked the bag with him, furiously sucking on it.
Now free of his grasp, my body trembled.
Loud moans of satiety filled the van as Marcus squeezed the blood bag, savoring every drop. Winnie had another up to his mouth before the first even dropped from his hands.
When Marcus had almost finished the second bag, Winnie yanked it away, pulling Marcus into his neck.
Panic soared through me when Marcus bit down without a second thought.
“What the fuck!” I screamed, ready to plow into Marcus, until Winnie put his hand out, stopping me.
“Sealing the sentinel bond.”
Holy shit.
Everything happened so fast, I hadn’t even contemplated my own actions let alone who Marcus’s origin would be. Not only had he refused Ravage’s blood, but I knew that and still forced Winnie to turn him. Afraid Marcus would be furious with me, I swallowed hard, my throat feeling like it was full of sand
After a few seconds of moaning and groaning as Marcus hungrily fed, Winnie laid his hands upon his shoulder and whispered, “The darkness shall not command thyself. Thou shall command it.”
I had no clue what that saying meant, but apparently Marcus took the words to heart. He pulled back, sucking in shuddering breaths. “What the . . . what happened?”
Tears rolled down my cheeks as I stared into his big, brown, bloodshot eyes. Not worrying about my safety, I fell into his arms.
“I’m sorry. I couldn’t lose you.” Every emotion I had poured out of me as I begged for his forgiveness. “I’m fucking selfish and I don’t care. Please don’t hate me. I couldn’t live without you. I can’t. I would die. You’re the only dad who loves me.”
Marcus’s arms went around me, pulling me in tight. “It’s okay, Sagelynn. I just think I’m in shock.”
I let go of the hug and placed my hands on his face, more tears dampening my cheeks. “I’m glad you’re alive.”
Marcus nodded before he glanced over at Zeke who stared wide eyed, wiping away tears. “Welcome back, brother.”
Glancing up, Lynx was also wiping her eyes, and to my surprise, so was Winnie.
The sound of gunshots brought us out of our panic states. Venom still chased us and we were too frantic to notice.
“Winston!”
“I got them, mama. Just keep driving.” Winnie pulled a gun from his waistband. “Zeke, get behind Marcus and Lynx. He’s practically bullet proof now. Sage, go up front.”
I didn’t hesitate to listen this time because I had finally learned that people do things because they care about you. Sometimes, they’re actually right in situations and I hate to admit this, but I’m stubborn and occasionally wrong.
I slid into the passenger seat, slouching down as far as possible in case bullets came into the van.
Everything got loud as Winnie opened the rear door and started shooting toward them. Then I heard metal on metal slamming together, before the sound of crunching trees.
“What the fuck was that?”
“Um, the threat has rolled down into a large ravine,” Winnie said, and I peeked into the back.
“Then why do you have that face on? Are they okay?”
“They are, but Luka used your Jeep to push it there.”
He grinned nervously and I sighed, sitting back in the seat.
It was sad to have my Jeep damaged but with us all making it out alive, well, most of us, I was beyond grateful.
The ride back to the hotel seemed to take forever. My gut twisted with an overwhelming desire to reach Luka. I needed to touch him, see his face, and feel the warmth of his body before I knew everything would be okay.
When Lyric pulled into the parking lot of the hotel, I jumped from my seat, heading into the back, and squeezed past everyone sitting on the benches.
The van hadn’t even stopped when I flung the back door open and jumped out, praying I didn’t eat concrete.
The instant my feet touched the ground, Luka threw the Jeep in park and bolted out, sprinting toward me.
No one else in the world existed when our bodies smashed into each other like two stars colliding. He ripped me off the ground and I hung onto his neck, my legs wrapping around his waist.
“I’m so sorry,” I whimpered into his neck, tears staining his shirt.
He held on tight with one hand, rubbing my back with the other. “What could you possibly be sorry for?”
Every muscle I had trembled against his warm body and the tighter he hugged, the more I never wanted to let go of him. “For not saving you sooner.”
“Hey, hey. It’s okay. You broke into a highly secured research center for me. A guy couldn’t ask for much more out of a mate.”
I pulled back, my watery eyes meeting his. “I’m your mate?”
“Of course you are, Princess. Our bond is eternal. No one will ever separate us again.”
My breaths were fast as I leaned in, gently pressing my lips against his, a sense of peace flooding through me.
“Get a room!” Winnie hollered, and we broke free.
I laughed while crying and Luka sat me on the ground. “I’m really tired. It’s like I’ve slept forever, but somehow haven’t slept at all.”
Peering up into his eyes, I took his hand in mine. “I have a warm bed for you to sleep in.”
Once our group had exited the vehicles, we made our way to the back of the hotel, our silence speaking volumes. Winnie managed to get us into a private entrance and I was grateful. Our blood-soaked clothes told the tale of our night, and I prayed no one lingered in the halls at five am because it was a story we weren’t willing to reveal.
Despite appearing normal, Luka’s eyes had a slightly distant look as we stepped into our room. He went straight to the bed and stared at it.
“Let me clean you up first.” I slid my hand into Luka’s and pulled him toward the bathroom, stopping by the door. “Winnie, can you find him some clothes?”
“I’m on it.”
I shut the bathroom door and helped Luka shed his once white scrubs that were now splattered with the reminders of the lives lost.
“I’m too tired to shower, Princess.”
“Okay, but the sheets here are white so we have to at least get the blood off you.”
Luka nodded, his eyes slowly blinking as if he was forcing himself to stay awake for me.
With a heavy breath, I turned on the sink and once the water was warm, I ran a washcloth under the stream, then added some soap.
He stood silently, staring into nothingness as I briskly cleansed him, noticing his naked body still had some scars on it.
Winnie came back with his clothes and slid them through the door. After I helped Luka get dressed, we returned to the bedroom. He stood next to the bed, staring at it like it was a foreign object before he finally laid down and let out a long breath.
More worry filled me as I took a seat at the tiny table by the window, and by the time I removed my boots, Luka was asleep.
“We’re really going to have to clean this place up before we leave,” I said, stifling a yawn. Exhaustion had hit me hard, pulling at my eyelids. “There will be so much DNA evidence.”
“You don’t worry about that, Sagelynn. I already set my alarm to get up early,” Lyric said, bringing my slanted eyes to her. “You go shower first, then Winnie and I will once the water is warm again.”
I nodded and grabbed a long T-shirt to wear to bed before stumbling into the bathroom. Each piece of clothing I shed became a strain on my heart. Blood covered my hands, my legs . . . my entire body. I made sure I completely avoided the mirror. I didn’t need a picture-perfect, horrific memory engraved into my brain of what my body looked like in the aftermath.
With a deep breath, I turned the shower on and slid in. As I quickly scrubbed the blood from my body, I thought about Marcus. I really needed to talk to him and make sure he wasn’t upset with me. But that was a problem for tomorrow.