Chapter 76

Erin’s POV

“It was you the entire time?” I breathed, staring at Susanna who stood before me.

Her fingertips were on fire, but it didn’t seem to be phasing her. Her icy eyes narrowed at me, and I took an unsteady step away from her. I wasn’t afraid of her, but I was insanely confused as to how I didn’t know it was Susanna the whole time.

She killed so many people, including her best friend.

“I don’t understand… why are you doing this?” I asked, narrowing my eyes at her.

She stared around my face for a short while, a small smile creeping on her lips.

“Because of Gavin…” she hissed. “You took him from me, and now I’m ending you.”

“You burned down the hospital for what?” I asked, shaking my head with dismay. “What could you possibly gain from that?”

“Maybe I knew that Gavin would end up being blamed for such a heinous crime. He doesn’t deserve his freedom! He broke my heart and now I’m going to break him by taking everything that he loves away. Including his precious Erin.”

“You are mistaken; Gavin and I are—”

“Oh, I know exactly what you are to him. You are his mate… if you die, then a piece of him will die along with you.”

“How did you know we are mates?” I asked, raising my brows.

“I’m not an idiot,” she scoffed. “I see the way you two are with one another. It’s the kind of bond that only a mate could have. You can’t fool me, Erin.”

“Susanna you already have so much,” I told her.

I was trying to reason with her. Right now, the flames were growing hotter and blue in her fingers. I worried she was about to throw them at me; not that I couldn’t defend myself if she did, but I also didn’t want to hurt her. I felt like there was an underlying reason behind her behavior.

“You are a world-famous fashionista; you have the respect of the entire werewolf territory and beyond. You are gorgeous and—”

“You don’t need to tell me what I am,” Susanna hissed. “I already know this information. Which is why it makes no sense for Gavin to choose you over me. It makes no sense at all…”

I could almost hear the pain in her voice and for a moment, the sorrow in her eyes was evident. But then, they turned back to their icy blues and her entire demeanor hardened.

Her face was cold; I could see an outlining of gold around her pupils; which was something that wasn’t there before.

It was almost like a camera of a sort; like something or someone was watching within her eyes. I felt like we weren’t alone at that moment.

“You are a vessel…” I said to her; realization was setting in and I knew now that Susanna was being controlled by the Slayers. It wasn’t a question anymore.

But how long has she been a vessel?

“I don’t know what you are talking about,” she said, matter of factly.

She took a long stride toward me; the fire in her hands grew more intense. I could feel the heat from where I stood. I clenched my fists; I was ready to defend myself. But I didn’t want to hurt her; especially now that I knew this wasn’t her doing.

She was being controlled, just like Bane was. She can’t help herself.

“Susanna, I know you are in there somewhere. Fight it,” I coached, trying to get through to the real Susanna. Whoever that might be.

“Susanna isn’t here anymore,” she said, a smile spreading across her thin lips.

Her eyes were no longer blue, but completely black. Then an intense tint of gold outlined her pupils; she was looking unfamiliar. Like she was transforming before my eyes.

“Erin! Watch out!!” I heard a roar coming from a distance.

I could feel him before he spoke my name, but I was relieved to see that Gavin was rushing toward me. It took everything I had not to rush toward him as well. I knew as soon as I made any sudden movements, Susanna would attack me.

“She’s a vessel! She’s being controlled!” Gavin shouted; he was running in his wolf form as fast as he could.

I could see the anger flashing through Susanna’s eyes.

“Don’t come any closer!” She hissed at Gavin.

“Susanna, leave her be! It’s me you are after,” Gavin growled.

“I said don’t come any closer!” Susanna said again through her gritted teeth.

I clenched my fists even tighter, feeling the water pipes deep within the ground beginning to shake; the earth was moving under my feet, and they were too engrossed in one another to notice. Gavin was second away from attacking Susanna and Susanna was seconds away from attacking me.

But I couldn’t let either of that happen; Susanna doesn’t know what she is doing. This isn’t her fault; we needed to save her.

“Gavin…” I reached out to him via a mindlink. “Don’t hurt her. She doesn’t know what she’s doing. It’s the Slayers. You need to do what you did to Bane and get Susanna back.”

He glanced at me from the other side of Susanna; she was still hissing something at him that I had completely tuned out.

I heard the blasting of the water pipes, which startled Susanna enough to pull her eyes away from Gavin to stare at me.

The water blasted through the ground, tearing up the dirt and grass along with it and making Susanna fall to the ground. Gavin was quick to get out of the way as water flooded the scene before me.

The fire in Susanna’s hands was completely gone and now she was screaming and drenched.

I could see her aura darkening as more fury rose through her.

Without me having to say anything, Gavin was rushing toward her and wrapping his arms around her body to keep her still. She stared up at him, ready to attack, but he poured his eyes into hers, causing her entire body to freeze.

I watched as his eyes darkened to the point where they look completely black. Her eyes began to match his and her breathing slowed down as her body relaxed.

He was saying something to her in a mindlink, unhooking her mind from the Slayers. It took a long while; I could tell the Slayers weren’t letting go of her that easily.

But soon he released her, and she blinked a few times, confusion surfacing on her face as she stared around at the flooded scene before her eyes.

She looked down at her clothing and I saw the disgusted look on her face; but then, her entire body began to tremble as realization dawned on her.

She glanced up and met my eyes; I saw tears forming in her blue gaze.

“Oh, my goddess…” she breathed. “What have I done?”

Her voice came out as a croak, and before he could say anything, Gamma warriors were rushing toward the scene, startling us both.

Gavin didn’t look as surprised though; he stood to his feet, brushing the dirt off his clothing, and gave Susanna a stern and unamused look.

“Take her to the holding cells,” Gavin ordered the Gammas.

My gasp echoed Susanna’s as the gammas grabbed her and pulled her to her feet with force.

“What?” Susanna gasped, staring at Gavin in shock.

“Susanna you are under arrest for all those murders and burning down the hospital,” Gavin explained, his tone hardening. “Take her away.”