Slayer [vampire+vampire hunter]

Slayer 14

"No. Way." I said, my mind going blank with shock.

He looked at me in despair. "You mean you had no idea who did it?"

I shook my head rapidly, panic making me begin to hyperventilate. "How could he do this? I've heard of him-the First Lord. The most deadly of all vampires. How is he still alive? I thought he'd perished in the Great Burning, hundreds and thousands of years ago!"

Zian scoffed. "As if a little fire could kill our ultimate leader."

"A little fire? It was a lot of fire. Like, almost setting the whole world on fire, sized fire. We'd almost killed every vampire that time." I couldn't believe it-all of our histories had been wrong. We had failed to kill the First Lord, and now Xavier had promised to help me kill him. That was messed up in so many ways. The Lord of the Vampires killing the First Lord for the Pranton heiress-not that I intended not to do anything; I definitely wanted to help significantly to avenge my family.

"Is he crazy?" I gasped.

"No."

I flinched, realizing the answer had come from beside me instead of in front of me, finally feeling the grip around my hand, the one holding Xavier's. I glanced down toward him with a furious expression, ready to let it rip, but he placed his other hand over my mouth.

"Calm down, Alexis, I know what I'm doing," he told me severely, even relentlessly, dominating even though I was the one bending over him from my elevated position-he hadn't bothered to sit up like I had, remaining flatter on the bed, barely lifted his shoulders. "Ever since I met you, I knew you were something different, from all the humans and vampires I've ever met. I knew I would fall in love with you. Don't ask me how-I just knew, instinctively, beyond doubt. When you were the first human to ever break free of my mind magick, it was confirmed. So I offered you the one thing I knew you couldn't refuse. If I have to kill Grandfather, fine. I'd do it for you."

I struggled not to cry. "Xavier, how can you do this?" I whispered, knowing he could still hear despite his efforts to muffle my words. "Zian said he saved your life."

Zian twitched at the mention of him, but spoke up. "In that fire you talked about, your Great Burning, Xavier almost died."

I stilled at once, and the tears claimed victory, charging down my cheeks with a vengeance. Xavier kissed them away tenderly, not noticing Zian recoil from the sight, and I caved into his body. "I never knew!" I sobbed.

"You couldn't have," he assured me. "I'm all right now."

"Grandfather got him out of their burning mansion, still lives in the ruins today-just underground. It's common knowledge for us, but we'd never let you slayers know. I figure you can, though, since you love my brother and all," Zian said dryly, finally deigning to look back at us.

"Shut up, Zian," Xavier grumbled.

"She deserves to know," he retorted.

"I do," I said in support, trying to control the waver in my voice. "And...and we can't kill your grandfather." After all that Xavier had done for me already, I couldn't possibly chose my family and revenge over all that. My parents and Shawn and Kelsey were gone now, and I couldn't bring them back as much as I could go kill the one who had saved Xavier's life.

Xavier looked at me with wide eyes, astonished and taken aback. "But...nothing has ever meant more to you than avenging your family's death."

"You're wrong about that," I said, giving him a faint smile. "You are."

Zian gagged. "You two are worse than a soap opera."

"Shut up, Zian," I echoed, rolling my eyes, but gasping when I felt Xavier's lips cover mine, moving them gently and so tenderly I felt the tears return.

"I love you," he whispered.

"I love you, too," I breathed back, and closed my eyes against the dizziness when he kissed me again.

"Break it up, break it up," Zian complained, but I thought I saw him grin before the grimace. "I have more news, you know."

Xavier stiffened against me. "What's wrong?" I belatedly realized we were still using the mirrors nowadays because of the slayers in the area, and Zian's visit was technically not supposed to have been allowed.

His brother's face was harder than stone. "The slayers-led by Cailler-are going to attack."

"No!" I cried, gripping Xavier's shirt reflexively, feeling the fabric stretch and protest.

"When?" Xavier asked warily. If Zian was a boulder, Xavier was a glacier; formidable, cold, and terrifying if dangerous. I didn't see this side of him often. I knew his love better than his war. And this was nothing but war, slayers against vampires. And I knew which side I was on.

Vampires.

I was briefly overwhelmed by the sick nature of my choice. All my life I had been a slayer, ever since birth. I was born to be a slayer. I was the only one left in my family line to carry on the Pranton slayers. And I was throwing it away.

But for no small reward-I had Xavier. The epitome of our enemy, the Lord of the Vampires, the grandson of the First Lord. And we loved each other, through some impossible twist of faith. Fate was playing with me-us. Entwining my fate with his was a grotesque act, like lightning the wings of a butterfly on fire so it could burn as it died in the middle of its last flight. Something only somebody incredibly dreadful could impale on somebody else.

If I were to be caught in a battle between both vampires and slayers that knew the truth, knew everything I had decided, I knew what would happen: they would all want to kill me. And Xavier would get killed trying to defend me.

I had to do something, to save him, not me... What could I do?

--

and so here we go! xD

15 going up in like 10 seconds or something :D

actually, lets say 40