Chapter 1
It had been two days since they realised the last option to survive the Merge.
One day since the twin’s 22nd birthday.
Twelve hours since Josie died with vampire blood in her system.
Hope stood over the brunette’s perfectly still body laid out on her bed. She looked at peace, for the first time in years. The dark circles under her eyes from lack of sleep after spending hours upon hours searching libraries for a solution had vanished. Her hair was no longer messy, but voluminous and perfectly styled around her bright, pale face. Her fingernails no longer chewed down to stubs.
She looked better than ever but this fact offered little comfort to Hope, or Lizzie who had not left her sister’s side since she had taken her last breath. Lizzie looked a mess, her clothes and hair disheveled and her face pale with worry. Hope couldn’t imagine she looked any better at this given time.
“Why is it taking so long?” Lizzie, who stood on the opposite side of the bed to Hope, whispered. Her eyes were still red and puffy. “Hope, do you think something’s wrong?”
Hope was afraid to answer, mostly because if something had gone wrong there was nobody to blame but herself. Apart from Landon, who literally could not die, she had never snapped someone’s neck before. Her whole body shuddered even at the thought of it, the sickening crack of bone and that violent last gasp for breath before the girl’s knees buckled and she fell lifeless into Hope’s awaiting arms. She was sure the memory of killing her own best friend would haunt her for the rest of her life.
“This was a bad idea,” Lizzie started to panic. “Why did we think this was a good idea? Why did Josie have to be the one to give up her human life? I should have fought harder.”
They’d been through this argument plenty of times over the last day and a half of course. Josie determined to take the plunge, Lizzie feeling too guilty to let her sister accept the fate, then Josie reminding Lizzie of the great life she was destined to lead and the life she could bring into this world. No matter how many times the sisters argued over it, Hope knew what the outcome would be.
Josie would have been a great mom too, Hope thought. She’d have taught her kids to be brave, selfless and most importantly, good. It hurt Hope to think that Josie secretly wanted to have that option too, but she had already decided, years ago, that her life’s purpose was to be her sister’s keeper.
“Hope I can’t lose her,” Lizzie whimpered, her tearful eyes locked on Hope as though she’s waiting for Hope to provide a magical solution.
“You won’t,” Hope replied, not sure if she’s trying to convince Lizzie or herself. “It’ll be okay Liz, she will wake up any minute now.”
Before Lizzie could begin pacing around the room again, Hope grabbed her by the arm and yanked her back down to sit on the bed beside her sister. The last thing Josie would need when she woke up was to be worrying about Lizzie getting herself into a state.
There was a soft knock on the door, and Caroline popped her head in. Her hopeful expression falling when she saw her daughter still unconscious. Her gaze lingered over the brunette momentarily before turning her attention to Lizzie and Hope.
“Girls, you both look exhausted. Maybe you should get some rest?” The vampire offered.
“No!” Lizzie snapped defensively. “I’m not leaving her!”
“It’s alright Caroline,” Hope spoke a little more calmly. “We’d just be more comfortable by her side until she wakes up.”
“Okay,” Caroline frowned before turning to head back out. “Alaric just got back from the hospital with some blood bags, we’ll keep them in the fridge until she’s ready for them. Just call us as soon as she wakes up.”
Hope grimaced at the thought of Josie feeding. It was hard to picture those brown eyes turning dark, her pillowy lips and pearly teeth covered in warm, fresh blood. Just the thought of it made it feel all the more real that Josie was not going to be the same girl when she woke up.
Her attention was alerted to the phone vibrating in her back pocket.
Landon was calling her. She’s not sure why she was so annoyed at him, but after 17 missed calls surely he should have gotten the message that she didn’t want to talk to him right now.
She declined the call knowing she was going to talk to him later anyway, before turning off her phone for good.
“Jo!” Lizzie suddenly shrieked beside her. Hope glanced back down to the bed to see Josie’s fingers twitching in Lizzie’s palm, and her ribcage beginning to rise and fall.
“Josie? Are you awake?” Hope whispered, kneeling down at the bedside beside Lizzie.
It seemed like a lifetime of silence but the brunette finally let out a small, throaty cry. “Hope?”
Hope could feel her own heart starting to beat again as relief coursed through her body.
“I’m right here Jo,” the tribrid cooed, leaning across to grab the hand Lizzie wasn’t squeezing. “You’re safe. Everything’s going to be okay.”
“Umm, I’m here too,” Lizzie commented dryly, but Hope could see the relief-fueled tears in her eyes. “Not like I waited by your side the last twelve hours or anything.”
Josie’s eyes fluttered open, displaying the warm, chocolate colour Hope could always find comfort in. Josie immediately locked eyes with her twin. “Liz,” she exhaled with a breath of relief. “Lizzie, we did it.”
Tears rolled down Lizzie’s face as their arms met in a deep embrace . “We did it Jo. We’re free. I love you so much.”
“I love you too,” Josie sniffed, pulling her sister even closer to her and squeezing her tightly.
The twins stayed in that position for a few seconds, both reluctant to let go of the other. Lizzie was the one to break away first, remembering that now that Josie had changed they both had a long life ahead of them. There was no longer a magical curse looming over them, no ratched deadline to fear. She faced her sister with an expression of genuine concern.
“How are you feeling?”
“Sore,” Josie croaked. She glanced from Lizzie to Hope then to her surroundings, her eyes flicking over every corner in the room as though she was carefully studying a crime scene. Hope presumed she was testing out her new senses.
After a moment or so, Josie’s lips pouted and her face formed an expression of what Hope could only read as discomfort.
“Jo? Everything alright?”
The brunette responded by raising a hand to her throat before bashfully averting her gaze. “I’m sorry, I just feel a bit thirsty. My throat feels like it’s on fire.”
“It’s okay Jo,” Hope reassured. “We have blood for you downstairs, we just need to tell your parents you’re awake.” Before she had even finished speaking, Hope was already on her feet eager to grab whatever Josie might need to ease her discomfort.
“Wait!” Josie stopped Hope as she headed for the bedroom door. “Can I just have a few minutes? I just want to process things, before doing that.”
Hope frowned. Was Josie suddenly second guessing herself? Was she considering not transitioning?
Josie sat up slightly in the bed, catching a glance of Hope’s worried expression. “Calm down Hope. I’m fine.” It was as though she could read the girl’s mind. “It’s just not everyday you die and come back to life, you know?”
Hope nodded, before joining Lizzie on the edge of the bed. They sat in silence, waiting for Josie to say something.
“How are Mom and Dad?” The brunette asked after a minute or two with a slight wince. Despite it being the only solution to keeping both their daughters, Alaric and Caroline hadn’t been huge advocates of the plan. Caroline had seemed particularly uncomfortable with the thoughts of either of her daughters succumbing to this fate.
Hope could understand where she was coming from. Caroline was immortal and had already lost most of her family and the love of her life. Forever is a long time to be alive if you don’t have loved ones to share it with. She hoped Josie knew that she was always going to be there for her. One of the few benefits of being the almighty, immortal tribrid, she told herself.
“They’re fine,” Lizzie ensured her sister with a warm smile. “They’re downstairs and want to see you, as soon as you’re ready.”
“Can you go get them Liz?” Josie requested, “I need a minute alone with Hope, if that’s okay?”
Lizzie looked a little confused, but gave a curt nod and exited the room. As she left she gave a quick look to Hope. Hope knew Lizzie’s signals all too well at this stage and this one meant Lizzie expected her to fill her in all the details later on. Of course Hope would never break Josie’s trust like that.
“Are you okay?” Hope questioned Josie the second they were in private. “Did I do something wrong?”
Josie let out a soft laugh before grabbing hold of her hand. “Hope, you did everything and more. You’ve kept me and my sister alive. I just wanted to thank you. I’m never going to be able to repay you for this.”
“Please don’t thank me Josie,” Hope replied. “ Of course I was going to do anything I could to save you. I wish there had been another option. This shouldn’t have been an ultimatum for you but believe me when I promise you that I will be there for you every step of the way while you adjust. Your dad’s letting me stay at the school for however long it takes.”
Josie blushed. “Hope, I can’t ask you to do that. What about all your travels? And your studies? You’ve already done so much for me, you don’t have to put your life on hold for me too.”
“Of course I do,” Hope whispered, leaning slightly closer. “You’re my best friend Josie, and I love you.”
A wide grin broke out on the twin’s face. “I love you too Hope.”
Hope felt another burst of relief course through her veins. She had been so worried about turning Josie, that she would do it wrong or create a monster. But Josie seemed to already be taking things in her stride. Maybe she would adapt to this new way of being in no time.
She pulled Josie into a hug that the brunette was only all too happy to reciprocate - squeezing Hope in her arms in a bone crushing grip.
"Josie!" Hope choked out, finding it hard to breathe under the hybrid's new found strength. "You're too strong"
"Oh!" Josie gasped , quickly breaking away from her with pink tinted cheeks. "I'm so sorry!"
A quiet knock sounded on the wooden door from outside, and Josie sat up straight, calling for the visitor to come in. Hope turned her head to see Lizzie, Caroline and Alaric at the doorway - the latter two evidently eager to see their daughter. Hidden not so discreetly in his hand behind his back, Alaric held a bag of human blood sourced from the local hospital.
“I’m going to go,” Hope whispered, not wanting to intrude on family time. Josie in a minor state of panic tightened her grip on Hope’s hand.“You don’t have to!”
“I’ll be back,” Hope promised as she gently slipped her hand away from Josie’s. “I need to call Landon back anyway, I’ll be in my room if you need me. I’ll see you later Jo.”
“Okay.” Josie mumbled in response, the word barely audible before she sank back down into her pillow.
Hope leaned forward to leave a chaste kiss on her forehead before bidding the family goodnight.
If Hope had only taken a glance behind her as she headed for the door, she might have seen the wave of disappointment and hurt wash over the newly turned Heretic’s face.