“Cheetah.”
“Panther.”
“Is that everyone?” Gabriel asked. When no one else spoke up, he nodded. “I need to go over the map with you.”
He pulled out the piece of paper he’d sketched the layout of the Originals hideout on, and held it up. He went over the same details he’d told us.
“The plan is to leave tomorrow morning and strike the following day. The Originals are nocturnal, so striking during the day is our best bet at survival.”
I closed my eyes. Why did Gabriel have to keep reminding of us the fact that death was imminent? Ever since I moved to Rome, I had continued to watch the ones I loved die. I vowed this would be the last time I would ever be faced with this. I looked around at my family.
Jonathon.
Patrick.
Diana.
Joseph.
Danny.
Mason.
Vivian.
Viola.
My mom.
My brothers.
Even Gabriel.
It hurt to look at them and know that in a matter of hours they could be dead.
It wasn’t fair.
Hadn’t I lost enough?
“Hey,” Jonathon murmured, wrapping his arm around my waist. “Are you okay?”
I shook my head from side to side. No, I was definitely not okay. But I didn’t want to say those words out loud.
“Everything will be fine,” Jonathon whispered in my ear.
“Don’t say things that you know aren’t true,” I snapped.
I was getting angry—angry that I had to deal with this once more. I didn’t want to say goodbye. Vampirism held the promise of immortality but it was nothing but a lie. Even to a vampire, forever, was nothing but a mirage.
I crossed my arms over my chest and headed outside.
I needed to get away—a moment to clear my head.
Jonathon, of course, followed me.
I leaned against one of the stone pillars that held the roof aloft. I closed my eyes, listening to the sounds of the city. Everyone else’s life went on while I was stuck in hell.
“What if we can’t get her back?” I finally asked him.