Warning this chapter is ungodly long. In fact it's longer than any other chpt. on here. Enjoy it none the less and please review.
Body
Dreams are overrated. I used to hate the fact that I couldn't escape the world I lived in through sleep. I used to think that if I could dream I would dream of happy places and times. I longed to escape the nightmare of my reality. Alas, I know that I would only nightmare in the dream world as well.
I only mention this because I thought that I was dreaming when I heard the explosion.
I fell from the couch onto the floor with a loud thud. In my confused state I groaned and ignored the flickering lights. I rubbed my eyes, blinking at the room around me desperately trying to comprehend what was going on. I carefully pulled my self up using the coffee table that I almost crashed into.
I heard nothing, but my heart wouldn't stop racing. Something was wrong. Something was very, very wrong. I strained my ears to hear anything, glancing around for someone, anyone to tell me what the hell was going on. No one was in the penthouse with me. Jack had left me there on the couch, all alone.
I squatted down in surprise when the second explosion rang out. The glass in the frames of Jack's artwork rattled, along with the ceiling. The lights flickered again, making my heart rise to my throat. I swallowed it down, and squatted lower to the floor waiting for the next explosion.
When nothing else came, I forced my mind to start working. We were under attack and I needed to come up with a better plan. I raised from my hiding spot my mind whirling with the possibilities. I took a deep breath and calmed myself. Hysterics would get me no where, and I had to think.
It was the Slayers. It had to be. They had finally made their move after months of planning. Shit. They must have made it into the lair, and they were coming for me and Jack. I paced up and down the living room running my hands through my hair. What to do? What to do?
It had to be nighttime if Jack was gone, so the pale-faces would be able to defend themselves properly. The fight couldn't last long since cops tend to come when explosions happen. Oh Great, a whole bunch of mortal men with guns dealing with the supernatural for the first time. I shook my head at the thought. The slayers had taken a great disadvantage by fighting at night, to assure that the building above the lair was clear of innocent mortals. They probably had the cops covered as well, not a hard feat since Slayers generally worked themselves into law enforcement to cover their tracks.
There was no explosion, but the ceiling shook again. Dust and stucco fell from the ceiling as the lights flickered. I had to get out of the penthouse. I was a sitting duck stuck down here with no weapon to defend myself with. I ran towards the elevators, praying that they were working and that the fluff controlling them would let me out of here.
I slid to a stop in the foyer when I noticed the floor numbers lighting up as the elevator made its decent. It would pause at a number and then resume. The pale-faces would stay put and let the Slayers come to them, they wouldn't rush into the elevators and… Oh fuck, the Slayers had control of the elevators. The next number lit up and stopped, it was two numbers ahead of my floor. They were coming to get me.
I didn't have time to think, all I could do was act. I ran from the foyer to the living room to huddle in the far left corner, placing a gory statue of a bleeding woman between me and the entrance to the living room. It wouldn't successfully hide me from the slayers, but I needed the appearance of a scared shitless heart bleeder.
Thanks to Jack's love of me in a band shirt and underwear, I looked like a pathetic little plaything. For once I was glad Jack was such a pervert. I took a deep breath and slammed my face against the bronze statue. Ouch, it really hurt but it would make my face red and tears come to my eyes. I couldn't appear to be calm when they came through the door.
The ding from the elevator sounded out, and I bit back the smile that was about to play on my lips. Show time, fuckers come out and play.
I heard the click of boots and a few muffled voices as they made their entrance. A man appeared in the doorway clad in black with boots and a large knife dangling from his side. He had his gun extended out before him as he checked around the room. His eyes following his GLOCK as it scanned the room. When the gun reached me I let out an ear piercing scream and covered my face with my hands.
"We've got a live one here!" The Slayer called out, as he started to walk towards me, his gun still pointed straight at me.
"Careful the bloody leech might be in here still!" Someone else called out, a female well they were really going to make this too easy for me.
I fought rolling my eyes at his caution as he approached and huddled up more. I was crying at him to please not hurt me, and shaking my head like a mad woman. Man I am such a great actress.
"What is your name?" He growled out as I faked a flinch at his tone.
I didn't answer him immediately and he barked at me once again. "What is your name?"
"Ch…Chelsea." I answered him with a gasp.
"Stand up." He ordered and I did so taking notice of the black cloaked brunette behind him.
"Is it her?" The brunette snapped out behind him.
The man, still pointing the gun at me, looked me up and down. The brunette took slow steady steps into the living room looking around. I fidgeted under his gaze, keeping my ruse up. These two idiots were my ticket out of here if I played my cards right.
"No…I mean look at her. No way is she her." The man stated slightly lowering his gun
It was now the brunettes turn to examine me. I broke out in sobs, and begged for them to help me. I kept asking stupid questions as well. Stuff like "Who are you?", "Who is 'her'?", "Are you with those monsters?" It was an award winning performance if I do say so myself.
The brunette shook her head disgusted at me and turned to her partner. "You're right. No way would Tony's daughter blubber like that." After confirming information with her partner she turned to me. "Are you alone?"
"Yes." I answered letting my voice crack.
"Then follow us, we're here to help. You'll be fine if you stick by us." The man said motioning with his hand to come out from behind the statue. I did as asked and forced myself to stumble as I went.
Me, an assassin named Alex? Never.
We made our way to the elevator and I stepped inside hurriedly. The male Slayer then pulled a walkie-talkie out of his pocket and started to update his co-workers. The brunette kept her eyes on me. Whispering words of encouragement towards me, and smiling kindly at me. I really, really had to fight rolling my eyes at her while she did this. Instead of grabbing the man's knife and slicing her little throat, I smiled and whispered a thank you.
Some shouting came out of the walkie-talkie and the elevator stopped. Keeping my ruse up, I screamed and started asking what was wrong. The crocodile tears were running thick down my face, and the brunette grabbed my arm reassuringly. The man kept talking on the walkie-talkie but the stupid woman was talking to me, preventing me from hearing what was going on. When he was finished he turned to the brunette and me.
"They're having troubles with the Second. They need reinforcements." He turned his gaze towards me. "Okay Chelsea, you need to stay behind us and listen for us to tell you what to do."
What the hell was a Second? I knew by how they said it, that it must be someone important for them to stop everything to go get him. Argh, I hate the stupid lingo that the Slayers used. It made absolutely no sense. I stopped myself from groaning, whoever this 'Second' person was he was preventing me from freedom.
"I thought that he wasn't that powerful? More like, Jack's own personal bitch?" The brunette chided out as the elevator started to lower us again.
"He's got the girl with him, and she's helping him fight." The man growled out with a scowl.
My heart picked up. They were talking about Charles and Izzy! Shit, what other vampire would be labeled "Jack's own personal bitch'? And what other heart bleeder would actually be a help to her capture? Shit, shit, shit, this changes everything.
I had planned on walking out the door and let Jack believe that I was killed in the fray. I could come back to the remains of the building and get some R.B.T. for survival. Now Iz was busy playing hero for the pale-faces. This added a new level of hurt for me with her. She would never kill a human before, and now she was protecting her evil lover from them.
How far the mighty had fallen.
I didn't have time to be pissed at Iz's actions. She was going to need my help. So I pushed all my anger to the side promising that I would yell at her later for it. I glanced at the two Slayers that were standing protectively in front of me. They were watching the doors with their guns up in the air, anticipating the monsters they were about to battle. The man pushed me to the side of the elevator, just in case a stray bullet or pale-face should enter. A smile crept to my lips as the elevator stopped again, and the doors started to open. They were worried about the monsters outside, when they should be worried about the one that traveled with them.
The brunette led the way onto the floor. The man in front of me signaled for me to follow and slowly followed the woman. We entered the floor, which appeared to be another penthouse. Wow, Charles had floral wallpaper. Not what I expected at all.
The man and woman stopped in what appeared to be the foyer. I was still a little caught up in the décor. Light blue wallpaper with small white flora printed on it. The crown moldings were white as was the foyer table. It overall had the sense of a colonial country house, and not the dark lair of Charles the moody.
Then I realized why the Slayers had stopped so suddenly. There was absolutely no noise. They had been called to help out their comrades and no voices of their comrades greeted them. There was no fierce battle being raged, no screams of anger. Nothing.
The woman was slightly shaking and spoke in a hushed tone. "Alan…where is…oh my God."
I peered around, the man I now knew to be Alan, and smiled. Charles stood before us blood covering his face and his chest. His eyes were red and his normally neat red-brown hair looked like he had just rolled out of bed. His shirt that's color couldn't be determined from the deep dark blood blanketing it was in tatters, showing off a cut cream chest. His fangs were barred and he stretched out his clawed hands, ready for attack.
Alan, who had lowered his gun, raised it again and took aim. Now was my chance. I grabbed Alan's arm from behind and turned the gun to face the annoying brunette. I laughed as the gun went off, and her neck caught the bullet. Her face contorted in pure shock as she crumpled gurgling to the floor.
Alan started to come out of shock and struggle with me, but was silenced forever as Charles ripped out his throat. Alan sounded like a sick chicken when Charles struck, and the sound itself made me laugh again. The now crimson soaked mass of Alan fell to the floor with a thud.
Charles stood there with an animalistic snarl on his face, holding the remains of an esophagus in his hand. He directed his attention towards me with those neon red eyes of his and dropped it. He closed his mouth and his eyes shifted back to normal. Shock filled his eyes and I rolled mine.
"I take it that you've finished off the others." I said plainly.
Charles shook his head for a moment, seeming quite human, and then nodded. I then stepped over the remains of Alan and went to yell at my sister. My feet padded along the solid oak flooring, and I turned a corner to head to the living room. From what I could see of Charles penthouse was that its layout was exactly like Jack's. The major difference between the two was of course the furnishings. Charles seemed to love the country, and Jack moved more with the current styles.
I heard Charles call for me a second too late, and I took a step into the living room.
My heart stopped as I looked at the scene around me. It wasn't the blood soaked wood flooring that I was gawking at. Nor was it the body parts of the Slayers strewn across the room. No, the decapitated head on the probably once denim blue couch didn't send me reeling. The mess of bodies and body parts was to be expected. The still body of my sister in the middle of them was not.
Izzy was dead.
She just laid there. Her back was to me a hole blown through her black shirt. Her blood, our blood, was seeping down in a waterfall down her back. Her skin was pale, almost blue in color, and it was sickening to think that it almost matched the penthouse. I stood there just gawking at her body in the doorway. My eyes traveled from her slightly curled legs to the curve of her body, and then to the back of her head. Her hack job haircut was matted with blood. The hack-job haircut that made her really look like me.
They thought that she was me.
I found myself stumbling forward. I stepped on an arm and landed among the gore with a smack. Blood now covered my face and seeped through the oversized shirt I was wearing. I pushed myself up on shaky knees, and started to crawl to my sister. I crawled through the bodies and blood. Occasionally I halted, so that I could pull my hand out of a chest cavity or face. In this mess of what were once human beings I crawled to my sister.
When I reached her I crawled around her so that I could see her face. I flung the useless gun from her hand, and lay down beside her. My hand reached out to her face and I lightly stroked it. The blood that I collected on my fingertips smeared her cheek. She seemed so peaceful, so like the angel I knew she was. Her eyes closed and her lips slightly parted. The skin on her cheek was so cold and looked almost fake. It was like she was just a life sized plastic doll.
"I'm sorry." I whispered to her. "Please…please don't be dead."
Isabelle didn't answer me. Isabelle couldn't answer me. She would never lecture me about the Bible, or the healthy benefits of vegetarianism, or smile and call me Ally, again. My support, my friend, and the last remaining member of my family was dead. Iz was gone, and I was never going to see her again.
I moved her arm so that it could hold me. I scooted towards her and threw my own arms around her neck. I tilted her head up slightly, using my own, and pressed my forehead to hers. Or special position, the position that made me feel the most comforted, and this was the last time I could have it.
The tears finally came, and I screamed. I screamed out all the pain, anger, and guilt. The cries echoed throughout the penthouse and started to dissolve into desperate sobs. I pulled Izzy, my Izzy, closer to me. The pressure between our foreheads started to build and hurt, but I didn't care. I was never going to let her go. She couldn't leave me here. She couldn't go to heaven and leave me alone forever.
"Alex." I heard Charles say to me as he tried to dislodge me from my sisters' body.
I clasped on tighter rolling the shoulder that his hand rested upon. I didn't want to hear reason, or sympathy. I wanted my Queen Isabelle back.
"Alex we have to…." He started to say as he successfully pulled me from her.
"NO!!" I screamed out. I couldn't leave her.
"Alex…please…just…" He whispered in my ear as I cried and tore at his arms with my nails.
"N…" I started to say "no" again only to be silenced by Charles hand.
I wanted him to hear my protest and mercilessly bit down on his hand. He gave a grunt of surprise, but didn't let go. He started to squeeze me, his patented move to force me to calm down, but this time it wouldn't work. My worst fear had just been realized and nothing short of God himself, could make me stop.
"I'm sorry Alex." He whispered to me before he bit into my shoulder.
I struggled more, and caused myself more pain, but Charles' power over his bite started to affect me. It felt strangely good and warm. I could feel my shoulders begin to slump and my body started to relax. Deep within my mind I was trying desperately to fight the sleepy feeling that was taking me over. My eyes started to droop and I fell into unconsciousness.
I awoke in a strange place. The walls were painted a bright sunny yellow, almost mocking me in their cheerfulness. I was on a bed, decorated by crimson bedding. Again no windows graced the room and I automatically assumed that the room I was in was underground.
A red dresser was at the far left wall and the floors were a deep cherry wood. Some sconces and candles decorated the walls, but over all this room was bare compared to the ornate decorations I was used to. It was also considerably tiny.
When I fully composed myself, the night before hit me like a bus. A dull ache reached my chest like someone had hollowed me out. I felt so drained, and robotic. It couldn't be real. I couldn't just accept the death of my sister. I wasn't ready for it.
Ready or not, it happened.
I started to cry yet again, and I clasped a hand over my mouth. Between the sobs breathing was getting hard. I could feel my veins pop forward in my face and neck. The tension of my sobs and the instinct to breathe were battling. One was going to have to give and I wasn't sure which it would be.
A door opened somewhere and the bed sunk in behind me. Arms grasped me from behind and gently hugged me into a firm chest. I still couldn't breathe. The person started to rock me back and forth, but I found no comfort in it. My heart had died, right along with my sister.
"Alex, stop crying and breathe." A sweet, gentle voice commanded me.
Relief washed over me and I felt happy. Someone was going to tell me that it was all just a nightmare. That my curse of never dreaming was over and I could wake up now. Slowly the tears stopped, my chest wasn't tight anymore, and I inhaled avariciously.
The good feeling started to fade and leaned back into Semoth. I was glad that someone was there to comfort me. I needed it desperately. The hollow feeling in my chest returned, but the tears kept away. Maybe they were still under Semoth's spell, or maybe I had none left to give either way….It didn't fucking matter.
Semoth let out a sigh and moved out from behind me, laying me down in the process. I relaxed completely, becoming nothing more than dead weight in his hands. Semoth tucked me into the gaudy red sheets and smoothed out my hair. He sat down beside me on the bed making me slightly roll towards him. I looked the other way I didn't really want to see anyone right then.
"We won." He stated in his old-man voice.
I didn't move or acknowledge he said anything. I didn't want to, it would take to much out of me. Semoth cleared his throat and continued. " We're in another one of Jack's buildings, and we're still in Philadelphia."
I still remained silent.
"Jack is handling a lot right now, and Charles…well Charles isn't exactly up to taking care of you right now. So I'm it. "Semoth started using his adult voice to sound more chipper, but I didn't care where I was or who had the job of babysitting me.
"Okay Alex, I'll leave you be, but I have to do something first." Semoth suddenly grabbed my arm and I knew what was coming next. It was the third day. Time for me to receive my 'medication'.
Semoth was obviously expecting a huge fight about this. Especially right after I awoke. I can just imagine his surprise when I did nothing. It didn't matter anymore. It was just a fucking needle. My sister was dead.
After he removed the needle, and I started to feel my head swim, Semoth leaned down to my ear. I could feel the heat of his breath as he breathed the words. " If you need anything when you awake, I'm right down the hall."
A couple hours latter I was awake and still in the same state. I ate nothing that night, and said nothing. Semoth offered me a cigarette, and my damn vice reminded me of Izzy. She wouldn't approve of me smoking. In fact everything reminded me of Izzy.
A few days passed, or was it weeks? I don't really remember, but I know that time had changed. I only left the crimson bed when I had to go to the bathroom, which was down the hall and to the left. I refused to eat anything and Semoth had to force feed me water. I would sleep, and when I wasn't sleeping I would cry. The deep sobs that erupted from me would echo back to me in the small room and make me cry harder.
Then I saw, or heard rather, Jack for the first time since it happened. I didn't acknowledge that anything changed when he entered the room. I just knew that it wasn't just Semoth this time by the sound of shoes clicking on the floor.
"And this is all she does?" Jack asked out with no emotion in his voice.
Semoth sighed and replied in his old man voice. "Yeah, that's it, except she goes to the bathroom." I heard the clicking of shoes heading towards me again. "Oh don't bother trying to talk to her right now Jack. You won't get anything out of her."
I figured that he would approach anyways but the clicking faded away. Soon they were both out of the room and I returned to my slumber. I wanted to never wake. What did I have to live for now? Who would support me and love me? Who would care if I died? None of the monsters that had me now would. Charles seemed slightly off at his penthouse. Slightly, but not sobbing like I was. What does a pale-face do when he is morning?
I awoke to someone shaking my shoulder. I blinked my eyes open and turned to look at Semoth. His face spoke of urgency. His pink eyes were twinkling at me and his mouth was nothing more than a thin line. I turned again, ready to go back to my glorious slumber. Only Semoth wasn't having it. He ripped off the covers to the bed and pulled me upright.
"Get up, and put on some clothes. We're leaving." He hissed at me in his adult voice.
My eyes widened. We were moving back? Back to the place where Iz had died? I couldn't do it I wouldn't do it. I wanted to stay in the garish sunshine bedroom. I didn't want things to continue on like normal. It would never be normal again. I shook my head at Semoth as an answer.
"Alexandria!" Semoth growled and I actually flinched. Semoth had never called me that before.
Semoth sat down beside me on the bed. He took my shoulders in his freaky hands and looked me square in the face. "I'm busting you out of here. A little cooperation would be greatly appreciated. Now get up and get dressed the sooner we get out of here the better."
I shot out of bed. After everything that had happened this was my ticket to salvation. No more Jack, Charles, and….Semoth. When I made it to the dresser I glanced over my shoulder at him. He stood near the door his eyes glued to the entranceway. He wore his standard black slacks, but no lab coat. In its place a white wife beater remained. His tribal-meets-Arabic tattoos all over his arms stood out.
He was letting me go? Why would he do this? Or rather why would he lie to me to get me to go wherever with him? The answer was that he didn't, and I fully trusted him. Wow, I trusted my veterinarian.
"Alex, you're really tempting me to look." He said in his teenage voice with a small smile. His eyes remained on the door way, and I finished putting on pants.
I walked up to him and he firmly took a hold on my upper arm. We strode from the sunshine room and down towards a pink door that was positioned down the hall. Semoth swung it open before we reached it with a wave of his hand. I turned wide-eyed at him. He never told me that he had telekinesis.
He smiled down at me and pulled me through the door. I looked up to find a series of stairs seeming to lead into oblivion. I guess the pale-faces learned from their mistake of only having elevators. The stairs looked rather tiring. How far down were we?
I started to move forward, ready and eager to tackle the stairs that would lead me to salvation. I would crawl up the damn things if it meant getting away. Semoth surprised me again by turning me to face him. I rose an eyebrow at him and gasped when he positioned his hands under my ass. He smiled a cheeky smile and started to lift me up. I threw my arms around his neck and my legs curled around his slender waist.
"Hold on tight." He whispered to me, before squeezing me close with one arm and taking off.
This was far too fast. My head started to swim as the world smeared in my vision. I could feel the sheer force of his speed pushing me into him. I squeezed on tightly to him, and buried my face in his neck so I didn't have to look at the dizzying world about me. When I did this his arm tightened around me in a reassuring gesture.
We started to slow down. My stomach started to clench as we did. The feeling was similar to when you spin around for a long time then suddenly stop. When we finally did stop, Semoth put me down and kept his hands on my waist patiently waiting for me to compose myself. I probably looked as green as Semoth.
I spun around when I heard voices behind me. Two fluffs were at a door, their yellow rimmed eyes looking from me to Semoth. I felt my chest tighten, these two were going to be a problem. Semoth grabbed my upper arm and pulled me to stand beside him.
"I have orders to relocate the girl. So if you two gentlemen would be so kind." He said in a casual teenage voice, waving his hand to the door they were currently blocking.
I held my breath as the two fluff guards grunted and got out of the way with friendly smiles. Semoth started to lead me towards the door and stopped half-way between them. I looked up at him in fear. Did he change his mind? Was something wrong? What the hell was he thinking?
Semoth looked at me out of the corner of his eye, and winked. The fear was instantly replaced by anger. The asshole was fucking with me! I was this close to freedom, and he paused to make me worry. Some fucking friend.
"Thank you, gentlemen." Semoth told them in a joking tone. They laughed, and I was left wondering what was so darn funny? Maybe it was an inside joke or something.
We walked through the door. When the heavy metal door clicked behind us, I turned to Semoth and punched him right in the stomach with my free hand. He made a loud 'oof' noise and released me to rub his stomach. I crossed my arms and huffed looking straight at the now laughing demon.
"What the hell were you thinking?" I yelled at him.
Semoth laughed and wiped the tears from his eyes. "Oh come on Alex…you should have seen you're face!" He laughed out in his childish voice.
I hit him on the shoulder hard. I turned away from him so that he couldn't see the small smile that played on my lips. It wasn't funny, but I was grateful that he was trying to lighten the seriousness of our situation.
I looked up ahead of us. There was now just one flight of stairs in our way and another heavy metal door. I felt my heart tighten. I was almost free. After a year of pain and suffering, I was going to be free. The only question was, free to do what?
Jack wouldn't take this lying down. I was going to be running for the rest of my days. I was too famous just to fade away, and what of the human world? Could I actually become part of it? Would I now attempt to do what was destined for Isabelle?
"Hey Alex," Semoth called, breaking me out of my trance with the door. I turned to look at him and almost fell over.
Semoth had transformed. He told me that he could do so in order to fit in with humans, but he never did around me. I had begged, and begged for him to let me see it, but he would just shake his head and grin at me. The funny thing was that the transformation still looked like him and yet it didn't. His face was the same only now he had darkly tanned skin and deep brown eyes. His bright blonde hair was now jet-black, but cropped the same way. He looked slimmer and less toned, but his tattoos remained. His eyebrows seemed to thicken and almost created a uni-brow, but somehow he still looked boyish. My eyes darted to his hands and for some strange reason found relief to see that they were still freakishly large. It was strange to see Semoth in his mortal guise, I expected a surfer type disguise, not someone who looked so Middle Eastern.
He smiled at me showing slightly yellowed teeth and cocked his head to the side. He looked so harmless, and cute. I strode towards him in awe, forgetting everything that was happening. I came inches away from him and inspected him from head to toe. He seemed incredibly human. The only things that could possibly give him away were his hands and the very faint tint of green to his skin. I couldn't resist, I had to see whether or not he was really right there, so I poked him.
Semoth laughed deeply, and his voice had changed as well. It was remarkably masculine and adult, but with a hint of youth to it. This was Semoth's human voice. A voice he rarely used.
"If you're done with your inspection Alex, we should get going." He stated between laughs.
I shook myself out of my fascination. With a mumbled apology and another laugh from Semoth we made our way up the last set of stairs. When we reached the door Semoth opened it for me and I hesitated. I turned back around to say my final goodbyes to the world I had grown accustomed to. The world I was adopted into and the world that destroyed my family. Deep inside me I realized I was going to miss it, but a different world was waiting for me. With a nod to Semoth I strode out the door and into the sunlight.
It was a gorgeous day. The birds were tweeting and I could hear the hustle and bustle of the humans around us. Semoth grew a little bold and interlaced his hand with mine. We walked down the street the buildings and the cars all around us. People passed us giving me looks because of my un-shoed feet and because of all of Semoth's tattoos. I smiled inwardly about how they would react to the real Semoth.
Semoth had busted me out around midday. The sun was already starting it's decent into afternoon sunshine. I looked at everything that was around me, taking the day in. When was the last time I walked in daylight uninhibited?
We stopped at a shoe store and bought me some boots. I protested to getting some, making Semoth look at me like I was crazy. I figured that he thought I was protesting to him buying me something, when in reality I didn't want them because I wouldn't need them. He won the argument when he said that no restaurant would let me in without shoes.
We ate at a little sidewalk café, smoking and sitting in silence. I didn't know what to say and it seemed like Semoth didn't know as well. There were questions that needed answering but I was enjoying myself to much to want to ruin it.
The sun started to set on us, and Semoth and I clamored into a cab. We rode still in silence to what would be my final destination. Semoth kept looking at me with those fake brown eyes. I turned away watching the buildings pass by in the windows.
The cab pulled up in front of an old dilapidated building that had a fence surrounding it. On the fence a sign told of when the building would be demolished. I sighed and stepped out of the cab, and waited for Semoth to pay the driver.
It was near the outskirts of town, and the sun had gone down on us during the drive. I stood starring at the building before me. Semoth sauntered up to me and took my hand leading me to a hole in the fence. We climbed through walking silently through the abandoned machinery and rubble.
Semoth carried me again up the steps of the building. This time it wasn't so bad, but I still got a little dizzy. We entered on a floor that was empty and dirty. Huge wall-length windows open up to an amazing view of the city. The lights of the city sparkled with clarity under the full moon. I walked up to the glass to stare at my home for the last three years. I then placed my hand against the glass and leaned against it.
"Why did you do this?" I asked Semoth who was still behind me.
I didn't hear him approach me, but I could sense it. A faint gust of wind let me know that he was now standing right behind me. I looked to his reflection in the glass of the window. His face was blank and he reached for me and turned me around. He took my hand and placed a vile of R.B.T. in it.
"I have some needles too." He said, "Tonight's the third night so you need to medicate yourself. I'm going to let you do since you have to get use to it anyway."
I blinked at him for a moment then asked again, "Why did you do this?"
Semoth smiled softly at me and pulled out some syringes out of his pocket. He shoved them into my other hand. " I'm going to lead them around for a bit, to throw them off the scent. When the day breaks I want you to get away from the east coast, go to somewhere like Kansas or something. "
I bent down to place the syringes and vile to the side. Then stood up and looked at Semoth, really look at him. He seemed so distant. Not at all like the jovial demon I was used to. Semoth started to back away and I reached out for him taking a hold of his arms. He let me stop him and I looked fiercely into his eyes.
"Why did you do this?" I asked again making my voice hard and intense.
Semoth smiled at me. "I watched an animal program not too long ago." He started to say while taking my hands off of him. " Two birds were taken from the wild to live in a zoo. The birds didn't like it too much and eventually one of them died."
My chest tightened again and I could feel the tears start to well up in my eyes. I was hanging onto every word, willing myself not to cry at the allusion to my sister.
Semoth inhaled deeply and continued. "The other bird stopped eating, it stopped singing, it just sat on its perch and did nothing. The zoo decided that it was best to let the bird back into the wild, otherwise it would die. The bird soared and sang when they let it go."
The tears were running down my face. I swallowed hard and closed my eyes. He didn't want me to die. Semoth was letting me go in hopes of me flying like the bird. He wanted me to have a life. But I wouldn't fly. No song would exit my throat. I had every intention of dying that night. I had made that decision the moment he told me he was busting me out.
Semoth reached up and cleared my eyes of the tears. "I'm sorry I couldn't save Iz for you Alex. I had hoped at one time that you would just let everything go and learn to live with us. I like you Alex. I don't want to see you waste away."
After he was done Semoth pulled me into a bone-crushing hug. So he really was my friend. He gave up everything just so he could set me free. Jack would hunt him down, and maybe even kill him. Semoth wanted me to live, and I was going to betray him by taking my own life.
It would have never happened if I was still in captivity. Jack, Semoth, maybe even Charles would have prevented it. Now that I was free it was the only option I felt I had left. I didn't want to run forever. I didn't want to be part of the human world. I never would have fit in. My family was dead, and I had nothing to live for. I was going to become a true body like my sister, but I will die free.
"So your letting me go because I don't "do well in captivity"? I asked out trying to get my voice to sound light-hearted.
Semoth laughed and pushed me away slightly so he could look at me. He was still grasping my arms gently as he spoke, "Something like that, but also because I'm sick of all the extra work you make me do. I mean seriously, Alex. You've got to be the most reckless human I've ever met. Has anyone ever told you that you're a pain in the ass?"
I chuckled at Semoth's joke, before reaching up to touch his face. I could feel him tense up and smiled a little more. "Semoth, change back into the demon I know." I whispered out.
Semoth smiled a sad smile at me before nodding into my hand. I gasped out as I watched his hair slowly turn blonde again starting at the roots. His eyes faded to pink and his skin grew back green. He beefed up more and his teeth took on the unnatural shade of white again. I kept my hand on his face and his pink eyes shined at me. I leaned up to him.
"There you are." I whispered before pulling him into a kiss.
It wasn't a kiss of passion or of love. No I didn't love Semoth. He did nothing at first, but then returned it, placing an arm around my middle and a hand at my head. It was sweet, and gentle, bittersweet in taste and satisfaction. It was my thank you and my goodbye. Semoth was the first man that I had ever voluntarily kissed. The first man that I wanted to kiss. After everything he had done for me it was him and only him that deserved it.
Something began to spark deep within me but I smashed it when I pulled away. I stared up at Semoth forcing my face to be blank. He smiled a toothy smile down at me and let out a satisfied breath. He stroked my face for a moment, and then ruffed up my hair.
"See you later." He said simply in his old man voice, and turned to leave.
In an instant he was gone, his supernatural speed carrying him away. I stood there for a long while looking into the empty space that once occupied my friend. I was all alone. In the end I was all alone.
"Goodbye Semoth." I whispered though I knew that he would never hear me.
I turned and got the small vile of R.B.T. No turning back now. I had to do this. I lifted it high above my head and threw it down into the linoleum flooring. It smashed letting the vile liquid pour out. No second thoughts.
I looked out the window to the city. Watching the twinkling lights that shined brightly in the night. What would I see when death came for me? Was Hell as horrible as I had imagined? Funny, but I wasn't afraid. I knew that one day I would be going there, and at least now I did it on my own terms.
I walked over to a pillar to sit against it, and faced the windows. I wanted to see sky in my last moments. I smiled to myself at the past. I had asked to see myself on Jack's wall of fame before I died. That was when I was so sure that he would kill me. I had also wondered if Jack would let me see the sky one last time before departing. Silly sentiment really, Jack wasn't going to be the reason for my death. No I was going out in style.
I grew cold and wrapped my arms around myself. I looked at my reflection in the glass of the windows. My hair was longer then had been and the reflected light made it seem much longer. It was like I was looking at Iz. In a way it was comforting, it was like she was right there with me.
I thought of her and Pops. I thought of our lives before Jack, before I made such a tragic mistake at such a young age. The way Iz and I would talk about pale-faces and hazels with unadulterated awe. The scent of Pops as he hugged us or helped us with training reached my nostalgic nose. Pops' laugh and Izzy's smile where my reason for existing back then. In fact they remained my reason until both left me. Now I would follow them.
It was still early in the night when I started to fell woozy. The last time I started to feel this I was in a pool. I shifted against the pillar trying to make myself more comfortable. I closed my eyes begging for the sandman to take me. I wanted to be peaceful in my passing, just fall asleep and never wake. I knew it was a long shot that I wouldn't wake when the addiction took hold, but I wanted some peace.
I inhaled deeply, making my breaths purposely deep so that they would lull me to sleep. I could hear my steady heartbeat pulsing in my body. I let my body relax and smiled as I thought of Iz and me. The thought consisted of us laughing and talking, it finished out with the way she looked at me when we were curled up in our position. When the thought passed I succumbed to being a body, just like Izzy.
I awoke with a slight jerk of my body. My eyes didn't focus right away and I tried to go back to sleep. I turned nestling my head into the softness I felt and moaned. Then my tired brain started to comprehend something. Pillars were not soft…was I dead already?
My eyes snapped open. The first thing that they focused on was a discarded and used syringe. I struggled to understand what this meant and why it was there. I let my head turn to notice that I was lying on someone. Oh dear God, no.
I screamed and pushed myself away from the laughing pale-face. In my frantic state I fell back on my ass and he got up. I looked from the syringe to Jack, anger taking over my mind. How did he find me?
"What did you do?" I yelled at him.
Jack just stood over me and smirked calmly. "Suicide, Alex? Wow, I'm impressed. I didn't think you had it in you." He hissed out evilly.
Damn it all, how did he find me? "You can't….Semoth…" I stuttered out trying to calm myself.
"Oh, yes, Semoth." Jack growled at me with a scowl before smiling at me again. "That little traitor is being taken care of."
I shook my head at him and tried to crawl away. Jack kept up with me pace for pace chuckling as he went. "I saved you again Alex. This time I saved you from yourself." He purred out.
"JUST FUCKING KILL ME!!" I screamed at him pounding my fist into the floor.
Jack bent down so that we were face to face. "Now why would I do that?" He asked reaching out to stroke my face. I slapped his hand away. "Aw Alex, how you wound me, you don't want to be saved?" He said with a mocking laugh.
I shook my head at him again letting the tears run. I fucked up my own death. How fucking pathetic could I get? I should have shot air into my bloodstream with the syringes, but no I wanted to go out dramatically.
"Don't cry Alex. I'm giving you an opportunity. In fact I'm going to give you a reason to live." Jack chided out taking a hold of my neck and forcing me to stand with him.
I rubbed my neck as Jack released me with a small shove. "Oh really?" I spat.
Jack crossed his black suit clad arms. His hair was free around his face making him seem down right sinister. He looked like the classical vampire all geared up in his tuxedo. The only difference is that instead of a tie he wore his white shirt's two top buttons undone. Jack nodded his head slowly at me a full fang smile on his face.
"What?" I squeaked out.
Jack's eyes gleamed in the moonlight and he strode toward me grabbing my upper arm, and pulled me to him. His rank mouth was hot on my ear, and he gave my cheek a little kiss before breathing the word, "Revenge."
Revenge.
The word sounded almost sweet. I looked at the grinning pale-face. I knew to whom he was referring to. I would only want revenge against the Slayers, the ones who killed my Izzy. Jack's eyes sparkled again and he knew he had me.
"You'll let me fight?" I asked.
Jack nodded, "With a few minor precautions, yes."
"You're not worried about me running away?" I asked my voice dropping with skepticism.
Jack laughed and looked around lifting up his hands. "To where, Alex? To the human world? To Hell? I know you want revenge Alex I can see it in your face. Your eyes are sparkling with the fire I admire so much in you. You won't let yourself die until you've killed all of the people responsible for your sisters' death. You won't go to the human world because you'll go insane, and if you even attempted I assure you that monsters worse then me would gladly snatch you up. So my dear for right now, all you have is me."
I stared hard at the cocky vampire before me. He had me. He knew me far too much for my own good. Everything he spoke was the truth. I could taste the revenge in my mouth. I wanted the Slayers to pay. They would wish that they never fucked with me or my family. I wanted it too much. Jack would help me accomplish that. He had successfully made me need him.
Jack had the money, the power, and the resources to help me. I couldn't go alone against an army of Slayers. I needed Jack for the man power. He needed me for the fame. It was a win, win situation and all I had to do was give in.
Jack offered me his hand. I looked at it. If I took it I was giving up my freedom. I was letting Jack win. I would become the thing I despised the most…A body. I inhaled deeply, closing my eyes.
I took his hand.
I opened my eyes to see the thing that I hated most in this world smiling triumphantly. He clasped tighter onto my hand and started to lead me to the world outside. I walked with my head held high behind him into my new life.
My new life as a body.
Jack may think that he won. Jack may think that with this new found way of controlling me that he would become my lover. It will never happen. I would help him in his revenge scheme. I will eradicate those foolish enough to mess with me. When I was done with that I would go after Jack. If it took me centuries I was going to kill the pale-face that screwed up my life. I would do it for me, Pops, Izzy, and….Semoth. Jack's revenge ended at the Slayers, but I wouldn't let myself die until I had destroyed them both.
Forever I had questioned where I stood in this world. I worked for and eliminated the things that preyed on my own kind. I had killed and betrayed my own kind earning me a ticket into Hell. I was a pale-faces spook, a fluffs terror, a Slayers nightmare. I was once Alex Elaine Jackson, daughter of Antoine Jackson, sister of Isabelle Jane Jackson. I was once that girl. Now I'm not. I was one of the Immortals, but not by birth or by bite. I was one by a medication forced upon me. Everything that made me human died with my sister. I was no longer a Jackson.
When Jack and I reached the limo patiently waiting for us outside, I turned and looked toward the moon. I closed my eyes and let a cool breeze sweep across my face. I then turned to look at the pale-face before me in the limo. I said goodbye to my former self and got in.
I am now and always will be Alex the Assassin, and until further notice I will also be the right hand of Jack, my owner.
Fin.
It's finally finished. Well...not quite I re-read some of my earlier chapters and I desprately need to beef them up. Oh and before you throw stuff at me for leaving the story like this, know that this is just book one. The adventures of Alex and Jack will continue. I would also like to thank all who have reviewed and stuck with this monster of a story. If your reading this after I have finished it please please please review and tell me what you think! I will still read them!!! I really hope everyone is satisfied with the ending of this story. And please tell me if you think that I should continue it or let it be.
Thank you everyone.
LobsterDevil
P.S. I might write a diffrent story before moving onto the next part in the Bleeder Series.