The Wanderers Beginning: The Wanderers, Reborn, & Unforgiven (52 page)

  
              “What's the sudden interest in my love life? Why would you care if Tristan dumps me or not, unless…maybe you have a thing for him?” I teased. He narrowed his eyes at me not finding my joke amusing. “What does Tristan have to do with any of this anyways?” I asked curiously.

  
              “He knows too much. Can't risk him going around and tattling now can I?”

  
              “Is that why you killed your roommate, too? Because he discovered what kind of monster you are,” I said, finding it hard to keep the expression of disgust from my face.

  
              “I would have eventually, regardless. He really was a slob. But to answer your question, he was just another pawn in the plan.”

  
              “I hate to tell, but your little plan isn't working.”

  
              “Isn't it?” he said, that malicious smile returning. “I think it's working quite well. You see, Ella, plans change. Sometimes you need to change the rules a bit in the game and you did a wonderful job of helping us do that.” I looked at him not quite clear on what he was getting at. “Say Ella, where is lover boy?”

  
              “What did you do?” I yelled, not able to control my anger anymore.

  
              “Oh, darling?” Jack cooed.

  
              I turned to my right preparing myself for his mystery partner. When she stepped out from behind the tree I couldn't hide the surprised look on my face. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. She stood there, smiling as viciously as Jack. “Hello, Ella.”

  
              “Cadence?”

  
              She took a step closer to Jack, one arm still behind the tree holding onto something. She looked at Jack and caressed his face in a loving manner and making me want to throw up. I looked away not able to stomach watching this. “What's the matter, Ella? I would have thought you were the romantic type.”

  
              “You call this romance? I call it a vile display of two vulgar and perverse individuals.”

  
              “Hmm, I think we should get a second opinion. Let's ask lover boy what he thinks,” Cadence said, revealing what, or should I say who, she was hiding behind the tree.

  
              “Tristan!”

  
              I took a step forward. Cadence held up a finger. “Uh-uh,” she said, wagging it back and forth.

  
              I looked back over at Tristan who was barely hanging on. He was covered head to toe in blood. He was beaten and bruised and not able to stand on his own. My anger was building so high I started shaking. “Why?” I cried.

  
              “Because of you, of course. Haven't you learned by now that all these people had to die because of you, Ella? All this could have been avoided if you simple did not exist,” she said modestly.

  
              “I don't understand,” I said.

  
              “Of course you don't you, silly girl. This is bigger than you will ever know.”

  
              I really wish people would stop saying that.

  
              “Doesn't matter, it's nothing you need to worry you're pretty little head about. This will all be over soon enough,” Cadence said, as she handed Tristan over to Jack. “And your powers will be mine.” Jack cleared his throat. “Sorry,” she said, rolling her eyes when he wasn't looking. “Ours.”

  
              “I don't even have my powers yet.”

  
              “You will soon.”

  
              “Why kill anyone then? Why not just come for me?” I asked, trying to stall as much as I could.

  
              “Just some insurance, we needed an incentive for you to give up your powers.”

  
              “You bitch!”

  
              “I'd be careful if I were you. You saw what happened to Skylar. She liked to mouth off, too,” Cadence warned.

  
              I clenched my fists. “What about Josie? She didn't do anything to you. She had nothing to do with this.”

  
              “Please, that whiny little whore. I wanted to kill her the moment I met her. We only kept her around long enough because we knew she would eventually lead us right to you.”

  
              “I'm going to fucking kill you,” I growled.

  
              “Please, don't make threats you can't keep.”

  
              “I will never give you my powers!”

  
              “Don't be so sure of that,” Cadence said, turning to Tristan, smiling. She took him from Jack, holding him by the back of his shirt. Her eyes began to glow as she exposed her fangs and sunk them into Tristan's neck.

  
              “No!” I screamed lunging for her, but Jack was too quick and had my arms behind my back before I could react effectively.

  
              I watched as Cadence drained the life from Tristan. His eyes found mine and tears spilled down my cheeks. “Stop, I'll do it. I'll give you my powers,” I wept.

  
              Cadence dropped Tristan to the ground. He looked up at me, voice weak, he said, “Ella...don't.”

  
              Cadence was at my side in an instant. “Do be a dear and hold still,” she said as she bent down to sink her teeth into my neck.

  
              “Wait!” Jack said. “Not yet. We need her at full strength to take her powers.” Cadence paused, pulling back. She looked up at Jack and smiled. Jack loosened his grip on me when he leaned in to kiss her.

  
              I thought I was going to be sick. Jack let go of me so he could embrace in their kiss. I fell to the ground and crawled over to Tristan. “Tristan...I'm so sorry...this is all my fault,” I said, pulling him into me.

  
              He reached up to caress my face. “Ella, it's not your fault,” he said, trying to smile. My lips started to quiver as he leaned in and kissed me gently.

  
              “Enough of that,” Cadence said as Jack ripped me from Tristan's arms. I tried to fight back but I wasn't strong enough.

  
              I looked at Tristan, helpless, as Cadence picked him up off the ground. Her arm was around his chest holding him up, the other around his head ready to snap his neck. “NO!” I screamed.

  
              “Shut her up!”

  
              Jack put his hand over my mouth. Clearly he hadn't learned his lesson from last time. I bit down hard. “Bitch!” he yelled out in pain then smacked me, knocking me to the ground.

  
              Tristan growled and tried to escape from Cadence's grasp, but at the moment she was stronger. “Do I have to do everything?” Cadence growled.

  
              “No,” Jack said, giving her a menacing look. He bent down and picked me up by the back of my neck.  “Try that again and I will make you suffer,” he warned.

   
              “Now, where was I?” Cadence said. She lifted her arms again, ready to deliver the final blow that would end Tristan's life.

  
              Fear and panic were rushing through my body.

  
              I closed my eyes not able to watch. Jack shook me, forcing my eyes open. “Oh yes, you do want to watch this.”

  
              I looked up at Tristan and deep into his eyes. He met my gaze and I watched as his eyes started to burn bright. He smiled and then snarled as he threw an elbow up breaking Cadence's nose. She dropped him and he was instantly up knocking Cadence to the ground and holding her hands behind her back. “Let her go!” Tristan shouted.

  
              “Don't do it!” Cadence yelled.

  
              “Do it or she dies!” he threatened.

  
              “He's bluffing. He doesn't have the strength or the guts to kill me,” she smirked.

  
              “Pretty big talk coming from the bitch on the ground,” Tristan retorted.

  
              Jack released my neck but held tight to my arm. I heard a crunching noise, then Cadence screaming in pain. Tristan had just broken her arm. “Let. Her. Go.” I could feel Jack hesitate, debating what he should do. He stood his ground and kept his grip on me. I cringed. I thought he was going to crush my bones. “Last warning, release her or the arm comes off,” he said, tugging at the already broken arm causing Cadence to scream out in uncontrollable pain.

  
              “Let her go,” Cadence said in between breaths.

  
              Jack released me and I ran to Tristan. “No, Ella, get out of here!”

  
              “I'm not leaving you.”

  
              Jack took that moment and flew at Tristan, but he was up as quick as Jack knocked him down. They danced around each other, waiting for the other to attack. Cadence, seeing I was defenseless, charged at me. She grabbed me and bit down hard on my neck making me yelp. Tristan growled ferociously charging at Jack knocking him into a tree. Then he grabbed Cadence and before I could blink he snapped her neck.

  
              I fell to the ground, dizzy from the bite and blood loss. “Ella, look at me. Ella,” Tristan begged. I looked up at him and smiled, reaching for his face. I went to speak, but he told me not to. He placed his hand over the bite marks on my neck. I felt a cool, tingling sensation. Then I saw the same silvery blue light come from Tristan's hand as it did the day he healed my shoulder in the hotel. The dizziness disappeared and the pain in my neck was gone. “You're going to be okay,” he said, smiling at me as he helped me sit up.

  
              We heard a cry of pain and turned to see Jack kneeling by Cadence's body. He whipped his head around and leapt for Tristan. They tumbled a few feet away. I stood up, trying to find something, anything to help Tristan, but I was coming up empty.

  
              It was hard to watch.

  
              Jack was stronger and wasn't weakened from an earlier battle. I watched as they wrestled back and forth and I knew Tristan was losing. The more I watched the more I couldn't take it. I had to do something, but what?

  
              All of a sudden my knees felt weak, wobbly, and could no longer hold me up.

  
              I fell to the ground on my hands and knees.

  
              I felt a hot, sharp pain shoot through my hands.

  
              I dug my fingers into the ground gripping the grass as the pain moved from hands all the way up my arms. The same silvery blue light I saw come from Tristan's hand was now making it's way up my arms and continued it's way down my back through my whole body.

  
              I had to bite my tongue to keep from screaming. The pain was so agonizing. It burned so hot and felt like I was getting pricked with tiny needles everywhere.

  
              I didn't understand what was happening.

  
              When the pain finally subsided, I flipped my head up and looked around. I could see...everything.

  
              Everything was ten times clearer. And the sounds…I could hear cars, but there were none in sight.

  
              I closed my mouth and felt two sharp points on my lip.

  
              I felt like I had the strength of ten men.

  
              My powers, I had just received my powers.

  
              I stood up carefully, still feeling light headed from the pain of getting my powers. I searched the grounds for Tristan and Jack. I found them in the distance and watched as Jack threw Tristan into a flag pole knocking him unconscious.

  
              For the first time ever, I let out a feral growl.

  
              Jack spun around. “Well, look at who finally got their powers, seems like I can kill two birds with one stone tonight.” He charged at me and I reacted on instinct moving out of the way in time. Jack fell, but quickly recovered. “You can't beat me, Ella, even with your powers.”

  
              “We'll just see about that,” I smirked.

  
              Jack lunged for me but this time he didn't miss.

  
              He pinned me down to the ground with my arms tight at my sides. “You don't have control and therefore I will take you,” he hissed, leaning down to bite me. I jerked my knee up hitting him in the groin. He fell off, howling in pain. I stood up and smiled at him, waiting for him to attack. He was right, I didn't have control of my powers, but I knew how to control the situation. Jack was irrational, never having a real plan of attack. He always struck first and asked questions later. I knew I had to be smarter and outwit him.