The Vampire's Harvest

115

You need to act fast, but you know you won't survive a straight hit from a vampire. So you race towards Ell and your sister, reaching out and snatching the ends of her scarf just as she's about to sink her lengthy fangs into your unsuspecting sibling.

You lurch forward with Ell's lunge, but your grip stays strong and she recoils at the jerk on her neck. As she stumbles back, another vamp swoops in to challenge Gianette, but your sister snaps him in her jaws and drags him away, ignoring the fact that Ell ever assaulted her in the first place.

You feel a thrill as you see your sister trot back into battle, tearing out the throats of the vamps with ease, but that excitement is replaced in an instant when you realize that you are holding a limp scarf in your hand with no owner on the other end.

"A rebel and werewolf sympathizer, there's just no end to how poor my judgment is." Ell seethes and her fists clench, but she doesn't leap at you immediately. You see the strain of embarrassment and disappointment in her steely eyes and you act out of pure instinct.

"I'm not a werewolf sympathizer, I was just trying to save you." The words stumble out and you lick your dry lips as you try to consider your next words.

"What?" asks Ell, whose muscles tense beneath her well fitted gown while her brow raises with confusion.

"I've been watching the battle from the tavern, that wolf is vicious and I didn't want you to get hurt. So I tried to stop you the only way I could think of."

"You ran away with the rebels, for all I know you were even one of them." She sidesteps the charge of a rather bulky werewolf, which snaps at Ell for artfully dodging his attack. However, the werewolf is then intercepted by an energetic vamp eager to tear off his fur and so the two of you are alone once again.

"I...," you struggle to think of an excuse. All the noise, all the movement, all the blood is making you dizzy and with Ell glaring down at you, the pressure takes over and you spill out the first thing that comes to your mind.

The truth.

"I got scared. Everything I ever wanted was right there before me and then Ferris showed up and the illusion cracked and I suddenly just became afraid. I ran for myself, not for them, not for some cause. Just because my whole life has built up to that moment and I didn't know if I could handle it."

The words fall from your lips without a single pause for breath. You feel lighter once it's out and you look up at Ell with cautious eyes.

"I'm ready to leave this town. I'm done with this," you say looking around at the dirt road that has grown muddy with blood. "I'd rather live the dream."

"Why should I believe you?" Ell asks. The threat is clear in her voice, but she approaches you without hostility or menace. It seems she's offering you a chance and she may even be doing so with some hope behind her generosity.

Thing is, you aren't sure you believe yourself either. What you do know is that at this point to challenge Ell is a death sentence. Perhaps convincing her to take you will save your life and maybe even your sister's. It may only be one less vamp on the battlefield, but every little bit helps.

"Well, prove to me that your loyalty is in the promise of eternity," says Ell, impatience hardening her face.

You've committed, you need to see this through. You look for inspiration to really sell it, but you only see death and violence around you. So you look around your person and find the silver pin you bought that morning, the embracing couple statue that you pilfered from the lounge, and the sticky pepper shaker from the tavern. Could one of these spark the creativity you need?

- Silver Pin: ch 124

- Couple Staue: ch 125

- Pepper Shaker: ch 126