Hello, fellow earthlings! So I'm in a bit of a hyper mood today, for the first time in forever, and I thought you guys might like an update. So . . . here it is! Thanks to: tetisheri and allqua for reviewing, it's nice of you to stick with me here ;)

Chapter 14: What I wanted

Dusty red bricks lined the pathway in zigzags, creating a neat patchwork of stones to the house, which was framed with a soft ring of hazy moonlight. Pale luminescence filtered through the clouds and illuminated the flagstones.

I walked with quiet, steady footsteps up the path, Marko at my heel, us both following silently behind the others. David's face was set with rigid determination. Every second or so he glanced up at the dark windows of the house, eyes focused on any tiny movement within the frames.

"Have you got your stake?" Marko asked me quietly.

"Of course," I whispered back, eyes never leaving the house.

The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end, and my stomach was filled with a queasy anticipation, waiting for the sign that our cover had been blown.

"So what now?"

We had reached the doorway. David stretched out his hand towards the metal doorknob, hesitating for a second before eventually turning it.

The door swung open, revealing a dark passageway within. A chill breeze rocked the skeleton limbs of trees and tousled my hair, blowing the short strands into my eyes.

David took one hesitant step forward, and then called, "Max?" into the shadowed doorway.

A hollow silence greeted his words. It stretched on and on, tension tangible in the air. The silence lasted.

"Maybe we should go," I whispered into the unwelcoming quiet.

"But you've only just arrived!"

We all span round. A tall, lean, middle-aged man stood behind us, a smile plastered forcefully on his face. He was looking at David carefully, a scrutinizing air about him.

"Max," David acknowledged curtly.

"Why the late visit, David?" Max asked curiously.

I slid my hand up my shirt, feeling for the comforting touch of my stake.

"We have a new addition to the family," David replied, gesturing to me.

There wasn't a trace of resentment to be found as he looked at me. I hadn't known he was such a killer actor.

"I see." Said Max. "Why don't you all come inside?"

I saw a flicker of worry pass across David's face, but it was quickly dismissed. Everyone but me and Max looked at David helplessly, as if asking for permission.

David nodded, resigned.

Max ushered us into the house, closing the door behind him; a single bulb flickered above our heads, revealing a long, narrow corridor, with pale blue paint peeling off the walls. To my left a staircase rose into darkness, and, to my right, another door led into a dimly-lit kitchenette.

Max offered me his hand, gazing at me levelly with a knowing expression on his face.

I slowly extended my palm towards him and then, too rapidly for me to comprehend, three things happened in quick succession. Max flipped his hand and grabbed my wrist, yanking out the stake concealed beneath my blouse; David launched himself over my head, and crashed into Max, sending him backwards into the front door with a loud crash; and, lastly, something collided with me and I fell to the floor, my wrist twisted at an awkward angle. Pain roiled through me and I let out a muffled yell, rolling over so I could clutch my wrist. I saw Dwayne fall back and shatter a grimy mirror behind him. The shards cascaded to the floor, and I covered my face with my hands. Through half-closed eyes, I noticed my hand stuck out in a strange direction, the fingers hanging limp. I'd broken my wrist.

"Allie, get your stake, get your stake!" Marko yelled through the carnage.

Dizzily, the bones in my wrist already beginning to fuse back together, I reached for the sharpened piece of wood on the floor in front of me.

"I'm too old to be fooled by such tricks, David!" Max's voice penetrated the haze in my head, and I opened my eyes fully, taking in the scene as quickly as I could.

David was being pinned to the ground by Max, a long gash on his cheek; Dwayne was unconscious on the floor; and Paul and Marko were both trying to scramble away from the older vampires, sharp stakes in their trembling hands.

With my newfound reflexes and battle-hardwired mind, I launched myself at Max, catching him off-guard and throwing him against the stairs. Using my distraction as an advantage, David grabbed a shard of glass from the floor and soared over me. A spurt of blood soaked my clothes and Max yelled in agony.

I was thrown backwards and slammed against the door, the pain barely registering through the panic. Through fluttering eyelids I saw a bloodstained max pressing me against the door, his hand reaching for my throat. Over his shoulder I saw David watching silently.

The bastard, I thought, astonishment rippling through me. So this was his plan, was it? Kill two birds with one stone? David knew that Max would kill me, and then afterwards, when I was dead, he could finish off Max and finally become the head vampire.

I felt Max's fingers close around my throat, and I squeezed my eyes tightly shut. This was it. This was the end. That bastard!

Just as the oxygen was cut off from my aching lungs, Max's hand convulsed, and then slackened its hold on my windpipe. My eyes flew open, just as Max fell to the floor. It was then that I noticed the wooden stake protruding from his back and I gasped.

Marko stood, panting, behind him. He grabbed the end of the stake and pulled it out of Max's body. "Next time," he said, throwing it to David, "do her the favour she did to you, and save her life."

David caught the stake in his right hand and looked at Marko darkly. The cut on his face had healed, a faint white scar in its place.

"What happened to your wrist?" Marko asked me, just noticing my broken bone.

I looked down at Max, who was lying on the floor in a pool of his own blood. His chest rose and fell in heaving lurches.

"I fell," I choked out softly.

Marko approached me slowly and took my wrist in his hands. With a sharp snap, he cracked the bone in half again. I howled in pain and tried to wrench my arm out of his grip.

"Stop struggling," said Marko, holding onto me. "I need to re-set the bone before you're human again."

I understood, and grimly slackened my arm. Marko twisted my wrist slightly, and then held it in both of his hands firmly, so I was unable to move my hand. I stifled a scream and closed my eyes.

"There." He said quietly. "Wait for Dwayne to come around, and then we'll go."

I nodded, opening my eyelids. Max's breathing slowed, and then, after a tremendous shudder, stopped. His mouth fell slack with a frightening finality.

The only sound in the narrow hallway was the steady drip, drip, of blood from Max's ruined chest.

Duh duh DUUUUHHH! Woo. Dramatic. I hope you guys thought so :)

And also - Max is dead. LET'S CELEBRATE! (In case you didn't realize, I hate Max. With a burning, fiery passion. HAHAHA)