A Vampire's Lullaby Ch.5: Regret

I sat in the living room of the mansion, watching the news. I was surprised we even had a T.V.

'Mass murders have been spreading across the states, first in California, moving through Utah all the way to Ohio.'

"What the hell?"

It couldn't possibly…

"Alex? What's wrong?"

I jolted and turned my head in the direction of the soft voice.

"Oh, Starlight, I was thinking of the news."

The vampire girl sat down beside me on the Victorian sofa.

"You sense it? It's the work of rogue vampires."

My eyes flickered, blurring everything.

"So then my guess was right."

We turned back to the T.V.

Alex and Starlight were still watching the news.

'More news on the mass killings will arrive at a later date. For now, our entire state is being hit by the largest snowstorm in history.'

I interrupted. "Starlight, Heaven and Crystal are leaving. Hurry."

She jumped up, bidding Alex goodbye. He, himself, fell over limply on the sofa.

"Alex, I am going to be gone as well. Can you stay right there?"

Alex did not answer me.

"Alex, can you?"

He strained himself trying to sit back up. He looked ready to die at any moment.

I barely had the strength to sit up, but forced myself to do it.

"Yeah, I can-"

Vladimir had run out as soon as I said yes.

"-stay here. I thought you were all about politeness?"

I say that, but I've become a liar. I knew all three were far away now. So I too, left the mansion.

(Monica. She won't leave during this blizzard.)

The wind was strong, but I was faster and stronger. Even if I hadn't fed all this time. I wanted…no. I needed to see her. I will see her.

Vladimir arrived at a nightclub in the city and walked over to a booth, where Heaven, Crystal and several other vampires accompanied them. One with long, black hair and pink highlights approached Vladimir.

"Mars, it has been a while."

The two shook hands.

"It has. What's this I hear about you blooding a red head?"

Vladimir put his hand up.

"I shall explain another time. We have an issue."

The vampire group went silent.

"The mass murders have hit our city. The humans have not found out just yet."

Mars sat back down, and opened his mouth.

"What do we do? Defend the city? You care about this place more than any of us, my love."

Vladimir pondered the question.

(I cannot let the city fall, but nor can I allow my family to die. What to do?)

Taylor sat at her work desk, going through the information Monica gave her on Dylan and Alex, and everything she dug up on her own.

"So, Dylan is a foster kid, and so is Alex."

She typed the facts from her research onto her black laptop, which had a red dragon design.

"Not only that, going back through their ancestors, Alex is of royal blood. Dylan is a descendant of a knight."

Taylor's phone started ringing, showing Monica's name.

"Monica? Is everything okay?"

Taylor listened to Monica, as she spoke and her face grew dark.

"Monica, don't! You could get really hurt!"

'I know. But it needs to happen. I know what to do. Bye.'

The phone clicked.

"Monica! Goddammit!"

Taylor grabbed her keys and ran out her car. Turning on the small T.V. connected to the camera watching Monica, Taylor sped down the highway to the glass house.

Alex made it to his house, sitting in the tree from before. He watched as Monica came into the living room and started painting. Her beauty entranced Alex.

"She really is growing more and more beautiful."

Monica wore a black gown with white lace at the edges and the waist. Just then, Alex trembled, not because of the cold, but due to anger and shock. The man who nearly sent him to the spiritual world walked in. Alex could hear the conversation loud and clear.

Dylan walked over to Monica.

"What're you doing?"

Monica answered, hiding her fear. "Nothing."

Dylan looked at what was on the canvas.

"What the fuck is this? You're still thinking about that dead faggot?"

Monica dropped her paintbrush.

"Of course I am! He's the only one I love."

"Shut the hell up, bitch!"

Dylan swung his hand, gashing Monica's cheek. Neither had a clue of the angered presence watching from outside.

Alex's temper rose through the roof.

"All she did was paint. How dare he hit her! I'll kill him!"

Alex knew of the presence of another human, but they were sleeping. He jumped from the tree kicking the door while it shattered into several pieces.

"Hey. Leave her alone!"

Dylan and Monica fixed their eyes on Alex. Dylan was the first to speak.

"Who the fuck are you? Get out of my house."

Monica just stared, transfixed.

"This house isn't yours. It's been mine since three years ago."

Monica nearly fell over. In her mind, she couldn't believe it. But her heart knew it was him. Yet, she was afraid to call out. She did it anyway.

"Alex?"

The man's eyes focused in her direction, and they softened.

"Monica, I'm sorry. I…"

Dylan interrupted.

"It's you! How did you survive that?"

Alex remembered the painful events of that night. He faced Dylan.

"You really want to know?"

Suddenly, Alex's body grew hot. It was reacting to something, something unbearably sweet smelling. He noticed Monica's cheek. She stood up, beginning to walk directly to Alex. He realized he was giving in to the smell of blood flowing from the wound on Monica's cheek.

"Alex, you're okay. You're really here."

Alex stumbled backwards, holding his mouth.

"Monica, stay back."

She kept coming closer. His body was screaming.

"Stay back!"

"Alex."

His control collapsed, hunger overpowered him. At the same time, Vladimir was discussing how best to fight the rogue vampires. Alex sped past Dylan, embraced Monica, drinking her down to the last drop. The hunger consumed him.

Vladimir quickly stopped speaking, looking off into the distance. Mars and the others sat quietly. But Mars was the first to ask.

"What's wrong, my love?"

A feeling of ecstasy filled Vladimir, but it was not his own.

"Alex."

Alex, consumed by his lust, dropped Monica and went after Dylan. The white haired man started to run away, but Alex caught him with ease.

"Remember what you said to me?"

The image of that night flashed in Dylan's mind.

"I knew. I knew I was going to get to kill you!"

Alex said no more, vengefully ravaged the man, until he sucked him dry. Alex viciously threw Dylan's body, which clumsily rolled down the stairs.

"Payback's a real fucker, ain't it?"

Alex just stood, laughing hysterically, until he took a second look at Monica's still body.

"Ha ha…ha…"

His sense of self returned to him slowly.

"Monica?"

Alex called her name.

"Monica."

He called it again. The desperate newborn vampire knelt beside his fiancé. Images of what he did to her plagued him.

"No. No!"

Even though he wanted this to be a dream, the evidence was clear as day, embedded in her neck. He had taken her life, and there was no way of bringing her back. Alex screamed loss and frustration mixed in.

Taylor awoke due to a bone-chilling scream. She looked at the small T.V., which only showed a small puddle of blood soaking on the floor.

"Damn!"

She quickly grabbed her handgun, and ran toward the glass house. Though as she neared it, flames erupted violently, and the house exploded. The blast sent Taylor flying off into the air, along with shards of glass. Some had penetrated her legs, and another her stomach.

"AAAH!"

Screams could be heard from within the city.

"Monica!"

Taylor looked at the house, when a shadow captured her attention. Looking up, she saw a blur, which was in the shape of a human.

"Red hair?"

The picture of Alex came to mind.

(It couldn't be…could it?)

Alex escaped his home slight burns covered his body.

(I killed her. I…)

Tears ran down Alex's face. He landed in the woods around Vladimir's mansion. Alex didn't hold in his sorrow any longer. The wind carried his wails, and the raging snow started to blanket his body.

(Kill me.)

He rose to his knees.

"Make me suffer for this!"

Alex continually hit his fists into the white, powder-covered ground. He stopped when a strange scent reached his nose.

(So what? This scent…)

Alex pushed the unwanted thought from his drowning mind.

"Monica. Monica…I'm sorry."

The tears just kept coming. Due to his grieving, Alex failed to notice the existence far in the distance, watching him.

"So, you do not deem me as a threat. Well, your opinion shall change over time. You will come to fully understand who I am."

Leaving behind a red rose the being disappeared.

Vladimir and the other vampires left the club and ran through the streets of Miami. They came upon South Beach, but a surge of heat caught Vladimir's attention. Mars spoke up.

"That has human scent all over it. Wonder how it happened."

Heaven walked past the others, laying a hand on Vladimir's shoulder.

"His scent is really faint. But, he's near the mansion."

The others had formed looks of confusion.

"I appreciate it. Heaven, take the others to Alex's location. I shall be along shortly."

Vladimir ran towards the burning house. Mars was about to run after him. Heaven put an arm out.

"Don't. He'll be fine. Right now, we need to catch that stupid newborn. We only have thirty minutes before the Sun rises. Let's go!"

Vladimir had gotten past the blockade and the crowds of bystanders. He stopped inches from the flaming door.

(You burned down your own home.)

A woman from the crowd noticed him.

"Hey! What's that guy doing?" Firefighters turned to see.

"Get awa-!"

Vladimir jumped through the flames. Screams erupted from the pedestrians and the firefighters were about to go after him.

(Where are they?) Vladimir searched around, and found what he was searching for.

"There they are."

The fire consumed the house, and collapsed. No one knew if the man got out or burned to ash. A firefighter with red hair in a single braid took his helmet off.

"That man, suicide? No. But then what?"

The man with red hair was left confused.

Heaven and the others found Alex. Mars gave a shocked gasp.

"That's him?"

Heaven nodded.

"Yeah. Crystal. Can you deal with him?"

Crystal walked in Alex's direction, and without turning around, she replied.

"Yes. Leave it to me."

Mars grinned mischievously.

"Going soft, Heaven?"

Heaven slapped the taunting vampire's arm away.

"Hell no, I'm only nice to Vladimir and my loving wife and daughter. You know that better than anyone."

Mars lost his smile. His eyes filled with pain.

"I know. I was unable to help you that day."

Silence reigned supreme throughout the noise of the blizzard. The vampires had no clue what they could do.

(Can we really be of help?)

Heaven set his gaze up into the dark sky, his eyes filled with an unknown emotion.