19. Brielle
19
Brielle
P anic falls over Andrea’s features but loud bangs pull my attention to the balcony doors.
Torin.
Salem stands immediately and Azra comes through the interior library doors a second later in his fighting gear. The balcony doors are still open and there is screaming coming from the village. I stand and look between Azra and Torin, blood splatters on the latter’s armor I didn’t notice at first.
“We have six breaches, a large one just outside the village.” Torin is filling in Azra, who must’ve come to make sure we were in the house safe.
“What’s going on?” I ask, my eyes still bouncing between them and the balcony ledge. I can’t see anything other than trees but I can hear the awful screams. My stomach turns.
“Brielle, take Andrea and Salem to the lower level. Celeste is waiting for you.” Azra grips my biceps and lowers his head to pull my attention away from the outside.
His words filter through my racing mind and my pinched gaze snaps toward him.
“Like hell I’m staying here! I’m going to help.” I shrug his hands off and break past him to the balcony. Both Torin and Azra speed behind me to get outside as well. The screams become piercing, my hands grip the railing to keep me from jumping off just to get into town faster.
“Stay here, please. Celeste knows what to do if the house is breached.” Azra’s hands take both sides of my face as he kisses my forehead.
“No! Take me with you.” I peer up to those icy blue eyes. I can’t imagine sitting here and letting these beings I have grown to love be attacked by whatever is down there.
“We don’t know what the threat is and we don’t know what state you are in right now.” Torin’s eyes bounce between us as he impatiently waits for Azra’s orders on what to do.
“I don’t care, take me with you.” Azra looks down at the village in pure chaos for a moment before waving his hand, leather ripples down my arms and legs. Armor. A strap of daggers lined my front over the leather jacket he placed on me, combat boots laced tight with a small dagger in each. On my right thigh, the holster I always used to wear to hunt rests with a loaded pistol and a dagger. Azra and Torin before me have similar leathers on.
“Celeste is waiting for you in the right wing to bring you down in the cellar,” Azra quickly informs Andrea and Salem.
“No, I want to go,” Andrea states firmly, her chin held high. A small pang in my chest is proud of her but my gut-wrenching thoughts of what could happen tell me no.
“Me too, I can help.” Salem holds up her hand and a little ball of light blue magic appears.
“I’m not sure it’s something you’d want to see—” Azra starts but I become impatient hearing the screams below.
“No, it’s not safe. You’ve never been in combat before.” I cut him off as I look toward Andrea. Something like anger flashes across her face.
“Take me, or I will walk out of this house myself.” Andrea steps forward with her hands across her chest. Azra studies me for my final answer. I glance back toward the screams, we can’t wait any longer. His people are dying.
“They are coming with us,” I assert my decision and Azra nods. I know I can keep Andrea safe as long as she’s with me and I know Salem can be a major help as well.
She barely has time to nod before the same leathers take over her and Salem’s bodies. Torin’s arms wrap around both of their waists and his large wings, along with Azra’s as he grabs me, beat to lift us off the ground and into the sky.
The screams become louder and more blood-curdling the closer we get. My stomach turns and I know exactly where I’m going first.
We land in a small alleyway at the corner of the village. You would think it was a normal night except for the moonlit blood running through the cobblestone.
“Azra, we need to fly as many children out of the village as we can. Ash has been carrying as many as he can.” Torin is nearly buzzing with impatience.
“Go, we will stick together.” I push Azra away from me. “Do you know who I am?” I smile and pat the dagger sheath on the outside of my thigh. Azra’s worried eyes soften a little as the corner of his mouth pulls upward before kissing me hard.
I love you
His voice echoes in my mind before he turns and nods to Torin. They both shoot into the night sky. I turn to Andrea and Salem and nod before I start jogging into the main part of the village, their footsteps staying close behind me.
As soon as we get closer to the screaming, I stop in my tracks at the pale corpse with black veins lying on the ground before me. I’ve seen this my entire life. I look to Andrea who stops beside me, her chest heaving from the run.
She notices the body in front of us and winces before she turns away. Honestly, she’s handling it better than I did the first time. Salem stops on the other side of me and mutters a curse. She bends down and touches its bloody hand.
“He hasn’t been dead long,” she utters in disgust.
“Stay close, if anything stops you or touches you, you scream for Azra. Understood?” I look at Andrea again who quickly nods. Salem unsheathes her dagger and nods to me before we begin running again. We haven’t seen one vampire yet, I hope that is a good thing.
We arrive at the bakery I have become so familiar with in the last four months. I look through the window but I see no one. Screams and cries begin to cease as I’m sure the boys and the sentries are handling the vamps. I just need to make sure Willow and the kids are safe.
“Who are we looking for?” Salem asks through her heavy breaths.
“Her name is Willow, she has a four-year-old and two infants. She isn’t here so we have to check her house, it isn’t far from here.” They both nod and we start running again.
We pass three more dead vampires with other creatures I recognize lying dead on the ground beside them with their necks ripped out.
The sight only exceeds my sense of urgency to get to Willow. I suddenly stop when I realize there are no sounds of footsteps running behind me. I whip around and see neither Andrea nor Salem anywhere in sight. My heart drops but not before it feels like it might beat out of my chest.
“Andrea! Salem!” I yell and run back. I stop in the middle of a crossed pavement, searching left and right. I finally spot Andrea being dragged as she kicks and fights with something, its hand over her mouth.
“Hey!” I shout as I run to her. The vampire woman hisses at me and I stop.
I try to gather a small flame of power in my veins to blast this filthy thing on its ass for the last time but I come up with nothing. I’ve lived my whole life with no powers and could still win against these nasty creatures one way or another.
Charging forward, I barrel into the vampire causing her to drop Andrea. I fall on top of her as she hisses and practically vanishes from underneath me. She stands over me as Andrea stands and grabs the vampire by her dark hair.
It’s just enough of a distraction for me to stand and slink my arm around the vampire’s neck as she turns to Andrea. I squeeze my arm around her throat as tight as I can and push her head forward with my other. The creature claws at my arm, ripping the skin underneath my leather jacket. The adrenaline pumping in my body numbs any pain I may be experiencing.
“My boot! I have a dagger in my boot!” I yell to Andrea. She acts fast and does her best to pull it out as I wrestle this monster. She’s strong but not nearly as strong as most. She must be a new turn, still fragile in her vampire state.
The vampire slams me back against the brick building beside us and knocks the air out of me, causing me to loosen my grip. She grabs my arm and throws me over her, my body crashing into the cobblestone.
The hard ground digs into the back of my head. I squeeze my eyes shut as the stars appear. I grunt as I roll over and try to blink away the blurry vision and throbbing pain now pumping in my head.
Blinking a few more times, my surroundings finally clear and I notice Andrea slowly backing away from the snarling vampire approaching her.
“The heart!” I yell, my voice coming out a groan as I try to get up and run to her. I stumble to each side but before I can make it to Andrea, the vampire rushes me again. Knocking me back a few feet and landing on my side.
Flipping to my back, the vampire straddles me, her savage grin turns my stomach. The vampire lowers her face to mine until our noses are practically touching.
“She’s coming,” the vampire whispers with such a sinister tone, my blood runs cold at her words. So similar to the ones of the glamoured waitress in Tina’s all those weeks ago.
“Who’s coming?” I croak out but her smile drops and her eyes widen. Dark blood pours on me as I see the tip of my dagger jutting out of her chest. Before the vampire can fall on top of me, I use every bit of my strength to push her to the side.
Andrea stands in front of me in shock. Rightfully so, she just killed something for the first time. I honestly wish my head wasn’t pounding like it is so I can enjoy the pride I feel seeing my friend splattered with the blood of a vampire.
God, I hate those fucking creatures.
The words bounce around in my head again. She’s coming. My stomach turns as warm liquid rushes up my chest. I turn to the side and begin retching up everything I’ve eaten in the last twenty-four hours. Which isn’t much.
Andrea’s damp hands scoop my hair from my neck as I curl over and vomit, what feels like, my insides out. Spitting a few times to get rid of the lingering bitter taste, I wipe the side of my mouth with the back of my hand.
“Your head is bleeding, you probably have a concussion,” Andrea whispers as I touch the back of my head and feel my hair stuck together with blood.
“I’ll be all right, we have to find Salem.” I wipe my hands on my pants.
“I’m right here.” Salem forces out between her heavy breathing. Her clothes are drenched in blood as well.
I manage to give her a thumbs-up as I catch my breath.
“Let’s go find Willow.” I stand and walk as fast as I can with my unsteady vision.
I’m surprised at how quickly we reach her small cottage a few blocks over. Andrea and Salem held my waist to stabilize me most of the way but my head is pounding worse than it ever has before. I don’t care if I have brain damage as long as I know that Willow and her family are safe.
The love and care they have shown me since being here have given me a small glimpse of what a family should be like. Not murder and hunting, but tenderness and support. They are a part of my broken pieced-together family now.
I swing open the door to Willow’s home. I check all the rooms and begin to panic when I find no one.
Have the boys taken them already? It was like a ghost town on the street leading here.
A small whimper pulls me out of my thoughts. We all stare at each other as we try to find where it could be coming from. The floor creaks underneath my boots as I move closer to a rug with the corner curled over.
The basement.
“Help me move this.” Salem and Andrea quickly help me toss the small wooden table on top of the rug to the side. We roll the rug and uncover a rectangular door in the wooden floor. Unlatching it, the small whimpers grow louder. I rush down the ladder, my steps not moving fast enough to calm my anxious mind.
I stumble through the darkness as I hear a faint voice call my name. I find a dim lantern and turn the knob to illuminate it more. Willow’s son is bundled in blankets in the corner along with the twins sleeping soundly in the bassinet beside him.
I fall to my knees and check his body for injuries and then check over the twins.
“Are you okay? Are you hurt anywhere?” I ask, cupping the cheek of George.
“I’m okay.” His small voice is weak from crying. “Where’s mommy?” he asks. My heart drops again. I didn’t see anyone or anything on the way here. Wherever Willow is she made sure the kids were safe before leaving.
I stand immediately and climb the ladder out of there.
“Stay with the kids, I’ll be back,” I shout down to Andrea and Salem.
“Are you sure you’re okay to go out there alone?” Andrea peers up at me with a pinched expression.
“I’m fine, you all will be safe down here. I won’t be long but if anyone beside me comes, you?—”
“Call for Azra,” she cuts me off. I nod with a tight smile and close the floor door.
Where would Willow be? She can’t be far, she wouldn’t leave her kids behind unless… Unless she was leading something away from them.
My heart fights for dominance and speed against my throbbing head. I close my eyes and clench my jaw before running out of the door. The street is still empty. Only the moonlight illuminating the way.
A cough sounds near me but I turn to find no one. Pressing my back against the house, I slowly slide toward the back. The coughing grows slightly louder as I reach the end. Peeking my head around, it’s just enough to see a figure leaning against the brick.
Green eyes flash toward me and without hesitation, I run toward the figure against the wall. I would know those green eyes anywhere.
“Willow!” I drop to my knees beside her. I run my hand over her mousy brown hair as my eyes search her body. There is no sign of injury or blood but she is pale and begins coughing again.
“What happened?” I ask.
“I had just gotten the twins asleep when we started to hear the screams. Archie and I put the kids in the basement and he shifted to help with whatever was going on,” She stops as if she is trying to catch her breath. He must have taken his wolf form to reach victims faster.
My eyes search her chest and my heart bottoms when I see red and purple veins stemming from underneath her nightgown to her collarbone. I gently pull it down to reveal teeth marks puncturing her skin. The wound is decaying already like it’s days old and very infected.
Her cold gentle grasp on my hand brings an unbearable sting to my eyes as I stare into hers.
“It was trying to get in, I did all I could to get it away from the children.” Her cough worsens and blood collects at the corners of her mouth, staining her teeth.
“You were bitten…” I whisper as a tear rolls down my cheek. Werewolves and Vampires are deadly to each other. Looking over at the corpse before us, I see the deep gashes all over from Willow’s claws in the vampire’s pale skin. He must’ve succumbed to her venom.
“The bastard got me before my last slash. Are the kids okay?” Her voice cracks as it grows weak.
“The kids are fine, they are with Andrea and Salem. Remember? My best friend I was telling you about. I can’t wait for you to meet her.” I panic as she blinks slowly.
AZRA! AZRA I NEED YOU!
I scream to him in my mind as tears stream down my face.
“Shh, shh, shh. It’s okay, my angel.” Willow whispers as her icy hand cups my cheek. Her thumb wipes the tears that just fell. The red and purple veins now snake to her hand and closer to her neck.
“No. No, you will be okay. Cleo can heal you.” My voice panicked as a larger, warm hand rested on my shoulder. By the warmth that spreads down my arm, I know it’s Azra. I turn quickly, “Do something!” I yell to him as his eyebrows knit together. I barely notice the blood splattered across his face because the agony in his eyes as he stares at Willow guts me.
“Brielle, I can’t,” he whispers, his voice pained.
“It’s too late. It’ll only make it spread.” Willow’s weak voice has me snapping my head back to her. I can barely stand to look at her like this.
“We can try! I can try! I’m stronger than them.” I strain to conjure up every drop of my power into my hands that rests over her wound. My head begins pounding faster and more aggressively until it turns into a constant numbing pain.
Nothing is happening so I close my eyes and pull everything I can, straining until my head feels like it’ll explode. I hear my name being called from behind me but the blood rushing through my ears muffled it.
A frail hand rests on my cheek once again. I lean into it as my chest shakes with sobs. I open my eyes to Willow gazing at me with a weak smile.
“It’s okay.” She whispers, “My babies are in great hands.”
“Don’t say that. You’re not dying! Don’t say that!” I gently grip her hand and hold it against my skin.
“You are capable of so much love and healing, my sweet girl. Let yourself experience it. Let yourself feel. Everything you’ve been through does not have to define you, okay? It wasn’t your fault. The hell you’ve been through isn’t your fault. You are worthy of him, you are worthy of a good life, Brielle. Live that life… for me.” A single tear rolls down her cheek as she smiles at me. Her beautiful smile is stained red.
Footsteps approach quickly behind us. Archie drops to his knees on the other side of Willow.
“It’s okay, baby. I’m right here. You’re okay.” Willow’s husband cups her face as his eyes glisten with tears. He already knows her fate. Her fate I refuse to accept.
“Take care of our babies, Arch.” She nods with him as they cry together. Their foreheads touch as Archie squeezes his eyes closed. I cover my mouth to quiet my sobs so they can have this last moment.
Azra helps me off my knees and holds me up. Without him helping me, I know I would just fall right back to the ground. My limbs are numb. The same paralyzing numbness I’ve felt now three times.
Willow’s head turns to me as Archie leans her in his lap and cradles her limp body.
“Promise me, Brielle.” I know what she wants me to promise. Everything she just said to me. Her words replay in my head and I nod. I would do anything for her. She is like the older sister I never had. She was there during those late nights cleaning her shop, and talking about my nightmares.
The memories replay in my head and I squeeze my eyes shut as my chest feels like it is cracking in half. I open them again and whisper, “I promise.”
A faint smile pulls on her cracking lips before looking up at Archie once more.
“I love you so much. Tell the kids how much I love them,” Willow whispers, her chest barely rising one last time. The dark veins are now scattering across her beautiful face. Her head goes fully limp in her husband’s hands and the light fades in those shining green eyes.
She’s gone.