TWISTED FATES BOOK 1: The First Twist
Chapter 25

Sammie

The moment I saw the long corridor and heard Jay; I knew I was in deep shit. How could I not be? I was in the realm that existed between life and death.

This sad fact could only mean that Dasha must be reaping some serious havoc on my body in the natural realm.

Ish.

Son of a bitch.

“What’s up, hon? Aren’t you happy to see me?” Jay asked as he hugged tightly. I nodded and smiled.

Although I was always happy to see Jay, it was still a grim reminder of my reality, and that would always cast a dark shadow over our reunion.

“Of course, I’m always happy to see you, Jay. I miss you greatly every day. But boo-boo, let’s be honest, and I mean no offense; I’d be lying if I’d said I was glad to be here again. I mean, doesn’t seeing you pretty much mean there’s some fucked-up shit going on up in the real world?”

Jay rolled his amber-colored eyes and snickered at my obvious frustration. “Oh, come on, Sammie. I promise you won’t be here long, my vampy little minx. You’ll be back in a couple of minutes.”

“What ... that’s not that long, Jay -” I was immediately interrupted.

“Relax, sunshine. Time’s way different here. We have plenty of time in this realm to shoot the shit, but up there, you will literally only be out for a short while.”

Jay grabbed my hand and held it in his while, tracing little circles with his thumb on my palm. I sighed and scanned my surroundings.

“So, tell me, Yoda, why am I here again?”

“Maleyna sent me here to help you, Sammie.”

I coughed on air for a second stunned by Jay’s words.

“What? Why would she send you to help me...does she know what’s going on?” I knew I was rambling, but I needed to understand how Maleyna had known to summon Jay.

“Oh, my little love muffin, I can see the little wheels turning in that gorgeous head of yours.” Jay teased as he tucked a loose strand of my hair behind my ear.

“Don’t tease me, Jay, just tell me how bad is my sitch really?”

“Well, that’s essentially entirely up to you, hon. But first, I need to fill you in on the juicy deets. So pretty sure you already know who the big bad is in this whole shit show, but it’s time you knew everything, and in order to know that, I need you to go through this door.”

He pointed to a red wooden door with a tarnished brass doorknob. I stood looking at Jay, puzzled.

“Don’t worry, sweet cheeks, this is just a pit stop. You will see me before you go back to your realm, but you need to do this, Sammie.”

Jay stepped to the side and directed me towards the door. When I opened the door and stepped inside, I was struck with a blinding white flash of light. Immediately my head felt like I was experiencing the world’s worst migraine. I gripped my head, trying to suppress a scream when I was suddenly bombarded with a bunch of memories playing in front of me. But not just any memories. Memories of Devon Montgomery and me. Our entire time together. Our love and our relationship’s deterioration. Then I was suddenly witnessing Dasha’s memories. Her real ones. I witnessed her meeting Devon while we were still in college. She slept with him, and he tossed her aside like she was nothing. Dasha was angry. She used her magic and discovered that I was destined to be his mate. I saw the time that Jay and I included Dasha in our silly blood oath and how she secretly took a sample of my blood and kept it. I watched her hatred grow as I introduced Dasha to Devon and he never even acknowledged her let alone recognize her.

I saw her invoke a satchel by using dark magics and hiding it in our bed; it was devised to trigger a recurring nightmare in Devon about how marking me would result in my death. And I saw the seeds of doubt she planted in Devon’s head because of those nightmares. The doubts that made him fear marking me and ultimately deserting his pack. Dasha spun her elaborate web, and inevitably we all fell for it. Including me.

I was the biggest sucker of all; I gave her my blood. The blood that allowed her to perpetuate my scent’s illusion to attract Devon and make him her puppet. This was all too much. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. What I had been stupid enough to do. I’d had enough. I exited through the red door and returned to the corridor where Jay stood waiting. I almost fell to my knees; Jay caught me and held me close. I allowed myself to weep for Devon and me, for everything that was lost.

“What did I do, Jay?” I sobbed.

Jay cupped my face in his hands and gave me a chaste kiss on my forehead as he used his thumbs to wipe the tears streaming down my cheeks. “Shh, Sammie. You didn’t know. No one did. How could you? I know you better than you think. You loved Devon, and you only wanted him to be happy. Dasha used your love for him against you. She was a jealous bitch. She fooled everyone, hon.”

Yes, she fooled us all, but dammit, I let her. I couldn’t believe how stupid I was just to throw Devon away rather than to try and fight for him. Hopeless or not, what I did was just as bad. I erased our bond from ever existing.

I shook my head and held onto my best friend. “I love you, Jay... but I think I need to go back now. It’s time I fixed this once and for all.”

Jay gave me a quick wink and directed me to a plain white door. “Well, babe, it looks like my job is done. This is where I leave you. As much as these little visits are a blast, I better not see you again any time soon. Now you get up there and kick that bitch’s ass!”

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I awoke to the warm fuzzy feeling of a crowbar being swung at my jaw.

“Fuck!” I snarled as I spat out the blood pooling in my mouth. “You are so going to pay for that, you bitch.”

“Awe, someone’s awake just in time for the festivities.” Dasha countered smugly.

I looked around and realized that I was still on the roof of Jareth’s hotel. Dasha had bound my arms and legs and placed me dangerously close to the ledge. I knew I needed to figure a way out of this. I wasn’t sure if, even with my vampire abilities, I’d be able to survive a twenty-four-story fall.

Ish.

I tried to break the binds around me but to no avail. Dasha glowered. “Good luck trying to free yourself, Sammie. I had those made especially for you, a little silver-Vervain mixture I thought you’d enjoy.”

“Let me go, Dasha! When Jareth gets back, you’re as good as dead – ”

“Oh, Sammie, really? Do you not think I’m smart enough to deal with you and your bloodsucker boyfriend? Puh-lease ... this isn’t my first time at the rodeo.”

I rolled my eyes, “How am I not even surprised. What’s your end game, Dasha? I’m getting bored, and I don’t have all day.” I drawled.

Dasha clicked her tongue and punched my jaw with her silver garbed knuckles resulting in a severe bloody lip on my part.

I let out a maniacal laugh. “Is that all you got, Dasha? Keep hitting me with those little love taps, and I’m gonna get all warm and fuzzy thinking you’re just going easy on me.”

My eyes glared at her as I spat the coppery fluid mixed with my saliva in her face. Of course, this resulted in yet another painful punch to my nose. I heard a sickening crack, and blood began dribbling down my face. I sneered at her as I licked my lips.

Fairly sure the bitch broke my nose.

Dasha did always detest being mocked.