"Make me immortal." She pouted, bracing herself over his body. "It's time already."
"After our child is born, it will happen. You know this."
"I'm tired of waiting."
Her pouting was getting on my nerves. Rage poured through me as she dragged her fingernails down his chest. That was my chest; those lips were my lips.
I clenched my fists at my sides and kept watching.
More scenes of them laughing, playing.
I tried to look away, but it was impossible.
Cassius appeared. I flinched, thinking it was a trick, but he was part of the dream.
"And how is my favorite girl?" He kissed her palm.
"Upset." She put her hands on her hips. "He refuses to make me immortal."
"Is that what you want? Your greatest desire?"
She nodded.
"Above Ethan, even? Your own mate?"
"He may be my mate…" Her hands trailed down Cassius's chest. "…but we both know I have a wide range of tastes."
"If you don't truly love him, the change will kill you." Cassius pushed her hand away. "You know this."
"I do love him!" She twirled around. "I love everything about this life. Is it so wrong to want more?"
"Sometimes…" Cassius's face fell. "…it really is."
The scene changed.
Cassius was walking with Ethan. "She's going mad."
"I know."
"It's the power — your power's drugging her, Ethan. You must let her go."
"No!" Ethan roared, pushing at Cassius. "I could no more cut out my own heart, you know that!"
"It's you or her," Cassius said.
"She's pregnant."
Cassius cursed and looked away. "Is it yours?"
"How dare you!" Ethan roared. "Of course it is!"
"And you know this for a fact? Because your mate is true?"
"I'd know if she weren't. I'd taste it in her blood."
"Unless you were too blinded by your own feelings… friend." Cassius shook his head again. "If the madness overtakes her, if you're wrong, you'll have to kill her yourself."
"I'm not wrong."
"So arrogant."
"Are we done here?"
I blinked away the tears. How could Cassius ask that of Ethan? I felt the love he had for her; it was powerful, like a star exploding in the sky.
"A daughter!" Ethan laughed and held up his daughter. "Ara! You've given me a daughter!"
She nodded.
The scene from the dream replayed, only slightly different than what I'd watched before.
Cassius entered the room.
Ara, Ethan's mate, looked away from both of them.
"I told you what would happen," Cassius said. "I warned you." He reached for the child.
"No!" Ethan screamed. "Don't. Cassius if you do this—"
"It's already been done." Cassius turned and pointed his hand at Ara. "Is this the daughter of a vampire?"
She trembled beneath the blankets then burst out laughing. "No, no, you know whose daughter she is."
Ethan paled. "Ara? My love?"
"He promised me immortality." Ara pointed at Cassius. "So give it! I birthed a daughter! The daughter of a Dark One! I will be queen!"
Her laughter hit a point where I needed to cover my ears.
"Cassius?" Ethan whispered. "Tell me you did not do this. Tell me, brother, that you did not—"
"She was tested. She failed," Cassius said simply, grabbing the child. "Now finish it."
"Cassius!" Ethan roared.
Ara continued to laugh. "I'm going to be queen. Finally, Ethan. I'm sorry I didn't tell you, but I was afraid you'd be angry. You know I love you, yes?"
Ethan's eyes turned black; the entire room shook.
"You bitch!" He clenched his fists so hard blood began trickling from his palms. And then, in an instant, he was on top of her.
One bite.
She struggled for two seconds.
Before I felt her life-force leave the room.
"It's done." Ethan swore, falling to his knees, blood dripping down his face.
"She would have died regardless," Cassius answered.
"My daughter."
"She's not your daughter, brother."
Ethan's eyes flashed. "Give me my child!"
"One day," Cassius started to fade into the darkness, "you'll thank me."
"One day… I will kill you."
Cassius disappeared from the room with the newborn, his voice a mere whisper. "You can't."
I woke up gasping for air.
I was lying in bed. Ethan was a statue next to me.
"Y-you killed her!"
Tears streamed down my face. I hated him. Hated us. I couldn't explain it, but the anger he'd felt — I felt; the shame — it was mine. I tasted revenge on my tongue. I wanted to scratch his eyes out, yet scratch my own out because it was like I was the one who had committed murder.
The darkness consumed me.
"Ten minutes," Ethan whispered.
"No."
"You promised."
He reached for my hand.
When I didn't take it, he straddled me and pinned my arms to the mattress. "Ten minutes. You promised. In ten minutes, I'll release you. Not a second sooner."
"Get. Off."
"He can still take you from me — like he took her."
"She chose herself, not him."
Ethan nodded sadly. "Yes."
I struggled against him, but he was too strong.
"Ten minutes, Genesis."
Ethan
Her eyes were green.
Just like mine.
I felt her emotions like they were my own — relived the entire thing as if I was killing Ara all over again.