37. Destined to be Alone Forever

CHAPTER 37

Destined to be Alone Forever

J elisette de la Point cackled as shadows poured out of her, stealing the light.

Her fangs ached with the need to spill blood.

The shadows didn't prevent her from seeing in the dark. She was Made for the darkness.

Her Binding Mark burned, and she knew that somewhere far from here, Emery was watching her.

Avenge me, my love , he murmured.

Jelisette had heard her beloved's voice every Ithiar-damned day ever since that horrific night. Every time she closed her eyes, every time she dreamed, she went back to that moment when her life forever changed. She could still hear the echoes of her scream as she stumbled onto the ice and fell to her knees in front of his too-still gray body.

Too late, too late, too late.

That night, The Binding Mark had burned like a fucking fire. It blazed through her upon his death, and she'd felt her soul rip in two.

Emery had left this world, and he'd taken her half of her with him.

If only she'd been faster. If only she'd been able to get to him in time. Maybe they could've been happy. Maybe they could've lived in peace.

Instead, Representative Kyani had driven a stake into Emery's beautiful heart and murdered him.

In return, Jelisette had killed the Representative and his family. It hadn't brought Emery back, but it had momentarily made her feel better. In the Representative's mansion, with their gilded picture frames and golden candelabras, she'd sworn her life's mission: she would destroy the Representatives, no matter how long it took.

And then she went to work.

She wormed her way into the Black Night, and through the decades, she rose in their ranks. They weren't small, nor were they particularly trusting, but Jelisette had time.

She had so much gods-damned time.

It was the only thing she had since Emery died.

Alone, alone, alone.

Jelisette was always fucking alone.

Emery had been hers. They'd understood each other. He'd been a deadly man, but he loved her. The two of them had been happy. They'd Bound together after Emery almost died from a werewolf attack, and then, they hunted criminals together.

But then he was murdered. Gone. And Jelisette's progeny? Twice, she'd betrayed her.

It was time for Brynleigh to die.

Twisting the stake in her hand, Jelisette smiled. She knew Emery would approve of every single action she'd taken since his death. Ever since she'd seen him that night across Starless Lake, he'd been her biggest champion.

It was with his face in mind that she leaped across the table. His voice she heard as a war cry slipped from her lips.

Brynleigh scrambled out of the way as if that would save her from her Maker's wrath.

Jelisette wasn't too proud to admit that she'd made a mistake, letting her progeny live after she'd broken the rules the first time. That day, when Brynleigh showed up at her door, a ridiculously sentimental notion had entered Jelisette's mind. Maybe this was her chance to have the daughter she'd never have.

She let Brynleigh live, and look where it got her.

Never fucking again.

Jelisette was destined to be alone forever.

The others would keep the captives secured until she was done here, and then she'd kill each man who'd participated in the Choosing.

Then, Jelisette would hunt. She'd find their families. Their loved ones. Their friends.

Anyone with ties to the Representatives would die until the entire upper class was wiped away from the land like the scourge they were.

And it would be good.

Jelisette flung out her hand, a swarm of shadows flying in her progeny's direction. The girl screamed, and the sound was fucking music to Jelisette's ears.

Somewhere in the room, that awful fae captain roared. He would die next.

But first, Jelisette would finish her progeny, once and for all.

A spark of something deliciously cruel came to life within the vampire, and she retracted her shadows. She wanted the fae to watch as she killed his wife.

After all the pain Jelisette had endured, it would only be fitting for him to feel even a fraction of the agony that had been her daily torment ever since Emery's death.

Jelisette ran with the speed of her kind and collided with Brynleigh. The two women fell, and Jelisette straddled the younger vampire, pinning her to the floor. With a wave of her hand, she commanded her shadows to wrap around the younger vampire's wrists, pinning them above her head.

Brynleigh struggled, but she was no match for her Maker.

No one here was. Ancient power ran through Jelisette's veins.

She raised the stake in the air, and her progeny's eyes bulged .

"This won't bring him back," Brynleigh whispered desperately. "It won't help the pain."

As if this little bitch could comprehend Jelisette's daily agony.

Jelisette sneered. "No, but hearing your fae captain scream as you die will make me happy."

And happiness was fleeting these days. She had to grab it wherever she could.

"Don't do this," Brynleigh begged.

Begged!

That was the final straw.

Jelisette was done. Done with talking. Done with fighting. Done with this night. Done with it all.

Do it, love.

Jelisette raised the stake.

The fae captain screamed. His rage and fear spurned her forward.

Without a second thought, Jelisette plunged the weapon towards Brynleigh's heart.