I felt awful for just sitting there like some useless kid, and watching Valentine stick up for me like that. Several times I tried to open my mouth to argue, but nothing came out. No comment, no argument, nothing. As the fight itself unfolded, I could do nothing but watch…it was like the Northern Crater incident all over again: watching, waiting, and hoping for safety. Sounds pathetic, doesn't it? Well, so be it! It wasn't totally my fault! Well, it was kinda. I'd injured myself by pulling some crazy stunt to escape the hit man, but that was all! Valentine had got himself involved in this mess, so that couldn't be blamed on me! Could it…?
The sound of rapid gunfire mixed with the slashing of a sword filled the air. Grunts of pain and snarls of determination and anger joined them, and blood splattered to the ground. From where I was sitting, it looked as though Valentine was winning. He had a few injuries and looked as though he was weakening slightly, but besides that, he was fine. The stranger however, was bent double. His once graceful movements with his sword had become clumsy and more random.
"C-…Cease-fire!" he commanded, his expression darkening as Valentine ignored his order. He really was showing no mercy. This provoked the temper of the stranger. As though receiving a burst of energy from what seemed like nowhere, he sped towards Valentine, his sword slicing through the air, dealing a nasty wound to Valentine's chest. Blood through the air, and I tried to force myself to grab my gun, only to have Valentine spot this moment, and shout a command of: "Don't move!" to me. Another blow from the stranger's sword greeted Vincent's right arm, knocking the gun from his hand. Being the idiot I am, I had distracted him, causing him to lose focus….
"In future, listen…Ex-Turk." He hissed, pushing his weakened opponent forward, and laying those piercing eyes into me. "A pleasure to meet you, Mi'lady...or perhaps you would prefer the term 'murderer'? Until next time." Such a bittersweet sentiment, stated with a tone of pure venom.
He was gone, leaving Valentine doubled over in pain, right hand against his chest, eyes shut as he winced. His gun had skidded away from him, and lay on the floor not too far from where I was.
I couldn't just sit here watching anymore .Now it was my turn to help him, or at least try to. Putting my hands out on the ground in front of me, I tried to force myself to stand up so that I could go to him and see if he was alright. However, I stopped when I heard Vincent's strained yet powerful voice order: "Stop it, Elena!" My gaze found him again, his crimson eyes narrowed and burning into me. He too, was now on his knees. I couldn't help but gasp when I looked at him, though…kneeling, one hand over a heavy wound to his chest as blood trickled down his front. From the corner of his lips flowed more of the crimson liquid, passing over his ghostly pale skin before dripping to the ground, meeting with a puddle of the blood, which had gathered beneath him, already, glinting in the light of the moon. I couldn't help but remember how there was an inside joke that the Turks had…how Valentine was a 'vampire'. This scene before my eyes so vividly recalled that, making me miss my co-workers even more, but also scorn them for saying such things about him. The image of Valentine covered in blood...it wasn't a joke anymore! Now, I can't really see how it was funny at all.
"I don't take orders from you!" I replied, feeling guilt inside of me from those thoughts. Trying again, I winced as I shakily fought to stand up. After several attempts that he watched, and tried to end by trying to order me to stop while he battled with his own agony, I finally succeeded. Now the next challenge: walking.
"Why are you doing this to yourself…?" his rough voice demanded, his eyes full of something that looked like sadness, or even…pain.
"Why?" I repeated after him, forcing my feet to carry me towards him. "Because…. I…" I wasn't too sure, but tried to answer regardless of that fact. "Because you'd do the same thing for me!" I finally decided aloud, nodding once, and cursing as I once again found myself on my knees. "Shit!" I'd tried so hard, only to fail again. Well, this feeling was familiar by now…but I wasn't about to give up in my attempts to walk to him. I needed to make sure he was alright, after all! It was the decent thing to do. Once again, I pushed myself up into a crouching position, and tried to pull myself up into a standing position, ignoring the pain that was ripping through my body, when…a hand met with my shoulder and forced me down, roughly pulling me forwards into an embrace. "Wh-…what are you-…?!"
"That's enough." I heard him mutter weakly to my ear. "Stop…please."