Oh my gosh, you guys, thank you so much for stopping by the blog this week to read! This is the fourth and final chapter of “Red”. I hope you have enjoyed the story!

I’m hearing so many people say they want more of Connery and Charlotte! Well, Connery plays a pretty major role in the upcoming Sacrifice Me, Season 2: Part 1, which releases Monday, April 16th. If you love him and want to see more of their story, please let me know!

I’ve been considering doing a set of “Venom” stories that standalone as romances, but are involving characters that show up at Venom from time-to-time. Characters like Azure, Marco, John Pierce and Allison, Connery and Charlotte, Silas, etc. If you’d love to see a series like this in the near future, comment below or email me. It helps me to know what people are interested in!

So, here you have it, the final chapter of this short story. Come back tomorrow for the Prologue of Sacrifice Me Season 2, as well some FREE downloadable wallpapers for your phone, tablet, and desktop with a signed copy of the Sacrifice Me Cover. See you then!

And if you’re just finding this story, go back and read the previous chapters:

Chapter One

Chapter Two (Part 1)

Chapter Two (Part 2)

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Rayla tossed and turned in her small bed, her forehead wet from feverish dreams. I stayed by her side, once again praying for news from Connery.

It had been three weeks since we’d parted in those woods, and I’d heard nothing. It tore me apart to know that the witches of my own coven might have hurt him or locked him away again. I couldn’t ask anyone about it, because I had no idea who I could trust.

If anyone found out that I was the one who released him from that cage, they might kill me, too. Or worse. I couldn’t risk it.

But I was dying to know if he was okay.

I never dreamed that such a strong connection could be made with someone after only a few hours together, but he was a part of me now. A part of my journey. I wasn’t sure I could survive if he never came back for me.

When I got home that night, exhausted and scared, Rayla was still awake, waiting for me.

“You found him, didn’t you?” she’d asked, her eyes bright with mischief.

“I did,” I said. “You could have told me you were sending me there to meet a werewolf.”

She shrugged and leaned back against her pillow. “If I’d told you that, you might not have gone,” she said. “He’s not with you?”

“He ran away to save my life,” I said, fighting back tears. I would not cry in front of my sister. She needed me strong.

“He’ll be back,” she said.

She’d pulled the covers up around her body and fallen asleep.

There had been no bad dreams or visions for a week after that, but they’d started up again. And they were getting worse.

She moaned and tossed some of her covers aside, so I went to her and checked her forehead. She was burning up, fresh welts appearing on her arms. I pulled her covers tighter around her small body and went to get a cold washcloth to put on her skin.

Before I made it to the bathroom, someone rang the doorbell.

I glanced at my watch. It was after midnight. Members of the coven often stopped by to check on us and to ask about Rayla’s visions, but never this late at night. If someone was here this late, something must be wrong. I ran down the stairs and threw open the door, but there was no sign of anyone outside.

“Hello?”

I stepped further onto the porch to look around, but I didn’t see anything unusual. Whoever rang the doorbell was gone.

I went back inside, an uneasiness creeping into my gut. I locked the door and went around back to make sure that door was locked, too.

Slowly, weighed down by doubt and confusion, I made my way back up the stairs to Rayla’s side. To my surprise, she was sitting straight up in bed, staring at something clutched in her hand.

“You’re awake?” I asked, not understanding. “What’s that?”

“Connery left this for us,” she said, holding out a small bottle of dark liquid.

“Connery? He was here?” I took the bottle and studied it. A snake was etched into the glass, along with the word VENOM.

“Rend,” I whispered. He had made it to Rend. “Where is he?”

Rayla pointed to the open window near her bedside. I ran to it, pushing back the long curtains and staring out into the night.

“He said to give you this, and to tell you that everything would be okay now.”

I turned to my sister and she handed me a small piece of paper. I unfolded it and read his message to me.

Dearest Red,

There isn’t a day that goes by when I don’t think of you. I long to hold you again, but I’m afraid that if I see you tonight, I’ll never be able to let you go. It’s still too dangerous, but I promise you that when the time is right, I will come for you and your sister and take you to a new place. A place where there is hope, and where demons and witches live together in peace.

Use this potion sparingly. A single drop every night before she sleeps will keep her from harm. Don’t let anyone know you have it and guard it with your life.

I live for the day when we can truly be together, but until then, know that I am forever…

Yours,

Connery

I closed the note and stepped over to the window, hoping for just one more moment. One more glimpse of him.

There was no sign of him in the shadows, but somewhere in the distance, over the sound of the chaos of the city, I heard the single, clear cry of a wolf.

______________________

I sincerely hope you enjoyed this short story!

If you haven’t had a chance yet to read Season One of Sacrifice Me (Franki and Rend’s story), you can pick it up here:

Amazon  |  Amazon UK

Barnes & Noble

Google Play

iBooks

Kobo

 

 

Sacrifice Me, Season 2: Part 1 will contain the first three Episodes of Season One. It releases April 16th, so be sure you’re signed up for my email list to be notified as soon as it goes live!

Sacrifice Me, Season 2: Part 2 will contain Episodes 4-6 and will release on May 7th. Cover reveal coming soon!

I’ll see you tomorrow for the prologue and free wallpapers.