Page 36 of The Dawning
“You want to look like Noah?” I asked.
She crossed her arms over her chest. “Fuck no. But I won’t. And neither will you. Our DNA markers show signs of vampires in our bloodline. Granny is confident that we will make the change seamlessly, won’t resemble Noah, and will have more abilities than he does.”
I belted out a laugh. “In whose universe do you think we can become an exact replica of someone like Sam? We might have similarities to the bloodsuckers in our genetic makeup, but we don’t carry the gene.”
Rianne mashed her lips into a thin line. “You’re not the scientist here.”
I could speak for myself though. I didn’t carry the gene, according to the tests run by Dr. Vieira. I wasn’t sure about Rianne or even Jordyn. As siblings, we shared about fifty percent of the same genetic coding. And just because I had the right blood type to get pregnant by a vampire, that didn’t mean Rianne and Jordyn did. Truth be told, Rianne and Jordyn had more traits from our mother—brown hair and eyes and the same shaped nose. As for me, I resembled my dad with auburn hair, blue eyes, and freckles. If I was a gambler like my uncle Ray had been, I would bet Jordyn and Rianne probably had more of the vampire DNA markers than me.
“You said Granny is confident about your foray into monsterhood. Does Carly agree?”
She sneered. “Carly will do what Adam tells her.”
Rianne and Carly didn’t appear to see eye to eye. I might be able to use that to my advantage.
“Once you go down that route, there’s no turning back. You’ll never be human again. Are you sure that’s what you want?” I asked in an even tone.
She stuck out her chin, that defiant side of her rearing its ugly head. “I’ve never wanted anything more. Think about it, sis. Immortality. Powers to control the weather.” She waved her hand at the window. “The ability to compel someone. The list goes on. But the best part? I would have the power and strength to fight Sam on an even playing field.”
I rolled my eyes. “Why do you hate Sam so much?”
Revulsion swam in the deep depths of her brown eyes. “Hate is too weak a word to describe how I feel about that asshole vampire.” Disgust was stamped on every word. “He doesn’t deserve you. You’re too good for someone like him.” Her voice softened. “That day he compelled me into a vegetative state, I vowed I would kill him. Then, after I found out you slept with him, I knew I’d lost you, and that only confirmed what I needed to do.”
I could feel my eyebrows squishing together. “But you came around after he saved your life from the explosion at our rental house. If I remember correctly, you even threw yourself at Sam and thanked him.” My voice hitched.
“None of that changes the way I feel about him. But if we’re laying our cards out on the table, then here’s the truth.” She flashed a softer look my way. “I loved you once, Layla. I would’ve died for you. You, me, and Jordyn could’ve changed the world. But you and Jordyn and your desire to live with and fuck vampires is wrong. Jordyn’s excitement to work alongside the Vampire Navy SEALs was revolting. While you were sick, she wouldn’t shut up about them. She kept talking about Sam like he was a god and saying how you were in love with him. And when Noah overheard Jordyn one day, he went nuts. So I told him everything. Noah didn’t brainwash me. Granny isn’t doing that either. I am my own person. You and Jordyn go against everything the Aberdeen name stands for. It’s just wrong for you to love a vampire.” Her face had turned red.
The more we argued, the more a nagging pain in my chest intensified. “If you had known Mom’s family history while she was alive, would you have murdered her?”
Granny and Uncle Ray would have, although maybe not my uncle Jack. He hated bloodsuckers as much as Rianne, but Jack wasn’t the type to kill a family member. If he had in it in him to do just that, then he would’ve tried to end my life. As for my dad, I would never believe he could or would have laid one finger on the woman he loved. He might have struggled with her history, but there was no way he would have killed her.
She stuck out her chin. “But she isn’t alive.”
I blew out a breath, hoping to ease the chest pain. “That’s not an answer.”
A strained silence bounced between us.
The adrenaline that had kept me on my feet was gone. I was beginning to feel extremely tired, my sore muscles throbbed, and the spasm in my lower back was competing with a new one in my neck. Above all else, I missed Sam terribly.
“Here’s one for you,” she said. “As long as you’re with that bloodsucker, you’ll never be my sister. And you can’t have that baby. The world doesn’t need another Mason. They have too much power and arrogance, and I’m going to stop that.”
I was stuck onyou can’t have that baby. “You want to kill an innocent unborn child? Because it’s Sam’s?” I flew at her and got in her face. “Over my dead body.” I would become the Queen of Death if she or anyone dared to try.
She practically pressed her nose into mine. “Save your energy, sister. You and I will have our chance in the ring. But first, you’re going to witness my rebirth. I want you to see a phoenix rising from the ashes. It’s time the Aberdeens ruled humanity. It’s time to show the vast population of bloodsuckers that they can’t kill humans for sport or hunger. Either they bow down to us or we eat them for breakfast. Once my rebirth is complete, I’ll watch yours. Afterward, we’ll be sisters again, fighting side by side.”
Rage definitely drove people to do horrifying and unspeakable acts, and I wasn’t immune. I was also like Rianne in many ways, letting my ego and fury take control.
She barely blinked when I grasped her throat with both hands and squeezed until her face turned deep red. “Fuck waiting for our chance in the ring. You need a wake-up call, sister. You see, anyone who tries to touch this baby will die a slow death. You think my scream is the only surprise I have up my sleeve? Think again.” I didn’t have any other abilities that I knew of, but my ego was having a field day. “And if Carly tries to inject me with that crazy juice, I’ll be the one burning down this facility.” Boy, I was talking through my ass—but that swirling ball of energy was wreaking havoc in my stomach, and I felt alive. It was like someone had shot a high dose of epinephrine into my arm.
She struggled to pry my hands from her throat as her brown eyes bugged out of their sockets.
I knew I wouldn’t win this round, but it sure felt fucking good to see her sweat until the pain in my chest sharpened to pinpoints and stole the air from my lungs.
I stumbled backward as the room spun, and panic set in.
I opened my mouth to scream for help, but nothing came out.
Rianne choked, then called my name.
