Page 81 of Wake the Dream

Her vision had dimmed to a spiral of black when suddenly breathing became easy again. The world outside moved in slow motion as Kieran slammed into the vampire and covered them both in a haze of blood.

Illaria rolled on her side with a cough. A sudden boom rocked the clearing and when she looked up, Caryss had gone, the blue wall of sparks crumbling into nothing.

All her power as a Fae and she couldn’t save herself. What good was she?

She thought of Kieran and wanted to cry out because he’d put himself on the line for her.

Then she thought of Yelena, and the tears in her eyes dried. Her sister’s image flickered through her mind, vivid and clear.

If this truly was Yelena’s doing, then Illaria had to fight. Failure wasn’t an option. She’d come this far for the person she loved. And yes, she’d do it for Kieran. But she also had to do this for herself. Because she wasn’t helpless, and she wasn’t alone. She was stronger than she gave herself credit for.

“You poor thing. Your human boyfriend is about to become chum and all you can do is lie there. Get up, Illaria.”

She struggled to respond to Oona’s voice. “Go fuck yourself.”

“That is no way to speak to your mother. You do realize that the only reason they aren’t feasting from you is because of me?”

“You want me to die.”

Oona crouched down next to her oldest child and reached out, twining her fist through Illaria’s hair and yanking. “I want you to join me. With Yelena’s plan in place, we could have the power in the world at our fingertips. I know you’re empathetic. You care about these people. But try to think about how this can helpus. Help your family. Get up.”

Her vision flickered through the rain pouring down. In her mind, Illaria saw an image of Yelena, vivid and clear, until from over her mother’s shoulder the woman herself appeared. Mirage or not, Illaria didn’t know. She tried to work her mouth. Tried to move on her hands and knees amidst the trampling feet of the vampires.

There, through the rain, she saw... The vampire from the club had the detective in a headlock, fangs perilously close to an artery. And the only thing stopping him from completing the kill was Oona’s outstretched hand bidding him pause.

She turned her head away to break eye contact with her mother. Kieran needed help.

Illaria got to her feet.

“There you go,” Oona encouraged. “That’s it. Stand up and take your place next to me. It’s your destiny.”

Her hand came around to the waistband of her pants where she’d managed to stash Kieran’s gun, having found it on the ground and grabbing it.

Emboldened by a strange state of calm, Illaria raised the gun higher and higher until she leveled the barrel with Oona’s skull.

“Ask me again, one more time,” she threatened woozily. “Ask me to join you one more time and see what happens.”

Giving her mother the same amount of time to respond as she’d been given, Illaria pulled the trigger. The last bullet exploded, gun kicking back to force her arm away and throw her off balance. Sound faded around them, the rain halting as though someone had opened an invisible umbrella overhead.

The beat of her heart echoed in her ears and the first thing she noticed was Oona’s wide eyes. The vainglorious expression. A thud sounded behind her and Illaria whirled around to see Kieran on his side, blinking, a neat hole in his shoulder and blood blossoming from the wound.

“Oh my God!” Nausea hit her but Illaria pushed it aside. She stumbled, rushing for him. Blood fell around him. “Kieran...” Her hands moved over him, cradling his head. “Talk to me. Hey, talk to me. It’s going to be okay.”

Oona clucked her tongue and Illaria whirled to face her, lips a thin line. “What did you do?”

“I simply redirected the path of the bullet. So easy a child could do it. You should have better planned your move if you thought to outwit me,” Oona stated simply.

“No, no. This can’t be happening.” Illaria gripped Kieran hard, savoring the corded muscle of his forearms, the strength of him. She refused to lose that strength. Not when they’d come this far together.

He brushed back a loose strand of her hair, his callused fingers scraping against her cheek in the lightest caress. The gentleness of it made her choke on another sob. “As long...as you’re safe. Don’t worry about me.”

“It had to be done,” Oona said softly, the vampires motionless under her command. Waiting, constantly waiting for the next play, the next move. Waiting for Illaria to make a decision.

She had a choice to make. Go with her mother and lose herself. Or stay with the man she loved only to lose him.

A no-win situation.

Illaria closed her eyes. Allowed her breath to slow and mellow even when her insides were screeching for action.

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