“You have only one card to play, woman,” he said, “and that card is taking your place by my side, doing exactly as you are told, and—”
“Over my deadfuckin’body.” I ended the call.
Mamma gasped. “Masie. Language.”
I pointed a finger at her. “My cussing is the only thing going for us right now.” It meant I was spitting mad and ready to fight.
But fight how?The world was doomed if I didn’t figure out a plan, and the only thing I could come up with was getting the word out.
I turned to leave.
“Where are you going?” Uncle Jimmie asked.
To convince the world to start killing vampires.What other option was there?
I left without another word, praying theywouldn’t stop me.
They didn’t.
But during the short walk to my apartment, I felt dozens of eyes on me from the rooftops along Main St., from the darkness of the trees, and from every alley between houses. Stark’s army was everywhere.
If I had any chance at all of stopping the vampires, I’d have to act fast.
CHAPTER TWELVE
I stayed up until the early hours of the morning, typing for my life and for the lives of every free person on earth.
Meanwhile, my heart teetered on the edge. Rage was the only barrier between me and a dark hole of self-doubt. It was one thing to tell the world to kill vampires, but it was another to actually do it.
No, I wasn’t talking about that double-crossing, toe-licking snake Stark. I was talking about Daddy. Would I really be able to look him in the eyes and plunge a stake into his heart? I’d already lost him once. So had Mamma and Maybell. To lose him all over again would break us, even if he was a vicious people-snacker who’d like nothing more than to turn me into a jar of pizza sauce.
Maybe instead of killing them, I could come up with a sort of evil-vampire-rehab camp and make them all nice again.
Come on, Mas, I told myself.Was Stark ever really nice? What sort of man would look deeply into your eyes and tell you how you’re his entire world, how hecan’t live without you, that the moment he saw you, his soul changed forever—all while taking your v card?
Okay, fine. I gave him the card and signed it with tiny heart bubbles, but still. It takes a special breed of demonic turd to make you fall in love and then fill your mind with dreams of spending eternity together, of never being alone, unloved, or having to go to bed without a good foot rub. I had never wanted to become a vampire, but the thought of being with the man I loved and knowing our romance wouldn’t end with me dying of old age or with him having a heart attack like my Mamma went through, well, I can’t lie, it had sounded pretty un-terrible.
So, again, why go through all those lies, all the manipulation, when Stark knew I’d find out the truth? Made zero sense.
I whooshed out a long breath, hitting send on the last of one hundred and forty-six emails, this one to the editor ofSupernatural Enquirer, warning the masses of our impending doom.
Would any of these people publish the story? And if they did, would anyone listen? Because not even I could believe this mess.
“Masie,” a deep voice echoed from behind as I sat at the small desk in my bedroom.
I froze, my entire body turning into a tight mass of panic. Funny how I knew this moment was inevitable, and I’d repeatedly told myself he no longer held power overme, but now that he was here, every bone in my body ached for this to be a bad dream. I still wanted to believe he was good and truly loved me.
“What took you so long, Stark?” I said coldly.
“Someone called in bomb threats to every airfield near Seattle.”
“Vancouver, too.” Had to cover my bases and delay him as long as possible.
I slid on my UV-blocking sunglasses and swiveled in my computer chair.
Wearing a snug, button-down black shirt, Stark leaned against the doorway, his arms folded against his chest like a displeased master. His faded blue jeans hugged his powerful legs and tapered down over the tops of his black boots. His hair was brushed back behind his ears, giving me an unfettered view of his incredible jaw, neck, and chin. He was…beautiful. And he knew it.Tyrant.
“So. Here you are. What now?” I asked. “Because I already emailed every anti-vampire group, news platform, and all of Congress, demanding they take action against your evil plan. It’s out of my hands now.”
