I drew in a shaky breath. Here was the moment of truth. I’d been thrust into my worst nightmare. Either Jax and Sean would agree to Trent’s demand, or they’d disagree and force me to change.
“Does she want to change?” Jax asked coolly.
“No,” Trent said at the same time I said, “I don’t know.”
“Interesting,” Jax said.
“Shut up,” Trent snarled at his brother.
“Oh, my God.” I groaned. “Can you please just stop? Ivy is coming back in two days, and I need to have an answer for her.” Frustration and panic laced my words.
Didn’t anyone else realize how serious this was? I had two days to make a choice that would change my life. It was, quite literally, an eternal choice.
“An answer about what?” Whitney asked.
“About changing into a vampire or joining her coven and becoming a witch,” I said.
Just saying that out loud sounded crazy. How had this become my life? I couldn’t decide if I wanted to laugh or scream—maybe I needed to do both.
“I know a place we can go,” Wyatt said.
The sound of his voice surprised me. I’d forgotten he was here—he was always so quiet.
“Where?” Trent asked.
“You mean a place we can hide?” I shook my head. “Ivy warned me not to run. Said if I did, they’d find me, and they wouldn’t be as accommodating.” I scrunched up my face at the memory of how menacing she’d sounded when she said that word. “She threatened all of you.” I crossed my arms. “I’m staying here.”
Trent grumbled something incoherent.
“Fascinating,” Sean said. He stood from the table and rubbed his hands over his face. “No wonder I was never able to find any information about this. The child born to Annmarie… Jim… The way he covered his tracks and hid his true identity. The lengths your father went to…” Sean shook his head with awe and walked toward me. “You really are the cure.”
I held my breath and shrank against the back of the couch, waiting to see what he’d do next.
“How long have you known?” he asked.
“Not long. I only found out shortly before I left with Trent to come here.” My voice was small and terrified.
Sean studied me like I was some creature he’d just discovered, an unknown species he wanted to poke and prod.
Trent moved to my side and wrapped his arm around me. “She’s telling the truth.”
“Oh, I have no doubts.” Sean smiled. “So, the question is, what do we do now?”
I cowered against Trent, and he tightened his hold on me. “We do whatever Chloe wants to do. This is her choice.”
“Yes, of course.” Sean waved his hand dismissively, but something in his expression had unease spreading through me.
I needed to get out of this room and away from everyone so I could think. “I know all of this is probably a shock, and I’m sorry I lied to everyone.” I cleared my throat, willing my voice to stay strong. “It’s been a very long day, and I’m going to bed.”
I headed for the staircase, not giving anyone the chance to respond. When I reached my room, I stepped inside and kicked the door closed. I paced, tearing bobby pins from hair until it was loose and falling around my shoulders, as if that would somehow calm my nerves.
A moment later, Trent entered. I crossed the room to him, and he enveloped me in his arms. “It’s going to be okay,” he whispered.
I wished I believed him. I wished he was right. And I wished I didn’t have this decision looming over my head. Pulling out of his embrace, I sat on the foot of the bed.
“If you had the option to turn back into a human, would you do it? For me?” I asked.
He tilted his head, clearly confused by my question. “Yes.”
“You would?”
He nodded. “I’d do anything for you, Chloe. How many times do I have to tell you that before you believe me?”
I blinked back tears. He’d give up his family, his life, his immortality… all for me. I wasn’t worthy of his love and devotion, not when I couldn’t make the same sacrifices for him.
Trent stood in front of me, hands in his pockets. I expected him to comfort me like he usually did, but he remained rooted in place.
“I know why you don’t want to become a vampire, but… why don’t you want to spend an eternity with me?” His voice was so broken.
My heart shattered, a million sharp pieces stabbing at me. I licked my lips and wiped my tears. I had no idea what to say to him. How could I explain that I did want an eternity with him, just not at the cost of living forever?
“I’ve had to deal with the guilt over what happened with Isach and Hannah and with the memory of your limp, near lifeless body in her arms as she drank the life from you.” His voice was so low I had to strain to hear him. “I kept telling myself it was over, you were okay, and that was all that mattered. Then your father showed up, and I actually lost you that time. You were gone, Chloe.”
Even though I hadn’t remembered him, he had remembered me and everything we’d shared. Me, on the other hand, had taken the cowardly way out and chose to have him wipe my memories.
“I finally get you back, and you know what happens?” He came to a stop in front of me, and I had to tilt my head back to see him. His eyes were darker than a midnight storm. “You collapse in my arms, and then I watched you lay in that bed dying.” He stabbed his finger toward the bed. “And I was absolutely powerless to do anything to help you. Wanna know why?”
Fresh tears slid down my cheeks. I was too emotional to form any words.
“Because the only thing I could do to save you was the
