Zone Zero: Redemption (Book 2 of 3)

Chapter 20

A streak of joy reaches his eyes and the smallest of smiles graces his lips at my words. That is exactly what he was wanting to hear from me.

"You are more than just important to me Evie. You are everything to me."

A tear that I didn't know was forming falls down my cheek at his words. What Giselle was saying must be true. This man loves me and I must have loved him in return. So why can't I remember him?

I turn to Cail with a newfound distrust to find him smirking with his arms folded across his chest.

"Why can't I remember him? What did you do to me?"

Cail's smirk widens as he steps closer to me. I want to cower from him. I want to curl up into a ball or run away but I don't. Instead I stand my ground and wait for my answer. I need an answer.

"Because it is part of his punishment. I erased all memories of him from your mind and made you mine instead. The worst thing about living forever is always seeing people around you die. Forming friendships and watching your family tree wither and diminish with time. Now Alex gets to live forever seeing the woman he loves on the arm of another man because she doesn't remember him at all." His words are cruel as i try to understand them. He can't be serious. Surely he is not that cruel.

I let more tears fall at his answer. Deep down I knew that something has not been right with me the past week. I knew that being turned into a vampire shouldn't affect my memories but I believed Cail because he was my maker. Not anymore. I can't be loyal to someone who has no respect or empathy for anyone but himself.

Cail steps closer to me and reaches for my arm but I pull it away and out of his reach.

"Evette, it's time to go." He says sternly as though speaking to a disobedient child.

I stay silent but when he reaches for me once more, i am quick to find my voice.

"Don't touch me. Don't ever touch me again."

"Fine. It's getting boring now anyway." Cail speaks casually like I am nothing but soon, a thought fills his head making a devilish smile grown on his lips. "But I know how to make it interesting again."

He steps towards me again and puts his large hands on either side of my skull. Fear runs rampant through my body as Alex begins pleading with Cail to know what he is doing. I don't take my eyes off Cails as he lets all emotion drain from his gaze.

"Remember everything I have erased. Remember your entire life before. Remember Alex."

He begins to squeeze his hands together until I feel a rush of pain enter my mind. I'm not sure if its cause is his hands on my skull or something else but I immediately drop to the floor and out of Cail's grip.

I place my head in my hands as a rush of emotions and memories come flooding back into my mind and I instantly remember the feeling. Alex did this once to me back in the zone. He took away my memories only to bring them back later. The differnece was that he was doing so to protect me.

The pain is intense but I remember to breathe through it all and as soon as it passes I stand with vengeance on my mind. I lunge at Cail and go for his neck but he is too fast for me. He manages to grab and hold me to his chest and let his large fingers close around my throat.

"Cail! Stop!" Alex screams but Cail doesn't listen. I don't even know if he actually heard him.

He is too busy staring into my soul with heartless eyes as I am on the verge of passing out. His eyes look black in this light as they match his callous soul. How I ever believed that this man was trying to help me remains a mystery.

Suddenly, Cail drops me to the floor as he stumbles a step before turning his back to me. I follow him and see Giselle panting and scared with a large piece of wood in her hand. She must have hit him across the back with what looks like part of a church pew.

She quickly glances my way before throwing something to me. It lands with a clang at my feet and I am quick to see that it is a set of keys.

"Get out of here you two." She says to me while not breaking Cail's deadly gaze. His body is tense as the fury in him is directed solely at Giselle.

I don't hesitate a second longer and grab the keys turning back toward Alex to open the cage just as the sound of wood hitting the floor is heard.

As the cage unlocks I glance back to Giselle but see that Cail has her suspended in the air by her neck as her legs kick about. He is strangling her and I need to help her. He will kill her if I don't step in.

Before I manage to take a step Alex attacks his brother from behind causing Giselle to fall to the ground, attempting to suck in as much air as she possibly can.

I rush over to her as the two brothers begin throwing punches, and anything that is lying around, at each other. They want each other dead right now and there isn't anything I can do to stop it. One of them will die in this fight. I just hope that it isn't Alex.

I help Giselle to her feet and she is quick to drag me towards the door.

"We have to go Evie. It's not safe here."

I stand my ground and take my hand from hers.

"I can't leave him." My eyes are welling up again and a quick thought flashes through my mind. Which one is it exactly that I can't leave? Alex or Cail?