Page 70 of Before We Burn

I look up at Everett, the tension in his jaw telling me all I need to know about his stance with the Premier Leader.

“These…vampires,” the Premier Leader says, his voice oozing with disgust, “think they’re untouchable. Their god-like mentality leaves room for mistakes.” The picture on the screen changes again.

My hands fly to my face, and I gasp out loud. “No, no, no! Please, no!” My chest aches. They got Marissa. Her face is bruised and beaten. Her clothes are torn, and dirt covers the exposed parts of her body. There’s a rope around her neck, and she stands on a makeshift stage.

“Mistakes can cause people to lose their lives. But it’s not like this one would be spared. You see, this witch helped Marzana escape. My men were able to wound Marzana, but Marissa here healed her. If she had not done this, we would have the vampire in custody and the situation under control.”

My stomach coils, and I want to puke all over the floor. I step out of Everett’s embrace. My hands ball into fists at my sides as I take heavy breaths. The screen zooms in on Marissa’s face. Her lips move, but no words must’ve been coming out. Nadiya steps forward at the same time it’s shown. We both understand what Marissa is doing. She’s giving her last blessings. I feel the words she’s whispering course through me. My hands tingle and a breeze blows by me, Marissa’s whispers riding it, but lose the words on the way, making them sound like a sweet symphony.

“So, Marzana Popov. What’s it going to be? The death of those you love most? Or will you give yourself up? Walk up to the nearest soldier and allow them to arrest you. If not—” The screen zooms out, showing the full view of Marissa. Her mouth has gone still, leaving behind a small smile. She looks directly into the camera and suddenly the floor beneath her disappears.

Everyone breathes out in disbelief, their eyes turning away from the television, unable to witness the way Marissa’s body hangs there, fighting for every breath she can get. It lasts longer than I would want for her. I had hoped her neck would snap with the motion, but she had to suffer through it. I grind my teeth together as tears fall from my eyes. I won’t look away.

Once her body goes still, the screen cuts back to the shadow of the Premier Leader. He leans forward, light shining onto him enough to expose the lower half of his face, showing deep olive-toned skin, a silver beard, and a smile so sinister I feel Everett take a step back.

“So what’s the answer, Marzana? Your immortal life—years you don’t deserve—or the blood of your friends on your hands? Your choice.” The screen cuts to black, leaving pictures of Constantine, Bunny, and myself displayed as wanted signs.

I turn around and look at the family I’ve created—that has found me. Emotions course through me. Some are mine, and some are the others. Their minds are doing the same thing mine is.

Once I’m finally able to form words, I look into the distance, my mind replaying the way Marissa thrashed. “I’m going to kill them all.”

I don’t recognize myself in this moment. I sound calm and put together. My tone doesn’t let on to the undeniable anger slowly brewing inside of me. This makes two strikes for the Premier Leader. First it was Sahara, left discarded on a wall. Now Marissa, the kindest person that I ever met, left hanging somewhere to rot. I meant what I said. I will kill them all.

“I’ve lived to see how deeply hate can spread in humans. Wars, famines, slavery. That alone taught me that the word humanity has nothing to do with humans,” Constantine says. I can tell her disappointment goes deeper than anyone in this room could understand.

“Count me in as a participant in killing the Premier Leader,” Constantine adds in finality.

“Me too.” Ciro stands, and Nadiya echoes the same next to him.

Soon everyone stands and pledges their disdain for the leader.

“I’m only saying yes because Gray is agreeing,” Malcolm says, coolly. I expected nothing else.

Bunny moves to the center of the room, her face neutral as she calmly says, “The council is ready for us.”

Right on cue, the doorbell rings and Nadiya shifts to the door and back. “No one was there, just a card on the floor with a business name and time.”

Nadiya hands me a small card that feels like it’s made of suede. I look at the gold-foiled letters as they reflect the light, coating the inscription.

The Red Room

12am, Tomorrow

I flash Gray the card. She seems to instantly recognize the business and nods at me. Looks like we have a meeting and are about to start taking down the one person no one has been able to touch. The council will be able to grant us enough man power to force the Premier Leader to lay his cards down. To show us exactly what he’s playing with.

That means I had to tell them everything. So against my better judgement, I tell them everything I learned. I tell them about Onyx being the alpha and how he sold out his family. I tell them about the women and children I killed that day. I relive my story about how I was changed and let them in on the information that Alexander is my soul tie. Then I put a cherry on top, letting them know I’m the last anchor the witches have. The last source of power.

Everyone is shocked. Connie stands in the corner, fury distorting her features and showing just how scary older vampires are. I thought the truth would make some people question their commitment to this…mission. This task. But no one faltered—no one asked if they could leave—besides Malcolm.

Gray quickly gathered him, shutting him down completely, and Bunny stepped forward. With the dim hue now gone, she looks at me, eyes wide. I try to remember if they were always black, but I remember they were blue the first day I saw her. Something is happening to her, but right now isn’t the time to ask.

Bunny looks around at all of us and takes a deep breath. “Can you believe that’s only half of it?”

30

THE BIRD KING

MARZANA