Alice
Adrian was back, I sensed that Monique found his charm. Aimee, Josh, and I versus Adrian and Monique? We were sure to lose, I couldn't fight for Aimee, and I had come to love her. Pain seared through me as I clutched Aimee's hand. I felt the slow cracking of the barrier as I forced it open, staring into the jaws of death. Joshua sat there, beautiful as ever, bored. He looked up, staring at me, and I saw the love and admiration fill his eyes and make him the Joshua I had come to love so quickly.
He ran to me. A huge mistake.
Aimee took a defensive stance, thinking he would harm her. "No, Aimee! No!" I shouted, strained, as the barrier started to fight back. Joshua barely slipped through before it slammed shut again, and Aimee stared at him, wide eyed in fear.
"Josh!" I screamed as I flew into his arms, staring up at him lovingly. It was as if he had been made especially for me, perfectly. I loved him, and he loved me. That was all that mattered to me. And I had to leave him. I had to leave him to his own death to protect Desiree, Joshua, and Aimee. I wasn't going to remain without him, because I couldn't stay with my family. Monique would kill them before she killed me, watching me intent on causing me pain. I howled inside, screaming and shouting, as the pain tore my heart into shreds. When Josh slid out the door, I felt Adrian's itch for revenge. No! I couldn't let them come today!
The large bat crushed into me again and again, denting and snapping off entirely. "That better have done it. Open the barrier," Aimee whispered, looking at her feet. Josh grasped my hand tightly as I pulled the barrier apart again. There they were, two beautiful thirteen year old children that looked like Josh and I.
Desiree looked graceful as she loped over to me, almost dancing. Joshua was quick and subtle about it, letting Desiree dance through the barrier first. When he leapt through, I swore he looked like a lion or a tiger pouncing on their prey. Just so graceful. "They get it from you, Alice," Josh said with a stifled laugh. I lifted my foot and kicked him lightly in the stomach, and he laughed harder, not bothering to try hiding it anymore.
Desiree's eyes were a deep butterscotch with the traditional Demon orange and red lining them. She was much more beautiful than Aimee. Joshua looked bored, standing still and silently, observing. Aimee smiled courteously at him. Was there more than courtesy behind it? Joshua smiled back, a beautiful white smile. Perfect. He looked exactly like his father, which made me smile a little, considering he had Demon eyes like mine and Desiree's.
"They can't be triplets," Josh said with a bursting laugh. "What?" I asked, confused. "Joshua and Aimee are going to be together, give them a few months or a year." That was baffling. Already, Joshua had found love?
Josh fled the house, trying to lead Monique and Adrian away. He would return in an hour, which gave me the time to escape with the three people who meant as much to me as he did, and make them safe. I couldn't stop myself from writing him a final letter. He wouldn't come after me, he couldn't lead them to me. Not with three other important lives on the line.
The letter explained why I had left and my objective behind it. I left it taped to the door as Aimee grabbed Joshua and I grabbed Desiree.
Desiree, Joshua, and Aimee wouldn't be hurt. If anyone from my clan were to die, it would be Joshua and I. Aimee and Joshua could be together and Desiree could find someone.
But there was no way we were going out without a fight.
Alice's letter to Josh:
