Part 16 (1/2)

He lunges at me, but Leanna yanks him back just in time. ”Come on,” she says. ”Don't waste your time with this n.o.body. We've got to get ready. The sacrament is scheduled to begin any moment now.”

Corbin lets out a breath. ”You're right,” he says. Then he turns to me. ”I'm going to enjoy disemboweling your sister,” he spits. And then, with that lovely sentiment, he follows Leanna out, closing the door behind him and leaving me in darkness.

Once their footsteps fade away, I work to try to break my bonds. But it's no use. I'm stuck fast and I succeed only in making my wrists bleed. If only I had that kind of mental telepathy with Magnus that Rayne has with Jareth. Then at least I could warn him.

He and Jareth are probably out there right now in the ceremony room with the other initiates, with no idea what's going on. Which means they might be forced to take a sip from my sister. And while I'm not sure if her poisonous blood can kill full-blooded vampires, I'm so not ready to take that chance. I've got to warn them somehow.

And then there's my sister. My sweet Rayne. My best friend in the world, lying unconscious on a table, her blood swimming with poison. If the poison doesn't kill her, the thousand bites from the initiates will drain her dry. And then she'll be gone... forever.

Meaning half of me will be gone, too.

A lump forms in my throat. I feel so d.a.m.n helpless. If only there was a way to get out. I'd trade every bit of ”normal” to just have some kind of crazy superpower right about now to get me out of this mess so I can save my family.

But just as I'm about to give in to my despair, the door squeaks open and light s.h.i.+nes into the room. I look up, a.s.suming it's Corbin or Leanna, back for more. But it's not.

It's Jayden.

26.

”Oh my G.o.d! Jayden!” I cry. I don't think I could be happier to see anyone-even the Bergdorf shoe fairy-at this point. ”How did you-?”

He runs into the room and goes right to work on my bindings. ”When Jareth hypnotized me he opened a two-way link between me and Corbin,” he explains as he unties. ”Once you guys left I kept getting visions of him and what he was doing. Which was annoying, at first. Until I caught a glimpse of you and I realized you were in trouble.” He yanks the rope free. ”So, of course, I had to rescue you,” he adds shyly. ”I hope that's okay.”

I leap from my seat, throwing my arms around him in a huge hug. ”Thank you so much! I don't know what I would have done without you!”

He smiles his crooked smile. ”You won't ever have to find out.”

My heart melts at his naked vulnerability. Half of me just wants to kiss him all over again. To tell him I forgive him. But it's more complicated than that. And I need to stay focused here.

”We have to go find Magnus and Jareth,” I tell him. ”Corbin's planning to poison everyone here.”

Jayden nods and we rush out of the closet and back into the makes.h.i.+ft lab. The good news-it's now totally deserted. The bad news-my sister's gone, too. Which means they must have moved her body to the main hall for the ceremony. We don't have much time left.

But something out of the corner of my eye causes me to pause at the door. The Holy Grail. It's still sitting in its gla.s.s case. I run over, grabbing a metal bar off the counter, and start smas.h.i.+ng at the gla.s.s.

”What are you doing?” Jayden cries.

The gla.s.s shatters. I reach in and pull out the cup. Then I try to hand it to him. ”This is it,” I tell him. ”Drink this and you'll be mortal again. You won't have to live this vampiric nightmare anymore.”

To my surprise Jayden refuses the goblet. ”No,” he says, shaking his head. ”As long as I remain a vampire, I share Corbin's link. I can read his mind and help you defeat the Alphas and save your sister.

I can't do that if I go back to being a weak-a.s.s, powerless human.”

”But...” My heart wrenches at his words. I know he's doing this for me. To prove his love. To offer protection at the expense of his own happiness. But the price he'll pay for his devotion may be too high to bear. ”Look, Jayden, as much as I appreciate your willingness to help, you're running out of time. Once your vampire cells bond completely with your human ones, that's it. There's no turning back. What if this is your last chance to regain your mortality?”

He shrugs. ”Then I'll miss my last chance. I'll deal.” He sounds so confident. And half of me wants to agree with him. Just let him be a vampire-my immortal protector-for the rest of eternity. But no, I can't do that to him. I can't let him make the ultimate sacrifice for me when I still don't even know what it is I want from him.

Once upon a time, I, too, had been tempted to give up my humanity for love. Not because I wanted to become a vampire. But because I wanted to be with Magnus. But Magnus realized this-and saved me from myself.

And now I have to do the same for Jayden. Or I'll never be able to live with myself.

”Can you listen to Corbin now?” I ask him. ”Figure out which way he went?”

Jayden nods, closing his eyes to concentrate. I take the opportunity to swig a big gulp of the Grail. (Which, um, is completely nasty, by the way.) Jayden opens his eyes, oblivious. ”He's in some kind of big temple,” he says. ”Where they're holding the biting ceremony-”

I don't let him finish. Instead, I throw my arms around him and kiss him hard on the lips. His mouth opens in surprise, allowing me to let the liquid flow through.

He gags and jerks away, spitting it out. I hope he managed to swallow some...

”What the h.e.l.l was that?” he demands.

”Jayden,” I say softly, wiping the liquid from my own mouth. ”I don't think you really want to be a vampire.”

His eyes widen in realization. He stares at me. ”You didn't...” he whispers. ”Oh G.o.d, Sunny, you didn't!”

”I'm sorry,” I say, my heart aching in my chest. ”I know it was a low move. But I had no choice.”

”Why would you do that?” he whispers. ”I could have helped.”

”You've helped enough,” I a.s.sure him, tears falling from my eyes. ”Now it's my turn to help you. Some of us are cursed with the darkness. But you still have a chance. A chance at a normal life, surrounded by the people and animals you love so much. They need you, Jayden. Your friends. The dogs and cats of the theater. And I think, deep down, if you're honest with yourself, you'll find you need them, too.” I pause, then add, ”And I refuse to be the selfish person who robs you of your life and everything you love.”

”But I don't mind-”

”Maybe not now,” I agree. ”But someday you would. Someday you'd start to regret the sacrifice you made for me. And you'd start to resent me for that. Maybe even hate me a little. And I couldn't live with that.”

Jayden says nothing at first, tears streaming down his cheeks, matching my own. Then, finally, he nods. ”Oh, Sunny,” he murmurs. ”I'll never forget what you've done for me.”

I reach out to pull him into a rough hug, my tears splas.h.i.+ng down onto his shoulder. ”That makes two of us.”

27.

After saying good-bye to Jayden and promising to call him the second this is all over, I conjure up another red robe, then sneak down the now-empty halls once again, this time following signs to the temple, where evidently everyone's gathering for the main event.

I step into the large chamber, a cavernous underground arena that would astound those who wors.h.i.+p at the now-paltry-looking temple aboveground. The whole place seems as if it's been dipped in gold and draped with crimson curtains. Statues of Buddha are everywhere and smoke streams from incense being burned on several altars. I feel like I've snuck into the devil wors.h.i.+per's place in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. Except these initiates are wearing red cloaks and they're all facing a large, curtained stage at the front of the room in antic.i.p.ation of the upcoming sacrament.

I scan the place, desperately seeking Magnus and Jareth-who texted to let me know they made it to the temple-but with everyone in matching outfits, it's harder to pick anyone out than in a Where's Waldo? book.

”Oh my G.o.d! Sunny McDonald? Is that you?” squeals a voice beside me.

Shocked at the sound of my name, I whirl around, my eyes widening as they fall on none other than my old friend Evelyn from back at Riverdale Academy, flanked by her Slay School friends Amber, Ember, Gwen, and Mackenzie. They're all wearing the requisite red robes and all excitedly clamor around me-hugging and squealing in excitement. While I greatly appreciate the sentiment and yes, I missed them, too, I'm wondering how I can politely let them know I need to keep a low profile here.