Unconditional!

21. Explanation

A/N: Trigger Warning. For the whole chapter. Please check the list before reading.

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Layla Smoak POV

''I want to trust you, Kamilah. Please don't make me regret my decision and tell me you have a sane explanation for all this..." I asked her once she told me everything that happened after MK woke up screaming from her nightmare which doesn't seem like a nightmare at all but that's a whole other problem.

She looks up to meet my eyes, sitting across me before giving me a small nod before clearing her throat and saying, "I don't know if you know about him, but the first person Erebus turned was Aiastes. He was undoubtedly his most loyal and dangerous creation, he loved chaos and destruction as much as his master. The people of my village were the victims of his destruction. My family, my friends, neighbors...everyone died by his hands except a few of us. I don't know how or why but we survived, we witnessed him killing everyone we held dear but we survived.

Three months after that day, Erebus came to our village. We never saw him, he was always in the shadows...simply, observing. After a long day of trying to rebuild our village, I headed toward a nearby lake to relax and that's when I saw him and Aiastes. Both their eyes shining red and their fangs extended...I was terrified. I rushed back to my village, urging people to get out of here. I gave my little sister to a family friend of ours hoping that if anything happened to me she would take care of my sister." She stopped for a few seconds, squeezing her eyes shut no doubt remembering that moment. I leaned forward before giving her hand a reassuring squeeze.

"Did your sister escape?" I ask softly causing her to release a small smile as she nods.

"Yes. She and all her descendants survived. Technically, my human family is still alive and they live in this city itself." She replied making me smile too.

"That's great! Do they know that they have a freaking vampire as their relative!?" I ask excitedly making her chuckle as she shakes her head.

"No. I decided it would be better if a thousands of years old relative didn't pop up in their life. No need to introduce them to a life, they don't need and which could potentially put their lives in danger." She answers with determined eyes as I nod in understanding. It makes sense.

She shakes her head before speaking, "I now realize how futile and useless my attempts were, they must have heard me even before I saw them. I still remember the fear I felt when I saw them entering our village, ignoring everyone but me, their eyes fixed on me, I remember how froze in my spot feeling as if they somehow pinned me down in my spot with their blood-red eyes. Once they had cornered me against the ruins of my home, I knew I was going to die soon. I knew that soon I would just be another victim to these monsters. I was terrified yet happy. Terrified to leave this world so soon, terrified that I would never see my little sister again but happy that I would meet my parents, friends, and other siblings soon, happy that despite my death my sister would have a life. They didn't say a single word. Aias was looking at me with indifference and annoyance while Erebus looked excited and fascinated...I was confused but I didn't think much of it at the time. After a long few minutes which felt like hours, Erebus gave a nod to Aistes and I didn't even have time to blink before he stabbed me with a dagger. I screamed as I fell to the ground, tears in my eyes as I looked up into the eyes of my killers. Indifference and Excitement. Aiastes and Erebus. I didn't even know their names, not that it mattered because I was happy. After all, despite the slow death and unknown reason, this would end soon and I would be able to meet my family..." Kamilah trailed off as a single trailed down her left cheek before she quickly wiped it and met my eyes again.

"The last thing I remember before I lost consciousness was the horrible feeling of Erebus's poison entering my body. It was painful, much like the pain you must have experienced when Layla turned you, just worse since Erebus was the first and most powerful vampire. When I woke up I was in a lavish room fit for royalty but that hardly helped with the panic I was feeling as I remembered everything. Before I could explore or do anything Erebus entered the room with a smirk on his face. My fear and panic skyrocketed as I jumped off the bed to get away from him but two words from him and I sat back down on the bed. Still. I remember the overwhelming urge to kick, punch, slap, or do something as he softly caressed my face with a creepy smile on his face but I couldn't. My body couldn't disobey his command from him to 'sit still'. Then he did it. He wiped my memories of Aiastes butchering my village, of him killing me, of him compelling me, and then...then he commanded me to love him. Love him more than anything else that I love in my life." She stopped, averting her gaze before meeting mine once again. I could see that she didn't want to continue and if this was about me knowing her story, I would told her to stop. But it's not. It's for Hera and if I am being honest, I think it's for her too...