Page 93 of Into The Light

Emilia. I tried to find her, but my hearing gave out again. Closing my eyes, I pictured her face, I smelled her sweet skin, and remembered the taste of her lips and the sound of her laugh. My feet moved, and I let them. This new power guided me, and I followed the pull from her down the beach and through palm trees to a winding trail that led to a small thatched hut on the edge of the ocean. I stopped, listening again.

“Don’t!” she cried from inside the hut.

I found her!

A surge of power raced through me as I heard her cry out. My speed flickered on and I used it to crash through the door separating us. Splinters smashed into the walls as I skid to a stop in the small wooden hut.

“Aiden!” she shrieked when she saw me. She was tied to a chair, her hands bound behind her back. A stream of blood trickled down her swollen lip. A growl rumbled in my chest when I saw the fear in her eyes.

“Well, well, well,” a sultry voice drawled from the corner. “So, it’s true.”

I snarled and spun to see her stepping out of the shadows. “Leeya,” I growled.

“You’re human. I can smell it on you. I can’t believe it.” Her face puckered in disgust. “How unattractive.”

“Let her go,” I demanded.

“Well, almost human,” she continued, ignoring my command. “You’re not quite there yet, and you’re not going to be.”

“What do you want, Leeya?” I glowered and stepped between her and Emilia. My power had disappeared again, and I hoped she couldn’t sense it. Leeya preyed on weakness and I was anything but strong at the moment.

“I was in Scotland when your little pet Mark arrived and said you’d gone and turned human again.” She crossed her arms, catching some of the long, red tendrils against her body. “I didn’t believe him and needed to come see for myself.”

I fought to control my panic and rage, keeping my voice calm and even. “Well, now you’ve seen. Just let her go and leave us be.”

“Aiden.” She tipped her head, her red lips pushing out into a pout. “I won’t let you throw away eternity for this pathetic excuse of a woman.” Anger flashed like lightning bolts through her dark eyes and then dissipated with a sweet smile. “I get it. I do. You think you love her.” She rolled her eyes. “But you don’t. And I’m not going to let you throw it all away. Throw us away.”

Us? My mind drifted back to Mark’s words along with his disgusted expression. Crazy. Completely. Totally. Batshit crazy. I just never realized how much until this moment.

She stepped forward, and I glanced down at my terrified Emilia before taking one step toward Leeya, hoping she hadn’t sensed my weakness.

Leeya stopped her approach and leaned against the wall. “So, here’s what we’re going to do. You’ve got two choices. There is enough magic in you that you still have a chance to turn back to a vampire... back to what you should be. You don’t have much time, but all you need to do is drink some blood and everything will go back to normal.”

“I won’t,” I ground out with force, though her words surprised me.

I can still turn into a vampire again?

“Oh.” She smiled. “You will.”

“Leeya,” I said, trying to soften my voice. “I’m sorry if I hurt you. I am. But I want this. I want a human life. I don’t want to be a vampire again.”

And I didn’t.

I didn’t want to slink back into the dark. I wanted the sun on my face, to feel the warmth of the rays on my skin, and hell, the taste of McDonald’s in my mouth. The thought of giving it all up sent a wave of pain through me. Now that’d I’d tasted life I couldn’t bear the thought of going back.

“You’re only saying that because that thing over there bewitched you.” She glared at Emilia who squirmed against her restraints. “You can either drink her blood and turn back before it’s too late, or you can watch me slit her throat, I’ll feed you her blood and then you’ll turn back again. Your choice.”

With a flash Leeya stood behind Emilia. Red nails pressed into Emilia’s throat, drawing a drop of blood with the grip she held on her.

“Emilia!” I stepped forward but Leeya stopped me with a stare. I reached inside myself, clawing into my strength to reignite my powers so I could part her head from her neck before she took her next breath.

But they denied me once again.

“Don’t,” Emilia said, staying me with a look.

Heaving a deep breath, I raised my hands in submission. “Leeya, please... don’t hurt her. We don’t even know if drinking her blood will turn me back.”

“Oh, but we do. It’s been done before.”