Chapter 29
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Caldwell and Jun are here—and one more. My father, the unwilling puppet of Strode, who was under his grasp for a century. My father, who was weak enough to make me kill Tobey and afraid of going against the demon himself.
He is also the only one who knows how to resurrect Tobey, so we allow him to remain.
The backyard of my family home is a suitable place to bury Tobey, and they’re beneath the ground now.
Dirt coats my manicured nails and covers our dark attire.
Putting their cold, dead body into the dirt would have been a terrifying task, but I was the one to kill them.
I’ve drained the life from my best friend, and nothing else can scare me.
“How did you do this to Maman?” I ask my father through a tight throat. “It feels like I killed them.”
He smiles sadly. “It did not feel this way with your mother. It was a victorious thing. We spent years together, months planning for it, and she requested it. But this… this is different.”
Tobey didn’t get a choice. I had to do it—to drain her life and give her a new one. I still don’t know if I did the right thing. What was I to do? Give her soul to Strode? Perhaps this wasn’t the right choice, but with the pressure of a demon breathing down my neck, I did what I had to.
Now, no one can threaten her life again, or use her against me, and I can’t find it in me to have a regret—unless she doesn’t spring back to life.
Caldwell hasn’t spoken to me since the ceremony, and two hours of silence feels like a lifetime. It’s selfish to wonder whether he’s mad at me, but I do. He probably is. I would be, if the roles were reversed.
Jun doesn’t let go of my hand, and I don’t want him to. We crush each other, and so much between us goes unsaid, lacking words to share aloud.
Our terror, hope, and confusion.
The mouth of Hell is open. I don’t know what that means—but I bet Jun does.
The dirt beneath us moves, and from within, there’s a screaming, crying, retching sound.
“She lives,” Caldwell whispers.
I move to the dirt, but my father holds me back, his hand in front of me. “They have to do this alone, or the transformation will fail. Trust their strength.”
If there’s one person who can be determined enough to claw themselves from the ground, it’s Tobey. They spring to life with dirt coating their hair and filling their mouth. When they spit, it’s full of mud and blood.
For the first time, I’m grateful to be a dhampir. I never had to live through this.
And now… I’m a vampire—a full vampire. Even though I didn’t finish the sacrifice, Strode couldn’t take the immortality back, just as he couldn’t take my father’s.
Tobey clawing their way to life is proof I’mm immortal, but it doesn’t feel real yet.
I let go of Jun’s hand, moving to Tobey’s side.
They glare, wiping dirt from their face. “Where the hell is Poppy?”
My eyes widen. “What?”
“I heard her! Where is she?”
Jun steps forward with a frown on his face. “She’s in Hell now. She’s with my father.”
The one who owns her soul. I shudder.
“But there is good news,” my father says. “Now, the mouth of Hell is open… and we can find her. We can bring her home.”
“Easy now,” my mother says, encouraging, just as she was to me when I was young. “Don’t take too much. It will get easier each time.”
Tobey’s hands are shaking as they detach themselves from Caldwell’s neck, wiping away the blood. They were starving, as all newborn vampires are, and Caldwell was willing…
Though he seems quite pale now.
“Lick the wound,” I whisper. “That should close it.”
Tobey whimpers pathetically and does as I ask. Their retreat is swift, zooming to the other side of the room in a blur.
Jun extends a cookie to Caldwell. “This’ll help.”
Caldwell shakes his head. “I need to check—”
“Stay there.” I press on Caldwell’s shoulder to keep him in place and approach Tobey. “She’s afraid of hurting you. I’ll do it.”
However grateful I am for my parents’ support, I’m responsible for Tobey. I took their mortal life. Their own mother will hate them now, and they’re afraid of being close to their boyfriend.
All of this is my fault.
Live feeding has always been an intimate act to me, but it doesn’t seem that way to Tobey. Not for their first feed. Their eyes swim with bloody tears, and when I rest a hand on their shoulder, they flinch.
“Hey,” I whisper. “You can’t hurt me. And you didn’t hurt him. Good job.”
“I know. But I hate it.” Tobey moves quickly again, and this time, they wrap their arms around me. Their tears coat my dress, but I don’t let go, allowing them to cling and sob.
My mother has reported that newborn vampires often have heightened emotions. I suppose in Tobey’s case, that emotion is sorrow.
I hold them until they finally stop, and then, they shut themself in a bedroom. At least I’ll know they’re safe there.
When I return to my bedroom, a place I haven’t been in months, Jun follows.
We’re silent as I strip out of my bloody dress and change into a fresh pair of crimson pajamas.
I’ll have to change again after showering, but there’s so much else to take care of.
Guest rooms to prepare. I should check on Caldwell, too.
“I’ll find you something to wear,” I murmur as I button up my shirt. “You can borrow something from my father. Sorry.”
“Margaux…” He approaches slowly and takes over, his agile fingers slipping the buttons into place. “I don’t give a shit about that right now. Are you okay?”
“Are you?”
His lips twist. “No. I’m a fucking failure. You saved the day, like I knew you would.”
“I did not.” I let out a cursed laugh. “I put our entire town in danger. Who knows what will happen now that the mouth of Hell is open?”
“What happens is… we’re going to get Poppy back.” He rests a finger under my chin, lifting me to look at him. “And we’re going to kill Strode. I won’t fail next time.”
I nod softly. “I know you won’t.”
He rests his forehead against mine. “Still love me?”
I exhale softly. “Always. Do you still… choose me?”
“Always.”
And though at a time like this, that may be nothing, it feels like I have everything. My best friend is alive, and though I’ve often doubted such a love was in the cards for me…
I’ve found it—my great love.