“Anna,” I corrected with a sharp look. The way I saw it, I wasn’t getting out of here alive. Not human, anyway. Not if I left my fate in their hands. At least Roman was dumb, and I could probably talk him into just about anything. Stark was cunning. Experienced. Ruthless. Also, he couldn’t stand losing. His ego was his Achilles’ heel.
Like Charlie’d said before he’d died, “…if you want us to win, then you need to use his feelings, his weaknesses, against him…”
If Stark won the fight, he’d be blinded and infuriated by my newly discovered spine. He’d understand that neither I nor Anna would bend to his will, and if we were going to team up, I had a say. A say I intended to use.
If Roman won, well, I wasn’t sure, but my money was on my bigger brain.
In short, I was doing as Stark had taught me: ensuring I came out on top no matter the outcome. The difference was, I didn’t want power or wealth for myself. I wanted to be in the best position possible to stop this nightmare.
“Mas—Anna,” Stark said, “may I speak to you privately?”
“As long as it’s all right with the Python here.” I giggled.
“Of course,” said Roman, “his words are no weapon against our destiny.” He blew me a kiss, and Ipretended to catch it.
“Hee hee,” I fake laughed. “You are truly a gentleman. Unlike some.” I turned and left the room, heading upstairs toward the master.
Stark was right behind me, slamming the door shut. “What the hell are you doing? He is everything you loathe—no respect for you, this town, or your family,” Stark growled.
“Look who’s talking. At least if he wins, I’ll be free of you.”
Like a deflated balloon, Stark’s body shrank from his chest to his spine. “You want to be free…of me?”
“I heard every word, Stark. You weren’t fighting for me. You were bartering for your island. Using my life!” I hissed.
“Yes. Because we need that island. Otherwise, where will vampires go when you order them to retreat from public life?”
“What about me? Were you really just going to let him turn me?” I seethed.
“Did you not hear the part where you get to choose whom to be with?” Stark asked.
Ohmygod.He hadn’t listened to one word. Not one little bit about wanting to stay human if at all possible. He hadn’t even tried. In his mind, this was the best plan. The only plan.
“From the minute you entered my life,” I said, “I’ve been terrorized, tortured, imprisoned, and heartbroken. What you’ve put me through is worse than when Daddy died, when I could hardly breathelet alone keep myself from drinking a bottle of rat poison for breakfast.”
Stark’s eyes turned black—a shade I’d never seen before. “You said you were…fine. You had your family.” Stark sounded winded.
“I lied, okay!” I threw down my fists. “You were right. I did want to die after we lost Daddy. I couldn’t stand wakin’ up every morning, looking at Mamma and Maybell crying, knowing nothing would ever be right again.” The tears pooled in my eyes. “He left us poor, lost, and with a mother who couldn’t get out of bed. Jimmie helped us out with money, but Maybell and I fended for ourselves for years because Mamma couldn’t cope.”
“Why are you crying?” Stark said unsympathetically. “Everything worked out. You are together again because I saved him.”
Worked out?Couldn’t he see where we were? “You savedhim. You savedyourself,” I said quietly, recalling Stark’s real reason for saving Daddy. “You didn’t save me. Just like you’re not doing now.”
He nodded solemnly. “I see.”
“Do you? Because I wish we never met. I wish you hadn’t walked into the Rooster that night and saved my life. At least then, I wouldn’t be racking my brain, feeling the weight of saving everything I love and not knowing if I can do it. Not without giving up my life and becoming everything I hate.You. You, Stark.You are nothin’ but a selfish monster. Iwant you out of my life.”
“You really mean it? You wish I would have allowed you to die?”
“Anything would be better than a life with you in it.” I nodded. “So what are you gonna do now? A magic trick? Turn back time?”
“I cannot do that. Nor can I change what is going to happen. To you, to me, to any of us. But I can give you this…” Stark grabbed me by the arms and stared into my eyes.
STARK
I took Masie into my arms, dread washing over me.
Was it happening again?
