The Vampire King ✔

■ TWENTY-FIVE ■

■ TWENTY-FIVE ■

His nails dug into the dirt as he tried to crawl away from the mad woman. "We will be together forever" the woman said, glancing back at the fire.

Blood stained his mouth as he crawled, wincing as jagged rocks dug into his skin. Turning her head, the young cold woman watched the man get to his feet. "Wherever you go, I will find you," she said with a smile.

He didn't hesitate, he stumbled off into the dark trees again. Anything to get away from the mad woman, the fire light glinted off her fangs as she laughed.

Racing into the forest, the man stumbled blindly before realising he could hear the smallest of sounds and his eyes began to adjust to the dark. Collapsing against a willow tree, a gasp of pain left his clemched lips as he felt his body began to burn.

He pushed off the tree, continuing running. He had to get home. He saw warm light ahead and ran towards it, realising he was running faster than usual. A flash of pain threw him off and made him yell, falling to the ground. "Mekhi!" A scream bounced off the trees.

Running towards the writhing man, a beautiful woman with golden hair that flew behind her as she ran towards the man on the ground. Another flash of pain and burning constricted the man's airflow and the woman fell to her knees, pushing the man onto his back.

"My love, what happened!" The woman exclaimed, touching his hot face.

The man couldn't speak, the burning had reached his throat. "Daddy!" A little girls voice called out.

Falling flat, the man gave a last breath before shuddering and falling silent. The woman began to weep, catching ahold of her daughter as she reached them.

Mekhi lay still on the ground, he was dying. "My love, come back to me," the woman whimpered.

Blackness took the man away.

Slowly, Mekhi opened his eyes and blinked at the bright sunlight in his eyes. He sat up, and saw he was surrounded by bushes and stood up. He could see the smoke of his home's fire rise up into the sky.

His throat was parched and Mekhi pushed himself up before realising his hands were covered in blood. Trying to wipe it off before he got home, he rubbed it on his clothes before realising he was completely drenched in it.

"Well done, my child" a female voice said.

Mekhi whirled around to see the woman from the campfire. "Who are you!" Mekhi demanded.

"I'm the one who will take care of you" the woman replied.

Mekhi stumbled back. "Leave me be!" He exclaimed before turning and running towards the smoke.

He broke through the line of trees and froze as his home burned in front of him. Shock and pain ran through him. "Victoria!" Mekhi yelled, sprinting towards the cabin on fire.

A hand pulled him back. "You will die if you go in there" the woman said, having followed him.

"Victoria!" Mekhi yelled as tears fell from his eyes.

The love of his life was gone, his daughter, his family was all gone. Spotting a figure lying on the ground from the corner of his eye, Mekhi ran towards it before seeing his wife lying on the ground, her body twisted at an odd angle, her skin white and cold. "Victoria!" Mekhi yelled, falling to his knees.

He reached for his wife, picking her up and cradling her to his chest. Pain and loss constricted him as he let out a yell, holding his now dead wife.

It did not ease him looking at her face, her eyes open in horror. Mekhi closed his eyes and hugged his wife's body. "This is what you are now, you must accept this" the woman's voice said, startling the new vampire.

"What have you done to me" Mekhi whispered as he brushed Victoria's hair out of her eyes.

"You will have eternal life, and you will reign by my side" the woman replied, simply.

Mekhi's tears fell from his eyes, dropping on to the cold cheeks of the woman he held in his arms. "We must leave this place, the villagers will come to look" the woman said, putting a hand on his shoulder.

A flash of anger ran through Mekhi's body. "You turned me into a monster!" Mekhi yelled, standing up suddenly.

Victoria fell to the ground. "The villagers will kill you, you're covered in their blood" the woman  snapped.

Sure enough, a villager appeared on the other side of the field, staring in horror at the burning building. "Come" the woman ordered.

Almost robotic like, Mekhi had no choice but to  obey as the Vampires ran away from the carnage that had been Mekhi's family.

Blinking slowly, Mekhi turned his head to look at me. I could see the pain and hurt of this memory in his eyes. "I'm so sorry Mekhi," I said gently, umable to say anything else.

Mekhi turned back to the fire that flickered in the grate. "I brought the land and built a house on it, for the memory of her," Mekhi replied.

I was sitting on the edge of Mekhi's bed while he recounted the first day of his vampirism. While Mekhi looked away, I wiped my eyes and found my feet.

I walked over to him and he turned around to face me. "I never knew her, and she's been gone for a very long time but if she truly loved you, she would want you to stop blaming yourself," I said, gently.

He reached out and stroked a thumb across my cheek, catching a stray tear. "Do not cry for me Celene," he replied softly.

Reaching up, I cupped his hand as it remained cupping my cheek. "You need to know that there are people who care about you, you're not alone anymore" I stated.

"After telling you how much of a monster I am, you still care about me, why?" He asked, shaking his head and dropping his hand.

"Your past doesn't define you, only what you do with the information you've learned from your past mistakes," I replied.

He moved away. "Mekhi, you gave up your crown for me, to protect me, I couldn't ask you to do that but you did," I said firmly.

Slowly, he raised his eyes to mine. "It's been a very long time since someone managed to worm their way into my heart," he expressed.

Looking down at my hands as they twisted around each other, I knew I had to say it. For his benefit and mine, I had to tell him how I felt. I blocked my thoughts and took a deep breath.

"Mekhi" I said gently, making his eyes widen.

"I -" I trailed off.

A/N

CLIFFHANGER
How much do you want to hear her say it?

Muahaha. I'm evil.

What did you think about diving into Mekhi's first day as a Vampire?
Losing his wife and daughter, having been the one to murder them, that's gotta make him cruel in the heart.

Don't forget to vote and comment!

Lots of love, tavana xoxoxo and as always, stay awesome bros!