Astrid ran through the trees, ducking branches that appeared in front of her. She leaped over a fallen tree, feeling free as she flew through the air. She landed on her feet and grabbed a tree branch, flipping over it before landing on another tree. She crouched and inhaled, closing her eyes as she smelled the wildlife and nature that surrounded her. She never felt calm until she left the camp and was relieved to find a moment that she could escape. If just for a moment she could get away from the strife that plagued that camp she would gladly take it.
The days had blurred together. Marietta was a nauseating person to be around, she drained Astrid's energy every night they went into towns. She constantly talked, never taking a moment to take in her surroundings, always ready for a kill or another vampire. She was left with only disappointment at the end of the night and made it very clear that she wanted more. Astrid made it very clear she didn't care. Marietta didn't know what she wished for; the destruction and fear of meeting another vampire. Her naivety was beginning to grate on Astrid's nerves more than anything else she did.
There was a crash behind Astrid. The camp, no doubt. Maria had brought back ten more newborns, rounding their numbers to a solid fifty. It was too chaotic to stay there for so long.
Astrid had left the camp hours ago and she knew she would have to head back. Maria didn't like Astrid roaming alone, she still had the paranoia that Astrid would find another coven and they would exploit her gift. God forbid anyone but Maria had her.
With a defeated feeling, she turned and ran back through the green woods. She had barely entered the perimeter and already could smell venom of a destroyed vampire. She entered the yard and frowned, watching as glittering limbs were tossed into the flame that never went out. Marietta stood at the front, laughing as the head was tossed in. Astrid was relieved to see it wasn't part of the surviving seven.
"Had a nice run?" Peter asked, appearing beside her.
She shrugged, "Anything new?"
"No."
They turned to gaze at Maria's window before turning to look at the newborns. The sun was beginning to set meaning that patrols would begin soon. Astrid wanted to groan and thump her head on the floor. She knew that if she changed her partner Maria would see that as an insult.
"Watch it." A man snarled, his shoulder shoving Matilda as he passed. She stumbled back and hissed in retribution, threateningly stepping towards him. He spun and met her head on, towering over her. She didn't back down, her eyes full of spite.
Astrid glanced at Peter. He had turned to look at the barn. Peter hadn't said much about the change in attitude towards the seven but she knew it was bothering him. It bothered her. Ever since Marietta had torn Maggie to shreds the entire camp had seemed to enjoy picking on the seven. They had closed ranks with each other, nervous to see who would be the next victim.
"Be safe tonight." Peter said suddenly.
Astrid stared at him, raising an eyebrow, "That's the first time you've ever said that to me."
"Don't mention it. Really," He shuddered. "Can't have anyone thinking that I care."
She snorted and turned back to watch Matilda. The vampire had left her alone and the others had surrounded her, looking worriedly around them. They never knew who would be their next attacker. Astrid couldn't bare to watch the inevitable happen so she turned her back, heading for the farm house to tell Maria they would be leaving soon. She opened the front door and was immediately greeted with the overwhelming smell of Major and Maria. Their release hung in the air, the stench filling the entire house. Astrid stopped, her hand on the door knob, and listened for movement.
Major was putting his shirt on, his boots heavy on the wood floors. The bed creaked as Maria stood, pulling her dress over her head, the fabric tussling her hair. They had heard the door open. Knowing they were finished, Astrid made herself walk to Maria's door. She didn't need to knock as once she made it to the last the step Major opened the door, fixing the collar of his shirt. They made brief eye contact before he brushed past her. Astrid continued to Maria's room.
"We're going to be leaving soon, Maria." She said, eyes following Maria as she went from the bed to her desk.
Maria nodded and waved dismissively over her shoulder, her back to the door. Astrid turned and exited the house, breathing the smell of oak that surrounded her. Major was telling the newborns to pair up and begin for their territories. Marietta fluttered to Astrid's side, a man-eating grin on her face.
"Ready, ma'am?"
A growl low in her chest appeared before she could stop it. She walked past the girl and headed for the dirt road that led to the farm, wanting this to be over as fast as possible. They ran on the road, Marietta trying to go ahead of Astrid only to be tripped by the older woman. She hated that Marietta always tried to prove she was better than Astrid in anyway possible.
The night dragged on. Marietta had taken to rushing ahead of Astrid tonight, wanting to tell Astrid the area was clear before she could fully take a minute to soak in the smells and sounds of the area. She was rushing.
"Will you slow the fuck down?" Astrid hissed, grabbing Marietta by the arm when she tried to run down the alley they were in.
"Why? I just told you I don't smell anyone."
"We're not here to just smell, Marietta. We're here to watch and-"
"Watch, stand on a roof top and watch the food for twenty minutes, look around like a clueless dog, and watch some more?" Marietta yanked her arm out of Astrid's grip. "I'm tired of it! We shouldn't be doing this lame shit! If anyone was here we'd know instantly."
Astrid pinched her nose in frustration and shook her head. There was no getting through to this idiot. Perhaps if she wasn't a month old and high on the murder of her own comrades she would be more inclined to listen. Astrid knew her superiority in the camp followed her outside as well. She thought she had brought her ego down but it seemed to have risen more over time.
"You can't rush these things. We have to make sure-"
"Oh, whatever."
Astrid lost it. She saw red as she grabbed Marietta by the neck, holding her against the alley wall and clenching so hard she thought her own knuckles would fall off. Marietta spat and kicked, creating foot sized indents in the wall, but it did nothing to loosen Astrid's hold. Animosity coursed through her veins, too far gone to consider the wrath of Maria. The impudent child had stroke Astrid's last chord of patience and there was no controlling her actions.
Astrid twisted Marietta's leg and felt pleasure over her squeal of pain. No physical pain could amount to the mind numbing annoyance Marietta gave her constantly. Marietta clawed at Astrid's one hand, lines leaking venom, but she didn't care about gaining more scars.
Astrid was ran over like a boulder. Her shoulder skidded on the pavement, a body on top of her's heavy and unrelenting. She hissed and flipped them over, straddling Benito's man. She raised her hand, poised to crush his throat, when another reached out and grabbed her wrist. She was tossed onto her back, a boot coming to rest on her arm. She used her other hand to swipe at him and barely got a hit in before that too was restrained. She screeched like a wild cat, her eyes wide with fear. Never had she been in this predicament.
She looked behind her, watching as two others tore Marietta to bits. She was useless, Astrid already having crushed her throat to the point she couldn't bend her neck and her leg having been spun in the opposite direction. Astrid had killed herself along with the newborn.
"This is the first time we've come across Maria's bitches killing each other." One of her captors laughed.
"Sure made it easy for us, didn't ya' darlin'? Didn't even hear us coming!"
One of the men grabbed Astrid's legs, grabbing her by the ankles and spreading them. She growled and spat, kicking viciously. The other one slammed his shoe onto her knee, shattering it. She screamed, tossing her head back.
"Scream for me, baby! I love it!" He bellowed over her, laughing as he opened her legs.
Astrid would be damned if this was her last moment on Earth. She had spent the last five years clawing for her life and it would not be taken away like this. She shook her arms, bit at their wrists. They smacked her in the face. She bit at their fingers. They laughed. She felt the feeling of true hopelessness enter her body.
Four against one. She had done this to herself; how had she not heard them come?
His hands were on her inner thighs, giving his friends a show as he pushed her dress up. She kicked him with her good knee and he flew back, snapping his teeth. In no time he was back on her.
Astrid stared at the stars, accepting her fate. Perhaps in death she would see her family once again.
Heavy boots crunching on cement were her only warning before the man between her legs stopped moving. She let her eyes leave the sky and land on him, only to see his head gone. His body fell over her broken knee, twitching. She looked up and smiled.
Major grabbed the other, frozen with shock and fear, and yanked his head in half by the mouth. The others dropped her arms and lunged at him in the same time. Major easily avoided their attacks, grabbing one by the shirt and tossing him at the other. They toppled to the ground and Major's gaze landed on them, their bodies beginning to shudder as he neared them. Just like the other, he tore their heads off.
His black eyes landed on Astrid. She gathered herself and pulled her legs close, wrapping her arms around her stomach. She gazed at Marietta's body parts strewn across the dark alley before looking back at Major. He stood over Benito's men, his hands shaking with left over adrenaline. He crouched next to her and brushed her hair out of her face before grabbing her by the neck, resting his forehead against her. He breathed her in.
"I thought I was too late." He said in a gruff voice.
Astrid reached up to grab his arm, squeezing in gratitude. She had thought it was the end. They sat in silence and Astrid closed her eyes, kicking herself for letting this happen. If she hadn't let Marietta get her riled up she would've heard them, she would've been prepared and not taken down so easily.
"Why are you feeling so shameful? Did they do something?" His tone grew dark, his eyes flashing to the wiggling bodies. She felt the fury in the air and shivered from it, pulling him closer.
"It's all my fault, Major. I-I was mad at Marietta and I had her on the wall and they came from nowhere."
Major stood, pulling her with him. Her knee buckled from the weight, reducing her to wrap her arm around Major's shoulders to stand right. They walked outside of the alley and towards the edge of town where the trees met civilization. She kept her head down the entire way, limping and feeling like a child. She had done this to herself. Never had she been so caught off guard. Once they were at the trees, he told her to wait in a branch while he burned the bodies. The last thing they needed was for another group of Benito's men to find the remains and piece them back together.
When he returned he had a human for her. The girl lulled beside him, a loopy smile on her face as she stumbled at his side. Astrid leaped off her branch and held the girl to her chest in a hug, holding her still as she drank her blood. She felt her knee repairing itself and dropped the body, wiping her mouth before looking at Major once more. She felt more in control of her emotions, like she was finally catching up with the events.
"Why were you there, Major? Your area is no where near here." She asked, leaning against the tree.
"Peter."
Astrid smiled and felt a sick sense of amusement as she remembered his words. She never thought the day would come that she'd be thanking that nuisance for saving her life. But then again, she had never expected him to tell her to be safe.
"It's been a weird day, Major. Can we go back to the farm?" She asked. Astrid wanted to get away from the town immediately, worried that more were around. She had been close to death before, the night had given her nothing new in her life.
Major nodded and went to walk past her. She grabbed his wrist and pulled him for a hug. He was stiff at first before relaxing into her. They molded seamlessly into eachother as they embraced, Astrid's nose buried into his shirt. She felt his hand tangle in her hair, holding her tight. A sense of calm washed over her tensed body.
"Thank you." Astrid said.
Major stepped back and held her by the waist, helping her through the woods.