DNA

Monster or Protector

Both West siblings had their respective weapons always at hand. Jade had a sharpened pair of stainless steel scissors and Nathan had a switchblade their father used to carry everywhere. When they traveled they kept quiet, rarely talking unless they needed to. Sometimes people roamed the streets as well as a few vampires still human enough to cover up with clothes and wear sunglasses to avoid direct sunlight from damaging their sensitive eyes and skin, but those were few and far between. Jade pulled out the weathered map and led the way. By the time night fell they were a town's distance away from their destination. They found another motel, which was still running as a sort of shelter/camp, and locked themselves in a room.

"Why don't we just kick it with people here?" Nathan asked after they were all settled and sharing the last of a box of crackers.

"Because it's only temporary. This isn't a way to live, hiding until they catch up with us. We need to join the biggest group of survivors out there. It'll be safer than being on our own," she answered calmly. He sighed and fell back on the bed. She could tell he was just tired of running. But if they wanted to stop running they needed a safe location to settle down. Jade stood from her seat on the floor and fell onto the bed next to him.

"Let's just relax and get some sleep. I'll take first watch," he insisted. She knew he wouldn't take no for an answer this time so she curled up on her side and prepared to sleep. Nathan woke her up right on time, which surprised her. He always tried to get more out of his guard duty, but this time, he must have been too tired. She stretched out and then stood to pace while he fell asleep. She stopped at one point to look back at him. He seemed so innocent and fragile, his fair features highlighted by the light of the moon. She stared at him, trying to imprint his young face in her mind's eye. He was all she had left. A crash in the next room brought her back to reality. She crept to the door and looked out the peep hole but no one was there. Her hammering heart slowed a little. She turned away to head back to the bed when the door burst open, the lock forced from the wall. She flinched and covered her head as wood flew past her.

"Shit!" she cursed, pushing herself forward to get to her brother, but steel hands snagged her before she could move. She was thrown back into the wall. A fist struck her face and then slammed into her stomach. The strength was tempered to cause pain and dizziness but she felt it could easily kill her should it be any stronger than it had been. She almost slid to the floor but was forced back to her feet.

"Get up," a gruff voice demanded. It was cold and made her shiver.

"Jade? Jade!" Nathan shouted when he woke up. He was pulled to his feet by another. They were dragged outside where they were thrown to the ground in the abandoned parking lot. Jade pulled her scissors from her boot and plunged them into the nearest attacker. He screamed and she shoved him away to get to her brother. She made it to him just in time to block him from a kick to his head which was now directed at her knee. It crippled her enough that she fell to the ground.

"Nate, run," she panted.

"I'm not leaving you," he denied with a shake of his head. She looked at him to see he had a bloody nose. They hit him. Her anger boiled and she swung wildly at the figures approaching them. They snickered at her and swiftly parted the siblings once more. Jade fought and struggled, her scissors finding flesh every so often, until her attacker grew impatient and struck her again. The blow made her head spin.

"Stop fighting or I'll rip your throat out," he snarled, revealing what they were really dealing with. Her blood froze in her veins and she looked up over her shoulder into the cruel black and white eyes of a vampire. He bared his fangs and snarled down at her. She glared back defiantly and then yanked free to stab him in the chest. He roared in rage but she was free. She darted over to Nathan where a second vampire was taunting him. He was more feral than the one that was holding her hostage.