“Ella!” I heard someone call my name in the distance.
“I’m in the center,” I screamed back before Jack had my throat.
“That was very dumb of you,” he growled.
I heard more people screaming my name. “So, which one of your Romeos is here to rescue you?”
I clawed at his arms, leaving scratch marks everywhere, and drawing blood. But he barely flinched. He was crushing my wind pipe and I was quickly losing the struggle. Not wanting to die like that, I went for the cheap shot and nailed him right in the groin. He fell over in pain and I was so happy Josie convinced me to go with the pointed toe heels tonight.
“You’re going to pay for that.”
I pushed myself up trying to catch my breath. “Sorry, but can’t risk having you produce a bunch of little bastards,” I smiled cockily.
“Ella! Ella!” more people cried.
Jack stood and shook off his injury. “Roman, Tristan, Roman, Tristan,” Jack said, holding his hands out like he was weighing the pros and cons. “Unfortunately, you’ll never get to see who your knight in shining armor is because you’ll be dead before he gets here,” he leaped, throwing his full force of weight on me.
He knocked me over into the fountain and I cracked my head on the bottom. I stood back up, ignoring the blood that was dripping down my face. Tired of this battle I said, “Let’s finish this.”
“Gladly,” he smiled, coming at me.
We fell down in the water from the slippery tiles beneath us; thrashing back and forth, getting nowhere. I tried to climb out of the fountain so I could regain some balance. I knew I could defeat Jack on solid ground. He had a different idea. Jack grabbed my foot, my shoe slipped off, freeing me for a spilt second. I grabbed the edge of the fountain to pull myself out. Jack grabbed my ankle and tugged me back in as my arms and hands scrapped against the jagged edge of the concrete surrounding the fountain. I cried out in pain, feeling the burn from the cuts. I kicked and struggled to free myself and when I turned to escape, Jack grabbed my hair and shoved me under water.
I pushed and kicked and tried everything I could to get free, but the more I struggled the worse it got. So once again I found myself about to die at the hands of Jack. I was going to drown.
As the water filled my lungs and burned my chest I wanted to scream. I wanted to fight. I did not want to die like this. My lungs started to constrict. I was losing the fight. I could feel my legs start to go limp, no more strength left to kick. I could feel my body giving up, making it harder and harder to fight back, but I still tried. I would not let him win. I tried to push myself off the floor but my hands slipped on the tile. I stopped struggling. The pain was too much and I couldn’t take it anymore. I could hear Dean projecting to me in my head and I knew the spell was breaking, because I was dying.
Just when I thought that was it, I saw the faintest glow from my hand, and then I heard my grandmother’s voice. “You are the strongest person I know. The power you possess lives deep down inside you and no one can take that away from you.”
At that moment I knew. No spell could hold me. No amount of magic could keep me from using my powers. I had McCallister magic with me. There were generations of it on my bracelet. And it was in my blood.
The glow from the bracelet started to grow. The spell was breaking.
I pulled what little strength I had left and reached for my powers. They were there, deep down and I knew I could find them if I just pushed a little harder. I pulled strength from the ground as Ms. Kraft had taught me. I pulled strength from the bracelet that was blessed with magic from generations of McCallister women.
I felt a sudden burst inside me and I slammed my hand down, hard, on the bottom of the fountain. Water sprayed out from every angle bursting out and throwing Jack off of me. I clenched on to the side of the fountain coughing up water and gasping for air. “Ella!” Tristan called, busting through the entrance. He pulled me from the fountain and held me tight in his arms.
Once I could catch my breath, I pushed Tristan away from me. “Ella, what are you doing?” he asked, trying to hold on to me.
I saw Jack in the corner. He was starting to come to and I knew I had a very small window of opportunity. I stole the stake from inside Tristan’s pocket. “Whoa, hey,” he said, trying to take it back.
I ignored him. My only concern was Jack.
I stood over him, stake ready to plunge into his heart, but I couldn’t do it. It just didn’t seem fair for it to end this way and I hated the thought of having to kill another person even though they tried to kill me several times. I backed away and waited until more help arrived. Tristan ran over to me and took the stake from my hands. It took all I had not to collapse in his arms. I laid my hands on his chest and rested my head softly. “It’s going to be alright,” he soothed.
Before I could react Jack was up. He threw Tristan into the fountain, knocking him unconscious, and then turned on me, knocking me to the ground. “You’re pathetic. I knew you would be too weak to kill and that’s why I will win. Why I always win,” Jack said, exposing his fangs.
I went to kick him again, but this time he was prepared. He had all his weight on my legs and was holding my arms down. I struggled to get free; twisting and turning. I saw the stake out of the corner of my eye. I managed to slip one of my arms free. I socked Jack in the jaw, knocking him off of me. I rolled over on to my stomach and reached for the stake, but Jack was already on me, and dragging me across the stones. I twisted and turned and clawed my way closer to the stake, but Jack dragged me further away scrapping my back and sides against the stones. I winced from the pain, but fought through it. “You can’t do it Ella. You never could. Just face it. You will always be the weaker link, a bottom feeder.”
I was not going to let him win. I was tired of being called weak. I stretched my arm out. The stake was just out of reach. I cried out using every ounce of energy I had left to call the stake to me. It slid across the ground and straight into my hand. A victory smile played across my face. Panicked, Jack dropped my leg and dove on top of me. I swung around and plunged the stake into Jack’s heart. His face paled and turned to shock as he saw what I had done.
“Wrong Jack. You lose.” I finished him off by pushing the stake all the way in. Blood poured from his chest and dripped down on to my arms. He coughed, spitting blood. I let go of the stake and scooted backward.
Jack looked down at the pointed stick protruding from his chest and then up at me. He gave me a bloodied smile. “Congrats Ella, you are officially no better than me.” He fell on his hand, holding the other to his chest. He looked up at me. “See you in hell,” was his final words before he fell on his side and then rolled over on his back. His chest rose and then fell and then he was still. His body lay there motionless.
I heard a noise over by the fountain. Tristan. I pushed myself up from the ground and made my way over to him. He was struggling to get up. I wrapped my arm around his waist and he grabbed his side, wincing in pain. His lip was busted and he had a gash on his head. “How bad are you hurt?” I asked, checking for other injuries.
“I’m fine,” he grunted. “Nothing that can’t be fixed. What about you? And where’s Jack?”
“Dead,” I pointed over my shoulder.
Tristan hobbled around to look, then turned to me and looked deep into my eyes. His hand gently caressed my cheek. I tried to smile, but I was too weak. I collapsed into his arms and he slowly brought us both to the ground. Tristan leaned his back against the stone wall of the fountain. He positioned me carefully in between his legs and wrapped the arm that wasn’t holding his side around me. I shivered. He carefully took off his jacket, wincing with every movement, and wrapped it around me. I wanted to stay in the comfort of his arms forever.
He kissed my forehead gently. “It’s over Ella. It’s finally over.”
“Why don’t I feel like it is? Why do I feel like this is only the beginning?”
The end…for now
Unforgiven
Playlist
Chapter one
Longest night (Journal entry) * Brooke Annibale – You Don’t Know
Just a Dream (Dream/ jack) * Empires – Hello Lover
Chapter two
The Garden (Drive from airport) * Hey Marseilles – To Travels and Trunks
Belief (Ride to hotel/ella’s struggle with drinking blood) * Jann Arden – Hanging By a Thread
This Nowhere (Search for Tristan) * Barcelona – Slipping Away
Chapter three
Untamed (Ride to club) * Dropkick Murphys * I’m Shipping up to Boston
The girls in their summer dresses (Inside club)* Robin Thicke – Give It 2 U
Smells like teen spirit (Slow dance w/Josef) * Jason Mraz – I won’t give up
If it kills me (Fight to get out) * Dropkick Murphys – Hang ‘Em High
Chapter four
Roll away your stone (Wakeup/working in garden) * Fitz and the Tantrums – Dear Mr. President
Let it go (Crying with Deirdre) * Dum Dum Girls – Coming down
Shake it out (Café/phone calls) * Gavin Degraw – Let It Go
Best thing I never had (Roman’s call) * Gavin Degraw – Jealous Guy
Falling slowly (Journal) * Howie Day – The Longest Night
Chapter five
Something’s gotta a hold on me (Bar) * Manchester Orchestra – I’ve Got Friends
Breaking the Habit (Fight) * Disturbed – Down with the Sickness
Miracle Mile (Finding Tristan) * Birdy – Without a Word
Chapter six
Love Don’t Die (Cleaning Tristan/waking up) * Sleeping At Last – Atlantic
Promises (Ella’s confession/Tristan freaks) * Plumb – Don’t Deserve You
Chapter seven
Come a little closer (Tristan/Ella talking) * Sara Bareilles – Satellite Call
Waiting Game (Ella/Tristan in bed) * Adele – Make You Feel My Love
How I feel (First time) * Rhianna ft Mikky Ekko – Stay
Chapter eight
Take it All (Talking in bed/ remembering dreams) *The Civil Wars – Pressing Flowers
Chapter nine
Someone Like You (Dean’s omission about Cameron) * Adele – Daydreams
Chapter ten
Dirty Little Secret (Tells Tristan about roman) * Cary Brothers – Never Tear Us Apart
It’s Time (Bathtub) * Carousel – Iron and Wine
True Color (Ella/Deirdre) * Janis Joplin – Me and Bobby McGee
The Arms of an Angel (Dance with Tristan) * The Airborne Toxic Event – All for a woman
Chapter eleven
Can’t Live Without You (Finds out Josie is leaving) * Jakob Dylan – In the Arms of a Ghost
Chapter twelve
Hanging by a thread (Ella says goodbye to Josie) * David Gray – The Other Side
Don’t Let Go Yet (Tristan) * The Naked and Famous – Hearts like ours
Chapter thirteen
Wake Me Up (Letter from Tristan) * Noah Gunderson and The Forest Rangers – Day is Gone
Homeward Bound (Plane ride home) * Phil Phillips – Home
Chapter fourteen
I Never Told You (Dad’s present) * Sarah Blasko – Illusory Light
White Wedding (Engagement party) * Cults – Most Wanted
Breathe me (Talk with Danni) * Eminem ft Rhianna –The Monster
Chapter fifteen
I did a bad thing (Dean /Cameron) * Meiko – Bad Things
Courage Is (Ella talking to Grandma Bea/ Danni) * Passenger – Patient Love
Chapter sixteen
It Doesn’t Mean a Thing (Danni and Xander) * Kari Kimmel – Remember
Chapter seventeen
Good is Good (Birthday celebration) * Carrie Underwood – See You Again
Faith (Gift from Grandma Bea/letter) * Cary Brothers – Run Away
Chapter eighteen
The First Cut is the Deepest (Roman seeks out Ella) * Little Dragon – Twice
Say Something (Argue w/roman) * Shontelle – Impossible
Ring the Alarm (Tree) * Carrie Underwood – So Small
Chapter nineteen
When I’m Gone (Talk with Aidan about memorial) * The Strange Familiar – Redemption
Don’t Go Breaking My Heart (Begging roman to stay) * Damien Rice – 9 crimes
Instant Karma (Walk outside) * Leagues – Walking Backwards
Chapter twenty
Cemetery Drive (Dream graves) * 30 Seconds to Mars – Northern Lights
Get Up (Pep talk w/ Josie) * Jagwar Ma – Come Save Me
Stars are Blind (Talk with riley) * Wake Owl – Gold
Chapter twenty one
Head On Collision (Talk w/Roman outside library) * Christina Grimmie – With Love
Homecoming (Getting ready for memorial) * Cold Play – Til Kingdom Come
Lights and Sound (Memorial) * The Kodaline – All I Want
Chapter twenty two
Build Me Up Buttercup (Saying goodbye to friends) * In-Flight Safety – Destroy
If You Wanna Be Happy (Shopping)* Paper Route – Better Life
I write Sins not Tragedies (Laundry room) * The Civil Wars – I Had Me a Girl
Chapter twenty three
Believe (Wake up) * Tori Kelly – Dear No One
Perfect Situation (2nd breakfast) * Fall Out Boy – Alone Together
Dark Side (Nightmare/spiders) * MS MR – Dark Doo Wop
You and I (Dinner) * Vampire Weekend – Unbelievers
Only One (Ella/Roman reconnect) * Joshua James – Surrender
Brighter than Sunshine (Morning after) * Joshua Radin – My My Love
Chapter twenty four
Don’t’cha Wish (Talk w/Kyle) * The Boxer Rebellion - Promises
Chapter twenty five
Royals (First day of school) * Lorde – The Love Club
It’s Like That (Dinner) * The Civil Wars – Kingdom Come
Chapter twenty six
Hang On Sloopy (Party) * New Politics – Harlem
More Than Anyone (Alone time with roman) * Bosshouse – Vampire Kiss
Over My Head (Bad dream in forest) * The Neighborhood – Afraid
Let Go (Ella visits Tristan in dream)* Lia Ices – Love is Won
Magic Carpet Ride (Dances w/Lucas) * Melody Gardot – Your is as Black as Night
Chapter twenty seven
How Do You Want It (Getting ready for dance) * Fitz and the Tantrums – The Walker
Let Me Clear My Throat (Dance) *Ellie Goulding - Burn
I Turn to You (Special dance) * One Republic – Au Revoir
Should I Stay or Should I Go (Dance with Tristan) * The Airborne Toxic Event – All for a Woman
Chapter twenty eight
The Joker (Ella runs out of dance) * The Civil Wars – The One That Got Away
Best of You (Fight in fountain) * Fall Out Boy – The Phoenix
Murder She Wrote (Killing jack/End )* The Animals – The House of The Rising Sun
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jessica is a budding new author with a passion for writing in her veins. She stems from the suburbs of Pennsylvania where most of her time is spent writing, listening to new music, or reading a good book. When not busy writing, Jessica works part–time in a salon where she enjoys making people look beautiful. You can catch up with Jessica on her blog or follow her on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.
Thank you for Reading!
Dear reader,
I hoped you enjoyed Unforgiven. I love writing this series and creating new characters. I can’t wait to share the next book with you. I am so thankful for all the readers and bloggers who helped support me and spread the word about my books so I can keep writing and bringing you more!
As an author, I love feedback. You, the reader, are the reason I keep writing and exploring new ideas to come up with to entertain. I’d love to hear from you. You can reach me at my website – www.jesslmiller.blogspot.com
Finally, I need to ask you a favor. If you’re so inclined
, I’d love a review of Unforgiven. Loved it or hated it, I just enjoy your feedback. Reviews are hard to come by these days and you, the reader, can make or break a book. So I ask this small favor to let the world know what you thought.
Thank you so much for reading Unforgiven!
Love Always,
Jessica Miller