A/N: Please, please, please…don't hate me. This chapter totally goes from bad to the absolute worst. In the next few chapters – I'm sorry to say - it really doesn't get much better right away. But I promise to make it up to you eventually.
This is what I was talking about – the BIG THING that ties this all together and brings us – sadly to the end.
Katie – you had it partially right – but in a very bad way…:(
Until 58..:'( xox-G
Chapter Fifty-seven
Instinctively, Kyle pushed Becky to stand behind him. It was now or never he knew. He took a deep breath and stared Mark straight in the eye, his voice sure and strong. "You are not wanted here vampire."
Mark laughed in his face. "Your wants are of no interest to me. Except, the fact that you two want to see each other so badly has worked to my advantage." Mark's voice was laced with contempt as he circled them slowly. "You're such a good girl – aren't you Rebecca? Most of the time you are prim and proper and oh so well behaved."
His voice was filled with disgust as he continued. "But look at you now, sneaking out of the house late at night for a little tryst in the woods. You look pure as the driven snow but I guess you're just as filthy as the rest of us."
Becky clung to Kyle's sleeve, her senses heightened, her blood racing. She couldn't believe this was happening. "W-what do you want with me?"
"Oh - where to start?" Mark replied – his eyes wild. "I want you to suffer – for starters. So I'll take care of your little boyfriend first. And then – then – maybe I'll keep you someplace safe for a bit. I have a little room set up for you in my home. It's quite lovely actually. And then…well. In the end I'll kill you – painfully probably – so that you'll pay for taking my father's life."
"I was just a little girl.." She replied her voice soft. "I didn't know what I was doing."
"Oh please. Don't give me that – you knew exactly what you were doing." Mark snapped at her. He looked at her menacingly ignoring the glare Kyle gave him. "You're boring me, sweetheart. I don't have patience for cute and charming. It's time to finish this."
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"I should have known." Rafe said with a sigh as he and Grant met Caleb face to face.
"Slayer and Son. Fantastic." Caleb replied as he rolled his eyes. "I'm not in the mood for chit chat and your wife is no where nearby so I don't have to pretend to care." He moved to sidestep him as he ordered. "Out of my way."
Rafe didn't budge. He stood in his path and glared at him. "Where you off to?"
"None of your business." Caleb replied.
"I beg to differ." Rafe shot back. "I think we're both here after the same thing."
Caleb gave him a look that said he could care less. "I have a meeting…"
"With the man who's after my daughter – I assume." Rafe replied.
"You know what they say happens when you assume Slayer." Caleb chuckled. "Look. I'm done with this." He moved to walk away.
"Uh uh. We're going with you." Rafe replied as he followed behind. He was beginning to get a very bad feeling. "Did you leave Livvie and Rachel home alone?" He asked softly.
Caleb's voice was full of annoyance. "Do you see them here Rafe? Yes. She's home. They both are."
"Don't be too sure about that." Rafe replied. He spoke to Grant silently and he took off in a run. "Come on…" He turned to Caleb. "Let's hope it isn't too late."
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"Ah. More guests to the party. This is fantastic." Mark almost giggled with glee. One of his men brought Livvie and a wailing Rachel into the clearing. The sound of her crying grated on his nerves. "I can't wait to shut that brat up." He muttered to himself.
"You won't get away with this." Livvie promised him.
"I don't see why not. I've gotten away with so much already. I've been able to take every dime from that mousy socialite." He looked over at Becky again. "You know Belinda don't you? She's friends with your poor ailing sister."
He gave a wicked laugh as he continued. "I hope that turns out well. Even though I had no hand in it – it makes me feel so good inside to know that the world might lose another slayer."
He wore a sinister grin as he added. "Oh. That's right. It might even be two."
As he heard Becky begin to cry, Kyle's heart broke. He desperately tried to recall all he'd been taught. He slowly reached for the stake Rafe had given him. His hand closed around it as he tried to shield Becky from what he was sure was coming. It was ironic that the one thing she said she wanted to stay away from in her life was exactly what she was caught up in the middle of.
He needed to find an opening. It was easier when they had been facing Mark alone. Now, he had an accomplice. How could he get rid of both of them and still keep her safe?
Kyle knew he had to move and move quickly. He saw that Mark had paused in his little speech. Seeing that as his chance - he lunged for him.
Becky's scream carried to where her father and brother were standing. In seconds Rafe and Grant were there, standing close enough to see what was going on but far enough so that Mark didn't realize they were there. Briefly, Rafe turned to see what Caleb was up to and realized he was gone.
It was better that way, Rafe thought with a sigh – his blood boiling as he watched Mark push Kyle to the ground and pick up the stake. "Oh God. Becky…" he whispered.
Everything seemed to go into slow motion. On one side of the clearing, Caleb moved to fightwith the man who was holding Livvie. In seconds Caleb was there dragging Livvie and Rachel out of harms way as he faced Mark's sidekick alone.
The younger man had much confidence but not nearly as much experience. Blows were thrown in rapid fire – until finally there was only one man left standing. Caleb dragged the other vampire to onto his feet again, his eyes glowing red with rage. He held him tightly and with a quick snap of his neck he was gone. Breathing heavily, battered and bleeding, Caleb moved towards his wife and child. He held them close and in seconds the three of them vanished into thin air.
Meanwhile Mark twirled the stake in his hand. He leered at Becky, delighted to see her so afraid. "I can't wait until you feel what it's like – to know how my father felt when you took his life…"
Before he could finish, Kyle rose to his feet and stood to face Mark again. In a split second Mark lunged toward him, more than willing to take Kyle out before he got the main event.
Becky couldn't let it happen. She couldn't let him get hurt. Only one thing filled her mind as she suddenly jumped in front of him.
Rafe and Grant were footsteps away. As they watched in horror Mark attacked, stabbing Becky in the back. She screamed as he did, but it was nothing compared to the sound Rafe made as he saw her fall to the ground. It was nothing short of feral.
In an instant, Grant flew towards Mark, tackling him to the ground and pounding his fists in his face until the stake dropped from his clutches. In a daze, Kyle stumbled as he moved to pick it up.
When Grant stood to grab his own stake Kyle dropped to the ground and plunged his own straight into Mark's chest, satisfied when he saw his face contort in pain. He held the stake in place until he watched Mark gasp his last breath.
As Mark's body faded and turned to dust, Rafe knelt beside his daughter and cradled her head in his lap.
"Daddy…." She whispered as she stared up at him. Her voice was broken and full of pain. "It hurts."
Rafe could barely speak as he watched her. How could this have happened? This is exactly what he worked to avoid his whole life, it was exactly what he'd been so afraid of. He couldn't stop blaming himself. He knew he should have been quicker - he should have been there earlier, he should have done....something. The scene was so eerily familiar he couldn't stop the tears from falling from his eyes.
Holding her gently in his arms he lost all sense of time and place. All he could see was his poor little girl. "Shh. Becky." He whispered as he held her close. "Shh, baby. I know. It's all right. I'm right here…"
Kyle slowly picked himself up. With a longing look at Becky, he turned and ran, as far and as fast as he could. He knew it was his fault. He couldn't bear it if he had to watch her die too.
Grant then turned to look his father and sister. With a trembling hand he reached for his phone, knowing they needed to get help for her immediately. She had lost so much blood. As he went to dial he realized the phone was ringing.
"Grant…" Alison breathed, her voice filled with tears. "We're leaving now. I'll meet you at the hospital."
"Mom." Grant replied. He wondered how she'd know already and then it dawned on him. "I guess Aunt Abby told you. It's OK, Mom. Dad's with her right now. I'm sure it'll be OK."
"With who?" Alison replied, her heart pounding so fast and furiously she was sure it was about to fly out of her chest. "I'm talking about Katie, honey. She's gotten worse. We're taking her to the hospital now."
As she finished her sentence she realized what he was saying. "Oh my God." She cried, quickly becoming hysterical. "What happened? Where's Becky?"
Rafe wasn't waiting for help to come. He scooped a now unconscious Becky up in his arms and vanished himself.
Grant stood alone and took a deep breath. He swallowed tears as he replied. "She's with Dad – Mom. It's OK. Please. Have someone else drive you and we'll meet you there."
