Antithesis: The Vampire Alliance Book Three - FIRST DRAFT COMPLETED

Antithesis Chapter 20: Eve Blakethorn-Sullivan July 2013

Eve Blakethorn-Sullivan, July 2013

By now it should be clear that very little in my life has gone to plan for many years now. Apparently even returning home to bed my husbands is beyond me. If there is some divine power planning my life, I have to say that the plan sucks and I'd like it changed. Sadly, though, I know Fate can't simply be bribed or pleaded with. Goodness knows I've tried.

We're almost home when Johan rings, I answer the phone but before I can speak he announces, "Tess, Helen and a group of other Senate thugs are at the main gate. Don't come in that way."

"We'll use the East entrance rather than drive by the main driveway," my response is more a warning to Rob than anything; the last thing we need is to drive past any Senate lookouts on the way to headquarters. "The fence won't stop Strix, they haven't attacked the door?" I ask worriedly.

"No," Johan's admission causes my frown to deepen, what possible reason could they have for waiting outside the gates? "Robbie is out there talking to his mother. He still seems to believe she wouldn't truly sell her soul to the Senate."

Those icy fingers crawl up my back again, the ones that tend to mean something terrible is about to happen. "Christ, Johan, why didn't you stop him?"

"He slipped away," our leader admits. "I was organising security teams and didn't notice until he was already outside. Don't let Rob do anything we'll regret." What does he think I can do? After all, if Robbie dies Rob will almost certainly do something we'll regret. He may not be close to Robbie, but he's still his father. On Johan's head be it.

Hanging up without making any promises my gaze meets Rob's in the mirror. "What?" He demands, sensing my anxiety and its focus on him.

"Helen and Tess are at the main gate with a Senate team." The words are hard to force out, knowing as I do what they mean. "Robbie went out to speak to his mother; he still thinks she'll turn from the Senate. He's out there now."

"Well it's not like she'll harm her boy," Rob's tone is impassive but his emotions betray too much anxiety, too much regret. It reveals how much he cares and that's where my problem lies. I can't stand to see him lose the son he's only just discovered. Yet Tess has limited goals now; to end me, to torture Rob and Tul. I think she's willing to do anything necessary to achieve those goals, even at the expense of her own flesh and blood.

"She's not stable, Rob," I whisper, my own apprehension causing me to shift uncomfortably, drawing Tul's full attention as well. "She'll kill him just for being Alliance. She'll take it as siding with you when she's already insanely jealous that you're willing to share a woman with Tul even though you both cast her aside. She'll kill him for betraying her. She'll kill him to get to you."

"You're sure?" As usual there is more to that question than what would appear. He's asking if it's prophecy and from the cold dread creeping up my spine I know it is, even without the hazy image of Robbie's corpse floating through my mind.

"I'm sure," my response confirms the unwelcome truth; I know what will come to pass. "Unless we intervene he'll die." It's more than that though. I know, beyond all doubt, that I have to be part of the intervention. Rob and Tul alone won't win this one.

"We'll drop you at the East entrance," Tul tells me, "then we'll go for Robbie."

With a nervous chuckle I shake my head, "As if I'd let you go without me. That's not how I work and you know it. Plus I think I need to be there if we want to save him." Sensing Tul's reluctance I add, "I'll be fine."

Searching my expression Tul enquires uncertainly, "Is that prophecy too?"

"Yes," I answer determinedly, quashing any treacherous emotions that would give away the truth. It's predestined that Robbie will die without my help, what I'm unsure of is my own survival. "I'll be fine," I repeat, more to myself than to them. Can such a mantra make it so?

We park at the East gate anyway, travelling by foot to the main gate so as not to make any undue sound. Being on foot also means we're faster. Despite our speed Helen and Tess are within the electrified perimeter by the time we arrive, with three further Senate Strix at their backs and only Robbie between them and the headquarters electrified door.

"Mother," he pleads, "this isn't you. You hate the Senate, you're letting your past with my father cloud your judgement and quite frankly I'm not sure you're judgement was that great even back then."

It would be nice to celebrate the statement and explore the possibility that Robbie was beginning to consider the prospect that Rob was not who Tess had claimed. However, goading an unhinged super vampire whose eyes were more green with envy than silver is probably not the wisest decision he could make. Not in this moment, at least.

The acrid smell of Tess' fury fills the air and I think she may have torn her son's head from his shoulders in her rage if she hadn't noticed our approach. "Speak of the devil," she comments dryly, focussing on Rob.

Turning to the other man at my side I command determinedly, "Tul, get Zach to open the door. Be prepared to close it, quickly, if necessary." For once he doesn't even consider arguing, trusting the power of my sight now. It's a shame he trusts a vision I haven't actually had. He doesn't need to know that though, what benefit would there be in telling him my survival is uncertain?

"Just the people I wanted to see," Tess smiles but there is nothing friendly, nothing welcoming, in her expression, "which means we're done here."

"No!" I scream, but too late. Tess pulls the gun from the holster at her hip, firing at Robbie with a callousness that is unbelievable. He's her son but in her twisted, jealous, rage she can't bring herself to care.

He doesn't fall thankfully, and I realise she's missed his heart. If only that could provide me with some sense of hope but there's no hope to be found. Not when Robbie's next words seal his fate. He looks stunned as he pulls his hand from the bloody wound in his chest. "It burns," he murmurs hoarsely, "it's spreading."

"No!" Even if I couldn't feel Rob's terror it's clear in the yelled word as he realises the same horrible truth I already know; Tess is using silver nitrate rounds and Robbie is only a vampire. She's as good as killed him.

Unless a Strix turns him.

That Strix can't be me, I've turned too many already and I don't know if I have the strength to change a third successfully. This one has to be placed in Rob's hands. Perhaps I can help there at least.

Unsheathing my sword and speeding up, Ioutpace Rob in order to do what's necessary. And what is necessary? The simple answer is a trade, my life for another's. I will embrace my destiny. As I already know Tess will kill me it's my decision to make it now. Risking my life to save Rob's son is the only option I can accept. It seems a better outcome than letting Robbie die now only for Tess to finish me off later. I'd rather die a useful death than come to a pointless end.

I tug Robbie back, pushing him into Rob's arms. "Change him," I hiss the command, knowing I'm ordering Rob to break the rules but also knowing it's the only choice my conscience will let me make. "Take him inside and change him, I'm right behind you."

There's a question in Rob's eyes, a desperate need to know I had told the truth when I had promised Tul I'd be fine. "Save your son," I urge again, "I'll be ok." With that he turns, carrying Robbie back towards Tul and the relative safety of the base.

I'm strong, I'm fast but I'm not invincible. There are a lot of armed Strix behind us, enemies led by two women determined to see me dead. When Tess commands her troops to open fire their sole target is my retreating back and they don't hesitate. Silver nitrate rounds pound into me. There's far too many of them to ignore, far too many to dodge. As I stumble, my eyes meet Tul's and he sees it, the future that I'd lied about.

Dismay grips him as he acknowledges what I've done, what I'm willing to pay to save Robbie. "Evie!" Tul screams my name, stepping forward even as Johan and other Alliance members step from the door of the headquarters.

"Save Robbie!" I yell back, urgently needing them to listen. We're at a disadvantage now and I need to know Rob and Tul will be safe. When my desperate gaze meets Johan's he nods once, barely perceptibly, then he, Alex, Zach and Van grab Tul and Rob. Taken by surprise it takes them a moment to react. That brief moment is enough. Johan forces my men into the base, dragging the door closed behind him and leaving me to my fate.

There is an electrical buzz as the doors defences come back online. They're safe, thank God. My back tingles as it struggles to heal and I look up from my position knelt on the muddy ground. Senate Strix surround me, more than I could ever hope to fight, especially while my body heals.

Tess smiles cruelly as she steps towards me, just as I knew she would. She raises her sword and I know this is it, my short, brutal end. How many times had the Senate promised me an execution? Now the day has come and it's going to happen right on my own door step. Perhaps it's better than that godforsaken stage.

"I've dreamed of this," Tess admits and I can see from her expression that it's true.

Helen smiles too, "It's just a shame we can't make her suffer."

"Hardy wants her dead," Tess reminds the other woman. "That's enough for me."

"Bitch," I spit and I'm not sure which one I'm talking to, not that it matters. Very little matters now except the knowledge that I may have done some good with this final act.

Then the sword descends and I hear Tess laugh during the split second of pain it takes for the sword to pass from one side of my throat to the other.