Chapter 88: Part 2
Vincent
Now, I need to address my former friend. I can fully understand what Nelly went through with Tara now. Over time, we begin to view friends as family, and that makes the betrayal even worse. Vampires might want to view themselves as superior to humans, yet they still are capable of the same despicable behavior. I descend into the cells, where I find Stephen bound by his arms and shackled at his ankles. He's still unconscious. I give him a sharp slap across the face. Alright, maybe it was more of a punch, but it did the trick. "Wake up, sunshine," I sneer.
Stephen pleads, "Vincent, please let me go. You can't do this to me. If the others find out what you've done, they'll come after you."
I chuckle. "You seem to forget that the Horde leaders adore Nelly. She's strong, confident, and can charm anyone into doing her bidding. I'm not worried, and I'm certain one of the others would gladly take your place once they hear you attacked my wife." Alec hands me a syringe, and I plunge it into Stephen. "This is going to hurt."
“What the fuck! I…I,” Stephen stammers.
"I'm afraid this will cause your muscles to constrict and your body to convulse. You may feel your blood beginning to pool internally. In simpler terms, you will bleed out and ultimately succumb to death," I calmly explain.
“Ahhhhhh. Fuck!” Stephen screams.
"See you in hell!” I storm out, my heart racing with anger. I make my way upstairs to check on my precious girls. As I enter the nursery, I see my little girl peacefully asleep, unaware of the danger she had just faced. I gently brush a strand of hair away from her forehead, feeling a rush of relief.
Moving into our bedroom, I hear the sound of the shower running. Without hesitation, I decide to join her. Stepping into the bathroom, I find her curled up on the shower floor, the scalding hot water cascading over her. Although we are numb to the heat, I can sense her discomfort. I lift her up, holding her close under the water as she clings to me.
Tears streaming down her face, she whispers through sobs, “He...he was gonna…” The fear and vulnerability in her voice pierce my heart, igniting a fierce protectiveness within me.
"Hush, Baby," I whispered, my voice barely audible in the silence that surrounded us. "He didn't make it, and now you're here. He's gone. Stephen is gone, and we are finally free. It's all over. It's just us now. No one is left to harm us."
"Why did he think he could do that?" she asked, her voice filled with confusion and pain.
"He did it to get to me. I'm so sorry you got caught up in all of this," I said softly, brushing a gentle hand across her forehead.
"Vincent, if our paths had never crossed, we wouldn't be here," she said, her eyes filled with love and gratitude as she leaned in to kiss me. "I wouldn't change a thing. You are my world. My love, my heart, my everything. I don't regret anything we've been through. Without it, we wouldn't have our beautiful little girl and another one on the way."
"I am grateful for you. But there is one thing I would change," I confessed, my voice filled with emotion.
"What?" she asked, her eyes searching mine for answers.
"Meeting you sooner and never letting you doubt my love for you or the life we've built together. I love you, Nelly, and I love our family," I said before sealing my words with a kiss, letting my actions speak louder than any words could. Now, I will show her exactly what she means to me. I will give her the world if she asks for it, but secretly, I am hoping that she will choose to rule this new world beside me.