Vampwood

I Should've Saved You

Ezio Romano, I guess, smiles widely at me, showing his fangs.

"Jesse, nice to meet you, sorry about the kidnapping of Amy Jane and Brianna," I growl at him and he laughs. "And I thought Mickey and your sister were descended from werewolves. Now, if you will follow me inside, I will let you say goodbye." Anya takes my arm and St Clair's arm.

"Let's go," I follow her, thinking about AJ and Brianna. Anya looks at St Clair. "I'm sorry we didn't meet under better circumstances." St Clair gives her a dirty look.

"Just because we shared a womb for a couple of months doesn't make us family," I look around as we walk, hoping to see AJ and Brianna. "You're just someone who killed my friend's sister." I try to keep my face neutral and Anya opens a door with a smile.

"JESSE!" I catch AJ as she runs at me and hugs me. "Have you seen Brianna? I think they killed her or something." I pull away, remembering the corpse scarecrow.

"She's a vampire," AJ looks like she was punched in the stomach. "I should've gotten here quicker," Brianna is led in and I run to her. "Brianna!" Brianna holds her hand up to stop me.

"Don't...I killed someone," I reach to hug her but she still stops me. "I'm a murderer and you want to hug me? What the fuck is wrong with you?" I hug her tightly as she starts to cry.

"I'm a brother...Do I need to say more?" I stroke her hair and try not to cry. "I should've saved you, Brianna. I'm so sorry," I kiss her forehead and dry her tears like I used to do when she was told she was ugly in comments. "Too bad you don't deserve to die or I'd have to show you mercy." Brianna hiccups and St Clair clears his throat, nodding at Anya. Anya raises her hands.

"Trust me, I won't tell anyone anything," I glare at her and she sighs, offering me a small revolver. "Tom deserves it, right? There's a way to show him mercy. You have to show a vampire mercy...Killing someone is a mercy too. Letting someone live isn't always a mercy." I take the gun and hand it to AJ.

"They'll never suspect you having a gun," AJ takes it and I kiss her forehead quickly. "If you have to...Kill Tom...Even if I'm dead." Brianna starts crying again and I hug her, crying as well.

"Boys don't cry," Ezio says from the doorway and I glare at him. "You're supposed to be the strong one, the man. You're worse than Dante, he was friends with girls and cared about their feelings and thought they deserved rights. Idiot." Jade who's gently restrained snorts loudly.

"An idiot is someone who thinks emotions are weaknesses," Ezio grabs her by the throat and lifts her off the ground. "Careful, Dante wouldn't want his kid murdered by his dad again." Ezio drops her and I hurry to help her up.

"Speaking of Dante, he just arrived," Ezio purrs before speed running out and back with Dante and Maria. "Both my children here at last." Maria pushes herself away from Ezio.

"Stepchildren. You are no more our father than the man who raped our mother," Ezio laughs and I notice Dante pale as he slowly edges to Jade and me. "What is so funny?" Ezio put an arm around Dante with a massive grin.

"Because the five years when the two of you were fighting, Dante saw me as a father and we drank ourselves three entire towns," Jade blinks, still massaging her throat. "We started on your town, Jade. We even caused a car accident that left two parents vegetables and their sweet daughter was left to take care of them. Rebecca, right, Dante? She went by Bec?" Dante pushes away from Ezio and reaches for Jade who steps away from him.

"You ruined Bec's life and never told me?" Jade whispers, her voice breaking. "Have I ever actually known you, Dante? You were in love with a different girl who looked exactly like me who you also had a kid with, you killed three towns, you left Bec parentless...I told you about it and you said you tried to help as a Guardian...But it was guilt," She walks away from Dante. "I don't know who you are...And I'm not sure I want to. You just lost me." Dante looks like his heart was ripped from his chest and is crying.

"Jade, do not do this...I love you," Jade covers her ears and Dante starts forward but Maria and me stop him. "I need to explain why. Let me go." Maria wipes away Dante's tears and looks at Ezio.

"Make her forget...Please, I will do anything so he can tell her himself," Ezio giggles as Jade looks betrayed and Maria kneels in front of him, leaving me to hold back Dante. "I swear on my mother and Anna, I will do anything...Including shooting anyone you wish." Ezio forces her head up and grins.

"Easy, you will shoot Jesse Costello in three hours then yourself," Maria nods and I let go of Dante, feeling my hope disappear. Ezio goes to Jade, pulling Dante after him and holds her head in his hands for three long minutes before letting go, leaving Dante to catch her. "It's done. I hope it works better this time." He speed runs away and Dante looks at Maria, broken.

"What have you done? When he dies, she will remember and hate me," Jade opens her eyes and gives Dante a look. "Jade, are you all right?" Jade sits up and points to where Anya had been.

"You can stop acting now, these two are probably confused," Dante grins at her and Jade grins back before looking at me and St Clair. "He told me everything after the Alessandro Romano-Salvatore thing...Bec punched him in the dick and swore to use the making her parents vegetables for her to care for as a reason to make him do stuff," It suddenly clicks just as Jade says it. "We're playing them so we can defeat them." St Clair starts to grin.

"If we make them think we're breaking, they'll trust Dante because he's lost everyone," The others nod and St Clair cocks an eyebrow. "Who's idea was it?" The window behind me opens and closes, making me turn, reaching for a gun that's not there. Alessandra grins wickedly.

"Mine, of course. So, you in?" We both give her a look and I glance at AJ who's looking right back with a wicked smirk. For a second, her eyes look red but I blink and it's gone.