I know what you are. (Noah Sebastian fanfic)

9- Happiness is an illusion

Title: lyrics from "V.A.N"- Bad Omens & Poppy

Looking back at her in the mirror she saw something that craved human blood, that murdered living people to fill herself. A merciless being , inhumanly fast,  unbelievably strong, and unnatural eyes that were a warning sign.

She realised now that she was gifted with these eyes to see victims from further away, her hearing was enhanced to hear nearby food. She was the perfect killing machine.

Her anger boiled over, she never wanted this, she doesn't deserve this, she couldn't stand to see herself this way. In a flash her closed fist connected with the mirror as it turned to shards beneath the force.

Pieces of the reflective glass fell to the floor in a loud crash. Mere milliseconds later Noah had swung the door open to make sure she was okay.

He found a tearstained, though less bloody Malina, gripping the edges of the sink so hard her knuckles were white, as shards of whats left of the mirror surround her.

"Hey are you okay?" he spoke , entering the room cautiously.

"Why am I a vampire?" it was clear in her tone that she was angry and trying to hide it. Noah dreaded the question, knowing he would have to admit his selfishness.

"Be..... Because I turned you into one.", Malina's grip on the sink tightened, she gritted her teeth for a second , never looking Noah in the eye, "Why?" she spat out.

Noah took a deep breath, "I didn't intend to at first.." Before he could continue, the edge of the sink shattered beneath Malina's grip.

"No, you just intended to kill me, like that makes it any better Noah!" finally turning to face him, the fire of rage behind her eyes.

"No one lives after a vampire bite okay?" Noah blurts out, "I was starving so drank from you, and I shouldn't have." He sighed, unable to look her in the eye. "Because I realised that didn't want you to die... I wanted to get to know you.."

Malina paused for a second trying to understand what he means, Noah continued, "Once bitten, you either get drained of your blood and die for good, or.. get bitten and left alone long enough for you to turn into a vampire."

A single tear rolled down from Malina's face, there came a point where she would get so angry she would cry, and she hated it, "You decided to damn me to this existence 'just because'?"

She had no more energy to yell , her quiet anger was somehow more threatening however,

"I know, and I'm sorry.. I really am, I wish things could have been different." Noah spoke softly still unable to meet Malina's eyes, guilt eating away at him.

"You turned me into something I hate so much I can't look at myself in the mirror..." Malina's voice was quiet and shakey from tears welling in her eyes, she beings to brush past Noah to exit the room.

Just before exiting she speaks softly over she shoulder, "I wish you would've just killed me."

Something in Noah broke with that statement, he had never caused so much hurt in wanting something good. Malina disappeared into the corridor and Noah was left alone in the destroyed room.

He needed to make it up to her, knowing what he knows now he'd undo it all if he could.

Noah had a sudden thought, it may be stupid or may not work, but if there was anyone who knew anything about it, it was Nick.

Noah burst into the library once more, to find Nick flicking through spell books, startling Nick so much he nearly dropped a book in his hand. "Woah dude you scared me.", Noah could hear how his heart palpitated with his entrance.

"Is there a cure?" Noah stated as calmly as he could muster, Nick was still trying to regain composure, unable to process the question fully, "a-a cure? Is she sick? Is-"

"for Vampirism." Noah cuts him off his statement hanging thick in the air.

Nick swallows , eyes wide as he stared at the vampire before him, hesitant to reveal the answer. He lets out a deep sigh after a few seconds of silence, "Yes... there is."

Noah knew that he was asking this to save her, but he couldn't help but feel a bit betrayed that this was never offered to him, Nick knew how he was turned, that Noah never wanted this and hoped for nothing more than to return to his old self before this affliction.

"Why'd you never tell me?" there is evident hurt in Noah's voice, Nick hated knowing he'd hurt his friend, and couldn't bare to look him in the eye, "It's a tough spell Noah, and not a perfect one.."

Nick gripped at the desk before continuing, "If the spell is successful.. You will age rapidly, to the age you actually are, You Noah, as a 120 something year old wouldn't survive."

Understanding, Noah felt a little less hurt, but the slight feeling of hope he'd gotten also faded with it, Private Sebastian was truly gone for good.

"What about her?" Noah was able to mumble out, Nick only lets out a larger sigh, "The nature of this spell is the correction of the wrong of vampirism... So in order to bring one soul to life, another must be taken in return, this is the balance of nature."

"Nick what are you saying?" Noah frustratedly blurts out, he did not feel like riddles today.

Nick finally looks the vampire in the eye, "Any human who casts this spell will die in doing so." Noah swallowed thinking about what Nick had just dropped on him, he thought that this was going to be the end of it, he fucked everything up and would now have to live with it, when he suddenly got hung up on a slight detail, "Any human?.... What if I did it?"

Nick thought for a moment and eventually drew a blank, "I don't know... It's never been preformed by a vampire before, not that I know of."

The pair stood in silence for what seemed like hours, after a while Nick started making his way over to the bookshelf that lined the right wall, he took the ladder and slid it over a few feet before climbing five rungs.

He scanned the dusty books before landing on one bound with a black leather cover.

When he climbed down he blew the dust off to reveal an engraving of multiple sigils that Noah did not recognise. Nick started to flick towards the right page when he began to speak again, "I really don't think you should do this, we have no idea how it will go for you or for her."

Nick seemed to find the page he was looking for and Noah peered over to see, he saw what looked like instructions in a language he didn't recognise, along with some disturbing illustrations of what was probably the ritual.

Noah reached over to scan the page with his finger but as he touched the page he withdrew his finger with such speed it startled Nick.

Noah's finger felt like it was burning , but not like that of the sun, more like the burn of vampire venom coursing through your veins when bit. It was excruciating and it brought Noah back to the gravel roadside of Italy.

Noah was on the floor gripping his finger, that was now covered in an ashy black colour, he watched as the threatening colour crawled back down his finger until it disappeared, the pain along with it, allowing him to finally catch a breath.

Nick was looking down at him with wide eyes and concern, Noah was almost sure that the former was about to talk him out of preforming this spell but Noah knew he had to make this right for her, and spoke before Nick could,

"I'm willing to take this risk, no matter the cost."