Ever After

Chapter 22



The Plan



I lay listening to the wind howl all night, ice pelting the windows of this God only knows how old house. The ceilings had wooden beams, and the fireplace was an open-hearth kind of thing. It reminds me of the pictures of old colonial homes in my U.S. history class textbook, from high school. I could never have imagined then, I would be a prisoner in one of those homes, and at the mercy of vile barbaric, evil vampires.

The house despite being apparently so old was solid. The bitter cold wind did not seep into my room thankfully. I knew this kind of ice storm would paralyze the area, even though people were use to this crappy weather. It would cause William and Doc to have trouble finding me. It was just my luck. I could see long spear like icicles forming on the window, it made me shake just to think how bone chilling cold it was out there.

I had not seen Sayann since she told me her story and vowed to try to help me. I feared Leo and Todd might have hurt her, since she talked to me. I was surprised she told me so much, and openly admitted to hating the Dark coven. I knew she had to have known they could easily read her mind, and have seen her telling me all of that. If they did hurt her, or worse I was to out of luck and I knew it.

I had no other options; she was my one and only chance at getting out of here. I knew though, it was really a pipe dream for me now. The hours that had passed since she talked to me had been bad. I was now so weak, turning over in my bed was a major struggle. I had no idea even if she did think up a plan for us to run away, how I would physically be able to do it.

I thought of my William as I lay there also, as he was always on my mind. I worried the strain of me being kidnapped would aggravate his already weak body as well. Doc never said if mental strain would affect him, but really doesn’t it affect everyone? I knew he must have been going insane not knowing if I was ok or even alive.

I worried I wouldn’t be alive for very much longer. Pratt’s words right before he started me on the serum rolled around in my head over and over. I had to be kept warm. I could no longer regulate my own body temperature. I had to have every dose of serum, and not miss one.

He never went into detail about what would happen if I did not get each dose or if it was stopped. He did not have to, that day as he spoke, each and every one of us we all already knew the answer. I would in fact die. This was so brutal, just when my life actually seemed to be getting maybe half way normal, something crappy always happened. It sucked to say the least. I was trapped here alone cold, with no hope of ever seeing William again, it was a real life nightmare.

I drifted off to sleep a short time later and woke up as a stream of sunlight broke through the curtains. I looked at my watch it was now 8am, the house was quiet. I did not know the habits of the Dark vampires yet, so who knew if they were all asleep or not right now. I really hoped they slept all day, like the vampires I knew of from old movies and stuff.

I knew of course not all vampires were the same; they each seemed to have different habits. I watched the sun illuminate the many dust particles floating in the air. I worried Sayann would not ever come back, until I heard the door’s lock take in a key, and she appeared smiling at me.

“I see you’re up already.” She smiled as she walked over to my bed.

“Yeah, it was a long night. I thought they did something to you, for telling me about your past life and how much you hated them all.” I tried to scoot up, to a sitting position, but it was no use my body was to weak.

“No, they were mad but I always make them mad. Leo yelled at me as well as his stupid sides kick Todd. How did you ever date an ass like that anyway?” She giggled.

“Good question, I don’t even know why myself.” I hated thinking about Todd, especially with him in the next room more than likely. I watched Sayann, as she got some pills out of a bottle and a cup of water.

“Don’t worry; it’s just Tylenol nothing too strong. I did some research on line, and we have to keep your fever under control, and keep you warm.”

“On line, they have that info on the internet?” I was a bit shocked, how could that be.

“Oh it’s not easy to find, you look at vampire web sites, and humans think those sites are bogus, or for crazy people who think vamps aren’t really real.” She smiled giving me a wicked grin.

“If they only knew, we really are real!” I took the Tylenol as she wrapped me in another blanket. I was freezing and I couldn’t stop shaking. “I can’t give you anything stronger, or it might make you worse. I also brought you some blood; it’s in that Styrofoam cup, with the straw. I know you’re not use to drinking a lot of it, but you need it to get stronger.”

I made a face as I looked at the cup. I had of course been drinking blood already. I had to now that I was more vamp than human. Doc had the blood units too, but they were in foil like juice bags and did not look like anything weird.

“I can drink it.” I sighed taking a sip. I felt stronger minutes later.

“That’s it, now we get you stronger, and …” She leaned over and whispered in my ear. “We are out of here.” I looked up in shock, nearly choking. I covered my mouth.

“What?” I whispered

“We are leaving Corrine. I want to be a Follower, and I want to get you out of here and back to William. I have thought about it all night, and if we don’t do this we are both going to die here!”

“What, are you talking about? I might or well…I probably will, but not you?”

“Yes, they are angry with me and Kyle is tired of me. I argue with him all the time. I have heard him tell Todd and his other friends here, he wants a new mate.” I leaned back listening to her, amazed she was willing to take this risk.

“Can’t he just take another mate or whatever, and leave you alone?”

“No, it does not work that way here, if the male vamp in the Dark coven tires of the mate he has chosen, he kills her.” She looked down sadly at the Tylenol bottle in her hand.

“Oh my God, that is so like mid evil or something!” I shook my head in disgust.

“Yes well I know, but it’s true. I either get out of here or die. This coven is so twisted the male vamps rule here, the women are just like slaves. I think sometimes I would rather be dead, than be trapped here with these creatures.” I was sick; I looked at this beautiful girl before me, trapped in this hellish coven.

“Corrine, I have something to tell you and I have been thinking weather I should or not. It’s totally gross and might make you feel worse.” She wrinkled up her nose.

Great I thought to myself, more bad news. I figured I was going to be the main course at dinner or something, since half bloods were apparently so tasty to other vampires.

“Ok well tell me, I am really getting use to bad news, it seems to be theme in my life.” I shrugged my shoulders in defeat.

“Ok, well after Leo berated me for telling you how much I hated it here, and how I got to be here. I heard him talking to Todd. They had left the room, but I heard them talking about you as they walked away. Leo it seems has taken a liking to you. He told Todd, Kyle, and some of the elders, he might choose you as his next mate. He has been without one for a decade now and he feels you are what he wants!” She looked at me wide eyed waiting for my response.

“Sick!” I gasped holding my hand to my neck. “I would never have anything to do with him! Hell he is old enough to be my like Great grandfather times five or something! This is just great; it doesn’t get much better than this.” I groaned closing my eyes.

“Well, now you see why we have to both get out of here and fast. Do you want to know how his last mate died?”

“Oh why not.” I shook my head. “I can only imagine.”

“He ripped her throat out for talking to another male coven member. I heard she only asked him if he had the time, nothing bad. Boom Leo grabbed her up drug her away and killed her. He never gave her a chance to explain, he is a total nut job.”

“Uh…ok no doubt, we do have to get out of here, and really fast!” The problem was I had no idea how to get out of here, or even where we were. I hoped Sayann had a good plan.

“Ok now look, we have to do this just right, we mess it up, and we are dead.” Sayann went on to tell me we had one shot at getting out of here alive. The Dark coven had called a meeting of the elders. It was during these meetings that we could possibly escape.