Faetality |✓|

Chapter Twenty, Part Four - A Gift of Blood and Bone

"They're not as incompetent as they seem. And neither am I."

"Yeah, well, I guess we'll see about that," I said with another glance behind me. Was it just my imagination or was the electricity binding Tanise and Ellara already beginning to fade?

"All done," Riley said, cutting through the last bit of rope. Shaking, Sienna reached up to remove the gag. "Uh-uh, I don't think so," Riley shook his head. "Leave it in."

Sienna groaned through the fabric and stamped her foot but did as she was told.

"Listen, I'm gonna get you out of here, but you have to help me with Juliette. Can you do that?"

Sienna nodded meekly in reply.

I watched as they made their way to Juliette's prone form. Together they hoisted the Vampire off the ground, supporting her weight between the two of them.

"Hey, Riley, you know what to tell my family if... if..." The words were there - I could find them. I just didn't have the strength to say them aloud.

"Shut-up. It won't come to that. Ok?"

Quietly, I nodded.

"Remember, Tamsyn, ten minutes."

"Ten minutes," I repeated, watching them begin the trek to freedom, while I stayed behind to wait with death.

* * *

I sat with my back against a tree, the Blade of Woe in my lap, counting down the minutes and watching as Tanise and Ellara continued to writhe in pain. The spell that Riley had used was a powerful one, which showed that maybe, just maybe, there were things I could learn from him after all.

If I survived.

"Why... is it so damn hard to kill you?"

I grinned bitterly at Tanise's question and stood up, brushing off the seat of my jeans.

"I dunno. Maybe you just suck at your job." I replied, walking forward until I reached my Aunt. She was sitting up in the snow, little threads of electricity still sparking from her skin and clothing every few seconds. But for the most part she seemed no longer affected. Calmly, I raised the blade until its tip was level with her throat, just centimeters from coming into actual contact.

"I should do it - I should kill you right now," I said. "Because if I don't, the Society will anyway. I'd be boing them a favor."

"Then go ahead," she snarled. "Do it."