Her Thorns: Sequel to Tainted Love

Chapter 9

Reynold's POV

"How is this even possible? Are you sure you checked everything?" I exclaimed to one of my head interrogators as I looked at the data. Most of them weren't hostile. Even their Chief wasn't hostile! The man who pointed a gun to my head wasn't hostile. You see what's wrong with that?!

"We've analyzed everything, My Lord. They're results are normal for non-hostile newcomers," he explained.

"You're correct. They passed with flying colors. Are they using some tactic to trick you?" I asked. This was impossible, yet it was happening. Something was up.

"I'll check again, but I can't guarantee different results."

"Have it done in two hours," I snapped, shoving the papers into his hands. As everyone scrambled off to do more work, I left Fort Pax. There was only so much time that I could handle that place. It brought out the worst in me, and I hated it.

I super-speeded to the Academy. Michael had left for there not too long ago, and I was sure Albert would have questions. But Rose would probably be the most curious. She's never seen something like this, and she wasn't going to like it.

I stopped when I reached the entrance, walking in with full confidence. As I swung open the doors, the Hunters scattered in the room stood up straighter and the seven people, one I recognized as Rose's friend, stared at me with their jaws dropped. It would be right to assume that Rose told them who I was.

"My Lord," one of the Hunters addressed. I nodded and kept walking towards Albert's office. Sure enough, the second I opened the door I heard yelling.

"So you're killing people because they don't want to be a vampire?! Is that some kind of joke?!" Rose screamed as Michael. Oh no.

"It's too risky! We can't just let them go!" Michael defended.

"Well killing is a little extreme!" Rose snapped.

"Do you think you're the only one who doesn't like the mass murders of humans here? We can't keep track of that many humans for so long. What would happened if someone was hungry and could smell them, huh? Letting them live would just cause chaos. The best we can do is give them the opportunity to make the decision," Michael exclaimed, throwing his arms in the air.

"That still doesn't justify publicly slaughtering them, but it keeps the people happy at the same time reducing the risk of the Domain being exposed," Albert said calmly, trying his best to stop the yelling.

"Publicly slaughtering them?! You do it in public?!" Rose explained. Albert went pale. I guess they left out that detail.

"Rose, it's the only way we can do it. There is no other way," I said. She glared at me, her eyes burning with anger.

"Then maybe we should start thinking outside the box and not slice all our problems by ending someone's life," Rose snapped. With that, she stormed out of the room, leaving the three of us in dead silence.

"I didn't think she would take it that way, given her nature," Michael said quietly.

"There's a lot of things you don't know about her, one of them being character," I said. I left the room much calmer than Rose, but I was immediately met with wide eyes when I left the office. Clearly, no one had any idea what had happened.

"Do you know where she went, by chance?" I asked one of the Hunters nearby. As he shrugged, Rose's friend sitting on the bench answered.

"She turned that way," he said quickly, instantly getting glares from his colleagues. I nodded to him, following He direction he pointed out the door.

The direction was towards the back of the Academy, and right away I had a feeling I knew where she was. Clouds had covered the sky now, and vampires who normally couldn't spend much time outside could handle the sun better with the protection of the shade. I kept walking down the path until I reached the small alley that Rose and I used to meet. Sure enough, Rose was leaning against the wall, her eyes closed.

"You alright?" I asked gently. She shook her head.

"This is insanity," she said, barely above a whisper.

"We're all a little insane here."

Silence made its way between us as I examined her face. "This is more than killing humans, isn't it?" I said.

She sighed. "I was interrogating Harrison, and he brought up the day I thought he died." She paused and looked at me with sad eyes. "That was also the day I thought I killed William."

I sucked in a breath. William somehow managed to get in between everything.

"Harrison and I were on a mission, and William trapped us in a burning building," Rose continued. "Harrison was injured and I tried to get him out. I really did. But then William showed up. After I thought I killed him, I fled without a second thought about Harrison. I left Harrison to die, and I had no issue doing it."

"That's not you're fault," I said.

"It is my fault. I should have helped him!" She sobbed.

"But he's alive! Why does it bother you so much when he's okay?" I asked.

After a few long moments, she spoke again. "You know why it bothers me so much? It bothers me because I didn't save Harrison, but William and Rylee did."

I felt my fists tighten, but Rose put he hand into mine, softening them. She wanted me to listen.

"I could've ended two lives that night with no hesitation. No regret," she whispered. "Yet the person who I've seen as evil all this time had enough goodness in him to risk his life to save another's. I thought I was a good person before today. But it turns out I'm just as terrible as him."

I squeezed her hand tighter. "You may think that," I said. "But I believe that you're a good person. Sometimes it's hard to see, but it's there. Besides, you wouldn't be beating yourself up over this if you didn't have humanity."

She rested her head on my shoulder. "I never thought of it that way."

"Good people don't see how great they are," I said quietly.

Rose's heavy breathing from crying slowed, and the sun emerged from the clouds, shining in her faces. All I could do was let the sunlight in.