Shift

Fifty-Four

Ava

      I ran away from the cabin, tears falling as soon as I was out the door. Yes. The word had just sort of come out. Yes. I hadn’t thought about it before, I simply blurted it out after searching for something to say.

          I’ve lost Roman forever.

          But now I have Jace.

         And that’s supposed to be good enough, right?

         Why am I so freakin’ selfish? I sound like a total *****. I shook my head, sliding down the ladder and onto the beach. I pulled off my tank top, revealing a bikini that was much too scandalous for me, and wading into the water. I stopped at my stomach, the water cooling my skin.

Roman

         A groan came from the other room. I ran a hand through my hair, pushing the door open and entering.

**************************** I mumbled.

         I was terrified. What if she woke up and tried to hurt me? What if she died, though? What if she hated me? What if Jace enforced the death penalty of exposing our kind?

         This girl was beautiful, yes, but she could’ve been human. And Jace was looking to get rid of me anyway. If he never fell for Ava, he would’ve killed us both. He had the right to, as Alpha.

          If he threatens to kill either me or the girl, I’ll challenge him. I would gladly assume the position of Alpha- after a fight to the death. “I’ll challenge him. And I’ll win,” I muttered to myself.

         “If Jace died, maybe Ava would finally see that she wants me… Maybe.”

         Even with that beautiful girl in the other room, I couldn’t seem to get rid of my feelings for Ava. The smallest thing would remind me of her. I’d see the ocean- it was pretty hard not to, around here- and I’d think of the blue of her eyes. I’d see the bright stars dotting the night, and I’d think of how that sky went on forever, just as I wanted us to.

         But she refused. Was it all worth it? Yes.

         Damn it, don’t ask a freakin’ question you don’t really want to know the answer to. I shook my head, frustrated with myself. I spared a glance at the girl on the bed.

         She was still sound asleep, a bandage over her head from where she’d hit it, probably on a rock or something.

         I sighed. I’d have to tell Jace soon. “Maybe he’ll challenge me. Then it won’t really be my fault- he’d be forcing me to kill him.”

         But what if I don’t win?

Jace

         I raised my fist to knock on Roman’s door, lowering it only when I heard a moan. And then, ********** That was Roman- the moan, I don’t know.

         I pushed open the door to see Roman moving into the next room over. He hadn’t even noticed my entrance.

         “If Jace died, maybe Ava would finally see that she wants me,” Roman said quietly, seemingly to himself. I bit my tongue, urging myself not to respond. Then, “Maybe he’ll challenge me. Then it won’t really be my fault- he’d be forcing me to kill him.”

         I spun and pushed open the door, closing it quietly. I’d come looking for Ava, only to find my friend planning my death.

         This was ridiculous. I should have my own TV show. I can see it now, Jace as the Teenage Alpha. It could be one of those cheesy shows on like ABC Family.

         I shook my head, climbing down the ladder. I scanned the horizon. Someone was in the water.

          Ava, my mind suggested. I took off down the beach.

    She was just standing there, watching the waves crash onto the shore- and looking extremely hot in that bikini, making me want to do some, uh, crazy things to her.

           I grabbed her by the waist, pulling her back to me. She tilted her head up curiously, a smile playing on her lips as soon as she saw who it was.

Ava

            Water slapped at me from where Jace had pulled me, spraying salt into my mouth. I coughed, water coming up my throat. Very lady-like.

         When I was done hacking up a lung, Jace pulled me closer. “We can’t have that happen again, can we? Wouldn’t want you to get all… wet,” he whispered.

            Why do I have a feeling I know where this is going. I risked a step back. He held onto my hips. I bit my lip, gasping when he pulled me under water, the ocean closing up around us.

Roman

           I heard a gasp come from the other side of the room. Hurriedly, I spun around, my gaze falling on the bundle of blankets on the center of my bed, the girl wrapped in them.

           A scream erupted from the lump in my bed, something- or someone rushing to move the blankets away.

           The girl popped her head up, big eyes wide in fear. “Where am I?” she whispered, her lip trembling.