Dissipating Darkness [Klaroline]

Chapter 16: Bill

I stare at the end of the White Oak stake.

"You're a monster! The world will be better off without you!"

"Is that so?" I ask the man in front of me. I can see his body betraying his courageous facade. The stake is shaking slightly as he tries to point it firmly at me. I can feel myself smirk as I see a cold sweat forming on his brow.

"You're nervous, aren't you, mate? I'm the first, maybe second, vampire you've even gotten this close to in your pathetic life, aren't I?" He doesn't respond as I feel my smirk grow bigger. "You're just some small-town yahoo trying to play vigilante."

I see his arm quickly snap back as he readies himself to spring the stake forward. Before he can, I snap his wrist like a twig.

His shrill scream of agony echoes throughout the cabin. I can suddenly hear swift footsteps as someone approaches the basement door. I bring my finger up to my lips.

"Bill? What's going on? I just got here, and Caroline said you were down in the basement. Are you okay? Why are you in the dark?"

I see Bill's eyes dart up into the darkness that the moonlit basement can't illuminate, then look back to me.

"Uh, yeah. Just trying to take care of a pest problem. Wouldn't want the light scaring them off, now would we? I hit my foot on the table leg. I'm fine. Go tell Care Bear I'll be right up to watch that movie with her before she leaves."

There's a short moment of silence that seems far too long.

"You sure you're okay?"

I let the beast take over as I see Bill's mouth open. Fear strikes through his countenance.

"Yes, Liz. I'm fine! I'll be right up."

"Whatever."

"Liz?"

"What, Bill?"

Bill stares at me with tears threatening to over-flow from his cloudy, blue eyes.

"I love you." He states.

His statement is met with the sound of fleeting footsteps. He closes his eyes, and I can see him mouthing the Lord's Prayer.

"Now, where were we?" I ask.

"You're going to die alone, you know. Alone with nothing!" He says through his sobs.

I slowly walk forward and remove the stake from his hand. I turn the stake backward so that the point is angled toward him. I smile.

"I can't wait." I say as I flick my wrist with too much power. The stake moves fluidly forward, and the sobs stop. I welcome the silence as I hear the beating of his heart slow. Finally, it stops.

"Bill, Care is about to drive me crazy if you don't get your a—"

The lights flicker on, and a scream fills the room.

A bright light seems to burst from behind my closed eyelids.

"Good morning, Nik!" I can hear the seething anger in my sister's voice as she throws open my bedroom's curtains. Her salty-sweet tone does nothing to disguise it. I run my hands over my face before finally opening my eyes and staring up at the ceiling.

"To what do I owe this wonderful wake up call, Rebekah?" I feel the bed sink down under her weight.

"Oh, nothing. I just wanted to make sure you didn't agonizingly kill over in your sleep last night."