The Guardian Vampire

The Guardian Vampire - 2

As she finishes giggling she says to him, "Okay, now I know something happened between you and Lara last night." Ethan smiles at her. "I asked her to marry me and she said yes." Tara smiled warmly at him and thought if she had a beating heart it would burst with Joy for her friend right now. She stood and was at his side in a flash, hugging him tightly. "I'm so happy for you." She says in to his chest. Tara hears him chuckle and let out a low sigh. "I've never felt so happy in my life. She makes me feel human."

Their embrace is broken apart as they hear a loud scream coming from the bedroom. Ethan is gone in seconds. Tara is frozen for just a moment as she knows that scream is Lara's. She quickly snaps out of it and dashes to the room. When Tara arrives at the door she takes in the scene before her and a low gasp escapes her lips. 

She watches as Lara's whole body is shaking and her eyes are rolled back in her head. Tara looks to see who is doing this to her and she sees Ethan's best friend, Liam, standing above Lara on the bed. She looks over at the corner of the room to see Jarith bound to the wall by an invisible force. She cringes as he seems to be in severe pain. She tries to run to him, but Nathan grabs her by the waist and whispers a single word, "no." Before she can even try to escape his grip Liam speaks.

"My dear, blind friends. I am taking Lara to Aiden. If anyone tries to stop me, I will kill Norah and Jarith." When he mentioned Norah, he points to the poor human girl, also being restrained by an invisible force. Tara feels Nate's hands loosen and she takes the chance to dash quickly to Jarith. 

Tara kneels by him and looks into his eyes. "What happened?" She asks. "I tried to stop him..." he whispers. Tara notices that he looks ashamed and guilty. Tara hasn't seen Jarith in well over eighty years and doesn't even recognize him by his new personality. "You knew?!" She demands from him. Jarith just nods and looks down. "Take me, not Lara." Tara blurts out to Liam. 

Liam laughs and turns to Tara. "And what would make you think that Aiden would want you instead of Lara, the witch?" He sneers. Tara clears her throat. "He's been searching for me for over secenty years. I'm...one of the spirit guides." She whispers out. She watches as Liam's expression turns to shock, but is quickly replaced by confusion

"Show me your spirit form." Liam demands. "Will you leave Lara, take me in her place, and not kill or harm anybody in this house?" Tara asks him. She looks over at Ethan and watches him shake his head slowly. She knows that the only ones in the room that know she is a spirit guide is Ethan, Jarith, and Nathan. Although, none of them have ever seen her spirit form. Tara closes her eyes and calls on her spirit form.

"No! You will be vulnerable. He could kill you." Nathan says, walking towards her. She looks over at him surprised that he would even care if she did die. She notices that his eyes have a dancing red flame in them and an emotion she can hardly recognize. Pain, sorrow, regret? He reaches his hand out to touch her, but he is flung back and restrained like Norah and Jarith. Tara feels an ache in her stomach and knows what the only way to help them is.

Tara resumes to call on her spirit form. She watches as the room swirls in many colors, a light breeze flows through her, and she crouches to the ground. She feels her body morph, her bones shift, and her claws grow in. The transformation process is not painful, but peaceful. Once she is done transforming she looks down to see her giant white paws in front of her. She shakes herself off to quickly adjust to her new form.

"So you are her...you are beautiful." Liam says as he walks toward her. Tara lets out a low growl. "You're fur is white as snow and your black stripes seem to only make your fur even more beautiful. I think Aiden will give me higher power if I bring you in." She watches as he brings his hand up and attempts to pet her behind her ear, but she snaps her teeth at him. She notices him flinch and glare at her.

"Easy, tiger. If I'm taking you instead of Lara, you need to cooperate." Tara nods and follows him out of the room, still in her spirit form. They pass by Ethan and he places a hand on Liam's shoulder and I sense the hurt from his friends betrayal. "How could you, Liam? We all trusted you and what about Norah?"

"Do you think that I'd choose friendship and trust over power and money?" Liam pauses to look over at Norah. He smiles sadly at her. "And Norah? I have no feelings towards her but lust. That's all us vampires can ever feel. When you realize this, come to us." Tara bows her head in front of Ethan and nudge his leg. She watches as he bends down and rubs her head. 'Tell him to unbind everyone. Don't let the others try to stop him. He will only hurt them.' Tara passes the message to Ethan's mind. 'You don't have to do this, Tara. We can try to fight him.' He passes his thoughts back to her. 'You can sense the black magic in him. He would kill the ones he's bound. I'd say my sacrifice is for a good cause." Tara says.

Liam clears his throat from in front of us. Tara watches as Ethan stands to face Liam. "She wants you to unbind them. I'll hold them back." Ethan says. Liam flicks his wrist and everyone is unbound. She watches as Ethan runs to Lara and cradles her in his arms. Lara is looking up at him, clearly confused. She turns to see Norah staring at Liam with the most hatred she has ever seen in a fragile human. Jarith has his head in his hands. Tara knows that he feels ashamed and guilty. Curiosity has her looking over at Nathan and he is looking at Tara with a look that says, 'I'll save you, if it's the last thing I do."

Tara stomps her front paws on the cabin floor, signaling to Liam that they should leave. She can't look at them anymore and she doesn't want any of them trying any stupid moves. Tara just wants to remember her friends happy. Liam gets the signal and they leave the cabin. Knowing that she can run faster as a vampire and will be less vulnerable, she morphs back into a vampire as they are running away from the cabin, but not before she heard Nate's voice yell, "I will find you Tara!" She looks back, still running to see a very distant flame raging with pure fury.