Dark Desires

Chapter 20

Johnathan stands before me, his eyes filled with an intensity I've never seen before. This is the man who's been my best friend, my confidant. And now... he's telling me that he's been hiding secrets from me all along. "Alright, Amelia," he says softly, stepping closer, but still keeping a careful distance.

 "I'll tell you everything. But you need to understand... I did it to protect you. Everything I've done was for you." I feel a lump form in my throat, my chest tightening with a mix of fear and confusion. "Protect me?" I repeat, my voice shaking. "By tearing my world apart? By... by telling me Daven killed my mother?" Johnathan's eyes darken, a shadow passing over his face. 

"Yes. I know it hurts, but you needed to see him for what he is. He's dangerous, Amelia. If you stay with him, he will destroy you. Just like he destroyed your mother." The mention of my mother sends a fresh wave of pain crashing over me. I wrap my arms around myself, as if that could somehow keep me from falling apart. 

"Why didn't you tell me sooner?" I whisper, fighting to keep my voice steady "Why did you wait until now?" Johnathan's expression softens, and for a moment, I see the friend I've known for years — the one who's always been there for me, who's always looked out for me. "Because I was trying to protect you, Amelia. I didn't want to drag you into this... this nightmare.

 But when I saw how close you were getting to Daven, I had no choice." I take a shaky breath, my mind racing with everything I've learned tonight. Daven, the man I thought I was falling for, had killed my mother in cold blood. But here's the thing — a small, traitorous part of me doesn't want to believe it. I look into Johnathan's eyes, searching for the truth, trying to understand. 

"You say you're trying to protect me, but why do I feel like you've been hiding just as much as Daven?" Johnathan flinches, and for a moment, his carefully controlled mask slips. "You're right," he admits quietly. "I have been hiding things. But it's not what you think." "Then tell me," I press, my voice rising. "Tell me the whole truth, Johnathan. 

No more half-truths, no more lies. If you really care about me, you owe me that much." He hesitates, his gaze flickering between me and the dark shadows of the trees behind us, as if he's expecting someone — or something — to emerge at any moment. "Alright," he says finally, his voice a low whisper. 

"But you have to promise me that no matter what I say, you won't go running back to Daven." I want to laugh at the absurdity of it all. Running back to Daven? After everything I've learned tonight? But there's a tiny part of me, deep down, that still wants to hear his side of the story. "I don't know if I can promise that," I say honestly.

 "But I'll listen. That's all I can give you." Johnathan sighs, his shoulders sagging. "Fine," he mutters, almost to himself. "I suppose that's better than nothing." He takes a deep breath and looks me in the eyes. "Amelia... Daven and I are not just ordinary vampires. We're something far older, far more dangerous." 

My heart skips a beat at his words, but I stay silent, waiting for him to continue. "Daven and I... we're what's known as Pharaohs. The original line of vampires, the ones who were never meant to exist. We were created centuries ago, long before the world even knew what monsters were." His eyes search mine, desperate to make me understand. "We're stronger, faster, more powerful than any vampire you've ever heard of. And Daven... he's a ticking time bomb."

 I swallow hard, my mind spinning with this new revelation. Pharaohs? Original vampires? It sounds like something out of a horror movie, not real life. But the way Johnathan is looking at me, I know he's telling the truth — or at least, his version of it. "But if you're the same as Daven," I say slowly, "then how can I trust you? How do I know you're not just using me to get back at him?" Johnathan's expression softens, and he steps closer, his voice dropping to a whisper. 

"Because I love you, Amelia. I've loved you since the moment I first saw you, long before Daven came back into your life."His confession hits me like a punch to the gut. I feel my breath hitch, my eyes widening as I stare at him. 

"You... love me?" I ask, my voice barely more than a whisper. "Yes," he says, his voice raw with emotion. "I never wanted to involve you in any of this, but when I saw you falling for him... I couldn't just stand by and watch him ruin your life. I had to do something. I had to protect you." I take a step back, my mind reeling. 

"You say you love me, but you've been lying to me this whole time. You've been manipulating me just like Daven did.""No, Amelia, it's not like that," he insists, his eyes pleading with me. "I know I've made mistakes, but everything I did was to keep you safe. Daven doesn't care about you the way I do. He can't control his bloodlust, and one day, he's going to hurt you just like he hurt your mother." Tears blur my vision, but I blink them away. 

"And what about you, Johnathan? How do I know you're not just as dangerous?" "Because I would never hurt you," he says, his voice breaking. "I would rather die than see you suffer." The raw emotion in his voice makes my heart ache. 

I want to believe him, to trust that his feelings for me are real. But how can I, when I've been lied to so many times already? Before I can respond, a rustle in the trees catches my attention. I turn, my breath hitching as Daven steps into the clearing, his eyes glowing a furious crimson. 

"Amelia," he growls, his voice filled with a mix of anger and desperation. "What are you doing here with him?" "Daven, don't—" Johnathan starts, but Daven moves faster than I can see, slamming into him and sending him crashing into the snow. "Stop it!" I scream, my voice breaking. "Both of you, stop!" But they don't listen. They're a blur of motion, fists and fangs flashing as they battle like two wild animals. The ground shakes with the force of their blows, and all I can do is watch in horror, torn between the two men who have turned my life into a nightmare.

 "Amelia, get out of here!" Daven shouts, blood streaming from a cut on his forehead. "Run!" But I can't move. I'm frozen, my heart tearing in two as I watch them fight. I thought I could find the truth, that I could somehow make sense of this madness. But now, I don't know who to trust, who to believe. All I know is that if I don't do something, one of them is going to die. With a surge of adrenaline, I grab the nearest thing I can find — a piece of wood from the crumbling church fence — and step between them, holding it out like a shield. 

"Stop!" I scream, tears streaming down my face. "Both of you, stop or I swear I'll use this!" Daven and Johnathan freeze, their eyes locked on the piece of wood trembling in my hands. For a moment, everything is silent except for the sound of my ragged breathing. "Amelia," Daven says softly, his eyes flickering back to green. 

"Put that down. I won't hurt you." I shake my head, holding the makeshift stake tighter. "I don't know what to believe anymore," I sob. "You've both lied to me. How am I supposed to trust either of you?" Johnathan takes a step forward, his eyes filled with something that looks like desperation. 

"Amelia, please. Let me explain. I—"But before he can finish, the ground trembles beneath us, a deep rumble that shakes the very foundation of the church. Something is coming. Something darker than either of them. And I have a terrible feeling that whatever it is... it's only just the beginning.