Page 36 of Born Chaos

All my life, I never had anyone who stuck up for me. Who cared about me. Who took the time to make me feel like I was important.

But Sigrid is blood. I love her so much. And I know she loves me.

“I will be there to support you if you need it,” she says, conviction firming her tone. “I will walk into his office with you. As will Elena, as will Mason. And even Roman. You are not alone, Juliet. You are never alone.”

“Thank you.” My voice cracks as the words come out. But I feel them all the way down into the depths of my soul.

“I will stay put for now, my dear,” she says. “But neither of us can stay where we are forever. You have a decision to make. But whatever one you make, be sure you can heal from it.”

“I will,” I say through a tight throat. She bids me goodbye and ends the call.

I close the phone, and stare out into the dark night.

I need to make a decision. I need to know what I am going to do. And I cannot take forever to do it.

My eyes slide down to the ring that still sits on my left hand.

What are you going to do, Juliet?

CHAPTERELEVEN

I have a plan.

A vampire lays there dead for four days after they die their human death. Four days of agonizing heat and fire. Four days of transformation.

What happened between Sebastian and I was some kind of death. Nothing will be the same. We’re laying in the flames. We’re being burned, charred, transformed. After four days, it will be time to wake up and face the music.

I don’t know what I’m going to say. I don’t know what I’m going to do. I don’t know what my decision is going to be.

But I think I won’t know until I’m face-to-face with Sebastian again.

It’s been a day and a half. In two and a half days, I’ll go to see Sebastian, and a decision will be made that night. In two and a half days, something will change.

I tell Roman my plan. I ask him to reach out to Elena and Mason, to tell them that I’m safe, giving him a few keywords to say so they know the message is actually coming from me. I also let Sigrid know my decision so she can know how much longer she will have to remain at the safehouse.

I was planning to go out to find someone fresh to drink from once it got dark. But as the sun goes down, I hear dozens of people out in the chapel. They’ve been coming and going all day. By the time I walk out into the huge space, it’s decked out for a party unlike any I’ve ever seen before.

Black silks have been looped over all the beams. Two disco balls hang from them, light streaking throughout the room. There are literally hundreds of black balloons all over. And there are a dozen humans wandering around. They seem suspiciously like walking blood bags.

Music pumps through speakers, which feels unholy considering we’re in a church. But what makes a church different than any other building? It’s all about the intent and the activities going on within the walls.

“What’s going on?” I ask a woman with platinum blonde hair that’s tied up with a red ribbon.

“It’s Roman’s Resurrection anniversary day,” she says with a sweet smile. “He tries to pretend he doesn’t know the date is coming up every year, and every year we pretend we can surprise him with a party.”

“Shh, shh, shh!” a man by the window calls out as he looks outside. “He’s coming.”

“Get down!” the woman says in a yell whisper.

This is so silly and stupid. Roman can absolutely hear everything we’re saying from outside. I hear every one of his footsteps as he comes up the stairs.

But I can’t help but smile as I duck behind one of the desks beside her.

Three, two, one,she mouths, along with the dozens of others around us.

“Surprise!” everyone yells out as they all stand from their obvious hiding spots. No less than four people set off confetti cannons, spraying silver and black ribbons all over the space.

And something seems different when Roman steps inside, a slightly embarrassed smile on his face. He seems… lighter. Easy. Relaxed.

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