"So what is it that you want from me?" Axel asks, staring at Fraser as she continues to stretch her hands out towards the flame.
"What I want, Axel, is knowledge. Something only you seem to possess."
"If it's the clan's secrets that you want, I don't have any."
"No, not secrets Axel. Knowledge."
"Yeah, you said that already."
Fraser sighs then turns to face Axel on the log. "When I heard that a teenager killed Elias, an actual teenager and not one of those fossils that come out of the incubators centuries younger, I was reluctant to believe it. I thought it was all an elaborate rumour. People with natural skill like that are rare to find."
"Well it wasn't natural." Axel argues. "After 4 years you're bound to pick up a trick or two."
"Yes, 4 years, which is 3 more years than the average vampire. And you were trained by Elias personally, am I correct? He took you in? Raised you as his own?"
"Something like that." Axel can't help the feeling of guilt creeping up in him no matter how hard he tries to suppress it, or tries to convince himself that he doesn't deserve it. That Elias, in fact, did.
"Well then of course you were going to end up a brilliant fighter. He's the Elias Redwood. One of the eldest vampire to have ever lived. But that's mainly because he was alive when the incubators first came about."
Axel begins to wonder whether there's a point to all of this and decides to cut to the chase by asking Fraser "What do you want?"
"I want to know your ways."
"My-my ways?"
"For years now my clan and I have been contemplating war."
"War?" Axel repeats.
"Yes, war." Fraser reiterates. "We've wanted Elias and his clan ever since he tried to kill us. We were rogues, vampires who hadn't devoted our lives to the clan and gotten brainwashed. We were chased out. Raid after raid. For months we were on the run without a home. With no place to call our own. And then we found our way here and made something for ourselves. Something we could be proud of. A safe place for all vampires."
"Lawson wants every single one of us dead, including the three of you." Fraser continues. "She's ruthless. She'll do whatever it takes until-"
"Lawson's dead." Axel interrupts, stunning Fraser into silence.
"Wow" she finally says, awestruck. "you're more talented than I thought. Wait until the other guys hear this. They all thought it was a fluke the first time, that you got lucky with Elias. And now you've killed Lawson too?"
Axel doesn't correct her. He doesn't say how it was Miles who really killed Lawson, who delivered the final blow. But these 'other guys' already don't like him, and Axel doesn't want to put a target on Miles' back too. So he chooses not to deny it.
"You know this means they're coming for you way harder now, right?" Fraser says. "Which means they're coming for my clan and plotting right as we speak. Which also means that you owe us this."
"Owe you what?"
"To teach us everything you know. Imagine this, an army full of vampires who've got the same skill set as you. We would be unstoppable. We would be able to take down any rival clan that tries to challenge us."
Axel scoffs. "You sound like Elias. Just change 'rival clan' for 'rogues'."
"I'm nothing like Elias." Fraser argues. "And to be honest, I'm quite insulted by that comparison. Unlike him, I want to help rogues, not kill them. Elias, Lawson and no doubt the next diabolical leader of that clan, justify their twisted mindset by preaching that they're doing what's right for humanity. But all they're really doing is hunting us down because they can't contain us. Because they can't control us."
"That's exactly what Elias used to say. All he wanted was to make sure rogues weren't killing humans."
"And would you believe me if I said that none of us have? That the only person here who has ever bitten a human is you, Axel? Isn't it ironic that the vampires who actually bite humans are called the 'civilised' ones, while the ones who don't are described as 'animals'. Now don't get me wrong, I know there are plenty of rogues out there who hurt and kill humans, but there are good people and bad people on every side. So do you see it now? How blurry this can all get. This isn't as black and white as you were taught Axel. In fact, most of it's just grey."
•••••••
Fraser leads Axel and Sydney to the cabin which they'll be staying in. It's small, with two beds at either side, two wardrobes, and a small shower room.
"You may find this hard to believe but this is one of the best cabins we've got here." Fraser says, pulling up one of the blinds to let the sunlight in. "Dinner is in half an hour in the cafeteria if you're feeling hungry. I'll update you soon on your friend's condition."
"Thank you Fraser." Sydney responds, since she knew Axel wasn't going to say it. Fraser nods her head "It's nice to have you two on board" then walks out the cabin, leaving Sydney and Axel.
Fraser had told the two of all the rules of the base. It isn't nearly as strict and disciplined as the mansion, or as laidback as the bar, but if the rules were broken they would still face consequences. It's nothing too extreme. They don't condone killing (unless there's a raid.....or a war); no biting or drinking from humans (which only makes Axel feel even more guilty and ashamed); no turning any human unless it's been approved by the clan representatives (an act Axel can't bring himself to regret because it brought Miles back to him). And finally, a personal rule issued by Fraser herself, all three of them have to meet with a counsellor.
That's what convinces Axel. What makes him truly believe that the people here are good. Because they have a support system. Because they care. Because they have counsellors here who help people with addictions; people who drink too much blood, and people who can't drink it at all. People who hate their new abilities, and people who love it too much. People like Miles, and Axel, and Sydney who keep trying to help each other when they can barely help themselves. Because for them, fighting other people's demons is easier than fighting their own.
••••••
A/N
The incredibly overdue chapter 24 is finally here. Sorry about the wait. This was so hard to write because I took such a long break but I pulled through😤 Thanks for reading☺️
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Infinite Miles
Teen Fiction"Because you Miles, are infinite." It was never supposed to go that way for Axel and Miles. And it was definitely not supposed to end like that too. But this is the story about what happens after the end. Follow Axel, Miles and Sydney through their...
