Changeling (Book 1) Rated R

Chapter 41

The moon hung low in the sky, casting a ghostly pallor over the snow covered mountains.

I shivered, lead forward by a vampire guard to where Henric stood just shy of the forest's edge which stretched behind him, dark and ominous.

The trees would be silent bearers to this execution, I realized as I scanned their twisted, naked branches.

The not so silent witnesses stood to the left, gathered in a line and guarded by several of Henric's henchmen.

I saw Brandon first, holding Daciana as she sobbed.

Her sobs were something deafening.

Beside them stood Henry, arms clasped behind his back, eyes hard and staring straight ahead but there were tear tracks on his cheeks.

My heart thudded when I didn't see them: Hannah and the baby.

Had Henric discovered them?

Had he done something to them?

I swallowed down the panic in my throat, forcing myself to remain calm.

Fire flared suddenly, scorching my face.

Snapping my head around, I saw the source: a pyre, lit by a vampire before hastily stepping away.

Orange flames licked at the night sky where no stars could be seen, only a swirl of light gray clouds which held the promise of more snow for this fateful evening.

They marched Christian beside me, though several feet away. His wrists were still bound and I couldn't stand to look at him.

It felt a little like someone was ripping out my heart through my chest, live, with no anesthesia, with nothing to cushion the pain.

We came to a halt.

Henric turned to face us, his devilish face illuminated by the flames.

"Glad you could both make it," Cynically, he said.

I glared at him, the anger in my veins suddenly scorching, my throat going parched.

"You are despicable." I said.

"If you ever find yourself in a position of power, you will understand that betrayals of this kind demand blood." He gestured toward Christian. "In this case, son, it's yours."

"You don't have to do this." I pleaded. "It wasn't his fault. I made him help me."

"We both know that that is not true, Amelia." Henric purred. He smiled a smile that was a soft yet ugly thing all at the same time. "I'm afraid that my poor, foolish son has fallen in love with you. Like father like son, I suppose."

I glanced sideways at Christian.

He was stoic but I saw him swallow hard.

My heart ached at the sight of him.

Was this true? Did Christian love me?

You couldn't fall in love in a few short weeks.

At least, I'd never thought so.

It's me you wanted, I meant to tell Henric.

But Christian spoke over me, drowning out my plea.

"The blood contract, Father. You agreed to spare everyone, including Aimee, if she killed me. You must honor it no matter what."

"That is correct. But that's only if she kills you." Henric paced slowly in front of the fire. "From the looks of it..." He shrugged, looking satisfied.