Chapter 27
Skyler’s POV
Midnight. The grandfather clock in the foyer chimed. I paced in the moonlight, in the ball room. Adam had gone to bed, my fingers trailed over the piano keys. I thought of Galen and I fighting under the moon’s watch. Our figures, shadows entwining together as we collided. Adrenaline thriving and fraying our nerves. I retraced my steps, closing my eyes, every movement, I repeated in the open space, the sweet tune of the wind whistling through the trees, guiding us in an endless dance. But when I opened my eyes, I returned back to the real world. What Adam had convinced me of….made me feel incredible guilt. On one part, I did it to keep him out of my mind, to find his vulnerable spot. He had one and that was sex. I laid down on the hard sofa, staring out the wide window. I held back tears, I wanted Galen back. I didn’t want it to be this way; I wished he hadn’t seen me that way, so disassembled, as if…it was timed for the demise of our love relationship. How could they have possibly…of all times...
I rose from the sofa. No more time wasted on spilt tears and painful memories. It was time to cut my ties. Adam set me up. An all-powerful changeling just happened to let his shield down, full well knowing if anything was a mile close to the barrier right after he bedded me. Oh paybacks a bitch. I slowly walked up the stairs, into the elegant bedroom, I parted the curtains, holding a thick kitchen knife.
“Adam, my love. Wake up.” I must admit, he looked like a sexy god, staring at me with golden cat eyes. I clutch the knife tightly, positioning it above his heart.
“Are you really going to kill me Sally? You want freedom that badly that you would murder me?” He was already back to his senses. “Go ahead.” He encouraged, staring into my eyes. “Kill me, but you don’t have the heart, you don’t want to kill, you never have.”
I swallowed, eyes welling with tears, my hands holding the knife, it dug ever so slightly into his flesh. He never looked away, watching my shaking form trying to kill not only him but the life I was living.
“Sally, if that is your name, I won’t make you stay any longer.” I struggled to comprehend what he had spoken.
“What?” I choked. He wiped my tears.
“Don’t cry. I didn’t mean for them to intrude, I know now, I will never be enough for any woman I bring here.” He said, he clasped my hands, the knife quivering, drawing blood.
“What I felt when we were entwined, brought me to such an emotional level, I couldn’t…control the shield. I’m sorry your loves saw you like that.”
“You misunderstand…I only have one.”
“Oh? But I felt love from both.”
“I know, one abandoned me and I developed feelings for another, I will never forgive him.”
“I see and I believe you.”
“I needed time, my heart belongs to Galen.”
“I’m sorry I had made you look so vulnerable. He will take you back, how long have you known him?” Adam asked with such selflessness I felt safe. I drew the knife away and flung it to the other side of the room. It stuck in the wall. I licked the blood that had pooled on his chest. He made a growl-like noise and gave me a lustful look. I shoved myself back, standing on the carpet.
“About two months…”
“Ah young love.”
“You know nothing about love!” I hissed.
“That may be true, but I desire your happiness Skyler, whether that means, you leave me or stay by my side. You are now an awakened solstice once more, you have more power over your future than you did with your fake human self.”
“…Your okay with me just leaving?”
“Yes, if that is the path you wish to pursue.”
“Even after we…we…united?”
“Yes, it is something I will regret, I’m very fond of you Skyler.” He wrapped a lock of my blond hair around his forefinger then released it.
“…If you’d like…after I handle this…I promise to come visit.”
“You would?” His eyes are locked on me.
“Yes, but if you misbehave-”
“Wouldn’t dream of it love.”
“Then I will, if Galen let’s me.”
“Go after him, Skyler.”
“…Adam, thank you.”
I was out of the door in seconds.
Galen’s POV
I returned back to my house, Adrian was nowhere to be seen. I wasn’t too surprised, he was probably back at the Devil’s club, feeding. Sulking in the shower, scrubbing the mud from under my nails, I didn’t know what to do really. I would probably go back to work the bar. Jace was gone, long gone, probably renouncing his status as prince or whatever. I warmed up some blood in a mug. I settled down in front the TV watching the news. I sipped my blood, staring at the flickering images, I couldn’t concentrate. I didn’t want to sulk, I wanted to get my life back together. I barely knew Skyler, maybe it was wrong to have such feelings for her, but…that sacrifice she did for me…such care she took to have me live. This is when my front door burst open, chunks of wood flying past the threshold.
“You, you returned, that was quite stupid if you’re trying to evade me.” A guy with messy brown hair strode in, five well-armed men followed behind like dogs.
“And you are….?”
“Rayas!” He snapped angrily, slamming his hands on the table in front of me.
“Oh, your after Skyler…well I can’t help you, we’re not bonded anymore, go talk to her new mate…” I muttered.
“What…?” He snarled. I got in his face, fangs out. “I said fuck off! She fucked someone! Our savior bond is gone! SO GET OUT OF MY HOUSE!” I hissed, my knuckles popping. Rayas regained his calm façade at my words, backing off.
“Hmm…could you tell me where she is?”
“No, I’d rather die than tell you.”
“Men, take him into custody, we’ll interrogate him.” Rayas demanded.
“Uh sir, we just got a radio call.” A soldier announced.
“What now?” He hissed back.
“It seems the oracle wishes to tell you something.”
“The oracle, what could she possible have to say to me? I will recover Skyler and bring vampire hunters back on top!”
“The oracle says the girl your chasing is not who you’re looking for.” Rayas paused for a brief moment, glancing at me then walked outside with the soldier. I stood there, staring down the other four. I picked up my blood and poured it on the floor. I watched the halfies attack the carpet with quickened haste. I leaped out the window, racing down the hill. I jumped the creek, running through the clearing Skyler and I had trained and fought. A pang of loneliness fell into the pit of my stomach as I ran. I didn’t shiver, though I lacked the intelligence to grab a shirt before I left, or jacket. I was cold inside. Sky and I had been forced together for at least two months. It seemed that I might not be able to live without her kindness. I paused, thinking about how we were practically in sync as we fought, blocking each other’s blows with everlasting ferocity; the excited twinkle in her eye and her eagerness to learn.
“Sky…I…I shouldn’t have left…I was so angry and…upset…” I whispered, staring up at the starry sky. I felt arms encircle my waist, “Feels like you never did.” A voice murmured in my ear. “Sky!” I clutched her tightly, stroking her hair and kissing her forehead, over and over. “Oh thank god, you-you came back.”
“I couldn’t bear being apart from you…I’m sorry I disappointed you Galen.”
“Shh, don’t say that…your alive and safe.” I glanced around is sudden fear. “Sky, you have to leave, I barely escaped, they were at the house, looking for you.”
“I know, but…I had to see you again.” I could only give her a smile.
“Miss me?” I grinned. She slugged me in the arm. I kissed her on the mouth, hard, as sappy as it sounds, I think my dead heart skipped a couple beats.
“Is Jace gone?” She asked, her eyes withheld something I couldn’t describe. I frowned a bit at her question. “He left, I think he went back to rejoin the vampire council.”
“I see, I do not believe we will see him again. I suppose…he may help Rayas.”
“The soldier said you were not the one he was looking for.”
“It is possible, that soldier…was right, I am half-solstice.” She glanced at my hands. “Oh we are not…hurting each other.” Hell, she was right.
“Does that mean…we are still bonded?”
“I have no idea.” She laughed, “Does a savior bond not last forever?” I blinked for a moment. My mind went straight to the hand-guide for vampires, it flipped to the information on savior bonds. It went blank.
“I-I don’t know.”
“Adam told me lots of things.” She said, twining her hand with mine. “Like how to prevent my allergic reaction. How to make me smell normal. How to drink…” She stared up at me with a pleading look, she leaned up on her tiptoes, her face pressed to the side of my neck. “It’d be an honor to have you as my blood donor Galen…” She whispered in my ear. “Please…it hurts to resist.”
“Only if I get you use you as a meal too.” I chuckled. We both laughed together, as Rayas parted the brush.
“Well…it seems an apology is in order…Skyler Vandeguard.” He said, staring at her.
I watched her knit her eyebrows together in confusion and surprise.
“You…are apologizing to me?” She asked, seeming utterly stunned.
“I am and on behalf of the entire council, I’m sorry that you suffered so much.”
“B-but why?” She stammered.
“You are not the one I’ve been looking for, and she has already been claimed, the council of vampires and vampire hunters has been dissolved….no longer are we at war.”
“WHAT!?” She shrieked, outraged. She jabbed at his chest, “YOU OWE ME FOR WHAT YOU’VE DONE! YOU BETTER BE WILLING TO PAY!” She snarled viciously. I chuckled at her. “YOUR MISTAKE HAS CAUSED ALL OF US A GREAT DEAL OF PAIN! AND JACE-” She stopped midsentence and frowned. “Jace has suffered the most…you have to talk to him, help him regain control of…whatever it is he used to control!”
“You’ll receive a heavy check at your place for this mess.” Rayas said, “You bloody halfie, you’ve made a mess.”
“Hmph it’s your fault, who’s the lucky winner?”
“Some lucky bloke in Ireland, cousins, she must have chosen the right one, because he was a key piece at the war conference.” Rayas explained. I watched Skyler’s face and she broke out into a smile, “Well Rayas since you owe me big time, I need a favor done.” She said, smiling. All Rayas could do was swallow, rich boy was going to be hurting in his wallet.
3 months later….
Jace’s POV
I took back my place as prince of Sweden, why had I been in England? Searching for Rayas, we had thought that we of royal rebel blood, were the prophesized brothers the prophecy had mentioned. We were wrong. How unfortunate for us. Rayas had been hot on the trail of Skyler, they’d sought her out and kept her on record since her father attempted a mass genocide on our kind. I didn’t want to think about Skyler any more, that was now unimportant, how could I deserve her love if I hadn’t been able to protect her when I needed to most? She wasn’t interested in me anymore, all she wanted was Galen…but who needs her, I shouldn’t have to follow after her, girls should follow after me! Why waste my time with that tramp anyways? I remembered back to when I’d first admitted I loved her, of course it was a lie. But we had thought she was the one from the prophecy how else to get to the girl’s heart but by a confession of love. Sure I had been wrapped up in emotion myself, when I first saw, I had been captivated by her beauty, her strength, intelligence and…I lost her. It didn’t matter now-
“My lord, your brother has called for you.”
“Has he?…what does he want?”
“He asks that you meet with him sir.”
“Where?”
“In New York sir, he requires your help.”
“My help? Alright, I’ll see what I can do.” I frowned a little bit. I didn’t want to see my brother, I was lucky to be given back a spot to rule. I already knew this was my place, now my brother requested I come to him. It was odd, I had to trust him now, though as much as I didn’t like it, we were by blood, connected, related and stuck with each other. It would be about a 2 hour run there. But as lazy as I was feeling I ordered to have a private jet prepared and fly there. I did feel a twist in my gut as I boarded the jet. Rayas would no doubt tease me for losing Skyler and to make it worse, I knew Skyler was living with Galen at that club. I gritted my teeth and pushed those thoughts out of my mind. I took a deep breath and tried to relax. No harsh feelings between us? We hadn’t talked in months since we found out Skyler was not the one of the prophecy. Not that it mattered. We had never really been on the both of terms.
When I arrived at the club a few hours later, I’d fallen asleep, it was odd sleeping, usually I had trouble lately but maybe something was to change. As I strode in, the place was teeming with people. I assumed Rayas was at the bar but shockingly, my assumption was wrong. I did however, see Adrian out of the corner of my eye. “Adrian!” I called out to him, he spotted me and waved me towards the staircase. I weaved my way through the crowd. “Well, Rayas is upstairs.” Adrian said, nodding to me. He didn’t seem too happy to see me.
“What’s going on?”
“A surprise. You’ll see.”
“What? Are you guys planning to kill me?” He laughed loudly, “Now why would we kill you.”
“I…is Skyler is here?” I managed to ask, swallowing.
“If I say yes and you are going to run away, then no.” He said, “C’mon, follow me.” He instructed, heading up the spiral staircase. I let loose a sigh and followed reluctantly. He opened the door to an apartment upstairs.
“Jace! Glad you could make it!” Skyler said, she hugged me around the neck. I was pretty startled and waited for her to cringe at our skin colliding. But nothing happened. “What the…?”
“I’m able to control that reaction now.” She grinned at me widely.
“I thought you…hated me…”
“Nonsense.” She said. Galen was lounging on the couch, watching me closely. Rayas lingered in the corner, talking to a couple girls. The room was lit with neon lights, as if a party was happening. “What’s going on?”
“We’re celebrating the end of the war.” Sky explained.
“Oh…why is Rayas here?”
“Ah, I am having him re-build Ridgewell for the solstice vampires. I was hoping you’d help design the city with me.”
“Really?” My eyebrows raised. “Well…I’d love to.” I smiled at her. “I…Sky I know it has been awhile but I wanted to apologize for my behavior.” I mumbled.
“You needn’t apologize…I’m the one who should be apologizing…I treated you wrongly Jace…I played with your feelings and you played with mine. But we are past that…I want to continue being friends.” She held her hand out to me.
“I’d like that.” I took her hand and we shook. “This is a celebration right? Let’s go downstairs and get drunk!” I shouted. Sky laughed as Galen took her arm, leading her down the stairs. I followed after them. I knew I didn’t need Sky to survive, but I knew that I would love to still be beside her for as long as she lived. Rayas led the two girls to the dance floor. I leaned back watching the people in my lives. Eventually I would forgive Rayas. Maybe, if he was lucky. But now, life again continues. I would just have to make the best of it.
The End
Want an epilogue?
Any questions?
Ask 'em!