Chapter 4
Amber was really worried that Mitchell could end up getting hurt as he had talked a lot about Herrick and how powerful he was.
"What are you going to do?" she asked, not sure she'd like the answer.
"I'm going to go to the funeral parlor and confront him. I will stake him if I have to," Mitchell said.
"I wish you didn't have to do this. I don't want to lose you," Amber said.
She buried her head in his chest and her shoulder's shook as she began to sob.
"Babe don't cry. I don't intend to let him kill me. I'm not ready for that yet," Mitchell said.
"When are you going to confront him?" Amber asked.
"Tomorrow," Mitchell promised.
"I will be thinking of you," Amber said.
She understood that Mitchell had to confront Herrick. The future of humanity was at stake.
"You will see me again," Mitchell promised.
He hugged Amber and met her lips with his in an intense kiss. When they came up for air Mitchell smiled.
"I'll be seeing you babe," he said.
Amber watched as he left hoping it wouldn't be the last time she'd see him.
Later that night there came a knock at the door and when Mitchell answered it he found that it was Herrick. Before he could react Herrick tried to stake him but missed his heart. As Mitchell fell to the floor George appeared, and looking horrified rushed over to him. Herrick had fled as soon as he'd realized he'd missed Mitchell's heart. Annie had also appeared having decided not to go through her door and George told her to apply pressure to the wound while he called 911.
"Don't leave us," Annie begged him while they waited for an ambulance.
George was anxious as he knew that Amber needed to be told that Mitchell had been attacked. But he had no idea where Amber lived as he hadn't been to her place.
"Look on Mitchell's phone he's probably got her address on there.
George raced upstairs and quickly located Amber's address. As it was pretty late he decided to let her know the next morning rather than waking her up. So he accompanied Mitchell to the hospital. Not surprisingly the doctors were confused by Mitchell's heartbeat as it wasn't normal. However they managed to stablise Mitchell and George went home for the night. The next morning he went to Amber's.
"Hey um I've got some bad news," George said.
Amber collapsed in horror after George told her that Herrick had tried to stake Mitchell.
"Is he going to survive?" Amber asked.
"Yes. Herrick missed his heart," George said.
"Can I see him?" Amber asked.
"I'm not sure that's a good idea. He isn't at all well," George said.
"I have to see him," Amber said.
So George agreed to take her to the hospital so she could visit Mitchell. When they got there Amber found another woman visiting Mitchell who introduced herself as Josie. Josie was one of his ex girlfriends.
"I'm Amber. I'm Mitchell's current girlfriend," Amber said.
"Nice to meet you," Josie said.
"Babe I didn't want you to see me like this," Mitchell said.
"I had to come. I love you," Amber said.
"He isn't going to die but he's very weak," Josie said.
"Is there something I can do to help?" Amber asked.
"Mitchell needs blood. It will strengthen him,"Josie said.
"You can't babe. You promised," Amber said.
She was shocked that he would want to drink blood after having told her he didn't want to do that anymore.
"It's ok babe, Josie is terminally ill," Mitchell said.
He looked at Josie who nodded that he could tell her.
"Josie has lung cancer and doesn't have long to live. She WANTS me to have her blood. Think of it as a blood transfusion. It will kill her but she's going to die anyway," Mitchell said.
"I'm giving my life to save Mitchell," Josie said.
It still didn't sound right to Amber but she realized that Mitchell didn't really have any other choice.
"It's not going to change anything. I'm not going to start killing again," Mitchell said.
"I'll be at home. Do what you have to do," Amber said.
She stood and giving Mitchell a kiss left the room and headed back to her flat her thoughts on Mitchell. Slowly she came to realize that his drinking from Josie was different to all the other times. He was only drinking blood because he HAD to not because he wanted to. And the blood was being given freely to him rather than him taking the blood and killing the person he was drinking from in cold blood. So when Mitchell showed up at hers a week later she told him she wasn't angry.
"I realized that you were only drinking blood because it was necessary. You weren't doing it because you wanted to. There was no other option was there," Amber said.
"No there wasn't. Thank you for being so understanding," Mitchell said.
He drew her close and kissed her than looked at her.
"A confrontation with Herrick is inevitable now," Mitchell said.
Amber nodded.
"I was so afraid I was going to lose you. I couldn't bear it if anything happened to you," Amber said.
Mitchell held her close. He felt the same way about her and he knew that if he lost her he would go back to killing and drinking blood. He wouldn't have any reason to stay in control.
"I don't have any desire to start drinking blood again. Even though I had to drink Josie's to survive. It didn't taste that great to be honest," Mitchell said.
"I'm so glad to hear that," Amber said.
She ran her fingers through his hair and the two kissed. They had been together for about a month by that stage and it felt so right to be with Mitchell.
"There is something you should know. Annie was getting ready to go through the door as she had done what she needed to do in order to move on but the attack on me meant that she didn't go," Mitchell said.
"What was it that she had to do?" Amber asked.
"Get Owen to confess that he'd killed her. She told him a dark secret and that did the trick. George wanted her to go through the door but she wouldn't because she didn't want to leave me in the state I was in," Mitchell said.
Amber nodded and cuddled in tight to Mitchell enjoying his company.
"I'm glad I wasn't at your place when it happened or Herrick would have found out about us," Amber said.
"Very true. He still doesn't know about you as far as I know," Mitchell said.
The next day Mitchell prepared to confront Herrick knowing that one of them wouldn't come out of the confrontation alive. He had arranged that they would meet at a certain place but when he got there he found that Herrick wasn't there. George had been the one to pass on to Herrick where the two should meet. However Nina shows up and looks agitated.
"What's wrong?" Mitchell asked.
"It's George. He didn't tell Herrick you were going to meet here. He's told him to go to the hospital cellar," Nina said.
"What the heck for?" Mitchell asked.
"You couldn't win a fight against Herrick he's too powerful," Nina said.
"What was George thinking. Herrick will kill him," Mitchell said.
Just then Amber appeared.
"Oh thank goodness you're ok," she said
"What are you doing here?" Mitchell asked after the two hugged.
"Annie told me you were confronting Herrick here. I know you didn't want me to come but I couldn't stay away. You need my support," Amber said.
"Well he's not here," Mitchell said.
"I know you must be wondering how Annie told me. Well I can see her now," Amber said.
"Yeah I should have told you that you'd be able to see her. She's been visable to non supernaturals since discovering how her death had really occurred," Mitchell said.
"Annie is lovely," Amber said.
"I'm glad you like her. I can't stay and talk right now. I need to get to the hospital cellar and help George," Mitchell said.
"I'm coming too," Amber said.
"It isn't safe. George will be transforming and he could attack you," Mitchell said.
"You can't go there alone. What if he attacks you?" Amber asked.
"Babe please just go home. I know you want to be there for me but it just won't be safe. I will come and see you as soon as it's over. Please trust me on this," Mitchell said.
He strode off leaving Amber staring after him. After he'd disappeared she followed at a discrete distance. She HAD to see what happened and see for herself that Mitchell didn't get hurt. Mitchell went straight to the hospital cellar and by the time Amber got there George had begun to transform. Herrick was there too and in the cellar with George. Mitchell was by the cellar door and he didn't look happy to see Amber.
"What did I tell you? It's not safe," Mitchell said angrily.
"I couldn't go home and wait. I'd go crazy with worrying. I will stay on this side of the door," Amber said.
"Good," Mitchell said.
He opened the door and went inside and Amber heard him asking George what he was doing.
"What needs to be done," George said.
"Don't do this George. You've always said you don't want to kill anyone," Mitchell said.
"I have to," George said.
He screamed as the transformation continued then begged Mitchell to get out as he couldn't guarantee he wouldn't hurt him. Then Herrick started egging George on encouraging him to go through with what he planned. Amber was listening to all this wondering what on earth was going to happen.
"Mitchell get out of there," Amber called out.
She didn't care that Herrick would be able to hear her as he'd be dead once George transformed. Mitchell was still trying to get George to not go through with his plan and Herrick was still egging him on. Finally Mitchell came back out as George got nearer to being fully transformed. Then Nina arrived and hearing George scream peered through a hole in the door.
"What's going on?" Nina asked.
"George is going to kill Herrick," Amber explained.
Nina's eyes went wide as George screamed again.
"Oh my gosh I have to stop him," Nina said.
She burst into the cellar causing George to swing around.
"Nina get out. You can't stay in here," George said.
Amber could hear desperation in his voice.
"George listen to me you can't do this. You'll never forgive yourself," Nina said.
"Go just go," George said.
He pushed Nina towards the door and she came back through. They watched as George completed his transformation .
"Do it. Just freaking do it," Herrick snarled.
George lept at Herrick and then Amber couldn't watch. Mitchell took her in his arms as she was sobbing. She could hear Herrick screaming and it was awful.
"This is why I didn't want you to come," Mitchell said.
He held her close and she felt safe in his arms.
"It's ok George can't hurt you out here. And I won't let him hurt you," Mitchell soothed.
Finally it was over and they went back to the house leaving George there. He would return in the morning. As Amber was still very upset she and Mitchell just cuddled on the couch. Nina went to the bathroom with Annie leaving them alone.
"I'm sorry you had to witness that. I knew it wouldn't be pleasant which is why I had suggested you didn't come," Mitchell said.
"I know and I should have listened. I was wrong to follow you. But I'm glad you're ok. And I'm glad that Herrick is gone," Amber said.
"Yeah me too," Mitchell said.
"Is George going to be ok? I mean he was terrified he'd kill someone after he became a warewolf," Amber said.
"I don't know. I guess we'll find out when he comes back here in the morning," Mitchell said.
"So what happens now to the vampires. They won't have a leader anymore," Amber said.
"Again I'm not sure," Mitchell said.
"Oh well we have each other and that's all we need," Amber said.
"We will get through whatever happens together," Mitchell said.
He smiled and lowered his mouth to Amber's and the two kissed. One kiss led to another and soon they were making out.
"If you want to crash here for the rest of the night you can use my bedroom," Mitchell said, after they came up for air.
"Where will you sleep?" Amber asked.
"I'll crash here on the couch," Mitchell said.
"Nah it's ok I don't have my overnight stuff with me anyway," Amber said.
"It's not safe to be out and about at this time of night. The vampires will be active," Mitchell said.
"If you walk me home I'll be fine," Amber said.
Mitchell didn't like it but he know she was right.
"I'll go and say goodnight to Annie and Nina and then we can go," Amber said.
She headed out of the lounge and went to the bathroom. As the door was closed she knocked. Nina called out that she could go in so she entered.
"Ouch that looks nasty," Amber said seeing that Nina had some scratches on her arm.
"I'm fine," Nina said.
"Right well I'm off home now. Mitchell's going to walk me home," Amber said.
"Goodnight and see you again soon," Nina said.
"Night Amber," Annie said.
Amber returned to Mitchell.
"I'm ready," she said.
The two headed out of the house and began walking down the street.
"Did you know that Nina got scratched?" Amber asked.
"You're kidding me. Oh cripes this is bad," Mitchell said.
"What's wrong?" Amber asked.
"Remember George told you he got scratched by another warewolf? Well Nina was scratched by him. So there's a good chance she could be a warewolf now. We won't know though until the next full moon," Mitchell said.
"Yipes," Amber said.
"And of course she now knows about George being one. He's probably not going to be very happy about that," Mitchell said.
"Does she know about you being a you know vampire?" Amber asked.
"Not yet but I will have to tell her I guess," Mitchell said.