Tangled

139 Ava: A Shocking Finale (III) —

END SEASON TWO

“You’re making this so much harder than it should be. I was hoping to savor this moment, but now I have to rush my meal, instead.” He sounds disappointed, not angry, and the difference makes me shudder.

It’s worse than him being infuriated. It shows that my struggles are no more than an inconvenience to him.

When his fangs break skin, the pain is unbearable.

It’s worse than fire in my veins. It’s an ache so deep that my entire body throbs and burns, I open my mouth to scream, but no sound comes out; I can’t

breathe.

Skimming over the pain is an ecstasy that taunts me with bliss, tantalizing with its lack of pain. I yearn for it, wanting to sink in, wanting to escape this torture-

Eyes, Ava! Selene shouts. Go for the eyes!

With a desperate cry, I jab my fingers toward his face, aiming for those cold, mocking eyes. He jerks his head back and I can feel my neck rip and tear, blood

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139 Ava A Shocking Finale (il)-END SEASON TWO

pouring.

But not before I fe

my nails sink into something soft

and yielding. He howis, his grip loosens, and I wrench myself free, staggering away.

The vampire clutches at his face, blood seeping between his fingers. One eye is a ruined mess, but the other glares at me with unadulterated hatred.

“You’ll pay for that, bitch,” he spits, his voice a guttural

rasp.

I hold my hands against my neck, against the blood pouring out, gasping for air to fill my lungs. It’s like they can’t inflate fully, can’t fill with oxygen.

This time rage fuels his movements as he lunges for me, messy and uncoordinated. My brain’s already off, moving on instinct, through repetitive motions in

training.

A quick sidestep. A knee to the groin, a practiced weak point. He’s wide open and doubles over with a grunt as I follow up with an elbow to the back of his neck,

sacrificing blood loss for success.

He hits the ground hard. Good to know pressure

points also work on vampires

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139 Ava: A Shocking Finale ()-END SEASON TWO

He won’t be down long–may

seconds.

I dart to Lisa, grabbing her under the arms and dragging her back, scrabbling for purchase.with my

slick from blood.

pain and my vision blurs

his face a mask of rage. Blood drips from his ruined eye, painting a gruesome picture. He stalks toward us,

elegant monster from

have a chance.

you apart,” he snarls, spittle flying from his lips. “Piece

outrun him, not while carrying her. My only choice is to stand and fight, to

If it arrives.

life inside of me, a crackling current that dances along my

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211

A Shocking Finale (1) END

beneath my skin.

It’s electric.

It’s terrifying.

It’s hope.

loud snarl and I trust the power within

A punch that before would have been impossible to

to me without

How to block.

How to move.

how to utilize his momentum to throw his body

please.

as I

little training in offensive strikes, but

time he tries to grab me,

to regain his balance

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Finale (1) END SEASON TWO

this can’t go

can feel the wooziness in

way my knees

my crop top is soaked

I be

says, an encouraging

notice

little area.

in the distance.

of sirens.

of wolves here, fighting. Perhaps they’re on the other

A lot of

back here, with only Teddy and Bren’s corpses, Lisa’s unconscious form, and the

us, kitten. I’ve been searching for so long. Don’t you want to know the truth of your story?”

My story?

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stupid ke?

old ways?”

clawed hand, all the deranged anger gone, his face once again settled into that pale, death–transcendent beauty. Come with me, kitten. I’ll keep you safe, teach you your powers. Tell you the truth about that wolf inside your

you. Selene’s words are urgent, and I have so many fucking questions, but I’m swaying on my feet, even with this energy flowing through my

body.

Honestly, I’m shocked I can even speak. I don’t know how bad

be small.

smooth and unblemished beneath my fingers, beneath the

wonder I’m not

there, throbbing, but the damage has

outline of my

Ava: A Shocking Finale (III)-END

along, kitten. You and your friend, too. I’ll give you the freedom he can’t. I’ll give you the knowledge she

of me, the one desperate for the love of my family, sways

the rest of me holds her back, despite the faint tingle of the ecstasy I’d felt taunting me from beyond the

make sense of it

out of me. For

blink.

vision’s still

my cheek with a soft

Ava!

sure if he