Chapter 8 -
We rushed down the alley and came upon two vampires, one big and one small, drinking blood from two young girls. We didn't have long, we had to take action, we had to save those two people.
"Katie, take the small one..." I ordered her and she was all to happy to obliged. "Hey!" I yelled to distract the vampires. Stupid, but effective. The Strogoi's threw down the girls like rag dolls and stalked towards us. When they walked under a street lamp, I realized who they were. Oh hell! I glanced at Lissa, shocked expressed on her face. I glanced back at the two vampires who we knew - Tasha and Jill.
I can't believe it! Lissa cried. Don't hurt her.
We won't.
We have to save her!
I wanted that more than anything but I really didn't know if it was possible. Lis...
NO! I want her saved! If I have to do it myself, I will do it! Lissa stepped forward as if she were going to fight and I pulled her back, a little to roughly, and she fell to the ground.
"I am not gonna let you die!" I practically yelled, but by doing so, I was caught off guard when Tasha crashed into me, and pushed me against the wall. I couldn't breath, the wind was knocked out me, and then she punched me in the side and there was a horrible crack in my rib. I was gasping for air, she then grabbed me by the throat. I was scared, but then I saw Lissa on the ground scared that I was going to die and Jill was fighting Jill, but faltering. It was up to me to fight through the pain. I had to make sure that they came out of this! I know now that we should have never left the loft, not until it was safe. What a mistake this was. I mustered a deep breath and punched Tasha in the face. It didn't hurt her by any means but it made her step back. "This is personal now!"
"You're damn right it is! You have what I want, what I've always wanted! He's mine!"
Was this all over Dimitri? Tasha couldn't have been that damn stupid to do all this? "You did this because of Dimitri?" I shouldn't have asked because she came at me again and rammed me in my side. The pain, oh the pain, coursed through my body. I had to ignore it. No more pissing her off, but I had to get one more jab in there! "He's mine every way possible!"
Tasha came at me again, but I ducked and danced out of the way, and I pushed her against the wall. Her face went first, her nose was broken, the blood spilling out. She turned with blood lust in her eyes, growing at me. I didn't let that get me.
I'll give her credit, Tasha was far more stronger than I ever gave her credit for, and she knew a lot more things that I did, like magic. I just hope that she wasn't thinking about using it against me. I think she was more set killing me the old fashioned way.
The thought occurred to me, if Tasha is dead, this means that the whole thing would be over, and we could return to some semblance of a normal life. It wouldn't be like our old lives, but it would be better than living in the loft all day long. The more I thought about that, the more it spurred me on. Tasha tried to kick me, but I ducked, and spun around and knocked her on her feet.
Here! Lissa threw something at me.
It was stake! I caught it and just when I went to stake Tasha in the heart, she knocked it out of my hand. We scrambled, fighting over it, punching and kicking each other, till I finally had my hands on it. I quickly staked her. It happened so quickly, I didn't have time to really think about it. I pushed it hard, harder, till I felt the ground blow.
The look on Tasha's face was that of surprise. Was I sorry? I don't know. I didn't think so. She caused me so many problems! It felt good to finally close that chapter of my life and now we can all move on. She was finally dead, but there would still be many Strogoi out there, ones who would be happy to take her place at the top, and I would be right there waiting to take each one out!
Some how the pain reminded me it was still there. I held my side as I sat on the ground next to the dead body, my breathing ragged. I need a drink, a very strong one!
"Is she gone?" Lissa asked as she slowly crawled over to us.
I just nodded.
You're hurt...It wasn't so much a question, she could feel it. When she reached me, she placed her hand on my side. I could feel the heat radiate through me and soon my breathing had returned.
Thanks!
Lissa just smiled at me, grateful that this was almost over.
"A little help here!" Katie said and I glanced over at her, she looked as though she could collapse at any moment.
"Coming!" I looked at Tasha again, her eyes now closed, and I stood up, and ran over to Jill. Tasha had one time been my friend.
"Jill..." Lissa came over towards us.
Jill was about to flee when she saw me.
"Jill-You don't have to do this." Lissa hoped to talk sense into her sister. "I can help you! You just have to let me help you!"
A tall, dark, man came out of the back door. He glanced at the three of us and then at Jill. He was confused as to why we were all out in a dark alley in the middle of the night, and that's when Jill took off the other way. Before I realized it, she was long gone. I glanced at Lissa and as I started to speak, the man did.
"What are you doing out here?" He glanced at us and our disheveled appearance. "What happened to these two girls?" He went to check on them – they were already dead.
I walked over to Lissa. "We were just leaving." We rushed back down the ally, away from the man. When it was clear, I said, "Let's go!"
As we took each others hands, we chanted, "We call upon the ancient powers, let us soar through the air, our destination awaits." We disappeared and only moments later, we reappeared in the apartment.
The guys were waiting for us, pissed off, but I can't say as I blame them. What we did was totally reckless, but we accomplished a lot in a short time. Hopefully they would see that. It was something that the other guardians couldn't seem to do but there was still more fighting to do!
Katie had snapped her fingers and our fake appearances had vanished. We were ourselves again!
"I am sorry!" I blurted. I was totally sorry for what we'd done to them.
We took their right away from them. Something we should have talked over with them in the first place. It was impulsive and exciting, but I was also worried we'd get caught, and we didn't really take the time to really think about things. No this was on me. I am the guardian, I should have taken better care of us! I failed at my job! I would take whatever came my way!
The stares from Dimitri and Christian made me feel like going back and time and forgetting all of this and just doing what I was supposed to do, to do my job!
It was so quiet, I really wished they'd just speak – say anything – come on, say something – please!
We're going to be okay!
How come I don't feel that way?
"Where were you? Do you have any idea how worried we were!" Dimitri was the first to break the silence between all of us.
That was it? I glanced at Lissa and Katie, they were thinking pretty much what I was. I get that they were worried? But how about pissed off? I know I could that!
"Do you know how reckless that was?" Christian had finally said. "You could have gotten you're selves killed!" He glanced at Lissa, pained expression on his face. I could feel just how sorry she was feeling, but I knew her well, she wouldn't dare let anyone know that she felt that way, well, accept me. We were forever connected!
"Very reckless..." added Dimitri. "And dangerous!"
The look the guys just shared meant something, but what could it have been. Then it hit me. I laughed. They wanted to go with us! Maybe we should have taken them.
"What's so funny?" Dimitri demanded.
You can't hid from me. I don't need to read your mind to know what you're thinking. Now I didn't quite feel as bad as I had originally. "You have no idea how dangers it was for us." I glanced at the girls again, they suspected the same thing, but they didn't let on that they knew. "But worth it."" I glanced back smiling. We did what no guardians could do! Tasha and the other vampires had been outsmarting the guardians for so long. It was finally singing it, it really felt good to finally, really, get on with our lives. Tasha was no longer going to bother us again, though there was still Jill to contend with, but I think that we can handle her. How? I didn't know that. Maybe Lissa had other ideas.
Yeah, like save my sister! She glanced at me defiantly.
Of course! I wouldn't have it any other way!
"What do you mean?" Dimitri looked a bit confused. I think he was a little taken aback.
"Long story short, we ran into Tasha and Jill," I replied.
The look on their faces was a little bit cosmical, but I wouldn't laugh. Even though Tasha was Strogoi, I think that Dimitri had always hoped to bring her back, just as Lissa had brought him back.
"We thought we were safe," Lissa supplied. "We picked an out of the way spot – we never expected to run into them."
"I know I should have thought this through more, but I was just so tempted. We've been cooped up in this place for so long, I wanted out. I couldn't stand being here closed up. I wanted free!" I explained helpfully.
"Wait?" Christian asked, dumbfounded. "You staked my aunt?"
I wasn't sure if he was surprised, upset, happy, I didn't know, but deep down, if we had a chance, we probably should have saved her, but I don't know if I could have lived with knowing she was out there somewhere, still feeling something for Dimitri. What if she would have continued her assault on me or what if Dimitri got tired of me and chose her?
What? Lissa looked at me stunned. You really think that?
I don't really want to think what if? Ya know! I just want to live my life with Dimitri and be your guardian!
You're much more than a guardian to me! You're my sister!
I just smiled at her. She was my sister in every way mattered!
"You really staked my aunt?" Christian finally asked.
All I could do was nod. I know that probably hurt him more than he realized. One part of me was sorry but the other the other part was definitely glad this was coming to an end.
"I think I need to be alone..." Christian walked out of the apartment.
Lissa tried going after him.
No! Don't! He needs to be alone. Going to him might make this much worse for him!
"He'll be okay" Dimitri gave small smile to Lissa.
But he's hurting...
He will come to you when he wants! Give him space!
"So what else happened?" inquired Dimitri.
Instead of standing in the middle of the room, we all moved to the sofa to sit down.
"Jill was there too," Lissa replied sadly. She had hated losing her sister again.
We'll get her back!
"Did you..." Dimitri didn't need to finish, he had hoped that it didn't go that far.
"No, she took off," Katie shook her head.
I could see some relief in his dark eyes.
"Maybe magic could find her..." I glanced at everyone. If we could change our appearances, then we could certainly find her using magic.
"I don't know..." Katie suddenly was scared. I could tell that she didn't know if she had that much power to something like that. Of course, we didn't know unless we tried.
"We don't have to talk about this now." Dimitri said after a moment. "We can talk about it over dinner and whatever we decide, we'll do together!"
The phone on the counter had begun to ring. I stood up and went to answer the old style black phone. It must have been from the 20's. I'd only seen a few of these in movies. Picking up the heavy handle, I placed it up against my ear to listen. "Hello!" I figured it was either my mom or my dad, probably both, and I would be happy to hear from either one. "Mother!" Her voice was stern and hard, it was something I was used to hearing. I figured there was only one thing she was calling about, which was what happened today. She'd probably tell me how stupid and reckless we were for going on, when they told us to stay here for our own protection, until it was over ."Mom, I know what you're going to say...Yes we did...But wait...I know...Just let me explain. It's over. I staked Tasha! Doesn't that count for something." I know I sounded like I was a teenager again, but god, I couldn't win with her sometimes. "Excuse me! I've been protecting the queen! Yes, I understand..." Mom was telling me I was stupid for risking the Queen's live. Yada, yada, yada! I had begun to tune her out, until she said she and my dad were coming."What? When? Two days? Okay, see you then." I hung up the phone, relieved to be to be of.
When we get back, things are going to change! Lissa told me. No one will talk to you like that, including your mother! She paused a moment thing of what to say next. Look at all the things you accomplished as a guardian and what you did today. You protected me and Katie, and by putting the guys under the sleeping spell, we protected them. I don't think that they would have been able to do what you did – they may have gotten themselves killed, trying to protect them.
But we might have been able to save them.
We probably could have, but I don't think so. I'm fairly certain we could have lost one of them – maybe Katie, maybe Christian.
I would hate to think that it could be Dimitri...
What you went through before, would have killed you! I don't think I would have been able to go through what you did when you first lost Dimitri. I wouldn't survive!
I could tell that Dimitri and Katie had been staring at us, wondering what we were saying. It was just between Lissa and I, no one else. If they had known we were thinking about them dying, I don't know exactly how they'd take it. Why I won't tell them! "So, what's for dinner?"
"Let's go see!" Dimitri smiled the warmest smile ever. I think he was happy – happy that in a few days, we were going to be out of this prison!
The time we spent here made us all closer. I didn't want to lose that. I even wanted Katie to stay on with us some how. Maybe she could be the resident witch and I could be head guardian for the Queen! Dimitri could still guard Christian. Together we walked out of the loft and into the future! We had our whole lives a head of us and we would be free of us this place!
