No, she realized. As with everything Aiden said, it carried another message, a hint. He must be asking her rhetorically. He was trying to coax something out of her, like he always did. He wanted her to work it out on her own, to vocalize it. He wanted her to put a label on their relationship, to say it out loud. He was goading her towards something.
“Caleb is my…” Caitlin began, then trailed off. What could she say? Boyfriend was too weak of a term; husband wasn’t accurate, though. What was he exactly? Caitlin didn’t know the term to describe it.
“He’s my beloved,” she finally said.
Aiden nodded back, seemingly satisfied with the response. “Are you sure?” he asked.
Again, Caitlin stared at him, sensing that he was goading her towards some revelation. He wanted to know how sure she was, how sure of her own feelings. He must have sensed something else. Yes, that was it: he must have sensed some lingering feelings between her and Blake. Yes. It was a rebuke. He wanted her to get clear on her own feelings, wanted her to decide, to know for sure who she would commit to wholeheartedly.
He was right, she realized. She did have some lingering feelings for Blake. And if Caleb was truly her beloved, then she could not allow herself to have feelings for anyone else. It required an inner discipline, and this is what he what he was demanding of her.
“Yes,” Caitlin said finally, confidently, definitively. “Caleb. And only Caleb.”
Aiden nodded. “Good. Very good,” he said. “Vampire love is a very sacred thing. It is not something to be given lightly.”
“I have to help him,” Caitlin said again, emphatically. “I feel that he needs me.”
“He does,” Aiden said. “But you won’t be able to help him.”
“What do you mean?”
“Caleb has chosen his own mission. His own fate. He’s chosen to fight for his coven, his family.
He’s chosen a very noble mission. “But he cannot win. The forces of darkness are just too strong, and he’s outnumbered. He lacks the full support of his own people. He has headed into a trap.
There is no way out for him. And there is nothing—and no one—who can save him now.”
Caitlin stared back, shocked, feeling as if the wind had been sucked out of her.
“It is a fight you cannot win,” he continued. “You would only be enveloped in the darkness. If you were to try, you will surely die, too.”
Caitlin, speechless, felt a hot tear stream down her cheek. Deep down, she sensed that everything Aiden was saying was true.
“I’m sorry to tell you all of this, but you have to know it all. Your mission is too important.
Caleb was right all along: you are the One. And that means you are the only one who can lead us to the shield. Without the shield, the sword will wreak destruction on an unimaginable scale. We need you. Our entire race needs you. The human race needs you. This coven—your new family—needs you. This is where you are supposed to be, where you must be. Your mission is here. You must train, get stronger, and one day, you will lead us to it. It has already been written.”
“But I must go to Caleb,” she said.
“No. I cannot let you jeopardize yourself, or more importantly, our people. I forbid you to go.”
Caitlin stared back, and her sadness began to morph to resentment, to anger. She hated authority, and hated anyone forbidding her to do anything. It pushed her over the edge.
“You can’t forbid me,” she said. “I am free to stay and go as I please. You said that when I got here.”
“What I said was that you can go when you please, but if you go without my permission, you can never return. Ever. Is that a sacrifice you are willing to make?”
Caitlin stood there, stunned. She didn’t know what to think. To give all of this up? This island, her new home, her new coven? All of her new friends? To plunge into darkness, to try to save Caleb, when Aiden insists that he cannot be saved? When he insists that she would die, too?
She knew that, logically, he was right. She needed to stay here.
But emotionally, deep down, she just couldn’t let go her feelings for Caleb, her feeling of duty.
She had to make an effort to save him, even if it was hopeless. She couldn’t live with herself if she didn’t even try. And she just couldn’t accept that he would be gone forever.
Caitlin suddenly felt the sickness well up within her again, and without warning, she raced to Aiden’s window, opened the shutters, and threw up, again and again. Blood splattered his stone windowsill.
Finally, she caught her breath and wiped her cheek. The room was spinning. She did not feel like herself.
Aiden now stood a few feet behind her, and as she turned, he looked down at her. His eyes—
always so calm, so in control—suddenly widened in surprise. She had never seen him surprised before.
“Oh my,” he said, staring right at her. “I never saw this.”
He was staring deeply into Caitlin’s eyes, and it freaked her out.
“Your eyes…” he said, “…they are yellow.”
The thought of that scared Caitlin. She felt herself trembling inwardly. Was something really wrong with her?
“I don’t feel—well,” she said, feeling dizzy. She felt like she had been poisoned.
“Of course you don’t,” he said, as he slowly reached up and lay his palm on her forehead. He closed his eyes and breathed deeply. Finally, he looked down at her and nodded.
“As I suspected,” he said.
“What?” she asked, nervous.
“You’re pregnant.”
TWENTY
If Kyle was capable of feeling anything like joy, this was the closest he’d come. Just a few short weeks ago, he had been, punished, acid poured on his face, cast out from his brethren—a freak, a pariah, never to set foot here again. Now here he was, back underneath City Hall, the new leader of the Blacktide Coven. He had managed to overthrow Rexius, to avenge himself on all of his old enemies, and to hold firm possession of the Sword. He even led an army of thousands, and all the local covens had shown deference to him. The world belonged to him.
And the war was just beginning. That battle had been glorious. Once he had killed Samuel and captured Caleb, it had turned into a rout, his men slaughtering them all. They had put up a good fight, but in the end, his men just outnumbered them. They had now gained tremendous ground, and even more neighboring covens had flocked to join him. His army already spread uptown, block to block, like a swarm of locusts, wiping out all the humans, and concentrating their force as they headed towards the Cloisters to wipe out the White coven. Soon the entire city would be his. And after that, his Master Plan could begin.
Kyle smiled wide. The apocalypse he’d always dreamed of was finally here.
There was only one tiny thorn in his side. It was the tiniest of thorns, but still, it lingered. Caitlin.
That girl. He hated prophecies, and he especially hated the prophecy swirling around her. He hated her lineage. She being the One. The only one who, according to Scripture, could put an end to this apocalypse. He knew it was all nonsense, but the problem was, the other vampires didn’t. They believed in it. And that amounted to psychological warfare.
He knew from the start that he would have to find her and kill her once and for all. After that, and only after that, he could rest easy, and total annihilation could begin.
Which is why he was especially pleased that they’d managed to capture Caleb. Caleb was a better warrior than he’d expected. Kyle had to admit there was a moment there when he feared he might be beaten by him. But then Sam came along. Sam had not only turned into one of his best soldiers, he had turned into his most loyal and trusted soldier. He had saved Kyle’s life. He had proven his loyalty. For that, Kyle would always be grateful.
More importantly, he had given Kyle the opportunity he needed to capture Caleb. And now, with Caleb in hand, he was certain that Caitlin would come. They only needed to bide their time, and he was sure she would show,
like a moth to a flame.
He grinned again. Yes. His plan was working.
And if there was anything better than his killing her personally when she arrived, it would be to watch her own brother, Sam, kill her in front of his eyes. Oh, he thought, that would make for such a perfect day. The joy of it, the memory of it, would sustain him for years to come. Yes, what a perfect ending for her. Killed by her own brother’s hand.
Moreover, it would cement Sam’s loyalty to him forever. It would make him the loyal, trusted consigliore that he could rely on as he extended their war past New York. It would serve two purposes, and Kyle was delighted with himself that he’d even thought of it.
And what better weapon to finish her off with than the very weapon she had led him to? The Sword would kill her for good this time.
In the huge chamber of bustling vampires, Kyle leaned over and whispered into Sergei’s ear, and soon several guards were scrambling, cutting through the crowd, with orders to find Sam and Samantha.
Within seconds, the two of them stood before Kyle’s throne.
The room grew quiet, as the coven turned to watch. It was not often that Kyle summoned someone before him.
“Sam of the Blacktide Coven,” Kyle said slowly, authoritatively, “you have proven yourself in battle. For that, we are indebted to you.”
There was a loud clamor in the room, as all the vampires roared approvingly.
Sam stared back, expressionless, just as he had been since being turned. He still looked as if he were lost in a haze.
“You have but one act left to cement your loyalty to our coven,” Kyle continued.
Sergei came running over, holding the Sword.
Kyle leaned over and took it, holding it in both palms out in front of him. It gleamed in the torchlight.
“One day, your sister will come to us. It is inevitable. And when she does, we will kill her.” Kyle leaned forward. “More specifically, you will kill her. With this Sword.”
Sam stared back, expressionless.
“And with this act,” Kyle continued, “you will prove your loyalty to me once and for all. And when you do, I shall award you the rank of General, and guarantee you power and riches beyond what you ever dreamed.
“Sam of the Blacktide Coven, do you accept this mission?”
Sam stood, staring back, unblinking. His expression did not change either way.
Kyle began to become annoyed. He felt his face start to flicker with rage.
Suddenly, Samantha stepped up between them and bowed low.
“My master,” she said. “Sam is still in a state of shock from being turned, and from his first vampire battle. He is not fully comprehending. I ask that you grant me a private audience with him to explain. I promise I will not disappoint you,” she said with another bow.
Kyle breathed deeply. “Very well. You have but a few minutes. Nothing more. And if the answer is not what I want, you and your boyfriend will both pay the price. I assure you.”
*
Samantha ushered Sam into a side chamber of the hall. She closed the door behind them, and as the two of them stood alone, she spoke to him in a quick, agitated whisper.
“Sam, I need you to focus, I need you to listen to me,” she pleaded.
He was still staring, expressionless, and she wondered how badly the turning had affected him.
He barely seemed like he heard her at all.
She stepped up, grabbed his face with both of her palms, leaned in and kissed him hard. She held it for a long time.
She retreated, and looked into his eyes. There was the slightest flicker of recognition. Maybe she had broken a bit of the spell.
“Sam, we are in grave danger. You have to accept that Sword. You have to tell Kyle that you will kill your sister.”
Sam stared at her, blinking. It seemed like he was starting to register.
“Sam, you have to do this. If not, they will kill us. And once the Sword is in our possession, there’ll be nothing stopping us. After you kill your sister, we can take out Kyle. With the Sword, you will be stronger than he. You would become the new coven leader, and I will be at your side.
Together, we can climb to greater heights than ever.
“Sam, please listen to me!”
She shook his shoulders, trying to elicit a reaction.
“Repeat after me: I will accept the Sword,” she said, looking right into his eyes. “I will kill my sister.”
Sam looked at her, still in a trance. “I will accept the sword,” he echoed, slowly. “I will kill my sister.”
TWENTY ONE
Caitlin sat on a wide stone parapet, Rose by her side, looking out at the water. She had found this small, crumbling ruin on a deserted part of the island, on the shore, almost at eye level with the water. She felt she could gather her thoughts here, alone, and she desperately needed to. The entire sky was lit with the pink hues of the sunset, and she felt as if she were sitting on the edge of the world.
Her mind spun. There was so much to think about, she didn’t know where to begin.
Pregnant. That word had rocked her world. She had never imagined it could even be possible—
it had only been a week or two since she’d spent the night with Caleb. She had been shocked when Aiden revealed to her that vampire pregnancies happen much more quickly. It didn’t take three months to find out. It only took three days. And while one vampire cannot get another vampire pregnant, he explained, that night that she and Caleb had been together, Caitlin had still been a half-breed.
Caitlin swallowed in fear. What kind of a baby would this be? Human? A Half-breed? A true vampire? And what kind of a mother would she be? She could barely take care of herself, she barely even knew who she was. And what kind of a father would Caleb be? Would he even be in the child’s life? Would he even be alive to see the child? Would she?
These thoughts and more swirled throughout her mind. But even worse, overriding all of these thoughts was the pressing, gnawing feeling of Caleb’s being in danger. Of Aiden’s words. She could not get them out of her mind. Caleb in danger…no way to help him…forbidden to go…she could never come back….
Every bone in her body screamed for her to chase after Caleb, to go save him—especially after reading his letter, after knowing his deepest, truest feelings for her. How could she just let him down, especially after all that he’d done for her?
But on the other hand, she was overwhelmed by what a sacrifice it would demand. She would have to leave this place, her new home, her new family, forever. She could die in the process, according to Aiden. And that meant that she would kill her new baby with her.
Should she sacrifice all this to try to save him?
Then again, how could she not?
As Caitlin sat there, the sun setting, tears streaming down her cheeks, she cursed her bad luck.
This was always her fate. It seemed that every time she found something she loved in her life—
whether it was a new home, new school, a new friend—it always seemed to be taken away from her.
Life gave her great things only long enough for her to know how much she loved them. Then it pulled the rug out from under her. Change seemed to be the only constant.
Logically, she knew what she had to do. She had to stay put. For herself. For the baby. For her covenmates. For her race. For her destiny.
But emotionally, she just could not let go of Caleb.
She sat there for hours, thinking and thinking.
And finally, her heart won the battle.
She would go to Caleb.
*
Caitlin stood in her small room, looking over her possessions one last time as she finished dressing in her battle outfit. She had been given it during training, and she loved it. All-black, it was made of a material she couldn’t pronounce and didn’t recognize, but she knew that it was light as could be, and stronger than a bulletproof vest. The material wrapped snugly along her legs, torso, arms, and neck, covering her from feet to chin.
It had black boots to match. She zipped it up, all the way to her chin, and patted down her arms. She felt invincible.
She surveyed her room one last time, grabbing her journal and her few possessions, and then left, heading out onto the wide, stone landing.
She looked out at the open sky, getting ready to take the leap, her final leap, when she suddenly heard a whining. She looked down and saw Rose sitting there, looking up at her with pleading eyes.
It seemed as if Rose was begging her not to go, as if she knew what lay in store for Caitlin.
Caitlin squatted before Rose, reached up, and stroked her face. Rose licked her, whining she did.
“It’s OK, Rose,” Caitlin said. “It will be OK.”
“Weren’t you going to say goodbye?” came a voice.
Caitlin looked up, startled, and there came Polly. She had tears in her eyes.
“I’m sorry,” Caitlin said. “I didn’t really know what to say. And I didn’t know how you’d take it.”
Polly nodded back. “I found out from Aiden,” she said.
Caitlin’s eyes opened wide. “Aiden? But I didn’t tell him yet. How did he know—”
“He knows everything,” Polly reminded.
So. He knew all along that I’d go, Caitlin thought. She wondered how disappointed he was in her, and she felt badly, as if she’d let him down.
“He means what he says, you know,” Polly said. “If you leave, you cannot come back.”
Caitlin suddenly felt herself starting to cry. “I know,” she said softly. “But I have to go. I hope you understand.”
Polly nodded, and came in and gave Caitlin a hug. Caitlin hugged her back, and they both cried over each other’s shoulders.
Finally, they pulled back. “Do the others know?” Caitlin asked.
Polly nodded. “It’s hard not to. A vibration like this spreads quickly. They all love you. This is hard on all of them.”
Caitlin thought of Blake. She wondered if it would be hard on him, too.