Limbo (Part Two)

Chapter Nineteen: Love lost

Chapter Nineteen: Love lost

As I sank my fangs into another shape-shifter, it was easy to believe I was something evil - something wicked. It took all the willpower I had not to drain them dry, but the angel had been very clear: no more nephilim were to die. So I took a little bit of blood from each one, enough blood to serve my purposes and to get them out of the way but not enough to kill them.

I needed to be strong for what was coming, but more than that I hoped the smell of their blood might disguise me just long enough to get close before I was discovered. After all, it had worked for Mara - but then again, she had had centuries to disguise her scent. I only had a few hours.

I gently laid the unconscious shape-shifter against a pillar and continued on my path. Whether my plan would work or not, I still had to try. I wasn't going to leave Adrienne, Roran, and David at Mara's mercy. Not that she seemed to have any.

Taking a deep breath, I prepared myself for a reckoning and turned the corner. Most of the shape-shifters in the room weren't facing me and were instead turned away listening to someone speak. The voice was quiet, speaking almost in a whisper, but I recognized it anyway.

David.

I let out an involuntary sigh. There was no way I could hurt him, whether it was just a minor wound or not. I wouldn't hurt him more than I already had.

Upon hearing my sigh every head turned in my direction. The threatening glares on their faces were clear even in the dim light.

It seemed I wouldn't be making it to Mara after all.

All of them moved at once, a synchronized unit intent on my demise. Their steps forward were sure and their glances at each other were calculating, as if they had been planning this.

David's eyes were less hostile than the others, but the betrayal and pain I saw in them was worse because that I knew I deserved. He had claimed to love me once. No more, it seemed.

Just as they closed in and I prepared myself for the inevitable, I heard David command, "Don't hurt her."

All eyes turned toward him in surprise, including my own. Rebellion and loyalty warred on the faces of the shape-shifters surrounding us. I could see in their eyes how much they wanted to disobey and rip me apart, but something stopped them. Perhaps they really were inherently good, righteous creatures like the angel said.

"We will take her to Mara," David told them. "She's our leader, so it should be her decision to make, not ours."

I tried not to look pleased. Not only did I get to bypass the shape-shifter army with no injuries, but I was getting taken directly to the person I needed to see. Apparently I had a guardian angel on my side. I sent up a silent thank you to him, wherever he was.

While they didn't hurt me terribly, the shape-shifters were none too gentle as they drug me along through the corridors. I tried several times to make eye contact with David again, hoping beyond hope that I could reason with him and let him in on Mara's secret before we arrived. He stared forward with narrowed eyes and a clenched jaw, refusing to even offer me a glance.

Realizing I might die in the next few hours, I decided to speak my mind and let him make of it what he would. I just knew I couldn't leave things like this between us.

"David," I whispered, knowing he heard me when I saw his head twitch in my direction slightly. "I know Mara's probably told you things about me. Most of which are probably true. I'm not denying that I've done awful things. But you need to know that she is also telling you a lot of lies as well."

"Shut up, vampire," the shape-shifter holding my left arm snarled. "No one here is going to believe your lies."

I couldn't though. David deserved to know the truth about the reason his brother died.