Tainted Blood [3]

Chapter 28

"Rise and shine," I threw some water on Archer, making him shoot up in alarm. "Come on, we need to get moving," I jumped through the waterfall, only to land in the lake, I pushed my hair out of the way before swimming to the edge and getting out, I was freezing in only skinny jeans and a bra but it was all I had.

"Wait up," I leaned against a tree, waiting while Archer got out the water. "There's a stream near the back of the house, we follow this water and we'll find it," I nodded and walked ahead. That was all we spoke until maybe an hour later we reached the house, as soon as we left the tree line I was engulfed in a bone crushing hug from Nadia.

"Oh my god, thank god you're okay," she stepped back as everyone joined us. "What happened to your shirt ? And your jeans ? and why are you wet ?" I ignored her questions and walked into the house.

"Ask him," I called over my shoulder, before running upstairs and locking myself in my room, and then I cried, I let it all out before collapsing to the floor and letting the sadness swallow me up.

Archer's POV

"Ask him," Avalon called over her shoulder, before running into the house upstairs.

"What happened ?" Nadia glared at me.

"Nothing, I just said something I shouldn't have," I really didn't mean for it to come out like that, the girl she used to be may be gone, and sure this new Avalon scared the shit out of me, but I loved her more, and I felt like such a dick for not telling her that.

"What did you say ?" I shrugged.

"Nothing, look I gotta go," Nadia stood in front of me.

"I'm not leaving until you tell me what you said," I sighed in defeat.

"I told her that she changed, she wasn't the girl who I fell in love with, she changed so much from her," I looked down at the ground, but looked back up when I felt my cheek start to sting. "Did you slap me ?" I glared.

"Yes I did because you are a complete and utter idiot," If looks could kill Nadia would have murdered me. "During those three months all she did was protect us, she talked about all of you," Nadia stood back and gestured at everyone. "She talked about her friends, the people she'd die for because they would always have her back."

"Nad..." Vicky stepped forward. "Calm down."

"No!" Nadia turned around to Vicky. "You saw what happened in those three months, or don't you remember those days she'd come in bloody and bruised ? Do you remember the day she couldn't even walk ?! Because shed been beaten so badly, never mind raped, so don't you dare try and tell me to calm down."

"That's not fair," Vicky's eyes glazed over but Nadia carried on.

"No what's not fair is despite all the shit they put her through you all still ask where the old Avalon is, you all ask where the Avalon you knew went, well let me tell where she went, she slowly changed, and honestly, I couldn't go through half the stuff she went through and still smile, but somehow she managed to," Nadia sagged, like she'd let out all the anger. "So you think of that, because honestly ? Your lucky to even have an Avalon at this point," she turned and walked into the house.

"She's right you know," Dayton spoke up before slapping me on the back of the head. "Now go tell Avalon what you really feel before I beat it out of you," I nodded before running into the house, I listened with my hound hearing to try and find her and caught the sound of her sobbing upstairs, I ran up the stairs and stopped outside our bedroom door.

"Avalon ? Avalon open the door," I heard her sniffle. "Please."

"Imagine you meet this guy, and you start to fall for him so hard you might as well be flying," I feel my eyes start to tear up. "And then you forget him, he makes you forget him and it hurts so bad, but you can't even remember why you're sad," I felt a tear roll down my cheek.

"Avalon, please, open the door so we can talk," she ignored me and carried on talking.

"And then you meet him again, and you get to fall in love with him all over again, you actually get the chance to fall in love all over again, and then before you can tell him how you feel you're taken by a power crazed leech," I heard a thump inside, indicating she'd hit something. "And you're imprisoned for three months."

"Avalon, I'm begging you to open the door," I was on my knees, I barely noticed that everyone had joined me on the landing, even Nadia.

"You saw what happened to me in that place," Avalon's voice turned angry. "Everyday, every beating, every death, it killed a little piece of me every time, I watched myself as I slowly started to turn into this, this cold, hard, numb girl who's broken into so many pieces nothing could fix her."

"Avalon, you're not broken, okay ? I promise you, your not-" she cut me off.

"Yes I am!" Everyone stayed silent for a moment before she spoke again. "Ever since I came back, all everyone has asked me is where is the old Avalon, where's the Avalon I used to know," she let out a humorless laugh. "She's dead, she died the minute Stefan walked into my life, she died and I can't ever get her back, and even if I did, if I let myself feel it all to become her, I'd break into a million pieces, because I can't handle everything."

"Avalon, let me help you, I know you're hurting, and I know it's killing you, please let me help," I had tears streaming down my face by now.

"You know what the most painful thing I went through? Hearing the one person who I love more then anything, the one person who I cared the most about, telling me I wasn't the person they fell in love with," I broke at how heartbroken she sounded.

"Avalon, I do love you, I didn't lie when I said I didn't see the Avalon I knew because the person you used to be, before this, your right, she's long dead," I heard Avalon snort. "But I still see the girl who helped me when she was attacked by a group of vampires, the same fearless girl who stood up for some guy who turned into a wolf, the girl who wouldn't be afraid of me."

"Archer-" I cut her off.

"Avalon you may have changed, I admit the new you scares the hell out of me because sometimes I so scared to lose you again. But I could never stop loving you, I know what I said sounded bad, but the girl I originally loved, she's gone, and instead she's been replaced by this strong, confident badass girl who is fearless, fierce and I can't live without her. Please just open the door Av," I waited, listening in, the only sound was the soft beat of her heart. Suddenly the door handle jiggled, and the door was opened to reveal a tear stained Avalon, with blood shot eyes, thankfully she'd pulled on a jumper.

"I'm damaged and broken," she let out a shaky breath.

"I don't care," I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her to my chest. "I'll love you anyway," I kissed her forehead and slowly ran my hand through her hair. The front door started knocking, causing everyone to freeze.

"Who's that ?" Nadia whispered, as if scared the person downstairs could hear us, knowing our luck, they probably could.

"You might want to hear what I have to say!" A man's voice echoed through the house, he sounded familiar.

"He was the guy talking to Casey at the warehouse," Avalon spoke up from between my arms.

"Why does that voice sound so familiar ?" Tyler asked.

"Yeah, I know that voice too," Vicky looked over at him.

"Let's go find out," I held onto Avalon's hand as we all walked down to the front door, I slowly opened it, to see someone who I hadn't seen in a long time, so ling I barely remembered the Bastard.

"Good evening, remember me ?"