The Vampire and The Ghost | ✔︎

Chapter Fifty: Use This Next Time

                                                                                Eugene 

"Remember when i found you? How lost and broken you were back then," Vitus grinned, looking past Eugene, almost as if he was lost in the memories. His voice was hoarse with giddiness. "You were dying, everyone had left you there on that battlefield. The only people nearby were already dead."

Eugene faltered for a moment, he remembered that day clearly. No matter how much time had passed, he could still recall falling onto the muddy floor, bleeding out and wishing he could hug his mum one last time before he died. Just before it all went black, he saw a shadow fall over his eyes. Vitus.

"I saw something in you that day. I saw someone who had lost everything. All traces of happiness and hope, gone. I saw a blank state that I could meld into whatever I wanted," Vitus beamed, his scar crackling under his smile. His eyes became unhinged, leering into the void past Eugene.

In a matter of moments, he changed, like an actor switching characters. His attention snapped back to Eugene, as he began to glare. Eugene stepped back, the arm that had been raising the stake lowered while he tried to swallow past his suddenly dry throat.

"I made you." Vitus snarled, pulling against the magical chains in an attempt to get closer to him "Without me you're nothing! Without me you would be dead! You wouldn't have even been able to meet that woman! I should have just let you die!" He began to shout, his voice raising as he went on.

Eugene tried to laugh, but it came out as a shaky breath. He would never admit it out loud, but Vitus was right. It wasn't like he hadn't thought of this himself before. This wasn't anything new. He had years, no centuries, to think about all of this. And for maybe the only time in his life, Vitus was right.

Eugene was nothing.

He had no right to be here, no right to exist and yet somehow he still was. He had been given a second chance at life. But what had he done with it? Murdered, killed, slaughtered. All for the man who brought him back to life. Nothing but a puppet to be controlled and used as seen by the puppet master.

His hands began to tremble, fangs beginning to dig into his lip hard enough to draw blood. Eugene lived with the guilt of all the lives he'd taken, he saw them in the corner of his eyes, underneath his bed and in the closet. They followed him. Everywhere.

He was worthless.

Eugene shifted to look back at Annalise. She was stumbling, trying to get up. Almost like a newborn foul, she fell back down every time. He didn't deserve her. He didn't deserve her kindness, her smiles. Nothing. He had not the slightest clue of what to do when they finally returned her spirit to her body.

But he was selfish, and no matter what happened he would be by her side. If she wanted him there or not, he would stay. She was the only thing he had done right, since he had been turned. Annalise paused in trying to get back up again, it was like she could feel the weight of his stare.

They gazed at each other, and so much yet so little was passed between them. His self-deprecating thoughts abruptly halted. Her eyes drew him into a trance, where he couldn't think of anything. Only her.

A sinister laugh drew him out of the world they had gotten lost in. "Look at you!" Vitus cawed. "Look at how weak you are! Hah! You can't even kill me!" Enraged by his taunting, Eugene turned, drawing his stake up and driving it down towards Vitus' heart. It was time for the old man to shut up.

Before he could plunge the stake into the man's heart, a gust of wind pushed him backwards and onto his butt. The stake fell to a clatter on the floor beside him. Like a statue of Hercules, Raul stood above him. Solid, stone still. From his position on the floor he couldn't really see anything, but as he got up, he took in the carnage Raul had wrecked.

Raul's arm was elbow deep in Vitus' chest. Popping out the other side, like some sick twisted knife. Blood slowly dribbled down to the floor. Drip, drip, drip. The silence was ruined, as Raul yanked his arm out with a horrible squelching sound. Vitus fell to the floor, like a puppet with no strings. A look of superiority now forever, etched onto his dead face.

"He was annoying." Raul gave as an explanation, shaking the blood off of his arm. Eugene nodded, standing beside him. It felt unreal. This man, this huge powerful figure in his mind. Murdered so simply. It almost didn't feel quite right.

"Yeah he was." Eugene acquiesced. Noiselessly, he went back to pick up the silver stake, and then knelt down beside Vitus' dead body. Apathetically he dropped the stake next to Vitus' face. "Use this next time," he hissed, an exact echo of the words Vitus' had said to him, all those years ago. 

With an awkward cough, he stood back up again and surveyed his surroundings. Bodies, and blood littered the floor. He waved his hand around the room, pointedly looking at Harvey and Raul. "Gather them up." He demanded, "No use letting them go to waste. We can drain them of their blood, then burn their bodies." He gave a half hearted look towards Annalise's two friends, who had cowered together in the corner.

"Harvey, before you do anything, deal with them please, take them back home and make sure they stay there till we get back." Eugene asked, waving a hand towards them. Noah and Mia began to protest but they were abruptly cut off as Harvey made his way towards them. Gene would let him deal with that problem until they got back. Then Harvey could come back and make sure all this blood was dealt with. He had to rely on his older brother more than he would've liked, but if it was for Annalise. 

The vampire blood would be food for him and the misfit group that stayed at his house. It would last them at least a month or so. Harvey groaned pathetically, muttering his distaste at having to handle so many dead bodies. Despite all his protests, he went around using his magic to sort through the chaos. Stiffly, Raul began to follow in his lead.

"Gene," Annalise called out weakly, finally able to stand on her feet but not without a wince of pain. Immediately he went over to her. Only when he was right in front of her did he grow conscious of the blood that caked his body. He never wanted her to see him this way. Covered in gore, just like a monster.

It seemed like she didn't care for any of it though, casually grasping his shoulder, sending goosebumps down his spine. "It's over, it's finally over."

Authors Note:  

Hey ya'll! What do you think of this chapter!! I hope you're all doing okay. Chapter fifty can you believe it. Madness! Thanks so much for continuing to read this story, all the love and support means so much to me <3

Hi guys , quick edit was made, i realised i completely forgot about Annalise's friends in this!! How bad of me lol, so ive added in a bit to explain where they have gone, so if you've already read this chapter, give it a little re-read so everything makes sense later on lol <3 

Lots of love,

Sam.E

Word count:1118