Chapter 17

"No." Lara protested with her mind as she focused her eyes on the road ahead. She had done the right thing. For once, saving the world wasn't her priority. Kurtis was meant to save everyone, without her interference. Her staying could have ruined his "elders" plan of defiance. She shook her head in agreement with herself. Leaving was the best for everyone, literally.

Kurtis's words suddenly sounded throughout her mind. "Just wanted to give me a little taste first." They spat at her innocence. "That was wrong." she thought. She shouldn't have slept with him. It is cruel to tease the male mind, especially its physical aspects.

A sudden vision entered her mind at the thought of their intimacy, and Lara quickly slowed the bike. She saw him. His toned body hovering over her, pressing against her form and feeding her with pleasure. His thin lips against her own with moistened lust and the warm feeling of being loved. His slightly lengthened hair shaping his face as he spoke her name, slightly hiding his hypnotizing eyes.

"The eyes." she thought as she gasped from distant chills. She cursed them. "If it wasn't for those damn eyes, this would be a lot easier."

Her mind forced her to take in the night before, her and Kurtis together as one, the way he made her feel and the emotions she had experienced. She had thoroughly enjoyed it, so much that she would welcome the opportunity to be with him again. "That is so selfish Lara." She regretted the thought.

Lara again bit her lip with lust, which angered her. She then purposely forced her teeth down into the lower brim of her mouth. She moaned with pain as blood trickled upon her tongue. Maybe now she would think twice before the newly formed habit kicked in.

Lara cursed herself for even considering going back and she sped forward once again. She rode several minutes without Kurtis in her mind, but was forced to actually stop when she realized the truth; she did have feelings for him deeper than in body.

The way he tried to protect her, and how he smiled at every bad situation had comforted her. She lifted her arm and stared at the bandage he had placed there. Her fingers met it, her thoughts on how he had cared for her.

She shut her eyes as a tear ran down her cheek. She had been wrong. Kurtis wasn't selfish. In fact, he was probably the most unselfish person she had ever met. He was giving up every aspect of his life for the rest of the world. He was forcing himself to settle down and have a child, which would change his entire life. Lara could tell that he wanted this even less than she did, and couldn't imagine what he must be going through.

Other than that, he was giving up her. She knew that he liked her in even more than an intimate way, and she knew how hard it was to sacrifice a relationship for the well being of all the other assholes on the planet.

The thought made Lara wonder about herself. If Kurtis wasn't forcing her to have a child, would she have stayed? Lara stared at the ground. "Yes." she told herself.

Lara wiped a strayed tear from her face. She re-cranked the bike and shook her head. There was nothing she could do. Kurtis Trent's destiny demanded a child, something she would not allow herself to succumb to, no matter how much she wanted to, no matter how much she wanted him. She stared into the distance, demanding her conscience to dissipate. She quickly sped forward, heading toward the airport in Tunis.

(-)

A cold grimace shaped the crooked smile upon the demon's face as she stared forward and bit her lip with the anxiousness of her surroundings.

She fought back laughter as she peered upon the extravagant house that stood before her. It's tall gates and flat roof reminded her of a castle, a red one of coarse, painted crimson from the bricks used to construct it.

It hadn't taken her long to scale the outer walls of Croft Manor, her inhuman abilities had aided in the climb.

She now lay still, crouched behind a tall bush staring at the home's entrance, waiting for the perfect opportunity to set her demons upon its doorstep.

It was payback, payback to Lara Croft for the bullet holes in her chest and the slight scar upon her left cheek that another 9mm shell had caused.

Other than that, it was to Kurtis. She had seen the way he looked at Lara. She couldn't allow such things. Kurtis was hers to do with as she pleased, whether that be killing him or simply fucking with his mind, something she was doing now. Lara Croft would never trust him after this, not after what she was about to do.

A silence fell upon the wicked thoughts as a shadow passed by the manor's entrance window. It was time.

Mariana didn't move as the age-old butler carefully opened the wooden doors of the large house. He moved slowly through the doorway, almost as slow as the garbage in his hand decayed.

Mariana smiled as he came closer, knowing that his mind was ignorant of what was to come. She raised her arm at that moment, and a group of demonic shadows flew from behind the high wall to meet her.

The wraiths instinctively looked over the estate's grounds, searching for Mariana's commands. Their crimson eyes showed brightly against the darkened sky as they spotted their orders, the old man looking fearfully toward the sky.

He had dropped the garbage bag and was quickly making his way back toward the gaping doors of the manor, shaking with fear. The wraiths seemed to smile as they watched him, moving so slowly, yet so hastily within the man's ancient mind.

Mariana retrieved a lighter from a small pocket at her side, and quickly lit a cigarette as the wraiths rushed toward their prey.

She smiled as shouts of horror and pain rose from the yard of the prestigious house that stood before her.

"The house." her mind evilly informed her. Her eyes turned back toward the lighter that lye in her opened hand. They strayed once again toward the mansion. She smiled as her features formed into a bright image, consumed by the flaming lighter she held before her face. She stared at the flame as she stood.

Her motions started forward, and she casually walked toward Croft Manor, the lighter held firmly in her hand as the screams began to die out.

(-)

Lara had gone seven straight hours with Kurtis Trent in her mind, but the closer she neared Surrey the more her thoughts waned home. She retrieved her car from the nearby train station's reserved parking, abandoned the nearly destroyed bike in an alleyway, and anxiously sped for her place of comfort.

She watched as the daylight began to fade, and darkness overtook the sky. She smiled at the thought of being within minutes of her Manor, but the expression quickly faded as a sudden odor filled the air. She curiously watched as the road became hazy and the odor grew stronger.

Something was wrong. Her path smelt of smoke and ash and she quickly brought the car to it's maximum speed. A rock formed in her stomach as she saw clouds of endless smoke rising up ahead.

She wasn't far now. Her home lay less that two miles away, yet her thoughts were no longer of anxiousness, but of fear. As she continued, the nervousness intensified. Not knowing what was going on made her angry and afraid.

She sighed with anxiety as she saw Kurtis's wrecked bike up ahead, lying by the trees of her exterior driveway. The tall gates then formed around the corner. She felt cold sweat fall from her forehead as she passed through the mansions gates.

Lara suddenly slammed on the brakes. She felt her neck pop as the car came to a sudden halt. She quickly recovered herself and stared forward. What she saw caused Lara to leave the car, and fall to her knees. She cried out in anger and sadness at what lye before her. She fell forward as her fists pounded into the ground, and she wept.

A loud noise erupted and Lara stared. In front of her, three wraiths hauntingly waited for her; all in there demonic forms. Lara slowly stood with enraged eyes as they growled.

Beyond them stood Croft Manor, burning to the ground, and laying before her, what remained of her once best friend. Lara held up her weapon and clenched her teeth before eagerly rushing forward to attack the creatures who had destroyed her life.

A/N: Sniff Sniff, I loved that house. :( Oh yeah, Winston too...