The Allies of Old; Book Two Renewal: Chapter Thirty "Near Death Experience"

Book Cover created in acrylic by the extremely talented @therealpaul

If you have not read the first book of the series, "Reborn", it is advisable you do so before reading "Renewal" or you will be lost. This link will provide you with a series summary as well as all sixty-eight chapters of Reborn

Chapter Thirty

Jared stopped blurring when he sensed he was within a hundred yards of her and found himself on a quiet street. There was a lake down a slope to his left and houses spaced out along both sides of the road. Pushing his senses out in all directions he detected the scents of humans and animals, no vampires other than her.

He strode forward and stopped at the top of a steep set of wooden stairs that led to the lake. He crouched down and saw her kneeling at the end of a long dock, head bent, misery coming off of her in waves.

His fury receded a bit as he quietly descended. She was alone, no threats detected, and whatever had brought her here was hurting her tremendously.

He walked softly down the dock and her head came up freezing him in place. She turned slowly and the moment she saw him she let out an anguished cry, his name somewhere in it.

Anna had wished for him to be here and at first she thought she’d conjured up his image. She cried out his name, the word mangled by grief and indecision and the next moment she was being lifted up into his strong arms. She clutched him around the neck and sobbed, the sounds whistling out of her throat. He squeezed her tighter, his pores emanating the scent of confused concern mingled with anger.

When her tears finally slowed Jared questioned her, forcing himself to speak softly, though his voice was strained. “Why are you here? Tell me what this is about.”

She shook her head and pressed her face into his shoulder.

“Anna.”

She knew from his tone it would be unwise not to answer, but her throat was tight with fear and sorrow. She swallowed thickly and kept her face in his shirt. “He’s dying,” she whispered brokenly.

He pulled her back from him to search her tear-stained face. “Who’s dying?” Jared tried not to react to the “He”, but when she attempted to bury her face in his shirt again he caught her chin and held it firmly, his patience beginning to fray.

She met his eyes, tears swimming in hers, “My d-dad,” her breath hitched.

“Your father? Dying?” His eyes narrowed slightly. “We die Anna, but there isn’t a process.”

She drew in a breath. “He’s not,” she wet her lips forcing herself to finish, “a vampire. He’s, he’s human.”

He reared back as if she’d slapped him and she tried once more to bury her head, but he wasn’t having it. He grabbed her chin forcefully this time.

“Explain,” he commanded through clenched teeth.

She tried, but the words got tangled in her throat.

His eyes were turning to shards as sparks ignited in their depths, and his mouth curved into a sneer as she struggled to find the words.

“You fucking dare lie to me again?”

The pure menace in his tone spoke of violence and made her stomach clench with fear. She shook her head strongly.

His tongue slipped between his teeth and pressed down on his lower lip. “Where is this human father?” He spat the word like acid, cruelty lacing his tone.

Her eyes darted to the stairs and he dropped her on her feet. He gripped the material on the back of her shirt and propelled her forward.

At the top of the stairs she paused, trying once more to find the right words and he mistook her reluctance for something else.

“There is no dying father is there,” his mouth was near her ear, his voice deceptively soft.

She turned toward him and the expression on his face made her blood run cold. He let go of the back of her shirt and her body reacted instinctually. She blurred.

She didn’t get far before he tackled her from behind, crashing down on top of her, her chin striking the frozen ground. She cried out and struggled futilely, clawing at the dirt, and he flipped her onto her back. He pinned her arms behind her head with one hand, straddling her hips and holding them still with his powerful thighs.

He dropped down on his forearms and snarled into her face. “You felt me coming, didn’t you? But it wasn’t enough time to make up a good lie about what you’re really doing here.”

Fear kept her throat sealed shut and he took her silence as answer. The sound that emerged from his lips as he sat back turned her insides to water and she watched in soaring panic as he cocked his arm back, his hand closing into a fist.

Her voice broke free suddenly, the words coming out in a scream, “NO! PLEASE!”

He hovered over her, his eyes illuminating the area around them, and Anna was certain he was going to kill them both.

Then a voice rang out and his head whipped in the direction of the house.

“Anna!” Bonnie called, “are you out there?”

Jared lowered his arm a fraction of an inch. “Who is that?”

“B..b-bonnie,” She was shaking so hard her teeth were clicking together.

He grabbed the front of her shirt and stood up, yanking her to her feet. “Another one of your human friends?” he hissed, “Why don’t you introduce me.”

“No!” Anna shook her head violently.

“No?” His eyes narrowed incredulously.

“You don’t understand,” she said rapidly, “she doesn’t know what I am, she can’t know!”

He lifted her into the air, bringing her eye level, and his fangs extracted in what seemed like slow motion. Somehow this silent threat was more frightening than anything else he’d done.

“I wasn’t lying about my dad,” She babbled hysterically, “he’s dying and he’s human, and he’s inside that house and
Bonnie’s his nurse, and I just don’t want you to hurt them, please Jared, I know you hate them but he’s my dad and he’s sick!”

His flashing eyes narrowed into slits. “If you weren’t lying,” he spoke slowly, “then why did you run?”

“I didn’t mean to! I was scared and my body reacted!”

A smile of disbelief curved his lips into a sneer. “I don’t believe a fucking word that comes out of your mouth.”

“I’ll show you,” she whispered. “But you have to promise me you won’t hurt them.”

He glared at her for a long moment before growling his reply. “The only one in any danger of being hurt is my manipulative little mate for fucking lying to me again!”

“I’m not,” she insisted.

“Then show me.”

She nodded and he released her.

Generously created for me by @son-of-satire