Page 131 of Burn Falls

Athan and Renzo stared at each other.

“Just tell me,” Draven said. I wasn’t sure if he’d pieced everything together or not.

Athan’s eyes cut to Draven again. “Because I was in love with you.”

I smiled, but Draven’s body went rigid.

Athan continued. “I don’t anymore. Haven’t for a long time.”

“You’re gay?” Draven asked.

“Bi.”

“Why didn’t you ever tell me?” Draven inquired further.

“Because it was a different world. Gays were in the closet, and I fought it. Thought—hoped it was a phase, and I didn’t want our friendship to suffer, so I kept it to myself. It was always better this way.”

“And now?” Draven looked down at me, and I smiled warmly up at him before he returned his gaze back to Athan.

“Now I don’t.”

What if Athan’s true love wasn’t a woman at all and that was why he’d never gotten a woman pregnant before?

“All right. Now that everything is out in the open. You can all die now.” Renzo bared his teeth and then flew straight at Draven.

“No!” I cried and stepped in front of Draven’s body before Renzo could grab him. Renzo spun me so I was standing with my back to his front once again that night. Draven and Athan both clenched their fists and glared at Renzo.

“This time, Draven, you’ll watch me kill your pregnant girlfriend.”

“She’s your great-granddaughter,” Draven stated as though that would change Renzo’s mind.

“And while I wasn’t expecting any of this when I came to Burn Falls, I will get more pleasure from watching you hurt again because you turned on me. You know no one goes against me and lives.”

“I left because I didn’t want to be under your control!” Draven roared. “I never asked for this curse.”

“No one does, Draven. That’s the beauty of being as old as I am. I can do whatever the fuck I want.”

I wiggle in his grasp trying to break free. I felt Renzo’s head nod behind me, and then his mob started to descend upon us. Time seemed to slow as I felt Renzo’s hands go to my neck. Draven and Athan both shouted, “No!” and started to move forward.

Rage and fear coursed through me.

I reached back, wrapped my own hands around Renzo’s head, and pulled as hard as I could. Renzo flew over my shoulder and landed on the ground. I lunged at him and straddled his hips, punching and hitting with everything in me. His eyes narrowed, and then he spun so I was on the bottom.

“You think you’re some badass vampire now?” he hissed.

“I hate you!” I cried, the blood and venom in my veins pumping rapidly.

Renzo smirked. “That’s no way to talk to your great-grandpa.”

I spun so I was on top of him again. “I don’t care who you are. You will never hurt anyone I love again.”

He started to say something else, but before he could, I shoved my fist into his chest and went straight for his heart. Bones cracked, and flesh tore as I penetrated his torso, and the moment I felt his heart in my grasp, I yanked. Renzo’s eyes widened, and we both stared at the black heart in my fist with blood dripping down my arm. My gaze flicked back to him, and as he stared at me, his skin slowly turned grey.

My eyes widened as I realized what I’d done and was holding a heart in my hand. I cringed and flung it as far away as I could. Then to test my strength and what Selene had told me, I reached down and grabbed his head, turning as hard as I could. The ripping of skin pierced through the air before Renzo’s head came loose. I threw it too onto the ground and rolled my shoulders at the creepiness of it all.

Draven and Athan both turned to face the incoming mob. “Leave, and we’ll spare you,” Draven said.

Without hesitation, they darted off.