Chapter 34
Chapter Thirty-Four
Charlie
It’s Over, Isn’t It?
Vampires are amazing. Truly. I was sure it was the end for me. I wasn’t ready, but I accepted it. What else can you do when you’re on death’s door? You can’t fight it, it won’t do you any good.
And in what I thought were my final moments, I was sad.
I regretted not telling Kip that I love him.
Not getting to spend more time growing our relationship.
But I had come to terms with that being the way my life was going to end.
I would be a blip in Kip’s long existence.
A memory that fades with time, eventually to be forgotten all together.
It’s funny, but in that moment I also regretted spending so much of my time angry with the world and its people.
Regrets are kind of silly, if you think about it.
It’s a trick your mind plays on itself. What good do regrets do?
You can’t go back in time and change the things you did, or didn’t do.
Sure, you can learn from them. But only if you live to see another day.
Which I had accepted I wasn’t going to do.
But Kip…my sweet, amazing Kip…when I thought it was too late, he saved me.
I don’t know how he hung on so long. Looking at the wound on the back of his head, it’s obvious that it would be fatal to a normal human. It should’ve taken him down immediately, just like Tyson smashing his face in did to him. But Kip fought until the last second to save my life.
And now it’s time I do the same for him.
The wound on my neck has healed over, the blood becoming tacky as it dries, thanks to Kip’s blood. If his blood can heal me, I’m sure mine can heal him too.
With Kip’s head on my lap, I gently open his jaw, and luckily see that his fangs are out.
I press my palm to the tip of one of his fangs, dragging it across to open a gash on my hand.
Turning my palm over, I press it against his lips, letting the open wound drip blood down into Kip’s mouth.
I don’t know how much he’s going to need in order to heal, but I’ll give him all I have if that’s what it takes.
Look at us, a couple of self-sacrificing fools, and it’s all in the name of love.
My palm doesn’t bleed for long. This time, I take in a harsh breath, bracing myself as I open my wrist on his fang to let more pool into his mouth.
“Come on, Kip.” I plead, my eyes darting from him to Tyson. “I don’t know how much longer Tyson is going to be out. You have to wake up before him, otherwise we’re both screwed.”
“You’re kind of screwed anyway, don’t you think?” A female voices startles me, making me nick my skin on Kip’s fangs again.
“What the hell?!” I hiss, keeping my arm pressed against Kip’s mouth, even though I’m starting to feel a little woozy from the blood loss.
A shudder wracks through Kip’s body and he grunts. My eyes dart from the cloaked woman back down to Kip in time to see his jaw unhinge, and his fangs sinking into my skin.
I wince, but don’t pull away. “Yes, baby. Take all you need.” I’m getting tired, so I let my body fall sideways so I can lay down while Kip’s hands come up to grip my arm, holding it to his mouth.
“Awww, look at that. So sweet. Young love.” The woman coos, bringing my attention back to her. When Kip woke up, I forgot she was here. I’m having trouble keeping my thoughts straight.
Kip’s eyes flash open and land on me, before he turns his gaze to the newcomer.
His hands fall away from my arm, and his fangs pull free from my skin.
“Lisette?” he croaks. “Took you long enough.”
Lisette? This is Lisette? Oh, thank fuck. She’s here. She can take care of Tyson. We’re saved.
Kip sits up, pulling me into his lap. “Here, baby.” He opens his wrist, letting me heal from him again.
Looks like today is the day for exchanging blood.
“Lisette, it was Tyson all along.” Kip looks up at her. “He’s been behind this whole thing. Him and someone from the council. He was mad that I fell in love with Charlie—”
My eyes go wide as I suck in a sharp breath, pulling away from Kip’s arm.
He smiles softly down at me. “Keep drinking. And yes, you heard me right. I love you.” With his free hand, he gently strokes my hair, tucking a loose strand behind my ear.
His gaze meets Lisette again, and he continues talking, not giving me a chance to respond.
“So he was going to turn me into a thrall or whatever, with help from the council. He needs to be locked up, or dealt with, or something, Lisette. And you need to hurry, he’s bound to wake up any minute. ”
Lisette’s arms are crossed as she listens to Kip. I can’t see her face, because she’s keeping it hidden behind her cloak’s hood, but her body language doesn’t seem surprised.
Why isn’t she surprised?
The room fades into silence. Kip stares with hopeful eyes at Lisette, but Lisette doesn’t respond. The silence stretches awkwardly long, and I feel Kip starts to wiggle in his spot, uncomfortable.
Kip clears his throat. “Uhh, Lisette? This is kinda one of those situations where time is of the essence…”
“Kip…” I whisper. “I don’t have a good feeling about this.”
Lisette sighs. “You really are dumb, aren’t you Christopher? What Tyson and Charlie see in you, I’ll never know.”
“Well, that’s fucking rude.” Kip mutters.
“Ah, fuck. Are we in for another long villain monologue? Is that what’s happening right now?” I look from Kip to Lisette. What is up with every villain doing this shit?
“You see—” Lisette begins.
“Yep, called it. Here we go.” I roll my eyes. “Kip, maybe you should uhhh…deal with this, so we don’t have to listen to another person’s life story?”
“I think not.” Lisette pouts, flicking her wrist towards us. As she motions with her hand, rope appears out of thin air, winding around us and binding our arms and legs so we can’t move. “There, now no one moves until I say what I need to say.”
Kip and I watch as she does the same to Tyson, making sure he’s immobilized for when he eventually wakes up.
She begins pacing around the three of us. “You know what, this will be better with Tyson awake. That way I don’t have to explain myself twice.” Another flick of the wrist, this time green light surrounds Tyson, particularly around his head.
It takes a minute, but suddenly Tyson’s eyes snap open and he gasps in a breath. “Whaaaa the fuccckk?” He groans, trying to sit up, but unable to because of his bindings.
“Ah, welcome back. Now, where was I?” The wicked smile that Lisette is no doubt sporting is evident in her tone. “Tyson, I’d like to introduce you to the council member who was helping you all these months.” The way she says ‘helping’ makes it seem like that wasn’t her goal at all.
“That makes no sense. You told us that the council members were taken care of, and that the threat was gone.” Poor, sweet Kip sounds so confused. He’s too pure for this.
“Keep up, damn.” Lisette snaps. “Obviously that was a lie, because I am the evil council member, and I didn’t get rid of my self.
I wanted you three to have a false sense of security and all that.
And, not to mention, it all worked out in my favor because it drove Tyson bonkers, which in turn brought the three of you all together in a secluded location. It’s perfect, really.”
“So our plan is still on?” Tyson says hopefully. “Can you untie me, that way we can finish this, together.”
“Oh, for fuck’s sake.” Lisette exhales loudly with impatience. “You like to think you’re smarter than Kip, but you’re really not, Tyson. If it wasn’t for that soul bond between Kip and Charlie, I’d think you and Kip would be perfect for each other.”
“I’m not sure I’m following…” Tyson hedges.
“Clearly. If you’d shut the fuck up, I’d be able to explain in a way your little brain could understand. In fact—” Another flick of her wrist, and black cloths wrap around each of our faces, gagging us. “Much better. Now, there will be no more interruptions.”
Jesus Harold Christ. If I never have to hear another monologue I’ll die happy. Although…I really hope that doesn’t mean I’m dying today. It has been a whirlwind of emotions, and I’m ready to get off the rollercoaster.
“I was never going to help you, Tyson.” Lisette speaks like she’s talking to a toddler, in a fake sweet voice.
“Nor was I really helping Kip and Charlie. My plan started out pretty simple. All I wanted was to become leader of the council. With that position, I could shape the supernatural world to whatever I wanted. And I want power. Your role, Tyson, was to become my thrall all along. And as a bonus, your obsession with Kip would make him mine as well. Double bonus, Kip and Charlie developed a soul bond, which was enhanced when they shared blood. That’s what really triggered it in fact, was when Kip fed Charlie his blood in order to help him. ”
While Lisette continues being busy with her monologue, I scoot slowly in front of Kip.
“Soul bonds are incredibly rare, so it was really kismet when the two of you developed one.” Lisette says, turning towards Kip and I, and I freeze my movements, hoping she doesn’t notice.
Fortunately, she doesn’t, and instead keeps talking. “No one can predict when they will happen. But, by sharing blood, it solidified it. And once it’s there, there’s no escaping it. So for the price of one, I got three. How lucky is that?” She turns back to Tyson.
I continue shuffling my body until it’s in front of Kip.
I wish this soul bond came with telepathy so I could tell Kip what I’m thinking right now.
I wiggle my body in front of him, trying to gesture at the ropes.
Since my hands are tightly bound at my sides, all I can do is try to point my finger to the ropes and then to his teeth, praying he takes the hint.
“Mmmphhh…doing?” Kip mumbles around the gag, leaning forward so his mouth is next to my ear.
“Bite. The. Rope.” I murmur back, trying to enunciate clearly around the fabric.
I’m honestly not sure what good it will do, me being freed of my bindings, but it’s better than just sitting here and letting Lisette do whatever she has planned.
“So, anyway, here we are. My three little thralls, lined up and ready for taking. And once you’re mine, I’ll be able to weed out the members of the council who are…opposed…to my power.”