Respect your Ancients.
“It’s retarded for creatures like us to eat animals.” I said as I dressed myself. “What? Did you think that the more human things you did, the more human you became? Owning a bar? Not killing humans? Being with a human woman?”
“Believe it or not, I love her,” he said while he watched me closely.
I heard the bathroom door open and Carol’s footsteps sliding along the carpet as she made her way to their bedroom, closing the door behind her. The smell of lavender soap and warm water tingled my insides.
“Whether I like it or not, family matters a lot to me,” he said. “I want to hate you so much, Kei, but I can’t. I just can’t.”
I straightened the clothing he gave me and held my arms out in the air. “There. Finished. Now take the damn wood out.”
“Okay. Let’s get going.” He moved aside as I walked toward the front door. “I’ll meet you out there. I have to say goodbye to Carol first.”
I walked outside, pretending not to acknowledge his next movements, even though I kept an ear perked. When I heard him walk down the hall towards the bedroom, I slowly went back into the house and edged my way into the hallway.
I didn’t plan on leaving until after I killed her.
I peeked around the corner and saw him with his back facing me, leaning over Carol who sat in an old chair, facing the window. He leaned over, whispering in her ear while she brushed her brown hair. The more I took in her scent, the more I wanted her. Still aching, I knew I could only attack her and fend off Nash for as long as my body held out. I had to make sure my attack was flawless.
But Nash heard me and immediately whisked around. “Kei, don’t do this.” He approached me and gripped me by the arm. Carol turned around with her eyes widened.
Being older and still much quicker, I used what strength I had left and I pushed him hard enough that he fell on the floor, crashing onto his back. I ran over him, rushing at Carol in Deamhan speed. I didn’t give her a chance to stand and defend herself. Grabbing her by the neck, I raised her slightly off the ground.
She slapped at my forearms, then reached down, trying to grab the wood from my stomach. I squeezed a little more and her gurgling sounded like water bubbles exploding in her mouth.
I felt Nash wrapping his arms around my waist.
“I’ll break her neck before you stake me,” I said to him. “Wood or not.”
He dropped his arms. “Kei, please,” he begged.
“Convince me I shouldn’t,” I said to him.
“I love her, Kei. I can’t live without her.”
Hearing the emotion in his voice disgusted me.
“She’s the reason that I haven’t turned into a psychopath like you,” he continued. “If you kill her, you’ll become the devil in human flesh to me. I will hunt you down like the evil spirit you truly are.”
He was starting to sound like a Deamhan should. Hearing his change of heart and threat, I couldn’t help but laugh. “Enough of your religious superstitions, Nash. I don’t believe in any of that crap.”
“When the vampires came for you, they threatened to kill me if I didn’t tell them where you ran off to. But you know what? I didn’t tell them anything. I knew you used me as a diversionary scapegoat, but I still defended you with my life!”
“You’re not convincing me, Nash,” I said.
“I’ll do anything you want” He marched around to face me. “Just please, don’t hurt her.”
“I won’t if you take the piece of wood out.”
He paused and his eyes moved back and forth from me to Carol.
“Wood or Carol?” I said. “It shouldn’t be a hard choice for someone who’s in love.”
He grabbed the wood and yanked it out.
I held out my hand. “Give it to me.”
He handed me the wood and I saw the desperation in his eyes before they turned black, a signature Deamhan trait. It would’ve been easy to kill him right there on the spot, but I needed him; however not like this. Now, fully convinced that Carol was his weak spot, I knew she had to go.
With a flick of my wrist, I snapped her neck.
Instead of lashing out at me, he turned to face her and screamed the loudest scream. He ran around the room in a blur, tossing furniture, and punching holes through the window and the wall. His behavior caught me off guard and I stepped back out of the room, to observe his wild rampage.
After he finished, he dropped to his knees beside her, cradling her body in his arms. Slowly, his eyes looked up at me and I could see, for the first time that he actually wanted to kill me.
“Are you done now?” I glared at him.
He moved quickly toward me, but again, I proved I could win any contest of speed by pinning him against the wall.
“I think you’re done.” I placed the piece of wood against his chest, right over his heart. “She tasted good. Reminds me of the pomegranates my mother used to pick when I was a child.”
He continued to struggle.
“You know what? I’ve come to the conclusion that I don’t need you anymore, Nash,” I said. “I thought maybe, by having you by my side, I’d stand a chance against Selene and Lucius, but no, you’ve proven to me that you’re incapable.” I felt my eyes turning black, matching his in discoloration. “I could end you here, but that’s what you’d want, to pursue your human lover in death.” I lowered the stake to his stomach. “But I don’t want you taking the easy way out.” I slowly pushed the piece of wood through his skin. He grunted and squirmed, but I held him still. I felt his blood pouring out of his wound, covering my hand. “I want you to remember the way she looked at you for help, and how you couldn’t save her.”
I let him go and he fell to the ground. “Don’t try to get up.” I turned to walk out of the room. “I think you should stay here by the body of your dead human lover and marinate a while on that.”
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