The Return by Nicole R. Taylor Read Free Book Online

You need to pull yourself out of this. Do you think it's what she would have wanted?" she sighed, shaking her head.
    Zac turned and glared at her. "Depressed or predator. Take your pick, Tabitha. Which is the lesser of two evils? Which has the lowest body count?"
    "Don't... " she whispered, edging away from him.
    "I kill people, Gabby. It's what I do. It's who I am," he scoffed. "I'm a vampire and I eat people. Shock. Horror."
    "This isn't you," she shook her head. "You're better than that."
    "Am I? Am I really? What makes you think you even know me? I was a soldier, a trained killer. Its what I was good at. I enlisted in both world wars and Vietnam because I wanted to kill. Oh, he's fallen off the wagon, everyone said. But I was just honoring my true nature, Gabby. A predator who needs to kill to survive," he spat at her, venom dripping from his words. "Everyone wants me to be the good guy. I've never been the good guy. I can't do it. I wasn't good enough for Liz and wasn't good enough to save Aya. That's what being good gets you. Nothing ."
    He looked over his shoulder towards the entrance, groaning as he sensed who was coming; at who he guessed was coming. Gabby looked towards the door as it banged open, letting in the late afternoon light, and something else. Arturius .
    Zac glanced to Gabby who nodded reluctantly. She'd seen him that night in the clearing, his arm bloodied up to the elbow, Aya's heart clutched in his hand.
    She grabbed Zac's arm as he went to stand, a low growl coming from deep in his throat. "Stop, Zac. Getting yourself killed is not the answer."
    "If I die in the attempt of tearing that piece of shit apart, then so be it. It would be a benefit to the human race."
    Arturius leant against the bar a few stools down and ordered a drink, glancing in Zac's direction. It was all the invitation he needed. He walked up to the Roman and slammed his fist into the bar, glaring at the vampire who ruined everything. For a moment, he acted as if Zac wasn't there, making him seethe even more. Finally turning, he looked him up and down and obviously found him wanting.
    "Ahh," he grinned as the bartender placed his order in front of him. "You're the comatose one."
    "What are you doing here?" he snarled at the Roman.
    "Having a sunny southern holiday," he grinned. "Tying up a few loose ends."
    "Well, didn't you just put a big fucking bow on it already," Zac said through his teeth. "What are you still doing here?"
    Arturius seemed to find this extremely amusing. "What makes you think it's my prerogative to tell you anything?"
    Zac was a hairs breadth away from loosing it. "I'm having a existential crisis, Artie. You see , you killed the woman I love. And that makes me mad. And what do you think happens when I get mad?"
    Arturius laughed, "Are you trying to threaten me, Zachary? You have no hope in besting me."
    "You don't think I know?" he glared at him, not breaking eye contact. "I know a lot of things. Perhaps you ought to be the one who's worried."
    "I know you have no idea how to kill me. And I also know Aericura gave you her blood, so if you haven't already seen what became of her kind, then you would know that there is no hope for you. The fact that you're alive right now is only because I choose not to end you." He stood with a sigh, throwing some money onto the bar. "Don't push too hard Zachary, or you might lose your head."
    Zac lunged for the founder, but before he could raise his fist, he slammed into an invisible wall. Surprised, he tried again, but met the same resistance. Arturius seemed to be as confused as he was.
    "Not in the bar," Gabby came up behind them. "If you're going to fight, take it into the forest where no one can see. I won't have innocent people put into danger by the likes of you two."
    Arturius sneered at her, his eyes gliding up and down her body. "I'm always in need of a witch. Especially a witch who was in league with Aericura." He gave her a knowing look. He knew exactly who Aya was