A Vampire to Rule: Fallen Empire (UNEDITED)

CHAPTER ELEVEN...

~A SMALL CHILD STANDS before me. I do not recognize her, but she looks vaguely familiar. She is happy. The wide smile across her face proves it. Her happiness flows through me, just like a river, and it engulfs me like the flames of Hell will at my own death.

All around us is pure white. A white, that resembles the heavens up above. In fact, this may be the closest taste of heaven a damned creature like me will ever be granted.

It's nice. It's peaceful.

At last, I feel nothing but happiness.

Soon, before me, the child begins to run, until she runs past me. My eyes follow her, and when I turn around, a scene is set before me. There, I am able to see the same child from before run into the warm embrace of her mother. The same look of happiness is on the mother's face, just like the child's. Neither of them seem to have an ounce of care in the world.

Only happiness.

Eventually, the scene begins to unravel until before me is yet another one. It has the same young girl, only she has grown a bit more.

A year maybe?

Well, it may have been only a year, but the same feeling of peace remains.

Everything raids once again, and so it repeats. The same family, the same happiness. Over and over. It was a strong bond between mother and daughter.

But maybe it was too strong.

Just when everything seemed perfect, the girl spoke.

"Mother?"

That voice.

"Mother," it called out.

Soon, everything became dark, and all to be seen was the now teenage girl and her dead mother.

It seemed like everything was so peaceful, so why did this happen? Why now?

Not only was I confused, the girl before me had it way worse. Her mom, she was all she had.

"Please, Mom," the girl cried.

"Don't leave me alone!"

Everything was gone. The girl, the mother. It was all gone. Nothing was left. It was like I had fallen into an abyss and could never get out.

There was nothing.

As I continued to sit alone in the darkness, I questioned why the hell I am even seeing any of this.

Who was this girl?

Who was the mother?

Then, I remember why I am even seeing any of this to begin with.

My mother.

Slowly, it all begins to make sense. The young girl was my mom. The mom was my grandmother.

Right now, my mother is not only feeding me her blood, she's giving me her memories.

After what I had just put together, it makes me wonder.

Why of all memories she could show me, why this one?

I am not given that much time to dwell on it. A voice breaks through my thoughts. That voice, it is one I've longed to hear for years.

My father.

It may seem stupid, or even childish, but a part of me gets over excited. I know he's dead, and this is all an illusion, but I can't help myself.

Once again, another memory is upon me. My mother and father are before me in what I know to be Don's room. Their backs are to me and I am unable to see either of their faces. Even though I can see neither of their faces, I know they are happy. The atmosphere isn't at all like my grandmother's death. It is like the one I was given to see before her death.

When everything was happy.

"Kristine," my father's voice rings out. "What are you thinking about."

It's like she was never happy. All of a sudden, she turns so she is facing me. Down her face runs a stream of tears.

"Kristine," my father whispers softly, turning around as well. In his arms lies a baby.

Don.

"I can't," my mother speaks weakly.

"Kristine-"

"No, Christopher. I can't coddle them like my mother did to me."

"But, Kristine, they will need a mother."

"No, Chris, they will want a mother. What they need is to be independent. Something I never was, nor am I now."

My father doesn't say a word. All he does is stare at my mother, in hopes she will change her mind. Though, my mother is a stubborn woman, and she does not budge. Her stance remains firm, but her eyes fall directly to mine.

"What these kids need is for anything but me."

Her words cut straight into my heart like a wooden steak. Even though a wooden steak should, really, do no harm to a vampire's heart, this one does. I can feel its sharp edge penetrate deep inside me, making my insides turn.

Slowly, everything begins to fade. The room. Don. My father. Until nothing is left besides my mom and I.

My mother smiles at me, but tears fall down her face. Not only that, blood flows out from her chest.

That is when I remember what was happening.

~EVERYTHING AROUND ME was could when I opened my eyes. The wind, the air, and the body that lays before me.

I bring myself to look my mother in the eyes. There is still life left.

But not much.

"Mom," I whisper out weakly.

Then, I cry. For the second time in my life, I let tears shed from my eyes. Not only that, I am shedding tears for the woman I grew up thinking despised me. Now, I have learned that all this time, the hate was all an act.

She never hated me.

I feel my mother's hand reach up to stroke my face once again. Her hand may be cold, but her touch warms me.

"Layla," she speaks weakly. Her smile never leaves her face.

"It may not have been right to be so harsh on you, Layla, but I could not let you be shattered like I was. I've never said this to you, but I have, and always will love you Layla, my beautiful daughter."

Her hand fell from my face, and I was left alone to scream out for a woman who would never hear my cries.