Song - Angel of the Morning - Juice Newton

Noah lunged, grabbing me. I'd tried to move, but he was faster. Pushed against the bench, I could feel it dig into my back. Noah was smart enough to ensure my legs didn't rise, keeping them apart as he pressed me harder against the counter.

"I could keep you on a leash," he taunted. "Maybe muzzle you to keep those fangs in your pretty little mouth."

"So, you're not letting me leave. Is that what you're saying?"

Noah flinched, almost like he couldn't grasp the concept of keeping me caged.

"What's the matter? Realising your plan is flawed?"

He frowned, looking at me with uncertainty as his features shifted. My hand moved over his jaw, caressing the skin I'd once lovingly kissed. It was a world away from us now, a life that was never going to be our future.

Still, he persisted. I tried to struggle but soon realised the kiss was different. It was like he was trying to convince me that he'd changed. The embrace was soft, delicate, and even though I didn't want to think it, perfect. It was like the affection he'd given me in our beginning, the times when I thought he truly loved me. This kind of kiss was why I was so blindsided by his secrets.

There was only one thing that could make a romantic kiss like this worse, and it was that I reciprocated it. He wanted me to remember the sweet side of him and he'd won. I will always remember that side of him. It was the reason I fell so hard.

Noah pulled out of the kiss, looking at me with confusion. I could feel the pain in my mouth again, and when I sucked the bottom lip in, I tasted blood. I wasn't hungry but it reminded me that I was due to feed soon. To do that, I had to get out of this building and that meant convincing Noah to let me go.

"You don't love me," I chided softly. "Just let me go. Let all of us leave London. Then you can go back to whoring your way through the office staff and whatever you create to replace Mon Crief. You're a single man now, Noah. Not married anymore, the celebrity of the guild, you can have your pick of the women. Go, live your best life and let me live mine."

He reached up, and as his hand smoothed over my jaw, he pulled back my top lip. Noah's gaze lowered to the exposed fang and hesitation filled his face when he looked up at me.

"I could,"

"No, you can't." I interrupted. "I can move on from what you've done to me, but I can't forget it. I still see the man I fell in love with but the image is tainted by everything that has happened. It will always be there, hanging between us. Just let me go."

"I don't want to," he grunted as he tried to open my shirt. "You are my wife. You belong to me,"

"But not once did you ever belong to me," I responded tersely. "You never honoured our vows, so stop with this archaic claim of ownership."

The scent of perspiration filled the air. The cold had left, and the small room was filled with an unwanted heat. I could feel it dripping down my face and my back.

Every move he made with his hands to open my shirt, I stopped him, frustrating Noah even more. He was getting desperate. I could feel how much he wanted this to progress. The problem with Noah's desperation was that he was distracted. He never saw the attack coming his way.

He cried out as the fangs sank in. I covered his mouth and fed as fast as I could. The venom flowed quickly, and Noah went limp in my arms. Now that it had consumed him, I didn't have to worry about the attack continuing. Instead, I focused on feeding and his heartbeat.

It began to slow, soon stopping.

Carefully, I lowered his body to the floor. I looked at Noah, feeling remorse once again. He seemed so serene when his eyes were closed. Tears streamed down my cheeks because there was regret. Every part of me hated what I'd done.

I couldn't let this get to me, and I couldn't hang around mourning Noah. Checking for a pulse once more, I waited and when I felt nothing, I stood and collected my jacket.

Noah was my first challenge. The next was getting out of this place with a room full of hunters blocking the exit. There was no way I'd win against all of them which meant that I had to find another way out of here. Moving through the room, I opened a window and looked outside.

It was a small alley that was thankfully empty. Climbing out, I crept through the darkness and looked at the street. There was no one outside, so I ran.

I wasn't entirely sure where I was, but I had to go this way as the other way meant that I'd pass the windows of the building. Plus, the limo went this way. I also knew it turned right so I ran that way as well.

Within a few minutes, I found a familiar location. I was close to Eastland Docks, so I pushed on, hoping they'd hold out for me. Just a few minutes more.

Every day I spent on the treadmill was for this moment. I ran without issue, even if it was freezing cold. It had been snowing but wasn't at the moment. The wind burned against my skin and despite the warm clothes, I still felt colder than I ever had when outside in December.

As I passed the buildings, I heard the sounds of carols being sung. It made me realise that if it was past midnight, it was Christmas morning. What a gift to myself. A dead ex-husband, running through the empty streets of London, trying to avoid hunters that would have no qualms about killing me where I stood. As much as I wanted to think that a dead ex-husband was a good thing, I knew it wasn't. Deep down, I missed Noah. Despite everything, he was still a part of my life, my history and he'd shaped me into this person. Well, parts of it at least. I couldn't give him all the credit.

I wanted to cry out with happiness when I looked at the marina. Pushing through the gate, I raced down the stairs and began looking at the names of the boats. As I looked at the dock with small boats bobbing in the water, I realised I was given another terrible gift. It was the lack of boats large enough to carry many vampires and, with that, a life alone.

I walked along the jetty, stunned that they'd left. The boats that were here were small and void of life. I walked to the end, hoping to see something in the distance, but found nothing.

A sob escaped. I could imagine Jasper's anguish as he watched the boat leave the berth. Roman would argue with his father, who would undoubtedly say that one life against many was a sacrifice they had to make. For the greater good and all that.

Except, it was my life.

I wiped away the tears, feeling colder than I ever have. The boats that were moored to the dock were useless to me. I didn't know how to operate one. I could row a boat easily enough, but there was no point. Everything that meant something to me was gone, now on their way to god only knows where. Because I didn't know that either.

So, that was it. I was alone. A newly turned vampire, left to fend for herself in a city full of hunters who were vying for her blood. It was my fault, of course. I'd taunted them, destroyed their world, and ended the lives of those they loved and cared for.

Hearing footsteps, I felt my body tighten. I didn't want to turn around and see the hunters had found me. It would break me if I turned and saw Noah standing there. He was turning out to be like a cat with nine lives, and it wouldn't surprise me if it was him.

My life counted on knowing who was approaching me, but it was pointless. Where there should be two pairs of feet rushing to me, there was only one pair. It couldn't be Jasper and Roman. I knew there was no way Lewis would let them stay. He'd drag them onto the boat if he had to.

All I had were the boats and ominous footsteps for company. I was a lone vampire with hunters searching the city streets. Nowhere to go, nowhere that was safe. Like my birthday, it was shaping up to be the worst day of my life. Merry Christmas, Dani. Here's your gift, a second chance at death.