Page 36 of Night Fall
“Y-Yes.”
“Then go. Make sure to change your clothes and have the others do the same, then meet me in front of the church.”
Elaine blinked for a moment, then stood. Slowly she moved around Mya, constantly checking behind her as if to make sure Mya wouldn’t change her mind and kill her, until she finally scurried from the room.
With one last look at the babies, Mya made her way back through the house, over the bodies of the witches she’d killed, and out to the cemetery. There she found five more witches, but she killed them with less vigor than before. Now it wasn’t just about Erik; it was about protecting her family. She was more cautious, more precise, and for her efforts she found an additional four witches she would have otherwise missed in her violent haze. Mya picked up their bodies and hauled them into the church.
She had just finished with the women when Elaine met her, as instructed, along with six other young girls. Most held two babies in their arms. The girls themselves looked terrible, covered bruises and cuts like Elaine, but at least they were dressed, and that would be enough for Mya get them to the tavern without too many questions.
Mya gestured for the girls to move back, and then she lit the house on fire. She stood and watched it burn. The fire brought back the picture of Erik’s house—their house—and it was as if the flames burned away at Mya’s retribution. Suddenly she felt tired, like the weight of the world had finally engulfed her, and the pain she felt went deeper than her skin, her mind, and her heart. It was etched into her very soul.
Someone tapped on her shoulder and Mya spun around, making Elaine gasp.
“I-I just wanted to give this to you. I didn’t know your size, but I thought it might help if you changed too.”
Mya took the blood red material, trying to keep her hand from shaking. She wiped the blood from her face, hair, and chest, then she pulled off her dress and threw it in the fire. After she’d shucked on the gown Elaine had given her, she gave the girl a curt nod in thanks.
The group walked together until Mya could flag several carriages, paying handsomely for their discretion. Once in the carriage, she grasped her shaking hands tightly, gulping in air and tasting the foul smells of horse shit, blood, filth, and alcohol. They were her reminders that she was here, still alive. She had to be, just for a little bit longer.
They arrived at the tavern, and Greg pulled the door open before Mya could raise her hand. His brows were twisted, his eyes glowing red, and her breath hitched.
“Where have you been? I’ve been looking all over for you! You were supposed to come right back! Do you have any idea—”
The dam inside her broke open and the tide dragged her under. “Greg,” she hiccupped. “He’s dead. Erik’s dead!” Then the whole world tilted, and she welcomed the endless black.
THIRTEEN
“Your sister killed an entire coven of witches!” Francois, one of the council members, shouted.
“And if she hadn’t, we would all be dead!” Greg yelled.
The council meeting had been going on for hours. After Mya collapsed in Greg’s arms, he carried her upstairs. Then he took care of Elaine and the rest of the girls. Along with Luke, he set up a nursery for the babies, and when Mya awoke, he held her while she told him everything that had happened.
Mya stayed in that room, staring vacantly at the wall, sitting on the bed she had shared with Erik only a few short days prior. She didn’t move, didn’t eat, didn’t drink, or sleep until Greg told her they had to report what happened to the newly formed council. Mya followed him wordlessly. Now that she had no one to hunt or kill, nothing to investigate and no reason or purpose or fuel for revenge, the fight had left her body. and all she felt was numb.
The fighting started the moment Greg had told The Council what she had done. Arguments broke out about how unstable she was, how she couldn’t be trusted, how she deserved to be punished, and perhaps they were right. After all, she did destroy an entire coven, and she would do it again without a second thought. In fact, she held no remorse for what she’d done. She only wished she’d destroyed them before they had destroyed her, before they had broken her heart and ripped out the very essence of her soul: her beloved, Erik.
“You know our laws,” Francois snarled.
“I know them because I made them,” Greg barked back.
Mya looked at Greg, studying him. For most of the meeting he’d been calm, patient, explanatory, but in the last few minutes he’d become more and more upset, and now he sounded as if he wanted to pounce on the man and tear him limb from limb.
“Then you also know that we cannot make an exception just because this woman is your own flesh and blood.”
Greg hissed. “Francois—”
“Do not make an exception for me,” Mya said blankly, tired of the arguing, tired of being in this world when Erik was not. “If you must punish me, do so.”
Francois’s eyes turned to hers, and for a moment she swore she saw delight in them. “Then you admit you should die for what you’ve done.”
Mya’s eyes widened in shock, not horror. Francois was offering her exactly what she wanted. Her death would set her free, allow her to pass on from the cruel fate of living here without Erik.
“Mya—” Greg started, only to be interrupted by Francois.
“She savagely destroyed an entire coven of witches. This council was created by you and Erik as a haven for all immortals. If we leave her alive, the message it sends to others is that vampires are still superior and this council will protect them above all others.” His eyes narrowed. “We cannot trust that she will not do this again. I vote death as Mya’s punishment.”
Lily snapped her fan closed. “Francois, you are forgetting why these deaths occurred. The witches killed first—”
