Diary of the Unbroken (BOOK #4)

Faultline

Ava 

 "Ava."

I couldn't tell, nor did I care anymore, who called my name. It didn't really matter. my thoughts told me all I needed to hear.

It's my fault. All of this.

William being taken. Val. My mom dying. Whoever this Daniel guy was, whatever he wanted, it somehow had everything to do with me. Once again, I found myself caught up in the middle all this. Once again, I found myself unable to fight for the people I loved. I was defenseless.

"I can't take this anymore." I turned on my heel and marched out the door.

The tears came fast, racing down my cheeks the moment I stepped out the door. My whole body hurt with the pain I had been trying so hard to push down. For a month I had felt so lost without William, not having any idea where he went. Only knowing the goodbye that wasn't a goodbye. That he was out there fighting for me.

"Ava!"

I kept walking, now out in the middle the street. "I don't want to talk, Derek."

"Where are you going?" He continued behind me, running to catch up. "Don't tell me you plan on going after him."

I stopped abruptly, turning to face him with my crossed arms and tears running down my cheeks. "If you really want to know, Derek, I have no idea what I'm doing right now or where I'm going. I just know that this--it has to end. William is out there because of me. Because this psychotic Daniel guy wants me. It's the same reason he came to Newberry. Why he sent his people to compel the town. Why he killed my mother. Why he kidnapped Val."

"You're not the only valid reason, Ava," he insisted.

Yes, I knew I wasn't the only reason. Like any power hungry anyone, Daniel wanted his own little army. For whatever battle he faced, he wanted to use all of us. We turned him down willingly, now he used force and bargains.

I jabbed my finger in the direction of the house. "You heard Bernard! I may not be the sole reason the world is crumbling apart right now, but Daniel is using me as another piece in his game."

I expected some sort of response, an ounce of denial. Some words of encouragement, insisting I was being crazy. That I was thinking nothing but negative, selfish thoughts.

But like everyone else it seemed Derek continued with his secrets. He pressed his lips together tightly, mouth shut, not speaking. He stood there, hands in pockets, obviously hiding something as he avoided my gaze.

"What?" I asked him. "What are you keeping from me?"

He stared at his toes as he said, "Daniel and I, we've met plenty before."

I nodded. "Yeah, I assumed that much."

"A few years ago, before you were even born, I witnessed him here in Newberry. It was before I joined your mother's team of Hunters. I was caught up in this endless circle juggling my want to find William and my need to move on with my life. I spotted Daniel though I barely recognized him at the time. He was with a woman, a woman I later discovered to be your mother."

"My mom?"

I remembered how she and Daniel spoke. They sure as hell knew each other. Their words then had sounded far past cryptic. Now they seemed like puzzle pieces just waiting to be fit together. But I didn't know if I was ready. I didn't want to face whatever bizarre truth was bound to appear.

"They had a past. Of course, they did. You witnessed their words during their confrontation. but this, what I saw...It wasn't hatred. It wasn't the animosity shared between vampire and Hunter. They smiled at each other. And, well, I saw them kiss."

My stomach dropped.

"Is that all you remember?" I asked him hoarsely. "You saw them randomly in the street over twenty years ago kissing?"

His eyebrows came down, the way they always did. It had become an expression that in itself made me want to throw up then and there. "Tell me, Ava. What exactly do you remember of your father?"

There. There it is.

No, this was everything I didn't want to hear. Honestly, the thought had crossed my mind numerous times. Everything he said after reigning down on this town. About "how a parent will do anything to protect their child". But no, this wasn't possible.

I shook my head aggressively. "You aren't honestly insinuating--"

"Ava, your father left nearly twelve years ago. Daniel and Celia mentioned they last saw each other twelve years ago. Tell me it isn't a possibility--"

"It's not," I spat at him. "My father walked out on my mother, my sister, and me years ago because he was a drunk. He had problems and not because he was some power-hungry evil vampire overlord. I can't believe you're even thinking such a thing! There is too much at risk right now."

"Which is just why--"

"No," I seethed, jabbing a finger in his face. "That man has my sister! Your son is still out there, Derek! The boy that I...that I care about. I can't just lose him. Not because we didn't try hard enough. Not now."

His eyes narrowed at me."Not now because you're pregnant?"

I swallowed. "Who told you?" I croaked out. "Was it Jane?"

"You honestly don't think I didn't find out myself?" He shrugged, far too casually for the subject at hand. "I've been around for ages, Ava. In fact, I'm kind of insulted you underestimated me. And I'm disappointed that you didn't tell me."

"Why should it matter?" I waved around wildly. "Why should it be a priority when William and Val are out there, possibly hurting? When there is a mill of ravage vampires running around--"

"Because, Ava." He sighed. "Look, I have no right telling you how to live your life--"

"Not that it's ever stopped you before--"

"But," he eyed me, "you should have told someone. This pregnancy...it's not going to be like any other. It's bound to be different."

I found my chest growing heavy, my breath heaving. Yes, I was going to throw up and cry. Not one or the other, but both. "It's supposed to be impossible. Vampires don't get pregnant."

"But you're not the average vampire," he reminded me. "Remember?"

"So what? This is another weird effect of being an Unnatural. Great. I wish someone could have warned me about that ahead of time."

He ran a hand through his hair and sighed, clearly exhausted. "It's not like there has been an abundance of Unnaturals out in the world. You and William are the only ones, at least, I know of this century. No one could have predicted this. And the child of two Unnaturals..."

A dark thought crossed my mind.

"You don't think that Daniel somehow knows this. That this," I pointed to my stomach, "has something to do with why he is interest in me?"

His expression grew just as dark. "Never say never."

I wanted to sink to the ground, place my head in my hands and just cry. But life wouldn't wait for me to get over myself. To suck it up and carry on with my life. I couldn't give up. Not now. William wasn't. Neither was I.

"Forget about school," I said. "Screw it. I'm a pregnant teenager born a Hunter, turned vampire. I have forever to go to college. I only have now to save Val and William. We only have now to take this bastard down."