Chapter Twenty-Eight

Chapter Twenty-Eight

I walked around in the deadly silenced house. It looked as if someone had just left. There were still champagne glasses and beer bottles on the coffee table and side tables. The house still smelled of alcohol and my mom’s perfume. It was a strange emotion surging through me. I was sad but not sad at the same time. I didn’t feel like I was broken but maybe it was just the shock. I mean, my parents didn’t want me. They made that very evident at times…but then again, they were drunk at those times. What was I supposed to be feeling towards them? Most kids would have been crying their eyes out but I wasn’t. Did that make me an awful person?
“Jade?”
I turned to see Gabriel standing in the doorway of the house.
“What?” I snapped not exactly too pleased to see him.
“Jade, I’m sorry.” He said quietly.
My entire body began shaking. I couldn’t believe he was standing there. It was all his fault anyway. Everything was his fault.
“Why are you here?” I asked, trying to control my anger.
“Because…Jagger didn’t know those were your parents. I told you that his killings are totally random. He didn’t know.”
“So that makes it okay?!” I screeched.
“No! Not at all! I’m just telling you that he wasn’t trying to hurt you here.” Gabriel responded.
“Well that’s fantastic then, isn’t it?! It’s just wonderful! I should just forgive him then, right? I should just…oh you are pissing me off so badly, Gabriel.”
“Jade, I love you…”
“Really? You love me?” I asked quietly, sarcastically. “I. Don’t. Care. YOU LET ME WALK AWAY FROM YOU IN THE WOODS! YOU LET ME WALK AWAY! YOU DON’T CARE ABOUT ME! YOU DON’T CARE ABOUT ANYONE BUT YOURSELF! I HATE YOU, GABRIEL CALPH!” I screamed and then pushed past him out the door again where Oliver was waiting in his car.
I started to get in but Gabriel came up behind me and spun me around. He crashed his lips into mine and immediately, I forgot everything. Literally. Everything. All I could think about was Gabriel and how his lips were forming against mine so perfectly and how much I loved him even though I wanted to hate him.
When he pulled away, I felt confused and dazed and…happy. It was strange. I shouldn’t have been feeling like that but I was. Gabriel looked into my eyes and put his hand up to the side of my face. The iciness made me shiver.
“Jade, I love you.” He whispered.
I couldn’t bring myself to respond. I reached behind me for the door handle and pulled on it. When the door was open, I collapsed inside and closed the door. Oliver drove us away, without another word until we arrived at his house. He removed the keys from the ignition but didn’t make any motion to be getting out of the car. I also didn’t move. Oliver’s face was blank. I wish I knew what he was feeling and thinking.
“Oliver?” I said quietly.
He inhaled deeply and then exhaled.
“Oliver, what’s wrong?” I asked.
“It’s just that…earlier I actually thought I had a chance but then when I saw him kiss you and the way you held onto him while you were kissing him back. Jade, you don’t have any feelings for me and you know it.” He replied sadly.
“Oliver, I don’t know what I’m feeling.”
He shook his head slowly. “I know what you’re feeling. I can tell. Every time I mention Gabriel, I see the pain in your eyes…the only way that much pain can be present is if you truly loved him and you did…you do.”
“Are we still friends?” I asked mostly to myself.
“Jade, of course we are. Why would you even think that we aren’t?”
I shrugged. “Sometimes when one friend has feelings for the other friend, things just don’t work out between those friends.”
“Jade, I know how I feel about you but I also know how you feel about me. I accept that, okay? And I will always, always be your friend.”
I smiled and nodded. “Am I still welcome at your house?”
“My mom can’t not let you stay now, Jade.”
I looked down at my hands. Oliver reached over and touched my knee.
“Everything is going to be okay.” He told me quietly and I believed him for a moment but I knew that there were bigger problems than my parents being dead.
“Oliver, can I ask you something?”
“Yeah, of course.”
“How come I never see your dad around?”
I knew it was a random question but it got the focus off of me and my issues.
“I…I don’t know. I never even…wow, he never is around, is he?”
I shook my head and Oliver’s eyes saddened.
“What’s wrong?” I questioned.
“Nothing. I’m just jumping to conclusions. My dad wouldn’t do something like that.”
“Like what?” I pushed.
“Never mind. It’s nothing. Let’s go inside now and figure out your living arrangements.”
I gave him a lingering look before going inside with him.
“My mom left already…you can just hang here until we figure out something to do.”
I nodded and went inside with him. I plopped down on the couch and all I wanted to do was sleep. I couldn’t think of what else to do. Gabriel had kissed me. My parents were dead because of Jagger. I couldn’t believe that Gabriel had defended him. Was I going crazy or had that really happened? I couldn’t bring myself to believe that Jagger’s attack on my parents was completely coincidental. On top of that, I had reason to believe that Doug was now a vampire. He went missing…wasn’t found dead but was gone. I closed my eyes for a moment and curled my knees into my chest trying to block out the insanity of being caught up in this vampire world.
“Jade?”
I opened my eyes and saw Oliver standing over me. I didn’t really want to talk to him at that moment in time. I just wanted to be alone with my thoughts.
“Jade, please, hear me out, okay?” Oliver said, sitting down beside my feet on the couch.
I wanted to ask him why I should because I knew what he was going to say but I restrained myself.
“I’m just tired of seeing you being hurt by Gabriel and his little vampire buddies. If this doesn’t stop, you’re going to get killed, Jade. Is it worth it?”
I sighed and I knew he had a point but I couldn’t deny that I still had very strong feelings for Gabriel. There was no way I could just turn my back on the vampire world now. I couldn’t run. I couldn’t hide. I had to face them face on if I wanted to survive. No more surprise attacks. I had to save myself and I had to keep Oliver safe.
But for now, in case my death did come soon, I had to do what was best. I had to make Oliver happy in case I died. I didn’t matter to myself anymore. I didn’t care if I lived or died, but I did care about Oliver. I would keep him safe and happy.
I looked up at Oliver, changing my facial expression. This was it, the moment of change. The moment of giving in.
I stood up and looked deep into Oliver’s eyes. I could hear Oliver’s breath catch in his voice. I could almost hear his heart racing. I could see the sweat beading up on his forehead. Before I could think twice, I leaned in and kissed him. He didn’t pull away but sank into me, giving into his desires.
I couldn’t help but think as I was kissing him and I became pessimistic very quickly.
Well, I thought carelessly, this is the end of my forever.
As the thought floated through my head, Oliver and I took the next step and I knew that vampires were once again nonexistent in my head.

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Chapter Twenty-Seven

I stayed the night at Oliver’s. How could I have not? I couldn’t go home. My parents would flip if I just randomly came home now. Why weren’t they flipping already though? Shouldn’t they have called or something? No, because that’s what good parents do.
I was almost tempted to go to Gabriel’s but I didn’t. I couldn’t give in. I couldn’t go back to him. He walked away from me and I walked away from him…both times putting me in danger.
I couldn’t go to sleep that night. Too much was going through my head. There was too much heartache…so much fear…so much love. I sat up and looked at Oliver who was sleeping soundlessly like I knew he would be. I stood up and quietly crept over to his bed and sat down on the edge. Oliver didn’t stir. He was a deep sleeper. I lay down beside him and curled up against him. The warmth of his skin was shocking. I almost forgot what it felt like for human arms to embrace me. I had gotten so used to the iciness of vampire skin. It sent shudders down my spine with comfort and desire.
I carefully stroked the hair out of his eyes and looked at his peaceful state. I laid my head on his chest. Oliver, still snoring, threw his arm over me and let it hang there. I wanted to laugh but I bit my tongue. I rested my head on the pillow beside him and fell asleep that way. When I woke up, Oliver wasn’t there. For a moment, I panicked, but then I smelled the scents of a good breakfast wafting in from the kitchen. I stood up and put on my hoodie then made my way to the kitchen. I stopped when I heard Oliver’s voice sounding heated.
“Nothing happened, Mom! She was gone for a long time! She probably missed me or something. I don’t know!” He exclaimed.
“You were in the same bed! Your sisters just two doors down. The original arrangement was for you to stay in your room and her sleep in the living room. Oliver, you two weren’t just in the same bed…you were embracing each other!”
“Mom, listen to me. She has a lot going on that I can’t tell you about. Trust me, she just needed the warmth and comfort.”
I heard her sigh heavily. “You promise that nothing happened?” she said softer.
“Mom, I swear.”
I went into the kitchen pretending like I hadn’t heard anything.
“Hi. Wow, this all looks great.” I said trying to seem happy.
“Thanks, Jade. Are you staying for breakfast?” she asked trying to act like she wanted me to.
“No, thank you. I actually need to head out and take care of some business. Is it alright if I jump in the shower before I go?”
“Yes, of course. Clean towels are in the linen closet outside the bathroom.”
“Thanks.” I said then darted to the bathroom.
While I was digging for towels, Oliver came up behind me.
“Did you hear our conversation before you came in?” he asked me sadly.
“No, I really do have to go. Why? What happened?”
“Nothing. My mom just jumped to some wrong conclusions…can I ask you something?”
I nodded while pulling out two red towels.
“Why did you…um…get into the bed with me last night?”
I paused and picked at the fuzz on the towels.
“I’m not sure. I just…missed you, I guess.” I mumbled.
An awkward silence fell between us.
“It just surprised me, I guess. I mean, do you have feelings for me?”
I turned and looked at him…at his forlorn face and dorky appearance that I loved…but in what way did I love it? I knew that I loved him as my friend but could there ever be a flame there? He was the only human that had ever truly loved me.
“I don’t know, Oliver. Everything is too complicated right now. I just need a shower and then I have to go, okay?” I said then walked into the bathroom.
Oliver grabbed my arm and spun me around.
“Jade, where are you going?”
“I…don’t know.” I admitted.
"You’re going back with vampires, aren’t you?”
I looked at him and he knew right then that I was.
“Jade! Why can’t you stay here where you’ll be safe?”
“Because then YOU won’t be safe.” I said quietly.
“Jade, I’ll be…wait, you’re being completely selfless.”
I rolled my eyes. Why was everyone always so surprised?
“I just learned that sometimes there are things…there are people worth fighting for.” I responded mostly to myself.
“Jade…if you care so much, then why—“
“I have to take a shower.” I interrupted then closed the door.
When I was finished with my shower, I got dressed and attempted to sneak out of the house but Oliver was in the living room.
“Jade, wherever you’re going…please, let me come and help.” He said standing.
“No, Oliver. End of story. I’ll be back, I promise.”
“When though? Months from now?”
I sighed and looked at the floor. Maybe leaving wasn’t a good idea…If I was with Oliver; at least I knew he was safe. If they wanted me, they could just take me instead of taking Oliver. But what if they decided to take him anyway? No, they wouldn’t. I would willingly go with them if they came here. We just had to lay low…only go out if absolutely necessary.
I dropped my bag on the floor and went into the living room. I flopped down on the couch and sighed heavily.
“Jade…”
“I’m not leaving unless your mom wants me to leave.” I stated.
Oliver’s face lit up like he was going to bound on me in a hug. I wasn’t in the mood for any mushy stuff at that particular moment in time. I wasn’t sure why, but it was probably because of my uncertainties with him. My feelings, that is. I was so confused. After last night when we slept side by side, warm skin against warm skin, I wasn’t sure what I felt anymore. What did I desire more? My human best friend that could grow old with me…that everything would be NORMAL with... Or the vampire god that would never age and could love me forever unconditionally…
“Jade?”
I looked up at Oliver. He sensed that something was bothering me. I sighed with a smile, happy that he wasn’t reading my mind. That was another great thing about having a human friend.
“Are you okay?” he asked.
I nodded. “I’m fine. Just a lot on my mind. So, what do you want to do today?”
“I don’t know…watch some TV?”
I shrugged and settled into the couch. Oliver reached over and turned on the TV. The morning news was on. Oliver started to change the channel but I saw something about the mass killings and stopped him.
“Oliver! Wait!” I exclaimed and he froze.
I watched the TV screen closely.
“…This is an unusual case because we have yet to identify a body. A teenager by the name of Doug Fitz has gone missing. He disappeared sometime yesterday morning and no one has seen him or heard from him since then. If you see this young man (a picture came on the screen) please contact…”
I inhaled. It was Doug! The Doug that hit on me the first day of school! Why was he missing? Where was he? Was he dead? Had Jagger gotten to him.
“…This just in: two bodies have turned up dead. It is our belief that they are connected to the mass murders by the person who has yet to be caught. We have identified the bodies…” Two pictures came on the screen and my entire body froze.
“Jade?”
I ran out of the house, down the street, and to my house. I flung open the door and no one was home. I searched and searched screaming their names.
But no one was there.
My parents were dead.

Chapter Twenty-Six

Chapter Twenty-Six

Home was not far away after the hospital visit. I was excited even though I was still in pain. I could tell that Alexander was starting to warm up to me. We were on a bus to Charlotte, North Carolina when I got him to smile at something I said.
“Let’s get this over with. I’m not exactly thrilled with spending hours with you on this smelly bus. I’d rather be in my own car.” Alexander said getting a seat for us in the back.
“Um, I’m rather glad we’re taking a bus then. You’re idea of driving is not the same as us weak humans.” I muttered sitting beside him.
It was then that he cracked a smile.
“Does my driving frighten you?” he asked, amused.
“A little bit, yeah. Why do you creatures have to drive like maniacs?”
Alexander laughed. It was a beautiful laugh. It took my breath away. I studied him while he wasn’t looking at me. He didn’t resemble Gabriel much but he was still gorgeous. Wow. I actually liked him.
Alexander stiffened and I realized he had heard my thoughts.
“Not like that, doofus.” I said, aggravated.
“I can feel emotions, remember?” he mumbled.
“Oh yeah? What am I feeling?”
“Pain. Irritation…lust.”
Wow. Doofus was right except for the lust part. I wasn’t lusting after him. He was just a good looking guy. Alexander smirked again.
“I like the nickname. It’s so creative.” He teased.
Was he teasing me? He was! What was his problem? Was he sick?
Vampires don’t get sick. I reminded myself.
I rested my head against the headrest and eventually fell asleep. I woke to a jolt upward. I looked around disoriented. I realized that I had fallen asleep on Alexander’s shoulder and that we were in Charlotte.
“Let’s go catch the last bus.” He told me quietly and stood up with my bag.
I followed him to the next bus stop and waited patiently. I was still groggy because I was in a deep sleep on the bus ride here. I hadn’t slept well in the past couple days. Alexander’s cold shoulder was comforting because it reminded me so much of Gabriel. I felt a pang thinking his name. Alexander glanced over at me. I wished sometimes that he’d stop reading my thoughts.
“I’m not purposely reading them. You’re just projecting them. Didn’t you learn to screen your thoughts?” Alexander responded.
I shrugged. I hated thinking about Gabriel. It hurt too much. I didn’t understand why. I left him. He sent Alexander to protect me. Didn’t that show that he still loved me? No, it showed that he didn’t want my life in his hands. I sighed and pulled my jacket tighter around me wishing more than anything that the situation was different.
“Would you stop being so pessimistic?”
“Would you stop reading my thoughts?” I snapped back.
“Look, Gabriel cares about you a lot or he wouldn’t have asked me to come after you. He knows how I feel about having human friends. Trust me, he likes you a lot.”
I wanted to smile. I wanted to trust him, but I didn’t. What was trust anyway? The only person I trusted fully at that time was Oliver but he was miles away.
Oliver. I needed to call him. He’d be flipping out.
I pulled out my cell phone and sent him a quick text message.
“I’m okay and am safe. I’m with Alexander, Gabriel’s older brother. It’s a long story. I promise, I’m in safe hands now.” I love you, I wanted to say but I didn’t want him to think I meant it in a weird way. I pressed send and then turned my phone off.
“That kid loves you, too. What is with you? You have three guys after you.”
“Three?” I repeated.
“Jared, right?”
“Get out of my head!” I shouted. Bystanders looked at me questioningly but I ignored them.
“Sorry.” Alexander said quietly.
I shifted to where we were as far away as possible on the little bench. At least Gabriel tried to stay out of my head. Alexander had no problem reading my thoughts like an open book. I let that one weave out into his head before blocking out my thoughts completely just as I had trained myself to do.
“Impressive. Humans are usually too dumb to figure out how to prevent vampires from being all up in their business.” He muttered.
“Is that supposed to be an insult or something towards the human race?” I asked, no humor in my voice.
“Kind of, yeah.”
I rolled my eyes into the back of my head. Vampires. They thought they were so much more superior. They needed to get over themselves.
Alexander chuckled. I shot him a glare but he was still smiling. I refused to break. This kid was really starting to piss me off.
“It’s not that we think we’re superior. We’ve just been around much longer. It’s intelligence by age.” He explained, not doing a very good job keeping the humor out of his voice.
“I’m intelligent, thank you very much.” I snapped realizing that the old Jade was coming out.
“I didn’t say you weren’t. I’ve just seen a lot more than you. What you learn in History class, I experienced firsthand. I can pick out which parts of history are just based on overly analytical historians drawing wrong conclusions and which pieces of history actually happened.”
Now, I was curious.
“Like what?” I asked.
“I’m not sure off the top my head, but I met Thomas Jefferson. Nice man.”
“You met Thomas Jefferson?”
He nodded. “Back then, presidential security wasn’t a big thing. No one was after the president in the 1700’s. The president would just wander the streets with no security back then. I met the guy. Not a bad fellow. I would’ve loved to meet George Washington, though.”
“Why didn’t you?”
“Never got the chance. I didn’t live close to where he did.”
"Oh. I wish I could’ve met George Washington too.” I said thoughtfully remembering what my history teacher had said about him a couple years ago. In his opinion, Washington was the greatest president ever. I supposed I agreed with that.
“You know what’s hard to believe right now?” Alexander asked.
I looked up at him and he was smirking.
“We’re having a civilized conversation.”
“Gasp.” I said sarcastically and went back to enveloping myself with my own thoughts.
Within the next thirty minutes or so, the bus to Columbia pulled up.
“I still don’t like you.” Alexander told me as we stood.
“Ditto.” I mumbled.
*************************************
I fell asleep once again on this bus ride. When I woke up though, Alexander was gone. I looked around and realized that he wasn’t even on the bus anymore. A note was in my lap. I unfolded it and was amazed at how beautiful the handwriting was.
Jade,
I’m leaving you here now. I think you can take care of yourself from here. At least, I think you’re safe from here. Get a taxi to Calhoun. I think you still have enough money. Don’t get killed on the way home. Gabriel will have my head…literally.
Alexander
What a jerk! He left me in HOPES that I’d be okay. If Gabriel found out…well, he’d just find out.
I did what he told me to do. I got a taxi and rode the entire way from the bus station to Calhoun. It ended up costing me a little over a hundred dollars. Luckily, he was right about me having enough money.
The first thing I did was go to Oliver’s. I didn’t realize it, but I missed him a lot. I knocked on the door. Annabelle answered. I smiled at her sweet face.
“Hi Jade. Where have you been? Oliver’s missed you!” she exclaimed hugging me. I hugged her back. Seeing her was like a light in the dark tunnel.
And then I saw Oliver. Oh God, it was amazing seeing his dorky face.
“Jade!” he shouted and bounded on me.
I hugged him back, smiling. His embrace was tight and it hurt a bit from my encounter with Leo but God, it felt amazing to be beside him again.
“God, what happened to you? Are you okay? You’re hurt! You said you were fine!”
“Oliver, calm down. Can I come in so we can talk?”
“Yes!”
And so we went to his room and talked for hours. I told him everything from beginning to the point where I showed up at his doorstep. He was angry with me and looked like he was about to cry a few times and he laughed with me.
And that’s why Oliver was my best friend. I love him to death. I loved having a non-vampire friend that wouldn’t intrude on my thoughts. I trusted him with my life. It still got awkward at times when he made it too obvious that he was in love with me but I could used to it.
One thing was for sure though. I couldn’t let Oliver get mixed up in the vampire business again. I’d have to leave again soon, which I knew was going to hurt us both. It was the only choice though. It was either be hurt again or lose him for good. The only obvious choice was to leave again.

Chapter Twent-Five

Chapter Twenty-Five


It was nighttime before I knew it. I had no idea where I was. I was completely lost. I had no money. No clean clothes. No food. I was completely alone. What was I thinking? I should have at least stayed with Gabriel, using him as my tool to get back home somewhat safely.
I stopped walking. I was exhausted and unsure of how long I had been walking. I sat down on the leaves and lay on my back. Was it really wise? To be out alone in the dark in the middle of knowing with no knowledge of my location? Absolutely not.
I began to think about things as I lay there, staring up at the treetops. About everything. About Gabriel. Oliver. Leo. Alec. Alexander…even stupid Ethan, Carlie, and Jared. I wondered how my life got the way it was and if it would be so complex if Gabriel and I had never spoken…if I had never had Biology first period…if I had never sat down next to him…if I had never moved.
I thought about how my heart was breaking just thinking about Gabriel but then I thought about how it shouldn’t matter because he was a jerk. But I couldn’t deny that I still loved him more than I had ever loved myself.
Sleep came surprisingly easy for me. I slept solid until the sun came up when I began my journey again. I felt like I was going in circles after a while. Everything looked the same. I had never felt so lost before and yet, it was a comfortable feeling. If I was lost, no one would know where I was. No one could find me. For the time being, I was safe. After a while, I found a creek that I decided to bathe in. It was literally in the middle of nowhere. I decided it was safe to go skinny dipping since I was completely alone and lost. I jumped into the deep in that was probably only about 4 feet deep. It felt refreshing to cleanse myself after such a long journey so far. When I was finished, I went back to my clothes to find something that had definitely not been there before: my duffel bag.
I quickly threw on my clothes and looked around.
“Who’s there?!” I demanded.
When no one replied, I knelt down to the bag and opened it. Inside were about three hundred dollars, a cell phone and charger, clothes, deodorant, and toiletries. I looked around, hoping to see the face that I longed for but saw no one.
I opened up the cell phone. There was a signal, which meant civilization was not far. I decided I should call someone…anyone. Hearing an outside voice would comfort me and tell me that home was not far away.
The phone rang. Once. Twice.
“Hello? Jade?”
I sighed happy to hear Oliver’s voice again.
“Oliver, hi.” I said, surprisingly calm.
“Jade, where are you? Are you okay?” he asked, worry in his voice.
“I’m fine. I’m just…not going to be back for a while.”
“Why? What’s going on? Are you hurt?”
“No more than usual. Oliver, listen to me okay? I’m fine for now. I’m just a little bit lost but I’ll find my way out. I mean, this cell phone is getting a signal so I’m not far from a town or something. From there, I can figure out where to go.”
“Wait, you’re lost? How did you get lost? Are you not with your friends?”
“Oliver, relax, okay? I’m fine. I’m just in Tennessee somewhere.”
“Tennessee?!”
“Yes, look, I’ll call you when I find a town, okay?”
“Why did you call? Wait, your cell phone has a tracking thing on it. Call 911.”
“Oliver, I’m fine.”
“Not for long.” Said a familiar voice.
I inhaled sharply. I turned to see Leo.
“Leo.” I breathed.
“Leo? Who’s Leo? Jade, what’s going on?”
“Oliver, listen closely, okay? No matter what happens, I love you, okay? You’re the best friend I’ve ever had. I wouldn’t trade you for the world.” I said quickly.
Leo laughed. “How sweet. Your final goodbyes.”
I hung up and threw the phone into my bag. I wasn’t sure what to do…where to go…where to run.
“You can’t run, Jade. I’ll always find you.”
“What do you want?” I demanded.
“Your blood.”
He leaped into the air and landed on top of me. The breath was knocked out of me.
“Get off!” I cried.
"Not a chance.” He laughed and touched my neck with his icy hand.
When Gabriel touched me like that, it felt amazing. But now, it was pure fear that was pumping my adrenaline. I wasn’t sure what to do. Would screaming do any good? I was alone…but wait, who put the bag there? Was it Leo?
"I’m not going to kill you but Jagger will. I’m just gonna rough you up a bit for leaving without me.” He whispered into my ear.
He leaped off of me and grabbed me by my hair and stood me up. I yelped. He threw me against a tree. I screamed at the cracking noise one of my arms made from the intense impact. I couldn’t breathe. Blood was dripping down my body from somewhere but I wasn’t sure where it was coming from.
“You know, I heard what Jagger and Alec did to you. That was mercy. You aren’t going to live this time. You see? I have control. All that blood and I’m not taking one sip. No, it’s all for Jagger. I love human girls when they’re terrified. It’s beautiful.”
He lifted me up and stared me in the eye. His irises were a flaming red.
“Put. Her. Down.” Shouted a voice.
Leo smirked and tossed me onto the forest floor.
“Nice of you to join us. Care for a snack?”
I began writhing in pain. Tears were streaking my face. I couldn’t focus on anything. Why was this so familiar?
“Let her go. Gabriel will kill you if you harm her.”
“Let him come to me then. Why isn’t he here instead of you?”
“That’s none of your concern. I won’t fight you for her because honestly, I don’t care. But I will fight you for Gabriel. You are not my brother and I don’t care what happens to you but if you hurt my brother, I will find you and I will kill you.”
Alexander? Why was he here?
“Fine. Take her. Jagger will find her again. I haven’t failed. I’m weakening her, not that she stood a chance before.”
With that, he left. Alexander knelt down to me and studied me.
"Honestly, why is that kid so determined to hold onto you?” he muttered then lifted me up into his arms.
“Why…why isn’t he here?” I asked trying to focus on something, anything, other than the pain.
“He told me you didn’t want his help. He begged me to follow you and make sure you were okay.”
“You’ll do anything for your family, won’t you?”
“Yeah, including Jagger so don’t get your hopes up that I actually like you enough to fight him.”
“So, you do like me?”
“Not in the least. I think you’re nothing but trouble, but you are Gabriel’s pet so I have to protect you.”
“What’s going to happen when Jagger gets to me? Then what?”
“Then I’ll be neutral and let them settle it. For now, Jagger’s not here.”
“Are you the oldest?”
He nodded with an expression on his face that told me to shut up because he wasn’t interested in making small talk with me. I sighed and rested my head against his chest which felt good. My head was pounding.
“I guess I’ll take you to a hospital considering that you’re bleeding all over the place.”
“Is it not bothering you?”
“I’m not breathing it in so, not right now.” When I opened my mouth to respond he warned, “Don’t tempt me.”
I closed my mouth and allowed myself to close my eyes.
“Don’t go to sleep. You might have a concussion.”
So, I forced myself to stay awake the entire journey to the hospital. Every time it appeared that I was about to fall asleep, Alexander would shake me somewhat violently both pissing me off and waking me. I wondered if I would ever gain his trust but I doubted it. The only way that would happen is if I became a vampire and married Gabriel.

Chapter Twenty-Four

Chapter Twenty-Four

Gabriel stopped to take a break in some open field in Tennessee. He collapsed beside me smiling and breathing hard.
“Man, that felt wonderful.” He breathed.
I didn’t respond. I couldn’t help but still hold a grudge against him. As soon as my mind started to wander, I closed off my thoughts so Gabriel could not read them.
“Why are you hiding your thoughts?” he asked me.
I shrugged and lay down beside him but with distance between us. Neither of us spoke for a while. My mind was wandering to what Gabriel did to me. And then Jagger…I hadn’t thought about Jagger much at all which might not have been the best thing. I needed to figure out ways to defeat him, if that was possible. Granted I had a vampire on my side now but one vampire against Jagger, Leo, and Alec…I decided to let my thoughts go somewhere else.
“Let’s not go home.” Gabriel whispered suddenly.
“What?” I said surprised.
“Let’s you and me run away.” He rolled over to his side and looked at me. “We can escape all of this and just be together again for good. Jagger can’t touch us. I can run faster than any vampire or human on the planet. You want to do it?”
I stared at him for a second to see if he had lost some screws in his brain while running. “No, I don’t want to do that, stupid!” I exclaimed when I found that he was being serious.
He sighed and went back to lying on his back. I wanted to ask what he was thinking about but I held my tongue. I would not, COULD not show him an ounce of forgiveness. I look over at Gabriel out of the corner of my eye. He was smirking.
“What?” I asked trying to make my voice sound harsh.
“Nothing.” He said blissfully.
I sat up. “What?!” I demanded.
“I can hear your thoughts you know.”
“I was blocking them!” I argued.
“Not that time. I was thinking about you, you know. How great it was when…well, never mind.” His perfect marble lips frowned.
Anger suddenly boiled. He freaking left me in my time of need. He LEFT me with Jagger. Alone and defenseless. The…the…oh there were no words to describe what he was to me then!
“I know you are angry with me, Jade but please…I didn’t want to leave you.”
“BUT YOU DID!” I shouted, my anger boiling over.
“Jade—“
“No, dammit! I’m not putting up with this anymore! You are just going to leave me and I’m going to be sad again! God, leave me alone. I’ll find my way back from here!” I said, standing.
“Jade, we’re in Tennessee. In the middle of no where, I might add.”
“I don’t care, Gabriel. I want you out of my life.”
“You don’t mean that.”
I whirled around and looked him in the eyes. He was right. I didn’t mean that. I wanted him so much to be back with me. I would give up everything to be with him again…if I knew he wasn’t going to leave me again, which, I was sure he was going to.
My eyes softened as tears welled up in them. I balled my hands into fists to keep from crying.
“Why did you leave?” I whispered.
“Because…Jagger…Jade, all vampires come—“
Suddenly, it made sense. “Equipped with one power. Jagger hypnotized you.” I said breathlessly.
Gabriel nodded with a small, sad smile. “He made me leave, Jade. I wanted so badly to stay. As soon as you got out of the car, I knew that I couldn’t stay. I fought it for as long as I could but it wasn’t enough. Jagger is too powerful.”
“But you never came back. Was that part of Jagger’s spell?” I asked, sarcasm in my voice.
Gabriel sighed heavily and I knew what he was going to say. I didn’t have to hear it.
“I knew it.” I muttered then looked around, looking for the clearest exit. I chose the one to my left. Gabriel took my hand.
“Jade, don’t leave. If you leave now, you’ll get yourself killed. You can’t be alone in these woods. What about Jagger? What about Leo? Alec? C’mon, please, just hear me out.”
“You left me for my own good, right? You didn’t want me to get hurt by your world. You were afraid of loving me because I’m just a human. You were afraid of me being too weak for your physical strength. Right?” I said, my eyes filling again but I refused to cry.
Gabriel didn’t say anything. I looked into his eyes and they showed sadness and pain, a reflection of what I knew was in my own eyes. It was then that I knew that we could never work. Vampire and humans should not be mixed in the same world. I could not continue to be mixed up in the vampire world. It just wasn’t natural. They weren’t natural. Oliver and I needed to get out of it and get out of it for good. I needed to live my life as a normal human being. I could not continue like this. I needed to find a nice, normal, human love. Maybe I could take Doug for a spin. Maybe he would be “the one”…the one that Gabriel couldn’t be. Would he leave me in my time of need? It wasn’t a sure thing but it was less likely than trusting Gabriel.
Gabriel’s expression changed and I knew he heard my thoughts.
“You’re ready to move on, just like that?” he asked sadly.
“We weren’t going out that long. It’s not like we were engaged or something.” I replied trying to sound as strong as I wanted.
“But…our love…it was stronger than anything I’ve ever felt.”
“You shouldn’t have left.”
“Please, Jade…You know that I love you...I did it for you.”
“No, you did it TO me. You don’t get it Gabriel. You broke my heart. I don’t forgive heart-breakers. I don’t want you back.”
“Yes you do.”
“Now who’s being full of themselves?” I muttered.
“Jade…please..."
“Shut up, already, okay? This story doesn’t have a happy ending.”
With that, I walked off in the opposite direction, part of me hoping Gabriel would chase after me. If he did, he really did care because he was right, this was dangerous. If he didn’t, I knew that I was doing the right thing.
I walked a few yards into the woods.
Nothing.
Gabriel was letting me walk away, possibly into the hands of death.
My heart felt heavy, like lead but if this is what he truly wanted, then I knew I was making a good decision.