Chapter 25 "You Said This I'd Do For You" Paul's POV

"Paul, get away from the door!"

That was probably the 100th time I had heard those words, and just like the other 99 times, I ignored them.

Her screaming and painful moaning had been haunting me since she got put in the lock box. Every time I heard her, it was like razors scraping my insides. But at least I knew she was alive when she made those excruciating noises. As long as the sun was down, I refused to leave her. That was my girl in there. And if it wasn't for me she wouldn't be in there in the first place.

Max would be here in a minute.

Only because we had no one else to ask for help. That motherfucker slit her throat last night, and now I was gonna have to look at him, and ask for help?

David paced around the cave nervously. He had cleaned up the place as if to impress Max. I was worried for him. You didn't turn anyone. That was Max's job. It was a core rule that we had always followed. I wasn't sure how tonight was gonna go down. But all I knew was that Max wasn't gonna hurt her or any of my brothers. I wouldn't let him.

Max was late getting there.

"I'm gonna kill that son of a bitch…" I muttered.

"Yeah?" David stomped towards me. "You kill him, and we all die, Paul! So why don't ya tell me how that's gonna work?" His anger rose as high as the ceiling.

I hadn't meant for anyone to hear me.

I grabbed the radio and turned it towards the door for Skylar to hear it.

"We like Def Leppard, don't we Babe?" I called to her.

She gave me a painful moan that ended in a shrill scream and scratched violently at the door.

Who was I kidding? Skylar was gone. None of us had reacted like this. The last time I had seen her, she was out for my blood. All I wanted to do was help her. It had been hard to watch. What if she never snaps out of this? I didn't wanna think about it.

Max finally showed up and looked around at us with disgust.

The blood boiled in my veins looking at his smug face.

He had tried to kill her.

I would have loved to rip him into pieces, but David was right.

He dies? We all do.

He walked over to where I was and I glared at him.

"Move out of my way." He commanded.

"What are you gonna do to her?" I growled.

"Nothing yet." He snapped.

I didn't budge.

"Paul, move out of my way, or I will remove you myself!"

I took a small step away.

"When are you ever gonna learn,.." Max muttered under his breath and approached the door. He knocked on it softly and she greeted him with a hellacious snarl.

He turned around slowly.

"What have you boys done?"

He was staring right at David.

Silence lulled.

"What have I told you from day one about turning someone?...Don't ever do it!"

I looked at my 3 brothers who refused to make eye contact with this ignorant asshole who was supposed to be our leader…

"What did you think was gonna happen when you slit her throat and called us out there?" I got in his face. Maybe he would focus his anger on me instead of David.

"I did nothing of the sort!" He gasped offended.

I could feel the room shift around me.

I may have hated Max, but he never lied to us.

Marko and Dwayne sat frozen where they were. Both of them knew better than to open their mouths. This was my problem.

"Then who did?"

"…Blaine" He reluctantly said.

This. Changed. Everything.

I could kill Blaine and no one would get hurt. He would get what he deserved. How dare he hurt Skylar! She was mine!

"Where is he?" I felt my face change as I punched the cave wall.

"He's gone."

"Why are you protecting him?" My breathing picked up.

"Because he thought he was protecting me, Paul…Protecting me and our secret. You can't have others knowing what we are!"

"She wasn't gonna tell anyone, Max." David chimed in.

Max didn't do it. That fuck bag did it.

"I hadn't decided how I was going to handle it. Perhaps had you have been better behaved in the first place about it, this never would've happened." He directed to me.

"Blaine told me what he had done. Even though I understand why, we have always had the strict understanding to never do any ill will to each other." He glared at Dwayne. Probably for punching Blaine the other night. We all thought it was funny, but clearly Max didn't.

"I told Blaine he had to leave Santa Carla and never come back. He is gone now. So I am telling you. Leave it alone, Paul. What is done, is done. And it ends right now. If you cannot obey this, there will be consequences."

We'll see about that…

"So then, why is she acting like this?" Marko sensing it was safe, spoke up. "She's wanting to kill Paul."

"Because you changed her while she was dying you idiot! This is what happens! And she wants to kill you because you're the one she recognizes. She has no other emotions other than carnage right now. David, you went through the same thing!"

"What?"

Max gleamed at David. "You don't remember, do you?"

David shifted uncomfortable in his chair.

"So, then she'll snap out of it?" I interrupted their "special time".

"Either she will or she won't. And she'll die in there if she doesn't"

"That can't happen!" I exploded.

He shrugged and walked away.

"This is not my problem". He walked away and stopped right in front of David.

"This is YOUR problem", he pointed an accusing finger in David's face. "You KNEW better! If you think you're capable of going above my rules, then show me hot shot. She is now YOUR problem. And if it becomes a problem for me because you cannot handle it, you and she will both be extremely sorry."

David gulped and looked away.

Max stood up straight, adjusted his suit, and walked towards the door.

"So what do we do now?" I called to him. I wasn't scared to talk like everyone else was.

"You wait until the rage is gone".

He left.

The animosity in the cave faded and we all felt like we could breathe again.

For now, David and Skylar were safe. And she might still snap out of it. I didn't wanna think about the other option. This was gonna work out.

Dwayne and Marko left to get something to eat. I went back to sit by Skylar and David sat on the couch staring into space. David was who he was. A control freak. But I knew it bothered him when Max was mad at him. He had a bond with Max that none of us did.

I had to say something to him. He had put his life on the line for me…

"I would've done it for you, y'know."

He looked up at me.

"Thank you". It was the only thing I could think of to say. I knew it wasn't good enough but it was all I had.

He nodded and got up to think without me interrupting his thoughts.

I rested my head on the door.

She was quiet. Had been since Max left.

I began to hum "I Can't Help Falling in Love With You". By Elvis.

She answered back with throwing her body violently against the door with a blood curdling scream.

Once my skin stopped shuddering I spoke to her.

"Better get used to it, Sweetums." I laughed. "Cause I'm gonna be annoying you forever now."

Or at least I hoped.