59. Liam
Chapter 59
Liam
I push open the creaking door, my heart pounding in my chest as I step into a scene straight from a nightmare. My eyes scan the room, taking in the grisly sight before me. Bodies litter the room, the unmistakable pallor of death clinging to the air like a suffocating shroud.
Vampires, strewn across the floor in twisted, lifeless poses, their once formidable forms now reduced to nothing more than silent husks. But amidst the carnage is a sight that sends a shock right through me—the figure of my father, unconscious and vulnerable, lying in a corner while my mother kneels beside him, tears streaming down her face.
Alyssa, her normally composed demeanor shattered by grief, clutches Layla’s hand on the sofa. And there, standing amidst the chaos, is Willow, her eyes ablaze with an eerie blue light that sends a shiver down my spine.
Grayson and Emmett stand together by the fridge with expressions of disbelief and horror. And at the center of it all, Blake and Levi, with faces twisted in cruel amusement at our arrival.
“We’ve been waiting for you,” Levi sneers.
“Hello, sister,” Blake adds contemptuously as he directs his gaze towards Selene. “You always find a new way to disappoint us.”
I feel a low growl rumble in my chest as the primal urge to protect Selene surges through me like wildfire. She stiffens at my side, and I release her, allowing my claws to extend as I confront Levi.
“What the hell is going on, Levi?” I demand. “What is all this?”
But instead of answering, Levi’s lips curl into a nasty grin. “Where are the other council members? I would hate to have to arrange for another ambush. It’s getting tiring, after all.”
I grit my teeth, struggling to contain the fury bubbling within me. “We’re not here to play your sick games, Levi,” I growl in a low, menacing rumble. “Tell us what you’ve done to my father, to my family.”
But Levi only laughs, a chilling sound that echoes through the silent room. “Oh, Liam. “You have no idea what’s really going on here. But don’t worry, all will be revealed in due time.”
I exchange a tense glance with Selene. Whatever Levi and Blake have planned, it’s clear we’re in for a fight unlike any we’ve faced before.
The backdoor creaks open, drawing our attention as a figure I vaguely recognize as a vampire steps into the room, followed closely by Colt, who’s carrying an unconscious Ariana. My heart clenches with worry at the sight of her limp form. What’s happened now?
“We got them, boss,” the vampire announces smugly.
“Good. We only have one more person. Where the fuck is the shifter?” Blake’s voice cuts through the silence impatiently.
Before anyone can respond, the sound of heavy footsteps signals Raskogr’s approach. I turn towards the noise, relief flooding through me at the sight of him. But before he can reach us, something goes terribly wrong.
Raskogr leaps, shifting midair, but the transformation doesn’t go as planned. His body contorts unnaturally, bones audibly snapping as he collapses in a heap before us. A wave of shock washes over me as I struggle to comprehend what just happened.
Levi’s laughter rings out cruelly. “There he is,” he mocks with sadistic amusement.
I step forward instinctively, positioning myself in front of Selene. “What is going on?” she whispers in fear and confusion.
“I don’t know,” I admit. “But we need to get out of here. Now.”
I cast a wary glance at the vampires surrounding us. We’re outnumbered and outmatched. Their predatory gazes fix on our group like hungry wolves eyeing their prey.
“Levi, what is all this?” I ask.
The vampire is almost giddy with excitement. “Why don’t you and Selene have a seat and I’ll tell you what is going on.”
I am calculating the risk of staying versus turning and running. But I can’t run. I could never leave the people I love to save myself.
The only way we can survive this is to find out exactly what is going on. So hesitantly, I take Selene’s hand and walk her away from her brothers and towards where Colt is standing. His eyes are angrily locked on Willow.
Whatever this is, Willow is the key.
Blake runs a hand through his hair. “Now that we are all here, it is about time we discuss how everything is going to go.”
“Are they dead?” Layla whispers. “Are Raskogr and Ariana dead?”
Levi shakes his head before dragging a chair from the dining room and perching himself on it. “No, they’re not. Unlike your kind, we actually like giving people a chance to choose whether they want to be a part of the revolution or not. Blake, open the door so they can all see what we are talking about.”
Blake opens the door, and in the driveway, we see dozens of supernatural creatures, including wolves, vampires, and witches.
I know every single one of them by name.
“The prisoners,” I gasp.
“Exactly,” Levi says. “These are all people who’ve been accused and convicted by your stupid little council. When you were so busy trying to rescue my useless sister Liam, my brother and I were freeing our people.”
“Your people? These people murdered innocent humans,” Alyssa says.
“Shut up, human,” Blake says. "You punished them for their nature—for who they are. And today is a lesson on that.”
Levi rubs his hands together and then proceeds to explain. “The reason they remain outside is the same reason Raskogr and Ariana are unconscious right now. We have a perimeter.”
“A what?” someone asks.
“A perimeter. Colt’s ex-girlfriend here is a siphon. She is siphoning and absorbing all the magic within the house and a twenty-meter radius from the house. You wanted to punish people for being who they were. Today, you learn how harsh a punishment that is. See, all shifters need magic to transform. Without magic, they are useless. That is what happened with Gabriel and with Raskogr.”
I look at my father and then my mother, who is still wiping at his brow.
“As for the rest of you, you rely on magic. Jade, you are nothing but a glorified fairy. Ariana is a nymph. Layla, a fairy. The only creature who does not rely on magic to exist is the vampire. That is why your council worked so hard to remove our kind from the council,” Levi continues.
“That is not true,” my mother chokes out. “Vampires were removed from the council because they showed that they could never live with other supernatural beings.”
Blake lets out a chuckle. “Why should we when we are so clearly the superior being.”
I shift uncomfortably. Selene is watching her brothers quietly, not wanting to draw any attention to herself, but judging by the furrow between her brows. She is cooking something up in her pretty little head.
“So, what’s the plan here exactly?” I ask.
“Thank you for asking,” Blake responds. Today is the dawn of a new era—an era where we don’t have rules. Vampires and other supernatural creatures whose beliefs align with ours reign, and this town belongs to us.”
“This is madness,” Layla says.
“This is freedom,” Levi says, standing up. “We are tired of scurrying in the shadows. Let the humans cower in our presence like nature dictates. We are the rulers now, and you are either with us or against us.”
Ariana is stirring, her eyes fluttering open, but Raskogr and my father remain unconscious.
“So, what will it be, Night family? Will you live without your powers and under our rule or die here tonight with no one to remember or mourn you?” Levi asks.
His hands are outstretched in the air.
I look at my mother, my siblings, Alyssa, Ariana and finally at Selene. This is beyond me.
If I tried turning into a wolf, I would be unconscious in a couple of seconds.
What am I to do?
I am trying to think of a solution, but nothing comes to mind. This is unprecedented, and judging by the look of confusion on everyone’s face, no one knows what to do.
We are fucked!