Chapter 20

Lexi awoke in her room the next morning. She didn't open her eyes straight away but lay still on her side letting the sunlight warm her body. She decided to turn onto her back after a few minutes and suddenly heard the creak of a door. Her eyelids flicked open and she saw four faces leaning over her. Quinn, Ash, Poppy and Luke were all leaning over her bed straight into her face. Poppy and Luke hat tall pointed hats on which each had different coloured strands of tinsel on them.

"Happy Birthday!" Luke said loud and quick. Lexi sat up so fast that the others had to move their heads out of the way.

"What?" Lexi asked looking at them.

"Happy birthday," Poppy replied and hugged her. Lexi looked around confused.

"Who's birthday is it?" Ash and Quinn laughed.

"Your's you idiot." Lexi froze and turned to them. "My God." Ash said. "She's so old she's forgotten her own birthday!"

"It's my birthday?" Lexi turned to her phone and looked at the date. "My God it is isn't it." Lexi swung her legs out of her bed sheets and stood on the floor. Lexi looked at the others as they stared at her pyjamas.

"Lexi, please explain why you have a dragon on your pyjamas," Ash said giggling to himself. Lexi smiled and looked down at it. Lexi concentrated until suddenly the small dragon moved and came straight off her top. It wasn't very big but scared Ash so much he fell off the bed when it flew past him. Lexi laughed and whistled to the creature. It turned to her and quickly flew through the air onto her shoulder. It crawled around the back of her neck and rubbed its head on her cheek. Lexi stroked it with one finger.

"That…. is Awesome!" Quinn said smiling at Lexi.

Ash's head appeared over the bed as he glared at Lexi. "What the hell is that?" he asked angrily getting to his feet.

"'That' is Spike and he's actually rather hungry right now." Ash raised his eyebrows the watched as Lexi put on her pair of bunny slippers. Each small rabbit had a tiny pair of fangs. "You don't want to see what these two can do." Lexi laughed as Ash quickly moved back until his back was against the wall. Lexi laughed and headed to the door.

Three hours later everyone was laughing loudly as Ash was being chased around the room by Spike. Spike suddenly slowed and landed on Lexi's shoulder. Lexi let him lay in her hands. He started coughing up little puffs of smoke as he lay gasping for breath. "You've tired him out!" Lexi cried at Ash who was panting himself.

"He was the one chasing me!" he cried back.

"He's only a baby," Lexi said. Lexi but him close to her stomach and he crawled back onto her shirt then froze as a picture. Suddenly there was a knock at the door which made Lexi's ears prick up. Lexi felt them and tried to push them down. The retracted back as Thierry went to the door. Lexi heard the door open then a large crash. She turned in time to see Thierry flying through the hallway.

"Where is she?" Someone was yelling as they walked down the hall. Lexi stood and ran to the doorway where Thierry was lying. She froze when she saw a large male figure stood a few feet away. She stared at Officer Jackson for a long time. "What the hell are you?" He yelled lunging for her. She dodged out of his way and grabbed one of his arms. She twisted it behind him until he cried out in pain.

"Okay let's start this again shall we?" she asked putting more pressure on him arm. He dropped to his knees as Lexi let go of his arm. By this time Hannah, James, Quinn and Ash were stood around Thierry as his body lay still. Lexi looked at his neck quickly and saw four small circles. Lexi looked down at the officer in time to see him dart towards her with a tazer in his hand. She dodged it but as she tried to catch his hand one of the circles hit her wrist. A large sharp pain ran through her arm up to her neck. Her arm retracted instinctively and flew to her side. She held it with her other hand while Ash and Quinn wrestled it out of his hand. Lexi felt a tingle in her wrist and as she turned to look at it she saw that instead of her veins being blue they were a bright green colour and it seemed to be rising up her arm. She glared at the officer on the floor.

"In about ten seconds you'll be dead of poisoning."

"Do I seriously not get a break on my birthday?" Lexi asked as the colour stopped rising. It quickly faded back to its usual blue colour. The officer on the floor stared at her in misbelieve.

"What the-" Lexi stared down at the officer. "You can't be? They don't… you don't…" Lexi slowly lifted her finger to her lips. The man silenced quickly. Lexi then silently turned around. And silently stepped to the door. She stepped out of the doorway and stood silently in the sun. She waited for several seconds until she heard a barely audible click. She turned in a second and caught an almost invisible cable heading towards her. She caught it and wrapped it around her hand without any hassle. She pulled on the cord until the man holding it was pulled until he was inches in front of her. She froze as he stared, wide-eyed at her. She smiled slightly and threw him into the building. He landed in a heap on the floor just in front of the doorway. She stepped back inside making sure no one had seen them then closed the door behind them. She then looked back at the man who was still sitting on the floor. He slowly shuffled back away from her and sat in the corner whimpering. Lexi smiled slightly then walked into the kitchen. She went straight to the largest cupboard where several bags of blood. She quickly grabbed a large pack and walked back into the hall where the two men were now tied up. The men both watched her as she stood leaning on the wall watching them. She opened the pack with her teeth then waited for a reaction. Both men sat staring motionless. Lexi smiled and felt her large canine teeth lengthen. The second man started to tremble until suddenly his eyes rolled to the back of his head as he fainted onto his side. Officer Jackson still watched as Lexi bit into the pack and started drinking from it. Halfway through Lexi saw him close his eyes and flew towards him until she was crouched in front of his face. She pulled his eyes open until he had no choice but to look at her.

"I thought this was what you wanted. Proof that I'm real." Lexi thought back to the last time she had done something like this. She had done it many times before and she was using the same technique as always. Lexi suddenly felt a cold part of her open up. She quickly drank the rest of the blood in the packet and wiped her mouth. She tilted her head and looked at Officer Jackson's throat. "What are you A positive?" Lexi asked moving nearer to his neck. She sniffed quickly. "No, that's something I haven't smelt in a while." Lexi leant back and smiled. "You're AB negative aren't you? One of the rarest. I know a few people who are willing to die to taste blood like that." The officer squirmed trying to hide his neck and any venerable spots. "Personally I don't see the appeal. It's like humans with caviar. They eat it because it's rare and ignore the disgusting taste. My father used to eat it all the time until me brother and I explained how much it made him like vermin. Well he got that idea very quick and I've never have to set eyes on it again. Then again that was a long time ago. Years before you two were born." The second man started to open his eyes. "Hey sleepy head. Things get to real for you?" Lexi slid down the wall to sit directly in front of them. "I was just having a conversation with your friend here about how disgusting caviar is."

"Caviar?" the man asked. "I thought we were here to take her to-" Officer Jackson managed to kick him with his tied legs. The action, however knocked him off balance so he ended up lying on his back with his legs in the air. Lexi stood over him mockingly for several moments then kicked him in the shin until he topple back into a normal position.

"It's rude to interrupt you know. Now where was I? Oh yes the last time I had it must've been…" Lexi looked away thoughtfully. "four? …. No five."

"You ate Caviar when you were five?" asked Officer Jackson.

"No I last ate caviar in nineteen-oh-five." The Officer laughed. "What's so funny?"

"1905? That would make you what? A hundred and five or a hundred and six?"

"Well actually I'm four hundred and sixty seven today." Jackson laughed harder.

"You want to know what I think?" Lexi raised her eyebrows at his sudden confidence. "I think this is all a bad joke and your just some girl in a creepy cult. Anyone could have faked that blood with sauce or something, you say you're older than you actually are. I think your just a twisted kid with daddy issues." Lexi laughed to herself then she turned to the other man.

"And what do you think?" He looked between them a second then straightened his back.

"Hey, he's right that could've been anything. And you could just have good reflexes." Lexi laughed a lot harder now.

"My my. I'd forgotten how sceptical humans were." She stopped laughing suddenly and stared at them with a dangerous look. "That's why you're vermin, but no, it's your turn to rule the planet, so we have to sit in the back and just wait for ten thousand years until you all get burnt to death until we can finally take power again and I don't know about you but I expect to stick around for that. Although the way you two are going you might not even make it home ever again. I hope you said goodbye to your families, because this was a suicide mission." The men cowered again as Lexi felt her fangs elongate past her bottom lip. The men both turned white and leant back. Lexi was just about to lean towards them when there was a sudden knock at the door. Lexi retracted her teeth instantly and silently walked over to the door. She looked out of the door and saw Turist stood there. She swung the door open and charged out. She grabbed him by the throat and pushed him against the beam behind him. "You!" she cried. She heard footsteps behind her.

"Lexi?" Quinn asked.

"Does everyone have a death wish today? I guess it's my lucky day after all. Three sources of blood." Lexi felt her fangs drop once again. Just as she was about to bite into his neck Turist spoke.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." Lexi froze and laughed quietly.

"I always wondered why people stopped at that line but it's the curiosity isn't it? Well not with me. You know what they say. Curiosity killed the-"

"Cat." He said it simply yet it hurt Lexi. Not physically but something at the back of her mind made her body freeze involuntarily. "You're not going to kill me now."

"Oh really and why not?"

"Because we have the girl and your father confirmed that if we do not return now she will be killed and you know he is not lying." Lexi stepped back and removed her hand from his throat.

"Who's we?" she asked.

"You and I-"

"Fine." Lexi didn't look at him but looked towards her feet. She heard a gasp behind her.

"Lexi you can't."

"This is what I was telling you. She's working for her father. Now they've got what they wanted they don't have to hide the fact she's working for them." Jez's voice was full of spite and biter wit. Lexi turned quickly and angrily to her.

"I may have been at the start but this has spiralled out of my orders!" she yelled it loudly and didn't care who heard. "Yes I ay have been in the start but do you really think he's going to let me off with what I've done. I convinced myself that I was only getting close for the sake of the mission, but I blinded myself to the fact that I wanted to be here." She looked straight at Quinn with tears in her eyes. "I wanted to see you again. You just disappeared that night. Not even a goodbye." She looked back at her feet.

"Lexi I'm sorry but-"

"I thought you were dead Quinn! Hunter told me that so I would be angry. Quinn that was the night I killed all those people. I didn't do it because I was evil, I did it because I was angry at your death but because of that now I am evil. I'm dark and as them two vermin said I'm twisted but not because it was my choice. It's because that's how I was raised and while you got to escape I had to stay in the shadows behind my father."

"Please Lexi it can't be as bad as what he did to Ash really-"

"What he did to Ash was just a test." Lexi lifted her left sleeve where there was a large mark. It looked almost like a tattoo but Lexi knew differently. There were hundreds of lumps under her skin which formed the shape of a black iris. "This is what he wanted to do. Tag us. He wanted to tag every vampire like this so they would swear they're loyalty to him." Quinn had recoiled in horror at it. Lexi managed to calm down and pull her sleeve down.

"Why did he do it to you? He's your daughter!" Quinn was getting more angry by the second.

"Why are you even buying it?" Jez yelled. "She's obviously faking it. The whole poor Elexis stunt again. You're pathetic, you admitted you were working for him and now none of us believe you."

"It's not an act." Lexi turned to see Turist was staring at the floor looking guilty. "It's true."

"And what would you know?" Ash said stepping out of the door. Lexi had to put her arm up to stop him walking past her. Lexi turned to him.

"You don't have to tell them. If they don't believe me it's they're choice."

"Lexi." Turist sighed and stepped closer to her. "I tried to stop your father sending you here because I knew this would happen." Lexi looked at him straight in the eye. "That's why I'm here. He wants us to arrive together. He already has Marcel and he's most likely going to target the rest of the circle daybreak. He thinks that seeing as we all tried to help each other we should all die trying to save each other."

"Then why didn't you just run away? Why come here? I mean you don't care about the girl."

"Yes but I care about you." Lexi felt a sudden changed in her body. "Lexi, I love you but I'm not in love with you." Lexi tried to speak but couldn't think of anything to say. "Lexi we have to go now. I can't explain anything after this but I'll try and message you somehow." Lexi turned to the others by now everyone was stood in the doorway including Luke and Stephen. Lexi stepped forwards and crouched to hug Luke. She looked up to Stephen.

"Make sure him, you and everyone gets the hell out of here seconds after we leave. You can't be seen to be too paranoid otherwise they'll know but try and make it look like you had already planned on going out. Stephen nodded and when Lexi straightened up he stepped closer. He was about to speak but she put her finger to his mouth. "I know," she whispered. She then turned to Turist who was now stood at the bottom of the steps. Lexi followed him.

"Lexi wait!" Lexi turned in time to see Ash and Quinn running at her.

"It's been great seeing you again cuz." Lexi smiled AS Ash touched her shoulder. Ash then backed up leaving Quinn looking at her silently. Lexi looked at the ground and was shocked when he suddenly hugged her.

"I don't care what you say. You're always going to be my sister." Lexi whispered back to him while looking at everyone else. Lexi even saw Jez was looking upset.

"For one of the most hated people not alive, a hell of a lot of people like me." Quinn's body jerked slightly with his laugh. Lexi stepped away from him then wiped her eyes. She quickly looked down at her self then laughed. "Brilliant, I'm going to die in my pyjamas." Lexi was about to turn away when she suddenly stopped. She turned to Ash who was stood a few feet away. She held her hands at her stomach where Spike was stuck to her top. He crawled out onto her hands and looked up at her. He gave a small high pitched whine as he yawned. He looked confused as Lexi stroked him. He sensed there was something wrong and suddenly the large spikes on his back pricked up. "Spike no." He calmed down and his spikes retracted.

"I see why he's called Spike now," Ash said quietly. Lexi looked up at him and held her hands out to him.

"Take good care of him Ash. He's a Custodi dragon. It means Guard dragon. He'll live as long as his owner and seeing as my life is going to end pretty soon I want someone to look after him. That's why I'm giving up possession of Spike to you." Ash sighed just as Spike whined. Spike suddenly started to float just above her hands. His green scales turned a pale grey as he landed on Ash's shoulder.

"What happened to him?"

"When a new owner takes possession he judges what colour he should be seen as, he will then turn that colour. My colour wasn't actually meant to be green but he was influenced by my powers so I guess that's why he was green." As she spoke he turned every shade of colour in existence until he stopped on a light Ash brown. The same colour as his hair. Lexi smiled then turned to Turist. "I guss we have to go now." Turist nodded and without looking back Lexi walked towards the large black van which sat waiting outside of the gate. Lexi waited at the gate as the doors flew open and several vampires all armed with crossbows with wooden bolts climbed out. One vampire who was unarmed approached Lexi directly.

"You know what happens now." Lexi nodded.

"Just make sure it doesn't hurt." Suddenly Lexi felt the surge of power through her head and everything went dark. Lexi suddenly felt something she had never felt before.

Fear.