one, this dark cloud swirled and twisted and lightning shot across its belly. Evil brewed above us, preparing to strike at the opportune moment.
Tristan and I watched each other carefully. His muscles bulged with power, his hair blew wildly and his eyes blazed with fire. He looked like a beautiful but enraged god of darkness. Everyone’s eyes remained transfixed on us as we moved side to side in a macabre dance. I monitored his thoughts and a series of profanities flew through his mind. The monster was pissed. It couldn’t beat me. Yet. I wondered how long it would take for the monster to completely take him over. Can it take his soul? Will the gray meadow imprison him in its lifelessness? Will his soul be lost forever? What will I do then?
I snapped out of the pensiveness with the sound of a Pop!
A long-legged, white-blond female, clad in her usual leather, appeared about ten yards behind Tristan. Her red-blue eyes, almost lavender in the daylight, shifted from Tristan to me and back to him. Her lips peeled back in a wicked grin.
Damn it! Can we ever get a break?
The Daemoni cackled and cawed around us. For the first time, I noticed the white-blond, male vampire from Key West—Vanessa’s brother. Just to his right stood the vampire who’d threatened me in my room. How can they be out right now?
“Uh-oh. Are we having a little squabble?” Vanessa sang as she sauntered over to Tristan’s side. She chuckled, the musical sound ringing in the air. “Looks like you finally came to your senses, lover.”
“Glad you could join the party,” her brother said. An Amadis protector snarled at him.
“The party’s just getting started. My Seth is finally coming back to me,” she crooned as she strutted around Tristan—too closely for my liking.
Tristan paid her no notice, but I was distracted. For a second too long. His power overtook me before I could react to the thought and he held me in place. I could barely deliver the electric current, especially as the blond vampire bitch ranted on. She ran her hands over Tristan’s bare shoulders and arms, her eyes on me, mocking me.
“Are you going to kill her, darling? Or do you want me to do it for you?” she purred.
“C’mon, Seth, just do it!” one of the Daemoni jeered. “What are you waiting for?”
Some of the others followed with their own taunting, the last thing we needed right now. I just had to hope he ignored them as much as he ignored the snow-white bloodsucker hanging all over him. Granted he was trying to kill me, but at least I had his undivided attention.
But seeing Vanessa touching him revolted me. The emotions—combined with Tristan’s intensifying power— started to weaken my resolve.
I can’t do this! I can’t hold him!
“You love him, Alexis. You can do this,” Rina thought.
I’m not strong enough! I’m going to lose him! I’ll kill us both.
“Use your love and your Amadis power. I told you. You are strong enough now.”
I didn’t understand why she couldn’t help, but once again I followed her instructions. With effort, I tuned out Vanessa and my emotions—all but my love for Tristan—and dragged my right hand up, palm out toward him. I focused on pushing the power through. That warm, soft ribbon, wider and stronger now, streamed through my body and along my arm and surged out of my hand. I felt it connect with his chest, right at the mutilated Amadis mark, penetrating into his heart.
I love you, Tristan. You and me together forever. That’s how it is. You and me, baby. You love me. Think of our love, Tristan. Think of your son’s love.
Tristan growled, the corner of his lip lifting in a snarl. I could feel the evil energy building inside him, gaining force to fight my Amadis power. And I thought it might be too late—I might already be fighting Daemoni.
So now what?
I couldn’t kill him. Even if I wanted to, he was virtually impossible to kill. The Daemoni had tried all their different ways and they couldn’t even take his heart. Because it belongs to me. Did that mean I could do it? Was I the only one? Is that what Rina meant after all? My stomach clenched into a sickened knot.
But even if that’s true…he’s Tristan. My sweet Tristan. My one and only love. Mom was right. I couldn’t kill him. I would let him kill me first.
“Do it already, darling. Kill the little bitch,” Vanessa taunted. “Then we can finally be together. Oh, the things we will do….”
She draped herself around his non-responsive body. My heart squeezed.
Get your raunchy hands off him!
I hadn’t meant for her to hear me, to reach into her head. The idea disgusted me. But she laughed aloud as if I had. Appalled, I returned my focus to what mattered.
No, Tristan! Love! Remember our LOVE. Remember Dorian.
His growl deepened and grew louder.
“We can have so much fun, now that she’ll be out of the way. Come on, lover, just do it,” Vanessa sang. Then her voice became a snarl. “Or I will!”
“Do it, Vanessa!” her brother shouted. “Fuck Lucas!”
“Shut the hell up!” I yelled.
The fury gave me the strength I needed to fight Tristan’s power. I turned my left hand on Vanessa, while holding my right on Tristan. I didn’t realize the extent of my power until I unleashed the electricity on her. She couldn’t handle it like Tristan could. She twitched and seized, her face twisted into a pained grimace.
“Easy, Alexis. We don’t kill unless there’s no hope. She’s a soul that can be saved,” Rina reminded me.
Are you freakin’ kidding me? She’s ready to kill me!
But I knew in my heart Rina was right. Overwhelming love still filled my body and I could feel a twinge even for the vulgar vampire bitch. I also knew Owen and the others wouldn’t let her kill me. I let off the current and Vanessa collapsed, her once beautiful blond hair standing on end in patches, what remained only an inch long. Purple smoke rose off her blackened skin.
“You little—,” she screamed. She lunged at me, but then she soared thirty yards backwards. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Mom and Owen magically restraining her.
I paid for the distraction. In an instant, Tristan’s power pressed on me more forcefully than ever. I now knew exactly why they considered him the ultimate warrior. His power was unbeatable, literally able to squeeze the life out of somebody. It compressed my body into itself, squishing my bones as if they were made of putty. My chest pressed into my spine, my heart flattening, my lungs about to collapse. My veins and arteries constricted, the blood flow slowing. My head felt like it would implode.
And I couldn’t bring myself to fight him. I couldn’t do whatever I needed to do to save myself. I couldn’t even think straight about it. I couldn’t save him and I couldn’t kill him.
It’s happening. Evil is winning. He’s actually killing me.
All those times he’d been so worried about accidentally killing me and I’d never believed he would do it. Now he was. And I was letting him.
But my death would leave the Amadis without hope for another daughter. It would leave Dorian without a mother. And it would leave Tristan—if there’s still soul left that would even care—to live out his existence knowing he’d killed me.
I’d promised him several years ago I would never let him do that to himself. I would never let him have to live with that. I would never let him kill himself over it. THIS IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN!
There was only one thing to do. I prayed.
Dear God, please help me. You are so powerful and I can’t do this without You. I need You. He needs You. I offer myself as a tool. Use me however You need to. Just please save him. Please, dear Lord, save Tristan.
A voice answered in my head and it didn’t belong to Rina. This voice came as quiet as a whisper, yet I could feel the immense power reverberating through it.
I am here for you, My daughter. His soul is already Mine, Alexis. When he gave it to the Amadis, he gave it to Me and nothing can change that. But until I bring him home, his soul needs protection against the demons. I have already given you what you need. Use the power I have gifted to you, My daughter. This is My plan for you. This is your purpose.
And I understood. I knew then what I was made to do. My purpose in life, just like Tristan had said. I was
