Darkness (Alisa Rose #2)

-Nine-

Bryce POV

I woke up groggy, the smell of antiseptic filling my nose. My body felt heavy, like I'd been knocked out cold for days, though it couldn't have been more than a few hours. The hospital bed was stiff, not exactly the most comfortable place to nap, but I guess that's what you get when you faint in the middle of a panic attack.

I blinked, trying to adjust my eyes to the dim room. The lights above flickered softly, and the rhythmic beep of the heart monitor was almost soothing in its consistency.

And then sitting casually at the end of my bed, like he'd just strolled in here for a friendly visit, was Emmett. The guy was unnervingly calm, dressed in dark clothes that clung to his lean frame. He looked way too relaxed for someone who'd been causing chaos in our lives for weeks.

"You're awake," Emmett said, his voice smooth, like he was commenting on the weather.

I jolted upright, panic surging through me like an electric shock. "What the hell are you doing here?" I barely recognized my own voice, hoarse and shaky.

Emmett's lips curled into a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. "Relax, Bryce. I'm not here to cause any trouble—yet."

I swallowed hard, glancing around the room for anything I could use as a weapon, but of course, there was nothing. Just my luck. "You're not here to cause trouble? Yeah, sure. Because breaking into a hospital room is totally normal."

He chuckled softly, crossing his arms as he leaned back in the chair. "You humans are always so quick to assume the worst. I'm just here for a little chat."

"A chat?" My voice cracked, and I tried to keep my hands from shaking. "What do you want?"

Emmett's eyes glinted with amusement, but there was something darker lurking beneath the surface. Something dangerous. "It's simple, really. I want you to deliver a message."

"A message?" I repeated, my throat tightening. I was already mentally running through every scenario in my head, trying to figure out how to stall him, how to survive. "Why don't you just text Alisa and save me the trouble?"

His smile widened, though there was nothing friendly about it. "Oh, Bryce. Always the comedian. But this is bigger than a text. I need you to give them a personal message." He stood up slowly, his movements as fluid and deliberate as a predator stalking its prey. "Tell Alisa, Jace, and all the other vampires that it's time."

"Time for what?" I managed to choke out, though I wasn't sure I wanted to know the answer.

Emmett tilted his head, studying me with a cold, calculating expression. "Time for them to make a choice. War is coming, Bryce. Whether they're ready or not." His eyes flickered with something malicious. "And you? Well, you're just the messenger."

Before I could react, Emmett moved faster than I could blink, his hand shooting out and grabbing my throat. His grip was icy cold, and I struggled to breathe as he leaned in close.

"Don't take this personally," he whispered, his breath chilling my skin. "But I can't have you running around, messing things up."

And then, with a sickening twist, everything went dark.

I felt my body go limp, the world slipping away as the pressure on my throat tightened. My vision blurred, and for a brief moment, I thought this was it. I was done for.

****

But then I woke up.

Gasping, I shot upright in bed, clutching at my neck where Emmett had grabbed me. My pulse raced, but when I looked around, the room was empty. No Emmett. No sign that he'd ever been there at all.