Riley Hayes | A Vampire Novel | Book 2

Chapter 19

My voice is a mix of disbelief and rage, a raw and powerful expression of the turmoil raging inside me. I can feel the fury bubbling up, an uncontrollable force that seems to tear at the very fabric of my new existence. I can't control it; I can't hold back the tidal wave of anger that's crashing over me.

Damian's eyes are wide with fear and regret, his face wet with tears. He reaches out, but I can't stand to see his sorrowful expression. I turn my fury towards him, towards all of them. "You've taken everything from me! My humanity, my life—everything I was! And for what? So I could live like this?"

Aria and Christina exchange worried glances, their faces reflecting their own guilt and regret. Christina's eyes are sharp with frustration, but Aria's are filled with a deep sorrow that makes her look away. Wyatt stands back, his face a mask of uncomfortable empathy. Leuca, who had been closest to me, is now stepping back, his own eyes filled with a mixture of anguish and resignation.

"I told you I didn't want this!" I scream, my voice echoing with a fierce, unrelenting fury. "I didn't want to become a vampire! I wanted to die as a human, not be turned into a... a monster!"

My anger is consuming, a wild and chaotic force that feels both exhilarating and terrifying. I feel like a storm unleashed, tearing through the room with a powerful and uncontrollable energy. My new senses are amplifying every emotion, every sensation, making the rage even more intense. I can't handle the emotions. 

My head feels like it's exploding.

Leuca steps forward, his eyes pained but resolute. "Riley, please—"

"No!" I cut him off, my voice cracking with the force of my fury. "Don't you dare try to justify this! You took away my choice, my life, everything I was. And for what? To keep me alive in this new form that I never wanted? You're so selfish! I was suffering, begging to let it end!"

I'm shaking with the intensity of my anger, my body trembling as I struggle to manage the overwhelming sensations. I can feel the heat rising in me, a tangible manifestation of my rage. The room around me feels like it's closing in, the faces of those who once cared for me now seeming like distant, cold specters.

Tears of fury and betrayal mix with the anger burning within me. I feel trapped in this new existence, a world that's been thrust upon me against my will. I was suffering for so long, for this?

I was in pain for so long, for days! I was begging them to spare me some dignity and they decided to do this?

The rage is all-consuming, making it hard to think clearly or see anything beyond the immediate storm of emotions. I can't control it.

As I continue to scream, to shout my anguish and frustration, I can see the faces of those around me crumbling under the weight of my fury. They had done this to me, and now they must face the consequences of their actions. 

Rayna's voice cuts through the haze of fury, trying to offer some semblance of comfort. "Riley, these feelings are normal. You're going to experience every emotion much more intensely now—"

I cut her off, my voice a sharp, jagged edge. "Shut your mouth, Rayna!" The words come out with a force I didn't know I had, a sudden outburst that sends a chill through the room. I've never spoken to one of my kids like that, never even thought about it. But the rage, it's consuming me, making me say and do things I never would have before.

The room goes quiet, everyone's eyes wide with shock and fear. This isn't the Riley they know. I can feel their fear like a tangible thing, and it only fuels my anger.

Leuca tries to calm me, his voice strained with a mixture of concern and frustration. "Riley, calm down. We'll explain everything but, you need to control yourself—"