Alive

Chapter 14

Scarlet jumped in front of me, almost shoving me aside as she faced Colin and his army.

"We don't want any trouble!" She half hissed over the pouring rain, just loud enough to be audible to the vampires in the cave. Meanwhile I looked around for Crystal and Khan, with Colin here I knew that trouble was bound to follow.

"Get away from me you filthy freak of nature!" Colin snapped back and took my attention as he lifted his back hand to Scarlet and shoved her to the cavern floor. Chris and May quickly ran to Scarlets aid as Colin stepped up to me until we were nose to nose with each other.

"get out Colin." I hiss at a low register. Colin only sneers a diabolical smile that made me enrage.

"No." He replied with almost a growl to his tone before Scarlet arose and jumped onto his back with a sudden leap and thud. Her nails dug into his face and he let out a wretched scream of pain. Other soldiers joined in, taking that as an order to attack and I did the same, letting out a screech of war. The vampires in the cave joined in as I lunged for a soldier and snapped his neck with a slight struggle. We were now at war.

After a few other attacks and the war raged on and on I heard a squealy scream. Looking in the direction of the sound, I see Mel rushing to the river. She must've come to check on the tribe when the storm hit, but was met by a soldier. When I got a closer look, the mortal looked like Colin, and I turned to see Scarlet fighting off a different soldier with her knives and fists. With my morals, I rushed to aid my water witch friend, catching the scent of death and blood as I ran on. I stopped when Colin turned around, a pained expression on his face. Mel ran faster and faster as Colin held onto his arm. When he removed his palm, I could see and smell the fresh blood that ran from a wound over his limb.

The wound must've been from a rock that Mel had thrown, and it was a good split decision on her part. But meanwhile, I was slowly losing control to my born addiction that all vampires of my species had. As the scent of mortal blood filled all my senses I could feel myself going into predator mode. I couldn't control myself, I couldn't help my actions. I chased after Colin, full vampire speed. Colin let out a surprised yell and ran, taking off through the field towards the water, but I kept on, pushing myself to the limits to catch my now retreating prey.

Soon enough I had caught up to him and tripped him off. Then grabbing onto his thick brown hair and slammed his head into the water. With water raging under his feet I walked into the river and held him down under. I felt his struggle as I held him under with all my strength, then Mel rushed beside me and tried to pull me away from the commander of the mortal army.

"Arrow stop! This isn't you!" Mel screams and I quickly snap. I back handed Mel and she fell into the water, rising slowly as I turned to finish the commander off, a deep red mark across her cheek. "Y-you hurt me..." Mel whispered in a hurt tone that faded into anger.

I then felt a rush of cold water burst over my head, pushing my down under the surface. Once I could rise another wave came, then another, and another. Even though there was no way I could drown because my lungs and heart were inadequate, Mel kept pushing the waves to keep me away. I struggled to get out until my senses drew a blank. I couldn't see, couldn't feel, couldn't smell. All I could do was listen to the waves rushing over my body and calm me down until they stopped, I rose and clawed at the bay to get onto land.

"Thank you." I hear Scarlets voice as water came out of my ears. I look up to see Mel, her head hanging low in pain and shame. She had her hood over her head, but I knew that tears flowed from her rounded face.

Scarlet then reached down and gripped my arm with dried blood covering her hand. "Get up." She hissed as she jerked me up from where I had resided. "You're coming with me right now!" She said with a cold tone as she dragged me away from the now calm river, thanks to Mel's work.

"Scarlet, you know what I did I can't control..." I pleaded as her grip got tighter on my arm. I knew she was only cold because of how I had turned her down earlier, and again I wanted to apologize for how I did it and say how much she meant to me as a friend.

"It's not that, you doofus!" Scarlet hissed as she jerked me up again. "It's Crystal, she's hurt badly."

I felt a catch quickly form in my throat. My face flushed of any color that was left as I heard these words. It was my responsibility to take care of Crystal, and I had failed due to my own selfishness and hatred. The news hit me like a torch to the chest, burning away at my heart increasingly as the words settled into my mind. Slowly, but quick enough, we arrived back at the camp where nurses were huddled around the vampires with bad wounds. My anxiety got worse as I noticed Crystal was nowhere to be seen in camp.

Scarlet led me to the back of the camp grounds where the nurses and Mel had set up shop. Vales of medical herbs and other ailments were scattered about, along with bandages and leather strips that the nurses would use. In the darkest corner of the structure lay Crystal, limp and unmoving. The only sign of her life was the shallow and slow rise and fall of her chest. When Scarlet allowed me to get closer I could notice long slash marks atop her chest, and the crimson liquid of blood soaking into the bandage and gauze. I knew right away she wouldn't live if nothing was done, and to hold in my burst of sorrow I just hung my head and kneeled beside my companion. My moment ended when I felt Scarlet's cold, bloodless hand against my shoulder. I pulled away, not wishing for her affection, but she spoke anyway.

"I know you'll be ok." Scarlet said sweetly and I turned to glare at my old friend.

"No, I won't Scarlet!" I hiss in a snap to her before turning back to Crystal and pushed some of her blonde hair from her face. "I can't lose another friend..." I say as I calm down a little and I hear Scarlet back away from me, her footsteps only small thuds against the ground.

"I'll just leave you alone so you can say goodbye..." Scarlet replies as her voice fades out. Her tone sounded harsh and cold again, and I couldn't help but suspect her growing hatred for Crystal. But that didn't matter right now. All I could do was stroke the long strands of Crystal's blonde hair, studying her ever growing pale face as color washed away and life slowly crept out of her form.

My mind wandered back to my old tribe, the one I burned to the ground just a few months ago. I remembered he used to have a ritual for human who wished to join us. As my thoughts fell deeper into my past I could feel the inspiration boil in my stomach. With all my thoughts now gathered I looked down to Crystal once again, her eyes clouding as they opened only to slits. I could tell she was growing weaker by the second, and there was no time to lose. I brushed some of her hair away from her neck and gave her a kind gaze.

"Don't worry Crystal... I won't let you die." I whisper softly to her before averting my gaze and quickly sinking my fangs deep into the side of her neck. I could hear her gasp in sudden pain and let out a small cry. I knew she was in pain, and I wanted to end it as fast as possible, but she started to struggle against my grasp on her throat as I tried to inject my vampire venom into her veins. As she struggled I ended up taking more of her mortal blood, and I had to hold her down to stop her struggle. By the time she had stopped her body was going limp from lack of blood-flow and my vision began to blur. My hearing began to go increasingly by the minute as I heard loud footsteps echo into the den and almost inaudible yelling that sounded like Scarlet and Sara.

For a split second it was quiet, then the echoing yells and pleading began again until I felt Scarlet's grasp against my shoulders. I felt myself jerk back from Crystal, and the pleading became increasingly distorted. I could feel Scarlet's jerks and hear Sara's yells and pleads until my hearing went fully away, and then suddenly after my vision went dark.

All was black.