As The World Falls Down
Chapter 8
End of the Line
Over the next two days, plans were made. Each of the four brothers had taken turns watching the house where Dwayne and Marko had happened upon nearly a year ago. They watch as both men and women entered the exited the house. Some who entered never came back out. They'd hear odd noises from time to time. They would range from crazed laughter to overly played sexual orgasm. The latter of the two made them laugh, shaking their heads at the stupidity of the mortals of this generation. Then again, Paul was no better at times, said blonde watching with a lit blunt hanging from his lips.
At the same time, David tried to make peace with himself, holding on to the shred of hope that Allegra might actually decide to stay with him. The ratio wasn't a good one from what he'd seen in the past, but with any luck, he'd be able to wean her into it. David himself had been a mess upon being turned, the blood lust that he felt becoming overwhelming. The blood lust wasn't the only problem he'd run into though. His emotions had gone haywire when he'd realized how alone he was. Ultimately, his family had been killed in the earthquake. He'd found their bodies a couple weeks later after countless hours of sifting through rubble. His little brother had been crushed along with his mother and father in the elevator, the rope system having snapped as a result of the sheer magnitude of the quake. When he'd realized this, he'd gone crazy, locking himself away in an attempt to starve himself.
For vampires, emotion was a dangerous thing. Anger was the worst. An unstable mortal usually meant an even more unstable vampire. In his previous life, David had been a fairly stable individual. On occasion he was quick to act, but always slow to anger. That had been a saving grace for him after he was turned. So many things had irritated him as he tried to move on with his life. Initially, he'd lived with Max, the elder watching over him and teaching him. There had been so many things to learn, but due to his age, they tended to butt heads fairly often. Max wanted a family-sons, daughters, and a wife-but David had already had one. It was something that you couldn't just forget and leave behind, even if they were dead. He never understood how Max thought he'd be able to call him Dad. He'd had a father, one with a heavy hand, but a father nonetheless. At his age, at the age of almost 22, no one could take the place of his father.
As more time went by, David found himself drawing away from Max, much to the elder's disappointment. He didn't feel the need to live in the man's shadow. Ironically enough, David had made his way back to the hotel. He spent his nights and occasionally days, moving rubble and clearing out the entrance to what had been buried. That hadn't been until about ten or so years after the fact though. Still, he needed something to do with his time as he had no one else to spend it with. Meeting people was pointless as no one seemed to understand him.
It wasn't until years later he came across Dwayne. The young Native had gotten into a brawl as a result of his ethnicity. He'd managed a knife wound to the stomach, walking for almost two miles before finally falling to his knees along the beach. It was there that David had found him, the waves lapping at his bare chest, blood streaming down and staining his ratty jeans. It was a sad sight, but Dwayne never complained about the pain. He stood strong, staring out at the waves as the life seeped from his very veins.
David had taken pity on him, offering him a second chance at life. He'd offered him the strength to live, to preserve the spirit that his people had given him. It didn't take much convincing and within a few days, David had attained a blood brother. It was the first bit of real company that he'd had in years. Despite Dwayne's quiet demeanor, the two got along well, talking from time to time, but mainly keeping one another company. It was a luxury that neither had been privy to in a long time. It was the simple pleasure of company that allowed David to be himself again, feeling alive in a way, instead of alone in the dark.
He knew that if Allegra turned, she wouldn't be alone. She wouldn't have to venture this dark existence by herself. She had four people that were more than willing to guide her and she'd never have to feel alone again for the rest of her life. Unfortunately, David knew that it wasn't that simple. She'd have to learn to feed, accepting her new born nature and affinity for blood. Acceptance was always a large part and problem in the equation. It always complicated things. One couldn't just be turned and have that be it. They had to come to terms with things if they wanted to live. David just wished that it didn't have to be forced on her. Then again, what was she really living for anyway?
For so long, she'd fended for herself, taking care of things on her own. She was providing for her mother, since her mother couldn't provide for herself. It was a sad reality, but a reality nonetheless. She'd wanted a way out of things and perhaps this would become her out. He could only hope that she'd be able to live with that option. He hoped that she'd be able to live with him. He needed her to. After everything he'd been through over the years, he needed this one thing to go his way for once.
It was for this reason that he was letting her drag him around the area, a smile on her face. She'd been excited when he'd told her that he was hers for the evening, the others having gone off to do their own thing. In reality, they were off keeping tabs on her mother and her 'wonderful' friend. She didn't need to know that though, so he didn't tell her. in other matters, he also planned to give her father's watch back to her that night.
T
"Come on, David!" I laughed, pulling him along as I headed toward the Ferris wheel.
They'd just made some new modifications to it and I wanted to try it out. I hadn't been on it in years and I wanted to take this chance to enjoy it.
"David," I whined, tugging on his hand again. "I want to try the Ferris wheel."
"Alright, alright already," he finally conceded, a faint smirk on his face as he tossed his arm over my shoulders.
He pulled me close to him, his body pressed up against mine as we walked. I didn't mind in the slightest though, enjoying the physical contact. It was refreshing really, having him by my side. Especially, after the other night when he'd been 'tired' as he'd put it. He seemed livelier today in general, the normal confident stride back in his step. He seemed to have his confidence back all together.
"Why are you so excited anyway?" he asked, turning his head to look at me.
"Well, I have you with me, so why wouldn't I?"
That seemed to get him, his mouth hanging open slightly as he processed things. I merely grinned like an idiot, my smile showing off my teeth. They were a little dull in my opinion, but that was likely due to the tea and fruit that I normally ate. Occasionally, I would use a little peroxide and baking soda to brighten things up. I didn't really like the taste of it on my tongue though.
T
They were switching off again when they heard it, the distinct chatter of a familiar voice. A group of Surf Nazi's had stumbled into the neighborhood. Most of them were drunk, chatting precariously as they held onto one another in a poor attempt to maintain what little balance they had. It was sad really, watching the group as they shoved one another. Normally, they were all pumped up and ready for a fight, their senses at least somewhat more alert. At the moment, none of the boys were even sure if the idiots could even see straight.
"You guys thinking what I'm thinking?" Marko grinned?
T
We'd made it to the top of the Ferris wheel, the breeze fluttering as our seat rocked back and forth. It was hard to believe just how high up we were. It also made me grateful that I wasn't afraid of heights. From our spot up the top, I could see most of the boardwalk, the people down below milling around in a sordid mess. It was like a jigsaw puzzle, never knowing where to start since you have too many pieces. It doesn't help either most of the pieces normally look the same.
"I don't remember the last time I was up so high," I breathed out, blinking as I leaned over a bit in our seat, inevitably causing it to rock back and forth due to the shift in weight.
"I take it you're not afraid of heights?" David asked, raising a blonde brow in question.
"No," I shook my head, before leaning back in my seat, head turning skyward. "It's never really bothered me that much."
"Hmm…"
David had nodded his head quietly, but didn't say anything more. Instead, he placed his arm back around my shoulders, pulling me to him.
"Have you ever seen so many stars?" I asked, resting my head on his shoulder.
I felt him draw in a deep breath, his chest rising and falling as he adjusted himself in his seat next to me. He turned to me after a moment, a thoughtful look on his face.
"It's actually a lot better without all of the lights," he explained. "Spend a night out in the countryside and you can see everything."
"This coming from experience?" I poked, a smiled on my face, finding a little hard to believe that he could have ever lived out there.
"Of sorts," he nodded, looking out at the town. "Believe it or not, I wasn't always here in Santa Carla," he told me, imparting a bit of information about himself to me.
His statement managed to grab my attention, making me wonder about the rest of him. This was the first time that he'd actually let me in about anything openly personal concerning his life.
"Really now?" I inquired, looking over at him as the ride moved unexpectedly.
No doubt they finished loading people up, the metal contraption finally moving on its own, the gears groaning as they went.
"I grew up in the country," he confided, catching me by surprise.
I never would have pegged him for a country boy, not with the way that he dressed. Even the manner that he held himself wasn't any indication. In fact, it was anything but. No matter how gruff he seemed at times, I never would have been able to guess at the truth. It just didn't seem to fit.
"And where was that?" I asked, closing my eyes.
"Well," he started. "It was a little place outside of Bakersfield out in Kern County. It wasn't too far from the old tracks."
I let his fingers brush the top of my scalp, combing through my hair as I sat there and listened, picturing what he was telling me.
"My parents owned a small plot of land compared to others. It was a few acres worth."
He continued to talk, a smile on my face as I listened to the sound of his voice. His voice was like velvet to my ears as he spoke of his childhood. As a boy, he'd helped his parents on a farm, growing up with a mother, father, and little brother. At the mention of his family, he grew solemn, but that didn't stop him from talking. He told me how they'd breed work horses, selling them off to other farmers. Apparently, this little side business ran in the family, something that had been started by his grandfather. His father had taken over when he was old enough and the family fortune had prospered. David was meant to do the same at the time he would have come to age. He explained how everything had come to an end though, his parents and younger brother having died in a car accident a few years ago. It had left him to move here with his uncle and that's where he'd met the others one by one. A kinship of sorts had formed between the four of them and had found themselves living with one another.
"Tell me about your brother?" I asked. "What was he like?"
T
"Tell me about your brother?"
David stiffened at her question.
"What was he like?"
It had been years since he'd thought about little Gabriel. In the back of his mind, he could still picture the tiny blonde, a smile on his face as he hung on David's arm.
"When Gabriel was born, he was this tiny little thing," he explained, closing his eyes at the memory. "My mom was almost afraid to touch him because he'd arrived early."
Back then, they didn't have all the medical advancements that they did today. Normally, when a baby came into the world that small at that point, they didn't survive the week. His mother was terrified that she'd lose him. They'd tried many times for another child after David. A sister had been born prior to Gabriel, but she was a still born. His mother had been heartbroken. He remembered his father shedding a couple of tears for the baby they'd lost. Unfortunately, there wasn't much that they could do back then. As a result, when Gabriel had come into the world, their mother had braced herself for the worst. There was no way that the baby would survive.
He explained all this to her, trying to keep his emotions at bay. He didn't like thinking about the family he'd lost, the pain still fresh in his mind. He wasn't sure if he'd ever fully get over it, but over the years, he found himself thinking about it less and less. Looking down, he found her curled against him, hugging his arm tightly. They'd been on the ride for what felt like forever. Still, he didn't mind it so much as he turned, brushing her cheek with his thumb. He wanted so much to be able to tell her the truth, to tell her everything, but he knew that he couldn't she wasn't ready for something like that. Not yet.
T
"You see what all I see?" Marko growled.
"Yeah," Dwayne nodded.
The group of Surf Nazi's were a familiar group. Mark and his brother were among them. At this point, Mark looked even worse than he had the last time they'd seen him.
"How often do you think these guys come here?" Paul asked, having come back not too long ago after finding himself a nice little snack.
"Wipe your mouth," Dwayne instructed, catching sight of the dried blood at the corner of the blonde's mouth.
Paul merely grinned, but still did as he was told, wiping the corner of his mouth. He would have preferred to leave it there, but that was him. The sight had made the other two hungry and they weren't ready for the hunt just yet.
"If I had to take a guess, Mark's addition is fairly more recent an addiction than the rest of them," Dwayne concluded.
From what he had gathered at the start of things, Tom had already been hooked on something. His personality was a little too sporadic and his judgment seemed off at times. Not to mention, the smell that seemed to roll off of him in waves. That was also what had tipped him off at the hospital. Mark had a very particular smell to him at the time that was all too easy for the four of them to notice. They just couldn't pin point exactly what he was on. David has his suspicion that it was some sort of coke, a lower grade perhaps that was laced with something secondary.
"His brother probably got him started on it," Dwayne muttered.
He almost felt bad, realizing that Mark had allowed his own brother to drag him down so far. As they sat there in the shadows, the trio listened in on the brothers conversation, the other Surf Nazi's adding to it.
"Cheer up brother," Tom said, giving Mark a heavy pat on the shoulder.
They watched as it nearly knocked him over, snickering as he barely caught himself. He looked back at his brother in frustration, but Tom merely ignored it.
"She'll come around eventually," Tom assured him. "But for now, we're gonna pick a couple of things up, then head down to the beach."
"You need to learn to lighten up a bit Mark," one of the guys said, pushing passed them and into the house.
The two brothers stayed outside for a moment as the others disappeared, talking between themselves. They were speaking in hushed voices, but they've still managed to catch part of it.
"She'll never come around," Mark ground out.
"Then make her."
They watched as Tom leaned forward, gripping his brother by the shoulders. Mark tensed where he stood, his brother leaning closer. He whispered something in Mark's ear. They couldn't hear it, but something about his words caused Mark to stiffen, a smirk forming on Tom's face as he pulled away. He'd said something, that much they knew. Whatever it was though, it wasn't good. At that point, the other two followed the rest into the house, the door closing behind them.
T
"Getting hungry yet?"
I looked over at him as he spoke, a small smile on my face.
"I don't know," I shrugged, biting down on my lower lip momentarily. "Are you?" I asked, turning my head to take a look at him.
I watched as he stood there for a minute, rubbing his chin in thought. He was debating on something in his head, deciding on what he wanted to use as an answer.
"I would say Chinese, but we always get that."
I laughed at his answer and so did he. I shook my head. Somehow, I knew that's what he would say. The boys seemed to enjoy eating the same old thing for the most part, no matter how repetitive it was.
"Okay, how about this," I started, grabbing him by the elbows and pulling him to a stop.
He seemed amused as I did this, but I merely brushed it off.
"There's a little noodle shack down over by my work."
"Okay…?"
"Oh, I don't know, maybe we could take it down by the beach?" I suggested, putting the option out there.
Again, he seemed to think about it. He was drawing it out deliberately, a small smirk forming on his face when I realized it.
"David!" I bit out, smacking him in the arm.
He just laughed, leaning down and pressing the very edge of his forehead against mine. When he still didn't say anything, I sent a glare of warning his way.
"Sure," he shrugged, pulling away quickly and walking off without me.
"Hey!" I yelled, jogging to catch up with him. "Would you wait up!"
He didn't even turn around as he responded, hands shoved in his pockets. The smug little bastard. We he really just going to walk off and ditch me now? Well, I don't think so. Quickly, without even thinking another thought on the subject, I ran forward. I tossed myself on his back, wrapping my arms around his neck from behind and as my back bent, he cried out; startled.
"Shit!" he cried out, stumbling forward due to the new weight.
There was a look of irritation on his face as he righted himself, hands reaching back and gripping tightly at my thighs. I squeaked when he pinched one, smacking his arm from my place on his backside.
"Pay back," he smirked, shifting me slightly before he started walking again.
"You're the one that tried ditching me!" I pointed out.
David laughed. He looked over his shoulder, the ever present grin still on his face as he opened his mouth to speak.
"Not my fault you're short."
My eyes widened in indignation.
"Why you little…"
I had half a mind to smack him, leaning forward slightly until he suddenly let go of me. I cried out, wrapping myself around him instinctively. The sound of his laughter echoed in my ears like a strange melody.
"David…" I whined, holding tightly.
He relented after a few seconds, the weight of his hands returning, hands pressing firmly against the skin of my thighs. I felt my face heat up slightly, quickly burying it against the back of his neck. His grip was light, but firm, one of his thumbs brushing lightly at the top of my thigh, barely missing the edge of my jean shorts. It was higher than I was used to, sending a small spark through me.
"You know…" David started, pausing for a moment. "A noodle shack isn't much different than Chinese," he pointed out, deliberately pressing my buttons.
"Well, then it shouldn't make much of a difference to you then," I countered, holding on as I laid my head against his shoulder.
He bit out a short chuckle, shaking his head as he continued on, readjusting his hold on me. Oddly enough as we made our way down the strip, I found myself thinking about my father. I couldn't fully remember if he'd ever carried me like this. I'm sure he'd held me at some point, holding me close to him and cradling me in his arms.
I closed my eyes, trying to picture it. Things were mainly a blur for me, things moving in and out of space. I could see my mother, a smile on her face. She was still a little dazed back then if I remembered it correctly. She was around more often though, playing with me. I faintly remember a set of blocks. We had a stray cat at the time, the fluffy little runt coming and going as he pleased. He had a habit of attacking my blocks, smacking them around the room. He disappeared about a year and a half later though, likely finding somewhere else to take refuge. That was after he'd dug his claws into my side one day.
My father. What I remembered most about him was his smell. As a small child, I remembered him smelling of cigars. Looking back on it now, I realize that it was a nasty habit. Never really cared for the smell of cigarettes, but I cared for cigars even less. David as I came to realize, normally had a cigarette tucked behind his ear. From what I'd gathered over the time, we'd spend together, he wasn't a heavy smoker, but he still enjoyed the taste every now and then.
Turning my eyes upward, I found that he currently had one tucked behind his left ear. The butt of it was facing me, slightly dented on either side. He'd pinched it at some point, tearing off part of the filter before shoving it back inside. I knew that the reason he'd done it was to make the taste stronger. A lot of people did it, my mother being one of them. She preferred Camel Light's, saying they were mild. She always had a pack on her. Growing up, I was constantly opening up windows in order to air out the house. Occasionally, I'd light candles, giving myself something else to smell.
"Hey…"
I blinked, the natural husky sound of his voice pulling me from my thoughts.
"Huh?"
"You alright?" he asked, shifting his grip as he let me slide down his back.
The tip of my toes met the ground, shoes pinching my toes as the material bent and kinked at the end.
"I'm fine," I nodded, clasping my hands behind my back. "I was just thinking."
"About?" he questioned, looking down at me.
"Just thinking," I shrugged, stepping in line to order my noodles.
I could feel him behind me, his shadow lingering. He didn't say anything really as we finally ordered our food. Once it was paid for, we left, heading down to the beach.
"So…" he breathed out, trying to start up conversation.
"So?" I smirked, ducking my head and inhaling.
I closed my eyes as the steam rose in my cup, spiraling and dispersing as it met the night air. It was nice, having something different for a change.
"Wise ass," he bit out, a hint of amusement in his voice.
"You love it," I laughed, dancing around as the breeze from the water came rushing up to meet us.
It had been a while since I'd actually been able to get out and enjoy myself. All I ever did was work and work and work. I never really got the chance to truly relax. Inhaling, I pulled the salty air into my lungs. I could almost taste it on my tongue as my lips pulled into a smile.
"If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were enjoying yourself," David teased, shoving a bite of noodles into his mouth.
I shook my head as he slurped them deliberately, easily drawing my attention.
"Didn't your mother ever teach you any manners?" I asked.
For a moment, he paused, his chopsticks frozen in front of his mouth. He was thinking about something. His eyes were fixed in the distance, staring out at the endless waves crashing against the sand.
"My mother taught me many things," David assured me, taking another bite of noodles and swallowing. "I just never caught onto some of them."
I decided to kick off my shoes, pealing my socks off with my toes.
"I'm sure you caught on to enough of it," I shrugged.
The sand was damp beneath my feet, the tiny grains sticking to every available inch. I could feel it between my toes, curling them and uncurling them again and again. It almost felt like a game of sorts, digging my toes into the sand and scooping a section up. I tossed the clumps of sand away with ease, watching it separate and fall back to join with the rest. It was an almost a subconscious reaction as I avoided digging my heels in. about half way through, I completely forgot about my noodles. I'd set the cup in the sand, arms outstretched as I tiptoed across the beach. Each step seemed to coincide with a wave, the bump, bump, following with the pressure in my ears.
Further down, I could hear voices, a rowdy group laughing as they walked the length of the beach. I paid them no mind though, spinning around and pivoting. I was enjoying myself. I was enjoying the time that I'd been given with David.
"Come on," I called out, gesturing for David to join me.
He stood there, watching me, debating on what he wanted to do. All he had to do was take his socks and shoes off, lay his jacket down, and unwind. It was that simple.
Finally, after about a minute, I watched as he shrugged his jacket off, the material peeling off of his arms like a second skin. He let it drop to the sand with a thud, a few pieces of sand flying up on impact. His shoes were next, bending over and unlacing them. I watched as he pulled them off one by one along with his socks. Just like any other time, I was still shocked at how pale some of his skin was. His feet were always covered. His arms on the other hand, well, they were mostly covered. Still, he had plenty of muscle to show off, the muscles in his arms flexing as he placed his boots up right alongside one another.
He seemed to watch me with a look of pure intensity, the sound up the beach growing louder. Whoever it was didn't have much consideration for the public. Still, I pushed it from my mind as he made his way forward. The sand didn't seem to bother him at all as it stuck to the bottom of his feet.
"Better?" he asked, stepping toward me.
I nodded my head, grinning as he came close. I was so tempted to grab him by the front of his shirt and shove him into the sand. The look on his face would be well worth it. I could almost picture it, David's face covered with sand as he sported a look of annoyance. God, I felt like such a bitch. At the same time, I knew that he'd likely go after me, tormenting me until I gave in. At that point I'd likely be on the ground myself, sand covering me from head to toe.
"Come on," I grinned, running toward the waves.
I shivered as the water hit my feet. Despite the time of day, it wasn't ice cold. Still, it was cold enough to send a chill down my spine. I jumped when I felt a pair of hands, turning and finding David standing there. There was a look of amusement in his eyes, but I didn't see the same amount of mischief twinkling in their depths. For me, it meant staying dry at least. Any other time, I might have been dripping wet.
"Jumpy," he teased.
His mouth was at my ear as he spoke, his hot breath caressing my skin. I found myself sighing in content, closing my eyes and leaning back against him. His hands intertwined in front of me, resting against my stomach and holding me in place. It felt nice, comforting as he held me there. I had only just noticed that he'd removed his shirt as well. It was like fire where his bare skin met my lower back, his nose pressing into the crook of my neck. His lips brushed my pulse, sending a shiver of excitement through me and an involuntary groan to escape my lips.
"So…" he chuckled lowly, kissing my neck again.
His nose brushed the edge of my ear, lips ghosting across it. A laugh erupted from my throat. It tickled almost, sending a sensation of warmth through me. It was nice, something that I wasn't use to feeling.
"So…" I smiled, mimicking him, lashes fluttering.
"Still thinking?" he asked, moving his lips from the shell of my ear back down my neck.
I jolted slightly at the feeling, a sharp inhale of breath meeting my lungs. It was like electricity running through my veins and straight to my heart, the distinct thump-thump beating heavily in my chest and ears. I didn't think that my little heart could take any more torment.
"David," I whined, groaning deep in the back of my throat.
I was about to turn around when I heard shuffling a little ways away. Strange laughter haunted the night and we both found ourselves turning toward it. I was momentarily met with a flash of red. Tom had entered my vision, a grin plastered on his face. He was waving a beer bottle around, arm looped around some random girl's shoulders. I felt bad for anyone that was stuck with him. Then again, they have to be stupid, completely and utterly lacking any sort of self respect for themselves if they were with him in any manner of the work.
"H-hey!" one of them called out, stumbling forward. "This beach is… beach," he struggled with the words, the others laughing at him. "This is our turf!" he finally managed to get out, before falling flat on his face.
"Yeah, what he said!" another laughed.
I found myself hiding behind David, my hand curling lightly at the skin of his lower back and side. I never did like Tom and his little group of flunkies. They'd always rubbed me the wrong way, even before the incident from the other month. The man was just far too dominating. It didn't seem like he'd noticed me yet, his head buried in the neck of the poor woman that had agreed to keep him company. If we were lucky we could avoid confrontation all together.
"David, let's just go," I whispered, reaching down and grasping his hand.
"Hey, don't I know you?" one of them asked, stepping forward as they gave David a rather critical look. "You're one of them guys," he muttered, pointing. "Yeah! One of them guys!"
At this point, Tom took the time to finally look over. I had no doubt that he recognized David, his eyes narrowing slightly. Shit had finally started to heat up as he stumbled forward angrily.
"You!" Tom exclaimed. "I know you!"
No shit Sherlock. Of course he knew him, David was one of the reasons that the moron had landed himself in the dumpster with the leftovers. Now, he was standing in front of him with his shoulders bared.
"I thought I told you last time, this is our turf!"
"I didn't see your name on it anywhere," David replied.
Oh my god. Please don't make it worse? I couldn't handle it if things got any worse. It was already bad enough that we were both outnumbered by the drunk bastards. Standing back, David held his arm out, his hands brushing my arms as he kept me behind him. He knew just as well as I did what could happen with a bunch of drunks.
"You're one of those shitheads that rode in!" came one with funky hair.
If things hadn't caught everyone's attention the first time, that sure did. Turf battles were normal things among groups. It wasn't a normal thing for someone 'new' to turn up though and technically, that's what David and the others had done. When something like that happened, people tended to remember faces. As a result, the group found themselves parting, Mark appearing among them.
My eyes widened at the look of rage on his face, swallowing thickly as he pointed a finger at David.
"You!" he yelled, walking forward.
I felt David stand straighter, his muscles tensing as he tried to make himself appear bigger. It was a natural thing among males as I had come to realize.
"You bastard!"
"Back off," David said stiffly, eyes narrowed.
Despite Mark's proximity, David stood his ground, still keeping me behind him. His attempt at hiding me didn't last very long though once Mark got close enough. In fact, he became even more irate when he saw me.
"That monster still had his claws in you," Mark said. "You monsters just can't leave things alone, can you!"
"I said, back off!" David growled out, pushing him back.
It ended up being a mistake though. Tom had seen this as being an attack on his family, rushing forward and shoving David in turn. David stumbled slightly, his hand coming down and clasping my wrist.
"Don't touch my brother you bastard!" Tom hissed, pulling a knife from his pocket.
David too a step back when he saw this, his whole body tensing up. An idiot with a knife was never a good thing.
"Come on, why don't you try it again," Tom said, trying to goad him into action.
It didn't work though, only managing to piss the two off further. As a result, Tom lunged at him, a startled yelp breaking free from my mouth. I found myself in the sand, fear welling up inside of me. David nearly tripped over me as he moved away again.
"Don't you wanna play?" Tom tormented looking toward his brother.
Without a word, Tom tossed something toward his brother, the younger catching it in his hands. He stood there for a moment, staring down at it.
"I think it's about time," Tome slashed forward again, catching David's upper arm. "That we teach those pricks," he lunged again, barely missing that time. "What happens when they try and steal our girls!"
David made sure to keep his distance as I crawled backwards to avoid getting stepped on.
"Don't think we haven't noticed how they up and disappear," Tom growled.
"They wouldn't disappear if you guys were actually worth two shits!" I shot back, tripping slightly as I pushed myself up. "I mean, have you seen yourselves?"
"Allegra," David bit out, stepping toward me as I spoke out.
I wasn't really sure where this new found courage was coming from, but it was bound to get me in trouble. Then again, they were in the wrong. They had not right attacking. Not to mention, it was my choice who I wanted to be with. I wasn't about to let them try and control that. I wasn't a piece of property that could be claimed.
David froze unexpectedly, movement coming to a complete halt. A resounding click echoed and I found my blood going cold. Mark stood with his arms raised, his chest heaving as he stood there. It wasn't until now that I realized what Tom had tossed to him.
"Mark," I called out, raising my hands slowly.
His hands were shaking, the gun nearly rattling from the movement. I knew for a fact that he'd never held one before. His parents weren't big on guns, but his brother obviously didn't feel the same.
"Shut up!" he cried out, trembling. "He took you away! He took you from me!"
"Mark, listen to yourself."
I spoke slowly, taking a step forward in hope of talking him down.
"He's a monster! They all are!"
"Mark, you're high right now and drunk," I told him. "J-just put the gun down."
"No!" he pointed it toward me now and I found my feet glued to the ground.
"Hey!" David snapped, pulling Mark's attention back to him.
"What are you doing?" I whispered, glaring at him.
"Just shut up," he muttered under his breath as he tried moving closer to me.
"Don't move or I'll shoot!" Mark ordered. "This is all your fault."
"Boys," Tom barked. "Grab her."
I shook my head, preparing myself to fight back.
"We're going to teach this prick a lesson."
"No!" I shouted, lashing out as two of them grabbed me.
Mark had raised his gun back into position, his finger on the trigger and ready to shoot. I felt something snap inside of me, biting down on the idiot's hand that had grabbed me. I wasn't about ready to let this happen.
Things seemed to move in slow motion after that. I wasn't even thinking as Mark's finger pressed at the trigger. The only thing that I could do was scratch at my captured face. He withdrew, already having been bitten as I pushed forward. I didn't know how it had happened. The gun went off and the kick back sent Mark to his knees. At the same time, I felt myself falling, a cry lodged in the back of my throat.
"No… No!" David screamed, grabbing me before I could hit the ground.
I could feel something rising in my throat, the taste of copper hitting my tongue. I could feel the sudden pain somewhere through my back and my chest. I couldn't breathe and I could barely feel David's hands pressing against me through the pain.
"Dai…d."
I couldn't even get the sound of his name out as I gasped for air.
T
The moment it had happened, David had felt his heart finally stop. Where the bullet had hit her, she'd stopped, stumbling from the blow. His voice had disappeared as he watched her eyes go wide., confusion filling her as she tried to comprehend what had happened. Her eyes watered and then be began to fall. He reached for her then, screaming, the force of it tearing at the lining of his throat.
"Allegra!" he choked out, falling to his knees as he held her close.
The bullet had torn through her back and out her chest. It was a through and through, leaving her gasping for air. The pain was tearing her to pieces. She couldn't breathe.
"Dai…d," she gasped, hand reaching out.
He grabbed it, pressing it to his chest. He didn't know what to do.
"You can't have her," Mark choked out.
The gun slowly fell to his side, his arm limp, and fingers lax to the point of almost dropping the weapon all together. It was his comment that caused something to snap inside of David. A torrent of rage overcame him, taking place of his sadness. His eyes were flaming red and a trail of bloody tears leaked from his eyes. He didn't care about pretenses anymore.
"You're dead!" he roared.
T
I could hear them. They were screaming, cries of terror erupting around me. His eyes. His eyes were red. I'd never seen anything like it. The screaming continued, the sound of flesh being torn apart following after. It was a disturbing sound. There was gurgling, a sound that was close to my own. I could barely concentrate on any of it, trying to focus on my breathing as it came out in shallow puffs. I barely had the energy to pull the air in, but I could still hear the almost animalistic growl that had come from David.
I tried to speak, to call out, but I couldn't form the word/s. It was as it my mouth had dried out. In reality, it was over flowing from the side. I was choking now, couching out the blood that had accumulated in the back of my throat. My heart was pounding in my chest. My pulse was pounding in my ears; pulsating.
"Da…" I tried again.
"No… No! Please!"
I heard a resounding crack and that was it. It was silent, the only sound from the waves as they crashed against the beach front. I felt tears well up in my eyes, before breaking passed my lashes and rolling down my face and soaking into my hair. In the back of my mind, I knew that I was going to die. I didn't want to, not yet, but it didn't look like I'd have much of a choice.
It was getting harder to breathe, a chunk of spit catching in the back of my throat as I pushed myself to lie on my side. My hands were shaking, adrenalin pumping through my veins. It was starting to dissipate though and I found the edges of my vision blurring. Even with all this, I could still make out those glowing eyes. They were like hot coals on a chilly night, glowing and pushing forth heat to warm the body. These ones didn't seem to be able to warm me though as a shudder ran through my body and a bloody cough tore through my throat. Still, it was those glowing eyes that lit up the darkness and pulled me from my lethargic stupor.
"Da… David?" I heaved, pressing my hand against my chest.
I tried to put enough pressure against it to stop the bleeding, but it kept seeping through my fingers.
"Don't move," his voice was low as he ordered me to stay where I was.
His feet were a blur to me as he moved toward me. My head was on the ground at this point, eyes closing as I tried to stay awake. My mind was growing tired as I laid there, praying to god that he'd spare me. I was finally starting to enjoy life and here I was bleeding out on the beach.
"Open your eyes."
Slowly, I peeled them open, blinking as I tried to find him. His eyes made it easier, but even those were starting to blur. I watched as he knelt down in front of me. His face was different, cheeks caved slightly. His brow and jaw looked sharper and those eyes. I felt him press his hand to my cheek, cupping it against his palm. It seemed warmer to me, an involuntary groan pushing passed my lips.
"Wh… are… you?" I managed, closing my eyes again.
When he didn't answer, I looked back up at him, reaching my hand out and grabbing hold of his upper arm. The muscles tensed, but proved to illicit the proper reaction as he looked back at me.
"I'm an idiot," he said, bowing his head. "That's what I am."
His voice was tight as he spoke. He knew what I had asked despite everything. He wasn't stupid, his eyes finally dimming, the bright fire being snuffed out.
"This is all my fault," he whispered, a trail of red, almost black, leaking from his eyes.
I watched as it rolled down the side of his face, running over the top of his jaw and down. He was crying.
"No…" I choked out.
I didn't want to see him crying. He wasn't supposed to be crying. He was strong and that's how I wanted him to remain. It was then that I finally started to feel everything begin to fade away. My breathing grew shorter as my heart pounded in my chest, blood dripping down the side of my mouth. I barely registered his hands on me, his grip like iron as my body grew lax. He was holding me against him as he pressed something to my mouth. I felt myself swallowing the blood in my mouth, unable to spit it out this time as I choked and gasped for air. I couldn't breathe. I was drowning.
Alright everyone! That was chapter 8. Don't worry though, it's not the end yet. This still has a little ways to go yet. Please, let me know what you think? Any and all ideas are welcome as we bridge the next section in this story. REVIEW AND MESSAGE PLEASE!?