Absolution of Fate (Fate Series Book 3) (6 page)

“Ethan, please trust me. I will never leave you again. You need blood, my blood,” Alexa whispered as she stepped closer. “I am stronger now; you can sense it, can’t you? If you hurt me, I will heal. But you won’t hurt me, I know you won’t,” she continued, lowering to her knees right in front him.

Ethan’s body stilled and he slowly looked up as Alexa bared her fangs and bit into her own wrist, presenting it to him.

There was no fight left in him with the delicious aroma of her essence floating in the air, its source only inches away. Ethan took what was offered, gripping Alexa’s arm with both hands as he drank. The first swallow of her blood was like pure heaven, and a warmth unlike anything he had ever felt before spread through his body, satisfying his bloodlust and calming the beast within.

He closed his eyes and swallowed again as Alexa leaned closer, stroking the side of his neck with her free hand and Ethan practically purred. She ran her tongue up the length of his carotid, calling it forward. Her bite was soft, gentle as she slid her fangs into his flesh and closed her eyes, relishing the first taste of his blood.

Surprised when Ethan released her wrist, Alexa moved away from his neck and lifted her lids to find the beautiful and familiar green-gray eyes of her husband staring back at her.

✧

Dante had remained just below the security camera when Martinez lifted his concealing mist. As promised, he waited there until Alexa entered Ethan’s cell and Martinez locked her in.

Finally, he let his eyes go to Layla’s cell and all the air rushed from his lungs as tears welled up in his eyes. She was standing at the edge of the glass staring directly at him, her eyes shining red and her golden blonde hair cascading over her shoulders. She smiled, revealing fully-extended fangs as she crooked her finger at Dante, beckoning him to her.

“Dante man, watch yourself with her,” Martinez cautioned from his position at the control panel. Layla might look like herself for the most part, but he’d had enough experience with the infected over the years to know she was anything but. She was a slave to Lucias and her own desires and she’d do whatever she could to get what she wanted, including hurting the man she’d once loved.

Martinez ran his fingers over the syringe in his pocket, praying it wouldn’t come to that, but before they’d come down, Alexa had warned him that Dante wasn’t quite thinking clearly when it came to Layla. She begged him not to tell the others, knowing they would have pulled the plug on the whole thing if they knew and even if Martinez was willing to go behind his friend’s back to get Alexa in without him, there was no way of knowing if they would get another opportunity.

There was no indication that Martinez’s words had registered as Dante heeded Layla’s call, rushing to stand before the thick pane of glass that separated them.

Layla tilted her head coyly, looking up at Dante through her lashes. With a shaky hand, he reached for the intercom.

“God, Layla, I’m so fucking sorry,” he said, unable to take his eyes from her. She was still his Layla, but different. The glow in her eyes was just as bright as Ethan’s had been, but somehow she didn’t look like a rabid dog like he thought Ethan did. If anything, he thought her more beautiful than he remembered.
 

“None of this is your fault, Dante. My sweet Dante,” she said, pressing closer to the barrier between them. “I’m still me. I’ve missed you so much. Thinking of you was the only thing that kept me going,” she continued, swiping at her eyes as if she were crying. But no moisture appeared. Unfortunately, Dante didn’t seem to notice or care.

“Martinez, open the door, man,” Dante commanded.

“Come on, Dante, you know I can’t,” he replied, pulling the tranquilizer out and slipping it behind his back. He moved directly between Dante and the control panel, only taking a moment to glance at Alexa still in Ethan’s cell; the couple sitting calmly on the floor staring at one another.
 

He’d been watching intently as Alexa entered, trying to ascertain the level of threat Ethan represented. He’d been like a broken animal when she entered, cowering in the corner until she actually offered him her blood. Once he bit her, Martinez knew it was over. No matter what Ethan did after that, he couldn’t open the door again until it was certain that neither of them was infected. That was when he’d turned his focus to Dante and Layla.

“Open the fucking door!” Dante commanded with a growl, dropping his hand and turning to his friend. Martinez cursed under his breath. That look in Dante’s eyes told him he was going to need the syringe and nothing short of a miracle to keep the cell closed. Dante was a far superior warrior and they both knew it. Martinez’s only advantage was surprise, or so he thought.

In a blur of motion, Dante was on him. Before Martinez could even react, he was pinned to the wall with the syringe intended for Dante jammed securely in his side.

“Sorry, bro, I have to do this,” Dante whispered before letting Martinez’s limp body slide to the floor. When the three of them were sneaking into the containment wing, Dante had continued to absorb Alexa’s telepathy. While she was far too strong for him to dig into her mind without her knowing, Martinez’s shields were weakened while he focused his own ability to conceal the group. So Dante knew his best friend planned to keep him from Layla; part of him was glad for it. Deep down, he knew the risk she posed, but one look at her and he didn’t care about that anymore.

He glanced toward Alexa and Ethan and his heart ached at seeing the love that was so obvious between them. Ethan’s eyes were clear; he was cured and that was all Dante needed to know. There was still hope. He didn’t know how long it might take, but they would find a cure, they had to. And if they didn’t, he wasn’t going to leave Layla to suffer her fate alone. He couldn’t abandon her again.
 

With a deep breath, he slid the lever to open Layla’s cell. Using every ounce of his speed, he closed the distance between them, pushing Layla back into the cell before she could make her escape. Being infected, she was stronger than he was and could have easily gotten around him, but luckily she was also teetering on the brink of bloodlust and couldn’t resist the call of his blood.

When her fangs tore into his flesh, Dante didn’t flinch; instead relaxing into her embrace as he heard the door, which he knew would automatically reset after a few seconds, close behind them. Even though he immediately felt the infection burning its way through his blood, Dante was relieved. No matter what happened next, his life was permanently linked to Layla’s and that thought gave him comfort.

CHAPTER 6 -
An Unexpected Transformation

“What more do I have to do? Why can’t you just change me now? Then I could be of even greater use; I could fight beside you and it would be so much easier for me to bring humans for us to enjoy,” Molly implored while Lucias wiped the blood from his mouth and slipped back into his custom-made trousers.

“Be patient, pet,” Lucias replied, adjusting his again-growing erection and making his way to the door. It had been a while since they had enjoyed the delights of tormenting a helpless human in the playroom they shared; a sacrifice he made for Chloe’s benefit, for the time being. Once they completed the blood bond and she became his mate, he would teach her to enjoy the thrill of killing, or he would force her to endure it anyway.

He glanced back over his shoulder at Molly lying naked on the bed, covered in blood with no hint of modesty in her as she left herself completely exposed to his gaze. The sight made him reconsider leaving.

“Turning you will take a great toll on me and I cannot afford to be weak now,” Lucias lied, surprisingly not irritated by Molly’s questioning him. She pleased him greatly, perhaps more than any creature, living or dead, ever had and a few lies here and there to appease her seemed a small price to pay for that pleasure. “When I have defeated The Elite once and for all, you will have all you desire.”

He was almost sad when he realized that it wouldn’t be long before she figured out that vampires were only born, not turned. As much as Lucias ached to see her become like him, it was impossible and, when she figured that out, he assumed he would be forced to kill her. After all, she was a vicious little thing; she would seek revenge for his lies, of that he was certain, and he couldn’t risk her doing anything that might jeopardize his plans. Not when he was so close.

Molly watched until Lucias disappeared through the door, then she hurried to shower and dress, knowing that she didn’t have much time before he would seek out her company again.
 

It had taken every ounce of her willpower to conceal her anger from Lucias, but she had played her part perfectly, letting him use her body while her mind remained focused on revenge.

He thinks he can just replace me with that wretched bitch?
she thought, slipping a blade, one of those she and Lucias often used on the humans she brought home, into a sheath she’d stolen from the weapons stores before she concealed it carefully in the waist of her pants.
 

She’d noticed the change in Lucias the moment he’d returned with Chloe. Though she only got a quick glance at her before was spirited off to a secured area of the facility, Molly knew Lucias went to see Chloe each day. And now she knew his true intentions.
 

After all he had promised her, after all she had done for him, he was going to make that little bitch his queen in her place.

✧

Asana paced in her quarters, praying that she hadn’t been wrong to let Molly overhear her conversation with Kaleb. She felt the panic of self-doubt creeping in and considered rushing to Chloe’s quarters on more than one occasion, but the visions had been clear and she knew it was the only way to keep Chloe safe from Lucias for good.
 

She was so wound up and anxious about what was to come that she jumped at the soft tap on the door before she rushed to open it.

“I don’t like this,” Kaleb said, rushing in. Asana placed a finger to her lips, signaling him to be quiet while she closed the door and engaged the sound-proofing.
 

“The cameras?” she whispered in question.
 

“There will be no evidence of me being here now,” he replied.

“I know; I don’t either, but it’s the only way,” she said as she resumed her pacing.

“We should have told her,” Kaleb continued. “What if Molly actually gets to her, what if…?” Kaleb’s voice trailed off as if he couldn’t even let himself say it.

“It’s a miracle she hasn’t seen it already, but if she knew, I’m afraid she would try to change it. She would sacrifice herself to your father just like she did before.”

Of course, Kaleb knew she was right. Chloe was nothing if not selfless.

But it wasn’t just concern for Chloe that had him so anxious. The thought of what was to become of Molly made his stomach turn, but if Asana’s visions were true, it was a reality he would have to accept to get what he truly desired most in the world.

“Tell me again about how it happens. Please,” Kaleb requested, his voice low as he leaned back against the wall ready to absorb every precious syllable Asana was about to share.

Asana couldn’t help but smile despite her anxiety. Even if she hadn’t been a seer, Kaleb’s feelings for Chloe would have been impossible to miss. It was a miracle his father didn’t suspect anything; a blessing she feared would soon run out.

✧

A loud buzz pulled Chloe from her thoughts. It wasn’t like Lucias to announce himself; he usually just entered her room, always trying to demonstrate that he was in control, and as she had learned from reading his mind, ever hopeful he would catch a glimpse of her changing. She could feel the bile rising in her throat as she remembered some of the disgusting thoughts Lucias had been having about her. As useful as it was to dig into his mind, she’d been avoiding it more often than not since he seemed intent on keeping his fantasies at the forefront whenever he was in her presence.
 

Lucias was growing impatient and, though he was no match for Chloe and her abilities, with each passing day her fear increased. Not for herself, but for those she loved.
 

After a few moments, when the door remained closed, Chloe approached, focusing her telepathy. Though the room was soundproof, she could still read thoughts, but for some reason she couldn’t get a clear lock on her visitor. Her heart pounded as she hoped that somehow, some way it was Kaleb, even though she knew it was too great a risk for him to visit her.

When she turned the handle, Molly immediately pushed inside, her presence both a surprise and disappointment to Chloe. She’d never actually met the human who lived among so many infected vampires, but she’d seen enough in Lucias’s thoughts to know Molly was not a kind woman.
 

“Hello,” Chloe said tentatively. Even without any barriers, she couldn’t get a clear read on Molly. Her thoughts were erratic, each running into the next, making it impossible for Chloe to lock in on her intentions, but she was obviously agitated as she closed the door with her light eyes darting around the room.
 

“I’m Molly. Lucias sent me to you,” Molly lied, eyeing Chloe intently. She made no attempt to mask her contempt as she raked her eyes up and down Chloe’s tall frame. Chloe was easily four inches taller, and the most powerful vampire ever born, yet Molly’s presence set a chill in her blood.

“I don’t understand. Why would he send you to me?” Chloe asked, taking a step back as Molly inched closer.
 

“To feed you,” she replied taking another step forward.

“I’m sorry, there’s been a mistake. I, I don’t drink live blood,” Chloe apologized, her eyes growing wide when Molly pulled the hidden blade from her pants and sliced into her own arm.

Chloe covered her nose and mouth with shock when the sweet scent of Molly’s blood invaded her nostrils and forced her fangs down. She’d never been around live human blood before and the aroma was more enticing than she could have ever imagined.