Chapter 70- The Messanger

Chapter 70- The Messanger

Stone remained concealed in the shadows, his entire body tense with anticipation as he observed the figure emerging from the alley. She moved with a quiet elegance, her steps light and precise, almost like a child’s—though he knew she was much older than she looked. If he had to guess, she must have been around sixteen when she was turned into a vampire.

The streetlamp bathed her in its glow, illuminating her platinum blonde hair, which shimmered like silver threads beneath the artificial light. Her pale skin nearly glowed, a stark contrast against the darkness of the city.  
Then, she paused, her red eyes scanning the empty streets with sharp focus. Stone instinctively withdrew further into the shadows, ensuring he remained hidden from her searching gaze.  
Lily. 

One of Carina’s favored ones. A vampire who had been turned decades ago, back in the late 1800s.She carried an eerie beauty, always radiating a soft, otherworldly glow. In another life, in different circumstances, Stone might have found pleasure in talking with her. She was intelligent, thoughtful—even kind in a way and that was unusual among vampires.

But they were enemies, and any fondness he might have felt was swallowed by the war between their kinds. Of all the vampires he had hunted, she was the only one whose death might weigh on him.
Lily was the one vampire whose death might bring him a hint of regret.  

Stone took a deep breath, steadying himself before he lunged. Then, with blinding speed, he launched himself from the darkness. His body moved like a blur across the street, so fast that Lily barely had time to react before his hand was around her throat.  

Before she could even register what was happening, Stone drove her backward, pushing her deep into the alley’s darkest corner. He slammed her against the brick wall, lifting her effortlessly off the ground. Her feet dangled nearly two and a half feet above the pavement, her legs kicking weakly in protest.  
Lily clawed at his hand, her mouth opening in a silent scream of shock and pain.  
Stone’s grip remained firm, his expression cold.
“I’m giving you just this chance, Lily,” he growled, his voice low but firm. Her terrified red eyes searched his, desperate for understanding. “I will let you go if you deliver a message to Carina. She is the one I want—not you.”  

He loosened his hold slightly, just enough to allow her to speak.  

“Mother?” she gasped, her voice hoarse.  

Stone flinched at the word, though he masked it well. Mother. He hated that Carina, a ruthless killer, could inspire any sort of love or maternal instincts. It was disgusting. A creature like her was not meant to love, nor was she meant to be loved.  
But wasn’t he the same? Wasn’t his own existence built on violence, despite the love he carried within him?  
He shoved the thought away.  

“Tell her to meet me at the Schubert Club Bandshell,” he instructed coldly. “No later than an hour before sunrise.” He tightened his grip slightly, just enough to remind her of the consequences. “If she comes, I’ll let you live. If she doesn’t, I’ll tell the hunters exactly where they can find you.”  

Lily trembled under his hold, her fingers twitching against his wrist. “You… won’t kill her, will you?” she asked hesitantly, her voice filled with something close to hope.  

Stone’s patience thinned. He pulled her away from the wall for a brief moment before slamming her back against it. Their eyes met at the same level now, his fury burning beneath his quiet demeanor. He refused to make promises he couldn’t keep.  
If he had the chance to rid the world of Carina, he would take it. He deserved that peace—he had spent years suffering because of her. Why should Lily's feelings change that?

“No promises, leech,” he spat. “I have business with her. But if I get the chance to finally take her out, I won’t hesitate.”  

Lily's expression tightened. Her posture stiffened, her jaw setting in defiance. “You’re a monster,” she whispered.  

Stone’s lips curled into a smirk. “I could say the same about you. And especially the one you call Mother.”  

“She loves me,” Lily said firmly. “That’s something you know nothing about.”  

Stone nearly laughed, but instead, he sneered. “Are those the lies she tells you?”  

Lily's eyes darkened. “Mother is merciful—”  

"Your mother slaughtered my mate and my son in cold blood,” he snarled, his grip tightening. “She tore apart my family, ripped away a love more pure than anything your kind could ever understand. And do you know why she did it?”  

Lily raised her chin defiantly. “Yes.”  

Stone expected her to continue—to admit that Carina was a heartless killer, that she took lives without regret. He waited for the truth to spill from Lily’s lips, for some small confirmation that she knew the evil of the woman she called ‘Mother.’  
But she said nothing more.  

Stone’s teeth ground together. “Tell me.”  

“You all need to be wiped out,” she responded mechanically, like she had been trained to repeat the words over and over.  

Stone scoffed. “As do you,” he countered. “Because for you to live, humans must die. You can’t exist without killing. It’s in your nature.”  

“Our ways have changed,” Lily argued, her voice stronger now. “We have adapted. We don’t kill the way we used to, but you wouldn’t know that—you’re too focused on destroying us.” She swallowed before continuing. “We only want to exist. Just like you do. I am sorry for your loss, but I cannot bring back the ones you lost.”  

Stone held his glare. His voice was steady, cold. “I don’t need you to bring them back. She is back.”  

Lily blinked, the smallest crease forming in her brow. She looked genuinely puzzled now.  

Something inside him softened slightly at the thought of Audrey. “I have to protect her,” he muttered, barely loud enough to be heard. “From creatures like you.”  

A subtle emotion choked his throat, something he did his best to suppress. Lily must have sensed it—her expression changed ever so slightly. Her red eyes widened, filled with confusion, curiosity.  
Slowly, Stone lowered her back to the ground. His hand still pressed against her throat, keeping her pinned to the brick wall.  

“How is that possible?” she whispered.  

Stone didn’t answer. He had already said too much.  
The night hung heavy around them, thick with secrets. For the first time, Stone saw something in Lily's expression that wasn’t arrogance or defiance—it was doubt.