Goodbye

I Got This

Daniel Murphy (P.O.V)

He may not be nervous, but I was for him. My very first Strigoi kill has been an absolute disaster. I had gotten so big headed I headed in without my partner, John, who at the time was my mentor. A father figure I needed but couldn't have. My father was always busy with work and John being my partner was always there for me.

I went in stake drawn and blood pumping.

I lasted about ten minutes on my own before shit hit the fan. I had just slashed the Strigoi in his right arm, distracting him as he writhes in pain. I find an opening where his defensive position has failed and go in for the kill. Of course I didn't see the Strigoi behind me. She shrieked at me causing me to turn my back, of course a lover must help a lover, she swings at me with her stone fists, she's a new Strigoi making her strong but inexperienced, I had staked her and was ready to take on her male counterpart when I felt the pain in my lower back. The Strigoi had stabbed me, with a very long sword, but why couldn't I see the end? The sword should have went all the way through me damaging most of my organs, killing me. But I only felt a flesh wound.

I whirled around as John vomited a fountain of blood all over us. I followed his eyes as he looked down at himself in horror. The blood was unbelievable and as the Strigoi withdrew his sword Johns insides fell with a bump at my feet. The agony was unbearable, the pain and sadness I felt as I watched the light fall from his eyes leaving me breathless as he sank to the floor. And everything stopped, the fear was cold, freezing me in place. And the shock stopped, the atmosphere changed and as we stared at each other in disbelief the rage sank in.

I went berserk, I stabbed and stabbed him, taking him down swiftly. His blood splashed hot in my face and I knew he was dead but I didn't stop. I stabbed him and screamed. I screamed and wailed like a child. The tears mixed with the blood. I finally stabbed the stake deep into his chest, puncturing his heart. And when I stood up to take a look at myself I was almost proud which scared me. I was triumphant, I wanted to scream with joy. I almost forgot about my partners body until I started to remember what had happened. I sank to my knees beside him pulling his head in my lap. I brushed the hair from his face, slicking it back with blood and sweat.

"I'm so sorry" I told him

"I should have been watching John"

"I'm sorry"

My father found me an hour later asleep on a park bench, drunk off my ass the tears making my cheeks stiff. An empty whiskey bottle in my hand. I don't even remember drinking.

The Sargent is my father, and John was like an uncle, so in a way he was our family. After John died my father withdrew me from partner work. Alex was now my responsibility, and I would die to protect him. Just like John had for me.

As we walked through the snow I moved a bit closer to him. He's so small, so fragile and young. It didn't help that he thought he was ready, or that he didn't seem ready at all. What he didn't know was that I saw right through him, I could see his hands shaking one of them gripping a flashlight the other hovering above his newly made silver stake. I frowned. Overreaction was a common mistake, paranoia will kill as easily as a knife. I could feel the panic radiating off of him. Even worse was the Strigoi were close by. I can hear the growls, the were just as aware of us as we were of them.

The first two Strigoi came into view, two males both very attractive. The first wasn't very big he looked around fifteen or sixteen. He was dressed warmly despite the fact that he didn't need protection from the harsh weather. Dhampirs were not as lucky. I could feel the cold seeping through my thick coat, and the icy wind smacking my cheeks.

The other was very large and not in the muscular way. He didn't look unhealthy though, he looked dangerous and I knew instantly that he was the one I would fight.

I glanced at Alex, who looked shocked and almost entranced at the Strigoi males. Strigoi despite looking scary we also very beautiful, their strong stone skin gave off an eerily beautiful glow.

I however was used to it and went for the big one, stake in hand. He was skilled in combat as he took a defensive stance. I landed a couple punches to his stomach, which took no damage before punching him in the jaw. I felt my hand start to ache immediately and his head snapped to the side but I knew he felt nothing. He charged me, using his weight to overwhelm me. I almost got pinned as he and I fell to the ground but I managed to scramble to my feet. I slashed at his back causing his skin to burn and bleed. He screamed loudly trying to roll himself over. He kicked at my legs causing me to fall. I shuffled a little trying to slash at him again but I knew I would have to find a way to roll him over to strike him in the heart. I decided I'd try to knock him out first. A person can only take so much pain before it finally caused them to black out. I slashed at him more causing criss cross cuts to appear across his skin. He screamed clawing at me. Both of my arms bled as he sunk his nails into my skin. I kept going this time stabbing him in different places over his body.

He stopped struggling and his eyes remained closed. I turned my body away from him looking for Alex only to see he had defeated the small boy and was now struggling to juggle two females. I went after one of them tackling her easily to the ground.

I caught her off guard as I kept one hand planted firmly across her throat cutting off her air supply. Her eyes widened as I withdrew my stake I stared into those eyes ready to strike as I rose my arm in the air. She screamed as I brought my hand down swiftly killing her quickly. She took her last breath as I pushed the stake threw her chest breaking her ribs and crushing her heart.

I stood up turning to see that Alex had once again pinned another Strigoi to the ground. I saw that he had forgotten his stake, my eyes flew to the boy he had pinned earlier. Sure enough the stake glinted in the moonlight as it stood out from his chest. He looked like a tiny angel both his arms and legs spread out from his body. Blood dripped from his mouth. I pushed my boot down on his chest as I grabbed the stake pulling it out while pushing the rest of his body down on the ground. I ran back to Alex throwing his stake toward him hoping to god he'd catch it. And he did, he grasped it firmly raising it above his head bringing it down on the women. He legs fell to the ground limply and she was dead.

And just like that me and Alex were an official team. I almost forgot about the big guy sleeping in the snow.

"Alex?" I asked

I gave him a moment to answer. His life had just changed. He heaved a couple times, I was sure he was going to puke, so I waited but he never did.

He struggled for breath and then turned toward me. Unshed tears threatens to spill over his green eyes.

"Would you help me?" I asked kindly.

"With?"

I turned toward the big guy pointing at him with my thumb.

"He's far too big for me to move myself" I stated

He didn't ask or question me as we walked toward the Strigoi. We grunted together as we pushed him on his back. I kneeled beside him and once again withdrew my stake. I looked at Alex and he nodded turning his head away from us. I took the stake in both of my hands raising it above my head. And without so much as a blink I brought the stake down on his chest. His breathing stopped and the rise and fall of his chest ceased.

I stood helping Alex to his feet as well. We studied each other for a moment and I could see that he wanted to cry. As a tear fell from his right cheek and I wiped it away looking him in the eyes.

He bowed his head in shame and I took him into my arms slowly, testing the waters.

"It is okay to cry" I stated firmly

He hugged me back and murmured a small thank you in my ear.

"Let's go"

And my heart clenched in my chest as his little arms wrapped around me and he sank into my chest. I patted his back as he cried. And when he was done I pretended not to notice his sniffles and tears because I knew he wouldn't want me to pay attention to him when he was like this.

I was happy that he trusted me enough to cry...I shouldn't get attached to him, but I was and I really liked Alex.