Fall For Me ((The Tate Chronicles #1)) (23 page)

I’d made it about three-quarters of the way down the drive when an ear splitting scream sliced into the night, followed by another. I froze, listening. The scream had come from the road, and I wondered if anyone else had heard it. Very unlikely, as the road was a fair way from the clearing. Cautiously, I kept walking.

Jesse’s beat up, blue
ute
was parked at the top of the driveway, half in shadow. I briefly wondered, even though he only lived in town, how on earth he would drive home after so many drinks. The driver’s side door was open but the interior light was off, so I couldn’t see inside. I didn’t have to. I knew something was wrong. With each step forward my heart beat faster, and I broke out in a sweat. When I reached the open door I was completely unprepared for what I saw. I staggered backwards, stifling my own scream, and fell onto the rough bitumen.
No, this isn’t happening,
I thought, as panic rose inside me.

Claudia was slumped in the driver’s seat with her legs hanging out the car door. The thick metallic aroma of blood assaulted my nose. It looked like Claudia hadn’t had time to put up a fight. She was so still.

The strong urge to be sick rose in my throat, but I suppressed it. All I could do was sit. I didn’t want to get up, or look at Abby. I knew she was in the car, too. I pushed myself off the road onto my knees and stood up, staring at Claudia. My courage had run for the hills, but I still managed to walk, one step at a time, around the
ute
. I couldn’t see Abby’s face through the front windscreen, only her outline in the shadows.

When I opened her door, Abby tumbled out into my arms. I fell back again and gravel dug into me as I hit the ground. We sat there for what seemed like forever. I cradled Abby in my arms, not wanting to look at her face. When I finally did she looked peaceful. Her eyes were closed, but she’d put up a decent fight. Her nails were ragged and her clothes were torn. The moonlight shone on her face turning it deathly pale, and that’s when I noticed she was still breathing. I held as still as I could and watched her chest to make sure. There was definitely movement.

“Abby!” I shook her, trying to get a response. “Abby?” She made a funny gurgling sound in her throat. I gently put her back into the passenger seat. Blood from a jagged wound under her chin covered her neck and chest, and I had to resist the urge to be sick again. She was taking short, shallow breaths but wasn’t conscious. I knew Matthew had done this to them. I may not have loved Abby any more, but she didn’t deserve this, and neither did Claudia. I ran back to Claudia’s side and moved her more into the car. Her neck was also covered in blood, and she was starting to come around.

“No, don’t move,” I said, as she raised a hand to her head. “I’m going to get help.”

I stepped back and stared at them both, tears sliding down my face; first Emma, and now this. I didn’t want to leave Abby and Claudia, they were barely clinging to life, but I needed to go and get Grace, she would know what to do. She needed to know Matthew and Cain were near, and Charlotte wasn’t safe. No one was safe. My body turned back towards the shed, set to auto pilot. I called to her in my head,
Grace!
I thought as hard as I could. I took one step, then another, and then everything went black.

GRACE

P
eople were arriving all around, but I wasn’t paying attention. So many thoughts danced through my head, just like the flames dancing in front of me. They had me mesmerised and it was hard to look away. Josh was on the other side of the bonfire talking to Abby’s brother. From what I read they were good friends. I’d never met him, but he seemed nice enough.

My earlier encounter with Seth was weighing on my mind, as was Josh’s reaction. I didn’t know where to start, trying to explain it to him. With Archer it was easy, once I’d shown him, he’d accepted it. That’s what brothers did. Josh was mad at me and I couldn’t blame him. If Abby had approached Josh like that, I would be mad, too.

I was actually angry at myself more than anything. As much as I hated to admit it, I liked it when Seth touched me. The more I thought about it, the more I wanted it, but how could I trust him after all the things he’d done? How could I even be thinking about him? When I glanced up I saw Abby and Josh talking. I caught Josh’s eye and he quickly looked away.

Grace, we need to talk.
Seth was standing in the shadows on the edge of the clearing. He’d been there for some time, watching everything, and I hated myself for wanting him. I walked to the car port where he came out of the darkness and waited for me, arms folded across his chest. The moonlight made his blond hair gleam and his dark eyes sparkle. I hated myself even more, feeling a hidden desire rising within me.

“What do you want from me, Seth?” I whispered.

“You know what I want, Grace. Now that you’re on my side, we can…”

“No. We can’t,” I cut him short.
Don’t touch me.

I know you feel something for me, Grace.

It doesn’t matter, I’m with Josh.

What can he possibly give you?

“What can he give me?” I scoffed. “Everything you can’t; love and trust, I could never trust you.”

My world was falling apart. I was being pulled from both sides, and I didn’t know what to do. Josh was still near the bonfire; I could feel him watching me. If I had my way what I did next would never have happened, but I was powerless to stop it. It was like I was fighting gravity and I had no choice but to give in to the pull.

Before I knew what was happening, Seth had hold of me. He wasn’t rough, but he wasn’t tender either. He stroked my cheek again, and I gave in. My eyes closed and I pushed my face into his hand, feeling the memories of our entire life together flood through me and engulf me completely. He leant down and pressed his forehead to mine, and I knew he wanted to kiss me; it was taking all his strength to hold back. Surprised, I discovered how badly I wanted him, and deep inside my heart I knew we were right for each other.

When I pulled away I was gasping, wanting more, and craving his touch like an addict craves a fix. Seth drifted back into the forest leaving me feeling empty and alone; my face wet with tears. I turned to where Josh was standing.

How could you?
he
screamed at me before dropping his head and walking away.

Slowly, I backed into the shadows of the forest, and my emotions engulfed me. Through a blurry haze I watched Josh until he disappeared down the driveway. Abby’s brother went to follow, but Josh waved him away.

Seth’s breath was warm on my neck. He tilted my head to the side and caressed my skin with his fingertips. I closed my eyes, attempting to think straight.
What the hell am I doing?
I thought, but I was unable to resist. I was under his spell.

“We need to find Angelica,” I finally said, pulling away from him.

Seth’s body tensed and he grabbed my arms.
Looks like she’s found us first.
Then he did something I never expected; he pulled me around behind him to protect me. Angelica threw an orb of white light at us and Seth blocked it with his fire, the balls collided then imploded and fizzled out.

“We
will
have Charlotte by the end of the night.”

“Over my dead body,” I said, stepping out from behind Seth. “Oh wait, I can’t die.”

“She’s out there for the taking,” Seth said, “why are you here wasting time with us?”

“Because there’s too many innocent people around, aren’t there?” I smiled.

“Annie is surveying the scene, it won’t be long.”

“Listen to
yourself
,” I said. “I can’t believe you’re scheming to kill someone. That’s something Seth would do.” He threw me a sideways glance. “Sorry.”

“Don’t mention it.”

“Charlotte isn’t
someone
, she’s a vampire,” Angelica said, with her hands on her hips.

“A vampire who does more good than you ever have; or will.”

“What’s happened to you? Don’t you remember what it was like in Heaven? Don’t you wish you had that back?” Angelica shook her head.

“What happened to me? I stood up for what I believe in. As for wishing for anything, I wish to be anywhere you aren’t. I wish you didn’t exist.”

Seth’s smile confirmed what I’d been denying all along. It didn’t matter that I fought the forces of evil. We were still on the same side, and had been since the moment I fell. It was us against them—the Dark Angels versus the Angels of the Light. I was no longer one of them. As much as I hated to admit it, I was an angel of darkness.

A faint scream sounded into the night, but was drowned out by the drone of voices in the clearing. I forgot Angelica, and instantly searched for my friends. Charlotte, Archer and Ryan were together and surrounded by other people, but Josh was a different story. He wasn’t where I expected him to be. When I found him, he was screaming my name. Quickly, I grabbed Seth’s hand and misted.

We landed in the mouth of my driveway as several things happened at once. I didn’t know where to look first. Josh was knocked down by Matthew, Jesse arrived on the scene, panting and out of breath, and Angelica and Annie orbed in next to the blue
ute
parked on the edge of the shadows. I called to Archer in my head, telling him to get his butt to the road.

The blur of Matthew’s body engulfed Josh and sent him crashing to the ground, knocking him unconscious. Matthew pounced again, smiling wickedly. Before I could react, he dug his fangs into Josh’s neck. Cain was standing close by and threw his head back, laughing. My legs felt like lead as I tried to move.

Everything seemed to be happening in slow motion. I turned towards the sound of more screams; Jesse was on the ground beside the car, cradling Abby in his arms. I hoped to god Angelica and Annie would do something about it.

Help them, Angelica,
I pushed at her.

Don’t tell me what to do, Grace.

Now is not the time to be petty.

“Grace! What happened?” Archer said as he arrived with Charlotte.

I could see Angelica was torn between her duty and going after Charlotte. I breathed a sigh of relief when she chose to help the girls. Seth hauled Matthew off Josh and fought until he got the upper hand. His face was contorted with rage, and he threw ball after ball of fire at Matthew until he fell to the ground in a pile of ash. I watched as Seth kicked it with his boot. Cain turned and ran down the road in a blur, he didn’t even look back. I sprang into action and ran to where Josh lay in the road, motionless.

Balls of light whizzed past my head. Fire and light lit up the dark sky as Seth countered the attacks from Angelica and Annie. I hoped they’d seen to the girls properly first.

I didn’t see when Ryan had turned up, but he looked like he was about to crack. Charlotte’s face was the whitest I’d seen it, Archer just looked tired and Josh was barely breathing. I lifted his head and laid it in my lap. He was losing blood from the wound in his neck so I pressed my hand against it, trying to stop the flow.

The
ute’s
engine roared to life and Jesse floored it, tires screeching on the bitumen. Bits of gravel flung up and hit us as he drove away.

I had to know if the girls were ok.
Angelica, are they…?
I asked staring at the back of the
ute
.

Yes, Grace, we healed them. They’re fine, and won’t remember a thing.

Josh’s blood seeped through my fingers and ran down my arm.
What about…?

No, Grace, not everyone is meant to be saved.

“Are you serious?” I screamed in frustration.

“Grace, what are you doing?” Seth said. “I’m trying to fight here.”

We needed to get out of there. Angelica was not going to help Josh, and I couldn’t believe she was willing to stand by and let an innocent person die.

“What do I do, Arch?” I sobbed. “I can’t heal anymore, and Angelica won’t help. He’s going to die.”

My fingers trembled as I pressed harder against his wound. Archer crouched beside me and rested a reassuring hand on my arm. Ryan paced in front of us mumbling under his breath and running his hands through his hair. Charlotte hung back, hovering at my shoulder, and that’s when I came up with an answer.

She saw my face and shook her head. “No, Grace, no way. No.”

“Charlotte, he’s going to die, we don’t have much time. I can’t lose him.”

“Grace, I can’t hold them off forever, get out of here now!” Seth yelled, throwing another fire ball.

“Charlotte?” I pleaded, my tear stained face begging her to agree. All it took was one slight nod of her head.
Seth? I’ll find you.
“Everyone, hold on to me.”

“Just go!” Seth shouted. Annie and Angelica were pounding him with their white orbs.

I made sure everyone had a hand on me, then took us to the one place I thought we’d be safe. The room we landed in was pitch black, but I knew every nook and cranny like I knew my name was Grace. I traded places with Charlotte then quickly went to a corner and found some matches sitting in a crevice. Once I lit the oil lamps that were set into the sandstone walls, the darkness subsided.