Chapter 22

Memories Buried Away, Don't Stay Buried for Long

Blade's POV

Memories are funny things. They are how we remember and they help us to feel. Memories also can alter to protect what is too cruel for our minds. Memories remind us of the good and the bad times.

My worst memory is the one I want to stay buried forever but it never seems to stay buried for long. It's always trying to resurface to punish me for not saving Myles, my beloved.

I regret everyday that I hurt him, everyday I pushed him away. But my biggest regret...is sitting there as he laid there dying and I didn't save him.

***FLASHBACK***

Blade's POV

My eyes fluttered open as the sounds of the morning woke me. I laid there for a few minutes just taking in everything around me. Bobby was downstairs making the morning coffee and Brad was flipping through the morning paper.

I felt the bed shift and a strong arm wrap around my waist. I smiled as I felt a pair of lips left a small kiss against my shoulder. I placed my hand on top of the one holding my waist only for the arm to pull me tighter and my back flush against the bare chest.

"Good morning." I heard a whisper from behind.

"Morning." I whispered back.

"Mmmm, I love you."

"I love you too." I replied with a smile upon my face, as I turned around to face my fiance, Myles.

"I could get use to this." He said as he looked down at it me.

"I could to." I replied as my smile grew wider.

Myles leaned down and pressed his lips against mine. I wrapped my arms around his neck pulling his body down towards mine. I always loved the feel of him on top of me. We haven't gone all the way yet, but it won't be long before we do. Our wedding is 3 months away. I feel so lucky to have a fiance like Myles. He's so understanding and sweet.

I felt his lips move from my mouth to my neck where he gently nipped and sucked at my pulse point. I softly moaned at his gentle torture. He soon made his way back to my lips where he gave me a few chaste kisses before pulling away. He rested his forehead against mine and looked into my eyes. His hazel eyes held so much love and passion in them, that I knew I would never get tired of looking into them.

"It's time to get up." He said as he looked at me.

"Do we have to?" I asked pouting.

"Yes, Layla. We can't stay in bed all day." He said smirking.

"Why not?" I asked still pouting.

"Because if we don't, certain things will happen that shouldn't happen yet. Remember we agreed to wait until our wedding night?" He said reminding me.

"Yes, I remember." I said rolling my eyes.

"You can wait 3 more months and then I am all yours. After our wedding we can spend countless days wrapped in our sheets never really leaving. I just want your first time to be special." He said sweetly. I smiled up at him and gave him a quick kiss before we broke apart and both got up for the day.

I knew from the beginning that Myles was different. He was one of the sweetest guys I had ever met and he was willing to wait for me. Wanting to make everything special for me.

I just wish I had known that I he was going to die before we could ever be together again, otherwise I would have protected him more.

Today was the day I would loose him. Never getting to hold him again, having his warm embrace me at night, feeling his soft lips against mine. I had had a bad about when we had gotten up that morning but I had just brushed it aside, thinking it was that fact that the full moon was coming. I could feel the pull of it in my bones but I still had a few days before I would have to restrained.

I don't know why the full moon had such an affect on me, it should just be for werewolves but every full moon it brought out the monster within. I shuddered at the thought of the monster within me that I needed to destroy.

Myles and I were greeted by Bobby and Brad as soon as we walked into the kitchen. We returned our greetings and I went to start breakfast.

Once we had eaten, Myles and his dad Brad, went out to run some errands and pick up some supplies that we were running low on. I still had my bad feeling and I didn't want Myles to leave. He kept reassuring me it was the upcoming moon and I shouldn't worry. He gave me a quick kiss then left. I sat at the kitchen table with my arms wrapped around my stomach, with Bobby sitting across from me. He must have noticed my distress because he spoke up a moment later.

"Alright. What's bugging ya kid?" Bobby questioned as he put down the paper he had been reading.

"Nothing. I'm just a little on edge because of the full moon. That's all." I said trying to play it off.

"Yeah and I like dancing the Irish Jig. Spill kid it kid. You know you can't hide things from me." Bobby said sarcastically.

"I'm just getting a weird feeling is all. I can't but feel like something bad is going to happen Bobby." I said looking down at the floor.

"How bad?" Bobby asked with concern.

"Like something bad is going to happen to Myles. Like I'm going to loose him Bobby." I said biting my lower lip.

"When did it start?"

"This morning. Why?"

"Nothin' just wondering. Things have been a little quite lately and I've been on edge myself because of it."

"Bobby am I going crazy?" I asked looking up at him.

"No. Because if you are then I'm already off the deep end and need to be committed." He said with a small chuckle. I could barely bring myself to give a small smile. I needed to stop worrying and relax, but something inside me wouldn't let me.

By the time the sun was setting I was really starting to get worried. Myles and his dad hadn't come home yet. I knew the errands would take all day so I was really starting to question things.

Darkness fell and they still weren't back. I had been pacing in front of the living room window glancing at it every few seconds, waiting. I kept ringing my hands and they were starting to cramp up. I had tried calling Myles and his dad several times and neither of them were picking up.

I had just picked up my phone to try them again when I saw headlights pulling into the junkyard. By the way the driver was driving I knew something was wrong. The person driving was rushing to get into the yard. I threw my phone down and ran out of the house. I ran up to Brad's truck just in time to see him fall the the ground. I was barely 10 feet away when a strong scent hit my nose. Blood.

I ran faster and nearly screamed when I saw Brad was bleeding. He was moaning and I screamed Bobby's name. I heard his footsteps but I was more concerned about the man bleeding in front of me. I kneeled down and pulled Brad's head into my lap. I barely noticed the scent of his blood over the worrying if he was going to live or not.

"Brad?" I questioned as he had his eyes closed but as soon as I spoke his eyes opened. "What happened? Where's Myles?"

"Blade...we were attacked." Brad wheezed. I could tell he was in a lot of pain. I looked to where his hand was, laying on his stomach. He was barely pressing down, so I moved his hand away and replaced it with my own trying to stop the blood from flowing freely anymore.

"By what Brad?" I asked as I felt a tear shed.

"Vampires..." Brad whispered. I gasped at what he had just said. I shook my head not believing it.

"Brad, where's Myles?" I asked trying to keep him talking. Bobby had showed up and replaced my hand with his.

"Blade we need to get him to a hospital or he's not going to make it." Bobby said urgently. I nodded and helped Bobby carry Brad to Bobby's car. I sat in back and place a towel over the wound applying pressure.

"Brad where's Myles?" I questioned again as Bobby drove as fast as he could to the hospital. I needed to keep Brad talking otherwise we would loose him.

"They...they took him." He whispered as he looked up at me.

"Why?"

"Before...they stabbed me...one of them...said...they needed...him alive. Said...he...was the...bait." Brad said as his breathing became shallower.

"Bait?" I questioned. "Bait for who Brad?"

He looked up at me and his eyes were slowly fading. He gave me a grim look before speaking.

"You, Blade. He's bait for you." He said before closing his eyes. I felt as if I had been kicked in the stomach.

"Brad? Brad you need to stay awake. Brad wake up! BRAD!" I yelled shaking him, trying to wake him up. Tears were pouring from my eyes and onto Brad's face.

Bobby pulled up to the ER and he rushed on. He returned a few seconds later with several nurses and and doctors. They whipped open the back door and pulled Brad away from my arms they rushed him away on a gurney while yelling things at each. I could barely hear any of it as I sat there. I barely registered Bobby pulling me out of the back of the car and walking me into the ER.

I sat in the chair with Bobby right next to me holding me as we await the news of Brad. Those crucial 20 minutes felt like hours flying by. I still had tears running down my face but I made no noise. I could hardly feel Bobby's hand running up and down my back as I felt numb. Brad's last words replaying over in my mind over and over again, like a broken record.

He's bait for you. He's bait for you. He's bait for you. He's bait for you. All I could think, was why?

Another 5 minutes went by before a doctor walked out. He walked over to us, his face with a solemn look.

"Are you the people who brought in Brad Jackson?" The doctor asked.

"Yeah we are." Bobby said.

"I'm sorry but your friend didn't make it." The doctor said sympathetically.

I closed my eyes and felt a wave of sadness and anger wash over me. Myles father was dead and Myles had been kidnapped by vampires to be used as bait for me. I couldn't take it and I stood up.

"Blade?" Bobby questioned as he watched me. I looked back at Bobby and hear him gasp. I looked away and walked out of the hospital, Bobby calling my name while running to catch up with me. As soon as I was out of the hospital doors I took off running. I felt the monster within awaken.

I let my primal instinct take over. As I was running I caught the trail of another vampire and followed it. I followed it for over an hour before it led to an abandoned house. I just stood across the street from the house. I closed my eyes and let my senses take over. I could hear the soft slow heart beat. I knew it was Myles. He was sleeping, most likely unconscious from whatever they gave him. I could sense others in and around the house. To me, all of the them were going to die. I would leave no surviving vampires.

I knew that by letting my vampire side take over, I would be a better hunter. I swiftly made my way across the road. As soon as I was on the front lawn 3 vampires attacked. I took the first one out easily. I plunged my hand through his chest and ripped his heart out. The other 2 stopped dead in their tracks. I watched as the vampire fell dead to the ground, but just for good measure, I crouched down and I ripped his head clean off. I let his drop before slowly turning towards the other 2. Fear was evident in their eyes. This only fueled the hunger to kill them more. I lunged for the female faster than she could react and ripped her head off. I watched as the last vampire looked down at his dead friends before fleeing. I smirked knowing he had made the right choice. I turned my head to look upon the house, to find 2 more vampires staring down at their friends.

"You fucking BITCH!" The girl screeched before running towards her. She went to grab me and I swiftly moved out of the way only to be from behind by the male vampire. The girl punched me across the face. I knew a bruise would form but I couldn't feel any pain. I was to numb to feel anything. I felt the monster with in become enraged and I whipped my head up and raised my right leg landing a kick right in the girls stomach. She doubled over in pain as I threw my head back into the guy's face feeling his nose break against the back of my head. He howl in pain and let get of me in the process to grab his nose. I grabbed a hold of the girls face making her look at me before I ripped her head off. I turned to find the guy with broken nose gone. I threw the vampires head down on the ground and made my way towards the house.

I kicked the door in letting whoever was inside that I was there and I was pissed off. I made my way slowly through the front door, listening carefully for any movement. To my left was a dinning room, or what was left of it and to my right was the remains of an office. I made my way down the musty, old hallway. I kept my steps light as I scanned my surroundings. I walked until I came to the living room. There in the middle of the dusty old room was a chair and tied to the chair was Myles. He looked like he had just came to as he was blinking rapidly, trying to get his barrings. He looked around and I made my way out of the shadows and towards him. His mouth was gagged and the ropes holding him down were cutting into his wrists. I was so focused on getting to him I let my guard down. Just before I reached him I was hit across the head. I slipped into darkness before I fell to the floor.

I groaned when I felt myself coming to. I tired to move my hands to hold my head but found that I couldn't. I opened my eyes to find myself tied to a chair sitting a few feet away opposite of Myles. His gagged had been removed. He was wide awake and staring back at me.

"Blade, are you okay?" He asked gently.

"Yeah, minus the throbbing in my head I'm good." I said as I looked back at him. It was then I really took in his appearance. He had dried blood down the right side of his face and his left eye was black. His knuckles were bruised and bloody, meaning that when he and his dad was attacked he fought back. "How's your head?"

"I've had worse." He said trying to shrug it off. I was about to say something when a small noise caught my attention. I turned my head in the direction the noise came and found a women slowly making her way towards me. I was confused by her. She looked like an older version of me. How could this be?

She looked at me with this loving look in her eyes. When she was right next to me she reach her hand out towards me.

"Don't touch her!" Myles yelled at the women. She whipped her head in his direction and hissed at him before crossing the room and back handing him.

"Don't you DARE tell me what I can and can't do! You pathetic human." She hissed back.

"Stop it!" I yelled at her. She turned her head back to me loosing her anger towards Myles as her loving look returned. "Who are you? What do you want with us?"

"I don't want him, my sweet girl." She said as she made her way back over to me. I looked at her as if she had gone nuts.

"Then why are you doing this?" I questioned.

"I just wanted my baby back. I want my sweet Layla back." She said as she cupped my face. I tried to pull away but she grabbed my face.

"I know it's been a long time but momma's home sweetie. I want us to be a family again." She said as a sickly smile crossed her face.

"My mother's dead." I said as looked at her.

"No I'm not sweetie, well not in a sense." She said as she cocked her head to the side a bit.

"No, she died the day I was born." I said as anger laced my voice.

"Yes I did die that day, but I was reborn that same night." She said as she petted my head.

"You're a vampire?" I asked feeling dumb.

"Yes, I am, and you're a half vampire." She said looking at me fondly. She was really starting to creep me out.

"Why are you doing this?" Myles asked after a bit.

"Shut up you insolent fool!" She screamed at him.

"Why are you doing this?" I yelled at her.

"I told you why. You are my sweet girl and I want you back. You were taken from me before I even got to hold you and now here you are. All I want is to be a family again." She said as she crouched down in front of me.

"So you kidnap my fiance just so you could tell me all this?" I looked at her like she was crazy, which she was.

"He's trying to find a cure for you and you don't need a cure." She said as her lips curled back in disgust.

"Yes I do. I'm a monster and by finding this cure I won't be a monster anymore." I said looking down at the floor.

"You are not a monster. You are a vampire, well half vampire but once you're fully turned then you can reach you're full potential." She said smiling. I jerked my head up to look at her. She wanted to fully turn me? I couldn't and wouldn't let her.

"No! I won't let you!" I screamed jerking my arms up as hard as I could trying to break the ropes holding my arms down.

"You really don't have a choice in the matter." She said shaking her head.

During the time that my 'mother' was talking to me Myles had somehow managed to get his hands free. Just as she had bitten her wrist to feed me her blood Myles sprang from his chair and tackled her to the ground.

"MYLES!" I shouted as I watched him roll around with my 'mother'. She soon got the upper hand and had him by the throat. His hands wrapped around her wrist as he tried to push her off. "NO! Please! Don't hurt him. Please!

"I told you earlier that if you tried anything I would kill you without hesitation. Now I have to keep my word." She said before looking up at me. "I honestly don't want to do this because I know you'll hate me for a while but after a few hundred years you'll understand why I have to do this. We can't have any distractions around us."

By this time I had tears pouring out of my eyes. I tired to pull harder but the ropes wouldn't give. I looked down at Myles to see a swirl of emotions running through his eyes.

"Noooooooo!" I screamed as I watched her plunged her hand into Myles' chest, a sickening crack sounded as she broke through his ribs and grabbed a hold of his heart. His eyes grew wide as as his mouth opened to a silent cry. I watched as tears fell from his eyes. My 'mother' had let go of his throat by now as she sat on top of him smiling.

Myles looked over at me his mouth moving. "I...lo...love you...Layla." Those were his last words to me before he breathed his last breath.

I watched as she yanked her hand out of his chest bringing his heart along with it. She turned to me before her fangs descended and she bit into his heart.

"NOOOOOOOOO!" I screamed as the vampire with me roared in rage. She had his blood running down her chin as she smile sadistically over at me. I felt something in me snap. I pulled at the ropes again, finally feeling them give way. I was up faster than someone could blink their eyes. I grabbed her by the throat and pin her against the wall opposite of her.

"Layla..." She said trying to reason with me but I wasn't hearing it.

"No. You don't get to speak. You killed the only person who saw me as a person, and not the monster I am." I growled as I pushed harder on her throat. "And now you will pay."

"Layla, wait." I could see the fear in her eyes as I brought my hand back. I was planning to kill her the same way she killed Myles.

Before I could plunge my hand into her chest she grabbed my wrist stopping me. I pushed with all my strength but my arm wouldn't budge. With one quick snap of her hand, she broke my wrist. I cried out at the feeling of my bones snapping.

"You're not at your full potential yet Layla. I'm stronger than you sweetheart, but once your changed, you will see and feel what it's like to be free." She said still holding my wrist.

"I will never be free if you change me. I be a monster and nothing more." I whimpered. I felt my strength leave me. I had nothing left in to fight her off.

"You'll come around sweet girl." She said before biting into her wrist. She was about to press her wrist to my mouth when a gun went off. She fell back letting go of my wrist. I turned around to find Bobby standing there, holding up the gun that he had just use to shoot my 'mother'.

"Bobby!" I cried out. Seeing him brought a moment of relief. Bobby put the gun away and grabbed the machete he had strapped to his leg but stopped when he looked back up. I turned to find my 'mother' gone. She had taken off.

Bobby put his machete back in the case and made his way over to me. I grabbed my broken wrist and gritted my teeth, bracing myself as I snapped it back into place. I bit back a scream at the feel of having to re-break the bones as they had already started to heal wrong. Bobby crouched down as I held my wrist to my chest.

"Hey kid." He said softly.

"Bobby...I tried to stop but-" I started but couldn't finish.

"It's okay Blade. You tried." Bobby said as he pulled me into a hug.

"She killed him Bobby. He's dead because of me." I cried out as the tears fell from my eyes.

Bobby didn't say anything as he held me. Sobs racked my body as I cried over everything. Loosing Brad and finding out my sadistic vampire-of-a-mother wanted to turn me, but above all I cried over loosing Myles. He had been the love of my life. One of the few people that hadn't seen me for a monster but had looked past all that and helped me to find the person I could be, and was becoming. I wanted him back. I didn't want to feel alone like I had been, but that wouldn't happen. Myles would never come back. I would never again feel his loving embrace, his sweet gentle kisses or caresses. I would never look into his beautiful eyes seeing the love held for me. I would never hear his voice tell me how much he missed me after only being away for a few days from being on a job.

Just knowing that, I didn't want to live. I wanted to die to be with him.

I would never again hear how much he truly loved me.