Nicole dried her cheeks one last time and stood up, placing the necklace around her head. For the father of her child. Her man. No more tears. “Right…what do I do?”
“Well, first things first. We need help.”
“Can we go to your house? I mean, the Slade Estate or whatever?”
“It’s not called that anymore. But I think we’ll have to. Thing is, I came here with someone. The new Alpha of the estate, Talia. Nick’s half-sister.”
“What? He didn’t tell me he had a sister?”
“He didn’t know. Neither did I or his father. I can’t smell her. The boat we used is gone. She’s either dead, taken hostage or back at the estate. I really hope it’s the latter…” Alicia trailed off, looking thoughtful. “I hope she’s alright.” Alicia stopped again, swallowing before giving a small shake of the head. “If we had her on our side, to storm the place, that would help. She’s another tenth generation.”
“Storm the place? You sound like you’re preparing an assault?”
“I’m considering many options. All of them to make sure we get that baby, and Talia if she’s there, out safely. An assault is the last resort.”
Nicole thought she knew exactly what that meant, so didn’t pursue it. She hoped that the last resort would never have to eventuate. But knowing the wolves that she did, she thought it wise to have that idea ready.
Alicia helped her up and together they set out along the countryside. It would be a long walk, but Nicole would do her best to keep up.
Chapter Four
Desperation
Michelle woke, and almost immediately, scrunched her eyes as an aching pain shot through her back. She found herself leaning over in a chair, still in Alex’s hospital room. The last thing she remembered was the quaking. She must’ve fallen. She placed a hand to her back and pressed the ache, trying to help compress it away. Stretching her other hand out to touch Alex’s, reassuring her, even in sleep, that things were ok.
Michelle quickly realised they were not alone in the room. A cloaked figure stood in the corner. How long had they been there? Michelle reached behind her back for her pistol.
“There is no need for such measures. I am merely a projection,” came the croaky voice. It was that which alerted Michelle to the identity. Dante had told her what the leader of the Forgotten sounded like. The Night Mother.
“What do you want?” Michelle asked.
The Night Mother slid closer as if skating forward yet with no steps. “To check on the saviour. I had to see for myself.”
“See what? What saviour?”
“You must’ve felt it when you touched her. The power that resides within her. For the longest time, I thought her kind a myth, yet there she is. Blissfully unaware of what’s to come.”
Michelle heard hushed voices outside, carrying on about their daily business, yet no one passed by. “What is to come?”
“Perhaps the greatest moment in our lives. Or the last. She must be protected until she discovers who she is and what she can do. The city needs her.”
“What do you mean? The demon was defeated. I was there.”
“Dominus’ possession was only one part of the plague. He was yanked out of her body, saving her life, but he still resides in the sky above us. Time is running out.”
“It’s just a cloud.”
“No. It’s still Dominus. A creature of wanton malevolence that feeds off despair. What you defeated was its physical manifestation, but this is its core.”
“You said to defeat him was easy. Clearly it wasn’t.”
“And I meant it. Your friend was saved, and the ghouls were eradicated. The vampire’s bravery defeated Dominus. Now, it’s her turn. The fight continues.”
“Why didn’t you tell us the entire truth? Why not mention there was more to it? Why the lies?”
“Because there was no time. She is the key to stopping all this, and her safety was paramount. Your vampire was one that could release her from the prison within her body. She needed to be free. I hid nothing from him, only told him the relevant information. This is much bigger than you realise. This has been foretold for thousands of years; events both miniscule and epic have coincided just so, all for us to arrive at this point. The cloud is getting bigger, denser. It will lower itself to the ground in a matter of days, blocking out all light, not just the sun. Streetlights, buildings, even lamps. No light will exist. All living things will be in a state of blindness. A world which we cannot escape. She must face it. Only she can lift the darkness from the city.”
“Why? Hasn’t she been through enough? Why her?” Michelle whispered harshly.
“Because no one else can,” The Night Mother replied, a sad tone in her voice.
“Why are you telling me this?”
“Because you care for her more than she knows. She will need that to survive. She needs you.”
“No she needs D...” Michelle checked herself, just in case Alex woke, reducing her voice to a harsh whisper. “She doesn’t need me. The one person she does need is now out of her life forever, and for what? He did that to save her, but we are still in danger. He’s who she needs to be with.”
“The vampire played his part. A significant one in a much larger spectrum. You would’ve done the same for her, correct?”
“Of course I would, what are you getting at?”
“She represents hope. Hold on to that in your journey. Trust her, and trust your love for her. Do not shy away from it.”
“What is this? I’m not...into her like that. I love her, sure. But I want her to be happy with him.”
“But that choice is up to her.”
“No, it isn’t.
