Infinite Miles

Chapter 6 - Fighter

Violence warning
••••••••••

The two boys quickly follow after Sydney, making their way swiftly to the bar. Miles is shocked by his speed. He can hardly recall the last time he ran, but knows for a fact it wasn't as fast as this.

He then begins to wonder what else is there for him to figure out? What other vampire skills must he learn to harness? What other secrets?

But before he can dwell on all that, he is reminded that there are more important things to worry about, when a sharp scream rings through the air.

They halt abruptly and try to digest the scene before them.

Axel was wrong.

Elias' death was barely an excuse to postpone the attack. If any, it sped it up. Because the ambush is happening now.

It isn't hard to distinguish between the two types of vampires. Their fighting styles made it clear enough. The rogues are violent and sloppy. They rely too much on their fangs and brute force. And more of their bodies are littered on the ground.

The civilised vampires use weapons and technique. They know how to kill. They know the rogues don't stand a chance against them. And that knowledge in itself is their weapon. To know ultimately that victory is theirs. That just by being here, at the bar, they've already won.

"Quick, we have to help them." Miles says to Axel.

It appears the civilised vampires have swarmed through the front entrance, a couple of fights taken outside, while the majority of rogues were still locked in. The two boys run to the back, planning on opening the backdoor, only to find that a group of vampires are blockading the only other exit.

Axel and Miles hide behind a dumpster, surveying them. There are three vampires guarding the door, two guys and a girl, probably the weakest bunch since they weren't taking part in the action.

Axel whispers to Miles. "Okay, this is the plan. I'm going to distract them-"

"Is that another way of saying fight them?" Miles interrupts.

"Yes." Axel sneaks another look at the three vampires. "I think I can take them."

"Are you sure? It's three against one." Miles asks, worried.

"Yes, I'm sure." I had Elias for a mentor. "All I need you to do is open that backdoor and get people out."

"Okay." Miles exhales. "I can do that."

"Good. I'm gonna go in. Get to the door as quick as you can. And be careful, okay?"

Miles nods his head, trying his best to come off as brave. Axel pushes Miles' curly hair back to place a soft kiss on his forehead. Then he reaches for his metal stake in the pocket of his dark wash jeans. The stake Elias had given him. The one he carries everywhere.

Axel gives Miles one last look.

"Go save the world, Spider-Man."

And then he's off.

The three vampires recognise him immediately.

"Axel Jacobson." One mutters in complete shock.

"You-you killed Elias." Another stutters.

The third pulls out her stake.

Ah, the smart one. Axel thinks.

"I did. Which means you know exactly what I'm capable off. So if you want, I'll spare you. I'll let you run along to your little clan and never come back. Or, I'll kill you, just like I did him." Axel spins the metal stake in his hands like a drumstick. Ready to cause havoc.

"The choice is yours."

Miles watches as Axel fights, his movements blending together like butter. He looks like a dancer, except bloodied and more violent. Axel has steered the vampires away from the building, giving Miles an opening. He runs to the door, pushing at it only to realise that it's jammed. The door's made of metal. Miles places his palms against it, and closes his eyes.

"Come on Miles. You're a vampire now." He whispers to himself. And then he pushes with as much might as he can muster. The door flies off its hinges, landing on the floor with a loud slam.

"Woah." He says, awestruck. Then he looks behind his shoulder to see Axel fighting only 2 of vampires now. He takes a deep breath and runs in through the backdoor.

Miles has never been to a bar before. If you take away all the bodies on the floor, the mess and the blood in the glasses instead of red wine, it's exactly what you would expect.

He spots people hiding under tables and tells them that the backdoor is safe now, that they can leave through it. He ushers out as much of the rogues as he can, assuring them that he's on their side. They all believe him, which makes Miles slightly worried, because he could have easily been one of the bad guys.

Maybe it's because I don't look like a bad guy? Maybe it's because they're desperate? Maybe it's because I'm the first bit of hope they've had?

Some other people help Miles to evacuate the premises, leading everyone outside. Most of them are fighting though, perhaps the ones who have already lived a couple lifetimes. Or maybe it's the ones who haven't lived at all?

Which ones have less to lose?

Regardless, they're fighting, and Miles has to commend them for that.

Miles keeps hoping that he'll stumble across Sydney, but unfortunately he hasn't seen her yet. He keeps looking for her, hoping that she'll be hiding under the next table. But Sydney isn't the type to run and hide.

She's a fighter.

Miles runs deeper into the bar, dodging oncoming punches and throws, trying to find Sydney in the mix of all of this chaos. When he finally does, she isn't fighting. Or at least, not anymore.

She's on the floor; her t-shirt soaked in blood, her denim jacket gone, clutching to the side of her stomach. A vampire advances towards her, a stake in his hands, a smirk on his lips. Miles scurries for a weapon and settles on a broken shard of glass, and before the man can plunge his stake in Sydney's heart, the glass instead is plunged through his neck. He falls to the ground, choking on his own blood.

Come on, this has to be a way to kill a vampire? Miles thinks, but is pulled from his thoughts when he hears Sydney's laboured breaths.

"Brownie points for saving me."

•••••••••••
A/N

You don't even understand how close I was to naming this chapter 'I didn't know my own strength'😂 I was very tempted.

And the amount of times I've gotten 'rogue' and 'rouge' mixed up is ridiculous now.