Circle Quartet: 33

Chapter 33

“This is not fair!” I explode.

Jeff says nothing but stares at me with his cold eyes.

“How can you do this to me? I’m part of the team and it’s my job to assassinate that damn woman!” Now I’m in total rage. Stefan wants to calm me down but I shoot a death glare at him. Stefan sighs and raises his both hands in defeat. No one can stop me now.

“Your job is to protect this Academy,” says Jeff in a low, threatening voice. He never talks to me this way before and I never yell at him, too.

“I’m an assassin, Jeff,” I threaten him back. “Your job is my job too. You said once that we’re a team. And good leader never leaves his men behind!”

“I know my place, Alice!” Now Jeff is in rage as he bangs on the table and approaches me. This time, he doesn’t look like a big brother that I’ve known. “I’m your First-Class Commander and also a Vice Chancellor. You are just my underling, get it!” He grits his teeth while leaning his face closer to mine. “You disobey me, you’ll pay for the consequences!”

I feel a pang inside my heart and it is very hurt. Everyone stares at him unbelievably. How dare he talks to me like that, in front of all people? Even Stefan can’t do anything except stays silence.

“I hate you, Jeff,” I blurt out. “I hate you!” I shove his shoulders and leave the meeting room. I can hear Stefan is calling out for me from behind but I ignore him. I teleport to my room at the North Tower.

Abbie is taken aback as I suddenly appear in front of her. I know I look very miserable right now.

I tell her everything about what happened during the meeting. I’m not in rage anymore but in tears. Abbie caresses my back as she wants to calm me down. My heart shatters like a broken mirror. It really hurts.

I wake up as the sun goes down. Usually, I feel very energetic every time I see the sunset but today I feel nothing. I just stare at the window, looking at the lovely sunset while thinking of what I am going to do tonight. Abbie is getting ready for her task and she says goodbye few minutes later. Abbie is an assassin too but not in my group.

I walk around the fountain, hoping for the mysterious ‘guardian’ but he’s not there. I don’t know how to call for him so I just sit on the bench. I sigh heavily as I look up at the dark sky. It doesn’t snow tonight.

“I know I’ll found you here, Alice,” says a voice that I really know so much. I turn around and see Stefan standing next to me, smiling.

“What do you want?” I ask him and turn my gaze away.

He sits next to me and gently put his hand on top of mine. His hand is so warm.

“I know you still feel sad about last night. I never saw you quarrel with Jeff like that before,” says Jeff. I just stay in silence. “I know that you’re still mad at him but there must be reasons why he wanted us to stay here.”

“I don’t know what to think, Stefan,” I sigh heavily and close my eyes as I lean my head to his shoulder. “He was so cold, like he’s not Jeff. We never raise our voices like yesterday, before.”

Stefan holds my hand and squeezes gently.

“I hate him, Stefan. I really hate him,” I suddenly say that.

“Hey, don’t say that,” he whispers. “Maybe he just wanted to protect you from danger, Alice. And he wants me to protect you here. He’s not a person who will do something without a reason, Alice. You know him better than I do,” says Stefan.

Suddenly, I realize about something. Something weird about Jeff last night. The way he talked to me is not he’s mad, but he tried to look mad so that I’ll stay. Yes, I that’s right! Jeff got another plan and he didn’t want me and Stefan to get involve. Besides, I remember what Alse said that night.

“We need to go to Jeff, Stefan,” I suddenly stand up and grab Stefan’s hand. “Right now!”

“Wait, Alice,” Stefan stops me.

“What?” I glare at him ferociously.

“I’ll give you a ride,” he smirks and changes into a wolf. I hop on his back and without wasting any time, we rush to the main door.

As we nearly reach the door, someone is standing there. Stefan stops running and growls to that man. It’s the man who claims himself as my guardian!

“What do you want this time? Trying to stop us?” I ask in a cold tone. “I don’t have time to talk to you. I need to go to Jeff, to stop Alse!”

Alice, who is this hooded guy? Asks Stefan.

“I’m her guardian, Stefan Silver,” that man replies. “And I’m here not to stop you but to warn both of you.”

Stefan and I look at each other than look at that mysterious man again.

“Someone is going to be a sacrifice, tonight. Even it will stop Alse for a while, but both of you need to be careful. Alse wanted something from you, something that will make her live for eternity,” says that man and then vanish.

Stefan tells me to hold on tight while he dashes into the dark night. I don’t know what that man is trying to say but I have a bad feeling when he said about someone who has to be a sacrifice.

We reach at the end of Enchanted Forest. Suddenly we hear a scream. A horrifying scream that brings chill down to my spine. I gulp as I hear the scream.

It’s not very far. Let’s go!” Says Stefan and we run towards that scream.

Stefan stops as we see a woman, who is still screaming, holding a girl who looks just like me. What is happening here? I jump off Stefan’s back and look around. Beatrice and Zayne are here but wounded. I look at the girl again but this time she’s not the girl anymore.

“False blood! How dare you trick me, you little half-vamp?” that woman, or Alse, screams in pain. Her body is melting slowly. I can see her long nails full with blood as she’s stabbing to the girl who now turns into a man. And I know that man.

“Jeff!” I call out to him as he falls to the ground. I jump forward and catch his wounded body. He has been stabbed by Alse and blood splutters everywhere.

“You’ll pay for this, Jeff! You’ll pay for this!” Alse retreats while her body melts and she’s gone.

Stefan, Beatrice and Zayne rush to us. Stefan kneels down beside me and calls Jeff’s name. Jeff is breathing weakly and Beatrice is trying to heal him.

“Alice,” he calls me in weak voice. I hold his hand and tears start to flow down to my cheek. “I’m sorry...for scolding you last night.”

“No! I’m the one who should say sorry to you. I’m sorry for hating you, Jeff. I’m so sorry,” I sob.

“It’s okay,” Jeff coughs blood. “At least, you’re safe.”

“Why did you do this, Jeff?”

“Because, I don’t want you to get hurt. And you too, Stefan,” Jeff turns to Stefan. “Alse, she wanted both of your blood, to gain eternity.” Jeff groans in excruciating pain.

“Jeff, don’t talk so much. I’m going to save you,” says Beatrice, and she too, is in tears.

“It’s no use, Bet,” says Jeff, trying to smile as nothing will happen to him.

“Jeff, don’t say that. You’ll be alright, man,” says Zayne.

Jeff slowly shakes his head. “No, Zayne. My time ends here. You’re going to take over my position as the new Commander.”

Jeff’s breathing is getting slower and his face look paler. He loses too much blood. I need to do something. I don’t want to see him suffer this way.

“Drink my blood, Jeff,” I offer my blood to him. But he smiles weakly and holds my hand.

“Your blood is too precious for me. Alice, be strong and stay alive. I know that you’ll stop Alse one day. Even if my body is not here anymore, but my spirit will always be with you, Alice. Thank you, for being the best sister for me,” he coughs more blood. Beatrice is trying her best as she can but she can’t heal the wound nor stop the blood.

“Jeff, don’t leave me!” I cry and hug him tight.

“Goodbye, Alice,” Jeff whispers his last word to me before he closes his eyes.

“No!” I gasp. His eyes shut slowly and he stops breathing. I cry bitterly, hugging his dead body tight. Beatrice also cries as she can’t save Jeff while Zayne and Stefan turn into a werewolf and howl in sorrow.