Salvation

Chapter 22

She whizzed up the stairs coming to a stop outside her closed door. It was locked. It shouldn't have been. Panic stirred within her. She shook the door violently. "Kol are you in there?" She called, banging the door with her hands. There was no answer. She rapped at the door relentlessly refusing to give up. She knew he was in there. His raspy breathing gave him away. His footsteps fell back. She kicked the door down with one swift move. He was cowering in the corner, holding his hands out, blocking her. "Don't come in! DON'T!"

Narrowing her eyes and with a frown, she took a small step closer. "Why?" Her voice shaky. She took another step into the room.

"NO please...it failed. The spell failed! I'm still cursed...please I beg you leave! LEAVE! Why did you come in! Why do you refuse to listen!" He roared. "All I can smell is your BLOOD! All I can hear is your heart beating so loud in my head!"

Shaking her head, she moved closer to him with arms stretched out. "Kol fight it!" She stood in front of him, holding his face in her hands. "You can do this! You can control it. Just look in my eyes and know I love you and hold onto that. I need you to hold onto that." He shook his head, tears rolling down his face.

"Leave!" He threw her off, sending her crashing against the wardrobe. Groaning, she staggered back up to her feet. The original reared his ugly face. He snarled, baring his fangs at her. He was unrecognisable. She was unrecognisable. All he saw was the throbbing vein on her neck. All he heard was how hard her heart pounded against her chest. He was a vicious, uncontrollable monster, with just one goal that had taken him whole. The hunger it was raging. Ravaged him. Her words fell on deaf ears. He stalked closer. But she rejected the thought of giving up, throwing her arms around him, she cried, and pleaded. But he wasn't in control. He couldn't truly see her. The sounds of cheering emerged. They were whistling and cheering outside. He threw his head back, snarling. She stopped thrashing around in his merciless grip and screwed her eyes shut as his fangs seared through her. He masticated her neck like a beast who had been deprived of his right to feed. He tore into her further. The countdown began as those downstairs continued to cheer.

10....9......8.... He pressed his face deeper in her neck. ....7....6 they cheered more.......5. With what strength she had left she held onto him, the tears rolling down. The thumping of her heart captivated him. He was ravenous. Pulling his face from her neck, blood dribbling down his chin, Kol bore into her with glossy eyes. Her heart thrashed against her....4....3....2....Captivated, he rammed his hand through, his fingers latching onto the battering organ. Unaware of what he was doing he yanked his arm back, holding the organ that gave one final beat before it gave way. ....1. Clapping and cheering as the outdoors exploded. The new year had begun. Colours in the sky danced reflecting themselves onto the window. The curse freed him. Trembling, he looked down at the hand that held the heart, eyes growing wide to the stomach-churning realisation of what he had done. His insides gnawed and twisted.

"No NO... Sophia I-i. I didn't mean..." He dropped to the floor where she lay. He trembled, eyes welling with tears. "No Sophia!" He cried out, eyes ferociously raking over her face, searching for any sign of life. "Wake up! wake up.... wake...up!" He chocked through the pain and tears-voice breaking. The lump grew larger in his throat. Quickly and desperately, he pulled her to his chest, clutching the back of her head-supplicating. "Wake up. wake up..." The tears mixed with blood as they slipped down, falling onto her already dampened head. His voice grew louder yet shaky. "Wake up!" He shook her pleading for her to come back to him. There was no response. The fallen man gasped for breaths that burned him. He killed the woman he loved without knowing. Cradling her in his arms, endless tears slipped down.

                                                       01/01/2027

Through the clamour of the crowd and the ruckus of fireworks, the harrowing cry rattled him the moment he stepped foot in. The heart wrenching cry came again. His eyes darted up the darkened stairs. The air suddenly dense and ghastly. Sparing no more time, he sprinted up them, following the cries. The closer he got, a chill coiled itself around him. Heart shuddering. Slowly, he pushed the door open with his foot. It creaked open revealing his brother with his back against the wall, cradling her body in his arms. Tears races down his face as he stared endlessly ahead. "KOL." He called out snapping his brother out his turmoil. "Kol! WHAT DID YOU DO?!" He bellowed.