Zone Zero: Vengeance (Book 3 of 3)

Chapter 18

I turn down Union Street and begin searching for the house with the red door. Alex is close behind me and surveys every inch of the darkness that surrounds us while I stay focused on my mission.

I need to find that child.

Since breaking out of the underground prison, Alex has begun looking at me differently. I saw it the moment I killed the guards like they were insects because to me, that's what they were. Nothing more then tiny ants for me to crush.

His eyes watch my every move. He looks at me as though he is looking at a stranger.

Maybe he is. I feel different. I can't quite explain it but I feel stronger, almost like nothing can break me.

I spot the red door about four houses up and quicken my pace. I don't want to go too fast and give away to any onlookers that I am a vampire so I just power walk. If someone were to see me they would think I was a human trying to get home quickly.

Evie. I think we need to talk.

I hear Alex speak to my mind but I don't let up at all. I keep my pace as I approach the red door.

Evie. Did you hear me?

I ignore his question as I turn toward the door that leads to my niece Annerly. My last surviving family member.

"Evie, stop," Alex demands as he grabs my arm and spins me toward him.

"What? What is so important that it cant wait until we are far away from here?" I whisper-yell at him. I don't want to be too loud and cause a commotion.

"What has gotten into you? You cant just storm in and demand you niece be handed over to you."

"Why not? She is my niece after all."

Alex's eyes soften toward me as he gulps down a breath. He doesn't know how to approach what he is about to say next.

"I'm sorry about you losing Logan but you have to look at this logically. Sage isn't just going to hand the child over."

"Then I will kill her."

The words come out of my mouth and to my surprise, they don't shock me. They escape my lips in my voice but it feels like a different person speaking them. I feel like a different person.

"This isn't you. The real Evie would never say that about someone she once called her closest friend."

Alex looks appalled. Shock and a hint of disgust fill his eyes but again it does not bother me to see such a thing.

Why doesn't it bother me?

Normally I would hate the way he is looking at me or even the thought that he could be disgusted with me but right now I couldn't care less. In fact, I haven't cared since Logan died. I haven't even felt anything.

Why don't I feel anything?

Alex moves towards me and places a hand on either side of my face. His thumbs are gently stroking my cheeks yet I don't feel the same butterflies I normally do when he is this close.

"All you have been through, everything you have seen, it's almost too much. The mind can only handle so much before it breaks. But as a vampire, you can shut out those emotions. You can get to a point where you just let go. The only problem is if you let go for too long you will lose yourself completely."

He sighs audibly and steps closer to me so our bodies are touching.

"I won't let that happen to you. I understand that you don't want to feel the loss of your brother right now but you cant put it off forever. The longer you push the feelings aside, the more painful it becomes when it's time to face them."

His words cause some of my anger to bubble to the surface as I speak my rebuttal.

"Who said anything about facing them? I refuse to let in the loss of another family member so it can eat away at me and let me spiral into some morbid type of depression. I won't become that."

"You will need to let your feelings in one day. Maybe not today but soon. And when they begin to feel like they are taking control, I will be there to make sure they don't. Just don't let too much of yourself go right now. We need the real Evie to show Sage that you can take care of your niece. We need to get Annerly without more guards coming this way. If Sage feels scared or threatened she will call the guards."

I let his words soak in and find myself agreeing with him. If I want my niece to come with me then I have to show Sage that I am not a mindless killer like she believes all vampires to be. I have to reign in my feelings and not abandon my humanity entirely. For Logan and for Annerly.

I nod silently just as a light from inside flicks on. A soft whine sounds from inside followed by a soothing hum.

I listen closely and inch towards the door to hear the soft noises that only a baby can make.

My heart jumps into my throat and I find myself on the doorstep knocking at the door before I can even blink.

Footsteps come closer until the door unlocks to reveal a very sleepy looking Sage. Her hair is a little messy and her eyes look worn but she is still the same girl I was once best friends with.

"Evie?" She asks in a daze.

I find myself nodding gently before gazing downward at her protruding belly. The faintest of heartbeats sounds from the bump signally that she is definitely pregnant.

"Oh my god. What are you doing here? It's so late." Sage says as she crosses her arms in front of her chest to ward of the cool night air.

"I just..." Before I can finish I hear a cry from the next room. The telltale sound of a baby.

My eyes meet Sage's and she immediately knows the reason for my late visit.

I don't even wait for an invitation, I just push past Sage and into the house.

I begin frantically scanning every inch until I step into the living room and come face to face with eyes that melt my heart on impact.

Emerald green eyes. Just like mine.