Page 38 of Awakened Light

I’d never felt so awake and alive as I had since I’d left my island with Thorne, but now that Annella had been found, I would have to go back. The thought of leaving this world, of leaving Thorne, made my heart feel as heavy as a boulder.

“Is she okay?” Thorne asked as he rushed into the living room.

Annella lay on the couch with her family sitting around her.

“I’m okay,” Annella said, her voice still weak.

“Thank God,” Thorne breathed as he dropped to his knees by her side, taking her hand in his. “We were so worried about you.”

It was strange to see the vampires so kind and caring. The soulless monsters I’d believed them to be wouldn’t be capable of such warm emotions. Though the vampires I’d heard about definitely existed, and I’d met some of them tonight, Thorne’s family was nothing like the stories I’d been told since childhood.

“I’m not that easy to kill.” She lifted her lips into a feeble smirk. “I am still wicked pissed those arses got the jump on me, though.”

“How did it happen?” Thorne asked.

“They got me alone outside the club and hit me with a big arse UV light. It weakened me, and when they flipped it off, before I could get my strength back, eight of them took me down with chains. So fucking pissed,” she said, the strength returning to her voice.

“Well, it makes sense they needed a UV light and chains to take you down,” Lothaire said proudly. “At full force, you’d have annihilated all eight of them in seconds.”

“Your damn straight I would’ve.” She narrowed her eyes and pressed her lips into a tight smile. “And I intend to do just that as soon I feed more and get my strength back. Clan Lennox is as good as dead.”

Grizella flashed off and returned with a blood bag. Annella smiled and sipped on it, crumbling it up and tossing it with the others on the ground.

“More?” Grizella asked.

“No. I think that’s got me filled up again. I’m almost ready to bring the pain to Leith and Leeya.”

“We’ll handle Clan Lennox soon.” Aiden placed a hand on her leg. “They’ll be in the wind for a while, I’m sure, but when they surface, we’ll take care of them. Let’s just focus on getting you back to your old ass-kicking self for now.”

“I still can’t believe they got you down,” Emilia said. “I haven’t known you long, but all I’ve heard since I’ve met your family is that Annella is unstoppable.”

“It was planned. An organized assault,” Annella said. “They won’t be so lucky next time.”

Mark stood up, placing his hands on his head as he paced.

“What’s wrong?” Emilia asked him.

He let out a lengthy sigh and turned to face everyone. “This is all my fault.”

Lothaire furrowed his brow. “Why is this your fault?”

Mark chewed on his lip and looked down at the ground. “Do you remember the hot Scot I told you about? Gregor? The ginger I met that night?”

They all nodded.

“I saw him with Leith and Leeya. He was the third vampire outside the building. He used me. It was all a setup to separate Annella and me. I’m so sorry, Annella. I’m so sorry.” He dropped to her side, and tears glistened in his eyes as he took her hand. “Can you forgive me?”

“Mark,” she said softly. “This is not your fault. This was a well-orchestrated plan, and you couldn’t have known that Gregor was a plant. I had no idea either.”

“I never should have split up with you,” Mark said quietly. “This wouldn’t have happened if I’d have just kept my damn pants on.”

“Hey.” She smiled. “I saw Gregor that night, and let’s be honest, if he’d have swung my way, I’d have been the one ditching you to be with him.”

Mark and Annella laughed quietly together.

“He was really hot,” Mark said, finishing with an exaggerated pout.

“They didn’t hold back when they sent in the decoy.” Annella waggled her eyebrows, then slid a hand across Mark’s cheek. “Don’t blame yourself, okay? I go out by myself all the time. We’re vampires, for fuck’s sake... it’s not like we need to travel in a pack for safety. This was one isolated incident. And I’m fine now. Gregor, on the other hand? He’s mine this time... and he’s not gonna have as much fun with me as he had with you.”