Chapter 57 - The Newborn Vampire

***** A FEW HOURS EARLIER *****

~~~ Allaya ~~~

I can’t believe Alexis is actually gone, the thought of never seeing her again is causing my heart to ache, the shock of holding her lifeless head in my hands shot an excruciating pain into my body that I doubt I’ll ever forget.

Nor do I want to.

At least not until I get revenge on her behalf. After that, all I want to remember is her beautiful smile and her kind heart.

I’m a mess. I feel numb, a stranger to myself. I even snapped at Landon, and then at my uncle when he tried to calm me down.

Pandora is overpowering me as we delve into the forest, the deeper we go, the less present I feel. I’ve searched my mother’s memories for information about my wolf and what I found was enough to make me worried.

The white wolf is strong, but it can also be evil. It all depends on its other half. Me. Whether I like it or not, she is part of me.

Maybe I should have more faith in my wolf.

Would it be better if I surrender to her, take a break and rest? I am tired, I am mourning, and I feel desolated.

I’m agonizing.

There is only one thing I have in mind, to kill the monster that executed my real mother, the same evil that kidnapped the woman that loved me as one, and probably murdered my best friend.

But my thoughts, my emotions act as my enemy, Pandora is feeding on them, and is empowered by my weakness. I might have no say in this, she might be already too strong for me to handle.

If only Hayden would be here, he and Maddox would be able to keep me on the right track. My beloved mate has the power to soothe my heart and soul.

Every one of the moments spent together flashes through my mind. I remember the first time we met in the club after I’ve just witness my ex-boyfriend fucking my step sister, when even if I could not pinpoint what our connection was, I felt it, and it was magical and intense.

I recall his first touch, the way his lips and skin taste, our first night together.

The moment he first told me he loved me.

The way his eyes shone each and every time he gazed at me, the way his heart beat when I rested my head on his chest.

Even that dreadful trial is a good memory, because I was with my loved one.

I use all my strength to recover control over my wolf, I don’t accept being pushed away. Nothing will keep me away from my fated mate, from my family or my friends.

Nothing and no one, no matter how powerful.

I crave to snuggle in Hayden’s arms, I wish to save my mother, to spend time with my real father, with my brother.

I focus all those feelings to garner the power and set myself free, and after struggling, I succeed.

‘Good girl!’ Pandora’s voice sounded like she just mentally patted my shoulder. ‘You’re growing stronger!’

‘You’re not going to switch me off!’ I burst out in anger.

‘And why would you think I would like that?’

‘I thought…’

‘Oh, please! That story about the white wolf is nonsense! I’m offended that you had no faith in me, but I’m letting it slide this time because Alexis’s death has been tough on you.’

Is she serious or it’s just another game for her?

‘But you tried to overpower me!’ I snap.

‘It’s my job to train you, silly girl!’ She answered calmly. ‘And that story is about you, not about me! You need to hold your ground, because if you turn evil, I’ll just have to follow, and man, we are strong together! I’d hate to watch you destroy the world! And I’d loathe you for making me part of that!’

Ohh… So…

My forehead creases. ‘Were you testing me?’

‘A bit.’ She added. ‘And I wanted you to rest. Your judgment is clouded, which is exactly what our enemy wants. He’s planning something, I’m sure of it.’

Her words are not even sinking in, that something horrifying catches my attention. A heavy smell of death lingers in the air, I hear shouting of despair.

‘A newborn vampire.’ Pandora announced. ‘And it’s out of control, slaughtering everybody.’

Panic and adrenaline are surging through my body, I run to the place where the crying for help is heard, and when I get there, I’m faced with a desolate scene. About twenty people, wounded in cold-blood, are lying in a pool of their own blood.

I’d lie if I’d say that the smell of blood doesn’t entice me, but the idea of innocents suffering is keeping me grounded. It makes me sick to my stomach.

‘We should help them.’ I urge Pandora desperately. ‘Do something!’

‘There’s nothing to be done.’

‘Yes, it is. We healed Hayden in no time, we need to help the humans as well!’

‘It’s not working on them. We can only heal werewolves or vampires.’

But I don’t listen to her, there are men, women and children dying right in front of me. I have to do something.

I run to each of them and lick their wounds, hoping that they’ll heal.

They didn’t.

If anything, their pain increased after my act.

I regain my human form, and drop on my knees. “No!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” I cry out, my broken voice shaking the trees.

My heart drops from my chest, a stinging pain travels through my body, tearing it apart from the inside when I notice who was behind the massacre.

The newborn vampire.

My sister… Elena.

How did this happen? When?

“What did you think of my gift?” She smirks devilishly.

Air leaves my lungs, my heart denies the meaning behind her words. She could have done it, although I stand before the irrefutable truth that she is a heartless monster.

“I should have put a ribbon on her forehead, my bad. A jade colored one, to go well with her eyes.”

I shut my eyes close, fighting the darkness that was threatening to engulf me. It hit me all at once. She helped the Head of the Council to kidnap her own mother, by luring her out of the house, and she killed my best friend.

‘Keep your darkness under control!’ Pandora warned.

I take a few breaths. ‘I’m trying.’

“She was innocent and she did nothing to you! She had a family that loved her, a mother and a father that will be devastated when they find out about her death!”

“No! No! That’s not true! Nobody will miss her! Do you know why?”

A cold shiver runs down my spine. I’m afraid to ask.

“That’s right. I killed them too! After I tortured them and let them know about their daughter!” She dissolved into evil laughter. “I was always jealous of the relationship you had with the girl.”

I swallow the lump in my throat. “W-what about our mother?”

“OUR MOTHER? She was my mother, not yours! You were a mere stranger, but she loved you more!” I can feel the bitterness in her words.

“Was? What did you do to her?”

“Nothing! Not because I wouldn’t want to, but because Morrigan keeps her as leverage to get you!”

“Have you no heart, no soul? Don’t you love anyone?”

“Why would I do that? Every person I loved, that person loved you more. You took everyone away from me!”

Her outburst surprised me. Everybody loved me more? That was not true. She has a sick twisted mind, only an insane person could kill my friend and help in kidnapping her own mother.

“What about Elijah? And your unborn child?”

“Gone! Dead. They were the price I had to pay to prove my loyalty to Morrigan.” There was no hint of remorse in her voice. “He turned me into this awesome being, and promised that once you’re out of the picture, he will restore my witch powers!”

She is capable of selling everyone in her life to get what she wants.

Nobody is safe with her around.

Nobody.

She needs to pay for her sins and I’m ready to punish her.

“Don’t even think about it! As much as you underestimate me, my dear sister, I’m smarter than you. I’ve always been. I didn’t come alone.”

Morrigan’s witch is very good at concealing spells.

“Show yourselves! Go and spread the word that the hybrid massacred innocent people!”

Only then I noticed that we were surrounded by magical creatures, most likely all of them loyal to Morrigan. In the blink of an eye, they disappeared from my sight, along with Elena.

***** PRESENT *****

I jumped from the bed and snuggled into my mate’s arms, he came to the tree house for me.

“Hayden, I did something horrible!”

I could not save them, and guilt is eating me raw. But what I’ll do is to make sure none of this will happen again.