"He was the lighter to my fire, he took me places I could never go with anybody else. I was his, and he was mine."
(Submitted and written by: @Miss_QueenB_)
Harry.
The rising and falling of her chest as she breathed was one of the most ordinary things of her kind, in fact, it's what made her human; her lungs needed the oxygen to keep her alive. However, it was just that simple thing that I loved about her, along with her heartbeat and the way her skin was warm instead of cold like mine. My fingers eagerly traced over the smooth skin of her bare back, but I was careful to barely touch her so I wouldn't wake her, she needed her sleep after our previous actions.
I couldn't help but smirk to myself at that thought. She was so different this time, but different in a really good way. I was used to taking charge of that type of situation after doing it for such a long time, and it was hot for her to take over for me. The last time something like that had happened was during the days leading up to my transformation.
I frowned. Layla was changing me in so many different ways, and I was just beginning to realize the full extent of it. She was making me think of the things that I've buried deep for the longest of times, and I've had to process those emotions in a way that won't harm the things around me.
Normally, every time I thought of Emilia and the tortures she had put me through something ended up broken, or someone's neck was snapped. Dealing with those emotions were never my strongest suit, and now she's change that about in a blink of an eye. Remembering them is painful, and hard, but at least some of it gives me closure; which was something that I desperately needed more than anything. I needed closure for the life I had lost, and for the life of my mum and friends. They were all causalities in Emilia's sick and twisted games, her way of torturing and breaking me. She told me that I was the most fun she had had in years.
My eyes were glowing red, I could feel the tingling of my irises and the heat coming from them. My fangs were aching to push through my gums and bite down into the soft flesh of the girl laying beside me. However, all of it was easily pushed away because my urge to protect her overshadowed the urge to hurt her or anything else.
I took a deep breath and rolled over onto my side, facing away from her. If she woke up, I didn't want her to see me like this, she would know something was wrong, and with her stubborn nature she wouldn't give up until she knew what was going on. That was another of the things I loved about her, but I also hated it at the same time. It's something that first sparked interest in me once I saw her in the car, just after the auction. She was tough, and spunky, and almost adorable in the ways that she fought against me. It pained me when she started to cry, tears of frustration she had claimed, but I could tell differently. She was afraid of me, though she just didn't want to show it.
Showing fear is weakness, that's something that we both can agree on easily. However, that might be the only emotional weakness that we would agree with, she wouldn't understand the others I believe are weaknesses. Love is a weakness, trust is weakness, and sadness is a weakness. The only useful emotions, in my opinion anyway, is that of anger and determination. With anger, the rage gives you strength to finish what you started, and with determination, it gives you the strength to never give up.
I've learned all of that the hard way. Trial and error, really, and I've learned to trust my instincts when fighting anyone that is a worthy opponent. However, of course, no one ever really was for me anymore. I was the most powerful vampire in the world, at the moment, and that was all because I was the oldest living one. I was the only one to survive the battle, and I was greatly rewarded for it.
I closed my eyes, and tried to put my mind else where. I needed to relax, and I needed to stifle through the rest of my memories and the emotions that came with them. However, I couldn't bring myself to think back to the most horrible ones or even the happiest of ones. Only Layla could bring out the happy ones in me, and I'd already shared that one with her.
That left me with one. It was still a bad one, but it wasn't nearly as bad as the rest of them. None of her tortures had started yet, she only spoke about how vampires were real, and ho they were made.
My fingers easily weaved through Layla's, and I slowly allowed my mind to go back to that time.
**Flashback**
The ringing in my ears unhurriedly dragged me away from my unconscious state, but I wish that it hadn't the moment it had. My entire body ached, and I was thirsty, and very weak. Faintly, I could hear footsteps walking outside of a large iron door, and it was then that I realized I wasn't at home anymore. Heck, I didn't even recognize the space around me.
I squinted my eyes in the darkness, and tried to look around for anything familiar, though there was nothing. Thoughts before I passed out slowly came to the front of my mind, and I froze.
Emilia. She cannot be human. No human could do the things that she did to me.
My heart pounded in my chest, and I pulled at the restraints that bounded me to a table. My limbs were spread out, in an almost awkward angle. I couldn't move, or barely fight. What the hell as going on?
The large iron door to my right opened, and it revealed the silver head of hair that sparked fear, lust, and anger inside of me. Her hair shined, even in the dull light, so I could easily see who it was. I tried to open my mouth to say something, anything, to her, but I couldn't. It was as if my mouth had been glued shut.
Emilia hummed to herself as she calmly walked past the table I was tied down on, almost as if she didn't even know I was there. However, her smug look told me otherwise. She knew I was there, and she enjoyed that I couldn't fight her back. I heard a soft, rough, noise and noticed that she was lighting a candle in the far corner of the room. The dull flickering flame did little to illuminate the room, but I could see her face more clearly.
She walked back over to me, and smirked, running her fingers along the edge of my jaw. "How are you, Harry?" She asked, her thick American accent shinning through. Her eyes locked on my face for a few seconds, before she began to cackle in the most unattractive manner. I couldn't even find myself to think it as cute how her nose wrinkled up. "What's the matter, lover boy? Cat got your tongue?" She playfully pouted.
I gritted my teeth, and tugged at my restraints all the way glaring up at her. I wanted desperately to jerk away from her touch, but I was pinned to the table. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't scream out the list of profanities that were bubbling on the tip of my tongue.
"Oh, right, I forgot," She said, and leaned over me. Her hands were placed on either side of my head , while her hair acted as a silver curtain around us, and her breasts were a few inches away from my face. "I've got you compelled to be quiet, and do exactly what I tell you to do," She spoke and eagerly pressed her lips against mine. "Kiss me back, Harry," Her words came out in a whisper against my mouth.
I wanted to deny her the satisfaction of getting what she wanted, but I couldn't. My mouth moved against hers, the exact way that it used to before I knew how different she truly was from me.
After a few minutes, she slowly pulled back and moved my hair from my forehead. Her hand was cold, like always, but now for some reason it felt colder than usual. "Shit, I will always love that from you. Your mouth is amazing," She said with yet another smirk. Her hair brushed against my cheeks, and I shook my head in order to try to drive it away. "Oh, don't be like that, Harry. You know you love me, even after learning I'm not human."
My lips parted slightly, and I stared up at her violet eyes, which were cold and cruel and clearly entertained by my reactions. I knew she wasn't human, but hearing her confirm my thoughts made it all the more frightening.
Emilia traced her fingers over my mouth, and sighed softly. "Well, I guess I can't keep you silent forever. It's only inevitable that I'll let you speak again, so I might as well do it now and have fun with it," She said, and leaned over me again. Her eyes were locked on mine, and I felt my body go completely still. The violet eyes looking down at me began to glow slightly, pupils shrinking, as she concentrated. "Harry, you can speak again, but don't scream or else I'll have to gag you."
I blinked a few times, and before I could stop myself, I blurted out the words that I desperately wanted an answer for. "What are you?" I gasped out.
"I'm a vampire," She responded, without hesitation. "A vampire that is bored, and tired of being treated badly by you men," She spat out, and shoved herself away from the table.
"Just because you have an ill will against the male species doesn't mean you have to involve me in it. I didn't do anything but care about you," I said, sharply.
She laughed, and crossed her arms. "Oh really? You cared about me? I could practically feel the blood rushing to your crotch every time I touched or even looked at you. It was pretty fucking clear you had one damn thing on your mind."
My cheeks heated at her unfiltered words. She never used that type of language before, only when she was angry at someone, or some thing. "I never said I wasn't turned on by you, Emilia, I just said I cared about you. And I did. A lot. Enough to fight with my mum countless times about you."
"Ah, yes. Your mother," She said, leaning slightly onto the table. "I wonder how she'll react when she learns that you're dead."
I gulped slightly, and realized how dry my throat was, almost like sandpaper. "So that's it? You're just going to kill me because you were treated badly by men from your past? Ones that probably aren't even alive right now?" I didn't know how old she was, however, because of the icy look in her eyes I knew she had to have been over a hundred years old.
Emilia smiled innocently, and clasped her fingers together. "About that..." She trailed off, and placed her fingers against my neck, then smirking at something unknown to me. "How do you feel right now?"
I stared at her for a moment, completely assessing how I physically felt against my emotional feeling. "Weak, thirsty, and almost like I could pass out at any time," I slowly answered, and let out a long breath. "Why?"
"Do you know how someone is made into a vampire, Harry?" Emilia asked, ignoring my question all together.
I slowly shook my head, and took a deep breath. "No."
"Would you like to know how?"
I frowned. "What does that have to do with anything? Just fucking kill me and get it over with," I spat at her.
She laughed, completely unfazed by my words. "First what you do is drain the human almost completely of blood, then you give them some of your blood to help replenish what you took from them. If you give them enough, they will start the transition stage." She paused, and cocked her head. "Do you know what the symptoms are of someone in the transition stage?"
I shook my head, and forced myself to go completely still, so still that muscles were beginning to ache. Something didn't feel right; her tone, her composure, and even the mockery she spoke with wasn't adding up.
"Heart will be racing, and their breathing will quicken," She mused, and traced her fingers over my chest, almost as if to feel the way my heart was pounding in my chest. "They'll also feel weak, thirsty, and almost like they could pass out at any time," She said echoing my earlier words, and grinned down at my shocked expression.
"No," I gasped out, finally putting the pieces together of what she saying. No. That couldn't be happening to me, it just couldn't.
Emilia's grin widened at my distress, and she gleefully clapped her hands. "Yes! And do you know what will happen next?" She asked, and didn't even wait for me to respond before she began talking again. "You're going to feel so drained, so tired, and so weak, that you'll eventually pass out. Your heart will stop, and skin will freeze over. You'll be as dead as me," She spat the last word with pure glee.
I shook my head. "You're lying," I said through my teeth. "I'm not turning into a monster. I can't. It's not possible."
She smirked and leaned down to me. "Oh, Harry, you'll soon realize that just about anything is possible," She whispered, and I felt everything dull around the edges of my vision. Her image twisted, and faded until it was complete darkness.
I couldn't see anything. I couldn't feel anything. And I couldn't hear anything. That could only mean one thing.
She was telling the truth. I was dying right now, and she was turning me into a monster, just like her.
**End of Flashback**
"Harry, ow! Let go of my hand please," Layla said, her voice coated in pain as she forcibly tried to pull her hand out of my grip.
I blinked a few times as my mind came back to the present, and I quickly let go of her hand, watching as she carefully held it in her other with a small frown on her face.
"Why were you squeezing my hand like that? I think you almost broke it," She said with a faint laugh. Her eyes were practically shinning with happiness.
I moved a few strands of hair from her face, and gave her a small smile. "Just remembering something from my past."
"Why did it make you squeeze my hand like that?" Layla softly asked me, her lips tugging down into a frown.
I quickly sat up to match her seated position, and put my hand on her leg that was covered by the blanket. "I needed comfort. I don't like to remember things like it when I'm not around you."
"I comfort you?" She asked, putting her hand over mine, the one that I hadn't almost broken.
I nodded, and gave her a small smile.
"How?" She asked, curiously, and cocked her head. Her long blonde hair fell over her shoulder, and covered part of her chest. She was still very naked. I smirked at the discovery, but quickly wiped it away before she caught on.
"Just by being here, babe. I've been alone for centuries, and no one has really cared enough to get close to me like you have," I said, gently squeezing her leg.
She smiled, and traced her warm fingers over the back of my hand. "None of your own blood servants have tried?"
I shook my head. "No, I never let them," I said, with faint hesitation. I didn't want to open this can of worms and tell her the cruel extent those girls had to go through. They were only useful to me in ways that involved their bodies, or their blood.
"What makes me so special then?" Layla asked with a small laugh.
I relaxed slightly after she didn't question why I never let them close to me. Vaguely, I knew that she understood a bit of how I used to treat my previous blood servants, but there was no way she could know the full extent of it. "You're stubborn, and know how to get your way," I said with a smile, squeezing her thigh again as if to add a cheeky aspect to the situation.
Her cheeks heated, and she quickly put the duvet up to cover her chest as she looked down at her lap. She must have just now realized that she was still naked. "I don't even know what came over me last night," She mumbled softly, and sighed.
"Hey," I said, tilting her head up slightly so I could see her face. "Don't be shy about it, because it was the hottest, and most sexiest thing that I have ever experienced, Layla."
Layla's cheeks turned a darker red, and the scent of blood surrounded me. However, it was easy to ignore because the thirst was sated. For now, at least. "I find that hard to believe. You've probably had strippers all over you all the time that know what they're doing," She said, and rolled her eyes.
I laughed quietly, and shook my head. "Yes, I've had a few girls around me that knew a thing or two about palming my crotch and riding me until I couldn't see straight," I said, and cheekily winked at her before continuing. "Some of those girls were strippers too. But they never took charge like that, Layla, and they never meant anything to me."
"What do you mean they never took charge?" She said, raising an eyebrow, then her pink lips turned into a smile. She looked so beautiful, so alive, with her red cheeks flushed with blood. "I mean something to you?"
"I think it's a bit obvious to us both that this is more than just your average Master and Blood Servant relationship," I said, laughing quietly at the thought. I didn't know what to call us, but we seemed like more than the relationship we were supposed to be. We couldn't have been anything much more, though. You have to trust the other person to be more, and my trust isn't something that I give away. Not anymore at least. "You went dominant on me, babe. I've never seen you take charge like that before, and I really hope I get to see it again," I grinned at her.
She rolled her eyes slightly. "Yeah, yeah."
"There's the stubborn, and outspoken Layla I was beginning to miss," I softly teased her.
She cracked a faint smile, and didn't say anything. She didn't have to, I already knew what she was thinking. It as true what she had claimed a few days ago, we were easily able to read each other; just like an open book.
Layla was thinking about the moment we first met, and how I had requested for her to behave this way instead of the usual way. It had surprised her, but she graciously did as I requested.
"Oh, and before I forget," I said, and smirked a bit to myself. "That storage unit with your things has been brought in and placed in my own containment unit about five minutes away."
Her eyes instantly lit up, even more than they already were, and she smiled. "Can I go there today, and grab some of my stuff?" She eagerly asked.
Chuckling slightly to myself, I nodded, and placed my hand over hers once more, giving it a soft and gentle squeeze. "Of course. I'll drop you off around two-thirty."
Layla blinked, and she cocked her head. "You won't help me go through my stuff, and tell me what I can't bring?" She asked, humorously.
I rolled my eyes playfully, but shook my head with a serious expression. "No, I've got other matters to attend to," I said, having the knowledge that they needed to speak to me about an urgent matter had me ready to run there right now, but I couldn't. Not in front of Layla at least. She would be suspicious about it, and it as completely out of the question for her to know about them just yet. "And, you're allowed to bring whatever, and how much ever you want, Layla. This is your own now, and I want you to feel as comfortable as possible here."
She smiled. "Alright, well, I'm going to need someone to help me go through it. Some of it consists of things that my lamia mother bought for me, knowing very well I would never use or wear it," She said, and rolled her eyes. Behind her memories of the annoying gifts she had been given, I could see in her eyes that she missed her lamia family, and I hated to see her unhappy, even it was slightly.
Maybe she missed that Damaris person as well...
I shook off that thought, and quickly responded to her. "Well, I'll call up Louis and ask if he could bring Eleanor there to help you?" I suggested.
Layla froze, and chewed on the inside of her cheek for a moment. Something was bothering her, and I wanted desperately ask her what was wrong, but I held back. I wanted to make today a good one for her, she deserved it after all. "Yeah, okay. I guess that's fine," She mumbled.
"Well, you better shower and get ready, babe. I can't be late for this appointment," I said, and rubbed the back of my neck.
"Are you meeting with the others about something?" She asked, curiously, as she got up from the bed, dragging the sheet with her to cover her naked form.
I pressed my lips together. I didn't want to lie to her, I'd end up being caught in that lie at some point, and I didn't want to open that can of worms. I shook my head slightly. "No. I'm meeting with a small group of people concerning a private urgent matter," I said, trying to make sure to emphasize the private aspect of my words.
She rolled her eyes. "Alright, I got it. I need to stop asking questions because you won't answer them," She mumbled, and wrapped the sheet around her body.
I frowned slightly. "I'm sorry, babe. I'd tell you everything about it, but I just can't right now. Maybe someday, just not now."
She nodded slightly, and gave me a small smile. "It's okay, really. I need to stop being a nosy person," She said, and began to walk toward the door. "I'm going to take a shower, and I'll come back in here when I'm done." She walked through the door without another word, shutting it behind her.
I nodded. "Alright," I said, despite that she was gone and couldn't hear me. I sighed quietly and closed my eyes before grabbed my phone from the nightstand. I dialed Louis' phone number, and held the phone to my ear.
"What Harry?" He snapped, catching me off guard. Normally he didn't answer the phone like that.
My brow frowned, and I opened my eyes. "What's got you so rallied up, mate?"
He sighed. "Nothing. Just stupid annoying human girls," He grumbled and I heard the sound of a door shutting. "What do you need?"
"I wanted to know if Eleanor could accompany Layla at her storage unit? She needs help going through her things, and I've got a meeting," I said, in a clipped tone.
"Meeting with whom?" He asked, curiously, then sighed. "I don't know, Harry. I don't really want her out right now."
"None of your business," I responded quickly, then rolled my eyes. "She'd be with Layla, mate. I don't want her alone, especially not after what happened on the beach."
"Well, Eleanor wouldn't exactly be the safest person to pair her up with, mate. She's human as well," He cleverly pointed out.
I rolled my eyes. "I don't want her alone with the guards, and I don't know what else to do," I said with a sigh, and ran my fingers through my hair. "Wait, could you see if Leigha would mind accompanying her?"
"You're out of luck with her, mate. She and Liam went off somewhere for the next couple days. He told me it had something to do with rebuilding a library in one of the other Isles, but I think it's just a honeymoon get away she forced him into." He chuckled, and I could tell he was rolling his eyes at our friend's expense.
I sighed, and ran my hand down over my face, trying to conceal my irritation. "I have no clue what the hell I'm suppose to do then, Louis. I can't cancel this meeting, and I don't want her alone anymore. You know my life is in danger if something happens to her."
"Yeah, and that's the only reason you want her protected, Harry," Louis said, sarcastically.
"It is," I said, quietly, and tried not to think about what he could have been implying. "Instead of ridiculing me, why don't you give me some helpful suggestions on what I could do."
"Can't you take her with you, and just let her go to the storage unit later?"
I groaned in annoyance. "Mate,-" I began, but was quickly cut off by a chuckle.
"I was just joking, Harry, gosh. Who got your pants in a twist?" He chuckled. "Why not leave her with one of your most trusted friends?"
There was that word again, trust. God, I was starting to hate it. "I don't have friends, Louis."
"Ouch, mate, that really hurt," He mocked me, and laughed.
"Fine. Care to look after her for me then?"
"I can't, mate. I've got to handle my own blood servant right now," He said, and once again I could practically hear his eyes rolling.
"Is she stuck up her own arse like your last one?" I asked.
He sighed. "No, nothing like that," He responded. "What about Zayn or Niall then?"
"I am not leaving her with Zayn, Louis. He almost bloody killed her at her birthday party," I said sternly. How could he even suggest that?
"Relax, mate. I was just throwing his name out there. I knew that you'd never let him alone with her again," He said seriously.
"That just leaves Niall then," I mumbled to myself. "Can you call him up and see if he can meet us at the storage unit in an hour?"
"Sure, but he might be busy with that stupid painting that he loves to do."
"It's not stupid painting, Louis," I said, quickly defending one of Niall's hobbies. My gaze instantly flickered to the painting he had done of me, and smiled a bit to myself. Stupid hobby or not, the lad had talent.
"Yeah, yeah," He chuckled. "I'm sure he'll be there. Talk to you soon, mate," He said, and hung up the phone without another word.
>>>>
"So tell me again why I have to spend time with him, instead of Eleanor, while you're in this meeting?" Layla said, raising her eyebrow. She looked nervous, shifting back and forth in her seat on the plush leather of the vehicle we were in, and it was slightly amusing. She had no reason to be nervous about being around Niall, he was the kindest of us all due to him being the youngest. He was the one with the most humanity.
"Louis said that Eleanor was a bit busy today, so she couldn't come with you, and Niall was the only one that I trusted to look after you for me," I said, clasping my hands into my lap. "And you have to spend time with him, Layla, in case your ex-boyfriend decides to pay you another visit," I said, warily.
She froze, and stared at me for a moment, almost as if she were accessing my every move to figure out my emotion. "Oh, okay," She said quickly, then frowned. "He's not my ex-boyfriend either."
I looked at her with a quizzical expression, but said nothing.
"I mean it, we didn't date, Harry," She said and crossed her arms. Her hair was still slightly wet from the shower she had taken, and she was wearing a pair of jeans along with that black tank top I'd given her and her boots. She looked breathtaking in these simple clothes.
I nodded slightly. "Alright."
"Are you okay? You don't seem, the same," She said slowly, and raised her eyebrow.
"What do you mean?" I asked, and cocked my head.
"You're quiet, and only giving one word answers. Usually you have a lot more to say, especially if I'm talking about Damaris," She said, lips turning up into a faint smile. She wanted to bring up the jealousy conversation we had had countless times, but probably didn't want to push her luck because she stayed quiet.
"There's nothing to say, babe. I've got a lot on my mind," I said, honestly. The meeting with them had me on edge, and I was slightly wary that whatever they had to say concerned Layla.
"Harry, you do trust me, right?" She asked, and played with her fingers.
I raised my eyebrows, and tried not to give anything away. Normally, that was something I was a master at, but around Layla all of that crumbled. "Yes," I said, a bit to quickly.
"Then why won't you tell me about this secret meeting you're having?" She asked, in a small voice.
I frowned. "Layla, I can't talk about it. The other lads aren't even allowed to know much about it. Once I get the okay that I can talk about it, I'll talk to you about it," I said, and patted her fingers.
She sighed quietly, and slowly nodded, then turned her head and looked out the window of the car. She didn't say anything else, and I decided not to either. If I spoke again I might end up telling her about the meeting, but I just couldn't.
If things were different, I'd like to believe I could tell her. The reason for not telling her had nothing to do with my trusting her, it had to do with her belief in magic. She didn't believe in it, despite that she wears magic around her finger, and because of that she wouldn't understand what I was going to talk about with them.
Slowly, the car pulled to a stop, out in front of my large containment unit. Everything it held inside were things that I couldn't have just laying around my home, things like my boat. Half of the large metal box floated on the water in order to keep it from being broken into as easily.
Looking out the window, I saw that Niall was leaning against the side of the blue metal crate, and he looked less than happy. However, once Layla climbed out of the car his expression turned to neutral, making me relax. The last thing I wanted was for Layla to feel as if he didn't want to be there, or that he was being forced into it.
"Alright, mate?" I asked him, putting my hand on the small of her back as we walked closer to him.
He pulled himself away from the wall of metal, and nodded once. "Fine. Just didn't expect to be needed today," He said, slowly.
Inhaling, I noticed the vague smell of paint coming off of him, and I automatically realized he had probably been painting something. I nodded slightly. "Sorry, I just needed someone to help her. I don't want a repeat of what happened at the beach."
Layla stiffened slightly at the mention of the beach, but didn't speak. Her eyes were cast down at her boots.
"There won't be," Niall promised me with a small smile, all evidence of his irritated attitude disappeared, and he looked happy to help. "Hello, Layla."
She looked up at him through her long lashes, and smiled, probably unable to resist the gesture because of how contagious Niall's grin was to her. "Hey, Niall. Thanks for volunteering to help me," She said, but her tone was humorous since she probably guessed Niall was the last resort for the job.
He grinned again. "No problem. I love going through girly items with a girl," He joked.
She covered her mouth with her hand, and laughed. "Well, in that case, lets get to it. Harry has somewhere to go."
"Yeah, I do," I said, and looked at Niall with a stern look. "Keep her safe, mate. I mean it."
He nodded. "I know, mate. I will," He said, and held his arm out to Layla. "Shall we?"
I pressed my lips against her temple and smiled down at her. "I'll see you in a couple hours, babe. Behave," I told her, my tone yet again serious.
Layla rolled her eyes slightly, and slipped her arm through Niall's. "Yeah, yeah. I'll see you," She said, and stifled a small grin as she turned away from me and began walking into my storage unit.
>>>>
I inhaled slowly as I took in the large dark building in front of me, and wondered briefly when I could bring myself to walk inside. My feet had stayed stationary for the past few minutes, and I couldn't get them to move. Strangely, it wasn't because of some magical spell that kept me from going in, it was the thoughts racing in my mind. I knew that this meeting was important, and that I needed to go inside, but I was afraid of what they would say to me.
I took another deep breath, and forced my feet to move across the gravel, then up the stairs and onto the porch. My fingers wrapped around the door knob, twisting it and pulling the door open carefully, then walking inside. I didn't need to knock, I owned the house after all.
My head cocked slightly as I listened for the raspy chanting that was the usual noise I was greeted with, but this time the house was silent, except for the three heart beats from the gathering room. I walked down the hallway, and into the room, looking around until I spotted the three witches sitting on the couch.
Each of them lifted their heads at my arrival, and I took in their appearances carefully. None of them care toward me like they usually would.
Bridget was the tallest one of the three. Her hair was short, and as red as blood, while her eyes were as green as the grass outside on the lawn. The color of her skin resembled snow, and there were sometimes that it reminded me of a vampire's. She was usually the one that always spoke up first, but this time she only stared at me with a haunted expression.
Lauren was the one of medium height, but she was the thinnest, giving her a lanky look. Her hair was long, down to her hips, and the color of caramel. The color eyes matched the blue of the skin on a clear day, and the color of her skin was a shade lighter than her hair. She was the book smart one of the group, and didn't speak unless she felt the need to explain something.
Emma was the shortest one of the them, and she was slightly stocky with her curves. Her hair hung her face and reached her chest, the color of it matched a raven's. Her eyes seemed to match the color of her hair, and the color of her skin was just as tan as Lauren's. She rarely spoke, only during important meetings, and always seemed to be in deep thought.
All three of them were the same age, eighteen, and were born on the same day. According to Lauren that was a big deal, and automatically meant that they were suppose to be a part of their own coven. They were the last of their kind, the lamia had wiped them out because they knew about the future and refused to speak of it. These girls were a part of a village that had been ransacked, and I rescued them before a guard could burn them alive with their families. Now I keep them here, in a place that no one besides me knew about.
"Don't I get a greeting?" I asked, deciding to speak first.
"We didn't bring you hear for greetings," Harry," Bridget curtly responded as she got up from her seat on the couch.
Lauren slammed her book shut, and stood up beside her. "We called you here to give you a warning."
My dead heart constricted. "Something bad is coming, isn't it?" I asked.
"Yes," Emma spoke, and her eyes were far away. She must have been seeing whatever they were wanting to tell me.
I used my vampire speed to appear in front of her in seconds, and knelt down to her level as she sat on the couch. Her eyes were looking in my direction, but they weren't focused on me. "What do you see, Emma?" I softly urged her.
"Danger is coming. Danger is threatening you," She whispered, and blinked away the far away look, then focused on me. "Danger is threatening to take away everything you hold dear."
"What danger?" I asked, the need to know this information was burning deep inside of my chest. "Tell me everything you saw," I demanded her.
"We aren't allowed to tell you specifics, Harry. You know that," Bridget scolded me as she crossed her arms.
My eyes turned red as I looked at her. "Does this concern Layla?" None of them responded, making me feel even more irritated than before. "Tell me!" I snapped at them.
"Everything you hold dear is going to be threatened by the danger," Emma repeated, and slowly stood up. My height compared to hers made her seem shorter than usual, her chin only a few inches away from my shoulder. "If she is something you hold dear, then yes, she's going to be threatened."
"You know she's something I hold dear. She's the only one with the right blood type my system can handle," I said, and ran my fingers through my hair. I felt desperate for the information, but I knew they wouldn't give it to me. "What am I suppose to do? She can't die. If she dies then so will I, and so will will this entire Isle." I sat down on the edge of the couch.
"We can't give you specifics on what you're suppose to do, Harry," Lauren gently began as she sat beside me, "But we suggest you keep a sharp eye on her. Something from her past is what threatens her safety the most."
I growled, and looked at Emma. She was the one that had the visions of the future, Lauren has visions of the past, and Bridget has visions of the present. "It's Damaris, isn't it? He's the one that's threatening her safety," I growled.
"It's not only her past that threatens her, Harry," Bridget interjected and stood in front of me. "You have a very long list of enemies that each hold a hand in what the future shall be."
"But Damaris is a threat to her, isn't he?" I demanded.
She sighed quietly, knowing that I would continue to ask until I received an answer. "Yes. He threatens her future in more ways than you know," She said, nodding faintly.
I balled my hands into fists. "I'll kill him. I don't care what she thinks about it, I'll kill him," I hissed and stood up before heading to the door.
"Harry!" Bridget sharply called out from behind me, forcing me to turn around to see what else she had to say. "You can't just focus on him right now. There are other issues running about. These enemies will hurt everyone, and everything you hold dear if you're not careful, and the only way to stop them is to turn to the ones that you trust."
I clenched my jaw. "What is about my fucking trust that everyone wants a piece of? I don't trust anyone! Not anymore!" I snapped.
She tutted and shook her head. "You're unbelievable skepticalness will be your downfall before your enemies even get the chance."
Before I knew it, I had her pinned against the wall with her wrists trapped in my iron grip. I wasn't trying to hurt her, I needed to control myself, but her shrew-like personality was beginning to annoy me. "You don't know me. You have no idea of the shit I've gone through, Bridget," I said through my teeth.
"She doesn't, Harry, but I do," Lauren said from behind me. "I know about all of the shit you've gone through, and none of it gives you any reason not to trust anyone."
I shoved myself away from Bridget, and turned to glare at her. "What the hell are you talking about? Of course I have every right not to trust people."
She shook her head, and crossed her arms. "You knew very well that Emilia wasn't good for you. Everyone else saw it to; your mother, and even your friends, but you chose not to listen to them. You trusted to much, and that was the reason she got you. But that doesn't mean that you shouldn't trust anyone."
"And if you don't trust anyone, that means you don't even trust us, and you practically raised us," Bridget said, coming to stand beside Lauren.
"We've done nothing but try to help you, and you continue to treat us like your magical slaves," Emma said, her soft voice coming out in a stern way.
I sighed, and balled my hands into fists. "Don't gang up on me now, ladies. I'm not in the mood." I turned my back to them.
"We aren't trying to, Harry, but you need to learn to trust someone or else you'll never be able to save Layla."
I turned around to face them sharply, and my gaze instantly went to Emma. "Save her from what?"
"The danger," She said and raised her eyebrows. "The danger is all around you, and you must be wary of the ones that don't deserve your trust. People will deceive you in ways that you can't even imagine."
I growled in frustration. "That's one of the reasons I don't like trusting people. Deception is something that is always used around me, and I won't have any of it anymore," I hissed and shoved my way through them before waking toward the door.
"And it's exactly the reason you should have people to trust, Harry. If you have loyal people standing behind you then you'll be able to defeat this danger, but if not, I fear that you won't live another decade," Emma said, slowly, her small voice turning grave.
I squeezed my eyes shut, and took a deep unneeded breath. I was completely on edge, and all I wanted to do was take a bite out of every human in a five mile radius, but I couldn't. My blood lust only allowed me to drink from one, and I couldn't hurt that one. "Then we better say our goodbyes, ladies. Because the day that I actually put my full trust into someone, is the day that there is a cure for vampirism or even when I let myself believe that love is an actual thing," I said as I walked out into the hallway, and toward the door.
None of them followed me. None of them called for me to come back. They simply let me leave the house, and run down the gravel path, as if I thought running away from them could let me run away from the problems I would have to face.
I couldn't let someone hurt Layla, even if I were to die, I wouldn't allow her to have the same fate. Her life was too precious to me, and she didn't deserve death. She deserved the world, and that was exactly what I would give her before the danger would hit, and I would have to leave her.
A/N:
Hey, guys! I feel loads better now, so I'll try to update more often. :D
If you have a quote that goes along for this story (whether it's said by a famous person, you, or even your mother) comment it down below. I've got a couple others from the last chapter that I will have to use because I do them in the order I get them, but I will get to yours whether I have to do more than one per chapter or something like that, haha. :)
Love you, guys! Thanks for reading. Make sure to tell me your thoughts down below, and leave me a vote if you enjoyed this chapter. It was so much fun to write, I love creating new characters and expanding small characters. :D
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