Falling From Eternity (A Paranormal Love Story) (20 page)

When Ming stormed in with
his team, they kicked me out of the room. I wandered the halls
finding that the entire staff of Shady Willows had mysteriously
disappeared. Ming had no doubt cleared their minds and they would
wake up in the morning with no recollection that anything had ever
happened. That’s what I thought had happened to Maryann until
tonight. Somehow she’d been missed, or maybe there was more to it
than that. Could I really believe anything she said to me? Did
Autumn really leave something for me, or was Maryann part of
something sinister? I’d known Ming a
very
long time and there was no way
he would leave a human witness, unless…unless she was working for
him!

That was it! That’s why
she didn’t tell me about Autumn’s illness! That’s why she didn’t
answer the phone the night Autumn died! She was working with Ming
to keep tabs on me and to insure he’d get what he wanted; me.
He
knew
there was
a good chance I was lying when I said I’d return to the family if
he saved her. I cursed myself for not being a better liar.
The
only
way he
could have a guarantee that I wouldn’t stray was if he took away
what I cared about most. Autumn.

“
Bastard!” I screamed into
the night, my mouth salivated and my fangs ached as my heart
hammered in my chest.

My thirst for revenge devoured
me.

I was going to kill them
all!

Blinded by my rage, I sailed through
the gloomy fog of night guided by only one thing; complete, and
utter hatred. They were baiting me, promising me a piece of Autumn
to lure me into a trap so that Ming could capture me. Won’t he be
surprised when his little ploy didn’t work? I could almost see the
whites of his eyes expanding in shock as I imagined clenching his
throat in my hands before tearing it from his body. The sound of
his scream pulled up the corners of my lips as I ran.

~

13

Lies

I wasn’t surprised to find Shady
Willows washed in complete darkness. The double doors of the foyer
squeaked loudly at my entrance, crying out their protest to my
arrival. I teased with the idea of opening and closing the doors
again to ensure my “captors” knew I had come. My feet clapped
against the linoleum, echoing throughout the empty hallways as I
followed the path I knew so well. My tongue slid across my fangs in
preparation for the glorious assault that was about to happen. It
was almost comical that the vampiric beast I had been fighting, and
confining for so long was the one thing that would give me
retribution. Ming wanted me to embrace the vampire I once was…he
was going to be sorry he ever laid eyes on me.

My breath came in ragged gulps, and my
muscles flexed; pulsing in preparation. I was ready. Any second now
and Ming would make his attack; he’d wait for the perfect moment to
catch me off guard. There would be no perfect moment, but I’d
definitely make him think there was one.

Surprise made me hesitate for only a
split second, when I entered Autumn’s room to find it completely
empty. Every piece of furniture, framed picture, potted plant, and
area rug was gone. Even the standard items that belonged to Shady
Willows were missing. Maybe this was what Ming had planned; to make
me falter when I saw they’d erased all evidence of Autumn ever
being here.

Not wanting him to win, I kept a
strong hold on my wrath as I stepped further into the front room.
The small kitchenette was just as bare as the rest of the space;
they didn’t even leave behind the automatic soap dispenser that
Autumn had used. I understood their thinking on removing the
sentimental items to try and elicit an emotional response from me,
but the soap? Seriously?

I might have thought I had
control, and I might have fooled myself into believing that the
level of my ire was unmatched, but that couldn’t hold a candle to
the absolute misery that overcame me when I turned into the bedroom
to see the one item they
did
leave behind for me to find. Or, the item
“Autumn” left me. The painting she had been working on right before
she died stood lonely beside the window, right where she’d left it.
The sheet she used to cover it from my peeping eyes lay in a
wrinkled pile on the floor. I had repeatedly tried to get just one
glance at it, but she always scolded me saying I had to wait until
she was done. The ground became quicksand as I fought for every
step across the room. Had Maryann been telling me the truth all
along? Had Autumn left this final painting for me? Desperation
bloomed within me, I wanted this painting. I
needed
to have it near me always, so
that I could keep her with me, forever; just as she had
promised.

There had never been a more powerful
piece of art ever made. My own face was scrawled across the canvas,
staring back at me with a familiar, severe countenance. Her own
profile eclipsed mine, a peaceful expression softening the
penetrating glare in my gaze. I stepped closer, my fingertips
reaching forward to trace the trail of the pencil, hoping to feel
her presence. She had captured our likeness with striking
perfection. Subdued colors trailed from the sketch, dripping down
the piece with an eerie sadness as if the work itself felt the
separation from its creator.

My eyes scanned the curve of her face
and the few curling tendrils that framed her features when a sound
behind me brought my thoughts back to reality. This would be the
perfect time for Ming to make his move. I might have been weakened,
softened by the image Autumn had captured so seamlessly but I
wasn’t about to let him take me without a fight.

I rounded on the intruder behind me,
growling from the pit of my stomach as my fangs flashed menacingly
in the streaming moonlight. The figure stood in the doorway,
shrouded by shadow and I was ready for them. As soon as they made
their move I would strike.

“
I’m a little disappointed
in you, William. I thought you would have figured it out by now,”
Ming’s controlling voice boomed.

There was no time for words, I could
only act. I lunged for him like a lion, my legs propelling me
skyward. My vision blurred as unbridled rage penetrated every
molecule of my being. I wanted him dead. I wanted him to cease to
exist, to know the agony of the limitless void of death. He had
some part in this I was certain. I didn’t care what it was, but I
sure as hell was going to make him pay. Make him sorry he took her
away from me.

As I knew he would be; Ming had been
ready for my attack. He avoided my strike with timeless ease,
shifting to the right as my fist struck drywall. Dust exploded in
my face as the wall gave way to the brute force of my strength. If
only that wall had been his throat this would all be
over.

I tore my hand from the wall, ready to
lash out again when an iron grip clutched my throat. Sharp nails
dug into my flesh, threatening to slice into my windpipe as Ming
pushed me up the wall; my feet dangling off the ground.

“
You always had such a
temper, tsk, tsk,” Ming said, sounding amused as he tightened his
grip. I jerked furiously, clawing at his hand to free myself but
his abilities more than surpassed my own. “It used to be one of
your finer qualities…” he trailed off, as if the memory of who I
used to be was so fond to him he had no choice but succumb to
it.

I could never be
that
thing,
again. Ming and I had spent countless decades living a life
of extravagance, of domination, and ravenous hunger. Women flocked
to us, love-sick with our power and strength; happy to fill our
every desire, our every thirst. Men would pay us mountains of gold
to kill their enemies, and help them rise in high society. First it
was dukes, and lords; then it was kings. Now, now it was
politicians and presidents; anyone with enough money to tantalize
our interests. Anyone who could give us something we wanted. For
Ming it had become about destroying his competitors. He would pay
anything, hire anyone and kill anyone to make sure he was the
leading blood bank for our kind. For longer than I liked to admit,
I had been his right hand.
I
had been his mercenary, and when he’d lost me,
his reign over the other clans had lost its footing. As the decades
grew into centuries, Ming’s hunger for power only grew stronger. I,
however, began a descent that would leave me in the grips of his
mercy.

“
Just do it,” I
wheezed.

“
And what is it you think
I’m going to do?” His voice was full of evil amusement.

“
Please, just kill me.” I
might have wanted to lose myself in the monster I was, but I knew
there was only one true escape. Only
one
way to end my pain.

“
Always such a flare for
the dramatic,” Ming chuckled, releasing his grip and dropping me to
the floor. I coughed violently, rubbing my throat as I watched him
pace around the room. His finger trailed around the edge of
Autumn’s painting, and my heart lurched into my throat; fearful
that he would rip it to pieces just to torture me.

“
I’m not going to kill
you, William,” he said, smiling at me with a sneer that made my
skin crawl. “I was angry with you, but you’re too
important.”

“
Then what do you want?
Why are you here?”

“
I told you I wanted you
to come back to me, didn’t I? I needed to ensure that would
happen.”

I glanced around the room, waiting for
the catch to reveal itself. Ming was up to something.

“
What did you
do?”

“
Oh, I’ve done a lot of
things.” He laughed again, adjusting his burgundy tie that slid
down the center of his sleek black suit. “I got you this job. I
helped you find a nice little town where you couldn’t cause too
much trouble.”

“
What are you talking
about? I didn’t even tell you where I was going.” I attempted to
stand up, but before I could even straighten one leg, he shoved me
back down.

“
Did you really think I
haven’t known your every move since the day you left? Really,
William, I thought you knew me better than that. You are my prized
stallion; I couldn’t just let you leave. Could I?” I glared at him,
my ire blazing inside me. I’d wanted to die, but I wanted to take
him with me.

“
So, what? You’ve been
spying on me?” I honestly didn’t care if he’d watched every second
of my life since I’d left the clan. What did that even
matter?

“
I wouldn’t call it
spying…I’ve been protecting my investments.”

“
Investments! Is that all
I am to you? We’re supposed to be family, Ming!”

“
But we are,
William,
we are
.”
His eyes gleamed at me with a sickening twinkle. “I had to protect
my family. I couldn’t let these…these humans infect you. Not after
all the work I’ve done. I stomached your little rebellion, but
things were going too far.”

Something in my gut was telling me
that Ming was hiding things from me. He was hinting at it, trying
to see if I could figure it out myself but nothing made sense
anymore. My life was spiraling out of control and I was just along
for the ride.

“
What do you mean all the
work you’ve done?” The pain in my throat was starting to subside,
and I pushed my back against the wall to sit up straighter. I
wanted to spring up and lash out at him until one or both of us
died, but right now he was talking, and I wanted
answers.

“
You, of course! Do you
really not see it?” He laughed again, marching to the doorway of
the bedroom and waving someone in. Two colossal guards ambled in,
folding their arms across their chest and staring me down like I
was an annoying gnat. “I used to think you were so smart, but I
think your years among the humans have spoiled you. I thought for
sure that after I got rid of your dear Hazel that you’d come back
to us, but you just couldn’t let go could you?”

“
What did you do to
Hazel?” I bellowed, pulling myself up only to be slammed against
the wall by his guards. They gripped me hard against the wall,
fanning my arms out like they were waiting for Ming to start
throwing knives at me. In a way he already had.

“
Nothing that time
wouldn’t have done anyway. I just sped up the process.” He shrugged
his shoulders, spinning the massive gold ring on his finger around
and around. “She was getting to you, William. Didn’t you see that?
I couldn’t let her destroy everything I’ve worked so hard
for.”

“
Destroy what?”

“
You’re special, William.
I always told you you were, didn’t I? My most impressive
creation.”

“
Creation?”

“
Oh, yes. You see, your
maker never abandoned you. I didn’t just happen to find you in that
alleyway. I
am
your maker, William.”

“
How?” A million questions
exploded in my mind. All these years I’d felt completely alone, and
all along my true maker had been right beside me.

“
The bond between a
vampire and his maker is nothing more than a burden. A cage.
Imagine the freedom to do as you wished without anyone knowing!
Imagine the secrets that would stay buried, and the lies that would
never be exposed! You were my experiment, William. You were the
first born in the liberation of our species! You live that freedom
every day. It’s only right that every vampire be awarded that
gift.”