Especially if they woke from the curse and discovered I had stolen from them. However, this thought came far too late, because I had already commanded a car to stop and take me back into the city. Commanded the woman behind the wheel not to speak to me, nor would she remember me. But none of this would help. Because it was all too late…
I was already on my way back home when I realized what I had forgotten to do.
I had forgotten all the cameras.
They had them all over the estate and once the curse was broken and they came looking for their dagger, they would find me as the thief. Which meant that I would have no choice. I would have to leave the city, regardless. Because they may not remember me come morning, but one look at that footage and they would have another target to hunt. And this time…
It wouldn’t be one they believe themselves in love with.
No, I would be their enemy.
Fucking hell, just remembering what I discovered them doing to my ex was enough to cause a sob to break free. One I covered behind my hands, happy when the woman didn’t acknowledge it. Christ… would that be what they did to me?
The thought terrified me!
I knew what they were capable of.Fuck,I’d had only a taste of it that night when Talon first found me. What he would have done to me had my blood not sparked the curse. He would have drained me dry, that was what. Killed me quick when I had been nothing more than an innocent witness.
But as a thief?
The one who had stolen their most precious treasure… fuck, that right there was the stuff of nightmares! Which meant I had no choice. I had to come up with a backup plan. So, I got out of the poor woman’s car, who would no doubt have no idea how she got here, and I ran up to my apartment. I was thankful that Stacey was still spending time with family, because I really didn’t need her asking questions. Although, I knew she wouldn’t be gone long, she texted me saying she would be back in about an hour.
So, I quickly started to pack, knowing I would have to be ready to leave as soon as this shit was done. I didn’t have much, but anything I couldn’t fit in the large duffle bag, I would have to leave. My mind seemed to operate on overdrive, focusing only on survival now.
I did what was needed.
After packing, I grabbed a quick shower, unfortunately allowing my mind the time to play everything back on a torturous loop once more. This ended with me sitting at the bottom of the tub, curled into a ball, with the shower washing away even more tears. My mess of a life was barely holding by a thread. I had worked so hard. So, fucking hard.
I had left a broken life behind, and now what had it all been for? Every hardship was nothing but a lesson learned in the hard knock life academy. And all of it only to find every damn wall I had started to build up around me now just crumbling, leaving me bare and broken again. When would I finally make my way out of the rubble and breathe clean air?
“Just another fight, Nessa,” I told myself, trying to pick myself up and push through this like I always did. So, I forced myself to finish and get myself organized, because I didn’t have forever here. I needed to get this shit done.
However, after turning my phone on to check on Stacey, I forgot to turn it back off. I also forgot not to answer it when I heard it ringing, thinking it could be her. Mainly doing so out of habit, I tried to sound upbeat when I answered.
“Hey, what’s up?” I said, my body filling with dread the second I heard the growl in reply, making me instantly realize my mistake.
“Oh, but I think you know the answer to that one, sweetheart.” My mouth dropped but the instant he said, “Now be a good girl and don’t hang up the phone,” my gaze quickly shot to the window, relieved to see that it was still daylight, or I would have been screwed. But I also knew time was of the essence here.
“Victor,”I said his name and again it made him growl, but this time it was as if he missed the way I said it.
“Yes, and the very same Vampire you chained to a bed in order to steal from us… I must say, Vanessa, your offences are stacking up indeed.”
I swallowed hard and told him, “I had no choice, I told you.” I honestly didn’t know why I bothered arguing, as I had already told them why before I left.
“You always have a choice, sweetheart, you just made the wrong one. But there is a way out of this… now tell me where youare,” he demanded, making me shake my head despite him not being here to see it.
“I told you, this is the only way,” I said in a pained way.
“And if I told you there was another way, what would you do then?” he asked, making my breath catch, because it was like looking down, suddenly finding out the floor beneath you was ice and it was cracking.
“I wouldn’t trust you,” I answered, making him scoff a bitter laugh.
“At least you’re honest,” he admitted before continuing, “Then let me explain exactly what is going to happen should you choose to trust the wrong people. First, you will find out that you have been fooled, that there is no curse and you are indeed our Fated.”
I shuddered, the seed of doubt starting to take hold.
“But by then it would be too late, as you would have handed over the keys to the kingdom. And it would all be for nothing, as in the end we would still hunt you down.”
I pulled back and looked down at the phone, my finger hovering over the end call icon. But, instead, I gave into temptation and asked,
