Eternal Redemption - Book Two ✔

Chapter 10

Grant stared at me, but the shock of hearing that his two brothers were dead didn't seem to impact him much, or else he was good at hiding it. His face was like of stone, not revealing anything that was going on inside his mind. He lowered his eyes and I saw his jaws clench, like I had so often with Dennis. Grant didn't speak, but my eyes didn't stray from his face, watching his every movement, ready for a reaction.

"I suspected as much," he finally said in a calm voice, which surprised me. "We were separated when they were so young and I never thought they would make it very long." He finally met my gaze and I could clearly see the sorrow in his eyes. "When?"

"I've lost track of time, but probably several months ago." I almost looked back at Nox, but stopped myself. I knew he could probably tell me how long it had been, but I didn't want to ask him with Grant around. He might try and fight Nox if he knew what had happened and Grant didn't deserve to die. Because he would if he tried.

"I see." Then, after a moment he added, "where?"

"Somewhere down in the desert, old Arizona or maybe California. We didn't really keep track." My voice trailed off. I could still see them so clearly, so vividly in my mind. Dennis would tease Johan, especially about his size and Johan would get this crease between his brows and you could tell he wanted to punch his older brother in the face, but he never did.

"What happened?" I asked, tearing myself away from the memory. "They never told me they had any surviving family."

"They probably didn't know. It was all chaos and dark. I don't even quite know how I escaped myself."

I waited for him to continue, but he remained quiet and I didn't push him on it. It wasn't my place. I wanted to reach out, grab his hand, anything to let him know that I understood and was hurting over the loss as well, but I just stood there and the only thing I knew for certain was that I didn't want to leave him. It was like reclaiming a part of my past that had stuck with me for years, ensuring my survival for so long up until the night where everything had spiralled out of control.

Despite having sedated my bloodlust I could still feel it prickling in my throat, always looking for something to feed on. I tried not to breathe, but out of sheer habit I inhaled and savoured his human scent that hit me like a wave. It was inviting, almost mouth-watering, however, I would never let myself harm Dennis and Johan's brother. I felt the urge from deep within me to not leave him out of my sight, but before I could say anything, Nox cleared his throat from right behind me.

"Are we done here? Emily, we have somewhere to be." He placed his hand on my upper arm. I almost wanted to shrug away from his touch and without thinking I said, "Come with us."

Instantly, I felt Nox tense up behind me, but I did not care. I took a small step forward. "Please. We can talk; we're in Seattle for the time being, I hope."

"Thank you, but I have my own places to be," Grant replied and I thought he almost sounded sad.

I looked at him, the smallest of smiles appearing on his face as he said, "At least now I know. I guess it was fate meeting you this night. Thank you." His hand twitched as if he wanted to extend it towards me, but his arms remained at his sides. "If the fates are kind we will meet again." And with a final look at me, completely ignoring Nox behind me, Grant turned and walked away. I almost walked with him.

"Emily," Nox urged and I felt my body turn, guided by his hand.

I didn't look back as we left the alley although everything in me screamed at me to do so. I would make sure we'd meet again, if not for me then for Dennis and Johan. I could protect their brother, like they protected me for all those years and to make up for how I wasn't able to protect them when the time came. I felt my body grow even colder; I shut off my senses, not wanting to breathe in the heaviness surrounding me. I could feel the darkness within me scraping it's claws against the walls of my remaining humanity, to find a solid footing, to slowly drag me down with it, but I refused. I may have been a vampire now, but I would not let it define me as a person, even though I knew it was the easy choice – to just let go and let the monster take over.

I looked over at Nox walking besides me and felt reassured. I knew he would never let me go down that way. I knew he wouldn't.

"So where exactly are we going?" I asked as we travelled through the dense city centre. None of us had talked about Grant and I was relieved that Nox didn't start asking questions. It felt like a betrayal to talk about them with Nox. I knew he'd been acting under Shax's orders, but that didn't mean what he did hurt any less.

"Pier fifty, around Pioneer Square." Nox's reply was curt and I knew better than to continue talking when he was in a mood like this, so I kept quiet and kept up the pace next to him.

The crowds of people slowly thinned the farther we got from the main streets. The now familiar tangy scent of the ocean wafted in and in the distance, I could make out the subtle, rhythmic sound of waves.

"Is a pier near the ocean?" I asked and I could practically feel Nox's smile through our bond. Glancing at him showed his lips widening in a grin.

"Yes, it is." He didn't elaborate, but instead picked up the pace, kicking it up to vamp speed and I obediently followed as my surroundings started blurring.

We sped past skyscrapers upon skyscrapers, their towers disappearing up into the cloudy skies that hid most of the stars. The area we'd just entered felt grittier than the last one; barely any people and no shops, almost with a sense of abandonment with clusters of broken down cars and larger vehicles. Trash fluttered around in the slight wind, but here and there I could make out a person huddled in a crevice of a building, covered in rags and blankets.

The ocean scent grew stronger and suddenly, rounding a corner, there it was; it was calmer than what I'd grown used to running along the coastal line.

"There's a large warehouse by the pier where I've been told a man has set up shop."

"That man being...?"

"Your father, hopefully."

I nodded as we came closer to the water. Its calmness washed over me and I felt calmer than I had before, despite the raging emotions whirling around inside of me. I could do this. I needed to do this.

"What kind of shop?" I asked.

"Mechanical I believe; I've heard some of his customers are in with the big shots in town."

"Big shots? You don't mean – "

"Vampires, yes."

I didn't know how to feel about that. What did that mean? He had run from vampires in the past, but now he was working with them? The calmness the ocean provided vaporized into nothing.

"There," Nox said, stopping and pointing to a tall, rundown building. Lights emanated from the windows, some cracked, some missing the glass all together.

"Are you ready?" Nox turned to face me and he took my hand in his, his thumb rubbing gently across my skin. It soothed me, like nothing else. I knew I could do this, because I had him by my side. I looked up into his crimson eyes; eyes that had once terrified me, but now held a warmth that went through me, burying itself within me, keeping me upright. My lips, aching for his to touch them, curved upwards in a slight smile.

"I'm ready."