A Vampires Lover - COMPLETE

Chapter Twenty Three

Author's note
This is the final chapter of this book but I am working on another one so will post another chapter when I am releasing it on here <3
Love Lilitha x

1 year later

Walking through these once busy corridors, the sounds of my family messing around have gone and I can't help but feel sad for the loss. It's been one year exactly since I found my Lara laying in a pool of blood on the cold forest floor, one year since she told me she loved me, one year since she took her final breath. My heart broke that day, shattered into a million pieces. That day changed me.

"You okay Byron?" Violets voice suddenly pulls me from my mulling, her arm slipping into the crook of mine, her vibrant purple hair only reaching my shoulder.

"Yeah I'm okay. It's just wierd to be saying goodbye to this place, you know?"

"I know what you mean. So many memories in this place, good and bad. But the new place will provide them as well. You just don't like change."

"It's not that I don't like it woman. I'm a creature of habit and I've always considered this place home. But since ... Well ... You know what happened. I don't want any more of my family to be hurt by staying here."

"Byron, your age is showing. We all know the risks of staying together but we all stay. But moving is good for our family and the extras who we've ended up with." I see her smirk shyly to herself and I can't help but smile back, I know she is talking mainly about Lewis, the human cop who helped us all those months ago, the one who almost didn't make it after sustaining a gunshot, but the man has fight in him, him and Violet are getting closer every day, each too proud or nervous to say how they feel first but I can tell by the way they look at each other, the same way Lara looked at me. The memory races infront of my eyes again, will it ever stop?

1 year ago

Racing through the forest now the sun has finally set low enough for Alex and I to set out, being the oldest ones means our tolerance to the evening rays is alot better than the others. Being trapped in the house but still hearing everything that was happening was torture, I always thought vampire hearing was a gift but today, today it was my biggest curse. Hearing Lara running, fighting to survive, being tortured, then all of a sudden she was calm, scarily calm. Then it appeared that all hell exploded, much like the fate of furniture in the house while Violet and Dylan had taken cover with the humans to help tend to Lewis after he was shot. I paced around like a wild animal for hours, cursing at all the gods that were listening at my inability to help Lara because of that god forsaken ball of flaming gas in the sky. The moment I could leave the house I shot out faster than I had ever run before. Hearing Lara's heart slow it's beating, her lungs labouring, every step I ran towards her felt like torture. Would I get there in time to save her? Or have I failed the only one who may have actually loved me, fully. Seeing the men crowding around her almost sets me into a killing frenzy but one glance at Lara's still form and everything zeroed in on her.

Her once soft and silky hair is sprawled out around her head, foliage caught in the strands, blood dying it an almost black colour, her face is paler than the winter snow but her piercing green eyes as they attach to mine are eeriely calm. As I kneel next to her, her hand reaches out, caressing my cheek softly like a butterflies wing, I cradle her palm to my cheek, unable to hold back the tears.

"I'm sorry Byron." She whispers, blood dribbling from the side of her pale pink lips, her lungs rattling harshly.

"Don't you dare give up Lara! Lara. Stay with me damn it." I cry out, desperately. I am not ready to lose her. She has become my reason for living, she has opened my eyes to the beauty of the world around me, she can't leave me now.

"I ... Love ... You" She whispers with her last breath, I watch helplessly as her eyes grow distant, her chest deflates and I listen to her heart thump ... Thump ... ... ... Thump ... ... ... ... Then nothing. I feel a hand on my shoulder but nothing but the young girl infront of me whose life was sacrificed to save mine and my family and her family's lives holds my gaze.

"Byron? Byron? Hey dude. You with me?" Jolted back into the present my eyes collide with Alex's concerned expression.

"Sorry. Yeah I'm here. What do you want?"

"You need to stop thinking about what happened. Lara knew what she was doing. Come on, we're waiting on you now. Suns up in a few hours so need to get to the new place before then."

"I know, I know. I'm coming." Walking side by side out of the underground corridors that I once called home, I know in my heart it's the right thing to do. Following Alex to the waiting car I slip into the back seats as Violet pulls away, as I look up at the moon high in the sky, bathing the scenery in a silver hue I feel a slight peace flow through me. The night is what I know, it's how I have lived for centuries, the unknown is scary but the unknown is what my family needs, a fresh start, away from horrible reminders of a time we would rather forget.

A few hours later we pull up to the new house, an old manor house that my brother's had been renovating, with decorating tips from the females, especially Yasmin who was very excited to find out she would have a room of her own, decorated exactly how she wanted it. If I ever worried about money, I would have worried then. The lights are all on in the house, music and the sound of laughter drifts to my ears, the smells of baking wafts out and if I was human I'm sure my stomach would have growled, a small smile spreads across my face. Violet and Alex jump out, racing towards the house and launching though the door followed by a series of screams and then laughter and insults. Climbing from the car I take a moment to study the land, acres of land spread around the manor, high walls enclose it all in, security measures put in place all around, never again will my family be put in jeopardy in their own home. My feet feel heavy as I trudge towards the house, entering the hallway I am tackled by a small blonde thing, hugging me tightly.

"You okay Uncle?" Yasmin asks, I ruffle her hair, causing her to leap back glaring at me.

"I will be. It was hard to say goodbye."

"They're all in the kitchen. See you later." Yasmin waves before disappearing up the stairs, Yasmin is exactly what I imagined Lara being as a young girl, vibrant and full of life. Following the sound of laughter and baking I enter the kitchen, seeing my family gathered round the massive table, the humans stuffing their faces with what looks like a feast spread across the table, my brother's and sister drinking from large mugs, I stand in the doorway and realise just how lucky I am. Today is the start of a new chapter of our lives and I am determined to start living it. My eyes are suddenly covered, a soft figure pressed against my back, my smile widens.

"Guess who?" A whisper caresses my ear.

"The Hulk?" The figure darts round, wrapping their arms around my neck, white fangs flashing and green eyes sparkling.

"Guess again." I swoop down, our lips colliding in a soft caress as I hug her tightly to my body.

"Lara ... My Lara." Her dazzling smile mirrors my own.

"Forever and always."