Untrustworthy

Chapter 11

Vira stands next to her battered friend. Ryan, taken to the hospital and freshly patched up. The only crying they do today, is for their dearest friend and fellow vampire hunter, Knithe. They bow their heads in prayer, the tears still falling silently. Vira lays a single white rose on his grave, glancing, only for a moment at the other two crosses on one side of Knithe's. One belonging to her sister, the other, to her mother.

"I love you." She whispers, stepping back.

"White." Ryan smiles, tears streaming down his cheeks as he embraces Vira for a short moment.

"It means remember." She nods her head. They stand silently, heads bowed in respect for the fallen.

"What are you going to do now?" Vira asks, interrupting the quiet.

"I don't know." Ryan replies, "I'll probably give up vampire hunting, maybe get a real job"

"I'm leaving."

"What?" Ryan asks in surprise, "Why?" A bit of pain slides through his eyes.

"I can't stay here. I've already caused enough problems." She responds,

"But you won't be..."

"I don't care." Vira interrupts, "I won't want Knithe's only friend getting hurt on my account and the memories here are too painful for me to handle." She gazes once again over the three tall, white, marblestone crosses.

"I can't let you go!" Ryan shouts, "I have to take care of you! I can't let anything happen to you!" His voice cracked,

"Why?"

"Because it's what Knithe would've wanted!" He almost screams. Vira looks to him in sadly. It's true, Knithe would want someone to take care of her.

"Ryan, maybe he'd like it better if I could take care of myself." She suggests, "Besides, he wouldn't want you getting hurt either." Ryan pouts, on the brink of tears for a moment. Then he blinks the tears back down and sighs,

"You're right." He slouches in defeat, "I just need you to be extra careful, okay? Knithe really loved you, even though it was really dangerous to... and I don't want him to have died in vain."

"He didn't, I promise. I'm going to do everything in my power to take down as many vamps as I can. I'll train all the time, I may even get some armor or something so that it's harder to hurt me, okay?" She smirks, feeling the upcoming goodbyes stabbing at her.

"Just be safe. If you ever need a place to stay or someone to talk to or anything, you know where to find me." Ryan pulls her into yet another embrace. It's as if she leaves, he loses the only thing left in the world that ties him to his dearest friend. The hug separates and Vira lands a kiss on her fingers and presses it to Knithe's marble cross.

"Where will you go?" Ryan asks, trying to stall the goodbyes.

"Next city over, I saw it on a map." Vira replies, "I've heard about a few vampire monarchs over there, maybe I can ruin those too." She chuckles, trying to keep the mood light so as to lift his spirits. "Goodbye." She whispers, speeding off. She glances back only once to see him waving. She waves back, the tears she's tried so hard to hide sliding down her cheeks.