The Unwanted Imprint

Chapter 21

Nichole was kept inside a lot of the time now. Amun wasn't going to take any chances. It seemed that Abasi had grown quite the obsession with Nichole, because Benjamin always found him lurking outside of the property.

"I don't understand," Nichole said to Amun one night. "Why is he doing this?"

"Abasi prefers the blood of..." Amun paused, as though he was trying to find the right words to say. "He likes the blood of innocents best. More specifically, the blood of virgins, he says that their blood tastes sweeter. I wouldn't know, because as I said, we do not take the blood of innocents."

"Great," Nichole muttered. "So he's after me just because I haven't had sex. That's wonderful."

"We think that it's best if you go back to America. I talked to Carlisle. James is dead. Bella was hurt, but she is alive and she is going to make a full recovery. Victoria is still out there, but Carlisle doesn't think that you'll have to worry about her for the time being. However...your family is making plans on leaving Forks."

"What?!" Nichole's eyes were wide. "Leaving Forks? But why?"

"Many reasons, reasons that Carlisle asked I do not disclose to you. I'm sure that he will tell you everything when you get back, he probably just wants it to come from him and not myself."

Nichole bit her lip as she glanced at Tia. While she was happy that she was going home, she had spent such little time here, and she and Tia had only just gotten together.

Tia seemed to be thinking along the same lines. "Hey, it's gonna be okay." She said, taking Nichole's hand and lightly squeezing it. "I'll come and visit you in Washington, and maybe in the summer you can come and stay here for a few weeks-"

"I don't think that she's going to be going anywhere," Benjamin said. "Amun, Abasi is back, and he isn't alone, he's brought his friends with him this time. They have the house surrounded."

"Amun!" Abasi shouted from outside. "This doesn't have to be difficult! Just bring the girl out and no one else will get hurt!"

"Amun, we wouldn't stand a chance fighting them, they have us outnumbered."

"Maybe we do," Nichole murmured, and they all looked at her.

"You have a plan then?" Amun asked.

"Maybe. Benjamin, you can control the elements, right?"

Benjamin nodded his head. "Yes, all four of them."

"Perfect. I think that it's time we show them what happens when they mess with fire."

"Nichole, are you sure that this is going to work?"

"Tia, please just trust me on this, okay?"

"But you're just giving yourself up to them."

"That's what they think." Nichole pressed a kiss to her cheek. "This is going to work, I promise. Just...be ready, okay?"

Nichole walked to the door, and Amun placed a hand on her shoulder. "You are quite the brave human."

"And probably reckless too."

"That as well, but then again, look who you've been living with."

Nichole laughed a bit, which surprised her, given the current situation. "Alright...wish me luck." She took a deep breath before stepping outside. "Abasi!"

Abasi grinned darkly. "So the little princess comes out at last. I had a feeling that you would eventually, it would be a shame if I had to end Amun and his coven just because of you."

Nichole let out a fake laugh, which concealed the fear that she was feeling. "Oh, you think that I'm out here to give myself up to you? Oh no, I'm afraid that's not the case. You see, what you've done is basically declare war against my friends. And another thing, you've decided to go up against a Cullen, don't you know how well-known Cullens are for being relentless? NOW!"

Two balls of fire came from the rooftop, hitting two of Abasi's friends. setting them alight, and they ran off screaming.

"Just what do you think you're doing?!" Abasi demanded.

"You see Abasi, the venom that runs through your system, through all of your systems? It's highly flammable, about as flammable as petrol or gasoline. You're like a walking grenade, you just need the pin pulled."

"You little bitch! You have no idea who you're dealing with!"

"Oh, I know exactly who I'm dealing with. You prey on the weak and the innocent, and that means one thing Abasi. That means that you're a coward, and I don't let cowards push me around."

"You are going to regret that. I am going to kill you, and I am going to make sure that you feel every bit of it." Abasi surged forward, but in an instant, Tia was there, and she grabbed Abasi, flinging him against a wall of the house. Abasi let out a roar of anger, and he lunged at Tia. The two wrestled for a few moments, and then Abasi managed to pin Tia to the ground. He grabbed her head and squeezed it hard, cracks starting to appear in her face.

"Tia!" Nichole shouted, and she ran forward, but it was too late. Abasi severed Tia's head from the rest of her body. He turned to face Nichole, holding Tia's head by her hair. "Such a shame, don't you think? She was such a beautiful woman, and now she's nothing." He threw her head to the ground, and it rolled until it hit Nichole's feet.

Nichole stared down in shock, and it was like time stood still. Tia's dull eyes stared up at her, as though saying 'This is your fault. I tried to protect you and I got killed.'

Nichole gasped softly, staggering backward until she hit a wall of the house.

Abasi shook his head. "You tried to play the hero Nichole, and now someone that you cared about is dead. I can only imagine what Amun is going to think. Oh wait, but he isn't going to be thinking anything. You see, you are not the only one that came prepared. Those vampires that you had Benjamin set on fire, they were not the only ones that I brought with me. There were others, they snuck around the back while you were busy outside with me."

Abasi let out a sharp whistle, and Amun and Benjamin were dragged out by about a half dozen vampires. Benjamin let out a small wail at seeing Tia.

"You can blame this bitch here for that." Abasi punched Nichole hard, bringing her to her knees. "Nichole, there is no need to bring more deaths into this. You know what you have to do. Do that and I will leave Amun and Benjamin alone. If you don't comply then they will meet the same fate as Tia."

Nichole looked up at Abasi, and she knew that he would carry out his threat. She couldn't let anyone else be killed because of her. Abasi took a lighter out of his pocket and he flung it at Tia's body, and Nichole watched as it burst into flames. "Fine." She said. "Just don't hurt them."

"Smart girl." Abasi brought Nichole to her feet, and he turned her to face Amun and Benjamin. The next moment, she felt a sharp pain in her neck, and the last thing that she heard before her world went dark was Amun and Benjamin calling out her name.