My word. Has it really been three months since I updated? It doesn't feel like it. My excuse? Well, to make a long story short, my little sister went through the computer and threw out a lot of trash. Including the rest of this story. I've had to rewrite it, in between all of the things I'm doing lately. Not to mention a sudden attack of writer's block. I realize this chapter is short, but! I've finished the story, and you'll probably see the finishing chapters go up one after the other in the next few weeks.
I can't respond to all of the reviews here like I normally do, but I will say that I've appreciated them more than you can imagine. It was the comments that motivated me to write this story. So, this is for all of you. Thank you.
Thanks to Griffinkhan, for beta-ing and indirectly ending the writer's block.
Chapter 11: Exile
I jerk awake. I realize I'd fallen asleep, and I get out of bed. And immediately freeze.
In my room are all of the vampires Siete had chosen to accompany us. And there, sitting by the fireplace, is the creator of vampires himself. He turns to look at me, and I see the fury in his eyes. When he speaks, his voice was calm.
"What were you doing, snooping around in Jaguar's office?"
I say nothing at first, but instead look around the room. All of the other vampires are watching me carefully, their looks calculating. Their aura tells me nothing.
"I thought that there might be information worth knowing," I reply finally.
Siete's eyes narrow. He stands up, and walks over to me. Step by step he comes closer. I stand my ground. I am not prey.
"Do you realize that if we do not leave within the next five minutes, we all may be killed? Jaguar is furious. All of the vampires are furious. I came seeking peace, and instead we must all flee for our lives. And it is your fault."
At first, the words seem to be a faint buzzing in my ears. But when I realize what he is saying, a fury wells up in me. Does he not know what Jaguar has been doing? Why should we help someone who clearly wants to get rid of us? I find my voice.
"Why do you care what Jaguar thinks of you? You are the strongest of our line; you could kill him with a mere thought! Yet you come before him, begging for help like a cringing human. Are you as weak as that?"
"It is not about weakness. I know something's going to happen, and if it means what I think it means, then there must be unification among our species at all costs."
"We are not prey!" I hissed. "We do not cooperate, we do not need to listen to others! We are predators!"
"And it's time we started acting like them!" shouted Siete. "Do you not realize that, even in the wild, if a predator realizes it cannot survive on its own, it will seek the comfort of its own species for protection? Even the wildest and strongest of beasts must do this, and vampires are no different! There is a war coming, Risika! There's more to it than personal honor!"
"He threatened me!" I spat back at him. "He's sent threats to me, warnings of harm! Would a tiger seek the comfort of a viper?"
Siete smiled, though not with his eyes. "War makes for strange bedfellows, Risika. I can see that we do not agree on how to approach our species. You are so blinded by your pride that you feel you must lord it over others. Including me."
I dare not breathe. How dare he, the most arrogant and condescending of all vampires, how dare he tell me I am full of pride? It is he who is the fool. It is he who will die. I can see the danger, but he cannot.
"I am sorry, Risika. But you are too much of a danger. When I get back, the Council will need to know whose fault it is that this mission failed. And they will expect me to have punished you. I will not kill you," he said as I reached for a dagger, " but I do not want you to come back to New Mayhem. Not now. Not ever."
I stare at him, in shock. He looks back at me, impassively. The silence hangs heavy in the air, before it is broken by laughter. I look for the source.
Aubrey, mouth open and eyes filled with delight, is laughing at my shame.
