Violet Forsythe has finally found peace.
She successfully escaped a coven of malignant vampires, worked hard to get an education, and has actually managed to pull herself together.
But, as old acquaintances begin to resurface, the life that Violet w...
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Waves of balloons, streamers, and confetti poured from the ceiling indoors and billowed outside and across the lawn towards us as the crowd whooped and cheered.
I must have heard Mark wrong. I hoped I heard him wrong.
Maybe all of the drinks I had throughout the evening had gone to my head. Maybe I was hearing things.
"Mark, I don't think now is a good time to talk about this," I said, raising my voice and leaning towards him so he could hear me over the ruckus around us.
"Huh?" he said, leaning in towards me, as well.
"I've had a lot to drink! It's not a good time for this!" I yelled over the music and cheers.
"Oh! Okay!" Mark yelled sunnily, although his expression looked a bit disheartened.
"I need to go use the restroom," I said, lowering my voice as the crowd began to settle down a bit. "I'll be right back."
"Okay. I'll be here," Mark replied with a smile, raising his cup to me as I turned to leave.
I smiled back before making my way inside to fight my way to the powder room that was located near the front door, in a short hallway just off of the kitchen.
I was fortunate and found the powder room empty - everyone was still coming down from the countdown. I popped on the light, swiftly closed the door, and sat down on the toilet lid.
I needed a moment alone to think.
'Damn it!' I thought, cursing myself.
I knew better than to keep people around; the last thing I wanted was for anyone to grow attached to me.
'This whole mess is my fault. I should've cut him off years ago,' I thought dully.
It wasn't just that I didn't want people to grow attached to me; I couldn't let them. It wouldn't have been fair.
When I woke up from the coma I was in for six months after my parents passed, I never felt the same. I felt colder inside. I felt numb.
The whole experience changed me. Losing my family and almost dying myself. Physically, I'd recovered, and I did my best to keep moving forward with my life, but internally I still felt hollow.
My world was cold and dull, and it wasn't fair for me to drag Mark down into it with me.
He deserved better than anything I could offer.
I overheard a few people loudly complaining on the other side of the restroom door about how long I was taking, so I quickly wrapped up my internal monologue.
I'd wait until tomorrow, after I'd sobered up, before talking to Mark. I wanted to let him down gently, and I didn't think I could achieve that while I was several drinks in, in the throes of a New Years celebration. I'd ask him to meet up for coffee and break the news quickly. No drama necessary.
"Come on!" a nasally girl whined through the door.
"One second!" I called before attempting to haul myself off of the toilet lid.
When I stood, I immediately staggered sideways into the wall.
'Oh, no. My drinks must've been much stronger than I thought.'
I steadied myself against the wall and thanked the heavens that the heels I wore were on the chunkier side, so my odds of falling down were slightly diminished. Although I regrettably wore a black, body hugging cocktail dress that was a bit restricting.
I ran my hands over the skirt, smoothing it out, before I reached for the door.
"Hey! What are you doing?" someone cried out in the hallway.
"No cutting!" someone else called as I swung the door open.
To my surprise, I found myself face to face with the most beautiful girl I'd ever laid eyes on.
She had pale, flawless skin, big brown eyes, full lips, and a mane of bronze ringlets.
"Violet!" the girl exclaimed. She sounded incredibly distressed.
Before I could respond, she pushed herself into the powder room with me and firmly closed the door behind her.
"Hi," I said cautiously. I had no idea who the hell that girl was, or how she knew my name.
"Oh, my God! I found you! I can't believe it!" she exclaimed before pulling me into a tight hug.
I didn't know what to say, or where to begin. I was completely lost.
"I know it's been a long time," the girl said, launching into a diatribe as she let me go, "and I know things didn't end on a good note between us, but— oh, Violet!"
"What?" I asked, bewildered.
"I'm so sorry! I shouldn't have let you go to Italy. But, Jacob died and I was so hurt and I— I shouldn't have pushed you away from me, or my family."
"Um. Thanks?"
"I'm so glad I got here in time. Oh, my God, Violet. I was so scared that I was too late. My family told me not to get involved, but...you're still my best friend, you know? No matter what."
"I'm sorry?"
"No, I'm sorry! Cutting you out when you had nothing; I basically handed you over to the Volturi on a silver platter. I might as well have signed your death certificate!"
"What are you talking about?" I asked incredulously.
"They're going to kill you, Violet!" the girl said frantically.
"Who?!"
"The Volturi!"
"How do you know that?" I demanded.
"Alice saw it. She had a vision about it," the girl divulged. Her eyes wet with tears and brimming with concern. "I know it's been a long time, but I couldn't sit by and let you get murdered."
I stared at the girl, completely lost— and concerned. Visions? Murder? She must've been a lunatic.
"I don't know what happened to you while you were in Volterra, but I swear, Alice saw it. She saw you get brutally attacked."
"By who?!" I exclaimed, growing increasingly panicked.
"Demetri!" the girl said frantically. "Demetri is going to kill you!"
