Page 52 of Born Wicked
My heart rate picks up, and nervous sweat makes my palms tingle. “Please, Sebastian. Tell me how to fix what you’ve done.”
I know most of this conversation won’t make sense to Teresa Day. But I have to know. I have to get answers.
“The antidote is in a fridge in labor and delivery,” he says, casually but begrudgingly. “For the vampires and the gifted. But you’re going to have to disconnect the source that’s causing it.”
“I’ve already taken care of that,” I say. Adrenaline is spiking in my body, and it’s taking everything I have in me not to bolt from my seat and go straight to that fridge. “We’ve been testing human blood. It’s been out of their systems for a week now.”
I don’t know how, it’s impossible, but somehow I can sense the smile on his lips. “You’re a smart woman, Juliet. Just one of the many reasons I fell in love with you.”
There’s pain in his voice. There was never a part of me that doubted Sebastian loved me. I felt it in every core part of my being. Sebastian Vincent loved me. And that love consumed me. The both of us.
But it transformed from love to complete obsession.
“It is administered intravenously,” he carries on when I do not respond. His tone is resolved. “It should take about an hour to take effect. The gifted should have full access to their gifts within twenty-four hours. The vampires won’t feel very good for a day or two, but they’ll restore to full capabilities.”
“Thank you, Sebastian,” I say with a breath, and tears of relief are gathering in my eyes. I expected this to be so much harder. I expected to have to beg and manipulate him. “This means everything to me.”
“I’d do anything for you, Juliet,” he says softly, and I don’t doubt the sincerity in his voice.
And that was our downfall.
“Where are you?” I ask, and there’s still a tiny ache in my chest that hurts at our separation, at the fracture my soul suffered by us falling apart.
“You don’t need to know that,” he says, his words quiet and regretful.
“Are you safe?” I don’t know why those are my next words.
“It doesn’t matter anymore,” he says, and something in his tone makes me worry. “I really am sorry, Juliet. If I could do it all over again, I would. You and I were made for each other. I will always regret what my actions did to us.”
“Sebastian, I-”
But he hangs up, ending the call.
And once more, I’m left in the wreckage, my heart a shredded, bleeding mess.
I end my recording as the first tear slips down my cheek. I swallow once, feeling like most of the oxygen in the world has disappeared. But I stand and walk out into the hall. I take the stairs up one floor. The wing is quiet, only one mother and baby resting after what I hope was a peaceful delivery. A nurse is at the desk, but I don’t say anything to her as I walk into the storage room.
There, I see the fridge.
Sebastian was smart in hiding the antidotes here. No one ever would have thought to go looking in this department.
I open the fridge, and my hands go a little numb when I see dozens of vials on the bottom shelf. One tray has a label that reads GA. The other tray reads VA.
Gifted antidote.
Vampire antidote.
My hands are shaking as I reach forward and take the entire tray of vampire antidotes. My fingers wrap around just one vial for the gifted.
My feet feel clumsy and heavy as I turn and walk out of the unit. I pull my phone from my pocket and then hold it to my ear.
“Juliet, what is wrong?” Sigrid asks, her voice rough and sleepy.
“I need you to come to the hospital,” I say, excitement lacing through my tone. “It’s not life-threatening, but it’s urgent.”
I can hear her getting up from bed, searching her room for clothes. “I’ll be there in twenty minutes.”
I end the call, too anxious and excited to use my manners. The elevator is too slow. I take the stairs, racing up them two at a time, bursting through the door, and hooking down the hall immediately.