The Black Raven

Don't Say I Didn't Warn You

­I stand outside of Eric's room, gathering my thoughts and making sure that my wards and spells are up. I take a single breath before I knock a single time on his door, letting the thud echo throughout his chambers. I stand there for a minute before his door swings open and he stands in the doorway, his hair disheveled as if he has just got out of bed.

Make him believe you. Jessie's voice echoes within me.

"Are you going to ex-" he begins, but then I throw myself against him and our lips meet. He takes a step back and I carefully kick the door closed, making sure that it makes the smallest noise possible. My arms wrap around him and he lifts me up, where I wrap my legs around his waist, not wanting to fall. He slowly walks us towards his bed, not breaking the kiss, and lays me down on it. There's no spark, no feeling stirring within me, but I'm not the one to pull away. Eric breaks away and rolls to the side to lie on his back.

"You can't keep doing this Raven." He says.

I turn to lie on my side and look at him as if I don't understand what he's meaning.

"This," he states, sounding frustrated. "You can't come to me, promise an explanation and then..." I hear him grind his teeth together and then I hear him let out a deep breath. "What happened that night?" His tone is final.

He rotates and looks me dead in the eyes. I close my eyes and force tears to well up.

"Izzy was my best friend, and she betrayed me," I feel my warm tears rolling down my face. "I trusted her with my life and she... she..." I'm gasping now, the darkness inside me being quelled by my tears, no longer faking.

Eric reaches out and pulls me towards his chest. "It's ok," he murmurs against my skin as I cry. "It's ok, you don't have to tell me, I understand." He holds me against his chest as my sobs subside, and against the warmth of his chest, I finally fall asleep peacefully.

*

Eric's Point of View

She's so beautiful. Her black hair is lying loose on the bed, like black ink spilt on a clean page. A small smile spreads across my face, what was I thinking? She's still my Raven. I reach my hand out to stroke a stray piece of hair away from her cheek but as soon as I touch her skin I pull back, it's ice cold. I slowly extend my hand and place it on her forehead; she's freezing. I start to move my hand to reach for her shoulder to wake her up when I freeze.

"It can't be." I breathe out. I lean back and think, everything fitting into place. The three days she was missing, the cold skin, her using magic more. I think about this morning and seeing her in the doorway, her skin was pale but I just passed it of as the light. The more I think about it the more it makes sense. I quietly step of the bed and slide the bedside table open I reach inside and pull out a knife. I lean over Raven and put it beneath her nose. There's no fog. I hear Raven's voice in my head from weeks ago. If I ever become one of them, kill me. Promise me that, just promise me one thing. I put the knife down and grab one of the stakes from the draw. I stand above her the weapon raised above my head, ready to plunge it into her heart and kill her. I take a deep breath and close my eyes. Do it. I urge myself. It's what she wanted. I raise it higher and then I bring it down, just as I'm about to pierce her skin, I stop.

"I can't." I breathe, gritting my teeth. The stake falls onto the bed and I walk over to the corner of my wall where I silently bang my head on the wall. "You idiot. She's not the same person anymore, if she gets the chance she'll kill you." I mutter. I turn around and lean back against the wall putting my head in my hands, when I hear a small voice whisper my name.

"Eric?" Raven questions, I look up and see her staring at me. She see the expression on my face and her face falls even more. "Eric, what's wrong?" She starts to move to get out of bed, when my eyes quickly dart to the stake resting on the bed beside her, I tear my eyes away but not fast enough for her not to notice. Her eyes slowly glide down to the sheets beside her and when she sees the stake her face goes cold. She steps off the bed and closes her eyes, looking frustrated.

"I tried Eric. I tried to protect you, but you just had to dig deeper. Oh no Raven is different! There has to be something wrong, let me find out." She starts to walk towards, her face no longer friendly. "Maybe, just maybe, I can fix her."

She's close now, threatening me, I make a split second decision. I lunge towards the stake, this time with enough conviction to kill her.

*

Raven's Point of View

A faint murmuring wakes me and I sit up on the bed, looking into the corner where the sounds are coming from.

"Eric?" I ask. I peer into the darkness and make out his shape leaning against the wall. He looks upset and I start to worry. "Eric, what's wrong? I start to get out of bed, when I see his eyes go to the sheets beside me. I slowly look down beside me and see a stake lying next to me. My face turns to stone and I swing myself off the bed. I stand there, my eyes closed and the creature returns to me, all pity and remorse wiped out.

"I tried Eric, I tried to protect you, but you just had to dig deeper. Oh no Raven is different! There has to be something wrong, let me find out." I start to walk towards him, anger and frustration filling my voice. "Maybe, just maybe, I can fix her."

Destroy him. Jessie says in my mind and then I see Eric throw himself towards the stake. There's no way he's winning, I'm not afraid to play dirty. I throw my hand out, "avolavit." The stake flies to the side of the room way out of Eric's' reach and he falls to the ground, rolling to the side and standing up readying himself to fight.

"Really Eric, you think you can take me down?"

He just looks at me, almost disgusted. "You're insane."

"I know, isn't it great," I say.

I walk towards him not even worried, and he kicks his leg into my side. I grab it just before it hits me and twist it making him fall to the ground. I small chuckle escapes my lips and I sit down on top of him, my legs on either side of his waist. I raise my fist and slam it into his jaw knocking his face into the floor.

"Oh I am loving this." I say, running my hand down his cheek before slapping him.

His eyes are crossing and I now that he must be feeling woozy. I get off of him and grab his shirt, lifting him up. In under a second I've pressed him against the wall, easily keeping him there with one hand.

I put my lips against his ear and whisper, "This is going to hurt when it's over."

And then I plunge my fangs into his neck, taking away the last thing he has left.