Purgatory (Part One of the Purgatory Series)

Chapter Twenty-Seven: Fight or Flight (Part Two)



"Wake up, Thea!" Roran's voice shouted at me from somewhere far away. "You have to get up!"

I tried to say, "I'm up," but I bit my tongue and it came out, "Ihh errhp."

Something was wrong with me. My entire body was seizing and spasming violently, and my heartbeat pounded out of rhythm and was sluggish at best.

"You have to give her your blood, Altair," I heard Roran say. "Please! Do it for me if for nothing else!"

"I've already told you it's too late!" Another voice shouted over my head, making it throb painfully. "She's almost completely turned. If I gave her my blood now it would kill her."

"You're wrong!" Roran argued. "She took my blood in purgatory and she survived. But you have to do it now! I can see the fangs growing beneath her gums! Do it, now!"

I heard footsteps retreating and a vicious growl erupted from Roran's chest.

A pitiful wail rang in my ears and then I heard my mother plead, "Please save my daughter! Please!"

"Save her, or so help me, I will kill you along with Moroi," Roran added.

"No. She's practically turned now and is more of an asset to us as a vampire than a human anyway," the voice, presumably Altair, argued. "And don't waste your breath, Roran. Without your powers you're about as threatening as a newborn babe."

Several other pairs of footsteps could be heard followed by confusing shouts.

"What's going on here?" a new voice asked. "We need you upstairs, Roran! You know Moroi better than anyone!"

"Save Alethea or you can forget me helping you," he told the new voice.

My vision was starting to clear and I realized I was lying cradled in Roran's lap and several people were crowded around me. The seizing was slowing to mild shaking and the pain had lessened almost entirely. When my heart stopped it didn't take me long to figure out what was happening. I was now a vampire.

"Roran," I whispered. "Listen to them. It's too late. Let it go."

When he looked at me it was heart breaking. His eyes were glassy with unshed tears and now he was the one shaking.

"I'm sorry," he replied, his voice breaking on the last word. "If I had gotten here sooner-"

"Stop. There's no reason for you to apologize. This isn't your fault. I chose this and now I have to live with the consequences."

A throat was cleared and I looked toward the sound. Several phoenixes stood staring down at me. I offered them a hesitant smile and turned back to Roran.

"I'm glad you were able to find more of your kind. I know how alone you felt before. I'm happy for you," I told him.

"Not to break up this teary reunion or anything, but we need to get upstairs," said one of the phoenixes.

I nodded and stood up. "Right. Can one of you get my parents out of here?"

"I've already told you we're staying with you!" My father shouted, looking at my mother who nodded in confirmation.

"No, you aren't. I'm sorry, but I won't let you die because of me," I said, shaking my head. "Especially not now that I have the means to get you out of here."

One of the phoenixes winked at me and proceeded to lift my mother over his shoulders. She shrieked like a banshee and if I hadn't felt so guilty I might've laughed. My father glared at me, but followed behind them reluctantly.