“The humans have no stake in our fight. Let them go,” I said in a scolding tone I’d used many times to reprimand Rianne when she was a kid. My heart broke for the family as the young boy who was about Abbey’s age shook in his mother’s arms. “Do you want the nation to see you’re a monster? Aren’t you trying to show humans you’re the victim? I’m sure Bob would be happy to turn on his camera.”
She swung her weapon at Bob, who seemed eager to pop on the trusty piece of equipment he held on his broad shoulders. “He knows better.”
Bob didn’t react, but his partner did. “Rianne, the plan was to film you and your sisters. Not harm innocents,” the reporter said.
As soon as he spoke, I remembered him. His name was Tim Cox. He’d interviewed Roman outside Intech in Chicago.
“I suggest you say what you came to say, Rianne,” I said. “It won’t be long before these three wake up or the townsfolk storm in.” Conrad had given me five minutes. “Right now, I’m the only reason you’re still breathing.” I waved at the humans. “Come on. She won’t hurt you. The most she can do is knock you out.”
Rianne roared like a lion, diverting my attention from the family to her. My eyes bugged out of their sockets as I dropped into a fit of laughter. Why I thought her transformation from human to monster was funny, I wasn’t sure. But the stupidity of her to think she could become a creature like Sam, who was born with the right DNA to turn vampire, was comical and sad.
Her cheekbones and forehead extended outward. Her nails were sharp and long, curling toward her fingertips. Her brown eyes were a deep red just like our cousin Noah’s. It was crystal fucking clear to me that having vampires in our family history wasn’t a shoo-in to becoming immortal.
The family screamed as they scurried out.
Jordyn tried her best to shuffle away in her chair, her eyes saucers, her face ashen.
Bob turned on his camera. The reporter held up his phone as if he, too, was filming the freak show. But the freak show was turning down a dark road, and I had to stop it.
Rianne dropped her dart gun, pulled out a syringe from her vest pocket, then hopped off the table and moved toward Jordyn.
Fear erupted within me like a volcano, spewing hot lava through me as I ran toward her, dodging tables. “Rianne!” I shouted. “It’s me you want. Don’t you want me to change with you? That’s the reason you came here, isn’t it?” I was 1,000 percent certain I was right.
Rianne whipped her grotesque features my way, those fangs murderously long and dripping with saliva.
What in the fucknation was happening to people? Why would any human think they could become immortal? I understood how those who were dying of an incurable disease would take a chance. My grandmother came to mind. But mere mortals who were healthy and vibrant like Rianne were stupid. I took back what I’d said about her intelligence. Then again, her ego had blinded her decisions, as had her desire to exact revenge against Sam.
“I wanted to wait for the perfect moment to reveal myself while the nation watched the three of us transform.” She snarled at Bob. “It’s your fault. You ruined everything.” She stomped in his direction.
I tossed one dagger across the room to Jordyn, which landed near her chair, then shouted, “Rianne! I’m right here.” I stood behind a table along the aisle, not far from Bob.
The reporter grabbed Bob’s arm. “It’s time for us to leave. I didn’t sign up to become a monster freak.”
They left in a flash.
Jordyn banged the wood chair against the counter, trying to break free while my deranged sister set her bloodred gaze on me.
I wound around the table and stepped into the aisle. Now she was at one end with the windows overlooking the ocean behind her, and I was at the other with the entrance slightly behind me and to my left.
I opened my arms, a dagger secured in my right hand, heart punching my ribs. I’d never imagined I would face off with either of my sisters, yet here I was, ready to kill Rianne. But if her transformation followed the same path as Noah’s, I might not need to end her life.
With the long needle pointed at me, she stalked in my direction, stomping her feet, fangs overlapping her lips. “I told you at Intech that day, we would be sisters again.” Sweat coated her face as if she suddenly had a fever.
“And I told you it would never happen,” I volleyed back. “Have you seen yourself in the mirror? How do you think you resemble someone like Sam?”
She growled like a wolf in the wild. “Where is he?”
My lips curled into a sarcastic grin as I marched toward her, passing a booth along the wall. “This isn’t Sam’s fight.” My husband would flip the fuck out if he knew I was confronting Rianne, even though he wanted me by his side when we went into battle.
“Layla, don’t engage,” Jordyn yelled.
I had to stop Rianne. I wasn’t exactly sure how, given her talons and fangs. Those could do more damage than the blade in my hand, although maybe cobalt affected a lab-made monster like it did vampires.
I charged Rianne, dropped to the floor as if I was sliding into second base, and kicked her legs out from under her.
The needle flew in one direction as she fell face-first with a resounding thud.
I hopped to my feet and pivoted, dagger at the ready.
