“What, no sisterly hug?” She taunts me, while I try to bear the pain.
As I cough and sputter, my blood spatters on the floor. I clutch the bangle from my wrist and toss it into the fire with the last bit of strength I have left, before collapsing. I look up at her, a devilish grin on her face. “Now why would you do that? I was hoping to enjoy myself but now, I have to make things quick.”
“What do you mean?” I choke out, coughing on more of my blood, so I try to turn my head and let the blood drain out of my mouth.
“Well, since you are dying which, is such a shame. I figured the baby will need a mother, and since that can’t be you, why not aunt Bianca? Though, mom I feel has a better ring to it,” she says, her manicured finger tapping her chin in thought.
My blood runs cold at her words, she wants my baby. And I know there is nothing I can do to stop her. I can’t even stand, let alone fight her.
“You’re not taking my baby!” I snap back at her, trying to crawl to my feet.
“See, that’s where you’re wrong. You’re dying, Imogen. I can do what I want,” she says, shoving me onto my back with her foot, my body rolling onto the cold floor.
“Why are you doing this? Help me, please,” I beg her, trying to reach any part of her humanity, she can’t be this evil. Something human must remain surely.
“Help you? Your mother killed mine, when she found out she was pregnant with you. My father left us in the wind, completely forgetting the family he started and deciding to start a new one. I’m the last person who is going to help you, Imogen. You destroyed my family, forcing my mother to kill herself. You have no right to ask for my help; don’t you think?”
I shake my head, hoping she will understand I have nothing to do with her mother’s death. How can I? I never even met her mother, so why put the blame on me? But she just keeps rambling, and I let her, hoping it will distract her from what she is here to do, hoping it will distract her enough for them to get to me in time. Please get here in time, I wish with everything in me.
“Do you have any idea how hard it is to kill yourself when you’re immortal? She tried everything only to keep coming back, or for me to stop her just in time. Only to do it all over again. The whole staking thing is bullshit. You not only have to stake yourself, but you also have to remove the head,” she giggles at her own rambling.
She’s out of her mind; sounds like the ramblings of a madwoman. Pain has me screaming as I feel my insides being torn, like my organs are being cut to pieces as I feel the baby shift within me, my belly feels like it is doing backflips as it moves.
“So, in the end, I couldn’t say no, I couldn’t keep watching her try anymore so I ended her suffering. Then, I hunted down our father, ending him too. Your mother didn’t like that, she became a pathetic alcoholic, assuming he left her. Yet, it didn’t kill her the way it killed my mother. She lived for you and that pissed me off, knowing I wasn’t enough for my own mother to stick around.” I try not to move, hoping she will forget me laying at her feet. I cough up more blood and I can feel myself fading into the darkness.
I watch as she kneels beside me, brushing my hair from my face, grabbing my chin, forcing me to look at her evil eyes. “Such a shame to think if we were born from the same mother, I may have actually liked you. Well, until you stole them from me too,” she whispers, more to herself than to me. I feel her lift my shirt up.
I try to swat her hands away, but she clicks her tongue, annoyed. “Now, now, sis, be a good girl and hold still. Don’t want to cut your precious bundle now do we?” She laughs.
“This is going to hurt,” she snickers.
Then, I feel her hands rip me open. I vaguely hear the sounds of crying and her voice.
“Aw, he is perfect, Imogen. A little boy.” I can feel myself fading. Then, I lose myself to the darkness. I feel like I’m floating and falling at the same time; weightless and surrounded by darkness. Her voice echoes around me on repeat, a little boy, a little boy. I have a little boy. I feel tears run out of my eyes; I just want to see him, just once, see his little face. What I would have done to see him, to hold him. Then, I feel nothing at all but the agonizing pain of my death. I slip from this earth into nothingness. Dead and cold.
Tobias POV
My father never should have done what he did, yet I know why he did it and I know he doesn’t regret it. He would do anything for my mother, just like I would do anything for Imogen or Theo. We are driving to the council, knowing we can’t do much else. My father is to be punished for killing Alaric.
Alaric taunted the wrong man, promising information when he had none. My father lost it, ripping him to pieces before being detained. Theo is driving, and I’m trying to rid my mind of my toxic thoughts.
The phone brings me back to reality as it rings. My hands are shaking as I read the name that pops on the screen. Mom.
“Where is she?” I answer, not even trying to hide the anger I feel towards my mother.
“She is alright. I’m trying to get to your father. What happened?” I growl before the phone is snatched from my hand by Theo. I growl, ready to attack him until I hear my mother’s voice come through the phone.
“They are both fine, but your father isn’t. Imogen is protected. Now, tell me what happened!” I relax, hearing that she has a plan, and that Imogen is okay for now.
I relax in my chair as Theo tells her of the events that took place. We have been driving for about two hours. We would be there by now if Theo let us run. But he thought it’s best to drive instead of letting instinct take over, worried we might tear apart the entire council in a rage and we don’t need that.
In the third hour, I feel it, I feel the bond stir to life, only we are driving away from her. Theo slams on the brakes as fear runs through both of us like a freight train, knocking the air from my lungs. Something is wrong. I open the door only to be flooded with every emotion she feels, then searing pain, forcing me to double over. Theo too is clutching the side of the car.
I look over at him. He needs to go, he’s faster. That kills me, knowing he will get to her before me, but he has to try.
“Find her!” I growl in pain, and he takes off. I drop to the ground, giving into the warm feeling rushing over me, feeling my bones snap as I shift.