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Images of my brothers and sisters sailing across the Atlantic in hopes of a better life flash through my mind. These children were like us—like me.
“It’s done,” Amelia says, coming up the stairs.
I wipe the tears silently streaming down my cheek. “We can’t leave her here. We can’t leave her in that…that dungeon.”
Amelia sighs. “She was already returning to dust. There’s nothing of her left to take.”
“Did she feel anything?” I ask, not sure I want to know the answer.
“No. I made sure she didn’t.” Amelia’s eyes are glassy, telling me she’s not the big bad wolf she makes herself out to be.
“Thank you.”
Topher clears his throat, moving to the center of the room. “I think it’s safe to say that Gretchen’s brothers and sisters are like her, immortal children.”
“That’s an army of insanity.” Amelia moves to his side, and he wraps an arm around her short frame.
“What would be the purpose for ten immortal children, and why would they leave that one here?” Thorne asks, nudging his head toward the basement door.
“Gretchen. Her name was Gretchen,” I interrupt. “She was a real person with feelings and emotions who wanted nothing more than to be normal—marry a nice man and have children of her own. Her hopes and dreams were taken away from her. She had no choice but to become the creature that she was. It was forced on her.” Everyone in the room is staring at me, clearly aware that I’m no longer talking about Gretchen.
“It’s time to leave,” Amelia announces after several awkwardly quiet moments. We load into the SUV in silence, and Micah leads us away from the house of horrors. Thorne’s arm stays wrapped protectively around my shoulders, pulling me close to his side. No doubt, he’s afraid I’m going to lose my shit and try to kill someone. Truthfully, the only thing I’m on the brink of losing is my sanity.
FOUR
immortal children
Micah dropsus off at the lycan-owned house we’ve been staying in since Thorne’s home was destroyed. My mind won’t stop replaying the events of the day, ending with the death of Gretchen. I was that girl at one time. I was Gretchen. The only thing separating the two of us is age.
“Amelia’s downstairs,” Thorne says softly, entering our shared room.
“I don’t feel like company.”
He scuffs his heavy boots on the wide plank floors. “I understand. But I think you should talk to her.”
Throwing my phone onto the bed, I stand, moving into the hallway. I’m not sure what she would want to talk to me about. Any awe I felt for her left the moment she killed Gretchen. I don’t speak as I follow Thorne downstairs and into the room where Amelia is sitting alone on the overstuffed Victorian couch.
“Thorne, would you mind if I speak to Elsbeth alone?”
“Of course not,” he answers. He bows his head slightly before leaving us alone.
“I’m sorry about today.” I don’t respond. I don’t trust my words right now. She looks at her hands before continuing. “I understand how you feel. What I had to do today wasn’t easy for me either.”
“But you did it, anyway.”
“I did. I had no choice.Wehad no choice.”
“You always have a choice,” I retort.
“Not when it comes to immortal children.”
I stand, moving toward the fireplace. “You said your maker is an immortal child. What makes her different than Gretchen? Why did she get to live?”
“My maker is nearly eight hundred years old and was protected by a man who loved her more than himself.” She pauses at a memory. “Her father had himself turned into a vampire to protect her after she was turned.”
“Where is she now?”
Amelia laughs. “She’s attending college in Mississippi.”
