Outside, Paul gathered Madigan in his arms, the crossbow held out in front
of him aimed at the two vampires on the porch.
"Are you all right?" Paul asked softly, his eyes never leaving the girls.
Madigan nodded. "Yeah. Who killed Valentino?"
"Marko."
Isabella shrieked and launched herself at Paul. He tossed Madigan to the ground and aimed the crossbow. Isabella batted it out of his hand but Paul already had his hands around her throat.
***
Ottavia headed into the house, looking for Lily. She ran into Nicolo coming down the stairs.
"What's going on?" He asked, grabbing her arm to stop her when she pushed past him.
"The Lost Boys are attacking. They've already killed Valentino and Mauro." She said, trying to pull away from him.
"Where is Lily?"
Ottavia looked up and saw Nino standing at the top of the stairs. "Diego took her inside. I was going to find them."
Nino nodded. "Bring her to me when you find her. If you have to, kill Diego." She nodded and ran past him toward Diego's room.
A crash caused both brothers to look towards the living room. Nicolo was closer to the ground and was in the living room in an instant. Nino started to follow his brother when he was shoved forcefully from behind. When he hit the floor at the bottom of the stairs, he looked back up and saw David standing at the top. A quick glance to the left told him it was Dwayne that had crashed through the living room window and then David was upon him.
The two leaders grappled with one another, crashing roughly into the dining room, breaking furniture in their fight. Nino threw David across the room, sending him flying into a wall so hard the impact dented the wall.
David got to his feet slowly, dazed from the impact. Nino laughed.
"This is the great leader of the Lost Boys, childe of Max?" He walked slowly toward the dazed vampire.
***
Ottavia kicked open the door to Diego's room. Lily and Diego were standing by the windows watching the fight on the front lawn.
"You did bring them. Vacca. I'll kill you." Ottavia leapt over the bed and reached for Lily, ignoring her orders from Nino.
Lily jumped back, away from Diego. She kicked out at Ottavia, hoping to throw her off balance. Her foot planted in the center of Ottavia's stomach, sending the girl flying backwards. Diego tossed Lily the leg of a chair he had broken and she shoved it deep in the blond vampire's chest.
***
Marko eased around the side of the house. He saw Isabella and Paul struggling on the front lawn. Madigan was trying to help to no avail. He quickly joined the fight, pulling Isabella off Paul long enough for the taller vampire to get to his feet. She struggled against him, eventually breaking free. Isabella turned to attack Marko and ran into the stake Madigan was aiming at
her.
Isabella grabbed Madigan's arms, pulling her down as she collapsed. Paul and Marko lifted Madigan out of Isabella's grasp and pulled her away from the dying vampire. Isabella reached out for them as they backed away before she exploded, turning to dust.
"Thanks man." Paul said, clapping Marko on the back before hugging Madigan tightly. "Where're the others?"
Marko gestured toward the house. "Inside."
***
Dwayne and Nicolo circled each other. Dwayne swiped at Nicolo's arm, drawing blood. Nicolo cursed and struck back at Dwayne, catching him across the cheek. He followed up with a kick to Dwayne's left knee, the bones making a sickening crunch. Dwayne fell to the floor, his leg unable to support him any longer. Nicolo fell upon the fallen vampire, ready to strike the killing blow and rip out Dwayne's throat.
Nicolo opened his mouth to say something when a broken chair leg appeared in the center of his chest. He looked down in disbelief, then over his shoulder at his killer.
"Diego, cousin . . ." was all he could get out before he died, falling to the side as Dwayne pushed Nicolo off of him.
"Why?" Dwayne asked, slowly getting to his feet as his knee healed.
Diego shrugged. "She'd never forgive me if I hadn't." He offered an arm for Dwayne to lean on as they walked across the entryway to the dining room.
***
The death of his brother drew Nino's attention away from David for a moment but it was long enough for David to launch himself at Nino, sinking his fangs into the other vampire's throat. David tore at Nino's throat, weakening the vampire.
When Nino went limp in David's arms, David turned them around to the broken table. One of the broken legs was exposed and he lifted Nino easily.
"This is for Lily." David said softly and impaled Nino on the table leg.
Lily ran up to David, throwing her arms around him. "Are you all right?" She asked when she saw the alarming amount of blood on his clothes and skin. He nodded and held her close. The rest of the pack slowly drifted into the ruined dining room, Diego stayed to the back of the group.
"The rest are gone?" He asked in a rough voice.
Dwayne nodded. "Yeah."
David looked around. "Where's Paul?" He asked in a panic. He hadn't felt Paul die but he'd been distracted by Nino.
Lily looked up at him. "Outside with Madigan. Taking care of something."
"Sun will be up soon." Marko spoke up.
"May I make a suggestion?" All heads turned toward Diego, most of the group noticing him for the first time. David looked confused but nodded. "Bring the bodies outside so the sun may take dispose of them."
"Good idea." David motioned for the other vampires to do that very thing. He and Lily approached Diego. "I'm David."
"Diego."
"He saved Dwayne's life." Lily told David. "Nicolo was going to kill him."
"We have brought such pain on your pack. It was the least I could do." Diego said.
"But to help destroy your own pack . . ." David began.
Diego shook his head. "It was for Lily. She needed to be with the Lost Boys again."
Lily took Diego's hand. "You'll come back to the house with us, right?"
"For a little while, piccola." He smiled sadly at her. "I'll go help the others."
"He's very sad." Lily said to David once Diego had left.
"That he is princess."
***
"Mad, why?" Paul asked, staring at his love disbelieving.
She held out the crossbow to him. "Please, Paul. I can't live like this."
"So you want me to kill you." He refused to take the crossbow from her. "I can't."
"If you don't, I will walk out into the sun come morning. Save me the pain, please." Madigan reached out to him. "This is the way it's supposed to be, Paul."
"I love you Madigan." He said, reaching for the crossbow.
She kissed him softly. "I know Paul."
***
"I'm sorry piccola." Diego brushed a stray curl from her forehead and leaned down to kiss her. "My pack is gone so I must go too."
"Diego, what do you mean? Where will you go?" Lily leaned her head against his broad chest. "Stay here with us."
He laughed humorouslessly. "I cannot, Lily. I need to go wherever it is that we go when we are done with our time on earth."
"You can't. You can't kill yourself Diego." Lily took a hold of his arm. She could feel the involuntary panic that rose with sunrise and tried to pull him away from the door of the house.
He ignored her protests and opened the door with her still hanging on his arm. When he crossed onto the porch, he turned and looked back at her. "Please, principessa. Let me go."
"Just tell me why."
Diego glanced back at the slowly lightening sky. "It's my time to go. My pack is gone, rightfully but gone just the same. Did you not tell me that you tried to commit suicide when your pack was gone?" She nodded. "Then you must understand why I need to go."
She looked at her feet. "I'll miss you."
"I know, piccola. Good bye." He leaned down and kissed her softly, a mere brush of lips.
Lily swiped at the tears that threatened to escape. "Bye, Diego."
He gave her a half smile and turned back to the sunrise. "I wonder if it will hurt." He said, half to himself, and stepped out into the light.
She watched from the doorway as the sun came over the horizon, hurting her eyes and burning her skin. Diego began to smoke and burst into flames, quickly becoming nothing more than a pile of ash. Someone from inside grabbed her around the waist and pulled her inside before the sun consumed her as well. The cool darkness was a relief on her burns but Lily barely noticed as
she sank to her knees, red tears running down her face.
"Its what he wanted Lily. Like Madigan." Paul said, kneeling in front of her. His face was also stained with blood tears. "We have to let them go." She put her arms around him and they cried together.
"You loved her Paul?" Lily asked, her voice muffled by his shoulder.
He nodded. "I did. And Mauro took her from me."
"You got your revenge. You killed him."
"I don't feel any better about it." He sank down so his head was in her lap.
"Where're the others?" Lily noticed for the first time that they were alone.
"Gone upstairs to bed. David wanted us to be alone with our grief." Paul sat up, sniffling and wiped the red stain from his face. Lily did the same.
"We should go too."
Paul nodded and got to his feet, holding out a hand for Lily. She slipped hers into his and let him lead her up the stairs. "Your room?"
She shook her head. "Where's David?" Paul pointed to the room at the end of the hall, Max's old room. Without a word, she pulled him down the hall and opened the door. David was lying on the bed, his pale skin standing out against the black bedding. He looked over when the door opened, not surprised to see Lily and
Paul there. Wordlessly, he waved them toward the bed. Lily shed all her clothes save her t-shirt and crawled in next to him. Paul followed her. David wrapped his arms around Lily and touched Paul's arm.
"It's gonna be okay." He murmured to them.
"Promise?" David's shoulder muffled her voice.
He nodded. "Promise."
"Are you all right?" Paul asked softly, his eyes never leaving the girls.
Madigan nodded. "Yeah. Who killed Valentino?"
"Marko."
Isabella shrieked and launched herself at Paul. He tossed Madigan to the ground and aimed the crossbow. Isabella batted it out of his hand but Paul already had his hands around her throat.
***
Ottavia headed into the house, looking for Lily. She ran into Nicolo coming down the stairs.
"What's going on?" He asked, grabbing her arm to stop her when she pushed past him.
"The Lost Boys are attacking. They've already killed Valentino and Mauro." She said, trying to pull away from him.
"Where is Lily?"
Ottavia looked up and saw Nino standing at the top of the stairs. "Diego took her inside. I was going to find them."
Nino nodded. "Bring her to me when you find her. If you have to, kill Diego." She nodded and ran past him toward Diego's room.
A crash caused both brothers to look towards the living room. Nicolo was closer to the ground and was in the living room in an instant. Nino started to follow his brother when he was shoved forcefully from behind. When he hit the floor at the bottom of the stairs, he looked back up and saw David standing at the top. A quick glance to the left told him it was Dwayne that had crashed through the living room window and then David was upon him.
The two leaders grappled with one another, crashing roughly into the dining room, breaking furniture in their fight. Nino threw David across the room, sending him flying into a wall so hard the impact dented the wall.
David got to his feet slowly, dazed from the impact. Nino laughed.
"This is the great leader of the Lost Boys, childe of Max?" He walked slowly toward the dazed vampire.
***
Ottavia kicked open the door to Diego's room. Lily and Diego were standing by the windows watching the fight on the front lawn.
"You did bring them. Vacca. I'll kill you." Ottavia leapt over the bed and reached for Lily, ignoring her orders from Nino.
Lily jumped back, away from Diego. She kicked out at Ottavia, hoping to throw her off balance. Her foot planted in the center of Ottavia's stomach, sending the girl flying backwards. Diego tossed Lily the leg of a chair he had broken and she shoved it deep in the blond vampire's chest.
***
Marko eased around the side of the house. He saw Isabella and Paul struggling on the front lawn. Madigan was trying to help to no avail. He quickly joined the fight, pulling Isabella off Paul long enough for the taller vampire to get to his feet. She struggled against him, eventually breaking free. Isabella turned to attack Marko and ran into the stake Madigan was aiming at
her.
Isabella grabbed Madigan's arms, pulling her down as she collapsed. Paul and Marko lifted Madigan out of Isabella's grasp and pulled her away from the dying vampire. Isabella reached out for them as they backed away before she exploded, turning to dust.
"Thanks man." Paul said, clapping Marko on the back before hugging Madigan tightly. "Where're the others?"
Marko gestured toward the house. "Inside."
***
Dwayne and Nicolo circled each other. Dwayne swiped at Nicolo's arm, drawing blood. Nicolo cursed and struck back at Dwayne, catching him across the cheek. He followed up with a kick to Dwayne's left knee, the bones making a sickening crunch. Dwayne fell to the floor, his leg unable to support him any longer. Nicolo fell upon the fallen vampire, ready to strike the killing blow and rip out Dwayne's throat.
Nicolo opened his mouth to say something when a broken chair leg appeared in the center of his chest. He looked down in disbelief, then over his shoulder at his killer.
"Diego, cousin . . ." was all he could get out before he died, falling to the side as Dwayne pushed Nicolo off of him.
"Why?" Dwayne asked, slowly getting to his feet as his knee healed.
Diego shrugged. "She'd never forgive me if I hadn't." He offered an arm for Dwayne to lean on as they walked across the entryway to the dining room.
***
The death of his brother drew Nino's attention away from David for a moment but it was long enough for David to launch himself at Nino, sinking his fangs into the other vampire's throat. David tore at Nino's throat, weakening the vampire.
When Nino went limp in David's arms, David turned them around to the broken table. One of the broken legs was exposed and he lifted Nino easily.
"This is for Lily." David said softly and impaled Nino on the table leg.
Lily ran up to David, throwing her arms around him. "Are you all right?" She asked when she saw the alarming amount of blood on his clothes and skin. He nodded and held her close. The rest of the pack slowly drifted into the ruined dining room, Diego stayed to the back of the group.
"The rest are gone?" He asked in a rough voice.
Dwayne nodded. "Yeah."
David looked around. "Where's Paul?" He asked in a panic. He hadn't felt Paul die but he'd been distracted by Nino.
Lily looked up at him. "Outside with Madigan. Taking care of something."
"Sun will be up soon." Marko spoke up.
"May I make a suggestion?" All heads turned toward Diego, most of the group noticing him for the first time. David looked confused but nodded. "Bring the bodies outside so the sun may take dispose of them."
"Good idea." David motioned for the other vampires to do that very thing. He and Lily approached Diego. "I'm David."
"Diego."
"He saved Dwayne's life." Lily told David. "Nicolo was going to kill him."
"We have brought such pain on your pack. It was the least I could do." Diego said.
"But to help destroy your own pack . . ." David began.
Diego shook his head. "It was for Lily. She needed to be with the Lost Boys again."
Lily took Diego's hand. "You'll come back to the house with us, right?"
"For a little while, piccola." He smiled sadly at her. "I'll go help the others."
"He's very sad." Lily said to David once Diego had left.
"That he is princess."
***
"Mad, why?" Paul asked, staring at his love disbelieving.
She held out the crossbow to him. "Please, Paul. I can't live like this."
"So you want me to kill you." He refused to take the crossbow from her. "I can't."
"If you don't, I will walk out into the sun come morning. Save me the pain, please." Madigan reached out to him. "This is the way it's supposed to be, Paul."
"I love you Madigan." He said, reaching for the crossbow.
She kissed him softly. "I know Paul."
***
"I'm sorry piccola." Diego brushed a stray curl from her forehead and leaned down to kiss her. "My pack is gone so I must go too."
"Diego, what do you mean? Where will you go?" Lily leaned her head against his broad chest. "Stay here with us."
He laughed humorouslessly. "I cannot, Lily. I need to go wherever it is that we go when we are done with our time on earth."
"You can't. You can't kill yourself Diego." Lily took a hold of his arm. She could feel the involuntary panic that rose with sunrise and tried to pull him away from the door of the house.
He ignored her protests and opened the door with her still hanging on his arm. When he crossed onto the porch, he turned and looked back at her. "Please, principessa. Let me go."
"Just tell me why."
Diego glanced back at the slowly lightening sky. "It's my time to go. My pack is gone, rightfully but gone just the same. Did you not tell me that you tried to commit suicide when your pack was gone?" She nodded. "Then you must understand why I need to go."
She looked at her feet. "I'll miss you."
"I know, piccola. Good bye." He leaned down and kissed her softly, a mere brush of lips.
Lily swiped at the tears that threatened to escape. "Bye, Diego."
He gave her a half smile and turned back to the sunrise. "I wonder if it will hurt." He said, half to himself, and stepped out into the light.
She watched from the doorway as the sun came over the horizon, hurting her eyes and burning her skin. Diego began to smoke and burst into flames, quickly becoming nothing more than a pile of ash. Someone from inside grabbed her around the waist and pulled her inside before the sun consumed her as well. The cool darkness was a relief on her burns but Lily barely noticed as
she sank to her knees, red tears running down her face.
"Its what he wanted Lily. Like Madigan." Paul said, kneeling in front of her. His face was also stained with blood tears. "We have to let them go." She put her arms around him and they cried together.
"You loved her Paul?" Lily asked, her voice muffled by his shoulder.
He nodded. "I did. And Mauro took her from me."
"You got your revenge. You killed him."
"I don't feel any better about it." He sank down so his head was in her lap.
"Where're the others?" Lily noticed for the first time that they were alone.
"Gone upstairs to bed. David wanted us to be alone with our grief." Paul sat up, sniffling and wiped the red stain from his face. Lily did the same.
"We should go too."
Paul nodded and got to his feet, holding out a hand for Lily. She slipped hers into his and let him lead her up the stairs. "Your room?"
She shook her head. "Where's David?" Paul pointed to the room at the end of the hall, Max's old room. Without a word, she pulled him down the hall and opened the door. David was lying on the bed, his pale skin standing out against the black bedding. He looked over when the door opened, not surprised to see Lily and
Paul there. Wordlessly, he waved them toward the bed. Lily shed all her clothes save her t-shirt and crawled in next to him. Paul followed her. David wrapped his arms around Lily and touched Paul's arm.
"It's gonna be okay." He murmured to them.
"Promise?" David's shoulder muffled her voice.
He nodded. "Promise."