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.

screams in pain and my vision blurs from darkness

of rage. Blood drips from his

monster from before.

have a chance.

going to rip you apart,” he snarls, spittle flying from

myself, shielding Lisa with my body. I know I can’t outrun him, not while carrying

it

sparks to life inside of me, a crackling current that dances along my nerves. I feel it building,

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A Shocking Finale (1) END

beneath my

It’s electric.

It’s terrifying.

It’s hope.

and I trust the power within me,

changes. A punch that before would have been impossible to track

to me without thought.

How to block.

How to move.

my hand against his arm, how to utilize

please.

to step as

had little training in offensive strikes, but

he tries to grab me, he’s shoved

regain his

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Ava A Shocking Finale (1) END SEASON

this can’t go on

the

way

my crop top is soaked in blood…

I be unconscious

Selene says, an encouraging presence in my mind. They’re

notice the sounds outside

little area.

in the

sound of sirens.

of wolves here, fighting. Perhaps they’re

crash. A

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

his fury fading, his face wary. “Come with us, kitten. I’ve been searching

My story?

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these stupid ke? Their rules?

old ways?”

a 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

him. You’re half in contract. Any agreement will bind you. Selene’s words are urgent, and I have so

body.

I don’t know how bad the damage to my neck is, but

be small.

the skin is smooth and unblemished

wonder I’m

throbbing, but the damage

outline of my coar remaine

Shocking Finale (III)-END SEASON

you the knowledge she won’t. Come, Ava Grey, Ward of the Witches. You seek

for the love of my family, sways toward

back, despite the faint tingle of the

to make sense of it all. “I’m not leaving

out of

blink.

vision’s still

cupping my cheek with a

Ava!

if