CRIMSON

wanting the truth

- chapter thirty five -

The vampire stopped in his movements and looked at his heart, the sword stuck in it. He put his head back, staring at the sky and laughed. It was over and he lost, but why was he laughing? Was it because he knew he ruined lives? Was it something else? Or was it because he was just a madman? Slowly, he turned to dust and the sword fell to the ground. Brielle fell too, the sword held her upright. She closed her eyes, having given to her last effort. The last week was horrifying and it was finally over, but at what cost? Her father was dead, killed by the Cotters.

Rafe took her in her arms and used one of the many knives on the ground to mutilate his arm and donate his blood to the blonde. He then stood up and did the same for the others. All the time he was tending to the hunters, Rafe was in his thoughts. His entire family was dead but they never treated him as such, why was he feeling so guilty over people who never cared for him? He had none left, he was alone. What was he going to do? Move again? Stay here, on the place he killed his mother?

The door of the Banwell's car opened and Victor got out of it, shaking. For the last minutes, he had witnessed such an awful scene. His boyfriend was a vampire, his family was too. Nobody was shocked, on the contrary, they had expertise in this field. Their way of fighting was not only due to their training. His best friend's dad died, and so did his boyfriend's family.

Trembling, he walked to his boyfriend who was busy taking care of everyone. Theron's body was still there, still warm. Rafe stood up and faced his boyfriend. They kept silent for a few minutes, Victor looked at everybody, lost. He closed his eyes, wishing everything was a dream, but it wasn't.

— Can... Can you please tell me what the fuck happened? He ordered, his lower lip trembling.

Rafe lowered his gaze, looking at the ground. Let me take them inside first, he declared, taking Brielle in his arms. He will run at his true speed and drop everyone inside, in comfortable places. He went back outside and saw Victor standing in front of Theron Banwell's lifeless body.

— What are we going to do about him?

— I don't know, admitted the hybrid.

— You don't know?

— Sorry, I am certainly a mistake of nature but I am not an expert on how to deal with bodies! Shouted Rafe, overwhelmed. He took Theron, shaking. He had a corpse in his arms, it was a feeling that only serial killers liked to have.

Victor went inside, silent. He went to the couch and sat. He crushed his hands, one leg was shaking strongly. He took a deep breath, his eyes closed. He had the impression that time passed with agonising slowness. He wanted to know what happened but at the same time, he wanted to forget it all.

Rafe came back and sat next to Victor. He had dreaded this moment for a long time and it had finally arrived. Ask me anything, and I'll answer, he declared, avoiding the human's eyes.

— Anything? I want to know everything. He wasn't looking at Rafe either. Both were looking at the wall in front of them. What are you? What was your family? What is Brielle and everyone else? Why did this happen? He was pretending to be emotionless but inside he was panicking. But he needed answers, now.

— For seventeen years I thought I was a vampire, like my parents and Elijah. Turns out I'm a hybrid, a vampire and a werewolf, started Rafe, biting his lip. Brielle and the others are hunters, they're supposed to hunt people like me. Elijah, he's the one responsible for all the killings here.

All the killings. Mark, Damian, and Lucas. They were killed by Elijah. Victor couldn't understand why Elijah would kill them unless Rafe was implied. Rafe continued the story, explaining how his cousin kidnapped Brielle and how they barely got her out of there alive.