Revived

Chapter 20

Chapter 20 - Truth

Flash. The restaurant plummeted into darkness as all the lights were shut off. A daze of confusion erupted from everyone and I looked around for the electricity box. Then I felt the cold metal against my throat.

"Don't. Move." I heard her snarl.

I sucked in a breath as the lights flashed on again. A piercing scream echoed through the room. Everyone turned towards the stage instantly. Frozen.

"What are you doing Alice?" Skandar yelled, rushing up towards the stage. Alice pointed the dagger at him, the cold silver metal gleaming in the light as her arm wrapped around my neck. He stopped immediately at the foot of the stage.

"I said. Don't. Move." She growled and the point of the knife pressed into the side of my neck.

"What are you doing?" I whispered breathily, trying not to move into the blade.

"Taking revenge." She chuckled and teased the side of my neck with the point. It sent shocks and memories running through my veins.

"Put it down Alice." Tyler urged as he held a crying Anna. Anna never cried. She fought. The makeup streaked down her face, her body so small in Tyler's embrace. Don't cry. Please don't cry.

"Don't tell me what to do or your mother is done for." She snarled, her breath heating the skin of my neck. My breath hitched in my throat. What? Mother? Tyler's mother? Oh no... Oh no no no.

"Alice. We can fix this remember?" I pleaded.

"You should have done that years ago when your mother seduced my dad!" She screeched and her arm tightened around my neck. I choked, the words absorbing into my mind. Her face peered towards mine, eyes still bloodshot red. They were red like my dream, filled with thirst and anger. "Yes. You heard me right. Your mother was the woman my father had gone after. The woman who'd sprung chaos into my family. Who'd ruined my mother. Who'd made Emmelyn's life living hell." Her voice dropped into a deep growl.

"He killed my mother Alice." I heaved. Her eyes darkened.

"And she left you to pay the price." A smirk formed on her lips. "Oh poor you." She dragged the dagger down my neck. I shuddered.

"He ruined both of our families. It's not my mother's fault." I yelled, struggling against her hold.

"And he's in jail now!" She screamed, gripping the knife more. Her knuckles reddened, veins popping out of her pale skin. "To rot forever. All I have to deal with now," She smiled darkly. "Is you." Straining my neck, I tried to pull her arm away, clawing at her forearm with my barely existent nails. But she was so strong, so so strong, powered by adrenaline.

"Stop it Alice." Skandar warned, his eyes darkening.

"Oh and you know how I get to deal with you?" She laughed bitterly before murmuring, "By getting to the one person you love. Poor Skandar." She mock sobbed. Skandar's jaw clenched, and so did his hands. My eyes widened. "Did you really think that I had slept with him? Please. He's too faithful. That's why I had to threaten him with his mother's and your life to fake it for you to see. That did the trick."

I was paralysed in shock. But at the same time, a rush of relief filled me. He didn't do it. He didn't cheat. Oh my hades. Skandar. Skandar look at me. I tried to catch his eye, but his vision was tunnelled to Alice. "B-b-but. All that stuff with him comforting you because of your mother..."

"Did you forget my profession? I'm an actress. Hello?" She scoffed. "He had to go along with it or his mother was worm meat. And while I was at it, I forced your two best buddies to fake marry so I had the chance to kill you at the reception." Alice gestured towards Tyler and Anna with her knife. "This whole wedding is a hoax. I mean c'mon. You didn't even get to see them tie the fake knot. And they care way too much for you. Too bad you'll be dead."