Derek grunted but did not scream.
"Why are you hurting him? You already have the information you need!” she shouted.
The female went back, over and over again, running the tip of the knife over Derek’s skin, cutting him, and letting the blood trickle out. She never cut deep enough to kill him, but just enough to keep him in constant pain.
Then Ian called the two vampires over, and they shoved Kyra at Derek. “Sit with him. If you let him go, you both die,” Ian said.
She stumbled forward, and then sat on the ground next to Derek, who now looked too weak to even try to escape.
“How could you?” Derek glared at Kyra. He wiped the blood from the side of his mouth with his sleeve. “How could you pretend to care about me knowing what they wanted? How could you look at yourself in the mirror after you met my pack?"
"Because your pack killed my father,” she said. “And they let my mother die.”
"My pack? No. We would never do something like that.”
“Maybe you better check your history books, because Roman’s father did exactly that.”
Derek’s face clouded over.
“Oh, now you realize,” she said.
"What happened? Tell me the whole story – it's not like we have anything else to do. And I assume the vampires already know all of this, so there’s no further risk.”
The whole story… It was worth a try. She began her tale, but then stopped.
Maybe they could trick the vampires. And make it seem like they were actually fighting while she told him.
She hit the button to send her location to Roman. I sent him my location. Roman is coming, she said to Derek, trying her best to send him the words telepathically. I’m so sorry. For everything. Try to escape. Leave me here.
She had no idea if he’d receive the message.
She felt a warm, bright spot buzz in her brain. Was that Derek?
As soon as I’m free, I’ll get you away from these monsters.
No, she begged. Don’t worry about me. All of this is my fault. You need to get your pack safe.
He ignored that part. Are you truly sorry? Do you truly regret helping them?
Yes. God, yes. With everything in me.
Then she heard an imperious voice, and she knew their time was up.
Victor came waltzing through the forest, looking very out of place in his Edwardian coat and vest. “So, Derek,” Victor said. “I will let you know our plan.” And then he began to talk and told Derek the entire evolution of their plan.
Hearing it out loud?
Disgusting.
She was absolutely disgusted with them and with herself.
Before today, she had had a lot of reservations about harming Victor or allowing him to be harmed. She no longer felt those reservations. Victor, the only father she’d had for years, had used her. And lied to her non-stop. He'd been willing to murder people, just to complete his goals, and she’d fallen under his spell.
He’d poisoned her mind and attempted to turn her into the same type of creature he was.
Then Victor paused and gestured toward the female vampire. “You may resume.”
So Kyra stood beside Ian and she watched as the female vampire sliced across Derek's arm with the silver knife. Kyra’s entire body was vibrating.