My feet were bare, but that didn't matter now. It wouldn't hurt if they scraped against the rough ground - my priority right now was getting Carrie to safety. I was acting on impulse; I still hadn't wrapped my head around the fact that they were here, and that Mother and Father weren't here to fight with us this time. We no longer had the element of surprise - meaning the tables had turned.
I kept snapping my head backwards to see if we had anyone on our trails, my mind making shapes out of the shadows, which only increased my already rapid breathing. I didn't need to breathe, not often anyway, but I liked it. It was refreshing and...normal.
'Carrie, hide!' I hissed, opening the door to our safe room as we arrived before it.
'But Avery - what about you? There's only room in here for one of us!' She cried, her eyes pleading with me.
'I know.' I snapped, pushing her inside the closet-like room. It wasn't exactly very well built, for a family of four, however, it had always been agreed that either Carrie or I would take place inside if it came to it.
'I love you.' I told her before hearing her locking the door. I knew that there was a very slim chance of me getting out of here alive - I could only hope for Carrie's life to remain. However, I couldn't shake the look of utter fear imprinted on her face when I left her.
I didn't stop running once. I didn't know quite where I was running to, though I had an idea. My feet were flying, pushing me further with each step as I raced through the maze that was our cave. I knew I couldn't run, or hide for long. I wasn't at an advantage. The others would know these caves even better than I did.
I gulped, realising I'd come to a dead end and pulled open the door, wincing at the noise it made. This was surely the first place they'd look, so there was no use hoping. However, maybe I would be a large enough distraction for Carrie to escape. I heaved the door shut behind me, resting against it. A few decades ago, I'd have been breathless. Not anymore.
My eyes adjusted to the darkness quickly. This room wasn't used often, so had no lighting what so ever, yet I could still make out the only object decorating the dull room. An urn, placed proudly on a mineral carved altar directly in the middle of the large room.
I didn't bother turning on any lights or lighting any candles. I wouldn't be here long. Wiping cold tears from my eyes, that I hadn't even realised had formed or fallen from my eyes, I fell to my knees, staring up at the urn. It was made of amethyst - not very practical, but beautiful. I reached up, running my index finger along the jagged edges of the crystal. Biting my lip, I dug the sharp point of one of the crystals into my finger. Obviously, it didn't hurt, but I suppose it was a habit to be afraid. A drop of my blood fell onto the crystals, turning each one it touched to red, running across the urn like a river and spreading it's darkness across the beautiful mold, until the entire thing was blood red.
The lid fell from the top, clattering to the ground. I closed my eyes in shock. Clapping my hands together again, I opened my eyes fully. The ashes from the urn were floating in a circle above me, sparkling in some sort of light that I couldn't find the source of. Then they fell to the ground, surrounding me, before suddenly latching onto my skin.
I screamed in pain as each individual flake seemed to burn me, folding into my flesh and finding it's way into my blood stream, my ancestor's bodies and souls binding me to them. It was then that I realised something. I'd just saved myself.
I fell to the ground, panting and sweating as the pain leased. By releasing my ancestor's ashes onto my own body, I'd created a bond, which meant for the next 100 days... I couldn't be killed. My body was protected from death and my soul trapped inside it... but the others would definitely find me. My only question was....if they couldn't kill me.....what would they do with me?
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I was currently sat in the corner of the same room, huddling my knees to my chest and letting my head tip forward so my hair veiled my face. How pathetic, I know. I'm a vampyre, I should be bravely fighting to the death! Ha.
There had been much screaming over the past few hours, though I'd lost track of whose. I was sure of one thing, though. Everyone was dead. Apart from me, that is.
I knew they were playing games, now. They must know where I was, so they were teasing me now. Taunting me, drawing out my fear. I could imagine them all smiling in glee, and then the moment when they captured me...
I shuddered thinking about it. I didn't want to. If I could take it back, the moment we stole their home, then I would. I really would. But I can't, and now, here I am.
'Avery...' Someone sang, then started whistling a tune I didn't know. 'Avery? Avery, darling. Where are you?' They asked, concerned. Ha. Concern wasn't something these creatures would feel. No, Mother had warned me about them. They had been Vampyres for almost a thousand year. They'd lost their humanity. They were hopeless.
There was a gust of cold wind suddenly enter the room. 'Avery. I know you're in here. Why don't you just open the door?' They lulled. By now I was sure it was a boy, by the sounds of it not much older or younger than me. Well, physically. How old must he have been when he was turned? God knows. I knew some vampyres froze at a certain physical age, but even trying to figure it out was mind blowing.
Wait, I remember Mama telling me one of them was turned later than the others. A new addition to the family, just settling in when we raiding the home. Which meant, this must be him. Maybe I could appeal to his more...human side.
'Why would I do that?' I laughed, trying to keep my voice steady.
'Because either way, this door is being opened. By your force or mine.'
'I'd like to stay alive for just a little longer. Can I wallow in self pity for a few more minutes?'
He laughed bitterly. 'I've heard about you, Avery. You like music, don't you? Play me a song. Play me a song so I can get to know you before I kill you.' He breathed, and I could imagine him smiling.
I didn't answer, too afraid to think of a response. Then the door strained, bulging, and I knew he was pushing against it. I didn't have long.
'Where are your family?' I asked, biting my cheek.
'Oh, they're waiting for me to bring you to them. See, we couldn't wait to kill your parents. They were so...delicious to kill. Their screams were just...yummy. But your sister, Carrie? We can hang on. We've got her. She's waiting for you, you know. To save her. But you can't, can you? No, you only hid yourself.'
With that, the door flew open to reveal the boy. He was tall. Very tall, and his hair covered his left eye. He was wearing skinny jeans, and what looked like a leather jacket. I'm pretty sure he had a lip ring in, too. Nice, for a Vampyre.
'I like this song. It makes me feel badass.' He grinned lazily, gliding towards me, tapping his fingers to the beat of the music before greeting my eyes with his shockingly green ones. Apparently his hearing was so sharply tuned he could hear the now quiet music coming from the headphones I'd left discarded on the ground.
'Mmm. So pretty. I'm glad we don't have to kill you just yet.' He kneeled next to me, resting his head on my shoulder. 'Such a shame about your sister, though. I'm sure my brother Vic will enjoy killing her very much. However, I'm saving you. You're all mine.' His lips curved upwards. a smile gracing his lips once again. 'Caelen, by the way.'
Suddenly I was being pulled violently to my feet.
'Don't you touch my sister.' I snarled, trying to pull away from him, but he was hoisting me into his arms and clutching me tightly to his chest. I felt disgusted even touching him, but I knew wriggling away would be of no use.
'Now, now. It's not my fault you left her to fend for herself.' He tutted. 'Now come on. We have a show to start.' His eyes widened, shining with glee, as he picked up speed and we fled towards my sister.
I felt numb. I was about to watch my sister's death at the hands of a revenge my parents had initiated. And it was all my fault that she was about die while I was going to live.
Or maybe it was better for her just to die.
