Diary of the Unbroken (BOOK #4)

Oh, Father

Ava

The child of two Unnaturals.

The second Daniel said the words, I glanced over at William whose eyes flooded with realization. But there wasn't much time to react. Not to this sudden sweep of information. And not to the fact that the man standing in front of me—the same one who had killed my mother—also happened to be my father.

"Ava," Daniel continued. "I only want to remind you that this is your decision to make. Not anyone else's. You wanted answers, here they are. Now, go and do what you want with them, just understand the consequences."

Like that, he turned away. William lurched forward, screaming my name, but two other vampires grabbed him, dragging him alongside.

I noticed Val standing in the back with another girl—a human. But Val didn't look scared. She didn't live in fear over Daniel. Instead, she looked sad, filled with pity. Her expression only made the flame inside of me burn brighter.

I took another step forward before Derek grabbed my arm, pulling me back.

"Ava—"

I spun on him. "What are you doing? We have to get them back."

"And we will," he said.

I swallowed. "This prophecy—is it true? Did you know about it this entire time?"

"It's a prophecy, Ava. No one can ever predict whether it's true or not."

"But you knew it had everything to do with why Daniel was after me? He thinks somehow this child will be the answer to everything. That it will save the vampires. And I just happen to come along with it."

"He will do anything to get what he wants. He's a monster, Ava."

"No, he's my father." I dropped my head into my hands. "God, why does this keep happening to me? I know I made a lot of mistakes, but this? A mother who wants me dead. An unplanned pregnancy. A father who wants this baby for world domination. Did I really deserve all of this?"

"No, you don't, Ava," Derek whispered. "But we can't change it. What we can do is figure out a way to get William and Val back as well as keep you here."

I looked up at him, taking in his honest-to-God seriousness even when saying something so irrational. "You really think we can do this without giving me to, Daniel? It's not going to work, Derek. You've seen him. You know him and his games. As long as I'm here, he's going to keep William, doing God knows what all while he's manipulating my sister."

Derek's eyes grew dark. "I'm beginning to think that Val isn't being held there against her will."

I swallowed, shaking my head. "You honestly think she's making the choice of staying with that monster? That she's helping him?"

"He's her father, Ava."

"I know my sister," I insisted. "She betrayed our mother for good reasons. She helped me. Now, you think she wouldn't do the same to our father? This strange man who all of a sudden showed up, taking over this town, killing our own mother, kidnapping William, harassing the rest of us, believing that my baby is some prophetic child sent to save all vampire kind?"

He closed his mouth, unable to bear words. Of course. Nothing he could say could save William. Nothing could make all of this go away.

Bernard walked over. "We should get you home."

I spun on him now. "What's next?"

"We wait it out."

"Wait what out? He has William. He wants me. Stop playing this game! We have to take him down. That's the only way we can stop all of this."

"You don't know Daniel," Bernard said. "You don't know what he's capable of. Killing your mother was a poor man's work. He's an Original, and quite possibly the strongest of the three. He has his own army at his aid."

"An army you were once a part of."

Bernard swallowed. "I understand you have no reason to forgive me for my past mistakes. But my time on the Red Barron League existed long ago."

I looked up at him. "Not long enough. I remember. When my mom injected me with that poison, some ingredients of the cure, I had a dream, vision, memory—whatever it was of Val's. She and Derek went to a party. You were there. You and a bunch of other men. You called yourself the Red Barron League."

Bernard nodded. "Not my proudest moment."

"And at the hospital before I turned...when you were helping Val. She...she said she couldn't trust you. You were working for Daniel again, weren't you?"

His Adam's apple bobbed. "It's not what you think, Ava."

Suddenly it all made sense. It all made sense on how naïve I had been. How I had enlisted my trust in these people I didn't know. At least one was going to turn out to be different. To be the reason I should have kept running in the first place.

"Oh my God! When will people stop lying to me? When will the secrets stop?"

"You mean like the one you have kept for a month about the child you carry."

I jabbed a finger in his face. "I have been doing this to protect the people I care about. You...you are too blinded by your own ambitions. By what you think just might be right—you can't see that you have been trusting a monster this entire time."

"I knew what Daniel was the second I met him," Bernard hissed through his teeth. "I also knew what I was. His mission is only to save his kind. He doesn't necessarily want to be a hero, but he notices that it is time for a change."

The tears weld in my eyes. I gritted my teeth. "The deal has to happen. Me for William. That's the only way this will work."

"Ava—"

"Don't you understand?" I cried. "There is no other way. Let me go, please."

"I can't," he stated, his voice low. "You know I can't. Not in your state. Not in your condition."

I breathed, glancing around myself before staring Bernard right in the eye. "If anything happens to William or this town, I hope you know that it's your fault."