“We came for the element,” Matthew said, pointing at me.
“I don’t think you’ll get it,” Edmund stated, staring down the were-vamp.
“She’ll go down just like the others. Her blood will satisfy my increasing thirst,” Matthew snarled. He was already in the process of changing.
Edmund shook his head and frowned. “Be my guest then.” Edmund moved out of the way and motioned to the creature to go past him.
The moment Edmund stepped aside Matthew lunged for me. I levitated instantly, and flames sprang from my fingers. Matthew didn’t stop. He charged ahead, fangs ready to bite. I looked down at him, and the overwhelming need to take his soul consumed me. There was nothing this creature could do now that would keep it alive.
As Matthew went for the bite, the eyes of the other two widened as they realized by the flames in my hands what I was. Fear flashed across their faces. Gregory screamed at Matthew to stop, but Edmund grabbed him by the throat and threw him to the ground. Penelope transformed into her other body and lunged for my brother, but my mother grabbed her by the scruff of the neck and held her so that two of Edmund’s followers could hold her down. Matthew, meanwhile, had managed to sink his teeth into my skin. I merely laughed. His body started to tremble, and he had a look of utter terror on his face as he began to burn from the inside.
In the space of a few seconds, all three creatures lay dead at our feet. I felt rejuvenated and my body renewed as more power filled my core. Laughing, I soared into the air, higher than I had ever gone before. Flames shot from my fingertips as I looked down on those below me, my family, and allies.
Those who would have murdered us were gone. Midvale was now safe again for the element Carriers. And it would stay that way if I had anything to do with it. By ingesting the power of another, I had increased my brute strength, and it felt terrific. Then I was hit with sudden pain and tumbled back to earth, with a terrible scream.
“Aaron!”
Shawn managed to grab me before my head hit the ground. He looked wide-eyed at my father, who took my mother by the arm and pulled her away from me. Everything seemed to be happening in slow motion.
This pain was nothing like what I’d felt when I lost Wesley. This was excruciating. It was like I was witnessing someone ripping Aaron to shreds and feeling what he was feeling. I could hear him screaming in my head.
Edmund looked unsure if he should touch me, even though my flame had burnt out. Shawn scooped me up and yelled orders at everyone. There were more than three; I knew it as a cold certainty. There were many others. While these three had come to detain us, the rest had ascended on Midvale.
“Aaron!” I screamed again, struggling to release myself from Shawn’s hold. But my limbs would hardly move. I was frozen rigid, listening to the screaming in my head.
Shawn put me down on the couch in the living room, then ran back outside, leaving me with a pale-faced woman I’d never seen before. Edmund instructed her to stay with me, explaining that my claim had come under attack.
I don’t know when I blacked out, but before I did, I saw Aaron’s face. They had him pinned to the wall and were biting him, clawing at him, while he screamed for someone, anyone, to come to his rescue. Shawn had told me to tell him to lock his door; now I understood why. I watched him fade, and the entire world went dark.
****
I came to in the grass outside Aaron’s house. My mother was standing with her mouth moving, her eyes white, and her hands clasped with my father’s and Shawn’s. They too seemed to be speaking. As I stood up, I realized what they had done. They had summoned me.
Fear washed over me as I looked at them and then at the house. The door was broken open, and there was blood on the steps. I sprinted up them, ignoring cries for me to stop. As I entered the house, I fell over. Aaron was lying in the center of the living room; his eyes closed. He wasn’t moving. Tears streamed down my face as I crawled toward him and threw my arms across his body.
“It was a distraction,” I heard Shawn saying behind me. “Just in case the three failed, the rest of the pack and coven had orders to take out what mattered to you most.” His hand touched my shoulder.
I covered Aaron’s body with my own, sobbing helplessly.
“Dawn listen to me,” Shawn insisted. “We called you here so you could see he wasn’t dead.”
It took a few seconds for his meaning to filter into my brain. Then I looked up at him. His mouth was a thin line, and his eyes were glistening with tears, but he nodded at me encouragingly.
I reached out and searched frantically for a pulse. And found one! It was weak, but it was there. I jumped up and hugged Shawn.
“What–what do we do now?” I stammered as I wiped the tears away.
“Your mom already called the ambulance. All three of them have been attacked. Edmund is upstairs with his parents right now.”
“Are they...?” I choked.
“Alive? Yes. We were able to get here in enough time to save the family. Sometimes having a claim on someone’s soul can be a good thing,” Shawn said, with half a smile.
“Sometimes tracking your sister’s boyfriend can be as well,” I stated as we heard sirens approaching.
“Is this how it happened with Wesley?” he asked softly as I kneeled back on the floor and put Aaron’s hand in mine.
“No, Wesley was attacked by Miranda. She used the vampires to assist her in draining him. I guess to make it
