Gray

Chapter 40

Gray

"You're early, Nikolai. The moon has not reached its apex," I snapped. He only chuckled in response. "And I hate disappointing you, but he isn't your grandson. Now kindly fuck all the way off." Nate gave a quiet snort next to me as he held back his laughter.

Nikolai's eyes darkened and Reid appeared next to him with a flick of his hand. "You have a contract to fulfill, Gracie Jean. It is time to honor your responsibilities." He spoke in an even tone, but his body language betrayed his rage. "You have no say in this matter. If you refuse then you have just sentenced all of them to oblivion. After all, you are the center of this spell. Are you ready to destroy all of these innocent souls, my daughter?"

North

"Are you ready to destroy all of these innocent souls, my daughter?" Nikolai taunted Gray.

"I didn't do this, you did! You trapped all of them here, not me," she screamed back at him.

His cruel laughter filled the air, "I may have held them here, but you, Gracie Jean, well you are the siren that called to them. Just as you lured your bonds to you, all these innocent souls followed you here."

Her eyes watered as she shook her head, "No...no that's not true. I couldn't...I wouldn't." I could feel the anguish in her heart. As Gray began to tremble, Galen started to wail in Sean's arms.

"Don't listen to him, love," Silas spoke calmly, edging closer to her. "You have done nothing wrong."

Reid grunted, "Sure she has. Just look at the child in her arms. He was never meant to exist, his very birth defies natural law. It was the power of this spell, of these souls that brought him into existence. Kill us and you kill the souls, Gracie Jean - which means you kill your son."

"No," she gasped, eyes wide, and pressing Galen against her chest as he suddenly appeared in her arms and not Sean's. "You...you're lying.

"Willing to put that to the test?" Reid sneered.

Faster than we could react, he pulled out a blade he must have hidden and flung it at them.

"No!" I roared, as Silas and I tried to get to react. A sickening realization made us all freeze as Nate made a gurgling sound. He dropped to his knees in front of her, the blade protruding from his back as she screamed his name.

"I told you I'd protect you, my beloved," Nate choked. She reached out for his face, her fingers barely grazing his skin before he fell to the ground unmoving. We all rushed toward her, forming a barricade around them.

Her body shook as Silas took Galen from her arms. She fell to the grass next to Nate's body, crying and trying to rouse him. "You can't leave me, not now. Come on, dammit, you're a vampire...you can't die! Please, please come back, Nate." Her sobs broke all our hearts as we cried with her, unable to do anything.

Suddenly, Gray threw her head back and let out a feral scream that sent all of us reeling, including Nikolai and Reid. "Is this what you want? Is this what you want from me, Nikolai," she snarled, her hands crackling with what looked like lightning but it was black. "If they die,  we all die together - including you!"

Gray

I felt the magic roaring to life inside of me, pushing to consume me as I lashed out first at Reid. The look on his face was priceless as the blast struck him. "Is that all you have, princess?"

"Wait for it," I replied, my voice edging on insanity. He began to cough, then grabbed at his throat and head, swaying. When he opened his mouth to scream, only black bile flooded out as my magic turned him inside out until he was nothing but a pile of liquid smoldering on the ground.

Slow, loud handclapping filled the air. "Bravo, bravo, my girl. I knew you couldn't fight the darkness forever," my father cheered.

"Gray, please," Gabriel pleaded with me, but I shook my head.

Trust me and focus everything on him when I release my magic - I told all of them in my mind. His slight head nod was all the confirmation I needed.

I handed Galen to Silas as I began to feel my power swell along with theirs. This was the only chance we had and like hell I was going to pass it up. Like a battery building up to a surge, I felt the swell from the deep magic. Where the moon may weaken me, their love, our connection filled me. A cool touch made me look to my side as I saw Nate's soul standing next to me. "We are stronger together," he whispered, his form pulsing brighter as he connected to our bond - even in death.

"I call upon the deep magic, to protect us in this hour. Seek your vengeance for magic stolen, corrupted, twisted, and defiled. Maiden, Mother, Crone, hear my cries, hear your magic demand vengeance!" I roared, pulling all of their powers into a tightly corded thread of my own and directing it fully at Nikolai. The look of shock on his face was priceless as he flew into the air, landing harshly against the concrete road. Sadly, he was only unconscious and not dead.

"Gray," Nate whispered, making me turn quickly to him. "Nikolai was right about one thing, you have to let the souls go. His power comes from the spell. He's feeding off their stolen lives. The only way to destroy him is to destroy his power source."

My eyes watered as I watched Nate's soul flicker. "No, please," I cried as he gave me a sorrow-filled smile.

"It's okay, Gray. I'm always with you, but you have to do this. It's the only way, my beloved. Set us free," he said gently.

I felt Silas and North wrap their arms around me as Sean held Galen gently in his arms. None of us had a dry eye, but time wasn't on our side. Nikolai was quickly recovering from the blow we had dealt him thanks to Nate's sacrifice. I nodded resolutely. "I love you," I told him.

He smirked, "I know. Now kick some ass, my love."

Author's Note:  One more chapter, my lovelies.