Chapter 47 — A Twist

Vanessa’s POV:

Vanessa looked at Katrina as she raised her gun up to Malik. She closed her eyes as she would not watch him die. But the gunshots. There was…two? She opened her eyes to see two bodies splattered all over the floor. Malik stood there all in one piece, his eyes on her, smiling at her. He held his arms out to her and she rushed into them, squeezing him tightly. He was alive. Byron was alive and getting his mind back. Alec and Alfred were no more than a red splattered mess on the ground. Was it over? Was it really all over? She sobbed with relief into his chest. Malik’s embrace had never felt better. The way he smelled made her soul swell up with joy. My Malik, she thought to herself. She felt his shoulders shaking. Was he really laughing at a time like this? She pulled back and slapped him across the face, “You asshole! You knew you were going to survive, didn’t you!”

Malik’s face jerked from the slap, and he looked at her, “You knew it too. At least, when you look back, you’ll know that you knew I’d live.”

“I already know that it’s just…” Vanessa gripped his shirt as she cried. “I really thought…” she turned to Katrina who stood in front of the splattered bodies. “Why did you…”

Katrina turned to look at her with a smile, “It’s been my and Malik’s plan all along.”

Everyone looked at one another in confusion. “I thought Malik killed you.” Vanessa said.

“It’s what we wanted Alec and Alfred to think. In order for it to look legitimate, the secret was only kept between Malik and myself.”

Vanessa looked up at Malik who still had his arms around her, and her hands rested on his chest, “How did you keep that a secret when they could get into your head?”

Malik shrugged, “It was easy, all I had to do was picture the lie we orchestrated anytime they went to get into my head.”

Rylie and Byron stepped forward, “This was a twist.” Rylie mused.

Vanessa pulled away from Malik and jumped into her brother’s arms, “Thank God you’re okay.”

“I’m sorry I took you I wasn’t in my…” Byron rambled, but Vanessa cut him off.

“You weren’t you and it’s okay. I’m not mad about anything you did while you were in that state.”

“I do owe you an apology for telling you that you were stupid for what you did. You’re an Owens and we protect each other. I had no business being mad at you, you saved us both and Malik.”

Vanessa shook her head, “No I didn’t, Katrina saved Malik.”

“You changed him.”

Vanessa turned red and looked over at Katrina, “I want an explanation. Now.”

Katrina nodded. “The Owens and Cromwells made an alliance back in the day. It is true that Alec, Alfred, and I, created the hunter bloodline. I did love Alfred. It killed me to end him just now. We were all getting along until the Cromwells came from the African lands. Alec and Alfred slaughtered them and framed me for it. I refused to go along with their lies when Malik came to England. As a result, my family was slaughtered. Alfred claimed I helped them do it. Malik and I had mutual interest in killing the Balthazars. Alec and Alfred killed their family so they would be the only ones left. We took advantage of Alfred’s feelings for me, and we faked my death. The serum that was created could kill a vampire but put a hunter to sleep. So, he injected it into my heart. He said he would wake me when he found away.”

“But…you two acted like you hated each other so much.” Rylie said.

“They had to, to sell it.” Aaron chimed in.

Vanessa looked between Katrina and Malik. “So, did you two plan on Byron and me coming into the picture? Was this all some sort of master plan developed over the centuries?”

Malik shook his head, “When I heard that Daniel and Miranda Owens were killed, I thought that might have been our last chance. I truly did forget that name as I had to focus on a new way to kill off the Balthazar twins. You and Byron were a surprise. But when Alfred woke Vanessa, I saw my chance.”

Vanessa shook her head, “So what you’re saying is, waking the hunter in me worked to your advantage? Were you using me, Malik? What about the night Byron saved me from that rabid vampire? Was that just a set up to get me close to you because you knew I wasn’t going to let him die?”

Malik shook his head and held his hand up, “V, no…You have to know that.”

“I’ve heard enough.” Vanessa said as she stormed out. She ran out into the woods as far as her legs and lungs would permit her. She couldn’t believe what she just heard. She felt so used and betrayed. Everything she’d ever thought the past couple months was nothing like she thought it was. It should be a good thing. But right now, it wasn’t. She leaned against a tree and sobbed into her hands. If she thought her world had been tipped upside down and shaken before, it certainly felt worse now.

She felt a hand touch her and she jerked away, “No!”

“V…” Malik’s voice plead. “Please let me explain.”

Vanessa looked up at him, “I don’t want to hear anymore. Everything I ever thought since coming here is just twisted and I feel used and like none of this was real.”

“You want the truth?”

“I would love that if we could pick one!”

“I’ll bear it all to you. Right here, right now. Just please listen to me. I really do love you, Vanessa.”

Vanessa looked at him, permission was granted through the expression on her face.

“When Byron came to New York and told me who he was, I turned him and made him one of my men to protect him. I never wanted to execute him, but I knew you would find us and stop it. It’s exactly what you did. I wanted to turn you too, but then you and I started falling in love and I just wanted to do things the right way. But then Alfred got to you. I was sloppy and careless. I let them feed on you and that was wrong of me. You have to know that I really didn’t expect either of you to come along. An opportunity just happened after you woke up. And when your body rejected Alec’s venom, I took the venom so that we could use it against him and Alfred, and it worked. You truly did your part if that’s what you want to know.”

“By what, donating vomit?” Vanessa chuckled wryly.

Malik shook his head, “We got his venom because your body rejected it.”

“I know why my body rejected it.” Vanessa said.

“Why?”

She looked at him, “I’m pregnant.”