Blood Wars, Book 4 - Alternate Ending

ALTERNATE ENDING - CHP NINE - JULIA

****** SPOILER ALERT *****

IF YOU HAVEN'T READ BLOOD WARS 4 IN IT'S ENTIRETY, READ THAT FIRST!

  (Continues where JULIA & SCARLETT are in the torture room)

My glare found her terrified eyes. She had to change; there was no other option.

“No!” She jumped up and wrapped the net over her shoulders, running to the nearest open cage, trying to pull it shut. “Don’t touch me.”

I beat her there and ripped off the net. My teeth were when something tugged her from me. Then she was gone.

In a frenzy, I reached forward, pawing at Nicholas’ chest. “Give her back.”

I peered up into his sad eyes. “No, Julia. I can’t let you.”

He placed Scarlett behind him, and she slid backward toward the nearest cage. Her fear only made me thirstier and my animalistic hunger overpowered my humanity.

I roared and moved into a crouched position. “Move!”

“No!”

I flattened him before he knew what had happened, and groped for her leg. “Get out of the way!”

He flipped me over and held me down. “Julia! Stop this.”

“Why?” I yelled.

 His jaw clenched. “She’s our only link to the seer.”

I stopped struggling for a moment, and blinked up at him in surprise. Was that all he cared about? “Why is that so important?”

He looked away, conflicted with something. “It doesn’t matter. Come on. Stand up. I need to get you out of here.”

I sucked in a breath, confused and relieved at the same time. Was he actually rescuing me?

“But what about—?” I started to blurt out. Crap. The last thing I needed to mention was what happened with Phil.

He closed his eyes and shook his head. Disgust flew into the air, sickening my stomach. “I’ve always know there was something between you and him,” he said sadly. “And it’s clear you’ve made your choice.”

His jaw flexed, and I struggled with how to respond, overwhelmed with the desire to fix what I’d done.

“No,” I blurted out. “It was a mistake. I swear we didn’t—”

He held up his hand to stop me. “I don’t want to know what happened. I just need to make things right, just in case something happens.”

“What’s going to happen?”

“Nothing.” He ground his jaw and looked to the doorway. The lie floated up and smacked me in the face. “We need to get out of here before I change my mind.”

I blinked in shock. “Change your mind?”

He shook his head, and his face hardened, the pain from what I’d done etched in his sad frown. I watched helpless, willing to do anything to heal that wound, but there was nothing left to say.

Nicholas stood and helped me up. The ripped poncho fell off my shoulder, and I held it over my body.

“Here.” He took off his coat and slid it over my shoulders. “Just know, I did what I could, but this is what you chose.”

I swallowed hard. “I chose?”

“Aren’t you done yet?” Katie stepped out from the shadows, followed by several other burly vampires that flanked her. The closest two held venom-barbed nets. The electricity in the prod in Slide’s hands arced across the tip in an ominous blue.