Chapter 45: Malik’s Plan
Vanessa’s POV:
Vanessa’s restraints were removed, and Byron lunged himself at her. Thanks to the training that had taken place with Rylie, she managed to break his neck and knock him out. As Alec was removing her restraints, she managed to head butt him and a little of his blood spilled on the floor. She rested Byron’s head in her lap, and she scooped Alec’s blood onto her finger, touching it to his lips. Since he was knocked out, he wouldn’t be able to swallow it. At least there was a little in his mouth. If he needed more, there was always the spots on the floor. She hated that was the best she could do for him, but it was better than nothing.
She stood to her feet, her legs wobbled, but she persistently made her way to the door and picked the lock with a sharp object. She staggered down the long, wide hall toward the entrance where Malik, Aaron, Rylie, and some other woman that Alfred seemed shaken up about. “Who the hell are you?” she asked as she looked at Katrina.
Malik looked at Vanessa and didn’t hesitate to whoosh to her side, “V…are you okay? They said they locked you in a room with Byron to kill him.”
“I’m fine, who is she?” Vanessa asked, still fixated on Katrina.
“I’m Katrina Owens, you must be the distant relative I’ve heard about.”
Vanessa looked at her with confusion in her eyes. Katrina was dead, right? How was she standing right there? “Vanessa Owens, you must be my ancestor that’s supposed to be dead, and the beef Alfred has.”
“The beef?” Katrina asked.
“It’s an expression.” Rylie answered.
Alfred stared at Katrina in bewilderment, “Vanessa, Katrina is here which means you are released from your duty to kill Malik.”
Malik turned to look at Alfred, “What makes you think I’m just going to turn her over to you?”
Alfred went to grab for Katrina and Rylie pulled her back, pointing her gun at Alfred’s face, “Not so fast.” She warned.
“What can I do to get my Katrina?” Alfred asked with sincerity.
Alec rolled his eyes, “Don’t be so weak and willing, brother. You have lost centuries believing her to be dead. There’s nothing that can be fixed or traded. Malik must die, and Vanessa will be the one to do it.”
Suddenly, Katrina turned and headbutt Rylie in the face and took off running down the corridor.
“Fuck…” Malik growled and whooshed down in her direction. Alec and Alfred ran after them. Being a hunter, Rylie too was able to heal fast, and she wiped the blood from her face.
Aaron looked at her, “You, okay?” he asked.
“I’m fine, we have to get Malik he has the gun.”
Vanessa felt something in her back and felt around. Something was tucked in her pants, and she just now registered it was blunt and heavy. She pulled it out and looked at Katrina’s gun, “No he doesn’t.” she said as she held it up. “I do.”
Aaron sighed with relief, “He must have slipped it to you when he rushed to you.”
“It feels heavy,” Vanessa said as she observed it and lifted it up and down in her hand.
“He loaded it before we left,” Rylie said.
Vanessa looked between them. “This is it, isn’t it? It’s do or die now.”
Rylie looked at Vanessa, “Just make sure you do everything Malik tells you to do.”
Vanessa nodded, “Okay…let’s go end this.”
They all ran down the corridor and heard the sound of a brutal fight going down. Vanessa heard Malik hollering out in pain and followed the sound to a massive room. It was an empty ballroom. She was horrified to see them throwing Malik around like a ragdoll. Katrina was in some corner trying to get the cuffs off herself. Without hesitation, Rylie fired her gun at Alec. The impact shot him across the room and out the glass doors leading to the balcony. He was barely hanging on as his body parts were scattered.
Everything stopped. Alfred stopped hurting Malik, Aaron who had Katrina in a choke hold looked out at the balcony. Vanessa looked out at Alec. Blood was everywhere, it was a dark color due to the mix of venom. The scene was rather horrific, and it was the first time Vanessa saw a vampire in pieces. Alec’s torso and head were all that was left of him. Rylie actually shot him with her gun. She was shocked and grateful at the same time. Alfred dropped Malik and rushed to the side of his brother. “Alec!” he hollered with grief.
Everyone made their way to the door to watch Alec take his last breath. Vanessa looked over at Rylie who was looking calm and indifferent. Malik growled at her as his wounds were healing, “That wasn’t part of the plan Rylie!” He chastised.
She turned and looked at him. “Neither was it for you to get your ass kicked!”
“So, she shot Alec, what’s the big deal?” Vanessa asked.
Malik looked over at Vanessa, “The sight might be gruesome now, but it’s going to take more than that to put down a Balthazar. Especially one with a twin.”
Suddenly, Alec rose to his feet, everything was intact, and he had nothing but the bloodstains from being shot on his skin. Rylie looked at him in shock and Malik turned to her, “Run. Go find Byron.” She nodded and ran out of the ballroom. Aaron stood there with a struggling Katrina. “Get her out of here Aaron. The rest is between all of us.”
Aaron whooshed out of the ballroom and now it was all down to Alec, Alfred, Malik, and Vanessa. She looked up at Malik, tears in her eyes, “What’s going to happen?”
Malik turned to look at her with a confident expression on his face. Yet he looked terrified at the same time. Whatever he had planned, he was not a hundred percent on, but it was clearly the only one he had. He flashed an assuring smile as he balled a fist and held it against his chest, “When I tell you to, you’re going to take that gun in your hand and aim right here, Baby. Right at my heart. Don’t miss, you got it? As soon as you pull that trigger, you come running to me and let me take things from there.”