Shifters of Shadow Falls Collection (Books 1-3) (28 page)

Carol slowly rises, she's still weak and in no condition to be left alone, if a vampire attacks her, she won't make it. I can't stand back and watch them die though, Alec is being slashed as the vampires speed through his grasp and get in small hits each time. Blood sprays from his wounds as knives slit his flesh.

"Go." Her weak word is all I need to run to Alec. I push my back against his, giving him support and protection and wait for the blows. With our backs defended, the vampires can only attack us head on, giving us a better chance at defending ourselves. I feel a gash across my face as a blur and gush of wind whip in front of my face. My arm reaches in front of me, but I catch nothing. The fucker is too fast. My wolf roars in anger.

"Your gun!" Alec's words remind me of the weapon strapped to my body. My fingers reach for the trigger at the same time that the vampire attacking me tears it from my body. I hear a loud bang and a see a flash of white and shield my eyes from the bright light. As I open them I gaze in wonder. Everything has slowed before me. The once loud surroundings are now a haze of white noise.  

The gun is slowly being turned to face me as the pale vampire points it in my direction. I'm able to easily snatch the gun from the vampire’s grasp and smash it across his face as his body seemingly continues to defy time and gravity.  

I watch in awe as time speeds once again and the sound of screams ring in my ears, seeming louder than before. The vampire crashes on the ground and time returns. My finger pulls the trigger and I welcome the flash of white as I barrel towards the still vampire and rip his throat out with my fangs. The magic relents quicker than before and time ceases to still for me as I watch Alec take the strike of a blade across his throat. I pull the trigger a third time and don't wait for the flash of light. I ram my body into the vampire, whose fangs are bared, prepared to feast on Alec's weakened body. I smash his head into the cement floor over and over, even as time returns, I continue bashing him into the hard, unforgiving ground until his skull breaks and his struggle becomes nothing.

Alec's body falls to the ground and he reaches for his throat. I crawl on the floor to reach him, but his eyes find mine and then dart behind me in warning. I turn prepared for an attack adrenaline spiking through my veins, but instead I see both Veronica and Vince losing their battles. Fear crushes down on me.  Natalia and Veronica are each armed with blades, and they both have several pierced into their bodies. Veronica is much worse off with a glaring gash down the front of her chest. Her body heaves, but her eyes are focused.

Vince is struggling beneath Remy, both armed with their fangs, snarling as they attempt to reach each other's throats. I quickly pull the trigger waiting for time to stop, for the moment to easily rip Remy into two, but time no longer obeys. I pull the trigger over and over as I run towards the two werewolves, wrapped around each other in a fight to the death. I throw the gun in a fit of anger as the magic no longer grants me an advantage and barrel into Remy's body, forcing him off of Vince. The second I have him pinned under me, Vince rises and quickly wraps his hands around Remy's throat pulling with all his weight. I push my body on top of Remy's and wrench against Vince's strength. Remy screams in terror and pain as his neck snaps from the strain and his body goes limp with fatality.

I rise quickly, preparing for more, only to find myself surrounded by bloodshed. Carol hovers over Alec. Two sorcerers are surrounding the witches with white light. The vampires all lay dead, scattered in pieces across the large room.  

The only noise is a violent hiss as Natalia and Veronica circle each other in the center of the room. They dance a dark distorted dance of death between the humans who are still tied to chairs that've fallen over. Vince races to the center of the room, ready to help his mate.  

"Behind me," he bellows his command and the blur of Veronica's vision comes to form, her back to his. Natalia's body whips in front of Veronica's as Vince bends forward and Veronica leans her back against his as she wraps her legs around Natalia's neck, forcing the vampire to claw and slash at her legs. Vince moves as fast as he can, pushing the two vampires to the ground before grabbing Natalia's arms and pinning them behind her back. Veronica's legs bear several wounds, a deep gash in her upper thigh seeps blood as she squeezes her thighs around Natalia's neck, cutting off her oxygen.

Natalia struggles as she's forcefully contained between the two members of my pack. Veronica reaches forward and puts her small hands in Natalia's mouth as she screams; she pulls with all her force against the vampire's jaws until they finally snap and separate. A shattered scream ricochets against the hard walls as Natalia’s life is ended. 

Vince releases the dead vampire, but Veronica's dark eyes are fixated on Natalia's tormented face. Her small body is covered in blood and still badly wounded, but she disregards Vince as he tries to take her in his arms. Her fingers wrap around one of Natalia's fangs and she rips each one out before smiling with dreadful victory. Vince raises his brows in question at his mate when she finally looks at him.

"For my queen." Her softly spoken words offer an explanation that Vince accepts. He opens his arms to her and she immediately goes to him. Finally resting in his embrace.

"I'm glad they used the guns I gave them," Alec's voice resonates in the quiet warehouse as he walks slowly to where Theo and Marcus' bodies lay, still trembling in shock. "They'll talk if they want to live. All we need is one to tell us what we want to know."

I take a deep breath as I walk to him, giving Vince and Veronica space to comfort one another. The sight of them makes my wolf whine and my hands itch to touch my mate.

"Is it over?" Alec looks around the room before settling his kind eyes on me. His large hand raises and slaps against my shoulder.

"It's never over my dear friend. But this battle has come to an end." He gives me a small smile before walking to Carol. No one has escaped unscathed, but we'll all heal. Except for the vampires who dared to betray the Authority. Two will live to give answers, but they won't live long after.

Chapter 4: Vince

I know something's off as I walk to our room. A metallic tinge of blood coats the air. It smells God awful and reminds me of death. It’s been days since we’ve been back and there’s no reason to fear an attack, but that fucking smell is making my skin crawl and my body shake with anxiety.  The scent gets stronger and I find myself picking up my pace as a sick churning stirs in my stomach.
My mate.

I grip the doorknob so tightly it nearly breaks off in my grasp as the door bashes violently against the wall. Veronica's form is a blur as she spins to face me. Seeing her safe calms the beast clawing inside me. My breathing softens as I walk to her. The sense of peace is fleeting as I study her face. She looks as though she's been caught with her hand in the cookie jar. I cock a smile and look past her form to the desk. My smile falls instantly. My mate swallows and opens her mouth, but I silence her with a glare.

At least a dozen blood bags line the table. They've been opened and drained and it looks like she's been scraping the insides of the bag with a razor. There's a small pile of white powder in the center of the desk. The poison. She's collecting the poison designed to corrupt her immortality. I look into her eyes and search for an answer. What the hell is she doing with this shit. My blood runs cold as all manner of possibilities race through me.

"Did you drink the blood?" That's the first concern on my mind. I don't think my mate would hurt herself by drinking this shit. Besides, she drinks from me daily. I can give her everything she needs.

"No." Her voice is small and her eyes are brimming with bloodied tears.

I nod my head and back away from the desk, walking to the bed with my back to her. If she's collecting this drug, it can't be for anything good. I think of any enemy she could have that's vampire, but I come up with nothing. I haven't the faintest clue why she would be harvesting this weapon.  And it’s one fucked up weapon.  They found four vampires at the warehouse; their fangs were barely visible and their immortality gone.  Two were already dead and the other two were no stronger than human.  They needed a complete blood transfusion and to be bitten and turned again.  They’re still weak though, only half the vampire they used to be.  There’s no reason Veronica should have this shit here. 

"Explain." I speak with my arms crossed and my back to her. I'm fucking hurting. She's up to something, something of grave proportions, but even worse, she's kept me in the dark. If she's hurting and planning revenge, she should've told me. Why wouldn't my own mate confide in me?

"I don't want this anymore."
What the fuck?
  My heart sinks at her words. A spiked lump forms in my throat. She doesn't want me anymore? I turn to face her. If she thinks she can run from me, she's dead fucking wrong. I’ll always find her and bring her back to me.

"What have I done that makes you want to leave me?" Her head tilts and confusion is easily read on her face.

"Why would I want to leave you?" Her softly spoken question instantly eases my body and I struggle to hide the fact that I'm fucking crumbling on the inside.

"You said you don't want this anymore?" I need her to clarify her words, and I fucking hope it's something I can handle. Because this shit is fucked beyond recognition and I'm failing to see what the hell is going on.

"I-" her eyes fall to the floor before finding mine once again. She stutters and looks around the room for an answer.

I move into her space and growl out the words, "answer me."  

She stares straight into my eyes as she speaks, "I don't want to be immortal. I can't live when you die. I don't want to. I don't want this. A life without you isn't worth living."

I stare into her dark eyes as my heart clenches in agony. My poor mate. I take her head in my hands and kiss her plump lips and lick across the seam for her to part for me. My tongue rubs along her bottom lip and caresses hers, while I allow the pain to subside and find the words to give her peace.

What do I know of immortality and how she's feeling? I know I would want to die if she was taken from me. I wouldn't want to go on without her. But my mate is strong and is destined to live once I've been buried in the dirt. I would never wish her to be in pain, but to want her to give up her immortality? Never.

I part from her and miss the warmth immediately. "What about our children? You’re blessed to be able to care for them and watch them grow once I'm gone. You'll have peace loving them when I can't."

Tears fall from her eyes, "I don't know that I can ever give you pups, Vince." She sniffles and turns her back to me to take a tissue from the package on the desk. How did I not know this? How have I let myself be so blind to the cost of her immortality.

"You think this poison will give you that ability?"

"I don't know, but it's worth it to try if it can."

"But we haven't even tried without resorting to something like this. Something that could destroy you!"

"I will give it all up to be the mate you deserve!"

"You are the mate I deserve, you're more than that." I push her against the wall and cage her in with my body. She moves easily, not resisting in the least. "Tell me you haven't taken the drug. Please tell me you haven't."

Her shoulders shake with her sobs, "Only a little." I feel my heart fall and the crushing weight of guilt push through my limbs.

"Veronica." I place a hand on her neck and kiss my mark on the other side. "Don't. Don't do this. I love you just the way you are. I don't want this. I just want you."

"But I want to give you more. I want to be more for you." I shake my head at her words.

"How can you think so little of yourself. You’re perfect. In every way." I kiss her forehead as tears slip down my cheeks. "I've failed you as a mate." Her small hands shove against my chest.

"Don't you dare say that; you've shown me a life I want to live. You've given me hope and desire for more. How could you think you've failed me?"

"You're drugging yourself to be something you're not!" She cowers from my words and the sinking feeling of defeat races through me. "Promise me you won't take anymore." She refuses to look at me and sobs harder. "Promise me, Veronica." She slowly shakes her head, but I'm not going to accept that. There has to be another way.

"Just wait for me then." Her eyes finally find mine at my desperate words. "We can try without it. We can wait until the Authority is done their testing." I pull her into my arms and let her head rest against my shoulder. I stroke her back and settle some as her breathing relaxes. "We can try without it." I kiss her hair, "we have time to wait."

"I'll wait." She whispers the words.

"Promise me. Promise me you'll tell me if you think about it again."

"I will, I promise."

I kiss her hair again. "We can try without it. I will give you everything you need. I promise you, my love." She sniffles and kisses the crook of my neck. The feel of her lips against my skin brings a warmth to my chilled blood. "I love you Veronica."

“I will love you forever Vince.”