A Vampires Lover - COMPLETE

Chapter Twenty One

Three days the questions have plagued my mind, still unanswered, my body has been on autopilot, my mind not fully following along. How is it possible for Byron and I to be together, if he did really hear Walter in his mind then would his reaction always happen?

"Screw this! Im going for a walk ... do NOT follow me." I leap up from the table causing Dylan and Violet to jump before they attempt to protest.

"But Lara ..." Violet attempts to protest but quickly closes her mouth as I turn back to glare at her. Slipping from the room quickly I race through the corridors and burst into the decoy house, slamming open the front door I race into the night. Grass tickles my bare feet, the cool night breeze whispers over my skin like a lovers caress and I just let my feet lead the way, no thinking, just feeling. The sense of freedom engulfs me and I realise for the first time in days I actually feel like myself, not lost in a sea of questions and problems that I cannot do anything about. For what feels like hours I just run, before I collapse to the floor, small stones cut into my knees, my lungs burn for the oxygen I have denied them and my heart races so fast I fear it will break out of my chest. Falling to my back I look up at the twinkling stars in the dark sky and I cant stop the laughter, the sound ragged and almost mad but I dont care. Who would have thought my life would turn out this way?

"I knew if I waited long enough, someone would slip up. I am SO glad it was you dear Lara." That voice, the voice which controlled me for so long is suddenly very very real, all the blood in my veins turns to ice, pushing up I scan around to find the culprit, it doesnt take me long to find him surrounded by his goons, Raven at his side, smirking.

"Good evening Walter. So foolish of you to be out so late." My sarcastic retort wipes the smirk off of Raven's face.

"No, you see Lara, you are the foolish one. No one is following you, therefore nobody knows where you are. People go missing every day." The ice in my veins turns glacier as I realise I am well and truly alone, against trained killers and a madman and his crazy daughter. My sense of freedom snaps back like a bungee, slamming the cage around me again. Standing I start backing away slowly, trying to figure out where the hell I am, to no avail.

"But you forget Walter, I escaped you once. I will escape you again."

"Who says you'll be given a chance?" Suddenly the night is full of flashes of guns, I scramble away as quickly as I can as bullets start flying through the air, whistling near my head as I duck and zig zag away, Walter's manic laughter chasing me as I duck behind a rock for cover just as a bullet grazes my leg.

"Come and play Lara. The harder you make it for us, the worse we will punish Yasmin." My blood starts boiling at the mention of Yasmin's name, the silence after the gun shots is more deafening. Growling under my breath I scoop a jagged rock up as I step out from behind my cover, glaring at the girl who dares threaten Yasmin.

"Strong words coming from you Raven, dont you remember how I beat you in a fight, how I didnt crack under your 'interrogations.' Can you actually do anything except run that little mouth of yours?" I taunt as I stride towards her, watching the venom fill her gaze but my self preservation seems to have deserted me, maternal instinct taking over. Raven points her gun at me, her finger squeezing the trigger just as I launch the rock at her, the rock slams into her jaw, snapping her head to the side as her bullet slams into my arm, our cries of pain mingle together. Suddenly large clammy hands grab my arms in a vice like grip as Walter stalks towards me, Raven on the floor nursing her face. Walters hand collides with my face causing me to bite my lip, the metallic tang if blood coats my tongue as I feel a trail drip down my chin.

"You dare talk to my daughter that way?!" Walter screams in my face.

"Damn right I do. Shes a bitch and youre a psycho. Do you get pleasure from beating girls since you obviously cant beat someone your own size." His fist slams into my face, I laugh, sounding crazy even to my own ears. Suddenly Walters fists pummel into me as the hands behind me drop me, even as I lay on the floor Walter shows no mercy, his steel toe cap boots slam into me again and again, my screams of pain turn to whimpers as my voice abandons me, as I lay there, I wish for death. The cooling balm of unconsciousness washes over me and I willingly slip into its embrace.