Sunrise

Chapter 14: Coming Undone

Coming Undone—Korn

Again, guys, I'm so sorry for all the darkness. I promise you it's getting better. Promise. And for the things I didn't clear up in the last chapter, sorry. It sorta slipped my mind.

OOO

I didn't really get why I wasn't dead yet. Yes, I got the essentials—food, water, etc. Hell, I even got to use the bathroom. Well, sorta. Basically, I got a bucket beneath me and my pants pulled down. Fun.

I knew why he didn't have me by force. I was human as of now, and he, unlike my father, was too inpatient to deal with my slowness, and my fraility. He'd probably kill me before I was even unclothed. Which was why I wasn't going to switch forms.

I hadn't seen Alex in a week—but I knew he was okay. His arm had thankfully set right. I think he'd done it himself. Brave kid.

But my mind had begun to form a plan. Kayla was out of the picture—she wanted to kill me herself. But, if I could get Maddie blood, then I could easily get out of here with her help. I hadn't calculated the number of enemies or the vastness of the prison, which I could know at once—but I wanted to know exactly what to look for. I couldn't be sure what I really needed to know—hello, I was hanging from a ceiling.

I kept my eye on Alex. Every now and then Maddie would sorta start mumbling to herself about morals, and that would make me tense. Alex was as far as he could be from her, so I had—as weird as it may sound—faith in Maddie.

I was constructing the final phases of my plan when the cell door creaked open. I glanced up and saw Kayla appraising me with cold, lifeless, red eyes. I shivered uncontrollably. They were fine on Matt—even if his were gold now. But in Matt's case they had shown emotion. Kayla's were like unresponsive orbs, hovering for no reason.

"It's funny," she mumbled after a moment, "because I'm starting to remember things. It's strange," she continued, her voice completely monotone, "because I know that in the end you'll die, and I have to abide by that, but another part of me doesn't want to see that happen."

"That makes perfect sense," I muttered, rolling my eyes. "Love the person but kill them anyway. Fabulous."

"He… put and end to… Robbie, didn't he?" she asked, and I saw a flicker of pain in her eyes as she processed my silence.

I chose my words with care, noticing I was on thin ice. "You aren't really supposed to remember things," I told her, and she shook her head.

"He made me remember things in order to motivate me," she said. "It's not a big deal."

"So why the hell are you speaking to me?" I hedged. She frowned—the first emotion I'd seen on her face in a long time.

"I'm not exactly sure, kid." She said these statements as if I were a child. I was older than her by almost five years. My eyes narrowed.

"You don't have to do what he says, Kayla," I said after a moment. "He has no control over you."

I knew what she was going to say before she did. And it wasn't just because of my "gift". Her eyes narrowed, her ghost of a smile disappeared. Her eyes lost their luster. She crossed her arms tightly, her lips in a firm line. "You have no idea what's going on," she told me.

Oh, didn't I? Just because I was human didn't mean I was completely oblivious to what was going on. My mind had raced back to related events in the past, or Jasper's past. I knew exactly what Lucas was trying to accomplish. And I knew exactly why a lot of his first guards and sentries were going missing. "I know we're in the South, and I also know that what's going on between you and him is based on survival. You don't want to die like the others, right? I mean, being a vampire is about being immortal, not about being strong and crazy for a year, and then… well, you get it."

Her eyes flashed. "How the hell would you know that?"

"I have a coven that has been around for centuries, Kayla," I growled. "And I've been part of one… well, part of one of their guard's—that's been around for even longer. Basically, darling," I hissed, "since the beginning of my race. Or ours, but I don't really fit in with you. I mean, even ones like you are above us captives."

"Like me?" she questioned.

"You know what I mean."

We stared at each other for a very long time. I didn't think it could be worse than this, at the mercy of a much stronger vampire, restrained in ropes, with plenty of other guards out there waiting for Kayla to screw up. I was just glad I wasn't bleeding anymore. Correction: it could get worse. A lot worse.

She said after a moment, "I'm not helping you. I'm more concerned about my life than yours. You're nothing to me. How long did I know you in my human life anyway? Five seconds?"

"How long did you know Robbie?" She winced. I'd struck a cord. Score.

"Just because you were his friend doesn't mean I owe you anything."

"You and I both know that the human Kayla wouldn't do this," I called out as she walked away. She paused at the door, looking at the ground.

She didn't say anything for a moment, and when she did, her voice sounded strange. "The human Kayla's dead. They don't stop your heart for nothing, you know."

"You don't have to be dead," I tried to say as she walked out. "I'm not!"

But she didn't hear me, and then I heard an amused laugh from outside the cell door. "Not yet," Lucas corrected.

"Nor will I ever be," I snarled as he strolled into the room. He leaned against the wall, a appraising look on his face.

"I see you've got your spunk back," he commented. "Attempting to steal away my guard, back talking me. You do know the fact is, you're making all of this just the more exciting?"

"Good for you. That was exactly my goal in life." I looked ahead as I said this. If I looked at his ugly face I'd probably spit in it.

"Ooh, that hurt, darling. So it's back to how it was before? Back to square one? Perfect." He wasn't kidding. I rolled my eyes—faze one of plan: "Get the hell out of this place" was in motion. "But that doesn't mean that we can add a bit more of… what? Square ten?"

I clenched my jaw. No, I thought angrily. No frikken way.

Images blurred past my mind until he found what he wanted. It was Robbie again, lying in the debris of his house. His face was contorted in pain, his hand gripping mine. "You could have changed him, Cara," taunted Lucas.

"You're wrong," I forced out as the image became all the more clearer. "He was already half dead. You're rather inconspicuous bomb—note the sarcasm—practically tore him apart!"

"Oh, did it? I didn't notice." He paused. "Now what did he look like before that happened?"

Again, I was bombarded with images of Robbie as a kid, him crashing the family car into a tree, me jumping the fence, and then laughing at him when he couldn't get over and the neighbor's dog bit him in the butt. The tires squealing in the mud as we were stuck in the rain. All the three of us—Maddie, Rob, and me—diving behind a bush as the coppers shined the flashlight at the exact spot we'd been moments before. Me punching Jack in front of him—

The images came to a halt.

"Hmm," said Lucas, brows furrowing. "You know dear Jack?"

"I would say we're bottom line enemies," I retorted truthfully. Why was that important? What was with him today? I was saving my very witty: Screw off! for later.

He pretended to examine his nails. He didn't need to—they were perfect, partially because he got his newbies to do all the work for him. Ugh. "That's good to know."

"Why?" My tone was not confused. It was arrogant, annoyed, angry, all because he was being twotty. Actually, twotty was good—no, great—compared to this.

"He's a new addition."

I tired to keep the shock and anger off my face. "Are you wiping out the entire population of Waterloo High?" I asked offhandedly. He chuckled, much to my annoyance.

"No, just a promising few," he corrected, shoving his hands in his pockets. "It does entertain me, though, that you seem to know everyone I choose. There was Kayla, Maddie, now Jack… who's next?"

"Who gives a damn who's next?" I mumbled. He grinned at my annoyance and I scowled.

"I'd think you'd… adjust that statement if you were to find out. But I do doubt that you could stop it anyways. I'm on a roll, darling." I sneered at the pet name. "I know exactly what I'm doing."

I just grinned at him. "So do I."

He ignored me pointedly, but I knew he heard me. He was a vampire after all. "I'm making sure the newborns aren't killing humans… yet. That would lead your little family here in an instant. Them and the Volturi. We can't have that, now, can we?"

"You do realize Waterloo is a small town and two murders—well, four: Robbie, Kayla, Jack, and supposedly me—would shoot up their crime rate by, I dunno… a million? Don't you think that such attention would draw my family there anyway?" I gave him a blank stare. I had to distract him.

"Cara, sweet," he said as if talking to a hopeless child. An impossible child that couldn't understand anything at all. "They already knew you were in Alabama. Alice dearest can see the future, remember?"

Like he would know better than me? I almost yelled at him right there, but settled for a sarcastic comment instead: "Naw, I thought she saw the past. No dip, Sherlock. I do believe I know what my own family's uses are." I full out glared at him. He shook his head, that annoying smile on his face.

"You'll see," he said, all smiles bye-bye. He was full-on glaring at me now. "I'll become better than my brother. I'll be more than just a guard. I'll be the head of the guard. And after that, I'll have everyone bowing to my will. You'll see."

I blinked rapidly. Bipolar, much?

Instead, I said, "Vampire world domination. How… original." I smiled without humor; what a dork. He laughed bitterly, and we stared at each other, not making a sound. Finally, he shook his head and looked away, a smile on his face.

"You're tougher than I give you credit for, kid. Tragedy you and I couldn't be better friends."

"Give it a rest," I said without looking at him. "Just go off and die somewhere."

He didn't say anything for a moment. But then memories exploded behind my eyes again, and I grimaced.

"You'll learn," he said, walking out the door.

"And so will you," I vowed to his retreating back.

OOO

This was a filler chapter, so that's why it is so short and took so long. Sorry bout that. Christmas time in my city is crazy. And I had major writer's block. :'( By the way, the "world domination thing is SUPPOSED to be stupid. Lol.

So, a mere warning, I might not be able to get internet acces where I'm going on the 26th. I'm staying there for a week, so, I'm going to TRY and work on this, but I'm spending time with my best bud who moved away last year, so forgive me if it takes a while.

Also, impossible child came from National Treasure 2. "Run along you impossible child!" HAHAHA! That was one of my FAVORITE lines. And don't worry, she'll get out in the very next chapter.

Merry Christmas!

Jamie