Tainted Soul {Formerly Fallen} (Book 3) (Completed)

Chapter 18

Kait POV

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We didn't tell anyone we were coming back. Melanie and I both decided it should be a surprise. I'd only been gone a few months, but it felt like years. While on the plane, I bit Laura so she'd be like the rest of us, but I made sure to inject enough venom to make the change be completed over the course of the flight so I could teach her to works of being Viu on the way back home.

She took to the change very well. It was as if she was born to be Viu. She felt free, brave, happy, everything she hadn't as a Moroi. Hunting was a breeze and she acted like a natural. Teaching her the basics of the other four elements was simple. She only had to learn Earth, Air, Fire, and Spirit, seeing as she'd specialized in Water. Most of all, I was glad to have my childhood best friend back. At home, everyone was completely shocked to see us, Cory especially. As soon as I stepped in the door, my Guardians reacted to hearing the door open, running over to the door, stakes out. They stopped dead in there tracks when they saw me. Rose ran up and gave me a hug. Janine and Dimitri tried to pull her off of me, scared I was still Strigoi. Vince, Melanie's kids, and Cory came to the door hesitantly, wondering who was there.

"Is it really you?" Dimitri asked me.

"In the flesh and blood." I replied, tearing up after seeing everyone.

"I thought you were one of them." Vince added.

"I was. Melanie was gutsy enough to fly all the way to Spain and revive me. I wish I knew how she figured out that a silver stake charmed with Spirit will return a Strigoi to its original state. I never told her any of that." I mentioned.

"I saw the way you reacted when holding my wedding band. Before we left Court that last time we went, I had the queen charm it with Spirit to keep away Spirit's madness."

"That's what you were mumbling about a few days before you staked me! That makes sense now!" I exclaimed, realizing something.

"Who is this with you?" Vince asked.

"This is Laura. She was my best friend in high school. I'd heard she was Awakened a few years ago, but never expected to find her. After Melanie revived me, I revived her. I hope no one minds that she'll be staying here for a little while."

"Welcome to the family. I'm Vince, this is Maria, Jacob, and Mason, my kids. The man in the back, who hasn't said a word since we announced Rosa's being a Strigoi a week ago, is her fiancé, Cory." Vince said.

"So, you're the famous Vince. I've heard a lot about you. All good, don't worry." Laura said.

"W-why don't we go into the living room and catch up?" Cory said, speaking for the first time.

As I began to realize how much pain I'd caused everyone, I guessed it would take close to forever to relieve that pain. Luckily, forever was exactly the amount of time I had.

Dave POV

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I began to stir from what seemed to be a long nap. When everything was dark, I panicked. I somehow managed to climb out of my tomb to realize that I'd been buried alive. I reviewed my last conscious memory.

"Who's there?!" I called out, hearing heels clicking on the concrete pavement as I was returning to my car at the end of my shift.

I was cornered by my attacker under a street lamp and immediately recognized who it was.

"Babe, er, Kait, sorry. You look hot! What're you here for? Why are your eyes blood red? Why is your skin pasty? Why do you have fangs?" I said, panicking.

"I have one reason to be here. You fucked up, Fergeuson. Now you're gonna pay." She spat.

"Shouldn't Melanie be coming to calm you down soon?" I said, getting nervous.

"It's a little late for her. She's too busy mourning over the unfortunate death of her bitch friend Steel." She spat.

"Wait, you- you're--" I said, now terrified realizing just what was happening.

"Goodbye." Kait said as she bit into my neck.

I winced at her bite, but that was immediately replaced with the best high I'd ever felt. She left me there on the pavement, thinking I was dead.

"Ex-husband problem? Solved." She said as I heard her run and I blacked out.

I got out of the hole in the ground I was buried in and ran to the one house that I hoped would see my terrible state and accept me into her home again.