Dear Readers, I apologize and won't make excuses for the delay. The remaining chapters will be submitted soon. There are 11 chapters total. Thank you to anyone still reading, and welcome to new readers. Thank you for votes and comments.
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Jack had lied. She couldn't get around it. She'd always been able to trust him without question. But he'd lied.
According to this kid, Chamey, it had all been so he could avoid getting the injection. She looked down at Jack's phone in her hand, once again flipping through all the calls from her that he'd ignored.
He wants to be a vampire more than he wants to be with me.
You don't really believe that, she told herself as she slipped the phone into her pocket. For the millionth time it wasn't Jack -it was the parasite inside him. She'd just never dreamed it could take over so fast.
If Jack was gone... She didn't want to think about that. The antidote would work. Jack was still there - he had to be. She felt it in her heart. But how much longer could he hold out?
She stood just inside the door of the motel room next to her sister-in-law and Chamey, the strange kid who'd managed to get himself attached to her husband.
It made no sense to her because Jack didn't trust people easily. But something had made him trust this guy. After hearing Chamey's account of what happened with Jack, she felt she had to put her faith in the teenager too.
And it was obvious Chamey returned the feeling for Jack. Her eyes fell on the red bite marks on his wrist. She couldn't believe he'd let Jack bite him. Even she had never done that.
She whipped out her phone and tried the doctor again. Still no answer. Damn it. She leaned against the doorframe and rubbed her forehead with her fingertips, as if she could soothe away the budding headache.
Chamey took a step toward her and cleared his throat. "However this turns out," he said, his voice low and serious, "I want you to know I think Jack's a great guy. The short time we were together, he was a friend...like, the best one I ever had."
She gave him the only smile she could manage. "I appreciate that, Chamey."
"There's more. I think he intended to... to end everything."
Her stomach, already hurting, churned a little more. What was he talking about?
Chamey pulled a small, wood stake out of his front pocket. "He made this, he just didn't get a chance to use it."
All the air rushed out of her lungs.
Benson shuddered next to her. "My god."
"Would have been nice," Kim said through gritted teeth, "if he'd told me about all the trouble he was having before now."
"Aw, Kim." Benson placed a hand on her arm. "He didn't say anything to me either."
Tears threatened to spill, but Kim held them back. "I just feel responsible for not seeing it. Or not wanting to."
"It's not your fault," Benson said, her voice soft. "You did everything you could. Nobody could ask for more. You never gave up on my brother."
"None of us have," Chamey said. "Jack fought the reversion best he could. He's still fighting. I believe that."
Kim nodded, but she didn't miss the flash of something βdoubt or fear, that passed over Chamey's thin, freckled face.
"It's gotta be hard," he went on, "that little monster inside him, filling his head with red fog and the most intense cravings you can imagine. It's a wonder he lasted. He's strong. He has you guys keeping him strong."
Yes, Jack was strong. And so was she. She had to do something. So much time had been lost already...
As soon as their plane touched down in Georgia, she'd called Dr. Kitcher's cell. She soon found out why he'd never responded to her frantic calls earlier.
He interrupted her greeting, his voice nervous and clipped. "We were attacked last night! All but two of us killed."
Kim struggled to keep her voice low. "Killed? Oh God. The League?"
"It happened so fast. Total destruction of the equipment, everything. If Dr. Rhodes hadn't been here...." Dr. Kitcher's voice faded out, then came back. "We're trying to salvage what we can from the lab and get out of here."
Sensing the doctor wouldn't be on the phone very long, she quickly filled him in on what was happening.
"With that rate of symptom progression, Jack's reversion is complete. But I knew it the moment my people called saying he didn't show at the airport. I'm sorry, Mrs. Roberts."
How could he say that, like it was all over? Kim swallowed and cleared her throat. "I'm coming for my vial for Jack. Just tell me where you are."
"I'm sorry, I have to attend to something now."
And just like that, he'd hung up on her. Her repeated calls went to voicemail.
Not being able to reach him now was driving her crazy. She'd wasted enough time standing around looking at Benny and Chamey.
Kim wiped a hand over her eyes and pushed off from the doorframe of the motel room. "I'm going to Whitemarsh Island," she said. "A source told me they heard that's where Dr. Kitcher's lab is... was. Just a rumor, but I have to do something."
Benson threw her a doubtful look. "Let me go with you."
"Better stay here. Dr. Kitcher's skittish as it is, but now that his lab was attacked..."
"She can stay with me," Chamey said, giving Kim a small salute. "I'll guard her body with my life."
Kim saw the protest firing up in Benson's eyes. "Please," she said, holding up a hand to ward Benson off. She couldn't deal with it right now.
The girl gave a long, exaggerated sigh. "Okay, I guess. Just be careful, Kim. It'll be dark soon."
"You guys take care of each other. I'll be back as soon as I can."
Kim sprinted across the parking lot to the rental car. When she slid behind the wheel, she hit Dr. Kitcher's number on speed-dial.
He picked up on the first ring. She couldn't believe it.